'20/20' explores the investigation into the 2016 killing of Tricia Todd.
Inside the 'Hungryland Homicide': Why police investigated a pastor, a ventriloquist and ex-husband to find Florida mom's killerTricia Todd and Steven Williams married in a small ceremony in North Carolina, and later gave birth to their baby girl Faith. The couple divorced after being married for more than a decade.When Tricia Todd didn’t pick up her 2-year-old daughter Faith from her babysitter on April 27, 2016, her family knew something was wrong.
Martin County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Yesenia Carde spoke with “20/20” Co-Anchor Deborah Roberts near the house where Tricia Todd was last seen alive.“I just made a deal with the devil, and there's nothing I can do about it,” the State Attorney for Florida's 19th Judicial Circuit, Tom Bakkedahl, told “20/20.”
“ would keep up with the boys, whatever they're doing, she's doing,” Todd’s mother Rebecca Hasselbach told Roberts. “They're jumping on the trampoline. She's jumping on the trampoline. When she got bigger, they had motorcycles. She had a motorcycle. That was her.” Todd began to build a new life in Hobe Sound. She moved in with one of her brothers in his home about 2 miles from the beach, a location her family said she took advantage of to make late night beach walks to think and pray. Williams, still living in North Carolina, paid child support and visited his daughter.Faith was staying with her father overnight at a property he had rented near Todd’s residence.
His name was Brent Vernon, a local performer and ventriloquist. Ellis said Todd was infatuated with Vernon, even buying a new dress for an upcoming performance in the hopes of sparking a romance.Detectives were hopeful that Todd might still show up at that performance, a week after she was reported missing, and police set up surveillance of the venue. But she never appeared.
He was cleared, however, thanks to a unique alibi that cops confirmed through surveillance footage: he had been watching a nesting sea turtle lay eggs. Finally, Williams claimed that he and Todd did have an argument at the rental home that resulted in him pushing Todd. He said she fell, hitting her head, and he panicked when he realized he would be blamed. At that point, he told investigators that he drove his unresponsive ex-wife to the side of a road and left her there with a granola bar and water.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Coroner describes why she changed Tammy Daybell's cause of death to homicideTestimony in the death penalty trial against Chad Daybell on Wednesday focused on Tammy Daybell's death and autopsy.
Read more »
Trump trial: Why can't Americans see or hear what's happening inside N.Y. courtroom?New York law regarding media coverage of court proceedings restricts access to former President Trump's hush money trial.
Read more »
Trump trial: Why can't Americans see or hear what is going on inside the courtroom?Former President Donald Trump is the first U.S. president to face criminal charges in an American courtroom, yet most of the country is getting news about the trial secondhand.
Read more »
Trump trial: Why can't Americans see or hear what is going on inside the courtroom?It's a moment in history — the first U.S. president facing criminal charges in an American courtroom.
Read more »
How Inside Out 2’s New Emotions Were Chosen (& Why 5 Were Cut) Explained By DirectorEnvy at the control table with Disgust annoyed and Anxiety smiling in Inside Out 2
Read more »
Trump trial: Why can't Americans see or hear what is going on inside the courtroom?It's a moment in history
Read more »