Transcript of Lost in the Night: Who Murdered Jessica Currin?

I'm John Quinones. Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old soldier, vanishes while on duty at an army base in Texas. Her family demands answers.

How can she go missing on a military base?

That's too ridiculous. The search goes on for months.

Where is Vanessa? Where is Vanessa?

And a dark story starts to unfold.

She told her family that she was being sexually harassed and wasn't reporting it out of fear of retribution and retaliation.

What investigators finally uncover is horrifying. Find out how one soldier, a beloved sister and daughter, ignited a movement and sparked a reckoning in the US military. Listen to Vanished: What Happened to Vanessa? A new series from ABC Audio in 2020. Listen now wherever you get your podcast.

The new evidence that came out, nobody can ignore it. There is a lot on the line today. He wants justice for his daughter. I want justice for my son. Police don't know even if the crime happened here. We would not be here working on his case if we didn't truly believe that the state got it wrong.

The courtroom was packed. Definitely tense.

Just hours ago, breaking new developments in the Jessica Curry case.

The day was a huge step. They're also fighting for us as well. I beg you. I'm so, so sorry. Stories about what happened to Jessica don't quite match up. I believe that the people that were involved, we brought them to justice. We stand by the investigations that we did. I just don't know why it's taking so long. It's just been a long, long 25 years. It's patient not only got her bar. I've got enough right now to take all of you down. But I come to you for the truth. Hopefully someone will come forward and tell what they know, and the truth will come out.

Jean Curran hung her head in disbelief.

Why did they get you?

You tell me you didn't know her, never met her, never seen her. Because I did not know her or anything, man. I I got to tell them I don't know anything. Leave me alone. I didn't do... You all don't know this. She kept straight ahead down that road and down that hill. That's the last time. That's the last time I saw Jessica.

These roads are so dark. Anyone in a car could have pulled up and scooped her.

Why should we believe you now, after all the lies you told?

A large tornado looks like it is going to have almost a direct hit here on Mayfield. This is a confirmed tornado on the ground.

The small Kentucky town of Mayfield, population of about 10,000, reduced to rubble.

This sounded like a bright train. It was scary. You can see this trailer just completely flipped over. Their downtown devastated. The courthouse, the clock tower, ripped off.

Much like that tornado which left so many victims, this story has had a long-lasting impact on Mayfield, Kentucky. It involves an unspeakable crime, a father who was a firefighter and nearly a dozen suspects. The investigation ripped through this tight-knit community, fueling rumors and leaving so many unanswered questions about what exactly happened to 18-year-old Jessica Curran.

This is our fire truck here. This is a picture of the crew. This is all the captains You were a captain at this fire station?

Yes. For how long?

Well, I made captain three years before I retired.

Did you always want to be a firefighter?

No, I really never dreamed of being a firefighter. No. No. No, I didn't.

How did it turn out this way?

Well, I was just needing a job at a time where it was hard to find one, and I ended up being a firefighter, which is something I really love because I like helping people. I used to walk from school just down the street here, and I used to cut across here where the fire department is. Little did you know. A little did I know, someday I would be in there. My name is Joe Curran, and Jessica Curran was my daughter. I have four kids. Jessica is the second one.

Joe, how would you describe your daughter, Jessica?

She was outgoing, and she was very thoughtful, friendly, passionate. She was really a person that you would want for a friend. My name is Vinisha Stubblefield. Jessica was my My cousin. She was a sweet girl. She really was. She was an awesome friend. She was somebody you could sit down, laugh, talk to about eating everything, because she kept to herself. She was a beautiful girl.

Jessica Curran. Yes. How did you get to know her?

She was friends with a few of my cousins. Her family-owned a fishing pond. We used to go fishing there. She was a very nice person. She was very helpful. She was very friendly.

She had a baby.

That's Zion.

This is Zion, right?

Yes, that's Zion. Jessica was 18 when she had the baby. She was a good mother. She'd check on him, she'd keep him, she'd hold him, she'd play with him, and she didn't really like to leave him much. Because that was her first child, she adored that baby. She really did. After she got pregnant, she She decided she wanted to move out all at once, and me and her brother helped her move in to the Plaza Apartments. All I wanted was her to go back to school, and she had did that. She was finishing up her GED. I was a GED instructor, and Jessica was one of my students. She was a fun, loving child.

And then on July 29, 2000, she vanishes.

Yes. I got off work that night. My wife had already talked, and she had told me to go buy and pick up Zion. And when I went by Jessica's apartment, she was talking with her friends, and they told me that they most likely would go over to Venetia and her friend's house and play some cards. She got me the baby, and I put him in the car and brought him on home. We were just sitting there playing spades and listening music in that seat and having a couple of drinks because it was just basically a ladies night.

So take me back to July 29th. Was Jessica in a good mood that night?

Yes, she was. Yes, she was actually happy. She was happy that she got to get out for a little bit and enjoy the weather, enjoy sunlight, and get some air, and take a break because she had been at home with her kid. Always had her little earrings in her ears, little rings on her finger, necklaces, and bracelets.

What time does she decide to head out to leave the get together?

Probably about 1: 00, 1: 30-ish, almost 2: 00. I tried to get her a ride home, even offered to help walk her home, and she was like, No, I'm fine. I got it. She was like, Trust me because I got it. It would be three or four miles. It was on the opposite side of town. That's where the Plaza Apartments were. At least 30 minutes, 30 to 45 minutes, I would say. We stood right here and watched her walk until we didn't see her walking no more. She kept straight ahead down that road and down that hill.

Jessica decides to head out on foot. According to Vinisha, Jessica says goodbye to her friends right around here and then heads off into the darkness.

It's really crazy to me that she decided to make this walk. It's a really scary walk.

And that's when we became very nervous.

You knew something was wrong.

And that was it. And that's the last time I saw her. There's a saying I heard on a recent trip to the South.

A half-truth is a whole lie. And if there's a place that breathes life into that proverb, it's the town of Mayfield, in Graves County, Kentucky.

You had to come to this town. Why did you have to physically be here in Mayfield?

Anytime you come to a location, it helps you understand the scene better.

Well-known podcaster Maggie Freeling dug into the Jessica Curren case. What did you wind up getting?

Well, what I think we got was the lengths we go to to get justice.

Her reporting culminated in the new installment of the Bone Valley podcast, Season 3, Graves County.

This is Graves County Chapter One. My name is Maggie Freeling. I'm a Pulitzer-winning journalist and producer who has spent years reporting on the criminal legal system. That's how I first heard about this case. Coming to a place like this is so important to gather information, especially in a small town where everyone's talking.

Mayfield, Kentucky. What is that place like?

It's a very small town. It's pretty much like everybody knows everybody. I'm Tina Slusser, and I taught at Mayfield Middle School. Mayfield is a nice place to live. I raised three boys there. The people all seem to be friendly. Mayfield, to me, was like, although it's small and country-ish, it still reminded me like a little city. I was born and raised in Mayfield. One thing that my family was big on, be careful who you party with and hang with because you never know what they'll do to you. It wasn't a lot of crime or anything like that. We knew that there were some call themselves gangsters, little guys that try to sell drugs and stuff like that, and they got in trouble. Mayfield, Kentucky is in the area where the KKK is based out of in Kentucky. And so there is a bit of segregation, I guess, that took place in that city.

Did you face discrimination growing up?

I would have to tell you the truth, yes. I had some of the teachers said that they didn't really want me in their class. That's just how it was back in those days.

Sunday July 30th, it's the morning after Jessica had gone to that card game with her friends, and her parents stopped by her apartment.

We went by to pick her up to go to church that Sunday morning. We knocked on the door, we didn't get any answer, so we went to church. And then after we got out of Church, we went back to her house and started asking some of the people around the neighborhood if they had seen her. And of course, none of them said that they had seen her.

You knew something was wrong.

My My wife had already said it because she hadn't called, but she normally called and check on Zion. When I told her she's a young lady, 18, she just moved out like a week before.

That's where she had an apartment, huh? Yeah. What happens when her parents come in here that day?

Jessica's not here. They instantly were worried.

Not wrong for her.

She would never leave her son.

She would never leave her son. She was in love with her son's son.

Jessica had just moved to her apartment and had plans to go to college, so things were looking up for her. But the streets had been talking about her new baby boy. What was the talk around town about her baby?

That it belonged to a guy by the name of Jeremy Adams.

Jeremy Adams is the father of Jessica Kern's son.

I knew Jeremy. We weren't friends, but we knew each So he'd be off a vibe, and his vibe just never was a good vibe to me, so I never hung around him. He was always nice. He was a sweet person, you know what I'm saying? But it's like certain people that he hung with, that's what gave him a bad name and a bad reputation. There was no relationship between Jessica and Jeremy Adams. Just a one-time thing. He didn't want to see her anymore. She didn't want to see him anymore. She had another boyfriend, and that was Lolo Saxton. And he seems to be a pretty good guy and pretty thoughtful. She and Joe went up in my mom's house asking about Jessica. We didn't really know what to do, so We decided we'd check around to see what we could find out.

Jessica's family searches for two days, and then there's news of a startling discovery behind the middle school.

On August the first, 2000, school hadn't officially started. We had planted some plants out back, and I wanted to check on them. And so I was walking out back, and when I opened the door, I saw this shoe laying on the ground, and it was a sandal, and it looked like somebody had just walked out of it or ran out of it. And I looked to my left, and there was a body laying there. And it just floored me to no end. The body had been burned. I mean, it was a horrible sight to see.

And then you hear that the body has been found.

Yes, a body was found. And then that's when we became very nervous. We went on straight to the police Department. They had completely or exactly identified her yet. Then they showed some of the jewelry that she had on, and most of it was my wife. It was a total shock. I mean, we never dreamed that it would be her. It was in shock, are you serious? And it was like, wow, we just dropped our cups and just fell to ground and just cried.

I can only imagine what it must be like to process your daughter being gone.

Yeah, it's not easy. It's hard. It's especially hard on my wife. It's something that stays deep in your soul.

Jessica Curran gets murdered. How did you find out?

It was the talk of the tale. A teacher found a burned body behind Mayfield Middle School. They say it looks like a homicide. It's scary that somebody could dump a body right almost in your front door. Somebody get killed and burned up. Definitely a big deal. I was shocked. I was angry, and it hurt. All agencies are working basically around the clock. My thought was, who could have killed her?

Police start hearing about rumors ripping through Mayfield.

So far, police say there are no motives and no suspects.

It was like the Crucible. I mean, everyone was out for everyone.

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Pulling up to...

This looks like the police station.

Wow. This is the police station.

This is the police station.

Like a small little house. Podcaster Maggie Freeling and I drove through Mayfield, Kentucky, following the alleged path of the crime.

Her apartment was right back here. Can you see it?

Oh, yeah.

The last building right there.

On the left? And she had just moved in.

She had just moved in. She had barely spent any time there.

Police video documents the day Jessica Curran's body was discovered in that schoolyard, in a place where children play. Murder investigators are now at work.

Police don't know how long the body has been here, or even if the crime happened here. They do know the body had already started decomposing, and there were signs of a struggle. Jessica's sandals are there, and her ripped underwear, untouched by fire, apparently removed before she was burned. Her dress is above her waist.

The middle school is about a 20-minute walk from where Vinitia Stebblefield says she and Jessica said goodbye. It's a long way from her home at Mayfield Plaza Apartments.

It's the middle school.

We were going right...

Over there? It's a Mayfield middle school, huh?

This is the Mayfield Middle School. And And back in 2000, none of this was here. So it was just this building. So right back here, we're going to walk up to this gate. There was a little garden area, and she was found right between there.

Did police initially believe she was killed here?

Initially, this is what they believed was the crime scene. It seems like someone was trying to run. Her sandal was found a little farther away from her body.

It's been approximately two years since we've had our last homicide here in Mayfield.

The Kentucky State Police and the State Medical Examiner are all called in to help work the case. A Mayfield patrolman, already tapped to make a detective, He was promoted on the spot. The day that they found her body is the day I was made a detective.

Rooky Detective Tim Fortner is appointed lead investigator, and with the help of more experienced detectives, he will run the case.

Because I still have my uniform. They said, Go home and get you some khakis in a white shirt. And so they sent me home to do that. He came to the house and told me and my wife that he had absolutely no experience, and he didn't know what he was doing. He don't know why they put him on the case, but he was on the case, and he was trying to do it. On the day that he assigned you to the Jessica Curran murder investigation, did you feel like you were qualified to handle that investigation? Absolutely not. There was some physical evidence. There was a belt that came into play later in the case. That was found. The braided belt also that was burnt a little bit. It was really, really crazy for us to find out that she had been beaten, stringled, and then set on fire. That shows a lot of extreme hate. The autopsy report notes Jessica suffered blunt head trauma, and based on the braided belt found next to her body, strangulation. There was an issue about, in particular, a dress that Jessica had on at the time of her body being found.

One of the garments that she was wearing was just basically thrown away. I remember holding it up at the time of the autopsy, asking somebody I'm not sure who was present at the autopsy, Do you want this article of clothing? And the answer was no.

Mayfield police acknowledged that Jessica's dress was not preserved.

It was just... It doesn't make sense. It was just really not good.

Two days earlier, soon after authorities believe Jessica Kern was killed, a deputy sheriff encountered heard a man named Quincy Cross just outside Mayfield.

And ask him what the problem was. He stated he'd run out of gas. The deputy noted that Quincy kept pulling up his pants because he didn't have a belt on. He had a pair of dark pants on with no belt. It was a belt that was found near Jessica's body. That belt is used to kill Jessica. He was holding a gas can attempting to try to... Said he spilled some gas on his pants. They could see a little residue on the car. The accelerant that was used to burn Jessica's body was gasoline also.

The deputy gives Quincy a ride to a nearby home on Chris Drive, where Quincy had been partying earlier.

He ultimately was found in possession of cocaine. He was arrested.

Quincy Cross is in the county jail on drug charges when Jessica's burned body is discovered.

Correct call, sir. Quincy Cross.

All these years later, I spoke to Quincy on the phone. Do you remember being questioned about Jessica's murder in 2000?

Yeah, but it didn't really bother me, you know what I'm saying? To hear somebody ask me questions. I kept telling, I don't know nothing about that. I don't know about none of that.

Quincy Cross says he's no killer, with little evidence to prove him wrong. Detectives turn to Jessica's cousin, Vinisha, and a startling allegation. Is the person who says she last saw Jessica walking off alone, keeping secrets about her death.

I was like, Mom, the police is here. She's like, What? I was like, The police is here.

The investigation into the murder of Jessica Curran, who was found dead behind the Mayfield, Kentucky Middle School, graduates to high school when administrators alert police that two students may have information.

When the situation happened with Jessica, Victoria went back and lied to me to the school's resource police officer.

17-year-old Vinisha Stubblefield and 15-year-old Victoria Caldwell, two schoolmates who will be at the center of this case for the next 25 years. So how would you describe what you've been through?

I would describe it as being very dramatic and not easygoing at all and very hard. What was going on? There was a lot of sexual abuse, physical abuse, mental. It was just a lot.

That traumatized teenager is then caught up in a murder case. When they discover Jessica's body, you were interviewed by investigators.

Yes. It's 2: 47 PM, Thursday, the seventh of September. I'm at the Mayfield High School in the conference room outside the principal's office. Present as myself, Detective Tim Fortner, and also Victoria Caldwell. Detectives pull Victoria out of class for an interview. Somebody had given me some information that possibly that you might have ever heard a conversation between somebody about the murder or a homicid, if you want to call it, of Jessica Perrin.

She tells them that before the murder, she overheard Jeremy Adams, the father of Jessica's baby, talking to Jessica's boyfriend, Carlos Saxton, nicknamed Lolo.

Okay, what were they saying? Do you remember? All I know is that first, Johnny said, That was Jeremy saying, Payback's a bid. Payback's a bid? Yeah. Okay. And he said, We're going to get a good.

But what Victoria says next is more astonishing. She says Vinisha, the cousin who had said Jessica walked off alone that night, was now saying Jessica was taken for a ride by Jeremy Adams.

She went and told them that I approached her and told her that I know something about a girl's body being behind the school and about a girl being killed. No, she was walking that way. And Vinisha and Jeremy and some other people that were in the car, I think it was like, I don't know the people that was in the car. I guess they put her in the car or something, and I guess she was trying to fight with them. And Vinisha told them to stop the car and look me up because I don't want to let them deal with me. And that's when she took me. That's when we get a knock at the door And Mom's like, See what here's the door? I was like, Mom, the police is here. She's like, What? I was like, The police is here.

Vinisha tells detectives Victoria is lying. Victoria tells police that you said you were in a white car with Jeremy Adams that night. Is that true?

No, sir, it was not. Why was she lying? Because that's the typical person that she was, and that's the type of stuff that she did to her friends. Six months after the murder, a grand jury indicts Jeremy Adams and Carlos Saxton. Adams is charged with murder, Saxton with complicity to commit murder. Both pled not guilty, denying any involvement in Jessica's death.

Saxton and Adams. Do you think the police did a good job of investigating them?

I don't know. I was hoping that they did.

The case relied largely on two inmates who police say told them Adams had confessed and implicated Saxton. A trial is set for Adams, with Saxton's trial to follow. But between crime and punishment, it all falls apart.

The murder trial of Jeremy Adams was supposed to start this week, but Judge John Daulde dropped the charges.

The police and prosecutors do not hand over at least 18 tapes of interviews to the defense. So the case ends up being dismissed. The charges against Jeremy and Lolo are dropped.

The case is in shambles. So is the police Department. The chief and assistant chief have left the force for unrelated reasons. Mayfield hands over the case to the Kentucky State Police. This case is not going to be forgotten about by the family and friends of Jessica Kern. And I can assure you this case is not going to be forgotten about by the Kentucky State Police. Victoria moves to California. Detective saying state was Kentucky State Police. Vinisha is questioned repeatedly by state police detectives. We are here today to offer you full immunity. You can tell me today that you killed her, okay? And you are immune. I'm not here to charge you with anything. I will not charge you with anything, okay?

Every time she insists, she had nothing to do with the death of Jessica Curran.

The night that she was murdered, that night after she left us, that was it. I didn't see her no more. So whatever statements you all got saying that I did, well, you're wrong because I did not see her no more that night. I had stuck with my story from the beginning when they first questioned me. I never skipped a beat. I never switched it up. I've never changed anything out of my story. But you're telling us right now that you were not there. If you all give me a Bible right now, I'll put my right-hand on the God on that Bible to let you all know that I was not there. Burn me the Bible, please. My right-hand on this Bible. I was never in that car, and I never was Yes, it's around. There you go. Jessica may not be here today in body, but she is definitely here in spirit.

Now an unofficial investigator emerges, a cape-wearing crusader.

Susan Galbreath is one of those people who's pushy and just really knows everyone from around town. Again, it's a small town. She knows people. She knows law enforcement.

The day Jessica's body was found, Susan Galbraith, who's not a police officer, was right there at the crime scene.

That's when Susan says her curiosity turned into an obsession. If the cops weren't going to crack the case, she would.

I am 99% sure that I know exactly what happened the night that Jessie died. Okay. I know who killed her. The self-appointed detective interrogates Vinisha. People that I've talked to are saying that you were at the scene. But they are, and this is I just knew that I had no part in none of this. I did not.

Still ahead, the Citizen Detective claims there's a witness willing to come forward, but in fear for their life.

She must have just saying she has information, but she's scared to talk, and she doesn't know who she should talk to.

She was afraid that she was going to be hurt, injured, or killed. The Mayfield Police Department had the case for three years and didn't solve it. The state police had the case for about three years.

It's now six years after Jessica Curran's murder, and Victoria Caldwell resurfeaces.

The first lead the Mayfield police received was from Victoria.

Victoria indicated to the police that they should look at Jeremy Adams, the father of Jessica Curran's son, and also Carlos Saxton, who is her boyfriend at the time.

Remember, charges were dropped against both men. Now living in California, Victoria reaches out to the state police and says her sister Rosie has passed on an alleged threat to Victoria's life.

She was yelling at you. I told you they were going to kill you. She was yelling at you that she told you they were going to kill you? Yes. That who was going to kill you? Quincy.

Quincy Cross, the man who was arrested, reeking of gasoline just hours after Jessica vanished. Police then speak to Rosie about that alleged death threat.

Quincy directly said that you what? That he wanted to kill my sister. Okay. And did he tell you why? Due to that case, because she was running her mouth. Has Quincy or anybody else directly told you that they were involved in the murder of Jessica Curry? Quincy has told me he was involved in the murder. I have been there when they're discussing the murder and stuff like that, him and Tamar. My name is Tamar Caldwell. Rosie and Victoria were my first cousins. We never talked to each other, really. I just didn't hang out with them. Has Tamar ever told you that Quincy was involved in this murder? Quincy never asked me or talked to me about anything, about dealing with Jessica Heron's murder. He never did.

Pamara Caldwell, your relationship with her?

That's my cousin. We really never, really got along. Just because our moms really butted heads. A lot.

Tamara had dated Quincy Back in the day.

I thought Quincy was cute. We got along great. My kids loved him. They still love him. How odd would it be for you to call Tamara? Can you get her to talk about Quincy? Yeah, I can probably get her to talk about Quincy. That same day, at the request of the state police, Rosie calls her cousin, Tamara, on the phone. Because you know the cops are hot on Quincy. Did you know he was involved in that murder? Yes. Okay, because I didn't know. Somebody said that they were going to try to kill Victoria. So... I don't know.

Tamara doesn't acknowledge any threat against Victoria, and today she says she doesn't even remember the call.

I do not recall that conversation that Rosie had with me. No, I don't. The state police continue following leads and interviewing people. Then three months later, they speak to Quincy Cross. Who do you think killed Jessica? I don't know. I didn't know her.

Detectives hone in on that morning after Jessica disappeared. When Quincy says he left that party on Chris Drive, ran out of gasoline, spilled some on himself, and encountered a deputy on the road.

He smelt gas on me. You know what I'm saying? He going to put that on paper. A strong odor of gasoline. Like I done said, I got up. What's gasoline got going in your cold got anything to do with anything? She was burnt up for one. Everybody led them to believe I had something to do with that. Detectives also tell Quincy they believe his belt was used to kill Jessica Curry. And I can take your belt around her neck. Oh, well, I ain't going to do it. Your belt, her neck. It's there, dude. I don't believe it's mine. I'm telling you. You're going to be saying, Yeah, it's your. Okay. If it's mine, come get me.

After the interview, Quincy is free to leave. The state police continue investigating, and so does Susan Galbra.

The gas, the belt, and his demeanor the night Jessica went missing. These three things made citizen investigator Susan Galbreath hone in on Quincy. She just needed to figure out how, why, and with whom. Quincy They came from out of town to this party at Chris Drive. So when Susan Galbreath starts her own citizen investigation, she finds that at this party at Chris Drive, there were two white boys, one of which turns out to be Jeff Burton.

They were saying that I was seen at a party. A lot of times people have like, well, house parties and stuff. I'm a teenager, so I'm not able to pop in to pop out. Who knows?

Susan decides she's going to make a MySpace. Myspace is the before Facebook.

It was a social media platform that people use to communicate and meet each other on. If anybody had any information, she was trying to collect it to turn that over to the police. The police had not spoken with Jeffrey Burton when Susan Galbraith posed his name, among others, and what she labeled as a person of interest list on that MySpace page. She would describe that list later court. I didn't say they did it. I just had person of interest, but it didn't say they did anything. I could have been interested in what shoes they were. A friend of mine had called me and he's like, You might want to get on my space. They're talking about your name in connection with the murder of Jessica Curran. And I'm like, What in the room? This makes no sense. So I'm freaking out. And I call my mom, I called my uncle.

When Susan Galbraith lists on my space that your nephew, Jeffrey Burton, is a key person of interest, what goes through your mind?

I couldn't believe it. It's don't make sense at all. These aren't people that are hung around. Nothing like that at all.

A news story about what happened to Jessica emerges.

She hit her with a bat in the middle of her head. She was conscious.

Involving a surprising number of new suspects.

They tried to make it like I was the one that struck the and I threw it on her. I kept telling them, I don't know anything. This was the beginning of the end for me.

Were you, in fact, involved in that killing?

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So where are we here?

So this is Jeff Burton's house.

This is the house where they took Jessica, too. She was allegedly killed. A friend of mine called me. We're talking about your name in connection with the murder of Jessica Curran. And I'm like, What in the world? This makes no sense. I did not know her or anything, man. I mean, you might have got some people to write some statements against me saying whatever. I don't understand, man.

Jeffrey, what does it feel like to be back here?

Honestly, it makes my nerves a little shaky. You want to go charge with murder? Well, now you tell me which way you want to go with it. I didn't do nothing. You all done nothing. I didn't do We know what happened. No, you think you know what happened. He's an innocent man. He spent all this time in prison. There's nothing physical that puts him there. There's no DNA.

You told the jury that Jessica was strangled with a belt.

Yes.

Victoria's story has now changed.

How much of what you testified under oath was true?

None of it was true.

Zero.

The tornado ripped through this town and destroyed Mayfield. What it did to people was so similar to the tornado of Jessica's death that came into this town.

Police don't know how long the body has been here, or even if the crime happened here. I didn't hear anything. I didn't see anything. Very spooky.

So she walks off into the darkness, and that's the last you hear of her.

Yes. She kept straight ahead down that road and down that hill.

So many people were imbroiled in this.

They had dropped their case on the two main guys. We got a case here that went for years, and nobody had done anything, and we wanted to see something done.

With seemingly little movement in the case, the Curran family organizes marches, and the story makes headlines.

But Reverend Sharpton's National Action Network plans to make Jessica Curran's murder a national concern. Around that same time, Susan Galbraith had started working with the state police. We know exactly who killed Jessica Curran. There's a lot of people that are feeling uncomfortable right now because they think they've got away with it, but they haven't.

What do you think of Susan Galbraith? Just down this street is Mayfield Middle School, where Jessica's body was found three days after she was last seen. And just up the street, Susan Galbraith, that citizen sleuth, found a house she strongly believed was connected to Jessica's murder. It was the home of Jeff Burton.

In In the year 2000, I was 20 years old. I just had a little daughter that February. A lot of the time I spent smoking, drinking, just being young, probably wild, a little bit.

So where are we here?

So this is Jeff Burton's house. This is where it used to be, and it has since been demolished.

Why did Susan Galbraith want to come here?

Susan honed in on Jeff. She saw that there were two white boys at this party, and that's how she got Jeff's name. And from there, she realized his house, how close it is to the middle school.

In fact, she wrote about it in an email. She did.

As I walked around the house, I saw a garage. It was so eerie, felt as though time stood still. I crept over to the door and was overwhelmed with a feeling of dread. I didn't in for fear of tainting the scene. I was so excited. I knew I had finally found where they had Jessica.

Susan would share her impressions of the visit with investigators from a third agency that's now leading the investigation.

I had gotten in touch with the attorney general, and he said, I want to put somebody on that case. And then he sent down the KBI. Kentucky Bureau of Investigations was the law enforcement arm of the Kentucky Attorney General's office. The two investigators were Lee Wies and Robert O'Neill. At the AG, my main function was in the drug unit. I was brought into the case mainly because of my ability to do investigations. And part of it was that the director, David James, felt like that Afro-American Black person would probably have better inroads into getting people to come forth and talk.

These agents had not worked homicide cases, and these two agents are now working this homicide.

The one person that was instrumental in ultimately helping out on the case, Susan Galbreath, who was just a lady that was in the community that took the weight of this case, and she really wanted to see something done on it. She was on the Internet, and ultimately, she got in contact with Victoria.

Susan was convinced Victoria was the key to cracking the case.

What were your interactions like with Susan Galbraith?

She would text me on my space and try to communicate with me.

Asking things like what?

About Jessica if I could make a current or if I really knew anything.

Victoria read one of her messages to Susan in a BBC radio program reporting on the case.

I am afraid for my life. I'm sorry about what happened. I will help the police as much as I can, but I really don't know who to trust.

You ultimately decide to talk to the KBI to come forward with them.

I told them a different story. This interview is being conducted at the Radisson Inn, Santa Maria, California.

Victoria turned out to be Susan's missing puzzle piece. She would not only point the finger at Quincy, but at many others, including her own family.

Quincy and camera, and this white guy had pulled up to my house. You said you remember his first name. Yeah. What was that? It was Jeffrey. And my cousin had asked me if I wanted to take a ride with them. And I was like, Yeah. We got right back to the same area of the middle school area. They picked up Aneeshia.

And then, Victoria says, they go pick up Jessica.

Jessica gets into the car. What she got up front in the middle and... In the middle of who? In the middle of Quincy and camera. As we were driving, I remember Quincy was over on one side and camera was over on the other side, and she kept pushing their hands away. So I remember Quincy got mad. When we got to the white guy's house, they had pulled up, just got to get out the car with them, forcing her. And they go inside, and then they go into this bedroom, and I heard yelling. Excuse me, so I was wondering what the hell was going on. And so I opened the door, and that's when I had seen tamar holding Jessica down. And Quincy over her with the belt around her neck. I touched her neck, and I told him that she was dead. I think Quincy lifted the head and the white guy lifted the feet, and I beat I'm going to put the blanket up under her to wrap her body in it. And after they wrap her, they took her out of the house, put her in the back of the car. And we all got into the car.

And once he stopped to get gas, he got a cup and he put the gas in the cup. And he gets back in the car. And that's when we ended up back at the middle school. I remember they had laid the body down. Went to through the gas on her, and we should do the match.

And what happens after that?

The dominoes start falling.

Don't kill me, right?

You want to go charge with murder? I didn't do nothing. No, that's what's last, man. This is what's last, Bill. Today's date is February the 25th. We're in the city of Mayfield, Kentucky. Present in the vehicle is Victoria Caldwell.

A few days after, Victoria tells the KBI how she says Jessica was murdered. Agents take her back to Mayfield, to the alleged crime scene.

This is a house where they took Jessica to. She was allegedly killed.

But all that's left there is a concrete slab and no evidence is found.

This is where Jeff Burton resided.

The crime scene went from the middle school. This is now the crime scene.

The day after that ride-along Victoria is taken to the attorney general's office, where she provides a videotaped statement. We're conducting a videotape interview. Victoria Carwell. We stopped at the light guy's house. Had you ever been in that house before? Yes. What were you doing over in his house? My sister used to mess it. Which one? Rosie.

Victoria says she knew Jeffrey's house because she says her sister Rosie was seeing Jeffrey at one point.

Then, Victoria gives authorities a different version of what she says happens in the car and how Jessica is taken inside the house. She hit her with a bat in her head. A bat? Kind of bat. Where did it hit? Back here. What'd she do? She was unconscious. Absolutely unconscious.

In one of the versions of the story, Jessica is hit in the car with what looks like a souvenir baseball bat. She is unconscious and carried inside.

Victoria adds that Jessica Victoria was not only killed, but she says multiple people, including herself, also sexually assaulted her.

It's also questionable whether she was dead or not when sexual activities were happening, what exactly happened when and who did what.

Finally, Victoria alleges a shocking motive that points the finger at the former Assistant Chief of the Mayfield Police Department, Roni Lear.

Can't take a target on the cell phone. Who was it coming to? Roni. Roni. Lear. She just kept saying it was taken care of. I'm sorry, Roni. Clancy said it was taken care of. I want to know I'm Jessica Curran, and she said it, it's taking Karen. I want to know why Jessica current is the one that I do know. She was going to tell Roddy's wife to go to sleep in the night. Do you know? She was going to tell Roddy's wife to go to sleep in the night. Lear tells the KBI what he'd earlier told the state police that he simply did not know Jessica. I never knew who the girl was. Never seen her before in my life. I mean, they showed me in the picture.

I didn't have a clue who Jessica was. Lear also adds, he didn't know Cross, and actually considered him the number one suspect.

We looked at Roni Lear, but as As far as him being active in the murder, we had no information as related to that. We took all the evidence we had, put it all together, and we sat down with the Special Prosecutions Unit at the attorney general's office. That's how it all came together as we were ready to go forward with the indictments. So we started bringing people in and talking to them.

Just 30 minutes north of Mayfield is the Drouy Inn & Sweets in Paduca, Kentucky. This low-key hotels conference room becomes ground zero for intense questioning by the KBI, the Kentucky Bureau of Investigation. Jeffrey, what does it feel like to be back here?

Honestly, it makes my nerves a little shaky again. Of course, it brings back one of the worst days of my life.

It affects you even now.

Yes, sir.

Why?

Well, just because this was the beginning of the end me, so to speak. Today is Friday, March 23rd. We're here conducting an interview with Jeffrey Burton. Jeffrey's house was the location where they brought Jessica Kern's body That's where bad things happened to her. The same people are going to stand across from you and point at you and say, 'Mees' his house. You can look as the I'm just saying it's more concerned. That's not concerned.

That's fear.

If that's the case, you might as well take me to Jen Elman because I did not know her or anything, man. I mean, you might have got some people to write some statements against me saying whatever. I don't understand, man. I'm freaking out. You know what I mean? I'm really on the inside freaking out. I know I didn't rape anybody, and nobody was murder around me anytime. I got to tell you something, Jeff. Anytime. Remember, Victoria says she knew Jeffrey's house because she'd been there with her sister Rosie. Jeffrey tried to deny that he knew Rosie or that he knew Victoria. Step right up. Here we go. You ever seen this gentleman before? She was already there, so we thought we'd just bring her in. We never had sex. What are you saying? And I didn't ever call. And we never went together. No. Hey, hey. Come on now. You know that's a lie. I didn't even know her. So to have her in front of me, and she's looking at them and then looking back at me. When was the last time that you were contacted by Jeff Burden? Two months ago. Two months ago.

Two months ago? He's going to take me to jail. So I'm just like, Man, if you're going to take me to jail, just take me to jail. You know what I mean? I was just over it. The truth is going to come out. What's done in the dirt, ultimately, is going to come into the light. That's it.

And then you're arrested.

You understand that? You're under arrest for murder of Jeffrey. You got to go.

What was it like to be led out of that hotel room in handcuffs.

Just surreal. I couldn't believe it was happening. It felt like a nightmare. It was like, there's no way this is real. There's no way. But it was real. Jeffrey is arrested for multiple charges, including murder murder, kidnapping, and rape, and is carded off, passing Tamara Coldwell as she enters the room. It was draining. You said I didn't do nothing. I didn't do nothing.

And now, Quincy Cross is in the hot seat. You said Jeff Burt.

You said you don't know. How can a person lie on you that you don't know? Man, look, you figured it out. That's for you. You investigated. You figured it out. I was down in the cruiser for hours. The first time I went up to the room, it was probably one o'clock in the morning.

The detective's Questioned, Tamara Caldwell about knowing Jeffrey Burden.

Tamara, did you know the guy just walked out of here? You've never seen him before? Please don't ask. The one that was just in this chair? No, I don't. I promise. I don't know. No, I don't know nothing. You weren't with him the night. Telling the girl was his mother. No, I was not. I didn't hang out with Jeffrey Burden. I knew him from school. That's it. Those interviews were brutal. It was draining because I kept telling him, I don't know anything. Leave me alone. I don't know anything. You want to go charge with murder or you want to just be charged with being there and sexually molesting that girl? Now, you tell me which way you want to go with it. I didn't do nothing. You didn't do nothing. I didn't do nothing. You think about it. You tell us which way. I'm saying about it. You said I didn't do nothing. I didn't do nothing. I don't know nothing about it. I was at home. When this happened.

The detectives hammer home that they believe Tamara and Quincy were the ring leaders of this crime.

Cue, murder, Jessica. It's up to you whether you go to jail on the charge that you can get out on or whether you go on murder, but you're gone. So we're giving you the opportunity. You the captain right along with Quincy. I don't know nothing about this. All I know is I met him in jail. How could I have had anything to do with it? And this happened in 2000. I didn't know Quincy Cross until 2002. So how could I have anything to do with it, period? How did I get brought into this, period?

Tamara says she and Quincy parted ways in 2005.

With them being charged together, obviously, they want to make as much distance between themselves as they can.

Both Tamara and Quincy are being charged with murder, kidnapping, and rape. At the time, Quincy was 30 years old, born and raised in Tennessee and from a big family. He'd been in trouble before with the law.

Quincy Cross was involved in narcotics and drugs. That's verified. He's known as a drug dealer. We come from a close-knet family. Quincy is my protective big brother. He was fun. He was definitely outspoken, but he also was nurturing. He didn't meet many strangers because he was funny. He was a jokester. We had to conduct this interview with Quincy Cros, who was currently present with us. We interviewed him for probably two hours. We know what happened. No, you think you know what happened. We know what happened. All right. We might have missed the point. We might have missed the point here and there, but we know what happened. If you know what about your friend. We're giving you a chance to come clean. I don't need to come clean when you already know. We're giving you a chance to have a piece with yourself. This is what a piece is. I don't want to have it. Because I ain't got nothing to do with it. You said Jeff Burton. You said you don't know. How can a person lie on you that you don't know? You, you're the best guy. You're the best guy.

I I have to ask you, did you kill Jessica Curran?

No, I did not kill Jessica Curran or have anything to do with killing Jessica Curran, or knew anybody that killed Jessica Curran.

Did you rape Jessica Curran?

No, I did not kill Jessica. I did not rape Jessica. I didn't even know Jessica. Let's get that in line. I never knew Jessica.

Were you involved in any way with Jessica's murder?

No, I was not. Anyway, no way.

Were you in the car with Vinisha the night Jessica was murdered?

I didn't even know Vinisha.

Yet, according to the KBI, Vinisha is just one of several eyewitness who places Quincy at the center of this case.

The story that we got from Victoria and the story that we got from Vinisha was consistent in a lot of areas. Vinisha, what was that? I was scuffling. She was scuffling. Quincy and Jessica. Full coverage. Quincy. And who? Camera. What's your bird doing? He was walking in the house behind me on Victoria. Anisha, she was another hard interview because she was very emotional. I have ADHD, and then I have a comprehension disorder. And it's like a lot of things it's hard for me to comprehend.

After almost five hours Hours of interrogation, Vinisha admits that she was there the night Jessica was killed. Look at me. You got a test of the woman entirely home, right?

Because she was what? She was dead. You all killed her, right? But you two, slow in your mind. You can't remember nothing else, Where did you find that car? I was thinking. Who brought that car over there? Quincy. Not possible. You're just talking. It's confusing me. I asked you. I asked you. What happened to the chest in that car? It seems like she was trying to remember what happened, that she was befuddled. What did you do to the body? I took it and moved it to a different spot. Where did you move it in? Behind the spin. Victoria and Vinisha are charged with evidence tampering and abuse of a corpse. They both pleaded guilty.

Vinisha and Victoria will testify against the others.

Being locked up behind bars. It took a big toll on me.

Despite their repeated denials and a lack of forensic evidence, Quincy, Jeffrey, and Tamara head to trial. Their lives in the balance, and a wrench thrown into the case. The weapon, prosecutors say, was was buried in a backyard.

How do you know that this is the same pool that was used to hit Jessica? The motive for Jessica Kern's murder is still unclear at this time. The connection between the three people arrested for her murder has not been confirmed either. They were going to try me, Quincy, and Timer together, and then they separated it to where they did Quincy by itself. Hundreds of potential jurors showed up today.

Quincy Omar Cross sat in court with his attorneys.

The Curran family prayed before the trial began.

The trial has moved from Graves County to Hickman County because of all of the media attention and how big this case was. The Jessica Curran murder trial began early this morning here in Clinton, Kentucky, which allowed the prosecution to get right into laying their case against Quincy Omar Cross.

Jessica Curran was sexually assaulted and brutally murdered by the defendant. And I will ask you to find the defendant Quincy Omar Cross guilty.

Over the course of the next week, in a trial captured on sometimes grainy VHS tape, the prosecution calls more than 30 witnesses, starting with Jessica's family.

You recognize that as Jessica's shoe? Yes, ma'am. Yes, these are hers.

People who are at the Chris Drive party testify about seeing Quincy wave his belt around and talk about wanting to go find girls.

I remember he was swimming at the same time as me at night. Quincy's defense points out that many people wore a similar belt. A common belt. Yes, sir. Common belt back then. Yes, sir, I suppose. Other witnesses testify that Quincy Cross told them He was involved in Jessica's death. And he's like, Well, you tell it on me for killing that girl. She overheard something that she wasn't supposed to hear, and we had to take care of it. We brushed him off because we thought he's always talking big. He said, I, which is Quincy Cross killed Jessica Kern. And he said, If you all say anything, then I'm going to do you the same way I did her. Quincy Cross could just sit there in the courtroom like he wasn't really worried about it. He wasn't scared of nothing. He's just relaxed.

Jessica's cousin, Vinisha, who initially said Jessica had walked home, now testifies that she, Quincy, and others went to Jeffrey's house that night.

Jessica went in the house? Yes, ma'am. How did she get in the house? He made her walk in there. Vinisha says that Quincy led Jessica inside and killed her. Who killed Jessica? The girl. Quincy Cross. How did he do that? We're not saying that he was standing over with a belt in his hand around her neck.

But the star witness for the prosecution is Victoria Caldwell, who has been at the center of the case since the beginning.

Doris Victoria Caldwell. Were you nervous? Yes, I was very nervous.

Victoria testifies over several days, saying that after they picked up Jessica, Quincy knocked Jessica unconscious in the car in the driveway of Jeffrey Burden's home.

When we get out of the car, Quincy and Jerry just good body to the side door.

You told the jury that Jessica was strangled with a belt.

Yes. She just kept pulling and pulling on it. You could hear gasping for air. It was hard for me to believe that they could have been that cold and callous. Then Victoria changes her story, now saying Quincy Cross struck Jessica twice, once with a bat, the second time with a ratchet wrench. That's the tool that was used. It It's a long tool in the middle because it's like a little knob that makes that clicking noise. Law enforcement officers say they find the object buried in Victoria's sister's yard. How do you know that this is the same tool that was used to hit Jessie? Because I'm the one that buried it. Nobody mentioned the clicking ratchet until after it was found. They were always saying, Metal path until the ratchet was found. Then all of a sudden, two days later is the first mention of a metal ratchet with clicking sound. Isn't that amazing?

There are glaring inconsistencies in Victoria and Venetia's statements. Like, Venetia cannot confidently say if Quincy, Jeff, or Tamara struck Jessica with any object.

When we look at the totality of this case, we have independent cooperation. Talking to Victoria is consistent with the important areas of what Venetia said.

We're going to They finally look at the credibility of Victoria and Venetia, and there's no way they both can be telling the truth.

They both admitted that they lied to the common law all the way up to the very end. The defense strategy was to question the credibility of everything, from the circumstantial evidence to the prosecution's witness testimony. You always felt the cage back. No. You told the police that Jessica was murdered because He was going to tell Roni Lear's wife that he was sleeping with her, right? I guess. That was a lie, too, wasn't it? Yes. There is no physical evidence that connects Quincy to Jessica, to that crime scene at the middle school.

When I spoke to Quincy on the phone, I asked him about Jessica's murder. Why would Victoria and Vinisha point the finger at you?

Okay, I never knew before you. I never knew before me. At the time, so I knew it was lying either way.

The verdict is next, and what happens to those co-defendants?

They're going to do the same thing to me over a lie. How the hell is this happening?

And what those witnesses at the trial told me about their testimony. You're now saying that what you testified to in court was a lie.

On the day that the verdict came, I remember being outside with some family. We thought on a capital murder case. It would take a while, but it took very little time. We, the jury, find the defendant guilty of murder under instruction number 7.

The jury deliberated only three hours and came back with a guilty verdict.

My whole family was devastated. How is this real? Is this actually happening?

What went through your mind when you heard the word guilty?

It was heartbreaking to be that person for one, and for the world to see that of me, and for the people that believe that, that took me down to a dark place right there. I was glad to see somebody get punishment for it. I told them I didn't want to have a death penalty. I could do life without the possibility of parole, but I wouldn't do a death penalty.

After Quincy was convicted, everyone else who was going up for trial was terrified.

Well, certainly we were concerned after that guilty verdict. At first, I'm ready, going to hold ready, and now I'm just like, They're going to do the same thing to me over a lie. How the hell is this happening? I was like, They're going to kill me now. What is going on? They convict him. They definitely going to convict us.

Jeffrey and Tamara took plea deals for the lesser charge of manslaughter and the abuse of a corpse.

Jeff and Tamara both took what is called an Alfred plea, and it's basically saying, I'm telling you I didn't do this, but I'm acknowledging that the state has enough evidence to convict me.

And I didn't know that they looked at it as a guilty plea. But I'm scared of death what they done to Quincy over a lie. So I'm like, Man, they're going to do the same thing to me. So I did seven years. I took the alpha plea because my public defender said that I wouldn't get much time. I got 15 years, but I served five years, eight months, or two days. It was awful. I had to quit my job to take care of my daughter's kids. They ask for Mama every day.

So when Jeff took that plea, he agreed to be a convicted felon.

Everything fell apart after that. The unthinkable thing happens to you. And then people that don't know you think you're a murderer, you killed somebody.

Jeffrey's oldest daughter, Shaila, was just seven years old when he went to prison. This is you visiting him in prison?

That's probably right after it happened. I was about, I would say, eight or nine in that one, and still just trying to enjoy the moments.

Did anybody tell you why he was there?

No one told me specifically see what had happened, but over the years, I heard stuff, figured stuff out. And as I've gotten older, I totally get it. He's an innocent man, and spent all this time in prison.

Did you ever wonder maybe my dad did do this?

Never. Never? No.

Why not?

Because that's my dad. I know him, and he wouldn't hurt a fly.

For years, Quincy tried appealing his conviction to no avail, but he's now gained an army of advocates.

It's a very strong, supportive group of people who will not take no for an answer. I just believe in giving a voice to the voiceless. My goal is to get Quincy cross out. He doesn't have a piece of evidence that links him toward anything. But I know in my heart that he's innocent because there's nothing physical that puts him there. There's no DNA.

Quincy's supporters have worked to garner attention for his cause.

It was very exciting for me to be told that there was podcast it was going to be done.

There is a new six-part podcast, Bone Valley Season 3, Graves County, which explores the Jessica Curren case.

This is Graves County Chapter 6, Something Rotten.

Now, more than two decades after the murder of Jessica Curren, the Kentucky Innocence Project has taken on Quincy's case.

There were a lot of markers of potential wrongful conviction. We believe We have the evidence to exonerate him and walk him out of prison. So that's our goal.

The Kentucky Innocence Project had their work cut out for them. It's very hard to get a conviction overturned in the state of Kentucky, or in most of the country, really. One of the many hurdles is that Quincy's attorneys have to present new evidence that points to his innocence.

They have filed a motion to vacate his conviction that includes new claims about those key witnesses. At the trial.

Venetia Stubblefield and Victoria Caldwell, in particular, have said that they lied at the trial.

You're now saying that that story, that what you testified to in court was a lie?

Yes, I didn't know nothing of that case. I didn't even know nothing about the murder. So why did you say that? Because I was forced to say it. That's the thing.

What did you say at the trial?

I was forced to say that Queensy Cross took part in it. I was forced to say that Jeffrey Burton and Tamara Caldwell had in it knowing that they didn't.

Were you, in fact, involved in that killing?

No, not at all.

How much of what you testified under oath was true, and how much was not?

None of it was true. Zero. It was true. Zero. Nothing was true. I don't know nothing about this case. I wasn't there. I don't know all the people.

You testified about disturbing sexual acts involving Jessica's body. Did those take place?

No, not at all. Like I said, I wasn't there. I don't know anything at all.

But if it never happened, why provide such graphic detail?

Because they told me what to say.

In response to the motion, the state denies that witnesses were pressured to fabricate their stories or told what to say. They also point to this affidavit from 2016, where Victoria refutes that she lied at trial or was told to say something that wasn't true.

We never tried to get anybody to say anything that was not true. Well, there is this thing called evidence. Justice and juries, and they weighed all the evidence, and Quincy's in prison. There's only been one conspiracy, and that's a conspiracy to kill Jessica Kern and to try to get away with it.

The state stands by Quincy's conviction. Investigation. It argues that Victoria and Vinisha's many lies to investigators were brought up at the trial, and that a jury still convicted him. Why should we believe you now after all the lies?

You told. I feel like I should believe because people who really know me know that I'm a genuine person. I would never put innocent people away. I would never do it.

Has anyone paid you or pressured you?

No, not at all.

You're doing this because...

I'm tired, and I think it's time for the truth to come out.

What would you say to them?

I would apologize to them, and I would tell them how Sorry. I am for them to get convicted. But truly and honestly, from the bottom of my heart, I hope that each and every one of you all can forgive me.

Can you forgive them?

Stephanie, I can forgive. I already forget.

Now, it all comes down to this, a court date just hours ago for a hearing that may lead to a new trial for Quincy.

And I have an interest in the truth coming out. All right, Kip file room. I think it's probably in one of these working files. Here's the KBI investigation. We are preparing to present all of the new evidence, the mountain of new evidence, all of the different pieces that we have uncovered since trial. That is new, that we believe a jury should have heard. It's different, right?

It all comes down to this hearing in this makeshift courthouse. It's a big deal.

And for a long time, we didn't have no voice.

The Innocent Project making their case for Quincy to get a new trial. This could be your last chance.

Hey, that's all right. Sometimes we get cars, we got to play. But I knew that I've done no wrong. I am anxious. I'm hoping for the best. There is a lot on the line today. It just potentially could free us, so to speak. All rise. Multiple witnesses and co-defendants gave perjured testimony that they have now recanted. And the now recanted statement is the only evidence that ever linked Mr. Cross to this crime. I would just refer the court to the case law that recanted testimony after trial is viewed with distrust. I know I'm going to have an evidentiary hearing. I'm going to focus only on the recantations of Vinisha Stubblefield, Victoria Caldwell.

A major victory for Quincy and his supporters.

We are very pleased with the judge's decision. We look forward to being able to put on the evidence in support of Quincy's innocence at the hearing.

Witnesses like Venetia and Victoria will be heard in person to tell their stories to the court. Also, what happened in the courtroom, as the judge said, if they get back up on the stand and say, We lied, that's perjury. So That's a huge consideration for them.

And just outside the court, Jeff Burton on his knees, pleading with Vinisha.

I've been doing this a lot, and I'm So, so sorry.

And Vinniecia said, They ruined my life, too. I will do the right thing.

I always said that through all of this, something good has got to come out of it.

You We know each other. Yes, sir.

We know each other.

How are you doing? Quincy's dad has an unlikely ally joining him in this fight. This is very unusual. The father of the victim and the father of the man convicted of killing her, joining forces, trying to get answers.

Everybody thinks that this is an odd couple. We're not an odd couple because we want the same thing. He wants justice for his daughter. I want Justice for my son. I just don't think he could do the stuff that was done.

Tragedy brought you together.

Tragedy brought us together, and it's going to keep us together until we get what we need. Justice. I can't say I feel his pain, but I know he feels my pain, and I feel some of his pain.

Do I think that Joe can find some comfort in knowing he helped Quincy? I think is the most that he can get.

We've suffered through it a long, long time, and we just don't feel like we have a completion. Just for Jessica would be finding the real people that murdered her. Sometimes I do believe she's guided me. I do believe that she want me to stay on the case all the way to the end, till the truth comes out. My promise to her is I won't ever stop. I don't quit.

That's our program for tonight.

Thanks so much for watching. I'm Deborah Roberts. And I'm David Muir from all of us here at 2020, in ABC News. Good night.