Bill Crane
Appearances
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
Tex MacGyver was the family's attorney. My family was in the newspaper and printing business. He represented first my grandparents and father, and then later the successive businesses. I was probably 12 or 13 years old when I met Tex. It would be almost 25 years later when I first met Diane and Mr. Corey was looking for this kind of representation.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
And Tex brought me to lunch at the Corey headquarters building, the old Georgia power complex on Martin Luther King. And I walked into the conference room at the back and there's this elegant woman with a large hat on.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
laying out, I love Chick-fil-A, I'm an Atlantan, but laying out a spread of Chick-fil-A like I'd never seen with family serving bowls and more of the carrot, enough of the carrot raisin salad to feed the church. And Mr. Corey sat at the table with the head and she sat to his side. And I thought she was, in that first instance, an administrative assistant. They were obviously very friendly.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
And then Tex came in and introduced me, this is my wife. Or actually, fiance, I think at that time. They weren't married yet when I first met her. And then got to know them over the course of the years they were together. Bill recalls the day he heard the news. I've received a phone call from a reporter editor with the Fulton Daily Report, Jonathan Ringel, who told me Tex MacGyver was dead.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
And this was the day after the shooting. And I said, I'm not family, but I'm pretty close. And I think if that happened, I would have heard from Sheriff Howard Sill in Putnam County or one of the people in this circle of friends we're talking about. And he said, well, I've got it on pretty reliable authority.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
So I said, well, I'm going to call, text his phones, and I'm going to reach out to Sheriff Sill because I'm pretty sure they were at the plantation at what I call the ranch that weekend and, you know, get back to you. So I called, and text did not answer his phone or any text or email that day. And I finally reach Howard Sill, the Putnam County Sheriff, and he says, text, had a really bad night.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
There's been a shooting. He's not dead. Diane McGyver's dead. And he didn't have a great deal of detail at that point in time. So I was like, wow. So of course I called Jonathan back to tell him Tex was alive, but that wasn't the end of the story. And by that time it had unfolded. I think the AJC had the first item about the death. So I then started trying to reach Tex.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
It was within 48 hours of the incident that Tex and I first had our conversation. He was very emotional. He was concerned on several fronts and he, I would say at that point in this process we're gonna talk about, he was still what the person I consider to be Tex, he was still of sound mind and kind of went through a narrative that made sense to me, which I then repeated to the news media outlets.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
He was emotionally distraught, he cried, he was, you know, He was not apologetic and he took no responsibility for what had happened, but he basically laid out what had happened and why. And then I think within 24 hours of that, he let me know that he had a conversation with Mr. Corey in Jake Grover's kitchen that Mr. Corey had asked for that didn't go well.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
And he kind of relayed the circumstances of that. And that was kind of the first instance in the process of me going, why would you go to speak with Mr. Corey to tell him, as he did, on advice of counsel, I'm not gonna answer any of your questions. I was incredulous.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
And knowing, again, the nature of this close circle of friends and friendship, and Mr. Corey was at the wedding, and I think he gave Diane away, if I'm remembering correctly. And that was the first of many moments where I just couldn't quite understand what I was being told.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
I told Tex, you need to let the professionals handle your case and stop trying to influence Petal and stop trying to reach out to people you know to fix this. Your life is irrevocably changed. Diane McGyver is dead. There will be a price for that. There will be consequences for that. And you need to start reconciling and moving forward that way.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
So as it was explained to me, and there are some things that got a little bit of reporting at the time, but there were that weekend that the shooting and Diane's death occurred.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
On Friday and Saturday night, three Black Lives Matters protests in the city of Atlanta, one resulting in the closure early that evening of Lenox Square, which was across the street from the condominium high-rise that Diane and Tex lived in, which they saw on television while they were out at the farm. The second was on I-85 and briefly shut down the interstate.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
And the final was outside the Atlanta then detention center, now closed, that none of these instances resulted in violence. And so all of that, it sort of played out on television while they were at the farm. So they are driving back from Conyers in a golf game late in the afternoon. Danny Joe Carter is driving the vehicle.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
They stop for dinner at a Longhorn Steaks in Conyers, which is about halfway between Putnam County, where they were coming from, and downtown Atlanta, where they were heading into. As they were approaching the downtown connector on I-20, traffic just stopped, as it is wont to do on a Sunday night.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
But according to texts, there were people that were either homeless or looked like they were protesters milling at the intersection, and he became concerned. So he said to Diane, honey, can you get me the head that kept a .38 snub nose, no hammer? wrapped in a Publix grocery bag in the console of that car. And he asked for it. Diane gave it to him. And he said he was concerned.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
It's a white kind of conspicuous vehicle, two white women driving it through downtown that late at night. And he wanted to be prepared if they tried to carjack or get into the car.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
So in his discussion with me and in my relaying it to the two reporters that I later did on-the-record interviews for as spokesperson for Tex and the MacGyver family, he wasn't sure if they were Black Lives Matter protesters who had been in Atlanta that weekend, that Friday, that Saturday night, that Sunday, near the jail, which is where we were, or they were homeless people. He felt threatened.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
And as a result of feeling threatened, he reached for the gun. The spiral of Tex's mistakes continued. It became that kind of a moment. So this was probably within the first week of the shooting that the story went from prominent Atlantic couple shot when critically injured to white Republican lawyer, Tex McGyver, advisor to many in the Republican circles.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
He's fearful of Black Lives Matter protesters, draws gun, and accidentally kills his wife. And it blew up everywhere. And it was on the front page of the Yumerishin Bun in Tokyo. It was in Parade Magazine. It was on the networks. And to tell you how wacky it got in a period of 48 hours, my name is Charles William Crane, my full name, and I go by Bill Crane.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
My father's name is Gerald William Crane, and we're both in the same town. Good Morning America sat up on my father's front yard, and they banged on the door looking for me, which I didn't live there. My dad had no idea why they were there, but that's how big at the time the story got in nanoseconds.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
I would say 10 seconds after I entered the Corey building and walked into that big room, there were beautiful photographs of Diane, blowups on the wall with Austin, with friends in that circle of friends we're talking about. Picture, picture, picture, picture, picture, picture. None of the pictures. I text him.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
And I suddenly realized, because I'd heard about the conversation with Mr. Corey, but I suddenly realized within that circle of friends where he was.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
I mean, not just Mr. Corey. The whole room. I've never witnessed a leper coming out of a leper colony or a true pariah being shunned by a community and sent out or, you know, a scarlet letter being painted on, but it felt like that.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
So he arrived late. He came, I believe, I cannot remember if Austin came with him, but they were visiting. And I walked over to him and I said, before you leave, I need to talk to you. And he said, oh, I need to talk to you too. And I said, well, we don't have to do it here. You've got a lot of people you need to see. No, let's do it now. So we go out of the big room.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
He sits me down and he says, the law firm is all over me about client's reaction to the Black Lives Matter comment. And he said, essentially, I need you to fall on your sword and to contact these news outlets and to recant what you told them at the time. He never made eye contact with me when he's asking me to do the whole time he's got his head down, you know, that big table in there.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
And I was very shocked that he was asking. But I said, Tex, can't do that. I won't do that. But even if I would and could, It's not gonna put the genie back in the bottle. I went back in there and I was just sort of just stunned. I was stunned that this man I've known since childhood is asking me to lie. These people clearly think he's the LG. What have I done?
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
Billy Corey was in court every day, as was Jay Grover. Billy was quiet. Most didn't even know who he was. He had been a driving force to find out what really happened to Diane that night.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
Emotions were raw in the courtroom as Billy Corey, Jay Grover, and others attended each of the 27 days of the trial.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
In this story, I've been a reporter, political hopeful, friend of the inner circle, but now I also had to play a new role, witness in a murder case. I testified in the case that from my point of view, Tex and Diane did not have a perfect marriage. It was not easy to see Tex in the courtroom that day. It was not easy to see Billy and Jay.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
This close circle was now bound by these necessary and horrible circumstances. Having been so close to Tex in the disastrous lead up to the trial, Bill Crane says he was feeling the heat as well.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
And Wendy Edson discovered something she didn't know when she was called to testify about Diane's jewelry.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
The Black Lives Matter narrative hung over the trial, too, which does not sit well with Don Samuel.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
But what did Tex deserve in Don Samuel's mind?
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
Whatever the case, Tex MacGyver was indicted on April 27, 2017, headed to one of the highest profile murder cases in the South in decades. Make no bones about it, prosecutors believed that Tex MacGyver murdered his wife.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
The defense went to great lengths trying to convince the jury that Tex and Diane had the perfect marriage and that they loved each other deeply. What did I see? Diane was Maude to Texas Arthur. Think 1970s television where Maude is the overbearing wife to husband Arthur's smaller personality and stature.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
Think of Lucy and Charlie Brown when Lucy pulls the football away at the last moment and laughs every time she does it. While I saw love, I was also in my own uncomfortable situations where Diane would call Tex an idiot, demeaning and belittling him in front of an audience. It was demeaning, but Tex would smile and say, yes, darling. Was this a couple spat or something deeper?
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
I also believe that Tex knew Diane was worth millions, despite his claims that he had more money than her. And it turned out she was worth millions more than Tex. It became a factor in the trial. The prosecution closed their case.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
Don Samuel stood in front of the jury.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
From Sony Music Entertainment and Waveland Road, you're listening to Deadly Fortune. This is Episode 5, Judgment Day. Here's Bill Crane talking about Jay Grover's relentless quest to find the truth and honor his friend Diane's name.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
The jury sent a note back on the fifth day of deliberations, saying it was unable to reach a verdict as to intent on the indicted counts of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and influencing a witness. After an extended discussion with counsel, the trial court gave the jury a slightly modified pattern Allen charge. Just hours later, the verdicts had been reached.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
Texas' fate was now sealed.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
The verdict was shocking and unexpected by many in the community.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
The jurors were allowed to sit in the back seat of the vehicle and even tested the gun while there, which proved to have a profound impact on the case.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
But even more importantly, it would lead to a series of wild twists that will put Tex in a position to inherit Diane's fortune.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
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The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
Search for The Binge on Apple Podcasts and hit subscribe at the top of the page. Not on Apple? Head to getthebinge.com to get access wherever you listen. Deadly Fortune is a production of Sony Music Entertainment and Waveland Road. I'm your host and reporter, Dale Cardwell. Jason Hoke wrote and produced the series. Our associate producer is Marnie Zambri.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
Production support provided by Tim Millard. audio engineering by Shane Freeman. The original score for Deadly Fortune is by Thomas Avery. Jason Hoke is the executive producer on behalf of Waveland Road. Executive producers for Sony Music Entertainment are Jonathan Hirsch and Catherine St. Louis. If you love the show, tell your friends and don't forget to leave a review. Thanks for listening.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
I had originally deliberated telling this story in book form, and I interviewed Jay Grover as I started to document it all. Here's Jay from 2022 in his own words.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
What had initially been considered an accident was now a serious and somber reality, where the story that Tex had told investigators now just didn't add up. Here's Detective Mike Smith.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
I saw, along with so many others close to him, that his endless quest began to take a toll on Jay. He had already lost his own son. And now that Diane was gone, too, it was just too much. Here's Jay's fiancée, Christy Phillips.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
And Jay had to go show up there every day.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
I still can't believe Jay Grover is dead. He was one of my closest friends. And I'm still grieving his loss. And even now, he's so important to this story and uncovering the truth. Tex MacGyver was having money problems, big time. Remember, Tex had already sold off Diane's jewelry and belongings just weeks after her death.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
And he had left her cremains at the funeral home, saying he wanted to wait to pay until her estate was settled. And now, headed into the trial, it was discovered he owed Diane $350,000 and it had come time to pay up. And Diane wasn't going to let him off the hook this time. You see, Diane was worth millions. And as Jay Grover and others discovered, there was another shoe yet to drop.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
Here's Rachel Stiles, Diane's former co-worker and close friend.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
Before Diane's death, it seemed she had created a secret second will that now included provisions for her godson, Austin, one that could now reduce what Tex might receive in the case of her untimely death.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
Did you ever have any idea what the purpose of the second will was?
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
Tex comes home and Tex is in the condominium for a day or so before the police really get involved. You think there's any chance Tex took possession of that will?
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
It's March 2018, and headlines are splashed across network news and newspapers nationwide. Tex McGyver's trial is starting. He's been charged for malice murder in the death of his wife Diane, along with six additional charges.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
As the frenzied coverage continues to build in this trial of the century set in downtown Atlanta, I can't help but think back to the good times we shared before the tragedy. So many questions pop into my head every morning as we get closer to the start of the trial. What happened? What did I miss? Did Tex do this on purpose? And where do we go from here?
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
I also realized that the close circle we all once had has been permanently broken, never to be repaired. Money. Power. Influence. These were the worlds that Tex and Diane McIver lived in. They were both wealthy separately when they got married and had kept their finances separate. They shared a swanky condo in Buckhead and a 75-acre estate out in Edenton. Life, it seemed, was good.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
Prosecutors now had 30 boxes of financial records, several computers and were in search of the mysterious second will. Prosecutors, considering the motive behind the shooting, believed these finances were behind it all. The question that everyone in the courtroom considered when Tex McIver's trial started in March of 2018 was not whether Tex McIver fired the gun that killed his wife, Diane.
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
The real question was, did he do it intentionally?
The Binge Crimes: Finding Mom's Killer
Deadly Fortune | 5. Judgement Day
This is Don Samuel, who was on Texas' defense team for his murder trial in 2018. Bruce is Bruce Harvey, his fellow lawyer on the case.