SUBURBAN TRAGEDY

“In August 2008,

newlywed Sarah Widmer

died in one of two ways:

either she was taking a

bath and drowned,

or her husband

Ryan killed her.

Chris Anderson and

Fatima Silva investigate

to see if there’s enough

evidence to prove his innocence.”

Fatima and Chris go to

meet Ryan’s twin Ayran,

who believes his

brother is innocent.

He said the police had

a bogus motive.

They said he wanted the

insurance money from

Sarah’s death,

but there wasn’t any.

Ayran said there was some

speculation of Sarah having

Long QT Syndrome that

caused her to drown

in the bathtub,

but it wasn’t allowed to

be used as evidence.

He thinks she just fell asleep.

Another lead he claimed

was “junk science”.

He said that there were

streaks on the tub that

were considered to be

evidence of a struggle.

Chris and Fatima begin

the investigation by

dividing up the leads.

Chris focuses on

the police work.

Fatima looks into

the legal issues.

Fatima speaks to a couple

who introduced Ryan and Sarah.

Chris Kist was a friend of Ryan’s,

and his wife Dana

was a friend of Sarah’s.

The Kists spoke highl

of the Widmers.

They did joke of her

being bossy,

but they were convicted

it was a good match.

They were shocked when

they heard of Sarah’s death.

When Fatima asked what

they thought of Ryan being

charged for Sarah’s murder,

Chris K said it was laughable

that they would think he did it.

They believe 100%,

without a doubt, he didn’t do it.

Chris investigates Ayran’s

claim  that the marks found

on the bathtub were meaningless.

Chris asks Ron Huston,

a forensic examiner,

for his opinion.

Ron states that there is no

telling when the smudge

marks were put there,

and you can’t tell if they’re

from a struggle or normal tub use.

“There’s no evidentiary value.”

Ron and Chris both made

smudge marks on a tub wall,

but they both look similar even

with the differnce in the

size of their hands.

That shows that the smudge

marks can’t be used as evidence.

Fatima asks a coroner

named Sarah Crews about

tub drownings,

she said they are very rare

that aren’t under the

influence of drugs or alcohol.

She describes Long QT

Syndrome with having fainting spells,

seizures, and sudden cardiac death.

Sarah C doesn’t think

Sarah W had that.

She could have had symptoms of migraines.

If she did fall a sleep,

she would have woken up as soon

as her head went under water.

Sarah C believes Sarah W either

had an underlying cardiac event

or someone held her head

under the water.

There’s not enough evidence.

Chris follows up on Ayran’s

lead about the lack of

water in the bathroom.

He speaks with Wayne Wallace,

a forensic criminologist.

Wayne said that according to

the crime scene photos,

there’s no evidence of a struggle.

Although, there is a possibility

the scene was staged.

A woman approximately

the same size as Sarah got into a bath,

get soaked, lay on the floor while

Wayne and Chris see if she dries

naturally in the time it to took

for responders arrive at the Widmer home.

Fatima and Chris meet for

the debrief to compare notes.

She plans on speaking to a juror

from the third trial.

He says he’s going to meet with Ryan,

who never gave a statement to

the police or took the stand

at any of his trials.

Fatima’s confused about

there being no motive,

and Chris is still on the fence.

For the first time,

Chris confronts the convict

about the case.

Ryan talked about Sarah

having a headache that night.

She went upstairs,

while he stayed to watch a game.

After a while, he went to the bathroom.

That’s when he found her laying

submerged in the water of the bathtub.

He told Chris she was laying face up,

but he said she was face down in the 911 call. Ryan said he pulled Sarah up

but not out of the water.

As someone who was trained in CPR,

Ryan didn’t even really try….

wasn’t even the first thing on his mind.

Ryan said he then pulled

the plug and called 911.

That was when dispatch told him

to get her out of the tub.

Ryan said there was no water left

in the tub by the time he pulled her out.

Chris said if everything happened

in Ryan’s claimed timespan,

then there still should have

been water on Sarah and everything.

Ryan said he was more

concerned with her.

Ryan said he never took the

stand in any of his trials,

because he couldn’t answer the question

“What happened to Sarah?”

Fatima speaks to Brian Bell,

a juror from the third trial.

Brian said how long it too for

Sarah’s body to dry had no

bearing on the verdict.

Brian also said, “To my knowledge,

there was no actual fingerprints.”

Ryan’s demeanor was a

big factor in the verdict.

Brian said there was no evidence

of Sarah having a medical condition

that may have caused her death.

He believes Ryan killed Sarah.

Brian believed Sarah was

going to leave Ryan,

and Ryan prevented Sarah from doing so.

Brian said he believed he and

all the jurors were the voice for Sarah.

Chris and Fatima meet with

Ayran to discuss the results

of their investigation.

Chris said a forensic specialist

said it was impossible to figure

out who left those streaks and smudges.

Fatima and Chris agree that

it’s not credible science.

As for no motive,

Fatima mentioned how the Kists don’t

believe Ryan killed Sarah.

Even with the juror’s theory,

she still doesn’t see a motive.

As for Sarah having Long QT Syndrome,

Fatima brought Sarah’s medical

records to an independent coroner

who said there was no evidence

of Sarah having that condition.

Fatima also talks about how the

coroner believes it was highly

unlikely that Sarah fell asleep in

the tub and drowned.

As for the bathroom being dry that night,

Chris agrees there should have

been more water.

Chris mentions the volunteer

who got in the tub then lied on the floor.

After the claimed time (and beyond),

was still wet. Chris also said Ryan

was very invasive when he questioned him.

Chris said the only thing everyone

could agree on was Sarah either

fell asleep and drowned or Ryan killed her.

There is no third possibility.

Fatima said there was no medical reason for Sarah’s death. Chris said there’s no

smoking gun, but a lot of things don’t add up. Chris had so many questions,

but Ryan couldn’t give him any answers.

Chris said it wasn’t what Ayran wanted to hear, but he and Ryan need to have an honest conversation. Until Ryan tells the truth,

Ayran or the families won’t be free.

Ryan might not go free when he’s up

for parole in 2025. Chris said the leads

Ayran gave will not set Ryan free,

but he still believes in his innocence.

Thank you for reading.

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