Steve Fishman, Narrator

In other words, the last time he saw her, Noreen was alive and, according to Jack, heading off on her own adventure.

In other words, the last time he saw her, Noreen was alive and, according to Jack, heading off on her own adventure.

Lieutenant Dave Messmore once told me that Jack lied and Dave knew exactly when. Because, he said, Jack had a tell. When he lied, he blinked a lot. To me, this just sounded like goofy cop lore. But on the witness stand, swearing under oath that he didn't kill his wife, Jack is blinking like a car's turn signal. So now Jack has made his case. The strongest part? For me, it's that he had no motive.

Lieutenant Dave Messmore once told me that Jack lied and Dave knew exactly when. Because, he said, Jack had a tell. When he lied, he blinked a lot. To me, this just sounded like goofy cop lore. But on the witness stand, swearing under oath that he didn't kill his wife, Jack is blinking like a car's turn signal. So now Jack has made his case. The strongest part? For me, it's that he had no motive.

Unfortunately for Jack, the prosecution doesn't have to prove motive. And so at this point, I'm thinking, that's it? That's all the defense has got? No bombshell last-minute alibi, no new eyewitness? Just Jack? All right, well, good luck, Jack. Across the room, Mad Dog Mayor is straining at the end of his leash. It's time for cross-examination, and Mayor wants to take Jack on a little trip.

Unfortunately for Jack, the prosecution doesn't have to prove motive. And so at this point, I'm thinking, that's it? That's all the defense has got? No bombshell last-minute alibi, no new eyewitness? Just Jack? All right, well, good luck, Jack. Across the room, Mad Dog Mayor is straining at the end of his leash. It's time for cross-examination, and Mayor wants to take Jack on a little trip.

Hey, Jack, follow me to Erie, Pennsylvania, down to that basement on Wolf Road, why don't you? Testimony showed that Jack personally purchased and then personally installed AstroTurf in a corner of the Wolf Road basement, even though he'd never installed carpet before. It was going to be a children's play area. Noreen's body was found underneath it two weeks later.

Hey, Jack, follow me to Erie, Pennsylvania, down to that basement on Wolf Road, why don't you? Testimony showed that Jack personally purchased and then personally installed AstroTurf in a corner of the Wolf Road basement, even though he'd never installed carpet before. It was going to be a children's play area. Noreen's body was found underneath it two weeks later.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

No. Jack says he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary when he installed the AstroTurf. No indentation in the basement floor, no fresh concrete, and certainly no gravesite. By now, Mad Dog is in full attack mode. Pointer waving, scowl on his face, contempt in his voice.

No. Jack says he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary when he installed the AstroTurf. No indentation in the basement floor, no fresh concrete, and certainly no gravesite. By now, Mad Dog is in full attack mode. Pointer waving, scowl on his face, contempt in his voice.

His bet? Prove that Jack buried Noreen's body and the jury will believe that he murdered Noreen. Now, Mad Dog deftly maneuvers Jack into a corner. Given what Jack has just testified to, there's only two possible explanations for the body in his basement. One, Jack buried her himself. Two, is more involved.

His bet? Prove that Jack buried Noreen's body and the jury will believe that he murdered Noreen. Now, Mad Dog deftly maneuvers Jack into a corner. Given what Jack has just testified to, there's only two possible explanations for the body in his basement. One, Jack buried her himself. Two, is more involved.

At some point during the third week of January 1990, unknown conspirators broke into the Wolf Road house, with no signs of forced entry, by the way. They took down shelves built on the AstroTurf, ripped up the AstroTurf Jack had just glued down, they dug a hole in the concrete using a jackhammer like the one Jack had rented, and then buried Noreen.

At some point during the third week of January 1990, unknown conspirators broke into the Wolf Road house, with no signs of forced entry, by the way. They took down shelves built on the AstroTurf, ripped up the AstroTurf Jack had just glued down, they dug a hole in the concrete using a jackhammer like the one Jack had rented, and then buried Noreen.

And then these crafty criminals put fresh concrete over her body, glued the astroturf back down, reconstructed the shelving on top, and vanished. Whoever this person or persons might be, they'd gone to some spectacular lengths to frame Jack. The facts, as they're known, really don't look good for Jack. Mad Dog Mayor goes on the attack.

And then these crafty criminals put fresh concrete over her body, glued the astroturf back down, reconstructed the shelving on top, and vanished. Whoever this person or persons might be, they'd gone to some spectacular lengths to frame Jack. The facts, as they're known, really don't look good for Jack. Mad Dog Mayor goes on the attack.