Unnamed Friend

This was the court finding that the decisions that Ashley had made up to that point for her daughter were detrimental. So she took that away from Ashley and gave it to Doug.

Four days after the ruling, Stephanie Murphy was there when Doug met Emerson.

Four days after the ruling, Stephanie Murphy was there when Doug met Emerson.

Was there a tender moment when he lays eyes on his daughter for the first time? She was a cute, plump little baby. And so there he was just holding this little girl. The look on his face was pure love.

Was there a tender moment when he lays eyes on his daughter for the first time? She was a cute, plump little baby. And so there he was just holding this little girl. The look on his face was pure love.

She was stunned by what happened next.

She was stunned by what happened next.

Doug said, we're all going to go together, me and Ashley and our daughter. I said, Doug, this is not a good idea. And he was so trusting, blindly trusting of her.

Doug said, we're all going to go together, me and Ashley and our daughter. I said, Doug, this is not a good idea. And he was so trusting, blindly trusting of her.

The strange ballet between the two entered its next act. Doug got a place in Florida and saw Emerson regularly over the next two years. He and Ashley also spent time together as a couple. But detectives discovered the relationship was still unpredictable. Ashley continued to confide in people that she was afraid of Doug and accused him of abusing their daughter.

The strange ballet between the two entered its next act. Doug got a place in Florida and saw Emerson regularly over the next two years. He and Ashley also spent time together as a couple. But detectives discovered the relationship was still unpredictable. Ashley continued to confide in people that she was afraid of Doug and accused him of abusing their daughter.

Doug told his attorney he thought Ashley might be mentally unstable. Yet they decided they would all move to Maryland, where Ashley grew up, but still live separately. The night of the shooting, they were together packing Ashley's stuff.

Doug told his attorney he thought Ashley might be mentally unstable. Yet they decided they would all move to Maryland, where Ashley grew up, but still live separately. The night of the shooting, they were together packing Ashley's stuff.

Obviously, with domestic violence, there are times that women or men will go back to the person that's abusing them. It does happen.

Obviously, with domestic violence, there are times that women or men will go back to the person that's abusing them. It does happen.

But the detective was becoming convinced that this wasn't the case with Ashley. Because despite her making over a dozen complaints against Doug, something jumped out. He had no criminal record.

But the detective was becoming convinced that this wasn't the case with Ashley. Because despite her making over a dozen complaints against Doug, something jumped out. He had no criminal record.

It's kind of a red flag that kind of goes up that says, huh, that's something we should pay attention to.

It's kind of a red flag that kind of goes up that says, huh, that's something we should pay attention to.

Meaning that you're seeing these complaints against Doug, but no arrests of Doug.