Christopher Tapp

And I ended up in a situation for probably like good 15 years after that that prevented me from really doing much, even leaving my house.

But the fabric of Tapp's conviction was fraying at the seams.

and prosecutors decided to make him an offer, plead guilty to murder and be re-sentenced to time served.

In other words, admit to something he said he didn't do and remain a felon for the rest of his life, but get out of prison.

Do you remember what you thought about that?

I was kind of torn.

He had spent 20 years in prison.

That's a reasonable sentence to have to put in.

I was torn between that and that, why are we letting him out of prison when we know that he's guilty?

Please be seated.

It was March 2017 when Christopher Tapp, along with defense attorney John Thomas, appeared in court to take the deal.

And the room went silent when Angie Dodge's mother, Carol, took the witness stand.

I can't imagine that, knowing what we know now, that anyone can convict someone that there's no DNA.

And before long, the legal details were done.

And the courtroom exploded in celebration as a deputy removed Chris Tapp's handcuffs for the last time, and he was engulfed in the arms of Carol Dodge.

And along with Tap's mother, Vera, was Jeremy Sargis, that once close friend of Chris's, about whom Tap had lied to police about being at the crime scene, scene of the murder.

The man who once said he hated Chris.

I cried.

You felt pretty bad about that.

He's still the same Chris.