At the time of this being brought out, I thought that the party was her way of grieving. At my mother's funeral, I didn't cry. A woman came and put her arms around me and told me that it was okay to cry. I couldn't cry. My mind was still in shock and my mind was telling me that she will be at home when we got there. I was out of reality. My mind tricked me into thinking that she was just sleeping. There is no right way to grieve and you don't know what another is thinking. I actually waited for my momma after her funeral.
Oh I'm sorry for your loss. I hope it's got easier for you. I try not to imagine how I'll feel when my mother dies, my mind tries not to go there, probably because she's at that age now, where I'm genuinely worried. But I can totally understand your not fully accepting her death. Some things are just too much for the human mind to cope with.
I believe that Darlie is guilty, but I still can't understand why people saw the party as a red flag. There were other adults and children at the party, celebrating a child's life on his birthday. Arguing that only a murderer would think to do that seems to make everyone present guilty.
I can attest that we react differently during grief. After my sister's death from cancer, I acted unusually giddy. I was laughing and socializing at her funeral reception. It took a year before I could accept that my sister was gone. That's when I started crying.
That's interesting. My Mamaw died when I was seven. I cried a lot at the first part of her funeral. Then, I had this unspeakable urge to laugh...I had to hold it back but started to a few times and had to fake crying right after. Thankfully, I fell asleep for the last part of the funeral. I always wondered why I felt like laughing; I always chalked it up to crying so much that I had no tears left and had no other way to express my emotions.
Likewise - I was 12 when my mom died from the flu (she was in a coma for several days) and when we found out me and my younger brother had a laughing fit. Doesn't mean we didn't care about her or didn't miss her, emotions aren't always rational and laughter is a good coping mechanism. You're far more likely to laugh when you're with other people, it's a social thing, and if I'm in physical pain I'm more likely to laugh as well.
My sister died from cancer about 3 years ago and I still have her number on my phone. I want to call her when I feel depressed and I know that she is not going to answer the phone. I have never celebrated any death in my family and there was a few murders, suicides, cancer, and other deaths. There was so many things that were wrong about the deaths of her children. The biggest thing that should have been asked was where was her husband during all of this?
@@christinefougere , because of the silly string funeral and how the boy's family behavior was recorded. People react differently when a family member dies but there is a difference between a murder and death by cancer. I personally don't understand how anyone could laugh at the death of someone they supposedly love .
After my mom passed away my family had margaritas at the grave site because that was her favorite drink...some of us poured ours on her grave. From the outside this would have looked callus and disrespectful...but to us it was a way of celebrating her. Never assume you can really know what is in heart of another.
That is different your mom wasn't murder. She passed away. and there was two life murdered and then the mother celebrated, spray silly string on her sons grave? So does it make her innocent?
Depends on how it's done. Were ya'll smacking gum and giggling and absolutely gleeful doing it? Or was it a respectful ceremony. And Darlie, the narcissist, called the media herself to go and film her. Who on earth would do that? She did it.
Uhh,,,,my friends and I have smoked one next to our family members murdered grave. (Took along time to even visit the grave. Families of murdered victims have a different closure. 💔 but if my child was murdered,,,,I couldn't stop thinking of who was the murderer!!! We were all like that until police caught, found guilty and put the murderer in prison for 50 yrs. Then,,,we felt a little place if grief process.
My friend lost a son to Suicide She never shed a tear as far as I knew. One day many years later we were driving through the mountains and she made a comment about how much her son loved to camp and then broke down crying like a wounded animal. I pulled over and tried to comfort her and she told me that it was the first time she cried for him because she felt like if she cried she was excepting his death and as long as she didn’t morn for him she somehow was able to keep him alive. I lost my husband last year to Covid-19 and I cry at the drop of a hat. It just happens without any prompting from anyone. I still feel his presence and at times I can smell his cologne. I have been awaken by his voice calling out to me. I can still feel him sitting on his side of the bed , I feel him when he sits and I feel him when he gets up to leave. My family and friends don’t believe me they think I am imagining all of this because I can’t let go and I need to “get over it”. Losing someone you love is beyond words and no two people feel and act the same way.. I haven’t watched the video yet but I have seen documentaries on this and I believe she is innocent.
Warm hugs🤗and🙏wishes of happiness are sent your way Roberta. I am sorry for your precious loss. This case has always bothered me as I too really think she is innocent. Perhaps there will be some answers yet, through DNA somehow. I feel so sad for this mom who not only lost her beautiful boys in such a horrific way, but then lost her freedom because she was blamed for it, and adding insult to injury, may be put to death for it. She will be with her boys again one day. They know the truth.💕🙏🌹
@@tsully4368You're unfamiliar with the facts that the police didn't even bother to look for anyone else and because of Susan Smith they just wanted to punish her.
@@mariemeldron2984 - The police investigated the case down to limb and pubic hair. No evidence of any intruder. Susan Smith wasn't a part of the trial at all. 😂
Yet Casey Anthony partied for a month, while her child who was in a bag near the house all that time, wasn't reported missing..and she's free... 🤦♀️🤦♀️
Seems there are a lot of parallels with Steven Avery here. She needs Katherine Zellner to look at that - oh, and Susan Smith got 30 YEARS .. not life with parole, not death, 30 bloody years.
@@david-pb4bi, I am not a fool! The jury never saw her injuries! Did you? There's was no motive, a stranger fingerprint a bloody sock in the alley! A juror said, had he seen her injuries he would have found her innocent! Who's the fool? At the time of the birthday party she had taken pain pills which make people act different! Plus there was a religious ceremony prior to the party!
A couple of years ago my neighbor lost her 4 year old son due to a sudden illness. The day after his death I went to her house to offer assistance and convey my condolences. Upon entering her house I found her to be welcoming, composed, and not much different than her usual demeanor. I was quite surprised with her behavior because in my mind I was expecting to meet a very distraught woman. Later I came to realize that it is absolutely ridiculous to try to define a right way of grieving. There is no way we can ever know how we would react or anyone would react to tragic events. This experience reminded me of the Amanda Knox case, who was scrutinized for her behavior after the death of her friend. It’s unfortunate.
My husband and I had no children, but one day a heavily pregnant mama cat meandered up on our patio. We adopted one of her kittens, and this wonderful kitty lived to be twenty years old! I knew she didn't have a lot of time left, and I was depressed about it. Then my husband died suddenly on June 29, and on August 29, I had to have the cat put down! I was devastated by his death, but never cried about it for some reason I still don't understand. But after Francy the cat died, for the next several years I would start to cry at odd times over her. I have no good idea of why I find myself crying over my cat, but I've never done so over my husband! It's really a mystery!
I am sorry for you losses Nancy. Yes, I don’t think we can predict and understand how are reactions are going to be in situations like this. It’s truly a mystery.
She was convicted due to many pieces of evidence, bot just her behavior. Not by a long shot. She is guilty. Some things he states here are incorrect. She did have an history of violence and mental illness and neglecting her kids, for starters. She injured herself at a party and told people she was raped bc she was mad at Darin when they were dating. Sound familiar. Not many people outside of the investigation knew about that. All the blood evidence as well as other forensic crime scene evidence points to her.
@@nancyayers6355 We nurture pets who remain dependent on us for their wellbeing. In some ways they are always like helpless babies even when they are adults. And our relationships with them are much less complicated than with human peers. Sorry for your losses.
My middle school teacher told us about a woman whose child was killed in a car accident. They made the funeral like a party with balloons and everything. The mother went on and on about how she forgave the driver. She was "happy" her child was with God. Months later, she started what most people would refer to as grieving: blaming the driver, crying all the time, etc.
After the shock and reflex "gotta cope" wore off. How utterly awful. Poor woman. Poor everyone. What a mess. I hope someone helped her through that. I don't think it's something you'd ever get "over". Thank you for sharing.
I lost one of my daughter this past February. One day I seem perfectly ok or at least coping. The next day I could be in bed crying for hours. I talk to my daughter every day, because it helps me cope. That party could have been something I could have done one day and not have been capable of the next day. The party may have been an effort on her part to hold onto her son regardless how irrational it might seem to others.
Losing my daughter changed me so much, in so many ways. Because we were transplanted here, so I have no friends or family here, I know some of my family was freaked out by me. People here knew nothing about me, so...
Thanks for the insight and I am sorry for your loss, but when you ask yourself what a party is, it's a celebration, right? A celebration of what? And that soon.
Let’s not forget that her husband Darren tried to hire someone on several occasions to break into their house and steal valuables, so he could get insurance money.
No he spoke about the possibility?? Why not have large amount of money on children but they didn’t ? DNA will prove someone else was there but it’s too late she may as well have died that night. Prosecution very frightening in a country with death penalty?? So she turned into a psychopath for couple of hours then back again? Ridiculous!!
Thank you, dear. Too many people seem to think that a trial is an occasion for stoning someone to death. They never seem to think that plenty of people have been found to be NOT guilty.
@FirstName LastName You're absolutely right. They literally could not find any evidence of an Intruder. I'd like to know when the Intruder had time to clean all his bloody footprints off the floor. So ridiculous, she's guilty.
I'm so glad you talked about the way people behave when they are grieving or after a trauma. I know that when I have been dealing with grief I have made some stupid decisions and obsessed over things that I normally wouldn't even think about. People are often at their very worst when they are grieving because we are trying to process so much and it never seems to come out well.
I appreciate Dr. Grande's reiteration of no "normal" way to react. I've lost two partners to sudden death...one from motorcycle accident, 20 years later my #2 died suddenly and unexpectedly from a health issue. My initial response both times was unemotional and practical. A few hours later as the reality sinks in and my brain processes the loss....utter devastation and grief which lasts for months.
It was the same with me! When my Dad died 4 years ago, it even took 3-4 weeks until I really started to let the reality sink in...I would never say that Darlie is guilty because of that really dilly silly string video. This video was abused to manipulate and nothing else. If a mother behaves like this after she lost 2 of her children, this may not be "normal" and maybe even crazy or mentally ill, but to celebrate a child' s birthday who was murdered just one week before, is no crime...I cannot tell you why, but from the first moment on I learned about this case (I live in Germany), I was pretty sure that Darlie Routier was innocent. Anyway, she deserves a new trial at least. And that it should have been her putting that sock there about 30 feet away from the house just to deceive the police, would be funny if it wasn' t that serious. Please abolish death penalty now! It is wrong - no matter what a person did!
The jury was also not shown the entire “Silly String Tape.” They didn’t see the part of the tape where Darlie was weeping and mourning “properly.” Members of the jury later said that their verdict would have been different had they been shown the rest of the tape.
Absolute tripe what you wrote. She COMMITTED THESE HORRIFIC MURDERS. THERE WERE NEVER ANY OTHER SUSPECTS. You shouldn't be writing crap when you clearly havent done any research on this case. I've been following this since she did it on June 6 1996.
@@annieferraro5988 But OP didn't say anything about her being innocent. They just repeated statements made by some jurors about viewing the silly string tape. What did OP say that was so wrong? Are you saying that none of the jurors made this statement? And that OP is just making it up?
@@anne853 I'm sorry, I just can't even talk about this without getting upset for those poor little boys who their mother viewed as impediment to her narcissistic dreams of wealth and power. And their brother Drake who probably doesn't even remember Devon and Damen. The defense simply has no case and never did. It melted like wet silly string decades ago. It's HIGH TIME DARLIE ROUTIER pays the ultimate price.
@@annieferraro5988 That's understandable. It's very upsetting for 2 children to die like this. I followed this case for years and always thought Darlie acted very strange, like a little girl. It seems like she must have done it, I just can't quite gather how she had time to plant the sock in the alley and then stage the scene in her house. It looks like she would have had 3 minutes at most to do all that, but I suppose it could be done.
There were two tapes. The Silly string tape was made by the news crew Darlie invited to the cemetery and was shown to the jury/admitted into evidence. The second was the police surveillance tape. Mulder was given the police surveillance tape and chose not to show it to the jury or admit it into evidence. Obviously, he deemed it not favorable to Darlie.
Good 🙏🏿 One! Enjoy. Never in my life would I consider Darlie Routier innocent under any circumstances, especially after the "Forensic Files" episode. (commenting without having viewed the good DG's full video)
I have been a victim of violent crime several times in my life. I have often reacted by joking and laughing. I think it was my way of pretending it never happened or that, if it did, it wasn't so bad that I couldn't handle it. Because of this reaction, I was not taken seriously by anyone including the police. Even though I stopped laughing after the first 20 minutes or so, and then became tearful and depressed, I was never taken seriously as a victim. Thank you, Dr.Grande, for stating that there is no official rulebook for the emotional reactions of people facing sudden tragedy or reacting to extreme trouble. It was harder for me to recover from the attacks because the police (and others) did not see my emotions as appropriate. Your videos, in which you have discussed this many times, have at least helped me to accept my own emotional reactions as OK.
You’re not alone. I’ve laughed when important traumas happened in my life. I either laugh or fall asleep immediately. My brain automatically takes over to protect me. I’m sorry you experienced all that trauma ❤️❤️ and I hope things are better for you now.
I am so sorry you were not validated or understood. How we present needs to be appeoached with more skill and basic knowledge in trauma responses -- otherwise, it just causes more harm.
My younger brother and I laughed when my mother died (I was 12). It wasn't for another 7 years that I cried about it. Laughing is a coping mechanism, not sure why it"s hard for some people to understand that.
Refreshing to hear from someone else, that just because you think someone is guilty, doesn't mean it's enough to find someone guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
I love how you talked about how she was still likely guilty but we really won’t know since the other leads were never investigated. Horrible situation overall.
she told the 911 operator she grabbed the knife on the floor to give a reason why her prints were on it , no one does that , also he forgot to mention she wore booty shorts at her kids funeral "party" screams i want to be free of kids imo.
Her being guilty makes zero sense, why leave one son alive and almost fatally cut her own neck? There is twice as much evidence pointing towards the father. Plus there was recently a 20/20 episode eerily similar to this where a mother sat in prison a decade before finding out a serial killer under these same terms had killed her child. Same scenario, knife from her own kitchen, only stabbed the kid, actually ran from the mother!! Turns out he used to attack women until one was able to grab a toilet lid, fight back and cracked his skull! This same serial killer got a slap on the wrist because the woman victim came out on top. One released from prison went strictly after children only, used weapons found in the home , and attacked only the kids.... This woman should be released with a fat settlement yesterday, she was convicted over throwing a birthday party while drowning in grief. No one acts the same! I sat numb and frozen after watching my mother die, left in the room with her body. Didn't cry or make a sound because some grief is so completely overwhelming tears aren't enough.
@@sugarscott4767 , naive. look at how she acted losing a child, yes we can all act a little different but only her and casey Anthony would party afterwards .
@@sugarscott4767 I'm going to have to completely agree with you. I believe Darlie is on death row for a crime she didn't commit. This happened after Susan Smith drove her two young sons into a lake and let them drown. Darlie was found guilty in the court of public opinion since the silly string incident. I saw a recent video of Darlie and her long curly locks were gone. The blush and the lipstick, far removed. She looked broken. Her son who wasn't attacked, has died of some type of cancer I believe. She's divorced now. In my opinion, she's innocent. I don't believe in the death penalty because our justice system is flawed. Life in prison is much worse. Darlie looked ready and I really pray she hasn't lost her hope.
Actually, A murderer would worry about "Appearances" much more then an innocent person. Oddly, she acts non sociopathic in jail.....and before the deaths of her kids.
I don't remember there being a big man hunt for the killer. Also Darlie's hubby was joking or bragging about his wife's great breast to the cops while they were interviewing him about his child's murder. That's beyond the pale of normal thinking. Both of them l think are screw balls.
In Darin's defense, he was responding to a question posed by police as to what he thought happened. He stated it was probably a stalker, someone followed her home, have you seen her blond hair, breasts... In context, it's not so weird.
Her hubby also admitted to successfully doing a few insurance fraud things and had, I think, planned a house "break in" and theft so he could claim the value of the stolen items on the home insurance policy. Could be, he hired the wrong person to do this "break in", someone with worse intentions than stealing things.
I don't "act normal" in the face of danger and trauma. I am calm, I could even joke around. But when the dust settles and I'm alone I process and grieve. I tend to have a spotty memory also... this is all coping I have learned.
Again this is not like, next second reaction while in shock. This is a week later she's had 7 days to process! You look at other moms who've killed their children, reaction is the same! They literally celebrated the godawful death of their kids, like Diane downs, they are high with glee, they can't contain their excitement! To think of what a brutal death these kids endured, no one should even be smiling 7 days after 😭😭
@@Elegant_Sausage Well hopefully the next time you're "not grieving properly" you won't have a mountain of forensic evidence pointing straight at you and no one else. She's a baby killer.
When I was less than a decade old, my grandmother died. She was very important in my life. I was brought to the funeral and was encouraged to view her. I was very afraid. It was a very scary idea. But I did it. When I saw her I felt a wave of relief and even happiness wash over me. She looked so peaceful, I realized she had passed on, and she is actually in a better place. Just as the feeling of peace and relief washed over and through me, I smiled and there was an immediate chorus of blood curdling screeches that cut through me and nearly dropped me to the floor. Some cousins were screaming and literally snarling that I didn't 'love grandma'. They were about the same age as myself and in the moment I realized they couldn't comprehend that I had had an epiphany. They couldn't understand what I had experienced. But on a spiritual Sensei level I could see their intense jealousy. It's one of those memories you don't forget. I didn't hate them for it, but it sure hurt. Later in life I would see people being judged in court or out of court by an expression, a lack of expression, and an endless list of other reasons why they were guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt based on a perceived state of mind. Usually they are snarling. It kind of negates the finding of facts.
Have you lost a child? You can't possibly compare the 2. I understand what you're saying though. Some people handle death differently. I understand that. Darlie reminds me so much of Diane Downs.
A couple of things Dr Grande may not have known. 1. There was only one set of prints on that knife, and they belonged to Darlie. 2. That car was stopped , the people were questioned and determined not to have been involved. I'm reading a book now that focuses on the crime scene. There is a lot more that the public never heard.
Exactly, the jury had alot more evidence than how Darlie processed her "grief". After all they sentenced her to death. The defenses alternate theory to the crime makes even less sense than Darlie throwing a silly string party! Seems like everyone is forgetting that two little sweet boys were murdered, and this is certainly not the first time a mother has butchered her own kids!
When he said 50-55% guilty I thought this is the case analysis I don’t agree about. Dr grande focused much on how police judged darlenes grieving and so he was biased on everything else
@@michelleclarke8500I think she did it, but I agree with Dr. Grande that once the crime scene analyst said there was no intruder, her fate was sealed. I don't think one persons opinion, no matter what their qualifications are, should be seen as fact. I think any crime scene needs two or three independent authorities to come to separate conclusions. I don't think there was enough evidence, but there being no other prints on the knife except hers and her story being shaky at best doesn't look good. I also dont think there is a mother on earth that could be that joyful celebrating her dead sons Birthday days after his death, but I do agree we can't convict on her actions because we know people grieve differently. Dr. Grande was also right that the police and prosecutors were more interested in convicting Darlie that convicting the murderer. Although, I think she is guilty as hell, I don't think it was proven in court. I pray those dear children never saw her face during the attack and that they are resting in peace.😢
@@donnamckinley9807 I think it was absolutely proven it court. There was a mountain of circumstantial and forensic evidence. Anyone can theoretically argue any one particular piece, but when there is literally dozens of facts stacking up against her, it becomes near a mathematical impossibilty that she is innocent: Just consider the following. 1. Unusual concern about fingerprints on the knife as her boys lay dying. 2. No blood or scuff marks on the backyard fence or gate. The gate was closed when police arrived, even though it was difficult to open and close. 3. Enough blood on the door leading to the garage that it dripped down the door, but no blood on or around the exit window in the garage. 4. Screen debris on the bread knife from the Routier’s kitchen. 5. No evidence whatsoever of a knife being dropped on the utility room floor. 6. The bloody knife imprint on the carpet near Devon and the heavy trail indicating a fresh supply of Darlie’s blood being fed to it. 7. The wine glass that somehow was knocked to the floor, despite testimony that it couldn’t have happened with a bump, jostle, or tip of the wine rack. 8. No cuts on Darlie’s feet, despite her claim of running through the kitchen numerous times, and at least twice in the dark. 9. The murder weapon was a knife from her own home. 10. Very minor displacement of furniture in the family room, indicative of a clumsy attempt to stage the crime scene. 11. Her claim of having placed a towel on Damon’s back is directly contradicted by the first responders. 12. Darlie’s conflicting stories to various police officers, hospital employees, friends, and family members about what happened that night. 13. Although Darlie later claimed to have no memory of the attack and only a vague memory of the intruder leaving, she wrote people from jail while awaiting trial claiming, “I know who did it…I saw him!” 14. Darlie’s claim that five-year-old Damon, after being stabbed in the liver and lungs, was walking and speaking to her for some time after the intruder left. 15. Blood being washed and wiped away in and around the sink area. 16. No blood on the section of the couch where Darlie said her head was resting. 17. No cast-off blood in the family room or kitchen; just smudges or round drops indicating slow movement through the area. 18. Bruises on right arm which didn’t show up until more than 4 days after the murders. No blunt-trauma bruises anywhere else on her face or body. 19. Darlie clearly saying on the 911 call that “I was fighting!” and then changing it to “I was frightening” at trial. (This switcheroo coincided with her traumatic amnesia claim). 20. The boys’ cast-off blood on the shoulder and back of her nightshirt. 21. Darlie’s superficial wounds were drastically different from her sons’ deep, penetrating stab wounds. 22. The overturned vacuum cleaner in the kitchen, with broken glass and Darlie’s bloody footprints underneath. 23. Four cuts in Darlie’s nightshirt with no corresponding injuries. 24. Darin’s accounts being constantly expanded to explain his wife’s suspicious and contradictory statements. 25. Darlie’s suicide note written a month prior to the murders. 26. Financial problems so severe that their house was on the verge of foreclosure, and Darin’s application for a $5,000 vacation loan was turned down the day before the murders. 27. The complete lack of any evidence that someone else was in that house during the time of the murders. 28. The whole idea of a stranger walking through the pitch-black garage without bloodying anything, tripping over anything, disturbing the windowsill dust, or transferring blood inside and outside the garage. 29. Animal bowls outside, a large animal cage partly blocking the garage window - all strong deterrents for an intruder. 30. A vicious cat who, when approached, would hiss and flail around in his cage just a few feet from the couch. 31. Expensive jewelry and Darlie’s purse, in plain sight on the kitchen counter, were not taken. 32. The idea of an intruder stabbing two little boys to death for absolutely no reason, and leaving the adult who can identify him alive and armed with a knife. To have all of those circumstances intersect and STILL Darlie's account is true? No - simply impossible.
@@donnamckinley9807 I just don't see how you could possibly think there wasn't enough evidence - especially if you think she was guilty as hell. Way too many things working against Darlie when - taken together - easily go beyond reasonable doubt. There is simply no scenario where all these things below exist, yet it still was an intruder: 1. Unusual concern about fingerprints on the knife as her boys lay dying. 2. No blood or scuff marks on the backyard fence or gate. The gate was closed when police arrived, even though it was difficult to open and close. 3. Enough blood on the door leading to the garage that it dripped down the door, but no blood on or around the exit window in the garage. 4. Screen debris on the bread knife from the Routier’s kitchen. 5. No evidence whatsoever of a knife being dropped on the utility room floor. 6. The bloody knife imprint on the carpet near Devon and the heavy trail indicating a fresh supply of Darlie’s blood being fed to it. 7. The wine glass that somehow was knocked to the floor, despite testimony that it couldn’t have happened with a bump, jostle, or tip of the wine rack. 8. No cuts on Darlie’s feet, despite her claim of running through the kitchen numerous times, and at least twice in the dark. 9. The murder weapon was a knife from her own home. 10. Very minor displacement of furniture in the family room, indicative of a clumsy attempt to stage the crime scene. 11. Her claim of having placed a towel on Damon’s back is directly contradicted by the first responders. 12. Darlie’s conflicting stories to various police officers, hospital employees, friends, and family members about what happened that night. 13. Although Darlie later claimed to have no memory of the attack and only a vague memory of the intruder leaving, she wrote people from jail while awaiting trial claiming, “I know who did it…I saw him!” 14. Darlie’s claim that five-year-old Damon, after being stabbed in the liver and lungs, was walking and speaking to her for some time after the intruder left. 15. Blood being washed and wiped away in and around the sink area. 16. No blood on the section of the couch where Darlie said her head was resting. 17. No cast-off blood in the family room or kitchen; just smudges or round drops indicating slow movement through the area. 18. Bruises on right arm which didn’t show up until more than 4 days after the murders. No blunt-trauma bruises anywhere else on her face or body. 19. Darlie clearly saying on the 911 call that “I was fighting!” and then changing it to “I was frightening” at trial. (This switcheroo coincided with her traumatic amnesia claim). 20. The boys’ cast-off blood on the shoulder and back of her nightshirt. 21. Darlie’s superficial wounds were drastically different from her sons’ deep, penetrating stab wounds. 22. The overturned vacuum cleaner in the kitchen, with broken glass and Darlie’s bloody footprints underneath. 23. Four cuts in Darlie’s nightshirt with no corresponding injuries. 24. Darin’s accounts being constantly expanded to explain his wife’s suspicious and contradictory statements. 25. Darlie’s suicide note written a month prior to the murders. 26. Financial problems so severe that their house was on the verge of foreclosure, and Darin’s application for a $5,000 vacation loan was turned down the day before the murders. 27. The complete lack of any evidence that someone else was in that house during the time of the murders. 28. The whole idea of a stranger walking through the pitch-black garage without bloodying anything, tripping over anything, disturbing the windowsill dust, or transferring blood inside and outside the garage. 29. Animal bowls outside, a large animal cage partly blocking the garage window - all strong deterrents for an intruder. 30. A vicious cat who, when approached, would hiss and flail around in his cage just a few feet from the couch. 31. Expensive jewelry and Darlie’s purse, in plain sight on the kitchen counter, were not taken. 32. The idea of an intruder stabbing two little boys to death for absolutely no reason, and leaving the adult who can identify him alive and armed with a knife.
Her son was alive and she did nothing to help her “babies”! As a mother myself, I’d try ANYTHING to save them. The officer who arrived said that Darlie did nothing to help the son who was still crawling along the floor.
She was on the phone with 911 during the time the Officer arrived, still answering all the questions of the operator, the operator would not allow her to hang up. Other personnel also arrived while she was still on the phone. After that, the officer (noting her wounds and unsteadiness) ordered her to sit down. I believe she would have made sure the boys were actually dead before screaming for Darin if she had done this. It's bizarre to think a non-psychotic person would do this with her spouse in the home. She could have easily done it while he was at work, if she wanted them dead, and claimed they were all napping and someone entered.
Some people can not tolerate the sight of blood. I am one of those people who could not handle seeing my kids like that and would be on the phone with 911 screaming horrified and in shock
Going to make my own comment but had to say...what about DARIn working on DEVON the son who had died instantly by getting stabbed....not the baby boy who VIsABLy crawled on the floor trying to escape.
This case has always scared the hell out of me just based on how others judged how she was acting. When people around me die I do not cry. Never have. This makes people think I don't care, but they're wrong. I care very much, but I'm not going to force myself to cry for their benefit. That would be fake, and I detest that. People need to worry about themselves, and stop judging others just because they don't react the way they think they should. Everybody's different.
I don’t cry in public. Not when my mother died 5 days after my 21st birthday, not when my father died 14mos later, not when my oldest son was attacked at school his sophomore year and spent weeks in Peds ICU. I shut down pretty much all emotion because I had to take of my 12yr old brother, my older sister and her three kids (she fell apart and into the bottle 😢) and my own 10mos old. But everyone who knows me already knows that about me. My mother was the same way. Handle to issues, but grief is very private to me. Even my husband can count on 1 hand the times he’s seen me breakdown and we’ve been together 27yrs. We often joke that if he ever went missing I’d be suspect number one because I don’t cry and I’m addicted to true crime of all sorts.
My Aunt lost her baby at 7 weeks...she has a graveside birthday party every year to this day he would be 25. When he passed she held, handled and changed him several times...wanted other to as well. She never shed a tear until she saw them putting dirt into his grave...she stayed for hours. It was super sad bit everyone around her kept things as light as possible because while she was not emoting sadness...we all knew it was there big time.
Yes, she was in shock, which is understandable, and it’s completely different than this case. If your babies were murdered in your presence, and you didn’t stop them, you wouldn’t be having a party, celebrating, laughing and having fun. The death of someone’s child is devastating, or it should be.
Can't say I've ever heard of any Mother joyously dancing on their boys' grave 8 days after they were brutally murdered with the murderer still on the loose. Nothing normal about that.
Yes, people grieve differently. But Casey Anthony going out and participating in hot body costumes at bars for 30 days while the kid is missing that’s outrageous. And same with Darley and the silly string laughing at the gravesite seven days after your kids or brutally stop today off? There’s definitely something wrong there.
@@tsully4368 You miss the bit where it's been proven the police cut straight to that part of the recording and missed the bit where she was grieving terribly. At 8 days afterward, a person is still in shock and shock results in weird behaviours, looking in from the outside. There's no evidence and there's reasonable doubt. Still, either way ... I'm still ???
@@bunnymad5049 - You're misinformed. There were 2 tapes. The silly string tape recorded by the news crew Darlie invited, and the police surveillance tape. The police surveillance tape was provided to the defense who didn't admit it into evidence or show it. Why? Because they deemed it unhelpful to Darlie. To this day that police surveillance video has never been shown to the public in full. Despite the defense and the family having copies. So, we really don't know what is on it. Darlie was convicted on the totality of the evidence, especially the blood evidence and her many lies. If you're truly interested in learning the case, the transcripts and appeals are easily searchable online.
Who says she was grieving at all? Maybe she was happy her sons were murdered and the killer was still free. What would that kind of behavior look like? Not everybody is normal.,
I’m so eager to hear your analysis of this lady. I have been following the case since it’s inception and still do not know what to think about it all. Thank you.
my theory ( i think she is innocent, only 40% shows she is guilty) factors pointing at guilt and their counters: 1) she handling a murder weapon: yes, it's a bad sign for sure, but considering the whole master-plan that was planned, couldn't she just use a tissue paper to hold the knife, and then throw it in any far place? i mean she asked them to scan the prints on the knife, so she's certainly aware that they would have gotten her prints. also, the said it was a "planned" murder. so , couldn't she buy a new knife , hid until she applies her plan? i think everything points out that the murder was planned to hurt her in every-way, mentally and physically. this makes more sense for me. she was harmed and is in pain, yet not dead, but her sons where dead? which leads to the next point 2)her suicidal tendencies: why would someone EVER want to suicide, and then change their mind even after killing their kids? the only reason that a suicidal person would kill others is only of those 2: 1) the other person is stopping the suicidal from suicide 2) the suicidal is concerned about the people(children) they are leaving behind when they suicide, so they kill them as well. her suicidal note proves the fact that,she didn't kill them out of anger ,or hate. and if she killed them because of her suicidal tendencies: 1)why didn't she kill the three of her sons 2) also they have a father who would take care of her children, so she doesn't need to kill her children 3) why did she hesitate at the end from killing her self and asking for rescue? also , if she wanted to suicide, then why hurting herself in 3 different parts? why not just one direct hit into the throat and end it once and for all without enduring too much pain? the point of suicide to end pain , not to increase it.. 3)why would someone kill her sons, and fail to kill her? because the intention of the killer to cause her the biggest pain they could make to her, and i think that's the best way. and also, she would have enough time ti kill her sons, while an outsider is always in danger if someone woke up or found out an outsider in her house, so he was under pressure of time . unlike her, she had all night to kill her three sons. 4) her story changed several times, because of trauma. seeing your sons dead, throat cut and herself cut and getting raped.. that's much more horrifying than many actual horror movies i have ever seen. anyone but a psychopath would be able to mentally do that to their sons and themselves and then have desire to live afterwards. trauma has direct effect on human mind. it can change it chemically and physically. it can put false memory and ideologies in human mind as well as making your memory forget things, and the memory it self becomes more like a vague dream. >>> actually all evidence points out to , and the story would make much more sense that the murder was planned by her husband/someone else, and the cops are actually paid to trap her. it would explain everything that happened. the fact that, how fast the judgement was done extremely fast without any considerations relatively for big serial killers like ted bendy is a big prove that it was planned to set her up. >>> the biggest prove she is innocent is 1)the motive 2)benefit even a psychopath wouldn't kill their sons, without a good benefit, and the murder would have been much more and better planned. but she was sentenced to death, without giving a good clear motive or benefit for her actions. and if she wanted money, she would have killed her husband, so , it's obvious it's not about money. so can someone imagine any scenario that she could have an enough motive or benefit to kill her sons? >>>> another prove that she is innocent is that ted bundy, the heartless cold blooded serial killer and most serial killers admitted their murders. but she didn't say anything about her murdering.
the police did not do a "shoddy job" in the case of darlie routier. They did a thorough investigation. It sounds like Dr. Grande landed on a website run by her supporters and is believing what he is reading. And to bring up the prosecutor getting in some kind of trouble decades later was right from the script of the darlie supporters. I love Dr. Grande's videos but I wish he would research the cases more before saying things like that against the police investigators.
@@ladyjusticesurvivoradvocat3816 You're one of those people who thinks that ANY case that the government brings against someone is AUTOMATICALLY guilty. You're what's wrong with this country and the government.
@@michaelthearchangel8508 not true at all. I've been a true crimer for over a decade and I've written many books on true crime cases after thoroughly researching the details of the cases I write about. In the case of DR - the police did a fine job, and so did the prosecutors too. The prosecutor was quoted after the trial as saying that darlie was his best witness. She lied right in front of the jurors. The evidence - physical evidence - was clear. And her best friend called me in 2016 and filled me in on a lot of details. She is a murderer. She's guilty. There are a lot of cases where I do believe the accused is innocent - Christopher Watts, George Zimmerman, the young man in wisconsin who shot in self defense, etc. But Darlie? Guilty.
@@ladyjusticesurvivoradvocat3816 It makes no sense what so ever. Why kill her own children, If she didn't want them she just could have sent them into a foster home. The state would of have easily taken them. Why kill them in a state known for it's over use of the death penalty? Someone mentioned five thousand dollars of life insurance on her kids. No one is going to kill their own kids over five thousand dollars. As for lying on the stand, How much pressure do you think was on this woman when she was testifying? Knowing your life is on the line. Of course she would be confused over certain facts. That DOES NOT MEAN she was willfully lying to anyone. I've also seen some crime shows where they were talking about this same case. And it was mentioned that there was not a single piece of evidence in this entire case that pointed to her guilt. What the jury did was take all of the information and decided that she was guilty. Even though as I said before there was no direct evidence she was guilty at all. As an example the jury used the "party" in their decision to convict this woman. Everyone grieves in a certain way. It doesn't mean she was celebrating the death of her children. And what the jury did not hear or see was how she broke down crying at this "party". Funny how some things aren't shown to jury's by the prosecution. I believe this woman is innocent. There are too many things that just do not add up.
@@heybulldog1589 You freak, just because a doctors license expired, that doesnt mean they arent a doctor anymore. Dr Phil will be a doctor for life. Once you have your doctorate,you will always be a doctor. You only need the license so you can actually practice on patients. But him not renewing his licence doesnt stop him being a doctor 🙄
NO INNOCENT, loving, concerned mother is going to stand there tending to her own superficial wounds and talking to dispatch about "my fingerprints might be on the knife" while their son is DYING in the other room... Darlie did it.
She was hysterical, taken to hospital then straight after coming around she was taken straight to the police station from the hospital? If you don’t understand how she grieved then just be thankful that you’ll never experience what she went through!😮
I don’t think you can say that concretely. I agree that it seems suspicious and is just odd for her to say. But as someone who talks a lot especially when afraid, I can see how she would have said that as she essentially talked out loud. Idk just how I perceive it. This case is wild
Apparently she fired her 1st court appointed attorneys (who had hired a forensic specialist as an investigator to help analyze the evidence for her defense) and she then hired an attorney who her husband and family had previously used. Courts generally are careful to appoint a competent attorney in such a serious case, because lack of competent counsel is legal grounds for reversal on appeal, and death penalty cases are automatically appealed.
That b*tch is guilty as sin. Millions of people will believe that to their dying day - yet, all her lawyer had to do was convince the jury of "reasonable doubt!" So he comes up with a scenario in which Mom's at work and Grandpa takes the tot out into their backyard to "swim" in a little plastic kiddie pool, he decides to go back inside to get a beer, and the baby drowns in this two-minute time frame! No way??? It's enough to swing the jury and set Monster Mom free! Something as simple as that!!!
@@bathsheba9581 I think she was talking about Casey Anthony. Sure, maybe she could have used a better choice of words, but injustice makes people angry? Darlie Routier was sent to death row on less evidence than the Casey Anthony case.
She had one of the best high profile defence attorneys in Dallas, Doug Mulder. She also had fine team of lawyers. Anthony was smart, she kept her mouth shut. Darlie pretty much convicted herself on the stand.
There is an episode of Forensic Files (season 3, episode 9) that covers this case, which I just watched, and the blood evidence is compelling. It showed that she had removed blood from the kitchen sink and cupboards, numerous bloody footprints made by Darlie as she rearranged the crime scene, her blood dripping down on the murder weapon due to her holding it in her right hand as she bled from the wound on her right forearm, etc. Not that I am an expert on 911 calls, but most do not resemble her chatty, infomative call. Usually it is a panicked request for assistance. Also, because the intruder woke her up, wouldn't she have assumed that he had killed her husband and baby first, but she doesn't seem at all concerned. I do think she is guilty.
Omg omg omg. There's a book a crime episode and even a short movie and I've never heard this THaNk U!!! Why did she call for her husband to come instead of worrying if the husband and baby were alive 💗ty
I’ve seen at least 3 different 48 Hours/60 Minutes/20/20/Dateline episodes about Darlie Routier. The shows I saw did not make her seem guilty. She was majorly injured. The Jury was never shown pictures of her injuries. Or at least how she was bruised practically all over body. Her husband didn’t think she was guilty. Her husband wasn’t some Psycho. He believed her. Also, women who murder their children don’t usually ever commit some huge bloody crime. Especially with her husband home. Women usually poison or smother small children.
Wow I didn’t know this thank you. I thought she was guilty but I wasn’t 100%. It’s hard to be fully convinced because it’s just such an inconceivable crime. I lived like a mile away from them when this happened but I was in pre-K.
@Beverley Lumb her husband did not act appropriate from what i remember from the forensic files episode. He was commenting to police about how great his wife's breasts were.
Your point at the end about the imbalance of focus in our justice system- that far more money, more time, and more brainpower is dedicated to trying and defending suspects than is expended ensuring that these suspects are, in fact, the actual perpetrators of a crime- is brilliant. ♡
Dr. Granda does research on these cases in the typical fashion of a doctor.. a 10 second sweep of the abstract (or wiki), and thinks he is informed to make a decision. He's doing a lot of damage to a lot of people by spreading his misinformation. This lady was guilty as sin, and he's leaving out almost everything that led the jury to that correct decision. But reading through his comment section, he's leading thousands of people to believe this was a miscarriage of justice.
Cops lied so many times, in the transcripts, see for yourself. Guess they did it. Wadell lied, or very least memory failed, his story literally does not match the 911 call. And what exactly did she lie about?
No fingerprints, no DNA anywhere in the house and nothing on her clothes, nor knife nor vacuum except her and her boys blood. Hmmm. She did it alright. The silly string is the weakest part of her prosecution. She fell apart on the stand once they busted her in a lie. I wonder sometimes though, if her husband helped give her those bruises to help cover it up. He failed his polygraph big time. Not just a little, but on a grand scale. Thanks!
Too crazy a crime for some random psycho to commit.none of it makes sense.The husband doesnt hear the commotion, glass breaking and the wife would prob be screaming bloody murder during the act.Why the boys?So you can rape the mom?If it was done by a stranger he was a crazy idiot for sure and likely to do a similar crime either b4 or after this one. A burglary gone bad by the guy in the "black car",with a house full of people.I doubt that.I think she did it and hubby might have been in on it or at least helped cover it up.
Of course she did it. Even though she picked up the knife, it's weird at best, that there's no trace of anyone else. There was however trace of the screen he was supposed to have gotten in through on the knife, and it was cut a little to nicely. There was broken glass on the kitchen floorm but even though she claimed, that she had chased him through the kitchen, she had no cuts on her feet. The boys were stabbed all the way through. Although she's a lot bigger, why aren't her wounds more critical? I don't care about how she reacted, too many other things don't fit. The police's behaviour was not okay, no doubt about it, but they are only human, and they have just solved a very bloody case about two murdered children. I would be high-fiving, hugging and crying too. I think most of us would.
Dr G really includes a lot of important details in every case, plus pros/cons on various points & issues, in a short, concise video! Lots of research & thought behind each presentation. Ty!!!
Thank you for looking at this from both sides and sharing facts and insight. Murders of children are horrific to any responder and perhaps that's another reason why the investigators felt the need to find a suspect fast and celebrated upon her arrest. I hope that her appeals are allowed in order that current technology can be used to further prove her guilt or innocence.
It makes me CRAZY that people say she's innocent and i watched a doc in her defence that left out so much evidence. It makes me sick. The first police officer who arrived at the scene remember with much sadness what he saw: Darlie on the phone talking with 911 and one of her sons still alive covered in blood CRAWLING on the floor making like bubbles of blood in his mouth. Can you imagine? And she was still on the phone, when she hang up she then go to the officer and tell him about her JEWELRY!!! If the jewelry was taken. Is that what a mother do while her son is dying on the floor? She was trying to explain to the 911 dispatcher why her fingerprints were on the knife, and talking to the officer trying to making seem like a possible robbery. She's the most evil women. I do think that her husband is also guilty. They have financial problems at the time and Darlie refuses to sell the house or change her lifestyle.
Yes!! I KNOW!! And Dr. Grande made no convincing or well-made arguments against the case built by the police at all! I'm capable of some critical reasoning. Please!
Tho had never heard of this case, but there is a lot of info on it, which I checked out after watching Dr. Grande's presentation. The blood evidence is compelling in strongly suggesting that she moved between 3 rooms staging a break in, and that she cleaned blood off the cabinet, sink, and floor in front of the sink. The chatty 911 call is very odd. Perhaps the silly string incident was more prejudicial than probative, and the court should have excluded it. On the other hand, she apparently fired the competent attorneys appointed by the court, and hired an inexperienced attorney familiar to her family, so if she had inexperienced counsel, it wasn't the court's fault. I can't visualize how that huge bruise was created, which is troubling because it must be significant. It is not the sort of bruising that would occur if someone grabbed her while she resisted, that would be patchier.
@@evelynwaugh4053 I remember reading that an expert analyzed the 911 call and could tell that she was frantically moving from room to room. Yup, staging and trying to cover evidence. Maybe Darren ran that sock down the alley.
Out of the hundreds, if not thousands of cases I've delved into... this one has always been one of the most intriguing. And, as usual, your assessment is top tier, Dr. Grande. Thanks for taking the time to share this with us, kind sir. Very much appreciated, as always!
I've recently gotten hooked on Dr Grande, i listen to everything he is producing as it comes out and I think he has locked onto a formula that works, and I appreciate the consistency and quality and regular content. But this one from 3 years ago is by far my favourite episode, and I think has a lot more depth, and shows more empathy, than alot of his current work.
When my Dad died 4 years ago, I started laughing. Not because it was funny, but because my brain and my mind were both completely overloaded from emotions. My sister was the complete opposite and she almost collapsed immediately. My Mum was quiet, my brother in law did not bait an eye. 4 different personas, 4 different lives, 4 different experiences, 4 different reactions. And guess what. All of them were RIGHT. Building a case on how one reacts in those types of circumstances is shocking. Is she really guilty or not? I don't know, can not say. But what I can say is how poor those investigators were and how the jury was too emotionally involved, instead of keeping a distance. Great analysis, Doc!
Not to mention right before the silly string “birthday party”, they had a solemn service at the grave stone first. They always manage to leave that out when talking about this case but the cops got that on video too.
Yes. But she's the one suffering because she lives..they don't. I never ever believed she was guilty. I followed this case from day 1. I still think she's innocent
@@Synthpoptroubadour intruder did it. That's who. I hated that jury when they convicted her. I am one American who has ZERO faith in juries. Who are they? Not lawyers..not doctors. Not counselors..not mental health affiliated. Look at the insane jury that let Casey Anthony WALK? They are truly sick people if they couldn't find it in their heart to convict that woman. I want a judge to decide my fate...1 man or woman...thats it!
I've had doctors, psychologists etc say to me things like, "Why are you smiling//laughing? This is terrible//a really tragic//horrible thing". Apparently they've never heard of coping mechanisms. I was at the death bed of someone I loved very much. I didn't cry, or even really feel grief. Not that day, not at the funeral...not until about a year later when a silly little trauma, not even really worthy of the name, opened the floodgates. I cried for days, but even then I couldn't cry in public, and made light of my feelings. I cracked jokes even. I was consulting with a psychologist on other matters and only mentioned it to him in our closing convo that week ( sort of "any other business?") I did it jokingly, and he got visibly irate with me, accusing me of sabotaging my recovery. I never went back to him. If he was such a bad psychologist that he had no insight into grief coping mechanisms, I figured he wouldn't be able to "cope" with me and my many problems, and also he caused me to feel anxious about telling him things. I now wish, though, that I'd told him why I didn't want to continue therapy with him instead of just ghosting him!
The element of this case that scares me most is how unreasonable investigators can be. And of course juries are a joke. Literally selected based on their personal biases to be most favorably susceptible to manipulation. Leaves me with little trust in the system if I ever have the misfortune of becoming a suspect to a crime.
@@AisforAlibi1 That sucks. Law enforcement should be incentivizing cooperation from communities, not making it more of a risk to do your civic duty than it already would be when testifying against a gang. I was witness to a violent kidnapping in LA in 2016 when I was new to the city, and chased after the car yelling, barefoot, reading the license plate to a 911 agent. The (asshole) man who my girlfriend and I were renting a room from had refused to back me up and then was so pissed and didn't want me to come back into his place in case the gang found out which apartment the snitch lived in.... And he was upset about having investigators coming in to our place to ask questions and get a view of the crime scene from our window. But in that case the cop in charge was nice and professional, and even thoughtful to call us back just to let us know they had tracked down the car and the woman was safely recovering in the hospital. So, there are some good apples in the system.
the 5 thousand dollar benefits on the kids is strange its almost like it was put there to fit a puzzle someone wanted to frame.i wonder if it was his idea to get them in order to fit her frame , ing
Maybe, but the fact that the evidence was cleaned up and that her boys got the worst injuries didn't add up. And the fact she took the stand was a very bad idea, to think she could sway the jury.
I agree how could one be start close to an artery and just not die. Now there are monsters out there and the death penalty may be arbitrary but Nickolas Cruz made a premeditated confession that he would commit murder and be on the news. This case was about stupid stuff like silly string. Yes she is guilty but she had real grief which is interesting but people have grief in different ways
This is one of the many reasons I'm against the death penalty. Are prosecutors, judge and jury 50% sure that her life needs to be extinguished by the State? What if they're 50% wrong?
she told the 911 operator she grabbed the knife on the floor to give a reason why her prints were on it , no one does that , also he forgot to mention she wore booty shorts at her kids funeral "party" screams i want to be free of kids imo.
Dr. Grande, you are the 1st person I hear who is also bothered by the silly string video argument. I'm glad to find out I was not livid for no reason. I first new about this case through an old Forensic Files episode. Also, I was actually trained in acoustics and audio back in college! The argument of the 911 call, that she was moving from room to room as she spoke (and staged the scene), does not hold water (but it's long and technical to explain here). Thanks for this insightful video, as always. Stay safe everyone!
@@Kingpowch It really wasn’t that far. The forensic evidence inside the home all points to her. We may never know how the sock ended up there That doesn’t mean you just completely dismiss the overwhelming evidence inside the home.
I've just watch the ITV interview, when she was talking about her murdered kids she was crying without tears, later she was talking about her murderer friend that was put to death, and tears streamed down her face. She's guilty has hell.
@@anonymousbosch9265 probably because you can’t kill someone by giving them cancer... so that makes it tricky to fully appreciate the joke... When I first read it I kind of wanted to laugh but then it didn’t quite make sense but I’ll give you a for effort
Thank you for your analysis!!! I think I was one of the people who requested this. The fact they failed to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is a pivotal point. There is evidence both for and against her, but so many holes in the prosecution's case. They didn't even seem to try to find other suspects or consider anyone but Darlie could have been responsible. In Susan Smith's case, she was having an affair and had a clear motive, she wanted to be with a man who didn't want children. Darlie wasn't known to be having an affair or unhappily married, so killing two of her three children made little sense. She had nothing to gain. The insurance money was low, so money wouldn't have been a factor. It seems they don't want a retrial because it might make the prosecutor's look inefficient.
The fact is guilt beyond a reasonable doubt was established, proven, decided and Darlie's presumption of innocence has been gone for 24 years. Join reality. Motive isn't a necessary component for a capital murder conviction in Texas. There's no reason for a retrial as decided on appeal.
What Dr. Grande ignored is that FBI Special Agent Alan Brantley reviewed the case and did not have a hermetically sealed mind, or whatever, he used fully processed evidence and reached the same conclusion James Cron did. Really how long do you think an unsophisticated person ignorant of forensic science could fool somebody with almost 30 years of investigating crime scenes? Dr. Grande seems to have paid close attention to what Darlie Routier's defense attorneys had to say but ignored large sections of what the prosecution had to say. For example, he reduced the investigators" belief that the crime scene was staged to the observation that the dust on the windowsill was undisturbed. Wrong. They believed that the crime scene was staged because; a heavy glass table top was tipped off its base and lay on the floor suggesting a struggle but on further examination the glass table top was not chipped, cracked or broken in anyway. The exact same was true for a flower arrangement in a glass vase, tipped over but not damanged. Also, there was only one set of bloody footprints belonging to Darlie, no one elses, in the crime scene. Then there's one of Darlie's early versions of the story about being cut while she was on the couch, yet there was hardly any blood on the couch. The police were also suspicous because of the security light in the backyard that was activated by a motion sensor and would light the backyard for an 18 minute time period once activated. However, the light was not activated and an intruder entering and exited via the window with the cut screen would have to activate the security light. Reducing the belief the crime scene solely to the observation of dust on the windowsill just shows that Dr. Grande had hermetically sealed his own mind to all the facts of the case.
Agree. He’s ignoring evidence and making statements that are simply his assumption and have no bearing on the case. “They needed to believe she was guilty” “ They were influenced by the Susan Smith case, the police were narcissistic, ect. It actually sounds ridiculous No, they went where the evidence took themThere was more than enough evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
I remember when this case happened. I remember when the prosecution shared clips of the grave celebration with a TV show. I was a teenager and remembered in my Latino customs, the celebration if the dead and how I remember some relatives or occasions when having lunch or showing cheer at a grave site wasn't unusual. It was a cultural way of dealing with grief. It just hurts that the video may have contributed to her conviction.
There was plenty of other evidence that PROVED Darlie’s guilt, which came out at trial. Very little of it is ever mentioned by those who want to want to exonerate Darlie. Including the guy who made this video. Sad to say it is OBVIOUS he is not familiar with the evidence that came out at trial. It’s obvious he has NEVER read the transcripts. It a shame. He is talking out of ignorance. For RUclips views. But that’s the world we live in.
@@tsully4368 even if you ignore the idea of the state executing people to enact revenge on behalf of victims. From a pragmatic perspective, it just costs more to put someone on death row.
@@Morhpocelionate - The death penalty doesn't bother me either way. Nor do I see it as revenge, as it's a known consequence for committing a certain crime. LWOP and/or death? An issue for State Legislatures.
Or maybe she knew she was having suicidal thoughts and thoughts of killing her kids. Postpartum depression can make you crazy. I know someone who had to go through have therapy for it.
Start over? Is she so stupid she never thought oh gee, I could get caught? Come on, she's not that dumb. She doesn't have a past of doing dare devil deeds. What the hell did she gain from this? Where is the proof she didn't love them? Where is the common sense in this? The police , really? Who the hell trusts them?
@@runningthunder6923 No one is ever born with dare devil in them. Serial killers aren't always born to kill, it happens after a trauma or post partum depression as before mentioned can and will make a mother crazy. Doesn't mean you're dumb, mental illness takes over. In this case, I do believe she did it, with too many cracks in her story and evidence that she in fact committed this heinous event. Yes there's always bad cops, good cops. So you're telling me out of all the investigators, detectives, the jury, judge, etc no one could say there was reasonable doubt. The father wasn't helping with the two boys, she was stuck taking care of the three boys. She had too much on her plate so that is what made her do this, the burden was too much for her to bear. Who kills kids first instead of an adult. She probably did that and slit her throat to kill herself after all she was in the ICU. 👐🏼
Her journals showed suicidal thoughts. She and the husband were having problems, and were in seriously bad shape financially, likely only a few steps away from losing their home and having to move the whole family into her mom’s basement. They had just been turned down for a $5000 loan, money she wanted to take an island vacation with a girlfriend. I wouldn’t be surprised if she blamed the husband for their money troubles, and she wouldn’t be the first mother (or father) to murder their children, just to hurt the spouse, and then kill themselves - which the cut throat makes me think that was her original plan, to kill the kids and then herself. Only she chickened out when it came to the suicide part. She was also taking diet pills, and some people get really wacko on stimulants. Yeah, I think she’s guilty. Motive being rage. people can say all they want about how everyone grieves differently, but it is definitely not normal for a mother to throw a graveside birthday party two weeks after their babies were viciously murdered by some unknown killer, invite neighborhood kids to this cemetery party, AND invite the media...I mean, WTF? Yeah. People grieve differently...but that extremely odd. Anyway, even without that, the evidence was still there.
Running Thunder, she wrote in her journal that she was depressed and suicidal and sorry for what she's about to do. We may never know the true motive but you don't need a "logical " motive to believe she did it. Just because she never showed signs of violence, it doesn't mean she's incapable. Look at Chris Watts, he killed his 2 kids and pregnant wife and everyone who knew him said he was a nice guy.
The mishandling of this case is so upsetting...I really appreciate how your videos regarding true crime address the way mental health issues are misused in legal/criminal settings. I'm going to law school in the fall and I feel like I have a legal topic to really think about in the coming months.
The sock that was found had very little blood on it. Darlie could have planted the sock and returned and finished the boy's off with the more severe wounds. She could have put the blood on the sock from a scratch. These boys trusted her... And it makes no sense that an intruder would break in ... see a woman lying on the couch but choose to attack two young boys first. The boys were obviously the targets here because there was no attempt at a sexual assault. An intruder would have eliminated the biggest threat first which is the grown up in the room. I usually agree with you but in this case I completely disagree. One fact you have wrong is the reenactment of entering the window. Darren did the reenactment without any of the obstacles present that the "intruder" would have had to maneuver around plus work his way through the cut screen which was not there when the reenactment was done. Also Darlies blood was pooled right by the sink that was proven that she was standing still for a period of time. As far as motive goes.... Darlie regularly locked the boys out of the house because they were getting on her nerves. There was one instance where she locked them out on a very hot day and the boys went in the back yard and let the water out of the pool in an attempt to cool off. Darlie came running outside yelling curse words at the boys which was witnessed by neighbors. In my opinion she wasn't living the life she envisioned for herself and didn't want to be their mother any more. You said why would she leave one son alive? It would have looked very suspicious if she had demanded that the baby sleep in the living room (for the first time ever) on the very night the murders happened, right? and... If Darlie and all three boys were in the living room wouldn't it make sense that Darren might have decided to sleep in the room with the rest of his family? Two out of three was good enough for Darlie. If Darlie could yell and wake her husband up AFTER all this happened why couldn't she yell and wake him up WHILE the "intruder" was in the house killing her boys and attacking her? This is compelling to me.... she woke him up when she was ready for him to wake up.
The police can tell if someone enters a house - footprints, steps to the window/ door , dust as it was mentioned. They just knew in the first hour it was an inside job. I say she's guilty. And why would she clean blood from the kitchen.. ?
Why would she clean blood from the kitchen? You ask. Maybe she was OCD in her general cleanliness. In her post traumatic stress of the event she resorted to what usually calms her-cleaning. She starts to clean the kitchen and then at some point comes out of her shock long enough to realize she may be wiping away evidence so she stops. As an Active duty member of the USAF for 24 years who was deployed twice to combat zones, I can tell you that people may react very oddly to horrid scenes of death. One guy laughed uncontrollably at the site of a young child torn in half by an IED. The laughter turned to crying and then the typical “thousand yard stare” that is often seen in people that witness very horrible acts/scenes. Other troops such as myself become very distant and quiet, reliving the scene over and over again for days. In another scene, one of my troops bashed a dead enemy insurgent right across the eyes/bridge of the nose with the butt end of his rifle. Mutilation of a corpse is against the UCMJ and is punishable by court martial. When I asked him why he did it, he said he couldn’t bear the guy looking at him and just want his eyes to close”. Our unit had seen a lot of bad stuff the previous several days so instead of reporting him I told him if he reported to our medical unit seeking help with PTSD I’d forget what I had witnessed him do. I don’t know why she cleaned a portion of the countertop but to assign guilt because of it is to ignore the possibility that some people just act strange after traumatic events.
@@alexblaze8878 Um, she was cleaning a SPECIFIC part of the blood. Her blood, around the sink. Not the pools of blood scattered around the first floor. The luminol revealed she cleaned the rivers of HER OWN BLOOD around the sink that would match her self inflicting her wounds.
Serial killer Tommy Lynn Sells committed an almost identical crime. He s not believed to be involved in the Routier case but it shows the crime could ve happened the way she said it did.
My very first thought. Tommy couldn't over power an adult to murder, so he murdered children in their sleep using a knife that was used by the family. Originally the mom was accused.
Jeffrey is completely and utterly guilty. Perhaps he's a sociopath. He got into a fight with his wife Collette over his 5 year old daughter's bedwetting. She had wet his side of the bed and he only discovered this once he retired to his bedroom; I believe he was working that morning. As he worked an exorbitant amount of hours as a physician, his wife raised the children and so he must've blamed her for their daughter wetting the bed. Jeffrey, like some people say about Darlie, was on medication in preparation for a boxing match and I think that with the stress of work caused him to explode in ways that he would not have. This would explain the violent confrontation he had with his wife because he had no history of domestic violence. The sick part is not that he accidentally killed his daughter - it's that instead of owning up to what happened he decided to kill his wife and other sleeping daughter and stage the scene and stab himself to blame it on drug-crazed intruders. His story makes absolutely no sense.
I read the court transcripts, and if you read them you will understand why Darlie was convicted, and it was not just the silly string party. The letters she had written while in jail (not prison), her own statements, the blood evidence, etc. It was totality of the evidence, not a silly string party that proved her guilt.
Blood castoff on the back of her shirt, no cuts on her feet ( broken glass was in between family room and sink), where Darlee was wetting towels to help her kids ( severe proof of clean up was found), vacuum cleaner with her blood on it as droplets and HER prints on the handle- also Darlee stating she had “leaned” on it for support, right after advice of counsel. Darlee also swears she woke up by a man walking away, so where did the struggle come from that caused her bruises? And how did a struggle that resulted in these bruising not end up in violent injuries to her, like to her sons? Why didn’t her doctors ( HER doctors) who testified for the prosecution, state that she did NOT have any bruising at the time of admittance , surgery, and daily follow up thereafter. The sick only had blood of the boys, but NONE by her, when she supposedly had her throat cut by an attacker? How on earth os that possible? NO DNA from an outsider in the whole crime scene?? And spraying silly string was not an issue in the video, but her genuine smile on it. She IS guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
I think you missed the point. When you only have one theory, all the evidence is turned to fit that theory, and you only look for evidence that fits that theory. Bruises take a while to show up. Her surgeon who operated on her neck wound is unlikely to examine her arms for evidence (not his or her job, not part of his or her training). Why would anyone use a vacuum cleaner to clean up blood residue? The two boys bled to death from their wounds, so there would have been a lot more blood from the boys to step in or be splattered on the socks. Blood spatter on the back of Darlie's shirt just means the back of the shirt was facing the boys or the knife when the boys were stabbed. It is actually hard for me to imagine how blood spatter would end up on the back the stabbers shirt in any case, the front yes, but not the back. It was 1994. DNA testing at the time required fairly large amounts of DNA containing material, like blood, saliva, or semen. Additionally, just walking through a room does not mean you leave DNA behind, otherwise they would have found the DNA from everyone who had ever visited the house. Darlie is certainly not a surgeon, and if she cut her own throat, it is only by shear luck that she came within mm of the carotid artery and did not also bleed to death, without being able to call for help, in which case her husband would probably be sitting on death row. Guilty maybe, but not proven in any way by the evidence.
The cast off trajectory on her shift, lack of blood or cuts on Darlene’s feet AND officers’ accounts of her actions ( at the scene), her vague and NON angry account of this supposed “stranger”, all screaming evidence. The timeline is also off.
I’m so glad that you chose this case to review. I’m not convinced of her guilt. Mostly for the reasons you spoke of, which are many, but for another reason also. I’ve conversed face to face with a serial murderer many times. He admitted to me that along with the 8 cases of murder he was accused of, there were several other instances where he entered a home with the intention to kill, only to leave without having done so. There are people out there who have no idea how close to dying they had come. In cases like this, statistics show the culprit is usually a parent or close family member. But that is not always the case. We tend to forget that there definitely IS danger of a stranger stalking to kill you or your family. I think that was overlooked in this case. Had they looked, they might have found more information about the dark vehicle that had been noticed near the home ... perhaps from neighborhood surveillance videos or witness accounts. The investigator’s immediate judgement of Darlie, and the crime scene blocked any further investigation and an innocent woman may be in prison.
The Julie Rae case comes to mind. Tommy Lynn Sells admitted to breaking into her home, grabbing a knife from the butcher block & killing her son. He tried to kill her too. People think there is one killer out there like Sells? Nope.
@@KimberFarms TLS recanted his confession in the Rae case. His confession didn't match the CS anyway so he was never charged with Joel's murder. A guilty mother got away with murder in that case.
I found my best friend and his girlfriend dead in 2017 he had killed her then himself and I can tell you now I did not react like I thought I would of, I went completely numb I felt absolutely fine I was making jokes I ate within 2 hours of finding them, I didn’t cry I didn’t think they were dead, I went out on a jet ski two days later but I felt bad when I would laugh and that’s when it went down hill but people cannot say how one is to react to a certain situation.. That really bothers me when people think scream, cry, be hysterical It’s nothing like that, well it wasn’t for me
This. I took care of my former mother in law who was terminally ill for the last four years of her life. The night she passed I was holding her hand. It was also the first night in probably 2 years I got a good nights sleep bc I wasn’t waiting for the inevitable. Most of my mourning happened while she was alive and I was witnessing the decline in her health and quality of life. There’s no defined way to mourn.
It's also extremely rare someone would just break in without some motive. Someone set this up. If you want to believe it's not her, it's up to you, but SOMEONE set this up
She was also given the death penalty which under such questionable evidence, IMHO, was too severe. I didn't think it was proved beyond a reasonable doubt that she killed her children.
my theory ( i think she is innocent, only 40% shows she is guilty) factors pointing at guilt and their counters: 1) she handling a murder weapon: yes, it's a bad sign for sure, but considering the whole master-plan that was planned, couldn't she just use a tissue paper to hold the knife, and then throw it in any far place? i mean she asked them to scan the prints on the knife, so she's certainly aware that they would have gotten her prints. also, the said it was a "planned" murder. so , couldn't she buy a new knife , hid until she applies her plan? i think everything points out that the murder was planned to hurt her in every-way, mentally and physically. this makes more sense for me. she was harmed and is in pain, yet not dead, but her sons where dead? which leads to the next point 2)her suicidal tendencies: why would someone EVER want to suicide, and then change their mind even after killing their kids? the only reason that a suicidal person would kill others is only of those 2: 1) the other person is stopping the suicidal from suicide 2) the suicidal is concerned about the people(children) they are leaving behind when they suicide, so they kill them as well. her suicidal note proves the fact that,she didn't kill them out of anger ,or hate. and if she killed them because of her suicidal tendencies: 1)why didn't she kill the three of her sons 2) also they have a father who would take care of her children, so she doesn't need to kill her children 3) why did she hesitate at the end from killing her self and asking for rescue? also , if she wanted to suicide, then why hurting herself in 3 different parts? why not just one direct hit into the throat and end it once and for all without enduring too much pain? the point of suicide to end pain , not to increase it.. 3)why would someone kill her sons, and fail to kill her? because the intention of the killer to cause her the biggest pain they could make to her, and i think that's the best way. and also, she would have enough time ti kill her sons, while an outsider is always in danger if someone woke up or found out an outsider in her house, so he was under pressure of time . unlike her, she had all night to kill her three sons. 4) her story changed several times, because of trauma. seeing your sons dead, throat cut and herself cut and getting raped.. that's much more horrifying than many actual horror movies i have ever seen. anyone but a psychopath would be able to mentally do that to their sons and themselves and then have desire to live afterwards. trauma has direct effect on human mind. it can change it chemically and physically. it can put false memory and ideologies in human mind as well as making your memory forget things, and the memory it self becomes more like a vague dream. >>> actually all evidence points out to , and the story would make much more sense that the murder was planned by her husband/someone else, and the cops are actually paid to trap her. it would explain everything that happened. the fact that, how fast the judgement was done extremely fast without any considerations relatively for big serial killers like ted bendy is a big prove that it was planned to set her up. >>> the biggest prove she is innocent is 1)the motive 2)benefit even a psychopath wouldn't kill their sons, without a good benefit, and the murder would have been much more and better planned. but she was sentenced to death, without giving a good clear motive or benefit for her actions. and if she wanted money, she would have killed her husband, so , it's obvious it's not about money. so can someone imagine any scenario that she could have an enough motive or benefit to kill her sons? >>>> another prove that she is innocent is that ted bundy, the heartless cold blooded serial killer and most serial killers admitted their murders. but she didn't say anything about her murdering.
Hi Greybeard - it actually is not a circumstantial case - there were more forensic tests run (over 100) than any other case at that time in the history of Texas. There is physical evidence pointing to Darlie. There is a group of darlie supporters who say the following repeatedly - it's a circumstantial case, the police targeted darlie within 20 minutes, the court was wrong to move the location of the trial to a small town where people were jealous of how beautiful darlie was, the lawyers did not work hard to represent darlie, the nurses got together beforehand and decided to lie about everything to frame darlie, the doctors decided to lie too, the police officers, social workers, and neighbors and friends all joined in also, and SHE WAS CONVICTED B/C OF THE SILLY STRING VIDEO when there was another service that morning that darlie was grieving appropiately. Here's the truth -- it was not a circumstantial case - the jurors had plenty of physical evidence to examine. the police did not target darlie within 20 minutes of arriving at the crime scene - the seasoned investigator determined that there would be a parallel investigation including following all leads allowing for the possibility there was an intruder and also allowing for the possibility that the perpetrator was someone from inside the home. That's called good police work. the court was not wrong to move the location of the trial - it was darlie's defense that requested the change of venue - and the jurors were not at all jealous of darlie. the lawyers were the very best in Texas and they worked hard for Darlie - her mistake was insisting she was going to testify against their advice. She took the stand, got caught up in her lies right on the stand, then started crying when she got caught lying. Also, her calling the prosecutor a LIAR! right in front of the jurors probably didn't help her any eigther. the nurses, doctors, police officers, social workers, friends, and neighbors obviously did not conspire to frame darlie. the silly string video did not convict her - it was 30 seconds long. big deal. and the earlier service where darlie was supposedly grieving - they call it a "somber service" and they claim darlie was all sad??? well, if so, then why didn't the defense present any video??? so far - the only clip of that "somber service" shows darlie plopping down on the ground and looking around while everybody else is praying. If that's the best they got of the entire "somber service" then no wonder they didn't produce it at trial.
@@marcirobins5144 the bloody crime scene was enough evidence against her. She tried to wipe some of the blood in certain areas. She tried to stage the scene with breaking glass and knocking over things. An intruder is not going to take the time to stage the scene to try and make it look like it was an intruder, lol.
I'm from this area. This house is literally minutes from me. Everyone in that neighborhood believe she's innocent. There's a LOT the public doesn't know about this night.
@@craftycriminalistwithms.z3053 I truly believe she was innocent and framed by the Rowlett PD. There's was a bloody glove found down our alley by a neighbor that was never analyzed. They didn't even tell the defense about it until after the trial. There was also a red Camaro that had been stalking the neighborhood the week before and a lot of our neighbors, including my parents, reported it to the police. Also, neighbors reported hearing tires screeching around the time of the 911 call was made. As far as I know that lead was never taken seriously and ignored. I think what hurt her was having the birthday party at the cemetery. I think that really influenced the investigators. Many of the original jurors have come out saying they now believe she was innocent based on all the evidence that was kept from the defense during the trial. I even think one of the prosecutors is now fighting for her to be released from jail because they think she was innocent because the lead prosecutor withheld so much evidence. It was a really crazy time. At the very least she deserves a new trial allowing all the evidence but you know Texas. We love our death row.
Thank you, Dr. Grande, for taking a very thorough look at this tragic case. Personally, I think that Post-partum depression played a big role in this. I think she is probably guilty, but as you pointed out, not beyond a reasonable doubt. The sock is a complete mystery and points away from Darlee’s possible guilt. You made many excellent observations. Thank you again.
When you said she's "probably" guilty that resonates with me. If I'm a juror listening to a case that, if convicted, that person could get the death penalty, you're going to have to show me something more convincing than someone shooting silly string and a few opinions of various people that, at best, prove she's "probably" guilty. There is no way I could have voted guilty in this case on what evidence the prosecution provided.
The whole Silly String video argument always seemed ridiculous to me. Her having a brief light hearted moment during the funeral doesn't prove she didn't love her sons or that she wasn't grieving properly. I still lean towards either her committing the murders or her husband doing it and both of them covering up the crime, but not because of that video
Dean Cutler my brother died of cancer last year and at his funeral guess what I did not do. I cried my eyes out and she laughs while chewing gum. I have seen the video and she looks bad regardless.
@@nadiazahroon6573 not everyone grieves the same or acts the same when subjected to trauma. some people cry and bang their heads against the wall, some go blank, others laugh. how one expresses grief is not an indication of either guilt or innocence. I thought everyone had realized that after the "dingo ate my baby" debacle.
@@nadiazahroon6573 that's fine. my sister died of cancer a few years ago, three weeks after diagnosis. I did not 'cry my eyes' out. I still managed to laugh, when shit was funny. People are different. There is no right way to grieve. Judgy McJudgeface.
She was also probably on some heavy duty medication at that point. I think it’s likely she did it, but it’s not because of that video. I’ve been put on a decent dose of benzos when there’s been a sudden death. Helps to be able to navigate the funeral planning and everything. A side effect is you find yourself occasionally able to laugh and actually live life. Then when the meds wear off you feel intense guilt that you had a moment where you laughed or smiled. Anyway, depending on what she was on (and the dose) and combined with possible shock, I can easily understand her graveyard antics.
I am enjoying these analyses of criminal cases as a diversion from current stressors, Dr. Grande. This particular case reminds me of a television series I just finished watching last night, in the way that a police detective’s personal belief about a suspect, made on the spot and obviously charged with emotion, led to a person spending decades in prison for a crime that it seems highly likely he did not commit. Unfortunately, one tends to hear about these cases and develop a negative perception of police in general. I say that, even though I have friends and family who have been on the police force. I wonder if this problem regarding the police’s role in the criminal justice system can ever be significantly improved in my lifetime.
The short answer to your question is, "No." They run around a crime scene like the old Keystone Cops, slowing each other down with their total lack of any organization. I think we will never know if Darlie killed her kids or not. I get the impression that she was not a serious-type person most of the time, but she was just superficial enough to at least think about solving her problems in impulsive ways. It's possible she really is an innocent victim of a disorganized police department. It happens a lot. In the Jon Benet Ramsey case, it was the way the police and the detectives mishandled that case from the day of the murder forward. Seems they allowed literally hundreds of people walk right into the scene of the crime, maybe inadvertantly destroying evidence! No one, to this day, has ever been accused AND brought to trial - and no one ever will be, because of the bungling of the Boulder, CO Police Department. It seems ironic that someone kills a spouse, or a child, and are able to get away with it because of the police screwing up the crime scene!
*04/22/2020* Nancy Ayers If I recall, even in the Adam Walsh case; the Police Station was right across the street from that mall. And how long did it take them to get there after Adam had been reported missing?? 😒🤦♀️
@@neptune2644 that doesn't change my mind, darin was responsible besides that that prosecuting attorney office had the crime scene so bouched. I have done enough of my own research on this one. If I was a juror I would say that there are too many statement, and facts about darin and the way he acted during one of his TV inviews that proves his guilt, he would have collected alot of insurance money if all three had been murdered, and she was to close to having been murdered to have been the killer
@@scrappytexan7 How does that work? The guy was outside the house (since he is *an intruder*) and used a knife from the house to get into the house? Again, what OP says is that the knife that cut the screen was a knife from inside the house.
What present at the crime scene would make the police believe there really was an intruder? Nothing. Also, Dr. Grande reducing all this to the police observing the the dust on windowsill caused them to hermetically seal their minds is an epic fail. They happened to notice several things that made them believe there never was an intruder like: the heavy glass table top was set off its support, yet it was not damaged in any way, same thing for the flower arrangement, there was also only one set of bloody footprints belonging to Darlie in the area, the couch where she said she was sleeping when she was attacked did not have blood all over it. The kitchen sink, however, did have a lot of blood and there was a definite attempt to clean up the blood evidence in both the kitchen and the sleeping area. Evidence from the later investigation confirmed James Cron's initial suspicion. Even FBI Special Agent Alan Brantley believed the crime scene was staged.
He said he thinks she's most likely guilty though? Just poorly investigated... he was making the point that if they did a better job, her guilt or innocence would have been more certain, instead they relied too heavily on how guilty "she looked".
@@ash1eyrose He paid too much attention to what the defense attorneys said. It's not like we're ever going to see a criminal trial where defense attorneys compliment how well the police investigation was. Her guilt is established beyond a reasonable doubt for people who reasonably interpret the physical evidence. The Darlie supporters don't have the ability to do that.
@@jamesmcbeth4463 I'm by no means a Darlie supporter. But I have worked in a forensic lab and given evidence in court... To my mind 'EVERY BIT of physical evidence needs to be dealt with and EXPLAINED'. If there's a piece or pieces missing in a puzzle, one may not assert that "the puzzle is complete and solved" - that's what reasonable doubt means.
@@izzaduck8896 if you have done all that, you would realize that if; an unidentifiable fingerprint was at issue, the defense lawyers would never mention that the unidentifiable fingerprint was child sized or the size of a small woman and that DNA analysis excludes the unidentifiable fingerprint from originating from all males, like for state's exhibit 85 J in Darlie's case.
I have always believed she was innocent. The jury members even said had they see those pictures of the bruises on back of her arms and her back or seen the whole video at the cemetery they would have found her innocent. When my dad died I was devastated but at his showing we played his favorite song and all danced and smiled.
But even if she is innocent, she was incredibly foolish to take the stand (reportedly against the advice of her lawyers). When you're accused of a serious crime like this, you let your lawyer do the talking.
I believe I read or saw somewhere that there was a much more somber, private family moment at the child’s gravesite on his birthday, before the more “festive” celebration. Darlie, I believe, said she wanted it to be festive because that’s how her son (I’m sorry, I don’t remember which one) would have wanted it that way. “He loved silly string.”
You're exactly right. The first half of that video was never shown in court. The family is crying, including Darlie, and talking of how they miss the boys. Only the silly string part was seen.
You should remake this video and analyze the case without only regurgitating the propaganda of the defense. The forensic evidence alone goes waaaay beyond 90% that she is guilty, she was not convicted cos of the silly string or her weird statements or the theory that she was depressed.
I was living in Garland TX, which borders Rowlett, when this happened. I was in middle school but remember this case well, it was all over the news. We definitely believed she did it at the time, especially with the media pushing that narrative and access to information was much more limited in the 90s. I believe at least one of the jurors came out years later and said in an interview that they believed information was withheld from them at the trial and knowing what he knows now, would not have convicted her. It's such an awful case and we will probably never know what the truth is.
I lived in Garland then too. I knew from the start she'd better not trust the police because they were going to hang it on her. That's always easier than solving the crime or admitting they can't solve it. If they had money like JonBenet Ramsay's parents she wouldn't be on death row today.
This is one case that has always left me puzzled. I don't feel like she did it. I think that it was a terribly mishandled investigation. It bothers me the husband wasn't more thoroughly investigated. Like he didn't hear anything? The while thing is just odd.
Yes Elizabeth. Thats why she should not be executed. And probably why she never will. Would u let her baby sit your kids tho? Her body language in interview has been analysed by the Behaviour Panel and the results are "deadly". Its like putting her thru a lie detector test. She fails terribly. Take a look. And while Dr Grande thinks there was reasonable doubt he still thinks the likelihood is she did it!
@@nicholedelaney8152 Yeah, so much ... I just ... ??? I swing one way and then I swing the other and I decided to get off the swing and go do something else for a bit and then come back later. lol Your comment is very interesting. I'd forgotten that bit.
Excellent recap of the case. One thing I noticed is that she has never said that she locked the door to the garage after the intruder left through the garage door, and police never said it was locked during the crime scene investigation. If someone had just attacked me and my children and left out the door to the garage, the first thing I would do is lock that door, even the doorknob lock, to stop the intruder from coming back in.
You can not know what you'd do in that situation. People who are in shock can do weird things. When I wrecked my car, I picked up the door handle that had broken off and absolutely would not let go of it. I paced up and down by the side of the road clutching that door handle like it was some sort of magic talisman. Go figure.
@@thesisypheanjournal1271 Crimes are solved every day in part by looking at how what was done differs from would be expected if the suspect were innocent. It's an example of circumstantial evidence. A mother would have the instinct to keep the predator out. It's what would be expected. People in comment sections so often say that you can't know how someone would react or how they would grieve, but if you read true crime books and watch real crime shows, the investigators and on the street police are ALWAYS talking about what is expected and how the person of interest varies from that or not, how this type of criminal typically acts, etc. Your kind of behavior in your wreck may be fairly common for that matter.
Darlie is guilty. Tons of evidence all points to her. That whiny fake baby voice just grates, and I can't see anyone buying it. If it weren't for such a tragic loss of children , that 911 call she made would be hilarious. All the way through, "but who could have done this? (Baby voice) oh no, I already touched the knife? ( Baby voice) We could have gotten prints maybe? ( wondering innocent baby voice? At the end of the call " Someone came in here and did this, darin!) Pure bitch voice. While her surviving little boy was still bleeding to death.
@@imlistening1137 She convinces gullible easily led people. I've never understood it. But I guess it's why porn sells. Doesn't matter if it's fake as long as it's what people want to believe.
@22:25, listen to southern fried true crime podcast on this case, she did try to smother the baby earlier on the same day she killed her sons. The housekeeper testified baby Drake was sweating and blue wrapped in a blanket in Darlie’s arms and the housekeeper asked to hold the baby and saved him.. but it was not allowed in by the judge.
One of the facts that you mentioned in the video that is incorrect has to do with the statement that the necklace Darlie was wearing on the night of the murders was embedded in her neck wound. According to the court transcripts, which I have read, a nurse (Jody Fitts- page 31 of the trial transcripts) testified that he removed the necklace, which was hanging loose when he removed the bandages put on by the paramedics, before she went into surgery. It was not in fact embedded in her neck wound as you stated. A number of medical professionals, including the surgeon who performed her surgery, testified that her wounds were superficial, as opposed to the boys wounds which were very deep & catastrophic. The surgery performed on Darlie was purely exploratory, as they are required to explore a wound to the neck to determine if any severe damage has been done. He stated that all they did was wash out the wound and sewed it up. In addition to this, all of the medical professionals that treated Darlie during her hospitalization, testified that she did not have the bruises shown on her arms/hands in the photos taken by the police, during her hospitalization. The photos were taken several days after the murder and her hospitalization.They also testified that based on the appearance of the bruises, they would have been caused by blunt force trauma that occurred within 24-48 hours of the photos being taken. This would lead them to conclude that whatever had caused Darlie's bruises actually occurred between the time she was released from the hospital and the time the police took the photos.
It just seems too odd that her children were brutally murdered like it was personal and her wounds were superficial. She had a infant? That fact isn’t brought up and now I’m wondering if she had PPD.
The bruises were also on the back of her upper arms. How would an assault cause bruises there? I was taken in an ambulance strapped to a back board once (minor accident, I was okay) and ended up with bruises similiar to the ones on her.
After her claim was that the youngest child moving in his crib woke her but she slept through her babies being brutally murdered. She absolutely sis it, I read the trial transcripts and there was no hidden agenda from the police and hospital, she is a narcissistic psychopath
This is the one case I always come back to. I can't shake my belief that she is not guilty, and every time I go back to see if I missed something, I end up more convinced that she shouldn't be in jail. The fact that her youngest son ended up getting cancer as a teenager is an added tragedy.
This analysis is really light on facts and heavy on emotion. The timeline makes no sense. She, herself, claims to be awakened by a nudge and whispering from her son, yet she's already covered in bruises, cuts and blood that she just slept through? The children were stabbed in the chest multiple times yet can still talk to her and follow her around the house? There is no physical evidence of an intruder and the knife and extra sock all came from inside the house. The only "evidence" of her innocence seems to be "why would a mother do that?" when her behavior and suicide note clearly point to stress and depression as the motive.
people here giving examples of odd grieving after a loved one dies, but i didn't read of anyone dealing with the aftermath of a home invasion where both their children were stabbed to death. everyone i know would still be too shattered to smile, chomp gum and smirk for the camera only 8 days later. guess you can't hide Texas trailer trash.
I'm sorry, but if you look at the original evidence, there is no way someone could fit into the window. It had a big cat cage and litter pan in front of it. They were not moved, so no one could go through it without moving it.
@@cocatfan In my country too. This actor drove to a cliff by the sea and stabbed his own throat and abdomen multiple times and threw himself. Cause of death was drowning but if didn't jump he would have died of blood loss.
Tragic it is, and chilling to imagine either the scenario in which she murdered her own children(!), or that someone else did...and WHY??? What a poorly executed investigation, I’m left sitting here feeling that there are SO MANY unanswered questions. Mind-provoking, Dr. Grande! 👍
Chew on this her husband had engineered a break in to gain insurance money. Her husband had 7 and 8 thousand on the boys but $250,000 in her, she wasn't meant to live.
@@geniustime5395 If this was the scenario, why would she not say? Why would she not want to save herself from a life sentence or death row? Why would she save his skin?
This case has always bothered me. Like how did a bloody sock end up down the road if she did it? And as far as her not appearing sad i lost my child and have been in denial and numbness for fear of feeling something i cant handle. I let a little in only occasionally. I cannot deal with it at all. I was drugged at her funeral and was out of it this was in 2014. Why would she kill 2 of her own children and leave the baby upstairs? There was a man there had to be.
Because the husband did it to help her. There is a Forensic Files that thoroughly explains the forensic evidence against her. The only injustice here is that her husband helped her cover it up. I think the episode is called "Small Sacrifices". She absolutely killed those boys
Yes people grieve so differently. I lost both my Daddy and Mama in 2015 and for my Daddy's death I had to remain strong for Mama. I was an only adopted child Daddies Girl 💖 but I didn't cry at either his visitation or funeral. I'm sure some people wondered about that. For my Mama's death 11 months later it was the same except I was being strong for my boy/girl twins who had just graduated high school, Mama's only 2 grandchildren. I didn't cry at either her visitation or funeral. I then lost my husband 2 years later and didn't cry publicly for him either. Just because someone isn't crying doesn't mean they aren't hurting terribly inside.
@@mrjonesandme8848 So there is a Forensic Files episode about this case? I haven't seen it yet but I'd like to. What exactly was the hubby helping cover up? There was tons of blood everywhere from what I understand so what was he "covering up"? I know he admitted to some insurance fraud things he had done in the past and he was thinking about doing a fake "break in" at the house so he could claim the value of the stolen items on the home insurance policy. I'm not exactly sure of what you are talking about "covering up".
At the time of this being brought out, I thought that the party was her way of grieving. At my mother's funeral, I didn't cry. A woman came and put her arms around me and told me that it was okay to cry. I couldn't cry. My mind was still in shock and my mind was telling me that she will be at home when we got there. I was out of reality. My mind tricked me into thinking that she was just sleeping. There is no right way to grieve and you don't know what another is thinking. I actually waited for my momma after her funeral.
Oh I'm sorry for your loss. I hope it's got easier for you. I try not to imagine how I'll feel when my mother dies, my mind tries not to go there, probably because she's at that age now, where I'm genuinely worried. But I can totally understand your not fully accepting her death. Some things are just too much for the human mind to cope with.
@@reesemorgan2259 Yes, you are correct, and thanks.
I did the same with my grandma. I just didn’t get it? I could not comprehend such a loss at the time.
❤️
I believe that Darlie is guilty, but I still can't understand why people saw the party as a red flag. There were other adults and children at the party, celebrating a child's life on his birthday. Arguing that only a murderer would think to do that seems to make everyone present guilty.
I can attest that we react differently during grief. After my sister's death from cancer, I acted unusually giddy. I was laughing and socializing at her funeral reception. It took a year before I could accept that my sister was gone. That's when I started crying.
That's interesting. My Mamaw died when I was seven. I cried a lot at the first part of her funeral. Then, I had this unspeakable urge to laugh...I had to hold it back but started to a few times and had to fake crying right after. Thankfully, I fell asleep for the last part of the funeral. I always wondered why I felt like laughing; I always chalked it up to crying so much that I had no tears left and had no other way to express my emotions.
Likewise - I was 12 when my mom died from the flu (she was in a coma for several days) and when we found out me and my younger brother had a laughing fit. Doesn't mean we didn't care about her or didn't miss her, emotions aren't always rational and laughter is a good coping mechanism. You're far more likely to laugh when you're with other people, it's a social thing, and if I'm in physical pain I'm more likely to laugh as well.
My sister died from cancer about 3 years ago and I still have her number on my phone. I want to call her when I feel depressed and I know that she is not going to answer the phone. I have never celebrated any death in my family and there was a few murders, suicides, cancer, and other deaths. There was so many things that were wrong about the deaths of her children. The biggest thing that should have been asked was where was her husband during all of this?
What does that have to do with the murder of these boys
@@christinefougere , because of the silly string funeral and how the boy's family behavior was recorded. People react differently when a family member dies but there is a difference between a murder and death by cancer. I personally don't understand how anyone could laugh at the death of someone they supposedly love .
After my mom passed away my family had margaritas at the grave site because that was her favorite drink...some of us poured ours on her grave.
From the outside this would have looked callus and disrespectful...but to us it was a way of celebrating her.
Never assume you can really know what is in heart of another.
That is different your mom wasn't murder. She passed away. and there was two life murdered and then the mother celebrated, spray silly string on her sons grave? So does it make her innocent?
Depends on how it's done. Were ya'll smacking gum and giggling and absolutely gleeful doing it? Or was it a respectful ceremony. And Darlie, the narcissist, called the media herself to go and film her. Who on earth would do that? She did it.
Two weeks after her untimely death?
That is weird
Uhh,,,,my friends and I have smoked one next to our family members murdered grave. (Took along time to even visit the grave. Families of murdered victims have a different closure. 💔 but if my child was murdered,,,,I couldn't stop thinking of who was the murderer!!! We were all like that until police caught, found guilty and put the murderer in prison for 50 yrs. Then,,,we felt a little place if grief process.
My friend lost a son to Suicide
She never shed a tear as far as I knew. One day many years later we were driving through the mountains and she made a comment about how much her son loved to camp and then broke down crying like a wounded animal. I pulled over and tried to comfort her and she told me that it was the first time she cried for him because she felt like if she cried she was excepting his death and as long as she didn’t morn for him she somehow was able to keep him alive. I lost my husband last year to Covid-19 and I cry at the drop of a hat. It just happens without any prompting from anyone. I still feel his presence and at times I can smell his cologne. I have been awaken by his voice calling out to me. I can still feel him sitting on his side of the bed , I feel him when he sits and I feel him when he gets up to leave. My family and friends don’t believe me they think I am imagining all of this because I can’t let go and I need to “get over it”. Losing someone you love is beyond words and no two people feel and act the same way.. I haven’t watched the video yet but I have seen documentaries on this and I believe she is innocent.
Roberta, I am so, so sorry for you both.
Warm hugs🤗and🙏wishes of happiness are sent your way Roberta. I am sorry for your precious loss.
This case has always bothered me as I too really think she is innocent. Perhaps there will be some answers yet, through DNA somehow. I feel so sad for this mom who not only lost her beautiful boys in such a horrific way, but then lost her freedom because she was blamed for it, and adding insult to injury, may be put to death for it. She will be with her boys again one day. They know the truth.💕🙏🌹
Darlie's not 'innocent'. 😂. You're just unfamiliar with the evidence against her.
@@tsully4368You're unfamiliar with the facts that the police didn't even bother to look for anyone else and because of Susan Smith they just wanted to punish her.
@@mariemeldron2984 - The police investigated the case down to limb and pubic hair. No evidence of any intruder. Susan Smith wasn't a part of the trial at all. 😂
Yet Casey Anthony partied for a month, while her child who was in a bag near the house all that time, wasn't reported missing..and she's free... 🤦♀️🤦♀️
Go figure!!!!!
Seems there are a lot of parallels with Steven Avery here. She needs Katherine Zellner to look at that - oh, and Susan Smith got 30 YEARS .. not life with parole, not death, 30 bloody years.
I heard a few years ago, A child got 3 years for stealing ice cream.
I hate casey anthony shes walking free because of idiots
@@poopass4434 Yeah, that's a fact. The Brits removed double jeopardy for this very reason. Over there, she could be retried.
God forbid, but if I were ever accused of something, you are the sort of person I want on my jury.
I agree for the most part, but he would never be allowed to sit on a Jury.
@@seatopaz9077 why?
@@seatopaz9077 I ask too - WHY??
Big brother
@@david-pb4bi, I am not a fool! The jury never saw her injuries! Did you? There's was no motive, a stranger fingerprint a bloody sock in the alley! A juror said, had he seen her injuries he would have found her innocent! Who's the fool? At the time of the birthday party she had taken pain pills which make people act different! Plus there was a religious ceremony prior to the party!
A couple of years ago my neighbor lost her 4 year old son due to a sudden illness. The day after his death I went to her house to offer assistance and convey my condolences. Upon entering her house I found her to be welcoming, composed, and not much different than her usual demeanor. I was quite surprised with her behavior because in my mind I was expecting to meet a very distraught woman. Later I came to realize that it is absolutely ridiculous to try to define a right way of grieving. There is no way we can ever know how we would react or anyone would react to tragic events. This experience reminded me of the Amanda Knox case, who was scrutinized for her behavior after the death of her friend. It’s unfortunate.
My husband and I had no children, but one day
a heavily pregnant mama cat meandered up on
our patio. We adopted one of her kittens, and
this wonderful kitty lived to be twenty years old!
I knew she didn't have a lot of time left, and I was depressed about it. Then my husband died suddenly on June 29, and on August 29, I had to
have the cat put down! I was devastated by his
death, but never cried about it for some reason
I still don't understand. But after Francy the cat
died, for the next several years I would start to
cry at odd times over her. I have no good idea
of why I find myself crying over my cat, but I've
never done so over my husband! It's really a
mystery!
I am sorry for you losses Nancy. Yes, I don’t think we can predict and understand how are reactions are going to be in situations like this. It’s truly a mystery.
She was convicted due to many pieces of evidence, bot just her behavior. Not by a long shot. She is guilty. Some things he states here are incorrect. She did have an history of violence and mental illness and neglecting her kids, for starters. She injured herself at a party and told people she was raped bc she was mad at Darin when they were dating. Sound familiar. Not many people outside of the investigation knew about that. All the blood evidence as well as other forensic crime scene evidence points to her.
AlienPrincess ATX yes. I’m assuming dr grande did not read the court transcripts.
@@nancyayers6355 We nurture pets who remain dependent on us for their wellbeing. In some ways they are always like helpless babies even when they are adults. And our relationships with them are much less complicated than with human peers. Sorry for your losses.
My middle school teacher told us about a woman whose child was killed in a car accident. They made the funeral like a party with balloons and everything. The mother went on and on about how she forgave the driver. She was "happy" her child was with God. Months later, she started what most people would refer to as grieving: blaming the driver, crying all the time, etc.
OMG so sad 😭 stages of grief. Grief stinks.
After the shock and reflex "gotta cope" wore off. How utterly awful. Poor woman. Poor everyone. What a mess. I hope someone helped her through that. I don't think it's something you'd ever get "over". Thank you for sharing.
That has what to do with a Mom joyously dancing on her boys' grave 8 days after they were brutally murdered with the killer still on the loose?
@@tsully4368Read it again and that's not what happened.
@@mariemeldron2984 - Better yet, how about you present affirmative evidence of Darlie's innocence. 😂
I lost one of my daughter this past February. One day I seem perfectly ok or at least coping. The next day I could be in bed crying for hours. I talk to my daughter every day, because it helps me cope. That party could have been something I could have done one day and not have been capable of the next day. The party may have been an effort on her part to hold onto her son regardless how irrational it might seem to others.
My condolence, I’m sending you the most positive of vibes.
So sorry for your loss! The loss of a child is never easy. I hope you can heal soon♥️
I lost my son and understand what your saying
Losing my daughter changed me so much, in so many ways. Because we were transplanted here, so I have no friends or family here, I know some of my family was freaked out by me. People here knew nothing about me, so...
Thanks for the insight and I am sorry for your loss, but when you ask yourself what a party is, it's a celebration, right? A celebration of what? And that soon.
Let’s not forget that her husband Darren tried to hire someone on several occasions to break into their house and steal valuables, so he could get insurance money.
No he spoke about the possibility?? Why not have large amount of money on children but they didn’t ? DNA will prove someone else was there but it’s too late she may as well have died that night. Prosecution very frightening in a country with death penalty?? So she turned into a psychopath for couple of hours then back again? Ridiculous!!
Julie Levinge Darren went further than “speaking about it” he tried to hire different people.
I never believe she did it. But her husband
She’s still guilty
Cynthia Carr Don’t be so sure about that. Read the facts with a open mind.
Thank you! Can’t be overstated: The mission is not to find guilt, it’s to find the TRUTH!
Well said
The forensics clearly showed she did it.
Very well said
Thank you, dear. Too many people seem to think that a trial is an occasion for stoning someone to death. They never seem to think that plenty of people have been found to be NOT guilty.
@FirstName LastName You're absolutely right. They literally could not find any evidence of an Intruder. I'd like to know when the Intruder had time to clean all his bloody footprints off the floor. So ridiculous, she's guilty.
I'm so glad you talked about the way people behave when they are grieving or after a trauma. I know that when I have been dealing with grief I have made some stupid decisions and obsessed over things that I normally wouldn't even think about. People are often at their very worst when they are grieving because we are trying to process so much and it never seems to come out well.
I appreciate Dr. Grande's reiteration of no "normal" way to react. I've lost two partners to sudden death...one from motorcycle accident, 20 years later my #2 died suddenly and unexpectedly from a health issue. My initial response both times was unemotional and practical. A few hours later as the reality sinks in and my brain processes the loss....utter devastation and grief which lasts for months.
I can so relate . Sometimes reality just doesn't really set in .right away .so many emotions we go through .
That happens to me to . But when it hits ya it's really sad
It was the same with me! When my Dad died 4 years ago, it even took 3-4 weeks until I really started to let the reality sink in...I would never say that Darlie is guilty because of that really dilly silly string video. This video was abused to manipulate and nothing else. If a mother behaves like this after she lost 2 of her children, this may not be "normal" and maybe even crazy or mentally ill, but to celebrate a child' s birthday who was murdered just one week before, is no crime...I cannot tell you why, but from the first moment on I learned about this case (I live in Germany), I was pretty sure that Darlie Routier was innocent. Anyway, she deserves a new trial at least. And that it should have been her putting that sock there about 30 feet away from the house just to deceive the police, would be funny if it wasn' t that serious. Please abolish death penalty now! It is wrong - no matter what a person did!
@@74valeska many us states have removed death penalty over the years. Changing to life with no parole.
That cannot equate to losing a child. No comparison.
The jury was also not shown the entire “Silly String Tape.” They didn’t see the part of the tape where Darlie was weeping and mourning “properly.” Members of the jury later said that their verdict would have been different had they been shown the rest of the tape.
Absolute tripe what you wrote. She COMMITTED THESE HORRIFIC MURDERS. THERE WERE NEVER ANY OTHER SUSPECTS. You shouldn't be writing crap when you clearly havent done any research on this case. I've been following this since she did it on June 6 1996.
@@annieferraro5988 But OP didn't say anything about her being innocent. They just repeated statements made by some jurors about viewing the silly string tape. What did OP say that was so wrong? Are you saying that none of the jurors made this statement? And that OP is just making it up?
@@anne853 I'm sorry, I just can't even talk about this without getting upset for those poor little boys who their mother viewed as impediment to her narcissistic dreams of wealth and power. And their brother Drake who probably doesn't even remember Devon and Damen.
The defense simply has no case and never did. It melted like wet silly string decades ago. It's HIGH TIME DARLIE ROUTIER pays the ultimate price.
@@annieferraro5988 That's understandable. It's very upsetting for 2 children to die like this. I followed this case for years and always thought Darlie acted very strange, like a little girl. It seems like she must have done it, I just can't quite gather how she had time to plant the sock in the alley and then stage the scene in her house. It looks like she would have had 3 minutes at most to do all that, but I suppose it could be done.
There were two tapes. The Silly string tape was made by the news crew Darlie invited to the cemetery and was shown to the jury/admitted into evidence. The second was the police surveillance tape. Mulder was given the police surveillance tape and chose not to show it to the jury or admit it into evidence. Obviously, he deemed it not favorable to Darlie.
I also have DBGW ( Dr.Grande binge watching) disorder, diagnosis: severe🍧🍭🍡
Me too! Dr. Grande may need to do a video on our type.
Good 🙏🏿 One!
Enjoy.
Never in my life would I consider Darlie Routier innocent under any circumstances, especially after the "Forensic Files" episode.
(commenting without having viewed the good DG's full video)
Hahaha!
There is currently no treatment. ❤️
Yep, no medication, no cure, we are stuck with this condition 😅😂
I have been a victim of violent crime several times in my life. I have often reacted by joking and laughing. I think it was my way of pretending it never happened or that, if it did, it wasn't so bad that I couldn't handle it. Because of this reaction, I was not taken seriously by anyone including the police. Even though I stopped laughing after the first 20 minutes or so, and then became tearful and depressed, I was never taken seriously as a victim. Thank you, Dr.Grande, for stating that there is no official rulebook for the emotional reactions of people facing sudden tragedy or reacting to extreme trouble. It was harder for me to recover from the attacks because the police (and others) did not see my emotions as appropriate. Your videos, in which you have discussed this many times, have at least helped me to accept my own emotional reactions as OK.
You’re not alone. I’ve laughed when important traumas happened in my life. I either laugh or fall asleep immediately. My brain automatically takes over to protect me. I’m sorry you experienced all that trauma ❤️❤️ and I hope things are better for you now.
So true
I am so sorry you were not validated or understood.
How we present needs to be appeoached with more skill and basic knowledge in trauma responses -- otherwise, it just causes more harm.
My younger brother and I laughed when my mother died (I was 12). It wasn't for another 7 years that I cried about it. Laughing is a coping mechanism, not sure why it"s hard for some people to understand that.
Blessings 🙏❤️
Refreshing to hear from someone else, that just because you think someone is guilty, doesn't mean it's enough to find someone guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The blood forensic evidence is clear. She did it. Most people leave that part out because it doesn’t add to the drama of did she do it.
I think "reasonable "is the operative word.
& risk the death penalty
what types of people are on the jury?
Very true. Darlie is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in this case though.
I like your straight delivery style. Thank you for addressing such interesting topics so well!
I love how you talked about how she was still likely guilty but we really won’t know since the other leads were never investigated. Horrible situation overall.
she told the 911 operator she grabbed the knife on the floor to give a reason why her prints were on it , no one does that , also he forgot to mention she wore booty shorts at her kids funeral "party" screams i want to be free of kids imo.
Her being guilty makes zero sense, why leave one son alive and almost fatally cut her own neck? There is twice as much evidence pointing towards the father. Plus there was recently a 20/20 episode eerily similar to this where a mother sat in prison a decade before finding out a serial killer under these same terms had killed her child. Same scenario, knife from her own kitchen, only stabbed the kid, actually ran from the mother!! Turns out he used to attack women until one was able to grab a toilet lid, fight back and cracked his skull! This same serial killer got a slap on the wrist because the woman victim came out on top. One released from prison went strictly after children only, used weapons found in the home , and attacked only the kids.... This woman should be released with a fat settlement yesterday, she was convicted over throwing a birthday party while drowning in grief. No one acts the same! I sat numb and frozen after watching my mother die, left in the room with her body. Didn't cry or make a sound because some grief is so completely overwhelming tears aren't enough.
@@sugarscott4767 , naive. look at how she acted losing a child, yes we can all act a little different but only her and casey Anthony would party afterwards .
@@sugarscott4767 I'm going to have to completely agree with you. I believe Darlie is on death row for a crime she didn't commit. This happened after Susan Smith drove her two young sons into a lake and let them drown. Darlie was found guilty in the court of public opinion since the silly string incident. I saw a recent video of Darlie and her long curly locks were gone. The blush and the lipstick, far removed. She looked broken. Her son who wasn't attacked, has died of some type of cancer I believe. She's divorced now. In my opinion, she's innocent. I don't believe in the death penalty because our justice system is flawed. Life in prison is much worse. Darlie looked ready and I really pray she hasn't lost her hope.
Actually, A murderer would worry about "Appearances" much more then an innocent person. Oddly, she acts non sociopathic in jail.....and before the deaths of her kids.
I don't remember there being a big man hunt for the killer. Also Darlie's hubby was joking or bragging about his wife's great breast to the cops while they were interviewing him about his child's murder. That's beyond the pale of normal thinking. Both of them l think are screw balls.
In Darin's defense, he was responding to a question posed by police as to what he thought happened. He stated it was probably a stalker, someone followed her home, have you seen her blond hair, breasts... In context, it's not so weird.
Her hubby also admitted to successfully doing a few insurance fraud things and had, I think, planned a house "break in" and theft so he could claim the value of the stolen items on the home insurance policy. Could be, he hired the wrong person to do this "break in", someone with worse intentions than stealing things.
Being a screwball doesn't make one a murderer. This is Texas, there's a screwball behind every other fence post.
She's probably guilty but if you take all the emotion out of the case, there really wasn't evidence to prove it beyond reasonable doubt.
The forensics convicted her, it was beyond reasonable doubt, the evidence points directly to Darlie and there is no evidence of an intruder.
I don't know if she did it or not, but--YES! Thank You! There is no right or wrong way to grieve! People do not understand that.
Agreed
@@bobipapy2404 ❤️
It was the way the screen was cut. Residue from the screen was found on a knife in a block where the knife was stored.
Also the screen was curled outwards noting that it was cut from the inside. Yeah, she cut the screen from the INSIDE.
U.V light showed where she cleaned up blood.
I don't "act normal" in the face of danger and trauma. I am calm, I could even joke around. But when the dust settles and I'm alone I process and grieve. I tend to have a spotty memory also... this is all coping I have learned.
I'm very similar. It scares me that I could get in serious trouble someday just because I don't grieve properly...
Me too! I smile and don’t know why.
Again this is not like, next second reaction while in shock. This is a week later she's had 7 days to process! You look at other moms who've killed their children, reaction is the same! They literally celebrated the godawful death of their kids, like Diane downs, they are high with glee, they can't contain their excitement! To think of what a brutal death these kids endured, no one should even be smiling 7 days after 😭😭
Good God... this was not the only thing implicating this monster. Do you know anything about the EVIDENCE?
@@Elegant_Sausage Well hopefully the next time you're "not grieving properly" you won't have a mountain of forensic evidence pointing straight at you and no one else. She's a baby killer.
When I was less than a decade old, my grandmother died. She was very important in my life. I was brought to the funeral and was encouraged to view her. I was very afraid. It was a very scary idea. But I did it. When I saw her I felt a wave of relief and even happiness wash over me. She looked so peaceful, I realized she had passed on, and she is actually in a better place. Just as the feeling of peace and relief washed over and through me, I smiled and there was an immediate chorus of blood curdling screeches that cut through me and nearly dropped me to the floor. Some cousins were screaming and literally snarling that I didn't 'love grandma'. They were about the same age as myself and in the moment I realized they couldn't comprehend that I had had an epiphany. They couldn't understand what I had experienced. But on a spiritual Sensei level I could see their intense jealousy. It's one of those memories you don't forget. I didn't hate them for it, but it sure hurt. Later in life I would see people being judged in court or out of court by an expression, a lack of expression, and an endless list of other reasons why they were guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt based on a perceived state of mind. Usually they are snarling. It kind of negates the finding of facts.
Such a mature revelation to have at a young age! Im sorry your cousins couldn't understand how you felt at that moment
Good job
Have you lost a child? You can't possibly compare the 2. I understand what you're saying though. Some people handle death differently. I understand that. Darlie reminds me so much of Diane Downs.
A couple of things Dr Grande may not have known.
1. There was only one set of prints on that knife, and they belonged to Darlie.
2. That car was stopped , the people were questioned and determined not to have been involved.
I'm reading a book now that focuses on the crime scene. There is a lot more that the public never heard.
Exactly, the jury had alot more evidence than how Darlie processed her "grief". After all they sentenced her to death. The defenses alternate theory to the crime makes even less sense than Darlie throwing a silly string party! Seems like everyone is forgetting that two little sweet boys were murdered, and this is certainly not the first time a mother has butchered her own kids!
When he said 50-55% guilty I thought this is the case analysis I don’t agree about. Dr grande focused much on how police judged darlenes grieving and so he was biased on everything else
@@michelleclarke8500I think she did it, but I agree with Dr. Grande that once the crime scene analyst said there was no intruder, her fate was sealed. I don't think one persons opinion, no matter what their qualifications are, should be seen as fact. I think any crime scene needs two or three independent authorities to come to separate conclusions. I don't think there was enough evidence, but there being no other prints on the knife except hers and her story being shaky at best doesn't look good. I also dont think there is a mother on earth that could be that joyful celebrating her dead sons Birthday days after his death, but I do agree we can't convict on her actions because we know people grieve differently. Dr. Grande was also right that the police and prosecutors were more interested in convicting Darlie that convicting the murderer. Although, I think she is guilty as hell, I don't think it was proven in court. I pray those dear children never saw her face during the attack and that they are resting in peace.😢
@@donnamckinley9807 I think it was absolutely proven it court. There was a mountain of circumstantial and forensic evidence. Anyone can theoretically argue any one particular piece, but when there is literally dozens of facts stacking up against her, it becomes near a mathematical impossibilty that she is innocent: Just consider the following.
1. Unusual concern about fingerprints on the knife as her boys lay dying.
2. No blood or scuff marks on the backyard fence or gate. The gate was closed when police arrived, even though it was difficult to open and close.
3. Enough blood on the door leading to the garage that it dripped down the door, but no blood on or around the exit window in the garage.
4. Screen debris on the bread knife from the Routier’s kitchen.
5. No evidence whatsoever of a knife being dropped on the utility room floor.
6. The bloody knife imprint on the carpet near Devon and the heavy trail indicating a fresh supply of Darlie’s blood being fed to it.
7. The wine glass that somehow was knocked to the floor, despite testimony that it couldn’t have happened with a bump, jostle, or tip of the wine rack.
8. No cuts on Darlie’s feet, despite her claim of running through the kitchen numerous times, and at least twice in the dark.
9. The murder weapon was a knife from her own home.
10. Very minor displacement of furniture in the family room, indicative of a clumsy attempt to stage the crime scene.
11. Her claim of having placed a towel on Damon’s back is directly contradicted by the first responders.
12. Darlie’s conflicting stories to various police officers, hospital employees, friends, and family members about what happened that night.
13. Although Darlie later claimed to have no memory of the attack and only a vague memory of the intruder leaving, she wrote people from jail while awaiting trial claiming, “I know who did it…I saw him!”
14. Darlie’s claim that five-year-old Damon, after being stabbed in the liver and lungs, was walking and speaking to her for some time after the intruder left.
15. Blood being washed and wiped away in and around the sink area.
16. No blood on the section of the couch where Darlie said her head was resting.
17. No cast-off blood in the family room or kitchen; just smudges or round drops indicating slow movement through the area.
18. Bruises on right arm which didn’t show up until more than 4 days after the murders. No blunt-trauma bruises anywhere else on her face or body.
19. Darlie clearly saying on the 911 call that “I was fighting!” and then changing it to “I was frightening” at trial. (This switcheroo coincided with her traumatic amnesia claim).
20. The boys’ cast-off blood on the shoulder and back of her nightshirt.
21. Darlie’s superficial wounds were drastically different from her sons’ deep, penetrating stab wounds.
22. The overturned vacuum cleaner in the kitchen, with broken glass and Darlie’s bloody footprints underneath.
23. Four cuts in Darlie’s nightshirt with no corresponding injuries.
24. Darin’s accounts being constantly expanded to explain his wife’s suspicious and contradictory statements.
25. Darlie’s suicide note written a month prior to the murders.
26. Financial problems so severe that their house was on the verge of foreclosure, and Darin’s application for a $5,000 vacation loan was turned down the day before the murders.
27. The complete lack of any evidence that someone else was in that house during the time of the murders.
28. The whole idea of a stranger walking through the pitch-black garage without bloodying anything, tripping over anything, disturbing the windowsill dust, or transferring blood inside and outside the garage.
29. Animal bowls outside, a large animal cage partly blocking the garage window - all strong deterrents for an intruder.
30. A vicious cat who, when approached, would hiss and flail around in his cage just a few feet from the couch.
31. Expensive jewelry and Darlie’s purse, in plain sight on the kitchen counter, were not taken.
32. The idea of an intruder stabbing two little boys to death for absolutely no reason, and leaving the adult who can identify him alive and armed with a knife.
To have all of those circumstances intersect and STILL Darlie's account is true? No - simply impossible.
@@donnamckinley9807 I just don't see how you could possibly think there wasn't enough evidence - especially if you think she was guilty as hell.
Way too many things working against Darlie when - taken together - easily go beyond reasonable doubt. There is simply no scenario where all these things below exist, yet it still was an intruder:
1. Unusual concern about fingerprints on the knife as her boys lay dying.
2. No blood or scuff marks on the backyard fence or gate. The gate was closed when police arrived, even though it was difficult to open and close.
3. Enough blood on the door leading to the garage that it dripped down the door, but no blood on or around the exit window in the garage.
4. Screen debris on the bread knife from the Routier’s kitchen.
5. No evidence whatsoever of a knife being dropped on the utility room floor.
6. The bloody knife imprint on the carpet near Devon and the heavy trail indicating a fresh supply of Darlie’s blood being fed to it.
7. The wine glass that somehow was knocked to the floor, despite testimony that it couldn’t have happened with a bump, jostle, or tip of the wine rack.
8. No cuts on Darlie’s feet, despite her claim of running through the kitchen numerous times, and at least twice in the dark.
9. The murder weapon was a knife from her own home.
10. Very minor displacement of furniture in the family room, indicative of a clumsy attempt to stage the crime scene.
11. Her claim of having placed a towel on Damon’s back is directly contradicted by the first responders.
12. Darlie’s conflicting stories to various police officers, hospital employees, friends, and family members about what happened that night.
13. Although Darlie later claimed to have no memory of the attack and only a vague memory of the intruder leaving, she wrote people from jail while awaiting trial claiming, “I know who did it…I saw him!”
14. Darlie’s claim that five-year-old Damon, after being stabbed in the liver and lungs, was walking and speaking to her for some time after the intruder left.
15. Blood being washed and wiped away in and around the sink area.
16. No blood on the section of the couch where Darlie said her head was resting.
17. No cast-off blood in the family room or kitchen; just smudges or round drops indicating slow movement through the area.
18. Bruises on right arm which didn’t show up until more than 4 days after the murders. No blunt-trauma bruises anywhere else on her face or body.
19. Darlie clearly saying on the 911 call that “I was fighting!” and then changing it to “I was frightening” at trial. (This switcheroo coincided with her traumatic amnesia claim).
20. The boys’ cast-off blood on the shoulder and back of her nightshirt.
21. Darlie’s superficial wounds were drastically different from her sons’ deep, penetrating stab wounds.
22. The overturned vacuum cleaner in the kitchen, with broken glass and Darlie’s bloody footprints underneath.
23. Four cuts in Darlie’s nightshirt with no corresponding injuries.
24. Darin’s accounts being constantly expanded to explain his wife’s suspicious and contradictory statements.
25. Darlie’s suicide note written a month prior to the murders.
26. Financial problems so severe that their house was on the verge of foreclosure, and Darin’s application for a $5,000 vacation loan was turned down the day before the murders.
27. The complete lack of any evidence that someone else was in that house during the time of the murders.
28. The whole idea of a stranger walking through the pitch-black garage without bloodying anything, tripping over anything, disturbing the windowsill dust, or transferring blood inside and outside the garage.
29. Animal bowls outside, a large animal cage partly blocking the garage window - all strong deterrents for an intruder.
30. A vicious cat who, when approached, would hiss and flail around in his cage just a few feet from the couch.
31. Expensive jewelry and Darlie’s purse, in plain sight on the kitchen counter, were not taken.
32. The idea of an intruder stabbing two little boys to death for absolutely no reason, and leaving the adult who can identify him alive and armed with a knife.
Her son was alive and she did nothing to help her “babies”! As a mother myself, I’d try ANYTHING to save them. The officer who arrived said that Darlie did nothing to help the son who was still crawling along the floor.
He crawled away from his mother while hurt. That screams his fear of her, most hurt kids would want their mother
Exactly
She was on the phone with 911 during the time the Officer arrived, still answering all the questions of the operator, the operator would not allow her to hang up. Other personnel also arrived while she was still on the phone. After that, the officer (noting her wounds and unsteadiness) ordered her to sit down. I believe she would have made sure the boys were actually dead before screaming for Darin if she had done this. It's bizarre to think a non-psychotic person would do this with her spouse in the home. She could have easily done it while he was at work, if she wanted them dead, and claimed they were all napping and someone entered.
Some people can not tolerate the sight of blood. I am one of those people who could not handle seeing my kids like that and would be on the phone with 911 screaming horrified and in shock
Going to make my own comment but had to say...what about DARIn working on DEVON the son who had died instantly by getting stabbed....not the baby boy who VIsABLy crawled on the floor trying to escape.
This case has always scared the hell out of me just based on how others judged how she was acting. When people around me die I do not cry. Never have. This makes people think I don't care, but they're wrong. I care very much, but I'm not going to force myself to cry for their benefit. That would be fake, and I detest that. People need to worry about themselves, and stop judging others just because they don't react the way they think they should. Everybody's different.
I don’t cry in public. Not when my mother died 5 days after my 21st birthday, not when my father died 14mos later, not when my oldest son was attacked at school his sophomore year and spent weeks in Peds ICU. I shut down pretty much all emotion because I had to take of my 12yr old brother, my older sister and her three kids (she fell apart and into the bottle 😢) and my own 10mos old. But everyone who knows me already knows that about me. My mother was the same way. Handle to issues, but grief is very private to me. Even my husband can count on 1 hand the times he’s seen me breakdown and we’ve been together 27yrs. We often joke that if he ever went missing I’d be suspect number one because I don’t cry and I’m addicted to true crime of all sorts.
It wasn't the not crying in public. It was the laughing and partying at the grave site that sickened people.
It's not what sentenced her.
Every evidence at the crime scene heavily pointed to Darlie.
@@ziudra91 exactly. The blood evidence proved she did it.
@@mcdonna840 Exactly what blood evidence proved Darlie did it? I think your grasp of what proof is and the definition do not align.
My Aunt lost her baby at 7 weeks...she has a graveside birthday party every year to this day he would be 25. When he passed she held, handled and changed him several times...wanted other to as well. She never shed a tear until she saw them putting dirt into his grave...she stayed for hours. It was super sad bit everyone around her kept things as light as possible because while she was not emoting sadness...we all knew it was there big time.
😟😭
It would kill me to lose a little baby. My condolences to your aunt
@@angelreneetn Thank you. It's been some time and while it hasn't heal it has become easier to carry for her. Blessings.
That's a pain I never want to feel. I'm sorry for your aunt's lose. Even 26 yrs later, I imagine it's not much easier ❤️
Yes, she was in shock, which is understandable, and it’s completely different than this case. If your babies were murdered in your presence, and you didn’t stop them, you wouldn’t be having a party, celebrating, laughing and having fun. The death of someone’s child is devastating, or it should be.
Grieving is such a personal process. When our father died I was very emotional, my brother was very stoic.
Can't say I've ever heard of any Mother joyously dancing on their boys' grave 8 days after they were brutally murdered with the murderer still on the loose. Nothing normal about that.
Yes, people grieve differently. But Casey Anthony going out and participating in hot body costumes at bars for 30 days while the kid is missing that’s outrageous. And same with Darley and the silly string laughing at the gravesite seven days after your kids or brutally stop today off? There’s definitely something wrong there.
@@tsully4368 You miss the bit where it's been proven the police cut straight to that part of the recording and missed the bit where she was grieving terribly. At 8 days afterward, a person is still in shock and shock results in weird behaviours, looking in from the outside. There's no evidence and there's reasonable doubt. Still, either way ... I'm still ???
@@bunnymad5049 - You're misinformed. There were 2 tapes. The silly string tape recorded by the news crew Darlie invited, and the police surveillance tape. The police surveillance tape was provided to the defense who didn't admit it into evidence or show it. Why? Because they deemed it unhelpful to Darlie.
To this day that police surveillance video has never been shown to the public in full. Despite the defense and the family having copies. So, we really don't know what is on it.
Darlie was convicted on the totality of the evidence, especially the blood evidence and her many lies.
If you're truly interested in learning the case, the transcripts and appeals are easily searchable online.
Who says she was grieving at all? Maybe she was happy her sons were murdered and the killer was still free. What would that kind of behavior look like? Not everybody is normal.,
I’m so eager to hear your analysis of this lady. I have been following the case since it’s inception and still do not know what to think about it all. Thank you.
I'm 35, and same! My Mama is a true crime junkie too, so I was on cases before I was even school age. 😂
my theory ( i think she is innocent, only 40% shows she is guilty)
factors pointing at guilt and their counters:
1) she handling a murder weapon:
yes, it's a bad sign for sure, but considering the whole master-plan that was planned, couldn't she just use a tissue paper to hold the knife, and then throw it in any far place? i mean she asked them to scan the prints on the knife, so she's certainly aware that they would have gotten her prints.
also, the said it was a "planned" murder. so , couldn't she buy a new knife , hid until she applies her plan?
i think everything points out that the murder was planned to hurt her in every-way, mentally and physically. this makes more sense for me. she was harmed and is in pain, yet not dead, but her sons where dead? which leads to the next point
2)her suicidal tendencies:
why would someone EVER want to suicide, and then change their mind even after killing their kids?
the only reason that a suicidal person would kill others is only of those 2:
1) the other person is stopping the suicidal from suicide
2) the suicidal is concerned about the people(children) they are leaving behind when they suicide, so they kill them as well.
her suicidal note proves the fact that,she didn't kill them out of anger ,or hate. and if she killed them because of her suicidal tendencies:
1)why didn't she kill the three of her sons
2) also they have a father who would take care of her children, so she doesn't need to kill her children
3) why did she hesitate at the end from killing her self and asking for rescue?
also , if she wanted to suicide, then why hurting herself in 3 different parts? why not just one direct hit into the throat and end it once and for all without enduring too much pain? the point of suicide to end pain , not to increase it..
3)why would someone kill her sons, and fail to kill her?
because the intention of the killer to cause her the biggest pain they could make to her, and i think that's the best way.
and also, she would have enough time ti kill her sons, while an outsider is always in danger if someone woke up or found out an outsider in her house, so he was under pressure of time . unlike her, she had all night to kill her three sons.
4) her story changed several times, because of trauma. seeing your sons dead, throat cut and herself cut and getting raped.. that's much more horrifying than many actual horror movies i have ever seen. anyone but a psychopath would be able to mentally do that to their sons and themselves and then have desire to live afterwards.
trauma has direct effect on human mind. it can change it chemically and physically. it can put false memory and ideologies in human mind as well as making your memory forget things, and the memory it self becomes more like a vague dream.
>>>
actually all evidence points out to , and the story would make much more sense that the murder was planned by her husband/someone else, and the cops are actually paid to trap her. it would explain everything that happened. the fact that, how fast the judgement was done extremely fast without any considerations relatively for big serial killers like ted bendy is a big prove that it was planned to set her up.
>>>
the biggest prove she is innocent is
1)the motive
2)benefit
even a psychopath wouldn't kill their sons, without a good benefit, and the murder would have been much more and better planned.
but she was sentenced to death, without giving a good clear motive or benefit for her actions.
and if she wanted money, she would have killed her husband, so , it's obvious it's not about money.
so can someone imagine any scenario that she could have an enough motive or benefit to kill her sons?
>>>>
another prove that she is innocent is that ted bundy, the heartless cold blooded serial killer and most serial killers admitted their murders. but she didn't say anything about her murdering.
I frankly don't know what to think about it either. Guess we'll never know. But, the evidence clearly spoke for her murdering her kids.
It's disturbing how often we hear from experts about the police doing a really shoddy job in such high profile cases.
the police did not do a "shoddy job" in the case of darlie routier. They did a thorough investigation. It sounds like Dr. Grande landed on a website run by her supporters and is believing what he is reading. And to bring up the prosecutor getting in some kind of trouble decades later was right from the script of the darlie supporters. I love Dr. Grande's videos but I wish he would research the cases more before saying things like that against the police investigators.
@Char Stevens I'm not.
@@ladyjusticesurvivoradvocat3816 You're one of those people who thinks that ANY case that the government brings against someone is AUTOMATICALLY guilty. You're what's wrong with this country and the government.
@@michaelthearchangel8508 not true at all. I've been a true crimer for over a decade and I've written many books on true crime cases after thoroughly researching the details of the cases I write about. In the case of DR - the police did a fine job, and so did the prosecutors too. The prosecutor was quoted after the trial as saying that darlie was his best witness. She lied right in front of the jurors. The evidence - physical evidence - was clear. And her best friend called me in 2016 and filled me in on a lot of details. She is a murderer. She's guilty. There are a lot of cases where I do believe the accused is innocent - Christopher Watts, George Zimmerman, the young man in wisconsin who shot in self defense, etc. But Darlie? Guilty.
@@ladyjusticesurvivoradvocat3816 It makes no sense what so ever. Why kill her own children, If she didn't want them she just could have sent them into a foster home. The state would of have easily taken them. Why kill them in a state known for it's over use of the death penalty? Someone mentioned five thousand dollars of life insurance on her kids. No one is going to kill their own kids over five thousand dollars. As for lying on the stand, How much pressure do you think was on this woman when she was testifying? Knowing your life is on the line. Of course she would be confused over certain facts. That DOES NOT MEAN she was willfully lying to anyone. I've also seen some crime shows where they were talking about this same case. And it was mentioned that there was not a single piece of evidence in this entire case that pointed to her guilt. What the jury did was take all of the information and decided that she was guilty. Even though as I said before there was no direct evidence she was guilty at all. As an example the jury used the "party" in their decision to convict this woman. Everyone grieves in a certain way. It doesn't mean she was celebrating the death of her children. And what the jury did not hear or see was how she broke down crying at this "party". Funny how some things aren't shown to jury's by the prosecution. I believe this woman is innocent. There are too many things that just do not add up.
This man needs his own talk show! He is a real doctor (cough, cough) unlike others on TV!!
That's why he wouldn't get a TV show.
I’d fire my therapist for this wise man!
If you're referring to Dr Phil, you're wrong, he is a real doctor.
@@kanyebreast6072 His license expired years ago. “Dr” Phil is no longer a certified healthcare professional.
@@heybulldog1589 You freak, just because a doctors license expired, that doesnt mean they arent a doctor anymore. Dr Phil will be a doctor for life. Once you have your doctorate,you will always be a doctor. You only need the license so you can actually practice on patients. But him not renewing his licence doesnt stop him being a doctor 🙄
NO INNOCENT, loving, concerned mother is going to stand there tending to her own superficial wounds and talking to dispatch about "my fingerprints might be on the knife" while their son is DYING in the other room... Darlie did it.
GUILTY as Heck...👁
Good lord I hope you never get on jury duty. Hyperfocusing on an aspect like that is extremely ironic.
She was hysterical, taken to hospital then straight after coming around she was taken straight to the police station from the hospital?
If you don’t understand how she grieved then just be thankful that you’ll never experience what she went through!😮
I don’t think you can say that concretely. I agree that it seems suspicious and is just odd for her to say. But as someone who talks a lot especially when afraid, I can see how she would have said that as she essentially talked out loud. Idk just how I perceive it. This case is wild
You never know what hysterical reaction you would have when going through a traumatic event.
Too bad for her that she didn't have Casey Anthony's million-dollar lawyers, & hard to convince jury.
Apparently she fired her 1st court appointed attorneys (who had hired a forensic specialist as an investigator to help analyze the evidence for her defense) and she then hired an attorney who her husband and family had previously used. Courts generally are careful to appoint a competent attorney in such a serious case, because lack of competent counsel is legal grounds for reversal on appeal, and death penalty cases are automatically appealed.
That b*tch is guilty as sin. Millions of people
will believe that to their dying day - yet, all her
lawyer had to do was convince the jury of "reasonable doubt!" So he comes up with
a scenario in which Mom's at work and Grandpa
takes the tot out into their backyard to "swim"
in a little plastic kiddie pool, he decides to go
back inside to get a beer, and the baby drowns
in this two-minute time frame! No way??? It's
enough to swing the jury and set Monster Mom
free! Something as simple as that!!!
@@nancyayers6355 This is the Darlie Routier case. "That bitch is guilty as sin". Oh how classy and intelligent you are Nancy.
@@bathsheba9581 I think she was talking about Casey Anthony. Sure, maybe she could have used a better choice of words, but injustice makes people angry? Darlie Routier was sent to death row on less evidence than the Casey Anthony case.
She had one of the best high profile defence attorneys in Dallas, Doug Mulder. She also had fine team of lawyers. Anthony was smart, she kept her mouth shut. Darlie pretty much convicted herself on the stand.
There is an episode of Forensic Files (season 3, episode 9) that covers this case, which I just watched, and the blood evidence is compelling. It showed that she had removed blood from the kitchen sink and cupboards, numerous bloody footprints made by Darlie as she rearranged the crime scene, her blood dripping down on the murder weapon due to her holding it in her right hand as she bled from the wound on her right forearm, etc. Not that I am an expert on 911 calls, but most do not resemble her chatty, infomative call. Usually it is a panicked request for assistance. Also, because the intruder woke her up, wouldn't she have assumed that he had killed her husband and baby first, but she doesn't seem at all concerned. I do think she is guilty.
Absolutely. When you consider no DNA was found and the whole forensic case was contained in the house is reason enough.
Omg omg omg. There's a book a crime episode and even a short movie and I've never heard this THaNk U!!! Why did she call for her husband to come instead of worrying if the husband and baby were alive 💗ty
I’ve seen at least 3 different 48 Hours/60 Minutes/20/20/Dateline episodes about Darlie Routier. The shows I saw did not make her seem guilty. She was majorly injured. The Jury was never shown pictures of her injuries. Or at least how she was bruised practically all over body. Her husband didn’t think she was guilty. Her husband wasn’t some Psycho. He believed her. Also, women who murder their children don’t usually ever commit some huge bloody crime. Especially with her husband home. Women usually poison or smother small children.
Wow I didn’t know this thank you. I thought she was guilty but I wasn’t 100%. It’s hard to be fully convinced because it’s just such an inconceivable crime. I lived like a mile away from them when this happened but I was in pre-K.
@Beverley Lumb her husband did not act appropriate from what i remember from the forensic files episode. He was commenting to police about how great his wife's breasts were.
Your point at the end about the imbalance of focus in our justice system- that far more money, more time, and more brainpower is dedicated to trying and defending suspects than is expended ensuring that these suspects are, in fact, the actual perpetrators of a crime- is brilliant. ♡
Brother… she is definitely guilty BEYOND a reasonable doubt
Dr. Granda does research on these cases in the typical fashion of a doctor.. a 10 second sweep of the abstract (or wiki), and thinks he is informed to make a decision.
He's doing a lot of damage to a lot of people by spreading his misinformation. This lady was guilty as sin, and he's leaving out almost everything that led the jury to that correct decision. But reading through his comment section, he's leading thousands of people to believe this was a miscarriage of justice.
All the people that think she didn’t do it, should read about the cross examination. It was bad s she was caught lying several times.
Cops lied so many times, in the transcripts, see for yourself. Guess they did it. Wadell lied, or very least memory failed, his story literally does not match the 911 call. And what exactly did she lie about?
You should look at the evidence not shown in the trial. Also look into the lawsuits for phen phen
A lot of evidence is not covered here also.
Yep. The husband was in on it, too.
No fingerprints, no DNA anywhere in the house and nothing on her clothes, nor knife nor vacuum except her and her boys blood. Hmmm. She did it alright. The silly string is the weakest part of her prosecution. She fell apart on the stand once they busted her in a lie. I wonder sometimes though, if her husband helped give her those bruises to help cover it up. He failed his polygraph big time. Not just a little, but on a grand scale. Thanks!
Fascinating!
Too crazy a crime for some random psycho to commit.none of it makes sense.The husband doesnt hear the commotion, glass breaking and the wife would prob be screaming bloody murder during the act.Why the boys?So you can rape the mom?If it was done by a stranger he was a crazy idiot for sure and likely to do a similar crime either b4 or after this one.
A burglary gone bad by the guy in the "black car",with a house full of people.I doubt that.I think she did it and hubby might have been in on it or at least helped cover it up.
Of course she did it. Even though she picked up the knife, it's weird at best, that there's no trace of anyone else. There was however trace of the screen he was supposed to have gotten in through on the knife, and it was cut a little to nicely. There was broken glass on the kitchen floorm but even though she claimed, that she had chased him through the kitchen, she had no cuts on her feet.
The boys were stabbed all the way through. Although she's a lot bigger, why aren't her wounds more critical?
I don't care about how she reacted, too many other things don't fit.
The police's behaviour was not okay, no doubt about it, but they are only human, and they have just solved a very bloody case about two murdered children. I would be high-fiving, hugging and crying too. I think most of us would.
@@Raztiana She also had a Pomeranian that never barked.
@@elisamastromarino7123, I assume that's a little, horrible dog, that barks at everything?
Dr G really includes a lot of important details in every case, plus pros/cons on various points & issues, in a short, concise video! Lots of research & thought behind each presentation. Ty!!!
Thank you for looking at this from both sides and sharing facts and insight. Murders of children are horrific to any responder and perhaps that's another reason why the investigators felt the need to find a suspect fast and celebrated upon her arrest. I hope that her appeals are allowed in order that current technology can be used to further prove her guilt or innocence.
It makes me CRAZY that people say she's innocent and i watched a doc in her defence that left out so much evidence. It makes me sick. The first police officer who arrived at the scene remember with much sadness what he saw: Darlie on the phone talking with 911 and one of her sons still alive covered in blood CRAWLING on the floor making like bubbles of blood in his mouth. Can you imagine? And she was still on the phone, when she hang up she then go to the officer and tell him about her JEWELRY!!! If the jewelry was taken. Is that what a mother do while her son is dying on the floor? She was trying to explain to the 911 dispatcher why her fingerprints were on the knife, and talking to the officer trying to making seem like a possible robbery. She's the most evil women. I do think that her husband is also guilty. They have financial problems at the time and Darlie refuses to sell the house or change her lifestyle.
Yes!! I KNOW!! And Dr. Grande made no convincing or well-made arguments against the case built by the police at all! I'm capable of some critical reasoning.
Please!
Tho had never heard of this case, but there is a lot of info on it, which I checked out after watching Dr. Grande's presentation. The blood evidence is compelling in strongly suggesting that she moved between 3 rooms staging a break in, and that she cleaned blood off the cabinet, sink, and floor in front of the sink. The chatty 911 call is very odd. Perhaps the silly string incident was more prejudicial than probative, and the court should have excluded it. On the other hand, she apparently fired the competent attorneys appointed by the court, and hired an inexperienced attorney familiar to her family, so if she had inexperienced counsel, it wasn't the court's fault. I can't visualize how that huge bruise was created, which is troubling because it must be significant. It is not the sort of bruising that would occur if someone grabbed her while she resisted, that would be patchier.
@@evelynwaugh4053 I remember reading that an expert analyzed the 911 call and could tell that she was frantically moving from room to room. Yup, staging and trying to cover evidence. Maybe Darren ran that sock down the alley.
She’s so guilty! Her case is on Forensic files and another documentary. Poor little boys.
the Doc does appear to have a hard time believing women can be evil. He's done it before.
Out of the hundreds, if not thousands of cases I've delved into... this one has always been one of the most intriguing. And, as usual, your assessment is top tier, Dr. Grande. Thanks for taking the time to share this with us, kind sir. Very much appreciated, as always!
I've always felt Darlie was railroaded and held to an unfair standard about grief.
I agree
I've recently gotten hooked on Dr Grande, i listen to everything he is producing as it comes out and I think he has locked onto a formula that works, and I appreciate the consistency and quality and regular content. But this one from 3 years ago is by far my favourite episode, and I think has a lot more depth, and shows more empathy, than alot of his current work.
When my Dad died 4 years ago, I started laughing. Not because it was funny, but because my brain and my mind were both completely overloaded from emotions. My sister was the complete opposite and she almost collapsed immediately. My Mum was quiet, my brother in law did not bait an eye. 4 different personas, 4 different lives, 4 different experiences, 4 different reactions. And guess what. All of them were RIGHT. Building a case on how one reacts in those types of circumstances is shocking.
Is she really guilty or not? I don't know, can not say. But what I can say is how poor those investigators were and how the jury was too emotionally involved, instead of keeping a distance.
Great analysis, Doc!
I'm sorry to hear about your dad
I have heard about people laughing after witnessing something horrendous, whereas the next person becomes hysterical. I am so sorry for your loss.
Not to mention right before the silly string “birthday party”, they had a solemn service at the grave stone first. They always manage to leave that out when talking about this case but the cops got that on video too.
@@JTScott1988 being psychotic isn't necessarily evil.
@@JTScott1988 No, it's neither
I live in the DFW area and totally remember this event. All I can say is SADNESS. 2 precious little boys lost their life senselessly. Tears.
but whoooo did it???
@@Synthpoptroubadour The mom did it
Yes. But she's the one suffering because she lives..they don't. I never ever believed she was guilty. I followed this case from day 1. I still think she's innocent
@@Synthpoptroubadour intruder did it. That's who. I hated that jury when they convicted her. I am one American who has ZERO faith in juries. Who are they? Not lawyers..not doctors. Not counselors..not mental health affiliated. Look at the insane jury that let Casey Anthony WALK? They are truly sick people if they couldn't find it in their heart to convict that woman. I want a judge to decide my fate...1 man or woman...thats it!
‘People grieve in different ways’ doesn’t make her innocent, and doesn’t excuse the evidence against her that has nothing to do with the silly string.
I've had doctors, psychologists etc say to me things like, "Why are you smiling//laughing? This is terrible//a really tragic//horrible thing". Apparently they've never heard of coping mechanisms.
I was at the death bed of someone I loved very much. I didn't cry, or even really feel grief. Not that day, not at the funeral...not until about a year later when a silly little trauma, not even really worthy of the name, opened the floodgates. I cried for days, but even then I couldn't cry in public, and made light of my feelings. I cracked jokes even.
I was consulting with a psychologist on other matters and only mentioned it to him in our closing convo that week ( sort of "any other business?")
I did it jokingly, and he got visibly irate with me, accusing me of sabotaging my recovery. I never went back to him. If he was such a bad psychologist that he had no insight into grief coping mechanisms, I figured he wouldn't be able to "cope" with me and my many problems, and also he caused me to feel anxious about telling him things.
I now wish, though, that I'd told him why I didn't want to continue therapy with him instead of just ghosting him!
The element of this case that scares me most is how unreasonable investigators can be.
And of course juries are a joke. Literally selected based on their personal biases to be most favorably susceptible to manipulation.
Leaves me with little trust in the system if I ever have the misfortune of becoming a suspect to a crime.
@@AisforAlibi1 That sucks.
Law enforcement should be incentivizing cooperation from communities, not making it more of a risk to do your civic duty than it already would be when testifying against a gang.
I was witness to a violent kidnapping in LA in 2016 when I was new to the city, and chased after the car yelling, barefoot, reading the license plate to a 911 agent.
The (asshole) man who my girlfriend and I were renting a room from had refused to back me up and then was so pissed and didn't want me to come back into his place in case the gang found out which apartment the snitch lived in....
And he was upset about having investigators coming in to our place to ask questions and get a view of the crime scene from our window.
But in that case the cop in charge was nice and professional, and even thoughtful to call us back just to let us know they had tracked down the car and the woman was safely recovering in the hospital.
So, there are some good apples in the system.
its possible that the husband framed her and hired an intruder ,i wonder if the house was in both names??
the 5 thousand dollar benefits on the kids is strange its almost like it was put there to fit a puzzle someone wanted to frame.i wonder if it was his idea to get them in order to fit her frame , ing
Thank you for giving Darlie a fair consideration she was tried and convicted before the trial started.
Maybe, but the fact that the evidence was cleaned up and that her boys got the worst injuries didn't add up.
And the fact she took the stand was a very bad idea, to think she could sway the jury.
Guilty as sin.
I agree how could one be start close to an artery and just not die. Now there are monsters out there and the death penalty may be arbitrary but Nickolas Cruz made a premeditated confession that he would commit murder and be on the news. This case was about stupid stuff like silly string. Yes she is guilty but she had real grief which is interesting but people have grief in different ways
& rightly so
@@danieldougan269 - Couldn’t agree more
This is one of the many reasons I'm against the death penalty. Are prosecutors, judge and jury 50% sure that her life needs to be extinguished by the State?
What if they're 50% wrong?
Exactly...they weren't even present at the crime scene
Needs more searching
she told the 911 operator she grabbed the knife on the floor to give a reason why her prints were on it , no one does that , also he forgot to mention she wore booty shorts at her kids funeral "party" screams i want to be free of kids imo.
I am also against the death pentalty too many innocent people died as a result.
Then there is a Maniac still out there. Only an hour away Amber Haggerman was murdered no arrest have been made.
Thank you for making videos like this one, and looking at the case honestly.
Dr. Grande, you are the 1st person I hear who is also bothered by the silly string video argument. I'm glad to find out I was not livid for no reason. I first new about this case through an old Forensic Files episode. Also, I was actually trained in acoustics and audio back in college! The argument of the 911 call, that she was moving from room to room as she spoke (and staged the scene), does not hold water (but it's long and technical to explain here). Thanks for this insightful video, as always. Stay safe everyone!
Without the video and acoustic analysis you still have the blood evidence which clearly points to her and her alone killing those kids.
@@FirstNameLastName-wt5to Then why did the bloody sock appear so far from her house?
@@Kingpowch It really wasn’t that far. The forensic evidence inside the home all points to her. We may never know how the sock ended up there That doesn’t mean you just completely dismiss the overwhelming evidence inside the home.
I've just watch the ITV interview, when she was talking about her murdered kids she was crying without tears, later she was talking about her murderer friend that was put to death, and tears streamed down her face. She's guilty has hell.
When my friend’s dad died from cancer my friend and his brother were joking and laughing at the funeral, and that’s when I knew they did it
😂
this. is. so. funny. full stop
@@Synthpoptroubadour it doesn’t seem to get that much action but we may have highly specialized senses of humor
@@anonymousbosch9265 probably because you can’t kill someone by giving them cancer... so that makes it tricky to fully appreciate the joke... When I first read it I kind of wanted to laugh but then it didn’t quite make sense but I’ll give you a for effort
Lol
Just stumbled across your channel! This video is amazing! I love how you broke it all down and explained all your points! Thank you from the UK 🇬🇧
Thank you for your analysis!!! I think I was one of the people who requested this. The fact they failed to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is a pivotal point. There is evidence both for and against her, but so many holes in the prosecution's case. They didn't even seem to try to find other suspects or consider anyone but Darlie could have been responsible. In Susan Smith's case, she was having an affair and had a clear motive, she wanted to be with a man who didn't want children. Darlie wasn't known to be having an affair or unhappily married, so killing two of her three children made little sense. She had nothing to gain. The insurance money was low, so money wouldn't have been a factor. It seems they don't want a retrial because it might make the prosecutor's look inefficient.
The fact is guilt beyond a reasonable doubt was established, proven, decided and Darlie's presumption of innocence has been gone for 24 years. Join reality. Motive isn't a necessary component for a capital murder conviction in Texas. There's no reason for a retrial as decided on appeal.
Again, thanks for defending the vulnerable, emotional spirit of human beings. Who is qualified to define appropriate grieving? Well done🐈🐾
Why wasn't the husband looked at more closely? 😕
What Dr. Grande ignored is that FBI Special Agent Alan Brantley reviewed the case and did not have a hermetically sealed mind, or whatever, he used fully processed evidence and reached the same conclusion James Cron did. Really how long do you think an unsophisticated person ignorant of forensic science could fool somebody with almost 30 years of investigating crime scenes? Dr. Grande seems to have paid close attention to what Darlie Routier's defense attorneys had to say but ignored large sections of what the prosecution had to say. For example, he reduced the investigators" belief that the crime scene was staged to the observation that the dust on the windowsill was undisturbed. Wrong. They believed that the crime scene was staged because; a heavy glass table top was tipped off its base and lay on the floor suggesting a struggle but on further examination the glass table top was not chipped, cracked or broken in anyway. The exact same was true for a flower arrangement in a glass vase, tipped over but not damanged. Also, there was only one set of bloody footprints belonging to Darlie, no one elses, in the crime scene. Then there's one of Darlie's early versions of the story about being cut while she was on the couch, yet there was hardly any blood on the couch. The police were also suspicous because of the security light in the backyard that was activated by a motion sensor and would light the backyard for an 18 minute time period once activated. However, the light was not activated and an intruder entering and exited via the window with the cut screen would have to activate the security light. Reducing the belief the crime scene solely to the observation of dust on the windowsill just shows that Dr. Grande had hermetically sealed his own mind to all the facts of the case.
Agree. He’s ignoring evidence and making statements that are simply his assumption and have no bearing on the case. “They needed to believe she was guilty” “ They were influenced by the Susan Smith case, the police were narcissistic, ect. It actually sounds ridiculous
No, they went where the evidence took themThere was more than enough evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
I remember when this case happened. I remember when the prosecution shared clips of the grave celebration with a TV show. I was a teenager and remembered in my Latino customs, the celebration if the dead and how I remember some relatives or occasions when having lunch or showing cheer at a grave site wasn't unusual. It was a cultural way of dealing with grief. It just hurts that the video may have contributed to her conviction.
Darlie Routier was convicted on blood evidence. It was Darlie who invited the media to the graveside party. That is how they got the video
There was plenty of other evidence that PROVED Darlie’s guilt, which came out at trial. Very little of it is ever mentioned by those who want to want to exonerate Darlie. Including the guy who made this video. Sad to say it is OBVIOUS he is not familiar with the evidence that came out at trial. It’s obvious he has NEVER read the transcripts.
It a shame. He is talking out of ignorance. For RUclips views. But that’s the world we live in.
@@digitalwasabi2He literally said he thinks she guilty. 🙄
yeah, I mean, the main reason I've never considered the death penalty as a viable option is police work (and the judgement of jurors) like this.
We have a generous appeals process, which this jury's verdict has withstood for 24 years. Maybe learn the facts before disparaging police and jurors?
@@tsully4368 even if you ignore the idea of the state executing people to enact revenge on behalf of victims. From a pragmatic perspective, it just costs more to put someone on death row.
@@Morhpocelionate - The death penalty doesn't bother me either way. Nor do I see it as revenge, as it's a known consequence for committing a certain crime. LWOP and/or death? An issue for State Legislatures.
If you look into the actual forensic evidence that was presented it’s clear she did this. They actually did a very good job on this case.
?
The baby was upstairs , that's probably why he's alive. I think she was overwhelmed and wanted to start over..I think she's guilty.
Or maybe she knew she was having suicidal thoughts and thoughts of killing her kids. Postpartum depression can make you crazy. I know someone who had to go through have therapy for it.
Start over? Is she so stupid she never thought oh gee, I could get caught? Come on, she's not that dumb. She doesn't have a past of doing dare devil deeds. What the hell did she gain from this? Where is the proof she didn't love them? Where is the common sense in this? The police , really? Who the hell trusts them?
@@runningthunder6923 No one is ever born with dare devil in them. Serial killers aren't always born to kill, it happens after a trauma or post partum depression as before mentioned can and will make a mother crazy. Doesn't mean you're dumb, mental illness takes over. In this case, I do believe she did it, with too many cracks in her story and evidence that she in fact committed this heinous event. Yes there's always bad cops, good cops. So you're telling me out of all the investigators, detectives, the jury, judge, etc no one could say there was reasonable doubt. The father wasn't helping with the two boys, she was stuck taking care of the three boys. She had too much on her plate so that is what made her do this, the burden was too much for her to bear. Who kills kids first instead of an adult. She probably did that and slit her throat to kill herself after all she was in the ICU. 👐🏼
Her journals showed suicidal thoughts. She and the husband were having problems, and were in seriously bad shape financially, likely only a few steps away from losing their home and having to move the whole family into her mom’s basement. They had just been turned down for a $5000 loan, money she wanted to take an island vacation with a girlfriend. I wouldn’t be surprised if she blamed the husband for their money troubles, and she wouldn’t be the first mother (or father) to murder their children, just to hurt the spouse, and then kill themselves - which the cut throat makes me think that was her original plan, to kill the kids and then herself. Only she chickened out when it came to the suicide part. She was also taking diet pills, and some people get really wacko on stimulants. Yeah, I think she’s guilty. Motive being rage. people can say all they want about how everyone grieves differently, but it is definitely not normal for a mother to throw a graveside birthday party two weeks after their babies were viciously murdered by some unknown killer, invite neighborhood kids to this cemetery party, AND invite the media...I mean, WTF? Yeah. People grieve differently...but that extremely odd. Anyway, even without that, the evidence was still there.
Running Thunder, she wrote in her journal that she was depressed and suicidal and sorry for what she's about to do. We may never know the true motive but you don't need a "logical " motive to believe she did it. Just because she never showed signs of violence, it doesn't mean she's incapable. Look at Chris Watts, he killed his 2 kids and pregnant wife and everyone who knew him said he was a nice guy.
The mishandling of this case is so upsetting...I really appreciate how your videos regarding true crime address the way mental health issues are misused in legal/criminal settings. I'm going to law school in the fall and I feel like I have a legal topic to really think about in the coming months.
The sock that was found had very little blood on it. Darlie could have planted the sock and returned and finished the boy's off with the more severe wounds. She could have put the blood on the sock from a scratch. These boys trusted her... And it makes no sense that an intruder would break in ... see a woman lying on the couch but choose to attack two young boys first. The boys were obviously the targets here because there was no attempt at a sexual assault. An intruder would have eliminated the biggest threat first which is the grown up in the room. I usually agree with you but in this case I completely disagree. One fact you have wrong is the reenactment of entering the window. Darren did the reenactment without any of the obstacles present that the "intruder" would have had to maneuver around plus work his way through the cut screen which was not there when the reenactment was done. Also Darlies blood was pooled right by the sink that was proven that she was standing still for a period of time. As far as motive goes.... Darlie regularly locked the boys out of the house because they were getting on her nerves. There was one instance where she locked them out on a very hot day and the boys went in the back yard and let the water out of the pool in an attempt to cool off. Darlie came running outside yelling curse words at the boys which was witnessed by neighbors. In my opinion she wasn't living the life she envisioned for herself and didn't want to be their mother any more. You said why would she leave one son alive? It would have looked very suspicious if she had demanded that the baby sleep in the living room (for the first time ever) on the very night the murders happened, right? and... If Darlie and all three boys were in the living room wouldn't it make sense that Darren might have decided to sleep in the room with the rest of his family? Two out of three was good enough for Darlie. If Darlie could yell and wake her husband up AFTER all this happened why couldn't she yell and wake him up WHILE the "intruder" was in the house killing her boys and attacking her? This is compelling to me.... she woke him up when she was ready for him to wake up.
The police can tell if someone enters a house - footprints, steps to the window/ door , dust as it was mentioned. They just knew in the first hour it was an inside job. I say she's guilty. And why would she clean blood from the kitchen.. ?
The cops may have made mistakes but that doesn't change the fact that ALL the evidence points to her. Period. She did this.
Why would she clean blood from the kitchen? You ask.
Maybe she was OCD in her general cleanliness. In her post traumatic stress of the event she resorted to what usually calms her-cleaning. She starts to clean the kitchen and then at some point comes out of her shock long enough to realize she may be wiping away evidence so she stops.
As an Active duty member of the USAF for 24 years who was deployed twice to combat zones, I can tell you that people may react very oddly to horrid scenes of death. One guy laughed uncontrollably at the site of a young child torn in half by an IED. The laughter turned to crying and then the typical “thousand yard stare” that is often seen in people that witness very horrible acts/scenes.
Other troops such as myself become very distant and quiet, reliving the scene over and over again for days.
In another scene, one of my troops bashed a dead enemy insurgent right across the eyes/bridge of the nose with the butt end of his rifle. Mutilation of a corpse is against the UCMJ and is punishable by court martial. When I asked him why he did it, he said he couldn’t bear the guy looking at him and just want his eyes to close”. Our unit had seen a lot of bad stuff the previous several days so instead of reporting him I told him if he reported to our medical unit seeking help with PTSD I’d forget what I had witnessed him do.
I don’t know why she cleaned a portion of the countertop but to assign guilt because of it is to ignore the possibility that some people just act strange after traumatic events.
she looks guilty just by the way she speaks
@@alexblaze8878 Um, she was cleaning a SPECIFIC part of the blood. Her blood, around the sink. Not the pools of blood scattered around the first floor. The luminol revealed she cleaned the rivers of HER OWN BLOOD around the sink that would match her self inflicting her wounds.
fantasiazplatkami yeah so let’s give people the death penalty because of the way they speak. Good God man!
Serial killer Tommy Lynn Sells committed an almost identical crime. He s not believed to be involved in the Routier case but it shows the crime could ve happened the way she said it did.
My very first thought. Tommy couldn't over power an adult to murder, so he murdered children in their sleep using a knife that was used by the family. Originally the mom was accused.
@@thereal4113 yes!
I would love to hear your opinion on the Jeffrey McDonald murders.
Ohhh yeah, this would definitely be a good one!~ Please analyze it, Dr. Grande.
Me too!
innocent
So obvious he is guilty
Jeffrey is completely and utterly guilty. Perhaps he's a sociopath. He got into a fight with his wife Collette over his 5 year old daughter's bedwetting. She had wet his side of the bed and he only discovered this once he retired to his bedroom; I believe he was working that morning. As he worked an exorbitant amount of hours as a physician, his wife raised the children and so he must've blamed her for their daughter wetting the bed. Jeffrey, like some people say about Darlie, was on medication in preparation for a boxing match and I think that with the stress of work caused him to explode in ways that he would not have. This would explain the violent confrontation he had with his wife because he had no history of domestic violence. The sick part is not that he accidentally killed his daughter - it's that instead of owning up to what happened he decided to kill his wife and other sleeping daughter and stage the scene and stab himself to blame it on drug-crazed intruders. His story makes absolutely no sense.
I read the court transcripts, and if you read them you will understand why Darlie was convicted, and it was not just the silly string party. The letters she had written while in jail (not prison), her own statements, the blood evidence, etc. It was totality of the evidence, not a silly string party that proved her guilt.
Blood castoff on the back of her shirt, no cuts on her feet ( broken glass was in between family room and sink), where Darlee was wetting towels to help her kids ( severe proof of clean up was found), vacuum cleaner with her blood on it as droplets and HER prints on the handle- also Darlee stating she had “leaned” on it for support, right after advice of counsel. Darlee also swears she woke up by a man walking away, so where did the struggle come from that caused her bruises? And how did a struggle that resulted in these bruising not end up in violent injuries to her, like to her sons? Why didn’t her doctors ( HER doctors) who testified for the prosecution, state that she did NOT have any bruising at the time of admittance , surgery, and daily follow up thereafter. The sick only had blood of the boys, but NONE by her, when she supposedly had her throat cut by an attacker? How on earth os that possible? NO DNA from an outsider in the whole crime scene?? And spraying silly string was not an issue in the video, but her genuine smile on it. She IS guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
I think you missed the point. When you only have one theory, all the evidence is turned to fit that theory, and you only look for evidence that fits that theory. Bruises take a while to show up. Her surgeon who operated on her neck wound is unlikely to examine her arms for evidence (not his or her job, not part of his or her training). Why would anyone use a vacuum cleaner to clean up blood residue? The two boys bled to death from their wounds, so there would have been a lot more blood from the boys to step in or be splattered on the socks. Blood spatter on the back of Darlie's shirt just means the back of the shirt was facing the boys or the knife when the boys were stabbed. It is actually hard for me to imagine how blood spatter would end up on the back the stabbers shirt in any case, the front yes, but not the back. It was 1994. DNA testing at the time required fairly large amounts of DNA containing material, like blood, saliva, or semen. Additionally, just walking through a room does not mean you leave DNA behind, otherwise they would have found the DNA from everyone who had ever visited the house. Darlie is certainly not a surgeon, and if she cut her own throat, it is only by shear luck that she came within mm of the carotid artery and did not also bleed to death, without being able to call for help, in which case her husband would probably be sitting on death row. Guilty maybe, but not proven in any way by the evidence.
The cast off trajectory on her shift, lack of blood or cuts on Darlene’s feet AND officers’ accounts of her actions ( at the scene), her vague and NON angry account of this supposed “stranger”, all screaming evidence. The timeline is also off.
I’m so glad that you chose this case to review. I’m not convinced of her guilt. Mostly for the reasons you spoke of, which are many, but for another reason also. I’ve conversed face to face with a serial murderer many times. He admitted to me that along with the 8 cases of murder he was accused of, there were several other instances where he entered a home with the intention to kill, only to leave without having done so. There are people out there who have no idea how close to dying they had come. In cases like this, statistics show the culprit is usually a parent or close family member. But that is not always the case. We tend to forget that there definitely IS danger of a stranger stalking to kill you or your family. I think that was overlooked in this case. Had they looked, they might have found more information about the dark vehicle that had been noticed near the home ... perhaps from neighborhood surveillance videos or witness accounts. The investigator’s immediate judgement of Darlie, and the crime scene blocked any further investigation and an innocent woman may be in prison.
The Julie Rae case comes to mind. Tommy Lynn Sells admitted to breaking into her home, grabbing a knife from the butcher block & killing her son. He tried to kill her too. People think there is one killer out there like Sells? Nope.
@@KimberFarms TLS recanted his confession in the Rae case. His confession didn't match the CS anyway so he was never charged with Joel's murder. A guilty mother got away with murder in that case.
An innocent woman is not in prison and the investigators did not immediately judge Darlie as the killer. In fact Darin was suspected first.
chilling
I found my best friend and his girlfriend dead in 2017 he had killed her then himself and I can tell you now I did not react like I thought I would of, I went completely numb I felt absolutely fine I was making jokes I ate within 2 hours of finding them, I didn’t cry I didn’t think they were dead, I went out on a jet ski two days later but I felt bad when I would laugh and that’s when it went down hill but people cannot say how one is to react to a certain situation..
That really bothers me when people think scream, cry, be hysterical
It’s nothing like that, well it wasn’t for me
This. I took care of my former mother in law who was terminally ill for the last four years of her life. The night she passed I was holding her hand. It was also the first night in probably 2 years I got a good nights sleep bc I wasn’t waiting for the inevitable. Most of my mourning happened while she was alive and I was witnessing the decline in her health and quality of life. There’s no defined way to mourn.
Also, I’m very sorry you had to discover such a horrible scene and tragedy 💗 life is a cruel mistress. I hope you’re well.
It's also extremely rare someone would just break in without some motive. Someone set this up. If you want to believe it's not her, it's up to you, but SOMEONE set this up
Her husband. She was worth $250K dead.
She was also given the death penalty which under such questionable evidence, IMHO, was too severe. I didn't think it was proved beyond a reasonable doubt that she killed her children.
This is one of those crime stories where you can be like, “yeah, I get it’s circumstantial, buuuuuut, she did it.”
my theory ( i think she is innocent, only 40% shows she is guilty)
factors pointing at guilt and their counters:
1) she handling a murder weapon:
yes, it's a bad sign for sure, but considering the whole master-plan that was planned, couldn't she just use a tissue paper to hold the knife, and then throw it in any far place? i mean she asked them to scan the prints on the knife, so she's certainly aware that they would have gotten her prints.
also, the said it was a "planned" murder. so , couldn't she buy a new knife , hid until she applies her plan?
i think everything points out that the murder was planned to hurt her in every-way, mentally and physically. this makes more sense for me. she was harmed and is in pain, yet not dead, but her sons where dead? which leads to the next point
2)her suicidal tendencies:
why would someone EVER want to suicide, and then change their mind even after killing their kids?
the only reason that a suicidal person would kill others is only of those 2:
1) the other person is stopping the suicidal from suicide
2) the suicidal is concerned about the people(children) they are leaving behind when they suicide, so they kill them as well.
her suicidal note proves the fact that,she didn't kill them out of anger ,or hate. and if she killed them because of her suicidal tendencies:
1)why didn't she kill the three of her sons
2) also they have a father who would take care of her children, so she doesn't need to kill her children
3) why did she hesitate at the end from killing her self and asking for rescue?
also , if she wanted to suicide, then why hurting herself in 3 different parts? why not just one direct hit into the throat and end it once and for all without enduring too much pain? the point of suicide to end pain , not to increase it..
3)why would someone kill her sons, and fail to kill her?
because the intention of the killer to cause her the biggest pain they could make to her, and i think that's the best way.
and also, she would have enough time ti kill her sons, while an outsider is always in danger if someone woke up or found out an outsider in her house, so he was under pressure of time . unlike her, she had all night to kill her three sons.
4) her story changed several times, because of trauma. seeing your sons dead, throat cut and herself cut and getting raped.. that's much more horrifying than many actual horror movies i have ever seen. anyone but a psychopath would be able to mentally do that to their sons and themselves and then have desire to live afterwards.
trauma has direct effect on human mind. it can change it chemically and physically. it can put false memory and ideologies in human mind as well as making your memory forget things, and the memory it self becomes more like a vague dream.
>>>
actually all evidence points out to , and the story would make much more sense that the murder was planned by her husband/someone else, and the cops are actually paid to trap her. it would explain everything that happened. the fact that, how fast the judgement was done extremely fast without any considerations relatively for big serial killers like ted bendy is a big prove that it was planned to set her up.
>>>
the biggest prove she is innocent is
1)the motive
2)benefit
even a psychopath wouldn't kill their sons, without a good benefit, and the murder would have been much more and better planned.
but she was sentenced to death, without giving a good clear motive or benefit for her actions.
and if she wanted money, she would have killed her husband, so , it's obvious it's not about money.
so can someone imagine any scenario that she could have an enough motive or benefit to kill her sons?
>>>>
another prove that she is innocent is that ted bundy, the heartless cold blooded serial killer and most serial killers admitted their murders. but she didn't say anything about her murdering.
Greybeard I believe she’s innocent !!!!
Hi Greybeard - it actually is not a circumstantial case - there were more forensic tests run (over 100) than any other case at that time in the history of Texas. There is physical evidence pointing to Darlie.
There is a group of darlie supporters who say the following repeatedly - it's a circumstantial case, the police targeted darlie within 20 minutes, the court was wrong to move the location of the trial to a small town where people were jealous of how beautiful darlie was, the lawyers did not work hard to represent darlie, the nurses got together beforehand and decided to lie about everything to frame darlie, the doctors decided to lie too, the police officers, social workers, and neighbors and friends all joined in also, and SHE WAS CONVICTED B/C OF THE SILLY STRING VIDEO when there was another service that morning that darlie was grieving appropiately.
Here's the truth -- it was not a circumstantial case - the jurors had plenty of physical evidence to examine.
the police did not target darlie within 20 minutes of arriving at the crime scene - the seasoned investigator determined that there would be a parallel investigation including following all leads allowing for the possibility there was an intruder and also allowing for the possibility that the perpetrator was someone from inside the home. That's called good police work.
the court was not wrong to move the location of the trial - it was darlie's defense that requested the change of venue - and the jurors were not at all jealous of darlie.
the lawyers were the very best in Texas and they worked hard for Darlie - her mistake was insisting she was going to testify against their advice. She took the stand, got caught up in her lies right on the stand, then started crying when she got caught lying. Also, her calling the prosecutor a LIAR! right in front of the jurors probably didn't help her any eigther.
the nurses, doctors, police officers, social workers, friends, and neighbors obviously did not conspire to frame darlie.
the silly string video did not convict her - it was 30 seconds long. big deal. and the earlier service where darlie was supposedly grieving - they call it a "somber service" and they claim darlie was all sad??? well, if so, then why didn't the defense present any video??? so far - the only clip of that "somber service" shows darlie plopping down on the ground and looking around while everybody else is praying. If that's the best they got of the entire "somber service" then no wonder they didn't produce it at trial.
They say circumstantial as if it makes a difference. It’s like stacking bricks. If you get enough bricks stacked, you’ve got a wall. Guilty.
@@marcirobins5144 the bloody crime scene was enough evidence against her. She tried to wipe some of the blood in certain areas. She tried to stage the scene with breaking glass and knocking over things. An intruder is not going to take the time to stage the scene to try and make it look like it was an intruder, lol.
I'm from this area. This house is literally minutes from me. Everyone in that neighborhood believe she's innocent. There's a LOT the public doesn't know about this night.
Justice for Dar. Free Darlie
Such as? I’ve watched a few documentaries on this case and this one stumps me.
Please share more Hazel
I’m beyond interested in hearing what the Neighborhor thoughts are, and what we haven’t heard! If you could share I would so grateful!!
@@craftycriminalistwithms.z3053 I truly believe she was innocent and framed by the Rowlett PD. There's was a bloody glove found down our alley by a neighbor that was never analyzed. They didn't even tell the defense about it until after the trial. There was also a red Camaro that had been stalking the neighborhood the week before and a lot of our neighbors, including my parents, reported it to the police. Also, neighbors reported hearing tires screeching around the time of the 911 call was made. As far as I know that lead was never taken seriously and ignored. I think what hurt her was having the birthday party at the cemetery. I think that really influenced the investigators. Many of the original jurors have come out saying they now believe she was innocent based on all the evidence that was kept from the defense during the trial. I even think one of the prosecutors is now fighting for her to be released from jail because they think she was innocent because the lead prosecutor withheld so much evidence. It was a really crazy time. At the very least she deserves a new trial allowing all the evidence but you know Texas. We love our death row.
Thank you, Dr. Grande, for taking a very thorough look at this tragic case. Personally, I think that Post-partum depression played a big role in this. I think she is probably guilty, but as you pointed out, not beyond a reasonable doubt. The sock is a complete mystery and points away from Darlee’s possible guilt. You made many excellent observations. Thank you again.
When you said she's "probably" guilty that resonates with me. If I'm a juror listening to a case that, if convicted, that person could get the death penalty, you're going to have to show me something more convincing than someone shooting silly string and a few opinions of various people that, at best, prove she's "probably" guilty. There is no way I could have voted guilty in this case on what evidence the prosecution provided.
@@jamesstreet228 Very well stated and I totally agree with you.
@@jamesstreet228 The jury saw the blood evidence and that is what she was convicted on.
@@candiceparr4174 What blood evidence?
@cindys9858 read the case file, the trial testimony, the forensics. If you had already done this, you wouldn't be asking.
The whole Silly String video argument always seemed ridiculous to me. Her having a brief light hearted moment during the funeral doesn't prove she didn't love her sons or that she wasn't grieving properly. I still lean towards either her committing the murders or her husband doing it and both of them covering up the crime, but not because of that video
Dean Cutler my brother died of cancer last year and at his funeral guess what I did not do. I cried my eyes out and she laughs while chewing gum. I have seen the video and she looks bad regardless.
@@nadiazahroon6573 not everyone grieves the same or acts the same when subjected to trauma. some people cry and bang their heads against the wall, some go blank, others laugh. how one expresses grief is not an indication of either guilt or innocence. I thought everyone had realized that after the "dingo ate my baby" debacle.
@@nadiazahroon6573 that's fine. my sister died of cancer a few years ago, three weeks after diagnosis. I did not 'cry my eyes' out. I still managed to laugh, when shit was funny. People are different. There is no right way to grieve. Judgy McJudgeface.
Evidence prove she killed them and she's a sick evil woman.
She was also probably on some heavy duty medication at that point. I think it’s likely she did it, but it’s not because of that video. I’ve been put on a decent dose of benzos when there’s been a sudden death. Helps to be able to navigate the funeral planning and everything. A side effect is you find yourself occasionally able to laugh and actually live life. Then when the meds wear off you feel intense guilt that you had a moment where you laughed or smiled. Anyway, depending on what she was on (and the dose) and combined with possible shock, I can easily understand her graveyard antics.
I am enjoying these analyses of criminal cases as a diversion from current stressors, Dr. Grande. This particular case reminds me of a television series I just finished watching last night, in the way that a police detective’s personal belief about a suspect, made on the spot and obviously charged with emotion, led to a person spending decades in prison for a crime that it seems highly likely he did not commit. Unfortunately, one tends to hear about these cases and develop a negative perception of police in general. I say that, even though I have friends and family who have been on the police force. I wonder if this problem regarding the police’s role in the criminal justice system can ever be significantly improved in my lifetime.
The short answer to your question is, "No."
They run around a crime scene like the old Keystone Cops, slowing each other down
with their total lack of any organization. I
think we will never know if Darlie killed her
kids or not. I get the impression that she
was not a serious-type person most of the
time, but she was just superficial enough to
at least think about solving her problems in
impulsive ways. It's possible she really is an
innocent victim of a disorganized police department. It happens a lot. In the Jon Benet Ramsey case, it was the way the police and
the detectives mishandled that case from the
day of the murder forward. Seems they allowed
literally hundreds of people walk right into the
scene of the crime, maybe inadvertantly destroying evidence! No one, to this day, has ever been accused AND brought to trial - and
no one ever will be, because of the bungling
of the Boulder, CO Police Department. It seems ironic that someone kills a spouse, or a child,
and are able to get away with it because of the
police screwing up the crime scene!
Maybe if the law required proof of investigation of other leads?
*04/22/2020*
Nancy Ayers
If I recall, even in the Adam Walsh case; the Police Station was right across the street from that mall. And how long did it take them to get there after Adam had been reported missing?? 😒🤦♀️
How could he have cut the screen from the outside, if it was cut with a knife from the kitchen ?
Pocket knife
@@wallylankford2365 the knife in the kitchen had the screen fibres on it.
Went outside and cut it
@@neptune2644 that doesn't change my mind, darin was responsible besides that that prosecuting attorney office had the crime scene so bouched. I have done enough of my own research on this one. If I was a juror I would say that there are too many statement, and facts about darin and the way he acted during one of his TV inviews that proves his guilt, he would have collected alot of insurance money if all three had been murdered, and she was to close to having been murdered to have been the killer
@@scrappytexan7 How does that work? The guy was outside the house (since he is *an intruder*) and used a knife from the house to get into the house? Again, what OP says is that the knife that cut the screen was a knife from inside the house.
What present at the crime scene would make the police believe there really was an intruder? Nothing. Also, Dr. Grande reducing all this to the police observing the the dust on windowsill caused them to hermetically seal their minds is an epic fail. They happened to notice several things that made them believe there never was an intruder like: the heavy glass table top was set off its support, yet it was not damaged in any way, same thing for the flower arrangement, there was also only one set of bloody footprints belonging to Darlie in the area, the couch where she said she was sleeping when she was attacked did not have blood all over it. The kitchen sink, however, did have a lot of blood and there was a definite attempt to clean up the blood evidence in both the kitchen and the sleeping area. Evidence from the later investigation confirmed James Cron's initial suspicion. Even FBI Special Agent Alan Brantley believed the crime scene was staged.
He said he thinks she's most likely guilty though? Just poorly investigated... he was making the point that if they did a better job, her guilt or innocence would have been more certain, instead they relied too heavily on how guilty "she looked".
@@ash1eyrose He paid too much attention to what the defense attorneys said. It's not like we're ever going to see a criminal trial where defense attorneys compliment how well the police investigation was. Her guilt is established beyond a reasonable doubt for people who reasonably interpret the physical evidence. The Darlie supporters don't have the ability to do that.
@@jamesmcbeth4463 I'm by no means a Darlie supporter. But I have worked in a forensic lab and given evidence in court... To my mind 'EVERY BIT of physical evidence needs to be dealt with and EXPLAINED'. If there's a piece or pieces missing in a puzzle, one may not assert that "the puzzle is complete and solved" - that's what reasonable doubt means.
@@izzaduck8896 if you have done all that, you would realize that if; an unidentifiable fingerprint was at issue, the defense lawyers would never mention that the unidentifiable fingerprint was child sized or the size of a small woman and that DNA analysis excludes the unidentifiable fingerprint from originating from all males, like for state's exhibit 85 J in Darlie's case.
@@izzaduck8896 also, the content of the Prosecutors Podcast kind of makes you seem more like a CSI fan pretending to be an expert witness.
I have always believed she was innocent. The jury members even said had they see those pictures of the bruises on back of her arms and her back or seen the whole video at the cemetery they would have found her innocent. When my dad died I was devastated but at his showing we played his favorite song and all danced and smiled.
But even if she is innocent, she was incredibly foolish to take the stand (reportedly against the advice of her lawyers). When you're accused of a serious crime like this, you let your lawyer do the talking.
yes, i understand, but you had not murdered your father. that makes a big difference. that is, if she did it.
I believe I read or saw somewhere that there was a much more somber, private family moment at the child’s gravesite on his birthday, before the more “festive” celebration. Darlie, I believe, said she wanted it to be festive because that’s how her son (I’m sorry, I don’t remember which one) would have wanted it that way. “He loved silly string.”
You're exactly right. The first half of that video was never shown in court. The family is crying, including Darlie, and talking of how they miss the boys. Only the silly string part was seen.
You should remake this video and analyze the case without only regurgitating the propaganda of the defense. The forensic evidence alone goes waaaay beyond 90% that she is guilty, she was not convicted cos of the silly string or her weird statements or the theory that she was depressed.
YES, poorly research video
I was living in Garland TX, which borders Rowlett, when this happened. I was in middle school but remember this case well, it was all over the news. We definitely believed she did it at the time, especially with the media pushing that narrative and access to information was much more limited in the 90s. I believe at least one of the jurors came out years later and said in an interview that they believed information was withheld from them at the trial and knowing what he knows now, would not have convicted her. It's such an awful case and we will probably never know what the truth is.
I lived in Garland then too. I knew from the start she'd better not trust the police because they were going to hang it on her. That's always easier than solving the crime or admitting they can't solve it. If they had money like JonBenet Ramsay's parents she wouldn't be on death row today.
This is one case that has always left me puzzled. I don't feel like she did it. I think that it was a terribly mishandled investigation. It bothers me the husband wasn't more thoroughly investigated. Like he didn't hear anything? The while thing is just odd.
Yes Elizabeth. Thats why she should not be executed. And probably why she never will. Would u let her baby sit your kids tho? Her body language in interview has been analysed by the Behaviour Panel and the results are "deadly". Its like putting her thru a lie detector test. She fails terribly. Take a look. And while Dr Grande thinks there was reasonable doubt he still thinks the likelihood is she did it!
Yes
So who did it
I agree. The husband was talking of hiring a fake robber so he could file an insurance claim. I think that happened and something went terribly wrong.
@@nicholedelaney8152 Yeah, so much ... I just ... ??? I swing one way and then I swing the other and I decided to get off the swing and go do something else for a bit and then come back later. lol Your comment is very interesting. I'd forgotten that bit.
Excellent recap of the case. One thing I noticed is that she has never said that she locked the door to the garage after the intruder left through the garage door, and police never said it was locked during the crime scene investigation. If someone had just attacked me and my children and left out the door to the garage, the first thing I would do is lock that door, even the doorknob lock, to stop the intruder from coming back in.
You can not know what you'd do in that situation. People who are in shock can do weird things. When I wrecked my car, I picked up the door handle that had broken off and absolutely would not let go of it. I paced up and down by the side of the road clutching that door handle like it was some sort of magic talisman. Go figure.
@@thesisypheanjournal1271 Crimes are solved every day in part by looking at how what was done differs from would be expected if the suspect were innocent. It's an example of circumstantial evidence. A mother would have the instinct to keep the predator out. It's what would be expected. People in comment sections so often say that you can't know how someone would react or how they would grieve, but if you read true crime books and watch real crime shows, the investigators and on the street police are ALWAYS talking about what is expected and how the person of interest varies from that or not, how this type of criminal typically acts, etc.
Your kind of behavior in your wreck may be fairly common for that matter.
I think she is Guilty I been following this case for 23 years now RIP Devon and Damon
Darlie is guilty. Tons of evidence all points to her. That whiny fake baby voice just grates, and I can't see anyone buying it. If it weren't for such a tragic loss of children , that 911 call she made would be hilarious. All the way through, "but who could have done this? (Baby voice) oh no, I already touched the knife? ( Baby voice) We could have gotten prints maybe? ( wondering innocent baby voice? At the end of the call " Someone came in here and did this, darin!) Pure bitch voice. While her surviving little boy was still bleeding to death.
@@imlistening1137 She convinces gullible easily led people. I've never understood it. But I guess it's why porn sells. Doesn't matter if it's fake as long as it's what people want to believe.
@@candiceparr4174 nothing but flimsy circumstantial evidence. 2 high profile detectives from NYC said
"They got a conviction on emotion" not evidence.
@@jessiefrye3045 yeah. Except for all the blood.
I too have followed the case since it happened and I'm not convinced she's guilty...
@22:25, listen to southern fried true crime podcast on this case, she did try to smother the baby earlier on the same day she killed her sons. The housekeeper testified baby Drake was sweating and blue wrapped in a blanket in Darlie’s arms and the housekeeper asked to hold the baby and saved him.. but it was not allowed in by the judge.
One of the facts that you mentioned in the video that is incorrect has to do with the statement that the necklace Darlie was wearing on the night of the murders was embedded in her neck wound. According to the court transcripts, which I have read, a nurse (Jody Fitts- page 31 of the trial transcripts) testified that he removed the necklace, which was hanging loose when he removed the bandages put on by the paramedics, before she went into surgery. It was not in fact embedded in her neck wound as you stated. A number of medical professionals, including the surgeon who performed her surgery, testified that her wounds were superficial, as opposed to the boys wounds which were very deep & catastrophic. The surgery performed on Darlie was purely exploratory, as they are required to explore a wound to the neck to determine if any severe damage has been done. He stated that all they did was wash out the wound and sewed it up. In addition to this, all of the medical professionals that treated Darlie during her hospitalization, testified that she did not have the bruises shown on her arms/hands in the photos taken by the police, during her hospitalization. The photos were taken several days after the murder and her hospitalization.They also testified that based on the appearance of the bruises, they would have been caused by blunt force trauma that occurred within 24-48 hours of the photos being taken. This would lead them to conclude that whatever had caused Darlie's bruises actually occurred between the time she was released from the hospital and the time the police took the photos.
It just seems too odd that her children were brutally murdered like it was personal and her wounds were superficial. She had a infant? That fact isn’t brought up and now I’m wondering if she had PPD.
The bruises were also on the back of her upper arms. How would an assault cause bruises there? I was taken in an ambulance strapped to a back board once (minor accident, I was okay) and ended up with bruises similiar to the ones on her.
I think her husband was behind this and I’ll never understand why he wasn’t investigated.
Brandi Guarino her two kids are murdered in the most horrific way....and she doesn’t wake up right next to them? No. She did it.
After her claim was that the youngest child moving in his crib woke her but she slept through her babies being brutally murdered. She absolutely sis it, I read the trial transcripts and there was no hidden agenda from the police and hospital, she is a narcissistic psychopath
I think he was part of the crime with her, also don't understand the reason he never was a suspect
@@mushroomqueen74 what was her motive though? This is horrible
Wow your rearch was all based on tabloids
This is the one case I always come back to. I can't shake my belief that she is not guilty, and every time I go back to see if I missed something, I end up more convinced that she shouldn't be in jail. The fact that her youngest son ended up getting cancer as a teenager is an added tragedy.
I've always had a feeling she didn't do it. It bothers me a lot for some reason.
This analysis is really light on facts and heavy on emotion. The timeline makes no sense. She, herself, claims to be awakened by a nudge and whispering from her son, yet she's already covered in bruises, cuts and blood that she just slept through? The children were stabbed in the chest multiple times yet can still talk to her and follow her around the house? There is no physical evidence of an intruder and the knife and extra sock all came from inside the house. The only "evidence" of her innocence seems to be "why would a mother do that?" when her behavior and suicide note clearly point to stress and depression as the motive.
people here giving examples of odd grieving after a loved one dies, but i didn't read of anyone dealing with the aftermath of a home invasion where both their children were stabbed to death. everyone i know would still be too shattered to smile, chomp gum and smirk for the camera only 8 days later. guess you can't hide Texas trailer trash.
I'm sorry, but if you look at the original evidence, there is no way someone could fit into the window. It had a big cat cage and litter pan in front of it. They were not moved, so no one could go through it without moving it.
I genuinely think she killed her boys in a suicidal frenzy, attempted to kill herself then had regrets and panicked last minute.:/
@@idontknowmuch3441 Someone was recently in the news for suicide by neck cutting. Not that I think that happened here. It does happen though.
@@cocatfan In my country too. This actor drove to a cliff by the sea and stabbed his own throat and abdomen multiple times and threw himself. Cause of death was drowning but if didn't jump he would have died of blood loss.
Should that video ever been played in court?
No.
Did Darlie Routier kill her kids?
Yes.
Tragic it is, and chilling to imagine either the scenario in which she murdered her own children(!), or that someone else did...and WHY??? What a poorly executed investigation, I’m left sitting here feeling that there are SO MANY unanswered questions. Mind-provoking, Dr. Grande! 👍
Chew on this her husband had engineered a break in to gain insurance money.
Her husband had 7 and 8 thousand on the boys but $250,000 in her, she wasn't meant to live.
@@geniustime5395 If this was the scenario, why would she not say? Why would she not want to save herself from a life sentence or death row? Why would she save his skin?
@@redmarilynn Because she didn't know, he did everything in his power to push the guilt off on her while insisting she wasn't guilty.
@@geniustime5395 Sorry, I don't get what you mean?
This case has always bothered me. Like how did a bloody sock end up down the road if she did it?
And as far as her not appearing sad i lost my child and have been in denial and numbness for fear of feeling something i cant handle. I let a little in only occasionally. I cannot deal with it at all. I was drugged at her funeral and was out of it this was in 2014. Why would she kill 2 of her own children and leave the baby upstairs? There was a man there had to be.
Because the husband did it to help her. There is a Forensic Files that thoroughly explains the forensic evidence against her. The only injustice here is that her husband helped her cover it up. I think the episode is called "Small Sacrifices". She absolutely killed those boys
@@LindaPiper-v1wDNA evidence wasn't around then
Yes people grieve so differently. I lost both my Daddy and Mama in 2015 and for my Daddy's death I had to remain strong for Mama. I was an only adopted child Daddies Girl 💖 but I didn't cry at either his visitation or funeral. I'm sure some people wondered about that. For my Mama's death 11 months later it was the same except I was being strong for my boy/girl twins who had just graduated high school, Mama's only 2 grandchildren. I didn't cry at either her visitation or funeral. I then lost my husband 2 years later and didn't cry publicly for him either. Just because someone isn't crying doesn't mean they aren't hurting terribly inside.
@@mrjonesandme8848 So there is a Forensic Files episode about this case? I haven't seen it yet but I'd like to. What exactly was the hubby helping cover up? There was tons of blood everywhere from what I understand so what was he "covering up"? I know he admitted to some insurance fraud things he had done in the past and he was thinking about doing a fake "break in" at the house so he could claim the value of the stolen items on the home insurance policy. I'm not exactly sure of what you are talking about "covering up".
She took it
It's so lovely getting to know you with each video. That dry humor is so funny XD And as always great analysis!
Well done! That is one of your best analyses to date!
The Amanda Knox case is interesting to me. I'd love to hear your analysis.
Anonymous Medusa the Amanda Knox case is other one the same as darlie’s where they got it wrong
Well then you've come to the right place
Do you think she did it?
She did it
Brandy Y. Legally it only matters if there’s enough EVIDENCE to prove her guilt.