Anne-Marie Green

and hearing the evidence for the first time and says there was a lot to explain to a jury, like the various versions of Recuba's stories.

All captured on tape.

The most challenging, says D'Andrea, that police walked through.

Also concerning to D'Andrea was how a jury would feel about Rakuba's relationship with Tanya Wilczewski and the question of when it began.

Possible motive?

Tanya Wilczewski declined our request for an interview, but sent this text saying there was never an affair.

Bruno Recuba never responded to our request for an interview.

But Joe D'Andrea says he was most concerned about how the jury would react to Melissa's final moments.

D'Andrea says he spent the next two years building his case around his best evidence, that bloody wound to his client's hand.

Do you have anything you'd like to say?

But in May 2024, two years after this arrest, as Recuba's trial approached, both sides agreed to a plea deal, third-degree murder, and no charge of theft.

Having a gun, drinking, bullet in the chamber, safeties off.

in a pretty passionate argument.

It may very well be your sister's own voice that ultimately put him behind bars.

I never really thought about it like that, yeah.

On January 8th, 2025, Joanne attended Rukuba's sentencing hearing and read him her victim impact statement.

I looked at him first and made him look at me because I know it's like seeing a ghost because I look like my sister.

Cameras were not allowed in the courtroom.

Through all of this, you have never showed an ounce of remorse.

So Joanne shared her statement during our interview.