August 27, 2023 • 67 mins
On the day before Halloween, sisters Ashlee and Lisa Rucker were shot in the head inside their Florida condominium. There were four witnesses in the apartment, but only one truly knew what happened. Soon the world would find out who was responsible for this heinous killing and the years of tension that built up to that final day.
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Sword and Scale contains adult themes andviolence, and is not intended for all
audiences. Listener discretion is advised.Hello, Oh my god, there's minimurmur
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Oh God, Hello, and welcometo season ten, episode two forty seven
of Sword and Scale, a showthat reveals that the worst monsters are real.
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If you like to show, there'sonly one place you can go to
get a whole lot more of it, and that is Sword and Scale dot
com slash plus. We have overone hundred and fifty plus episodes that are
exclusive. You can't hear them anywhereelse. Plus a beautiful and pristine feed.
If you've never heard the audio likethat, it's it's mind blowing.
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Plus you know there's no ants,that's why it's called plus. There's so
many pluses. Check it out.In December of twenty twenty two, a
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former landscaper named Chad t Absher satin the floor to courtroom in a gray
suit and a bright blue shirt.Chad wasn't the type to dress up like
that, but this was a specialoccasion. He was taking the stand at
his former girlfriend's murder trial. Thirtyseven year old Chad Absher sat on the
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stand and prepared to discuss the nightthat his former girlfriend, Ashley Rucker had
been killed. It was October thirty, twenty seventeen. The evening was like
any other. After work, thecouple connected at Ashley's apartment and decided to
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order pizza for dinner. We wouldn'tget a pizza, say, we wouldn't
gut a pieces when you think wewill win? Joseph ash and were you
drinking that day? Of course?Of course? Do you remember who paye
for pizza? Just want to Ashley'sdo a little critical and said who eating?
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Well, of course the kids andthen whoever Realse got a piece?
So Chad stayed at Ashley's apartment mostof the time. You didn't actually live
there. Ashley's sister and best friend, Lisa was her roommate. The two
women were single mothers with young boys. Everyone was home that night, Ashley,
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Lisa, they're two boys, Chadand Lisa's new boyfriend, Lyle Scheideman.
Chad said that after eating pizza inthe living room, he, Ashley,
and her son Joseph were hired tothe bedroom. Where did you lie?
And Ashley's okay? And Ashley's leftin the bed to you cry?
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Of course, she's slipping minky.Where did who's in the cubby hill?
What's the gully? He let thefull pillows of pity in the corner right
there, and he made him alittle little spot right you know, in
the bed by you guys, ofcourse. So after you went to sleep,
what do you remember happening? Aster? That will come to being beating
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in my sleep? Who was beatinghim? I was on top of me,
Lyle? What was he doing?Beating him in my face? After
falling asleep, Chad said he wasawakened by the feeling of Lyle's fist on
his face. Lisa's boyfriend was attackinghim. So at this point you're staying
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telling us that Lyle is eating you? What did you do after? At
that point I got about the situation. Lisa was right here. Lyle was
only and actually was this side.When did I come up out of this
situation? I got a pull onmy feet. Okay, now where'd you
go? I went out towards theliving room. Did the fighting enswered that
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point? It was never a fight. Well, the lyall beating, you
know, did that entered that point? Yes, ma'am. So once you
got up out of the room andwalked around the living room with jagnast.
I was getting my stuff to getup. I was just on the lead,
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but Chad said he couldn't get outthat easily. Lyle had taken charge.
What was actually at Leasta that Lyledoing at that point? The boy
ran out of the whole place.And when you said that boy in me
Lyle, yes, remember that Lisawas sending about the bar asolutely to follow
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me around because my finger was justdripping gloves. I'm just getting my stuff.
She was wiping on the glove,Chad said. Lisa stood angrily at
the bar while Ashley followed Chad tryingto clean up the blood he was dripping
all over the floor. Were yougathering up closed? I'm sure, Jack,
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please phones all that. What wereyou getting reduced to? I was
just gonna mead. Were you awarethat these the head called name on one
of the point, No, no, no, okay, what's going on?
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Then an alternation, someone believe theywill not get out of my apartment?
Hey man, thank you? Doesadn't want to have any weapons?
And they drink the dress a while? No, all, I will sing
the next available office, I guesscalled a track of fing The caase,
but Lisa was wrong. There wereweapons in the house. Chad had a
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pocket knife, there was a batin the bedroom, and there was a
rifle hidden in the couch. Asthe chaos escalated, Chad said that Ashley
went and grabbed the rifle. Didanyone point a rifle at each yash just
brought up in man couch? Whatdid you do? Well? What happened?
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They shot? That's just the showshooting. So Ashley had the rifle,
points about you and where was thepolice of standing at that time?
Do you hear the vague one wordresponses like it can't be bothered to elaborate.
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Do you know anybody who talks likethat? Are they an honest person?
Hm? Chad said that Ashley blastedthe rifle across the room Adam,
but the bullet missed and shot hersister in the jaw. Lisa fell to
the ground screaming. Chad told thecourt that a struggle ensued as he tried
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to get the gun out of Ashley'sgrasp and it went off into her head.
So what happened after the second roundof fire? Any Ashley, what
did you do? Did you realizeyourself? What did you do? That
why did Juliet Because I was akiver. Chad had been in trouble with
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the law before. He didn't wantthe police to find him in an apartment
with two dead women and they're cryingchildren. It's usually not a good look.
He was scared and didn't know whatto do, so he ran.
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Ashley and her sister Lisa had bothbeen shot in the face at their apartment
in Florida. The sisters had beenhome with their boyfriends, Lyle and Chad
when a fight broke out, whichescalated into gun violence. Chad claimed that
Ashley had shot her sister, thenaccidentally shot herself in the head. He
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fled the scene, leaving the sistersto bleed out as their young children cried
in the other room. Ashley wasflat on her back and her head was
cradled in a slick pool of blood. She had been shot just behind the
ear. The bullet blew through herbrain, killing her instantly, but by
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some miracle, Lisa was still breathing. Her boyfriend Lyle hovered over her,
begging Lisa to stay awake as hecalled nine one one, Hello, Oh
my god, mur I don't evenknow Come on, give me what you
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are what's this about? Lyle didn'tknow the address because he and Lisa had
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only been dating for a little while. As Lisa and Ashley's sons wailed in
the background, Lyle scrambled to gethelp, and then a woman complex play
here part complet the appomer company,upon the complant, upon the company number.
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What you apart may number? Ohmy god, who apart? Because
I don't know? It's right here? Also fucking it's right quote of quote
of quote, it's it's eleven elevensone to eleven eleven. Yeah. Lyle
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had figured out the apartment number,but he still didn't know the address.
He left the boys inside and Lisableeding on the floor as he ran out
into the hallway to find a neighbor. All sad, where's here? Now?
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Right now? Right now, rightnow? He shot him in the
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head. Home, Lyle said Chadwas the killer, not Ashley. Chad
had shot the sisters. Now hewas gone on foot. Lyle ran back
to Lisa and cradled her bloody head, trying to keep her alert until help
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arrived. In the next clip,you can hear Lisa murmuring and trying to
stay alive. He'll carry on sure. Hello, hello, Hello, hello
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hello. When the police arrived atthe Rutgers apartment, they quickly removed the
two young boys from the scene andLisa was taken to the hospital. Lyle
went outside with the police. Hewas sweating and out of breath. His
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blue pants were covered in blood.He looked at the officer and said,
get ready, I want you towrite down exactly what happened and who did
it. It was Chad Absher.The police ran Chad's name through the computer
system and started pulling up pictures.As soon as Chad's face appeared on the
screen, Lyle yelled, that's themotherfucker. That's the one who did it.
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I know it. The police putout a bolo for Chad and made
Lyle sit in the back of apatrol car. But that's when Lyle became
irate. He refused to tell theofficers his full name and started screaming,
I just saw my girlfriend get shot. Why am I here? Fuck you?
I will not answer any questions.Tonight. Police are searching for the
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man wanted in connection with the murderof a woman and the shooting of her
sister. Your family members tell usthat he is the ex boyfriend of Ashley
Rocker. Police will weave thirty twoyear old Chad Absher is armed and dangerous.
When police processed the crime scene,they could not find the rifle shell
casings lay all over the floor.A closet had been destroyed and the shelves
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were smashed to the ground. Astruggle had clearly taken place before the murder,
but still no one knew exactly whathad happened in that apartment. None
of the neighbors had witnessed anything exceptfor Lyle running outside for help. They
all heard the gunshots. This wasa big apartment building with many residents and
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what it's surprised you to know intwenty twenty three that only one neighbor called
nine one guess I won't as locationin the emergency here. I believe somebody
I put them up short, Okay, Peter people And was it a male
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a female? I'm not sure.Okay, do you know the scyc of
the succycle slide from I don't know. Any day, Michael I was in
the room from my cousin. Justthe whole state of Florida was looking for
Chad Absher. His face was sharedon every news station every hour Lisa was
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in the hospital and expected to makea full recovery and goodness, despite being
shot through the jaw and neck.She was unable to speak, of course,
but she could write just like Lyle. She used her pen and paper
to tell the cops that Chad wasthe one who shot her and her sister.
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It took less than forty eight hours, but police caught Chad a short
time ago. Police responded to anindividual that call police saying that they thought
Chad Apsher was inside a residence inthe fifty four hundred block of one hundred
and eighteenth Street. When police respondedto the scene, we also fully the
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same information and SWAT was called outto the scene and we are glad to
say after some talk and after somediscussion, he has come out of the
house and he is now in policecustody. After running for days, Chad
finally showed up at his buddy's house. As soon as we put it out
to the media yesterday, we wereactually overwhelming tips. I mean people were
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calling in someone that may have lookedlike him, and then we were getting
specific tips from people that knew him. Hey he may hang out he or
hey he may be here. Wewere following them all up, and we're
just glad that the community came forward. They really stepped up with this and
called in those tips. And thereason he's off the street right now.
You were starching this area yesterday hingor at eighteenth Street, and I guess
no one was here. Did youbelieve there was a girlfriend, a friend
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somewhere he was holding up the houseis someone who's an acquaintance of him.
That person who was in the housetold us that when he woke up this
morning, he was inside his house. He has known him from the past.
He's known to him, so itwasn't like he just broke into a
stranger's house. Is somewhere he hasgone before. It has been so that's
how he ended up there. Sowhere he was from the time the shooting
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happened until this morning when the malblesoupand he was at his house because we
don't know. According to the policereport, the SWAT team used a robot
to get into the house where Chadwas. The robot had a camera and
speaker inside, so once the policewere able to see Chad in the house
pacing around with a rifle in hishands, detectives spoke to Chad through the
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robot's speaker. Gotta say, thisis a pretty weird world we're all living
in now. Can you imagine beingarrested by a robot? The robot told
Chad to put the gun down andcome out with his hands up, Probably
not in the cool way that RoboCopused to do, but you know,
we'll get what we get. Hekept insisting that he didn't kill Lisa and
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Ashley, but after some protesting,he placed the gun down down on the
bed and walked outside as he wastold, Well, we're glad. It's
a horrific isn't Hammond? Him shootingthese two women and killing one and now
another one has to deal with thattragedy of her sister being killed. But
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we're glad he's off the street.He can't victimize anybody else. Chad was
in rough shape when he sat downfor his police interview. His forehead was
banged up and scratched. He hadmarks on his back. He was wearing
dirty pants. He looked pretty muchlike dog shit. Hey, yes,
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sir, we wouldn't grab some burgers. Got a whopper here you want it?
Yah? Yeah, I'll work howmeans I appreciate hell, not a
problem. You think a you mostawith it or something? I wash my
hands. Honestly, you got somekind of Let me see what I can
do on that. Okay, I'mgonna bring some handgel or something real quick.
You go with that and a nascularout. Okay, you established in
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you will some side water to drink? Chad? Have you guys? Yeah?
Have you got to get a sodaor something? All right? To
thank Hi. After getting Chad hissoda and hand sanitizer, they got down
to business, digging into who Chadis dream right, Yes, he used
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to make a little bit of money. I can't all of new ship.
Yeah. How do your school justcomplete its high school? Yeah? Chad
didn't have an education. He couldbarely read or write, but he still
managed to run his own landscaping business. But things weren't going so well.
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Chad took xanax to sleep every night, and adder all and percocet to keep
him alert every day. He drankquite a bit. He had a son
from a previous relationship, but hedidn't see him much in the last two
years. I got some produces,you got some information for us. I
want to tell us some things aboutwhat's going on and what happened and kind
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of your side of things to helpus understand what happened? Can you kind
of just go through the last twentyfour hours of men kind of tell me
what happened and what's going on?And it's like, yeah, beat up
a little bit. I don't knowwhere you all are right really in all
this? Right? One? Okay? For two? What can I do
to help you understand where we're at? What do you what do you want
to Where can I start to getto get to that point? I mean,
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ultimately we're here talking about this iswhat you happened the department over there?
I say, what happened? Imean ultimately that's what this is about.
Ultimately something happened over there, AndI've got some pieces of a story,
but there's a lot of bit differentparts of it, you know,
I'm trying to figure it out.So they started at the top, who
are you dating? Now? Whowas? Just? Who's your girlfriend?
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After the girl you had the babywith? Christina? Christina? They call
Ashley? Right, Okay, howlong are you going hear it together?
Yeah? So y'all got off andon for a while. There is that
kind of what it was or whatI mean not at first. Hell,
he verse, I ain't never hada woman taking me on a cruise.
I've never been on a cruise.Okay, we get together, we go
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on a cruise, and I meanhe's like, hell yeah, all right,
yeah, favor it was her someonewho worked Okay, cool trip,
shit man, Yeah, yeah,it was all just a bait lines slinker.
Chad was painting himself in a strangelight and creating a picture that made
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Ashley up to be a rich ladywith deep pockets, and he was just
an innocent sugar baby. Ashley hada good job as a medical assistant,
but she wasn't wealthy by any means. She worked hard to provide for her
son and save money by living withher sister. There was a sister too
that had to be took care of. Here's that what he said. Okay,
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so part of the package, Yeah, was over her. A lot
of jealousy issues and shit, youknow between the two sisters. Yeah,
I don't really know what they ever, so likely with each other kind of
thing or like jealous of the timeyou were spending with her. Yeah,
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so she was. It was aboutit was above man. It was like
it was a fucking mild mind ridelike constantly. But Chad said that most
of the bickering between himself and Ashleyhad to do with the fact that he
had a son from a previous relationship. Was that what most yells bicker rule
was about, it is your son? What was your other stuff? Well?
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How hard she went up me aboutthat or deal? You know?
It kind of made me kind ofwonder, like, well, what day
you got going on? You knowwhat I mean? He was gonna send
in the beginning or was this morein her recent Chad said that the son's
mother was the one that had warnedhim about Ashley my baker's mom. She
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wanted to do our lady's mother.It's hard to say that. Sorry,
you still have a good relationship withyour child's mother. I mean considering,
yeah, she this whole she toldhim when I first got one. I'm
sure. Yeah, they used tobe your girlfriends at a little a little
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I get the part where it's it'shard. I mean, you got you
got mixed families with kids, yougot things going on, there's all kind
of craziness, you know, yougot the relationships are hard to begin with.
At the end of the day,you can't be. I mean,
we're not the same. The copswere really hamming it up to make Chad
think they were on his side.They really do put on quite the show
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to me. I think he's awoman's world of control. You know,
they got the power. I mean, at the end of the day,
they control things. But yeah,it drives us the same. But yeah,
at the same time, we can'tlive up for guys, we get
it. Chad admitted that his relationshipwith Ashley was far from perfect, but
he skirted any blame and swept itover to someone else. He was just
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the innocent party in this whole situation. Lisa was a pesky, jealous sister.
Ashley had issues with his ax,so he barely saw his son.
They're out of nowhere. Chad saidhe slept with Lisa, which kind of
complicated the situation. Well, henever like they did, you know?
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But good, I guess you youngBook's term of it. What would you
call it? Kid? All right? He did? Did I actually know
that? I don't know. Thisis when detectives gave Chad a much need
a dose of reality. There's apictures her her beat up pretty good,
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so as that we're talking about yether at the rossphol and everything right,
all right, those pictures are gettingput up big Yeah, I got it,
got all kind of blowed all allout of different wax and all that
ship. When it actually happened,we was out there on Beaver Street.
Okay, you can actually uh yeah, going up look at it. Probably
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probably you know, I mean,I probably can't. I have a have
a chance review that reything to tell. I mean, if you know Amanda
goes to the does that to her? What hell? Am I going here
and to the hospital and I'll sithere with you for I'm sitting in the
mother and I realized the cowboald downis like wait a minute, bro,
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this ain't look this ain't seeming righthere, you know what I mean?
Because I could tell the body languageand how it's like and the annoy the
officer kind of looking and all likewait, oh you playing, Oh you've
playing? So she was playing gameswith that part? Yeah yeah, man,
what she didn't do it? No, It was this is where things
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started to fall apart for Chad.Prior to his arrest, the Rucker family
had shared pictures of Ashley with themedia, mainly photos Ashley herself had documented
of beatings Chad had given her.There was one infamous photograph of her in
the hospital. She had two blackeyes, as well as a bandaged nose
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and lips. Chad is snuggling besideher in the photograph, knowing that Chad
was the one who did this toher. Ashley's family called the police when
they showed up at the hospital.Chad played innocent and Ashley did not press
charges. That's what he's mumbling aboutin the clip we just played you.
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This seemed to be a pattern.Chad would hit ash she would confide in
someone, but when the police becameinvolved, she wouldn't file a charge.
Sadly, this is a pretty commonthing, and Chad always had an excuse
for her injuries. Her eye.She was leaving. It was a Friday
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night, total people up there atthe damn the hospital. She tripped over
the dog, hit a motor,one of my motors on the engine stand.
But I'm going to kick her bagthat she was packing the leave you
in as she was leaning over,and that's actually what happened to her eyes.
I never put my hands on her. Chad had an excuse for every
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bruise, but there were many witnessesto corroborate otherwise. Ashley's older sister,
Jennifer said this he wasn't just makingmy sister around a little bit. He
was meeting her like he was eatingmeat. Ashley and Lisa's father and stepmother
said they too knew about the abuseChad inflicted on Ashley. She tried to
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get away from him, and likemost abusers, he always weaseled his way
back in through a combination of fearand manipulation. They were trying to get
away from news, climbing up balconies, tern screen doors, down on slide
glass doors, putting guns to herheads. Horrible. She's a very sick
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man. Another time, in twentyfifteen, Chad called Lisa saying that Ashley
had gone crazy and stabbed herself inthe stomach. Chad then called the police,
saying his girlfriend had tried to killherself. While Chad was distracted with
nine one one, Ashley managed toget in her car and rushed herself to
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the hospital, where surgeons sewed upher wounds. Concerned, the doctor asked
Ashley how this happened, noting it'salmost physically impossible for you to stab yourself
through your abdomen wall The incident wasreported as a suicide attempt, and Ashley
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didn't argue. During one beating intwenty seventeen, Ashley called nine one.
Chad grabbed his gun and threatened tokill himself, so Ashley barricaded herself in
the bedroom and escaped at the windowwhere cops were waiting to get her to
safety. The cops reasoned with Chad, and because he had calmed down and
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stopped making threats, they left.Even Lisa spoke out about Chad's control over
her sister. He killed someone thatloved him. My sister really loved him,
because if she didn't, she wouldhave send jail A long time ago,
but Ashley wasn't the first woman Chadabused. In two thousand and six,
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he was arrested and served three yearsfor domestic violence and stalking after he
threatened to kill his ex girlfriend aftershe broke things off with Chad. He
began to follow her to her job, her home, and her school,
telling her he still loved her.He even used the stereotypical stalker line,
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if I can't have you no one, Well, how completely original. This
guy's a real Chad. If youknow what I mean, Chad would call
her constantly and even cut off thehead of a teddy bear she gave him,
leaving the head on her driveway andthe body near her car at work.
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What a sociopath. Chad's ex girlfriendfiled police reports and got a restraining
order, but that didn't stop Chad. He kept harassing her until one night.
It all came to a head afterhe showed up at her house shooting
his gun. Four bullets pierced thehome. He was arrested and then charged.
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The police knew all of this.Chad was a felon with a record
a mile long, including a felonycharge for hitting a man with his business
truck which said Tea's Landscaping on theside the name of Chad's company. That's
how brazen this motherfucker is. Thearrest report stated that Chad drove into the
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pedestrians so hard his mirror fell off, then yelled that's what you get for
being in the road. He waslater arrested when police found his banged up
work truck and his friend's driveway onlya few miles away. So this is
Chad absure in a nutshell, convictedfelon abuse of stalker, world class dumbass.
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This is who the police had beensitting with for almost four hours.
Now it was time to cut thecrap and get down to what happened on
the night that Lisa and Ashley wereshot. Remember, at the top of
the episode, Chad told the courtthat the night started with a simple pizza
dinner at home. So we'll beginthere. So I'll get back from getting
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pizza and what happened. Take sleepsHelen. Does it usually take you to
betterfect you? Probably? The fireballspeed it up. I got much food
in with stomach sometimes and then sometimesit don't really do nothing. Yeah,
it is outpens on whatever if Iguess in the mood, I man.
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After the pizza, Chad took hisusual Xanax bar and chased it down with
a little fireball if you know whatthat is, and then he got ready
to go to bed with Ashley andher son Joseph of ah the joys of
cramped apartment living. You know,I'm just going to sleep, and next
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thing I know, Joseph jumps outand runs out, and here Lisa and
the dude is on me and theyI don't know who, and always got
what I thought there was a thegood being the new worker. Yeah,
okay. This time, Chad saidthat Lisa and Lyle jumped him out of
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nowhere. A struggle developed and somehowthe rifle hidden in the couch was pulled
out and fired. No details though, So actually had the gun, you
said, right, and you wentto grab it from her, which it
went off, and I grab itthe gun and turn like this and she
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just see other fight of the gun, right and he goes off a second
though, right, So actually pullsup the first time, as far as
you know, you didn't know hillat the first shot. You grab it.
Yeah, now you're tussling grabbed itbefore went off. Yeah, we're
somewhat tussling over it. When Iwent off the first time, No,
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he said, first time over wentoff. She shot it the first time,
right right. The second time gunjust went off. You grab it
from her now and you start fightingover the gun. Not fighting, you'll
get shot of this gun. Yougrab it to start getting away from her,
right and as this happens, shegets shot. Right. Chad said,
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it was all just a big accident. Ashley shot Lisa. Then when
he tried to get the gun away, Ashley shot herself. But this wasn't
a handgun or a pistol. Thiswas a large nine millimeter high point carbine
rifle. This is a serious weaponthat kind of makes you a little scared
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if you aren't familiar with the firearms. So why on earth was that hidden
in the couch of an apartment thathoused two young children? I guess,
I guess. My question is iswhy why do you keep that around?
Is it can? Yeah, letme understand that part of it. Why
why do you feel need to havea gun with you? Not a wrong
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or right answer either. I'm justagain trying to understand why that makes sense
when I'm asking, I mean whyI'm asking it? And you accounts are
getting food and all different. Idon't know you trust usually lying to you?
Who really? I mean you neverreally. Part of my job is
investigating, And like I told youwhen I sat down, I'm not a
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judger. I don't come in hereto make a decision of what's right or
wrong. I go in, Ilook at what happens. I'll talk to
witnesses, I look at evidence,I get the facts, I get the
supporting evidence. I need to lookat the case, and I try to
go from there. In this case, I've been able to be with them
and a lot of what you're tellingme to just ride along. But there's
a bit and pieces of it arequite right. It was more than just
bits and pieces. The story Chad'sspun seemed completely implausible because here's the ultimate
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thing. You can see it hereand run thing you mind. Well,
you know, they're all in Caho'stogether against you. But as he said,
we weren't reute patrols and reute toy'all's place. Anyways, they get
there. One of the first thingswe do when we get there, as
we separate everybody involved, so they'renot going to have time to coaborate their
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stories, okay, and at theend of the day, I mean even
the kids. We separate the kidsfrom the parents, which is the hardest
part. Which is the hardest part. That's like a four year old kid
that as us bomb get shots,pull them away for everything in the world
of gloves and everything he cares about, and just watch some good, poor
thing and it you know, twothree o'clock in the morning, these kids
(37:52):
are half asleep and they're gonna theygive the exact same story as Lisa and
the two boys, same story I'lltell you this. You said that ash
is a manipulator that you know,Lisa's her sisters. She's probably half fullshit.
(38:15):
Sometimes I get that law. Wedon't know him from anybody else,
you know what, Maybe they're lying, but what doesn't happen. We don't
bring four year old or nine yearolds down here and ask them what happens
to mine and they don't come inhere and lie because they don't. They
don't have that nature yet they're not. They're innocent kids. They're innocent kids
that don't know any better than they'reso brutally awesome to everything that it's the
(38:37):
thing that the truth comes out oftheir mouth. That's right. The two
boys watched everything happen. The innocent, blameless children of Ashley and Lisa saw
the whole thing. What were theydoing, you know, they're in a
house and they're watching things go crazy. That's the worst part of this day.
That's that's anything that happened. Thisone was that kissed me off,
(38:57):
where anything else is. These kidshad to watch the happened. You know,
both of them went to the factthat they're watching their moms plead out
in the middle of the living room. They're covering in blood, they're walking
around with death and on. Butuh, what they had on all?
Joseph Pennel was prevon we're towle writing. I thinks we had on money.
He wasn't wearing anything. I mean, it's when I get there and I
see these kids, it burned myheart. You gotta help me out with
(39:19):
this thing. Man, you gotta, you gotta tell me the whole story.
Man, You've gotta You've gotta laythis out for me and let me
understand where we're at, because Idon't want these kids have to tell the
story again. But tugging on Chad'sheart strings don't work. Either the strings
had been frayed and snapped decades ago, or he didn't have any to begin
with. And no, I gottamy boy, And I'm not taking a
(39:45):
rap for some ship that a man. Yeah, I've told them when I
started back coming to her did I'mnot taking a hit for nobody else No
more. I'm told it mother thatYeah, So that was it. Chad
was going to make Ashley Son tellthe story of what really happened the night
he watched his mother die. Thistime, the entire nation would be watching
(40:09):
this time, Chad would not havea hamburger to snack on while two cops
pretended to take his side, He'dbe on the witness stand with nothing but
his lies to comfort him. SistersLisa and Ashley Rucker had been shot in
(40:50):
the head in their apartment after afight broke out between the girls and Ashley's
boyfriend, Chad Absher. Chad hadfled the apartment after the shooting, leaving
Ashley dead and Lisa clinging to life. Chad had been arrested and charged with
the murder, but he was stickingto his story. Ashley shot Lisa,
(41:12):
then accidentally shot herself. He wascompletely innocent. There were four witnesses in
the home that night, Ashley's sonJoseph, Lisa's son Colton, Lisa,
herself, and Lisa's boyfriend Lyle,but all three of the boys weren't in
the living room when the gun wasfired. Lyle was testy with police on
(41:37):
the night of the murder, butafter Chad was arrested, he opened up
to the media about what he sawthat night. Lyle said that both couples
were in their bedrooms, then heheard a knock on Lisa's bedroom door.
Her son came being in on thedoor. You say, Lyle, he's
smoking my mom. He's choking mymom. Lisa and Lyle ran into Ashley's
(42:00):
room. Chad was on top ofAshley. His meaty hands were wrapped so
tightly around her neck. Her facewas turning purple. Lisa screamed she was
going to call the cops, andChad jumped off Ashley and lunged at Lisa.
He then put his hand on Lisa. I rushed him, and I
(42:21):
knocked him out and knocked him intothe closet. He was out cold.
I'm telling everyone we need to go. Lisa literally is guiding me down the
stairs. When we get down tothe bottom of the stairs, Lisa's like,
my sister still of stairs, mysister still upstairs. Don't leave,
loud, Please don't leave, Pleasedon't leave me. I said, look,
Lisa, I'm not going nowhere.I'm not going anywhere at all.
(42:43):
Get them, we will get intowe'll get a hotel, whatever we have
to do. Lisa goes back upstairs, and not even twenty seconds later,
I hear the first gunshot, andI hear a scream, and then I
hear another gun shot. Soon Lisawas well enough to speak to the media
too. She had a tracheotomy andspoke by placing her finger to cover a
(43:05):
hole in her throat. Now Ithought I was gonna die. I did.
I saw him with the gun.He shot me, and then I
heard her scream, and I whenI heard her scream and everything was black,
I saw a light. It lookedlike it was like blue and white
in the corner of my eye,and it felt like I was hauling and
(43:28):
drowning at the same time. Atthat point, after heard the gunshots,
I went to the stairwell next tome, and I crouched down, and
I'm looking up at the stairwell andI see Chad acts at the stairwell and
put a gun in his waist andzip his jacket up. But I saw
my sister laying on the ground,and the boys were running back and horse
and her and I saying, pleasedon't die. I dropped to my knees
(43:52):
and I'm holding Ashley's head in myhand and I'm holding her and I'm holding
Leas's hand and I'm telling Lisa,you need to fight Chinessa to be strong,
and like I'm hysterically crying, I'mkissing Ashley only head. I know
she's already dead. I had heardhim say before that he was going to
kill us all, but he alsowould say things like, no one's ever
(44:16):
going to touch y'all. You know, he would act like he would protect
us, so you know, Inever thought that he would actually shoot us.
Ashley was only thirty years old whenChad killed her. Lisa was twenty
eight. It took five years forthe case to go to trial. Lisa
(44:37):
had made great strides in her recoveryand looked like a completely different woman when
she entered the courtroom to face hersister's killer. The case had made waves
in the public, and though everyonebelieved Chad was guilty, there was still
the question of why, why onthis night did things escalate to murder?
(45:00):
Soon, the public would have answers. Chad's strategy in court was similar to
a large Egyptian river denial. Hedidn't do anything. Ashley was the shooter,
and Lyle started the fight out ofnowhere, just like the cops feared.
(45:20):
Ashley's son took the stand to testifyabout what he saw that night.
Joseph was fourteen now, and he'dbeen living in New Jersey with his father
since Ashley was murdered? Yes?And Arson, do you can you have
(45:42):
a memory of what happened to yourYes? Were you able to sleep through
the night on to her? Thirtyfirst one? Seven? Now? And
when not? Because of what happened? Just like Lyle had told the media,
Joseph recalled how Chad started king Ashleyon the bed, so he ran
to get help from Lisa. Anddid you go okay? Yes? And
(46:08):
is that because the printed with Lendoover home? Yes? And who did
you go get over Lisa? Thefight between adults migrated into the living room
while Colton and Joseph hid in Lisa'sroom. Did you hear anything moving on
outside of the Desbrod Yes? Whatdid you care? Do you who says
(46:35):
you were hearing Lisa the wrong cheDid you hear while at all of that
zone? I don't think so.Did you hear something else to Joe?
Yes? What did you hear?No? Shocks? What happened after you
heard that shocks? Room? Whodid you see your list? Then?
(46:59):
Line? Let me say, didyou say that Lisa? Did you show
m Yes? What did you seeabout your long her dead? Next?
Lisa got up on the stand thejagged's scar on her jaw was an obvious
(47:21):
battle wound from the night she losther sister. Lisa said that she,
Lyle, and Colton returned to thecondo around eight pm. Everyone eight pizza,
but it was clear that Chad andAshley had been arguing. Well,
your sister and the party at theYes and Jar see your arguing about her
(47:46):
parties was a car. The sisterhad a La Mercedes. You're sister round
parties at yes and then Yes whenhe did your sister eventually Yes. Ashley
(48:07):
and Chad had been fighting over hercar. He wanted the keys and she
refused. After he finally gave themback, she hid them on her person
when he wasn't looking. When thepolice processed her dead body later that evening,
they found the keys nestled in herbra. Lisa's story was consistent with
(48:31):
Joseph's. She was the most credibleliving witness. She had known Chad for
years. She was sober on thenight of the murder, unlike Chad,
who had been taking his usual nightcapof fireball, whiskey and xanax. After
Joseph screamed for help, Lisa andLyle went into Ashley's room. Now to
(48:57):
your sister's that what was that?My sister is laying on the bed.
Chad is kind of sitting on theedge of the bed next to her,
and do you say anything? Ibelieve Mile said sitting work with your hands
(49:22):
a woman and Chad got out withmy sister jumped out of the bed and
round the room. I got inbetween Chad and Lyle and grabbed my nephew's
sell them And that was at theend of my sister's bed and looked at
(49:43):
the Chad and told him I wascalling nine on one. And the defendant
pushed you. Yes, out ofthe way, Yes, did a lot
of out of that, you know. I spoon as he pushed me while
I started hitting him. Did youyou want one? I did? No,
No, I don't want Okay,what's going on there? And then
(50:10):
an occupation I think someone believe theywill not get out of my apartment.
No, mother, not keep gettingif you're a call. You were repeatedly
saying no bone, no Why bothviol and Tea were telling me to hand
up the phone. It also maskedabl drows an alcohol about three. Why
(50:34):
do you say no to that?I thought, just the phone home and
being Japanie, but I didn't doit. No, did you ask the
defensively multiple times? Did your sisterask defensively multiple times? At this time?
Was the defendant an unadvided person?Yes, Chad wasn't supposed to be
(50:59):
at the Rucker House that night.He and Nashley were broken up. He
had weaseled his way back, tryingto use her car like a typical deadbeat
boyfriend. Now after he made uscall, what happened? So there I
(51:20):
phone call. I had to walkaway because there was a film. I
need to hang up the phone.So I walked back, changed my sister's
edom and Lyle and chat or youngMat shutter my whole chat that I called
the police and police are on theirway. That he needed to leave.
That's when he pushed me and thefight started. Let me see if I
(51:45):
started between you Lyle on chat andthen the fight starts. We're thinking about
the diagram, say seven ten,was there any area between your sister Venom
and that hallway? Guess me,right in her doorway basically, and then
also too where we selady are Lenningcloset, you know, Sam, That's
(52:06):
where the fight ended. Chatto wasbasically he was beat down into the Lenning
closet. Now, how did thefight between the defendant and a lile hind?
My sister came to the edge ofthe home, away from the lighting
(52:27):
room and told me to stop thefight because Chadi had done Did you tell
a lot of that? Yes?And did aw stop by a chat?
Yes. Ashley was the only onewho knew about the rifle chatted hidden in
the couch. Yeah, I'm kindof walking back and we're talking to Ashley
(52:50):
and Lyle. Once I held Lyleat the that Chad had done file downstairs.
I went for him to make surethat he was okay, and he
told me to go back and checkingmy sister. I went out upstairs,
and that's when I saw Chad waswalking in the circle around the condo.
(53:15):
Basically, I thought it was pacingthis. You justest in a fight,
you know, blowing off seat.That's what I thought. Lisa went back
upstairs to check on everyone. Theboys were still in her bedroom after all,
and that's when things got worse.I thought that the police were coming
and they would be there in aminute. The boys would eventually need to
(53:39):
come out of my bedroom, soI grabbed some clean stuff from underneath the
kitchen cabinet and started cleaning the wellthe floor and there was a drop to
help him the clean yes, andshe helped. We separated the limb post
what has along it, but didn'thave a lot now she finished me on
(54:01):
the blood No W, howdo myhe refereal vision? I was watching Chad
and he walked to her by bedroomdoor and I thought that he was gonna
go into my bedroom. So Iwas a day him and he had passed
(54:23):
my bedroom to bar in her livingroom to brads W. I was from
behind my chair cushion. Are youthe longer Anthony finding out the world?
Guess me? Okay, that's athe gun from my hide chair cushion.
I looked straight at him, onlythe guy at me, and he said,
(54:43):
so that's how it is, Lisa, did you say it? I
don't remember. Did your sister saying? I believe she said, don't think
that at her. That's why Iremember. He pointed the guy at me
and I didn't. He was one. She decide to turn my head down.
And as soon as I went toturn everything with black Star story all
(55:09):
that year was the ringing. Icouldn't see anything. I was in it
out of consciousness, release a oneabout here? So that was it?
A fight over car keys escalated,the one woman dead and her sister critically
(55:30):
injured. Chatted the audacity to takethe stand. He relayed the same story
he did for the police, perhapsthinking he was going to trick them and
manipulate them like he had this formergirlfriend. The prosecutor was having none of
(55:50):
it. Karen and love Joseph likeyour own son. Correct. However,
he left is another work dead,and you left Lisa her dead dead too.
You thought Lisa was dead too,didn't you? In that you thought
(56:12):
you were going to leave no witnessesdidn't and you thought they would both dead,
and you you led out that conqueroror off Juber thirty first, didn't
he therefore leading no witnesses to whatyou did? Correct? Chad tried to
explain to the jury how exactly Ashleyshot Lisa then managed to turn a nineteen
(56:39):
inch long rifle on herself. Hegot up and did a big pantomime of
all of his lies. But theholes were too easy to poke in this
story. You talked about spinnering right, spin room matter that you even stepped
down. Today you show us aboutspinner around with the gun. Correct,
(57:00):
yes, okay, So how didthat spin around a her? And that
small little area there, It lookssmall from this angle, but it's not
a small area. We'll atch yourcharger. You just answer my questions.
Yes man, that's not a bigarea. Is there's plenty of room for
(57:20):
her that do occur? Okay?You agree that there's no partners or disturbed
too, correct, yes man?Okay, So there is nothing around that
area that showed the struggle over agun of her. Correct. Well,
that never say it was a struggle. You never said it was a struggle.
Okay, But didn't you say thatyou all were struggling over the gun.
(57:44):
She didn't wanna let to go aboutit wasn't she wouldn't. We wouldn't
like tustle and fight me your littlegun. She just well, she told
her gun and then when I twisted, I ran. But your your megger.
Never tolust your trigger. And that'swhat you told us, right,
yes man. So she shot herselfwith that rifle in the back of her
head, going pottentionally, she shotherself and the back of the head with
(58:07):
their rifle. Correct, okay,And how did that happen? How did
she shoot her something the back ofthe head with their rifle. Chad couldn't
explain it because it was the dumbestlie ever told. I'm seriously surprised that
his defense team went along with it. Didn't these people graduate from law school.
(58:30):
The prosecutor held up a yardstick forChad and the jury, demonstrating how
physically impossible it would be for Ashleyto shoot herself in the back of the
head with a rifle in case justsaying that out loud isn't obvious enough.
You agree that my finger only goesto the ends to where the barrel will
be correct, and it would beeven harder if it's in the back of
(58:55):
my head correct for me to reach. Do you agree that I can't even
reach it? Would do it?Were you again? Okay, so I
got in the back of your headand I'm reaching. I can't even reach
Canna. So how in the worldwould Ashley pulled trigger and shoot herself in
(59:21):
the back of the head. Idon't know. I didn't say that because
it didn't happen that way. Didn'teven though physically it's not possible, that
physic possible. You're using the yardstate where are we going into it?
In court? Chad was rude,defensive, and arrogant. Even with his
(59:44):
own female lawyer. He strutted offthe witness stand like a proud gorilla.
Was he really dumb enough to thinkat any one of those jerors would find
reasonable doubt in the prosecution. Well, if he did, he was wrong,
because they sure didn't. The Floridabirds. Chad Asher ask, cant
(01:00:06):
one we the jury finding defended guiltyof orthree murdered as charged in the day,
We'd rather find the feeling was premeditated. We'd rather find the feeling What
does during the commission or attended thecommission of a felonies to wit attended first
degree premeditated birth? Ask the counttoo, We the durayminded defended guilty of
attended worth pre premeditated murder and askcharge in the day We've got to defend
(01:00:29):
a discharged bar causing death or verybottling car during the commission of the effen
Chad was guilty. Lisa then spoketo the court. If a person can
sit five years in jail and haveall that time to think about what they
have done, but they come intothe four room with lies and false intend.
I simply cannot believe that I askedany n pars for what he has
(01:00:50):
done. Fire alone. I lovebecause Chad took the last person that I
could go to for advice, forhelp, for understand for love, holidays
alone because the last namely. Thejudge gave Chad Abstra two life sentences and
(01:01:12):
fifteen extra years for possessing a firearmas a convicted felon. After his sentence
was handed out, Chad turned andblew kisses to Lisa and the jurors.
Lisa spoke to the media outside thecourt. I am glad that he got
the maximum sentence that was allowed.Now no one will ever possibly be hurt
(01:01:37):
by him again. The family stoodtogether outside while the media watched. They
read a poem Ashley loved, thenreleased butterflies into the sky in her honor.
(01:02:10):
Chad Absher was simply just a badperson, a true monster. I'm
sure you've probably met a few peoplelike him in your life. He thought
he was above the law and thathe could control any woman who entered his
life, whether he was stalking anex girlfriend, beating Ashley's face in running
(01:02:36):
over a pedestrian with his truck,or lying to the entire world in a
court of law, it didn't matter. Chad was the kind of person who
felt no remorse for anyone. Henever shed a tear at Ashley's murder trial.
He just looked over at her family, the family that he destroyed,
(01:03:00):
blew them all a kiss. Ashley'sfamily all wanted her to get away from
Chad. Her father, her siblings, and even her uncle's tried to tell
her that the only road this relationshipwould lead to was death. They knew
Chad was dangerous, and he hadproven it time and time again every time
(01:03:23):
he beat Ashley and then posted aphoto of her on Facebook. Ashley's family
members called the cops on Chad manytimes, but charges, for some reason,
were never pressed. The point isthat everyone in Ashley's life tried to
get Chad away from her. EvenAshley herself tried to get away from him,
(01:03:49):
but he was persistent. He wasmanipulative, he was controlling, and
he always managed to get back toher, soften her up, and make
her take him back in. Therewas no stopping him. Chad was pure
evil and he didn't care about anyoneelse but himself. We'll never know why
(01:04:15):
Chad ended up the way he did. But what we do know is that
he is finally where he deserves tobe, alone in prison. Hopefully life
behind bars is as cruel to himas he was cruel to Ashley and the
rest of the women unfortunate enough tocross his path. Maybe he'll learn what
(01:04:42):
remorse actually is. But something tellsme that he lacks the capability to harness
such emotions, because that's what areal monster is. That does it for
another episode of Sword and Scale.If you are with a violent partner,
(01:05:04):
do not accept the unacceptable. Youare loved and there is help out there
called the National Domestic Violence Hotline atone eight hundred seven nine nine seven two
three three and please stay safe.Well that's gonna do it. Thank you
(01:05:40):
for joining us. If you wanta shirt or a hat or some other
kind of cool stuff, check outour store store dot Sword and Scale dot
com. Stay safe. Hey,I started listening to your podcasts at episode
(01:06:20):
one and I currently own the episodeone sixty eight. I liked what you
said about not talking to the top, but because of an incident that my
son had at school, I tellparents all the time, keep your children
not to talk to the school people. The principal, assistant principal, teachers,
(01:06:43):
shut up and call your parents.Anything a child says to a principal
or school teachers can be used canafford a lass, even though they're miners.
If they call that they say,say call my parents, and then
the parents hit there and the policecome. The police have to have the
parents presents talk to Myers. Schooldoes not tell your children shut up and
(01:07:10):
have them called me. Don't talkto them because just like you look at
a your innocence keeps from in trouble
Sword and Scale contains adult themes andviolence, and is not intended for all
audiences. Listener discretion is advised.Hello, Oh my god, there's minimurmur
(00:20):
Oh God, Hello, and welcometo season ten, episode two forty seven
of Sword and Scale, a showthat reveals that the worst monsters are real.
(00:52):
If you like to show, there'sonly one place you can go to
get a whole lot more of it, and that is Sword and Scale dot
com slash plus. We have overone hundred and fifty plus episodes that are
exclusive. You can't hear them anywhereelse. Plus a beautiful and pristine feed.
If you've never heard the audio likethat, it's it's mind blowing.
(01:14):
Plus you know there's no ants,that's why it's called plus. There's so
many pluses. Check it out.In December of twenty twenty two, a
(02:15):
former landscaper named Chad t Absher satin the floor to courtroom in a gray
suit and a bright blue shirt.Chad wasn't the type to dress up like
that, but this was a specialoccasion. He was taking the stand at
his former girlfriend's murder trial. Thirtyseven year old Chad Absher sat on the
(02:38):
stand and prepared to discuss the nightthat his former girlfriend, Ashley Rucker had
been killed. It was October thirty, twenty seventeen. The evening was like
any other. After work, thecouple connected at Ashley's apartment and decided to
(02:59):
order pizza for dinner. We wouldn'tget a pizza, say, we wouldn't
gut a pieces when you think wewill win? Joseph ash and were you
drinking that day? Of course?Of course? Do you remember who paye
for pizza? Just want to Ashley'sdo a little critical and said who eating?
(03:24):
Well, of course the kids andthen whoever Realse got a piece?
So Chad stayed at Ashley's apartment mostof the time. You didn't actually live
there. Ashley's sister and best friend, Lisa was her roommate. The two
women were single mothers with young boys. Everyone was home that night, Ashley,
(03:46):
Lisa, they're two boys, Chadand Lisa's new boyfriend, Lyle Scheideman.
Chad said that after eating pizza inthe living room, he, Ashley,
and her son Joseph were hired tothe bedroom. Where did you lie?
And Ashley's okay? And Ashley's leftin the bed to you cry?
(04:10):
Of course, she's slipping minky.Where did who's in the cubby hill?
What's the gully? He let thefull pillows of pity in the corner right
there, and he made him alittle little spot right you know, in
the bed by you guys, ofcourse. So after you went to sleep,
what do you remember happening? Aster? That will come to being beating
(04:31):
in my sleep? Who was beatinghim? I was on top of me,
Lyle? What was he doing?Beating him in my face? After
falling asleep, Chad said he wasawakened by the feeling of Lyle's fist on
his face. Lisa's boyfriend was attackinghim. So at this point you're staying
(04:58):
telling us that Lyle is eating you? What did you do after? At
that point I got about the situation. Lisa was right here. Lyle was
only and actually was this side.When did I come up out of this
situation? I got a pull onmy feet. Okay, now where'd you
go? I went out towards theliving room. Did the fighting enswered that
(05:19):
point? It was never a fight. Well, the lyall beating, you
know, did that entered that point? Yes, ma'am. So once you
got up out of the room andwalked around the living room with jagnast.
I was getting my stuff to getup. I was just on the lead,
(05:40):
but Chad said he couldn't get outthat easily. Lyle had taken charge.
What was actually at Leasta that Lyledoing at that point? The boy
ran out of the whole place.And when you said that boy in me
Lyle, yes, remember that Lisawas sending about the bar asolutely to follow
(06:00):
me around because my finger was justdripping gloves. I'm just getting my stuff.
She was wiping on the glove,Chad said. Lisa stood angrily at
the bar while Ashley followed Chad tryingto clean up the blood he was dripping
all over the floor. Were yougathering up closed? I'm sure, Jack,
(06:21):
please phones all that. What wereyou getting reduced to? I was
just gonna mead. Were you awarethat these the head called name on one
of the point, No, no, no, okay, what's going on?
(06:45):
Then an alternation, someone believe theywill not get out of my apartment?
Hey man, thank you? Doesadn't want to have any weapons?
And they drink the dress a while? No, all, I will sing
the next available office, I guesscalled a track of fing The caase,
but Lisa was wrong. There wereweapons in the house. Chad had a
(07:09):
pocket knife, there was a batin the bedroom, and there was a
rifle hidden in the couch. Asthe chaos escalated, Chad said that Ashley
went and grabbed the rifle. Didanyone point a rifle at each yash just
brought up in man couch? Whatdid you do? Well? What happened?
(07:32):
They shot? That's just the showshooting. So Ashley had the rifle,
points about you and where was thepolice of standing at that time?
Do you hear the vague one wordresponses like it can't be bothered to elaborate.
(07:54):
Do you know anybody who talks likethat? Are they an honest person?
Hm? Chad said that Ashley blastedthe rifle across the room Adam,
but the bullet missed and shot hersister in the jaw. Lisa fell to
the ground screaming. Chad told thecourt that a struggle ensued as he tried
(08:16):
to get the gun out of Ashley'sgrasp and it went off into her head.
So what happened after the second roundof fire? Any Ashley, what
did you do? Did you realizeyourself? What did you do? That
why did Juliet Because I was akiver. Chad had been in trouble with
(08:45):
the law before. He didn't wantthe police to find him in an apartment
with two dead women and they're cryingchildren. It's usually not a good look.
He was scared and didn't know whatto do, so he ran.
(09:22):
Ashley and her sister Lisa had bothbeen shot in the face at their apartment
in Florida. The sisters had beenhome with their boyfriends, Lyle and Chad
when a fight broke out, whichescalated into gun violence. Chad claimed that
Ashley had shot her sister, thenaccidentally shot herself in the head. He
(09:46):
fled the scene, leaving the sistersto bleed out as their young children cried
in the other room. Ashley wasflat on her back and her head was
cradled in a slick pool of blood. She had been shot just behind the
ear. The bullet blew through herbrain, killing her instantly, but by
(10:09):
some miracle, Lisa was still breathing. Her boyfriend Lyle hovered over her,
begging Lisa to stay awake as hecalled nine one one, Hello, Oh
my god, mur I don't evenknow Come on, give me what you
(10:31):
are what's this about? Lyle didn'tknow the address because he and Lisa had
(10:52):
only been dating for a little while. As Lisa and Ashley's sons wailed in
the background, Lyle scrambled to gethelp, and then a woman complex play
here part complet the appomer company,upon the complant, upon the company number.
(11:20):
What you apart may number? Ohmy god, who apart? Because
I don't know? It's right here? Also fucking it's right quote of quote
of quote, it's it's eleven elevensone to eleven eleven. Yeah. Lyle
(11:48):
had figured out the apartment number,but he still didn't know the address.
He left the boys inside and Lisableeding on the floor as he ran out
into the hallway to find a neighbor. All sad, where's here? Now?
(12:13):
Right now? Right now, rightnow? He shot him in the
(12:37):
head. Home, Lyle said Chadwas the killer, not Ashley. Chad
had shot the sisters. Now hewas gone on foot. Lyle ran back
to Lisa and cradled her bloody head, trying to keep her alert until help
(12:58):
arrived. In the next clip,you can hear Lisa murmuring and trying to
stay alive. He'll carry on sure. Hello, hello, Hello, hello
(13:33):
hello. When the police arrived atthe Rutgers apartment, they quickly removed the
two young boys from the scene andLisa was taken to the hospital. Lyle
went outside with the police. Hewas sweating and out of breath. His
(13:54):
blue pants were covered in blood.He looked at the officer and said,
get ready, I want you towrite down exactly what happened and who did
it. It was Chad Absher.The police ran Chad's name through the computer
system and started pulling up pictures.As soon as Chad's face appeared on the
screen, Lyle yelled, that's themotherfucker. That's the one who did it.
(14:20):
I know it. The police putout a bolo for Chad and made
Lyle sit in the back of apatrol car. But that's when Lyle became
irate. He refused to tell theofficers his full name and started screaming,
I just saw my girlfriend get shot. Why am I here? Fuck you?
I will not answer any questions.Tonight. Police are searching for the
(14:43):
man wanted in connection with the murderof a woman and the shooting of her
sister. Your family members tell usthat he is the ex boyfriend of Ashley
Rocker. Police will weave thirty twoyear old Chad Absher is armed and dangerous.
When police processed the crime scene,they could not find the rifle shell
casings lay all over the floor.A closet had been destroyed and the shelves
(15:07):
were smashed to the ground. Astruggle had clearly taken place before the murder,
but still no one knew exactly whathad happened in that apartment. None
of the neighbors had witnessed anything exceptfor Lyle running outside for help. They
all heard the gunshots. This wasa big apartment building with many residents and
(15:31):
what it's surprised you to know intwenty twenty three that only one neighbor called
nine one guess I won't as locationin the emergency here. I believe somebody
I put them up short, Okay, Peter people And was it a male
(15:52):
a female? I'm not sure.Okay, do you know the scyc of
the succycle slide from I don't know. Any day, Michael I was in
the room from my cousin. Justthe whole state of Florida was looking for
Chad Absher. His face was sharedon every news station every hour Lisa was
(16:15):
in the hospital and expected to makea full recovery and goodness, despite being
shot through the jaw and neck.She was unable to speak, of course,
but she could write just like Lyle. She used her pen and paper
to tell the cops that Chad wasthe one who shot her and her sister.
(16:38):
It took less than forty eight hours, but police caught Chad a short
time ago. Police responded to anindividual that call police saying that they thought
Chad Apsher was inside a residence inthe fifty four hundred block of one hundred
and eighteenth Street. When police respondedto the scene, we also fully the
(17:00):
same information and SWAT was called outto the scene and we are glad to
say after some talk and after somediscussion, he has come out of the
house and he is now in policecustody. After running for days, Chad
finally showed up at his buddy's house. As soon as we put it out
to the media yesterday, we wereactually overwhelming tips. I mean people were
(17:21):
calling in someone that may have lookedlike him, and then we were getting
specific tips from people that knew him. Hey he may hang out he or
hey he may be here. Wewere following them all up, and we're
just glad that the community came forward. They really stepped up with this and
called in those tips. And thereason he's off the street right now.
You were starching this area yesterday hingor at eighteenth Street, and I guess
no one was here. Did youbelieve there was a girlfriend, a friend
(17:44):
somewhere he was holding up the houseis someone who's an acquaintance of him.
That person who was in the housetold us that when he woke up this
morning, he was inside his house. He has known him from the past.
He's known to him, so itwasn't like he just broke into a
stranger's house. Is somewhere he hasgone before. It has been so that's
how he ended up there. Sowhere he was from the time the shooting
(18:06):
happened until this morning when the malblesoupand he was at his house because we
don't know. According to the policereport, the SWAT team used a robot
to get into the house where Chadwas. The robot had a camera and
speaker inside, so once the policewere able to see Chad in the house
pacing around with a rifle in hishands, detectives spoke to Chad through the
(18:29):
robot's speaker. Gotta say, thisis a pretty weird world we're all living
in now. Can you imagine beingarrested by a robot? The robot told
Chad to put the gun down andcome out with his hands up, Probably
not in the cool way that RoboCopused to do, but you know,
we'll get what we get. Hekept insisting that he didn't kill Lisa and
(18:55):
Ashley, but after some protesting,he placed the gun down down on the
bed and walked outside as he wastold, Well, we're glad. It's
a horrific isn't Hammond? Him shootingthese two women and killing one and now
another one has to deal with thattragedy of her sister being killed. But
(19:15):
we're glad he's off the street.He can't victimize anybody else. Chad was
in rough shape when he sat downfor his police interview. His forehead was
banged up and scratched. He hadmarks on his back. He was wearing
dirty pants. He looked pretty muchlike dog shit. Hey, yes,
(19:36):
sir, we wouldn't grab some burgers. Got a whopper here you want it?
Yah? Yeah, I'll work howmeans I appreciate hell, not a
problem. You think a you mostawith it or something? I wash my
hands. Honestly, you got somekind of Let me see what I can
do on that. Okay, I'mgonna bring some handgel or something real quick.
You go with that and a nascularout. Okay, you established in
(19:57):
you will some side water to drink? Chad? Have you guys? Yeah?
Have you got to get a sodaor something? All right? To
thank Hi. After getting Chad hissoda and hand sanitizer, they got down
to business, digging into who Chadis dream right, Yes, he used
(20:17):
to make a little bit of money. I can't all of new ship.
Yeah. How do your school justcomplete its high school? Yeah? Chad
didn't have an education. He couldbarely read or write, but he still
managed to run his own landscaping business. But things weren't going so well.
(20:41):
Chad took xanax to sleep every night, and adder all and percocet to keep
him alert every day. He drankquite a bit. He had a son
from a previous relationship, but hedidn't see him much in the last two
years. I got some produces,you got some information for us. I
want to tell us some things aboutwhat's going on and what happened and kind
(21:03):
of your side of things to helpus understand what happened? Can you kind
of just go through the last twentyfour hours of men kind of tell me
what happened and what's going on?And it's like, yeah, beat up
a little bit. I don't knowwhere you all are right really in all
this? Right? One? Okay? For two? What can I do
to help you understand where we're at? What do you what do you want
to Where can I start to getto get to that point? I mean,
(21:26):
ultimately we're here talking about this iswhat you happened the department over there?
I say, what happened? Imean ultimately that's what this is about.
Ultimately something happened over there, AndI've got some pieces of a story,
but there's a lot of bit differentparts of it, you know,
I'm trying to figure it out.So they started at the top, who
are you dating? Now? Whowas? Just? Who's your girlfriend?
(21:47):
After the girl you had the babywith? Christina? Christina? They call
Ashley? Right, Okay, howlong are you going hear it together?
Yeah? So y'all got off andon for a while. There is that
kind of what it was or whatI mean not at first. Hell,
he verse, I ain't never hada woman taking me on a cruise.
I've never been on a cruise.Okay, we get together, we go
(22:07):
on a cruise, and I meanhe's like, hell yeah, all right,
yeah, favor it was her someonewho worked Okay, cool trip,
shit man, Yeah, yeah,it was all just a bait lines slinker.
Chad was painting himself in a strangelight and creating a picture that made
(22:30):
Ashley up to be a rich ladywith deep pockets, and he was just
an innocent sugar baby. Ashley hada good job as a medical assistant,
but she wasn't wealthy by any means. She worked hard to provide for her
son and save money by living withher sister. There was a sister too
that had to be took care of. Here's that what he said. Okay,
(22:55):
so part of the package, Yeah, was over her. A lot
of jealousy issues and shit, youknow between the two sisters. Yeah,
I don't really know what they ever, so likely with each other kind of
thing or like jealous of the timeyou were spending with her. Yeah,
(23:17):
so she was. It was aboutit was above man. It was like
it was a fucking mild mind ridelike constantly. But Chad said that most
of the bickering between himself and Ashleyhad to do with the fact that he
had a son from a previous relationship. Was that what most yells bicker rule
was about, it is your son? What was your other stuff? Well?
(23:41):
How hard she went up me aboutthat or deal? You know?
It kind of made me kind ofwonder, like, well, what day
you got going on? You knowwhat I mean? He was gonna send
in the beginning or was this morein her recent Chad said that the son's
mother was the one that had warnedhim about Ashley my baker's mom. She
(24:03):
wanted to do our lady's mother.It's hard to say that. Sorry,
you still have a good relationship withyour child's mother. I mean considering,
yeah, she this whole she toldhim when I first got one. I'm
sure. Yeah, they used tobe your girlfriends at a little a little
(24:30):
I get the part where it's it'shard. I mean, you got you
got mixed families with kids, yougot things going on, there's all kind
of craziness, you know, yougot the relationships are hard to begin with.
At the end of the day,you can't be. I mean,
we're not the same. The copswere really hamming it up to make Chad
think they were on his side.They really do put on quite the show
(24:53):
to me. I think he's awoman's world of control. You know,
they got the power. I mean, at the end of the day,
they control things. But yeah,it drives us the same. But yeah,
at the same time, we can'tlive up for guys, we get
it. Chad admitted that his relationshipwith Ashley was far from perfect, but
he skirted any blame and swept itover to someone else. He was just
(25:18):
the innocent party in this whole situation. Lisa was a pesky, jealous sister.
Ashley had issues with his ax,so he barely saw his son.
They're out of nowhere. Chad saidhe slept with Lisa, which kind of
complicated the situation. Well, henever like they did, you know?
(25:41):
But good, I guess you youngBook's term of it. What would you
call it? Kid? All right? He did? Did I actually know
that? I don't know. Thisis when detectives gave Chad a much need
a dose of reality. There's apictures her her beat up pretty good,
(26:03):
so as that we're talking about yether at the rossphol and everything right,
all right, those pictures are gettingput up big Yeah, I got it,
got all kind of blowed all allout of different wax and all that
ship. When it actually happened,we was out there on Beaver Street.
Okay, you can actually uh yeah, going up look at it. Probably
(26:23):
probably you know, I mean,I probably can't. I have a have
a chance review that reything to tell. I mean, if you know Amanda
goes to the does that to her? What hell? Am I going here
and to the hospital and I'll sithere with you for I'm sitting in the
mother and I realized the cowboald downis like wait a minute, bro,
(26:45):
this ain't look this ain't seeming righthere, you know what I mean?
Because I could tell the body languageand how it's like and the annoy the
officer kind of looking and all likewait, oh you playing, Oh you've
playing? So she was playing gameswith that part? Yeah yeah, man,
what she didn't do it? No, It was this is where things
(27:07):
started to fall apart for Chad.Prior to his arrest, the Rucker family
had shared pictures of Ashley with themedia, mainly photos Ashley herself had documented
of beatings Chad had given her.There was one infamous photograph of her in
the hospital. She had two blackeyes, as well as a bandaged nose
(27:30):
and lips. Chad is snuggling besideher in the photograph, knowing that Chad
was the one who did this toher. Ashley's family called the police when
they showed up at the hospital.Chad played innocent and Ashley did not press
charges. That's what he's mumbling aboutin the clip we just played you.
(27:56):
This seemed to be a pattern.Chad would hit ash she would confide in
someone, but when the police becameinvolved, she wouldn't file a charge.
Sadly, this is a pretty commonthing, and Chad always had an excuse
for her injuries. Her eye.She was leaving. It was a Friday
(28:18):
night, total people up there atthe damn the hospital. She tripped over
the dog, hit a motor,one of my motors on the engine stand.
But I'm going to kick her bagthat she was packing the leave you
in as she was leaning over,and that's actually what happened to her eyes.
I never put my hands on her. Chad had an excuse for every
(28:42):
bruise, but there were many witnessesto corroborate otherwise. Ashley's older sister,
Jennifer said this he wasn't just makingmy sister around a little bit. He
was meeting her like he was eatingmeat. Ashley and Lisa's father and stepmother
said they too knew about the abuseChad inflicted on Ashley. She tried to
(29:06):
get away from him, and likemost abusers, he always weaseled his way
back in through a combination of fearand manipulation. They were trying to get
away from news, climbing up balconies, tern screen doors, down on slide
glass doors, putting guns to herheads. Horrible. She's a very sick
(29:26):
man. Another time, in twentyfifteen, Chad called Lisa saying that Ashley
had gone crazy and stabbed herself inthe stomach. Chad then called the police,
saying his girlfriend had tried to killherself. While Chad was distracted with
nine one one, Ashley managed toget in her car and rushed herself to
(29:47):
the hospital, where surgeons sewed upher wounds. Concerned, the doctor asked
Ashley how this happened, noting it'salmost physically impossible for you to stab yourself
through your abdomen wall The incident wasreported as a suicide attempt, and Ashley
(30:07):
didn't argue. During one beating intwenty seventeen, Ashley called nine one.
Chad grabbed his gun and threatened tokill himself, so Ashley barricaded herself in
the bedroom and escaped at the windowwhere cops were waiting to get her to
safety. The cops reasoned with Chad, and because he had calmed down and
(30:30):
stopped making threats, they left.Even Lisa spoke out about Chad's control over
her sister. He killed someone thatloved him. My sister really loved him,
because if she didn't, she wouldhave send jail A long time ago,
but Ashley wasn't the first woman Chadabused. In two thousand and six,
(30:53):
he was arrested and served three yearsfor domestic violence and stalking after he
threatened to kill his ex girlfriend aftershe broke things off with Chad. He
began to follow her to her job, her home, and her school,
telling her he still loved her.He even used the stereotypical stalker line,
(31:17):
if I can't have you no one, Well, how completely original. This
guy's a real Chad. If youknow what I mean, Chad would call
her constantly and even cut off thehead of a teddy bear she gave him,
leaving the head on her driveway andthe body near her car at work.
(31:41):
What a sociopath. Chad's ex girlfriendfiled police reports and got a restraining
order, but that didn't stop Chad. He kept harassing her until one night.
It all came to a head afterhe showed up at her house shooting
his gun. Four bullets pierced thehome. He was arrested and then charged.
(32:07):
The police knew all of this.Chad was a felon with a record
a mile long, including a felonycharge for hitting a man with his business
truck which said Tea's Landscaping on theside the name of Chad's company. That's
how brazen this motherfucker is. Thearrest report stated that Chad drove into the
(32:31):
pedestrians so hard his mirror fell off, then yelled that's what you get for
being in the road. He waslater arrested when police found his banged up
work truck and his friend's driveway onlya few miles away. So this is
Chad absure in a nutshell, convictedfelon abuse of stalker, world class dumbass.
(32:57):
This is who the police had beensitting with for almost four hours.
Now it was time to cut thecrap and get down to what happened on
the night that Lisa and Ashley wereshot. Remember, at the top of
the episode, Chad told the courtthat the night started with a simple pizza
dinner at home. So we'll beginthere. So I'll get back from getting
(33:22):
pizza and what happened. Take sleepsHelen. Does it usually take you to
betterfect you? Probably? The fireballspeed it up. I got much food
in with stomach sometimes and then sometimesit don't really do nothing. Yeah,
it is outpens on whatever if Iguess in the mood, I man.
(33:46):
After the pizza, Chad took hisusual Xanax bar and chased it down with
a little fireball if you know whatthat is, and then he got ready
to go to bed with Ashley andher son Joseph of ah the joys of
cramped apartment living. You know,I'm just going to sleep, and next
(34:09):
thing I know, Joseph jumps outand runs out, and here Lisa and
the dude is on me and theyI don't know who, and always got
what I thought there was a thegood being the new worker. Yeah,
okay. This time, Chad saidthat Lisa and Lyle jumped him out of
(34:30):
nowhere. A struggle developed and somehowthe rifle hidden in the couch was pulled
out and fired. No details though, So actually had the gun, you
said, right, and you wentto grab it from her, which it
went off, and I grab itthe gun and turn like this and she
(34:52):
just see other fight of the gun, right and he goes off a second
though, right, So actually pullsup the first time, as far as
you know, you didn't know hillat the first shot. You grab it.
Yeah, now you're tussling grabbed itbefore went off. Yeah, we're
somewhat tussling over it. When Iwent off the first time, No,
(35:15):
he said, first time over wentoff. She shot it the first time,
right right. The second time gunjust went off. You grab it
from her now and you start fightingover the gun. Not fighting, you'll
get shot of this gun. Yougrab it to start getting away from her,
right and as this happens, shegets shot. Right. Chad said,
(35:36):
it was all just a big accident. Ashley shot Lisa. Then when
he tried to get the gun away, Ashley shot herself. But this wasn't
a handgun or a pistol. Thiswas a large nine millimeter high point carbine
rifle. This is a serious weaponthat kind of makes you a little scared
(35:59):
if you aren't familiar with the firearms. So why on earth was that hidden
in the couch of an apartment thathoused two young children? I guess,
I guess. My question is iswhy why do you keep that around?
Is it can? Yeah, letme understand that part of it. Why
why do you feel need to havea gun with you? Not a wrong
(36:19):
or right answer either. I'm justagain trying to understand why that makes sense
when I'm asking, I mean whyI'm asking it? And you accounts are
getting food and all different. Idon't know you trust usually lying to you?
Who really? I mean you neverreally. Part of my job is
investigating, And like I told youwhen I sat down, I'm not a
(36:43):
judger. I don't come in hereto make a decision of what's right or
wrong. I go in, Ilook at what happens. I'll talk to
witnesses, I look at evidence,I get the facts, I get the
supporting evidence. I need to lookat the case, and I try to
go from there. In this case, I've been able to be with them
and a lot of what you're tellingme to just ride along. But there's
a bit and pieces of it arequite right. It was more than just
bits and pieces. The story Chad'sspun seemed completely implausible because here's the ultimate
(37:09):
thing. You can see it hereand run thing you mind. Well,
you know, they're all in Caho'stogether against you. But as he said,
we weren't reute patrols and reute toy'all's place. Anyways, they get
there. One of the first thingswe do when we get there, as
we separate everybody involved, so they'renot going to have time to coaborate their
(37:31):
stories, okay, and at theend of the day, I mean even
the kids. We separate the kidsfrom the parents, which is the hardest
part. Which is the hardest part. That's like a four year old kid
that as us bomb get shots,pull them away for everything in the world
of gloves and everything he cares about, and just watch some good, poor
thing and it you know, twothree o'clock in the morning, these kids
(37:52):
are half asleep and they're gonna theygive the exact same story as Lisa and
the two boys, same story I'lltell you this. You said that ash
is a manipulator that you know,Lisa's her sisters. She's probably half fullshit.
(38:15):
Sometimes I get that law. Wedon't know him from anybody else,
you know what, Maybe they're lying, but what doesn't happen. We don't
bring four year old or nine yearolds down here and ask them what happens
to mine and they don't come inhere and lie because they don't. They
don't have that nature yet they're not. They're innocent kids. They're innocent kids
that don't know any better than they'reso brutally awesome to everything that it's the
(38:37):
thing that the truth comes out oftheir mouth. That's right. The two
boys watched everything happen. The innocent, blameless children of Ashley and Lisa saw
the whole thing. What were theydoing, you know, they're in a
house and they're watching things go crazy. That's the worst part of this day.
That's that's anything that happened. Thisone was that kissed me off,
(38:57):
where anything else is. These kidshad to watch the happened. You know,
both of them went to the factthat they're watching their moms plead out
in the middle of the living room. They're covering in blood, they're walking
around with death and on. Butuh, what they had on all?
Joseph Pennel was prevon we're towle writing. I thinks we had on money.
He wasn't wearing anything. I mean, it's when I get there and I
see these kids, it burned myheart. You gotta help me out with
(39:19):
this thing. Man, you gotta, you gotta tell me the whole story.
Man, You've gotta You've gotta laythis out for me and let me
understand where we're at, because Idon't want these kids have to tell the
story again. But tugging on Chad'sheart strings don't work. Either the strings
had been frayed and snapped decades ago, or he didn't have any to begin
with. And no, I gottamy boy, And I'm not taking a
(39:45):
rap for some ship that a man. Yeah, I've told them when I
started back coming to her did I'mnot taking a hit for nobody else No
more. I'm told it mother thatYeah, So that was it. Chad
was going to make Ashley Son tellthe story of what really happened the night
he watched his mother die. Thistime, the entire nation would be watching
(40:09):
this time, Chad would not havea hamburger to snack on while two cops
pretended to take his side, He'dbe on the witness stand with nothing but
his lies to comfort him. SistersLisa and Ashley Rucker had been shot in
(40:50):
the head in their apartment after afight broke out between the girls and Ashley's
boyfriend, Chad Absher. Chad hadfled the apartment after the shooting, leaving
Ashley dead and Lisa clinging to life. Chad had been arrested and charged with
the murder, but he was stickingto his story. Ashley shot Lisa,
(41:12):
then accidentally shot herself. He wascompletely innocent. There were four witnesses in
the home that night, Ashley's sonJoseph, Lisa's son Colton, Lisa,
herself, and Lisa's boyfriend Lyle,but all three of the boys weren't in
the living room when the gun wasfired. Lyle was testy with police on
(41:37):
the night of the murder, butafter Chad was arrested, he opened up
to the media about what he sawthat night. Lyle said that both couples
were in their bedrooms, then heheard a knock on Lisa's bedroom door.
Her son came being in on thedoor. You say, Lyle, he's
smoking my mom. He's choking mymom. Lisa and Lyle ran into Ashley's
(42:00):
room. Chad was on top ofAshley. His meaty hands were wrapped so
tightly around her neck. Her facewas turning purple. Lisa screamed she was
going to call the cops, andChad jumped off Ashley and lunged at Lisa.
He then put his hand on Lisa. I rushed him, and I
(42:21):
knocked him out and knocked him intothe closet. He was out cold.
I'm telling everyone we need to go. Lisa literally is guiding me down the
stairs. When we get down tothe bottom of the stairs, Lisa's like,
my sister still of stairs, mysister still upstairs. Don't leave,
loud, Please don't leave, Pleasedon't leave me. I said, look,
Lisa, I'm not going nowhere.I'm not going anywhere at all.
(42:43):
Get them, we will get intowe'll get a hotel, whatever we have
to do. Lisa goes back upstairs, and not even twenty seconds later,
I hear the first gunshot, andI hear a scream, and then I
hear another gun shot. Soon Lisawas well enough to speak to the media
too. She had a tracheotomy andspoke by placing her finger to cover a
(43:05):
hole in her throat. Now Ithought I was gonna die. I did.
I saw him with the gun.He shot me, and then I
heard her scream, and I whenI heard her scream and everything was black,
I saw a light. It lookedlike it was like blue and white
in the corner of my eye,and it felt like I was hauling and
(43:28):
drowning at the same time. Atthat point, after heard the gunshots,
I went to the stairwell next tome, and I crouched down, and
I'm looking up at the stairwell andI see Chad acts at the stairwell and
put a gun in his waist andzip his jacket up. But I saw
my sister laying on the ground,and the boys were running back and horse
and her and I saying, pleasedon't die. I dropped to my knees
(43:52):
and I'm holding Ashley's head in myhand and I'm holding her and I'm holding
Leas's hand and I'm telling Lisa,you need to fight Chinessa to be strong,
and like I'm hysterically crying, I'mkissing Ashley only head. I know
she's already dead. I had heardhim say before that he was going to
kill us all, but he alsowould say things like, no one's ever
(44:16):
going to touch y'all. You know, he would act like he would protect
us, so you know, Inever thought that he would actually shoot us.
Ashley was only thirty years old whenChad killed her. Lisa was twenty
eight. It took five years forthe case to go to trial. Lisa
(44:37):
had made great strides in her recoveryand looked like a completely different woman when
she entered the courtroom to face hersister's killer. The case had made waves
in the public, and though everyonebelieved Chad was guilty, there was still
the question of why, why onthis night did things escalate to murder?
(45:00):
Soon, the public would have answers. Chad's strategy in court was similar to
a large Egyptian river denial. Hedidn't do anything. Ashley was the shooter,
and Lyle started the fight out ofnowhere, just like the cops feared.
(45:20):
Ashley's son took the stand to testifyabout what he saw that night.
Joseph was fourteen now, and he'dbeen living in New Jersey with his father
since Ashley was murdered? Yes?And Arson, do you can you have
(45:42):
a memory of what happened to yourYes? Were you able to sleep through
the night on to her? Thirtyfirst one? Seven? Now? And
when not? Because of what happened? Just like Lyle had told the media,
Joseph recalled how Chad started king Ashleyon the bed, so he ran
to get help from Lisa. Anddid you go okay? Yes? And
(46:08):
is that because the printed with Lendoover home? Yes? And who did
you go get over Lisa? Thefight between adults migrated into the living room
while Colton and Joseph hid in Lisa'sroom. Did you hear anything moving on
outside of the Desbrod Yes? Whatdid you care? Do you who says
(46:35):
you were hearing Lisa the wrong cheDid you hear while at all of that
zone? I don't think so.Did you hear something else to Joe?
Yes? What did you hear?No? Shocks? What happened after you
heard that shocks? Room? Whodid you see your list? Then?
(46:59):
Line? Let me say, didyou say that Lisa? Did you show
m Yes? What did you seeabout your long her dead? Next?
Lisa got up on the stand thejagged's scar on her jaw was an obvious
(47:21):
battle wound from the night she losther sister. Lisa said that she,
Lyle, and Colton returned to thecondo around eight pm. Everyone eight pizza,
but it was clear that Chad andAshley had been arguing. Well,
your sister and the party at theYes and Jar see your arguing about her
(47:46):
parties was a car. The sisterhad a La Mercedes. You're sister round
parties at yes and then Yes whenhe did your sister eventually Yes. Ashley
(48:07):
and Chad had been fighting over hercar. He wanted the keys and she
refused. After he finally gave themback, she hid them on her person
when he wasn't looking. When thepolice processed her dead body later that evening,
they found the keys nestled in herbra. Lisa's story was consistent with
(48:31):
Joseph's. She was the most credibleliving witness. She had known Chad for
years. She was sober on thenight of the murder, unlike Chad,
who had been taking his usual nightcapof fireball, whiskey and xanax. After
Joseph screamed for help, Lisa andLyle went into Ashley's room. Now to
(48:57):
your sister's that what was that?My sister is laying on the bed.
Chad is kind of sitting on theedge of the bed next to her,
and do you say anything? Ibelieve Mile said sitting work with your hands
(49:22):
a woman and Chad got out withmy sister jumped out of the bed and
round the room. I got inbetween Chad and Lyle and grabbed my nephew's
sell them And that was at theend of my sister's bed and looked at
(49:43):
the Chad and told him I wascalling nine on one. And the defendant
pushed you. Yes, out ofthe way, Yes, did a lot
of out of that, you know. I spoon as he pushed me while
I started hitting him. Did youyou want one? I did? No,
No, I don't want Okay,what's going on there? And then
(50:10):
an occupation I think someone believe theywill not get out of my apartment.
No, mother, not keep gettingif you're a call. You were repeatedly
saying no bone, no Why bothviol and Tea were telling me to hand
up the phone. It also maskedabl drows an alcohol about three. Why
(50:34):
do you say no to that?I thought, just the phone home and
being Japanie, but I didn't doit. No, did you ask the
defensively multiple times? Did your sisterask defensively multiple times? At this time?
Was the defendant an unadvided person?Yes, Chad wasn't supposed to be
(50:59):
at the Rucker House that night.He and Nashley were broken up. He
had weaseled his way back, tryingto use her car like a typical deadbeat
boyfriend. Now after he made uscall, what happened? So there I
(51:20):
phone call. I had to walkaway because there was a film. I
need to hang up the phone.So I walked back, changed my sister's
edom and Lyle and chat or youngMat shutter my whole chat that I called
the police and police are on theirway. That he needed to leave.
That's when he pushed me and thefight started. Let me see if I
(51:45):
started between you Lyle on chat andthen the fight starts. We're thinking about
the diagram, say seven ten,was there any area between your sister Venom
and that hallway? Guess me,right in her doorway basically, and then
also too where we selady are Lenningcloset, you know, Sam, That's
(52:06):
where the fight ended. Chatto wasbasically he was beat down into the Lenning
closet. Now, how did thefight between the defendant and a lile hind?
My sister came to the edge ofthe home, away from the lighting
(52:27):
room and told me to stop thefight because Chadi had done Did you tell
a lot of that? Yes?And did aw stop by a chat?
Yes. Ashley was the only onewho knew about the rifle chatted hidden in
the couch. Yeah, I'm kindof walking back and we're talking to Ashley
(52:50):
and Lyle. Once I held Lyleat the that Chad had done file downstairs.
I went for him to make surethat he was okay, and he
told me to go back and checkingmy sister. I went out upstairs,
and that's when I saw Chad waswalking in the circle around the condo.
(53:15):
Basically, I thought it was pacingthis. You justest in a fight,
you know, blowing off seat.That's what I thought. Lisa went back
upstairs to check on everyone. Theboys were still in her bedroom after all,
and that's when things got worse.I thought that the police were coming
and they would be there in aminute. The boys would eventually need to
(53:39):
come out of my bedroom, soI grabbed some clean stuff from underneath the
kitchen cabinet and started cleaning the wellthe floor and there was a drop to
help him the clean yes, andshe helped. We separated the limb post
what has along it, but didn'thave a lot now she finished me on
(54:01):
the blood No W, howdo myhe refereal vision? I was watching Chad
and he walked to her by bedroomdoor and I thought that he was gonna
go into my bedroom. So Iwas a day him and he had passed
(54:23):
my bedroom to bar in her livingroom to brads W. I was from
behind my chair cushion. Are youthe longer Anthony finding out the world?
Guess me? Okay, that's athe gun from my hide chair cushion.
I looked straight at him, onlythe guy at me, and he said,
(54:43):
so that's how it is, Lisa, did you say it? I
don't remember. Did your sister saying? I believe she said, don't think
that at her. That's why Iremember. He pointed the guy at me
and I didn't. He was one. She decide to turn my head down.
And as soon as I went toturn everything with black Star story all
(55:09):
that year was the ringing. Icouldn't see anything. I was in it
out of consciousness, release a oneabout here? So that was it?
A fight over car keys escalated,the one woman dead and her sister critically
(55:30):
injured. Chatted the audacity to takethe stand. He relayed the same story
he did for the police, perhapsthinking he was going to trick them and
manipulate them like he had this formergirlfriend. The prosecutor was having none of
(55:50):
it. Karen and love Joseph likeyour own son. Correct. However,
he left is another work dead,and you left Lisa her dead dead too.
You thought Lisa was dead too,didn't you? In that you thought
(56:12):
you were going to leave no witnessesdidn't and you thought they would both dead,
and you you led out that conqueroror off Juber thirty first, didn't
he therefore leading no witnesses to whatyou did? Correct? Chad tried to
explain to the jury how exactly Ashleyshot Lisa then managed to turn a nineteen
(56:39):
inch long rifle on herself. Hegot up and did a big pantomime of
all of his lies. But theholes were too easy to poke in this
story. You talked about spinnering right, spin room matter that you even stepped
down. Today you show us aboutspinner around with the gun. Correct,
(57:00):
yes, okay, So how didthat spin around a her? And that
small little area there, It lookssmall from this angle, but it's not
a small area. We'll atch yourcharger. You just answer my questions.
Yes man, that's not a bigarea. Is there's plenty of room for
(57:20):
her that do occur? Okay?You agree that there's no partners or disturbed
too, correct, yes man?Okay, So there is nothing around that
area that showed the struggle over agun of her. Correct. Well,
that never say it was a struggle. You never said it was a struggle.
Okay, But didn't you say thatyou all were struggling over the gun.
(57:44):
She didn't wanna let to go aboutit wasn't she wouldn't. We wouldn't
like tustle and fight me your littlegun. She just well, she told
her gun and then when I twisted, I ran. But your your megger.
Never tolust your trigger. And that'swhat you told us, right,
yes man. So she shot herselfwith that rifle in the back of her
head, going pottentionally, she shotherself and the back of the head with
(58:07):
their rifle. Correct, okay,And how did that happen? How did
she shoot her something the back ofthe head with their rifle. Chad couldn't
explain it because it was the dumbestlie ever told. I'm seriously surprised that
his defense team went along with it. Didn't these people graduate from law school.
(58:30):
The prosecutor held up a yardstick forChad and the jury, demonstrating how
physically impossible it would be for Ashleyto shoot herself in the back of the
head with a rifle in case justsaying that out loud isn't obvious enough.
You agree that my finger only goesto the ends to where the barrel will
be correct, and it would beeven harder if it's in the back of
(58:55):
my head correct for me to reach. Do you agree that I can't even
reach it? Would do it?Were you again? Okay, so I
got in the back of your headand I'm reaching. I can't even reach
Canna. So how in the worldwould Ashley pulled trigger and shoot herself in
(59:21):
the back of the head. Idon't know. I didn't say that because
it didn't happen that way. Didn'teven though physically it's not possible, that
physic possible. You're using the yardstate where are we going into it?
In court? Chad was rude,defensive, and arrogant. Even with his
(59:44):
own female lawyer. He strutted offthe witness stand like a proud gorilla.
Was he really dumb enough to thinkat any one of those jerors would find
reasonable doubt in the prosecution. Well, if he did, he was wrong,
because they sure didn't. The Floridabirds. Chad Asher ask, cant
(01:00:06):
one we the jury finding defended guiltyof orthree murdered as charged in the day,
We'd rather find the feeling was premeditated. We'd rather find the feeling What
does during the commission or attended thecommission of a felonies to wit attended first
degree premeditated birth? Ask the counttoo, We the durayminded defended guilty of
attended worth pre premeditated murder and askcharge in the day We've got to defend
(01:00:29):
a discharged bar causing death or verybottling car during the commission of the effen
Chad was guilty. Lisa then spoketo the court. If a person can
sit five years in jail and haveall that time to think about what they
have done, but they come intothe four room with lies and false intend.
I simply cannot believe that I askedany n pars for what he has
(01:00:50):
done. Fire alone. I lovebecause Chad took the last person that I
could go to for advice, forhelp, for understand for love, holidays
alone because the last namely. Thejudge gave Chad Abstra two life sentences and
(01:01:12):
fifteen extra years for possessing a firearmas a convicted felon. After his sentence
was handed out, Chad turned andblew kisses to Lisa and the jurors.
Lisa spoke to the media outside thecourt. I am glad that he got
the maximum sentence that was allowed.Now no one will ever possibly be hurt
(01:01:37):
by him again. The family stoodtogether outside while the media watched. They
read a poem Ashley loved, thenreleased butterflies into the sky in her honor.
(01:02:10):
Chad Absher was simply just a badperson, a true monster. I'm
sure you've probably met a few peoplelike him in your life. He thought
he was above the law and thathe could control any woman who entered his
life, whether he was stalking anex girlfriend, beating Ashley's face in running
(01:02:36):
over a pedestrian with his truck,or lying to the entire world in a
court of law, it didn't matter. Chad was the kind of person who
felt no remorse for anyone. Henever shed a tear at Ashley's murder trial.
He just looked over at her family, the family that he destroyed,
(01:03:00):
blew them all a kiss. Ashley'sfamily all wanted her to get away from
Chad. Her father, her siblings, and even her uncle's tried to tell
her that the only road this relationshipwould lead to was death. They knew
Chad was dangerous, and he hadproven it time and time again every time
(01:03:23):
he beat Ashley and then posted aphoto of her on Facebook. Ashley's family
members called the cops on Chad manytimes, but charges, for some reason,
were never pressed. The point isthat everyone in Ashley's life tried to
get Chad away from her. EvenAshley herself tried to get away from him,
(01:03:49):
but he was persistent. He wasmanipulative, he was controlling, and
he always managed to get back toher, soften her up, and make
her take him back in. Therewas no stopping him. Chad was pure
evil and he didn't care about anyoneelse but himself. We'll never know why
(01:04:15):
Chad ended up the way he did. But what we do know is that
he is finally where he deserves tobe, alone in prison. Hopefully life
behind bars is as cruel to himas he was cruel to Ashley and the
rest of the women unfortunate enough tocross his path. Maybe he'll learn what
(01:04:42):
remorse actually is. But something tellsme that he lacks the capability to harness
such emotions, because that's what areal monster is. That does it for
another episode of Sword and Scale.If you are with a violent partner,
(01:05:04):
do not accept the unacceptable. Youare loved and there is help out there
called the National Domestic Violence Hotline atone eight hundred seven nine nine seven two
three three and please stay safe.Well that's gonna do it. Thank you
(01:05:40):
for joining us. If you wanta shirt or a hat or some other
kind of cool stuff, check outour store store dot Sword and Scale dot
com. Stay safe. Hey,I started listening to your podcasts at episode
(01:06:20):
one and I currently own the episodeone sixty eight. I liked what you
said about not talking to the top, but because of an incident that my
son had at school, I tellparents all the time, keep your children
not to talk to the school people. The principal, assistant principal, teachers,
(01:06:43):
shut up and call your parents.Anything a child says to a principal
or school teachers can be used canafford a lass, even though they're miners.
If they call that they say,say call my parents, and then
the parents hit there and the policecome. The police have to have the
parents presents talk to Myers. Schooldoes not tell your children shut up and
(01:07:10):
have them called me. Don't talkto them because just like you look at
a your innocence keeps from in trouble
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