When Don and Rachelle arrived at the house, police did, too and shared the devastating news: the van found smoldering in the woods some 40 miles away from their home -- was, in fact, Lauri's. (Don't get me wrong, the others that were convicted deserved everything they got). Eventually, however, police elicited a confession from Jason. And she's right there with me all the time. Rachelle also alleged to Jason that her mother was verbally and physically abusing her because of her choices in clothes, boyfriends, and her recent liking of Wicca. Low 29F. And Rachelle would find the same to be true in her own family. ", Daughter charged along with two others in mother's slaying. He forced her to drink wine so she would be intoxicated, then put her bound into her car's backseat. Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. The Alaska Court of Appeals ruled in February to deny the appeal of a Craig woman who was found guilty of negligent homicide for actions that led to her mothers murder in 2004. The Murder of Lauri Waterman. Join Facebook to connect with Rachel Waterman and others you may know. Rachelle Waterman was in court a few weeks agoto find out when shell serve her time. Chelle Waterman. Many years ago, Craig, Alaska was known as a safe, tight-knit community where residents often left their doors unlocked at night. I think there's people saying "guilty," but they had the reasonable doubt in their minds.Larson: Yeah.Kasberg: I think a lot of people were there. A darker side - revealed in an Internet blog Rachelle called "My Crappy Life., "Don't you hate it when the little pieces of sh-- pile up to the point you're at the breaking point, and you want to scream and cry at the same time.". Hi, Im a 30-something true crime writer & storyteller. Last night my mom went psycho b- on me. If the decision is overturned, a grand jury will have to determine whether new charges should be handed down. John Larson, Dateline correspondent: If everything had gone perfectly, how would this story have played out? Rachelle approved of the murder of her mother and admits that when she said she tried to call it off -- she was telling another lie. At the time police say the killing occurred, Rachelle Waterman was apparently playing in a volleyball tournament in Anchorage, Alaska. But with no verdict, the family's wounds remain open and their questions remain about Rachelle's involvement. It didn't take police long to suspect that Radel Arrant or both men had something to do with the murder. ANCHORAGE, Alaska A jury Thursday convicted a 22-year-old woman of criminally negligent homicide in a case that alleged she arranged to have two men kill her mother more than six years ago. And an hour into her questioning, Rachelle's story and her attitude began to change. During the night, a call came in: a local man named Doc Waterman reported his wife, Lauri Waterman, was missing. Arrant: I said, Well yeah, it's uh, we did it; it's done. And she asked what happened to the minivan and I said it had been burned, it was completely destroyed. Where Is Rachelle Waterman Now? He eventually told authorities his best friend, 24-year-old Brian Radel had murdered Lauri. McPherron: You didn't do a very good job of stopping them, did you?Rachelle: Well, maybe I should not ever be on a debate team.Sgt. 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Curiously, there was no sign of forced entry. Rachelle went to trial in January 2006. Rachelle claimed that she had told Jason about the abuses she has faced. McPherron: No, Im not pre-arranging anything; all I want her is to tell me the truth. Arrant worked as a janitor and was something of a "burnout," according to "Fatal Frontier: Evil In Alaska." And it's not helping you any. Rachelle tells the troopers she talked to the two men about seeking emancipation -- the legal equivalent of divorcing her parents. The word innocent didn't come up very often.Schwab: No. 25 stock photos on the topic rachelle waterman are available for licensing. 'People Magazine Investigates' : Who Killed Sunday School Teacher Sasha Krause? Absolutely no thought for the horror her mother endured. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.. Showers in the evening, then partly cloudy overnight. For her role in the crime, Waterman was sentenced in July of 2011 to three years in prison. Wells: Rachelle says "I would be so much better off without my mom." In the backseat was Lauris skull. But nothing could have prepared them for what came next -- the men claimed it was Lauri's teenage daughter who put them up to it. Rachelle Waterman was 16 when her two boyfriends beat her mother to death and framed the murder to look like a car wreck. Concern about the age difference led Radel to end the relationship but not before he introduced Rachelle to his friend, Jason Arrant, who was about the same age at Radel. There was hardly a soul on the island that hadnt given a juicy tidbit of gossip in an effort to catch a killer. They then considered whether their daughter, Rachelle, had any connection to the crime. Jann Martelli, Lauri Watermans sister-in-law: Lauri Martelli Waterman was the consummate mother. And when summer finally comes to Craig, temperatures will be doing well to make it up the 70 degree mark. But she is absolutely a sociopath. After dinner, she returned to an empty house. Rachelle's attorney cross-examined Jason Arrant and immediately began attacking his credibility -- beginning with his claim that Rachelle helped plan the killing, that she told him Brian could sneak into the house through a window that she used to sneak out of. On being asked, Rachelle said that her mom probably got drunk and ran off the road somewhere. Steve Wells, defense attorney: As you listen to this evidence, ask yourself: Is Rachelle Waterman an absolutely cold-blooded, psychotic monster? So thats one year and four months, thats 16 months.Since she got a three-year sentence, that means that she has to do roughly another eight months in custody unless for some reason shes not given good time.. Get notifications about news related to the topics you care about. This same report pointed out that Rachelle Waterman had mentioned suicide in her online journal. about this case. Rachelle Waterman was charged with first degree murder, conspiracy and five other counts in the killing of her mother and could face up to 99 years in prison if convicted. Brian Radel not only implicated himself, but Jason Arrant was clearly involved in the killing, too. If I don't go through with this, Im really not willing to protect Rachelle like I said I was.". The stories just didn't match. ", A report in The Ketchikan Daily News stated that, "The first seven counts of the indictment allege that all three defendants committed the crimes of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder; first-degree murder; second-degree murder; kidnapping; first-degree burglary; first-degree vehicle theft and tampering with physical evidence." Larson: Did you ever see the bruises?Radel: Yes, I did see bruises.Larson: Where were they?Radel: The ones that I saw were on her upper thighs. Alaska State Police Lt. Rodney Dial has stated that a hunter discovered Lauri Waterman's body and her burnt-out van, while driving on Forest Service Road 3012, a remote logging road, early in the afternoon of Sunday November 142004. If she had been charged with negligent homicide when she was 16, she wouldnt even have been eligible to have her case taken to adult court. After checking with neighbors, Carl learned that Lauri had skipped church that morning. Rachelle emphatically told them they were wrong, her post was simply short and to the point. Residents of Craig, Alaska were already reeling from news of a beloved mother abducted from her own home and murdered in the middle of the night, but no one could have prepared them for what came next. Rachelle was charged with first degree murder involving the death of her mother, Lauri Waterman, in 2004. And that's the part that bothered me the most. Authorities later confirmed that the allegations of abuse were unfounded. On this, they seemed to agree. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Jason then drove to a remote logging road where Brian was waiting. The Waterman family is a locally prominent, middle-upper class family. He has a look to his eye that kind of leads me to believe that he's not all there. Most of the jury was convinced Rachelle's tales of abuse had triggered the killing, and that she even knew her two friends were plotting murder, but weren't sure there was anything more to it than that. Residents of Craig, Alaska adored Rachelle's mother, Lauri, who was active in her church, worked as a teacher's aide . Hours later, hunters stumbled upon an abandoned minivan, dumped 40 miles away in the woods. Larson: Did you guys believe at all that Lauri Waterman was hitting her with baseball bats and--. Almost from the moment Lauris body was discovered, troopers focused on Rachelle as a prime suspect, regardless of rumors about Docs recent extramarital affair. But it's not gone and forgotten with us.Don Martelli, Jr.: Im pretty bitter about it and I don't know if I can forgive her. The authorities found the fingertip of a rubber glove on the floor of the master bedroom and an empty bottle of wine in the kitchen odd considering Lauri barely drank. The prosecution has appealed the judge's decision to throw out Rachelle Waterman's confession, and the indictment. The jurors struggled over the significance of the interrogation video, sorting through all those conflicting stories Rachelle told. Even though there was evidence someone had broken in, it was clearly not a burglary, so police began doing what they routinely do -- looking first at those closest to Lauri from Doc to friends like Don Pierce. Sgt. Whee! Clark also appointed a public defender to represent Rachelle, who was sent to the Juneau Department of Corrections facility. The next day, her charred body was located in a cars back seat in a remote area on Prince of Wales Island. Readers are closely scrutinizing Rachelle's online journal for clues. I dont think she wanted her mom killed.Larson: That was a hell of a mistake.Radel: Yeah. "You don't need to be a smart aleck," the interviewer said. They were parents to two children. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! AK v. WATERMAN (2006) 16-year-old Rachelle Waterman is accused of plotting with her two ex-boyfriends to kill her mother. Other charges were made against Arrant and Radel. Brian Radel was arrested on Nov. 18, 2004 and charged with murder. McPherron: That's because that was what the plan was.Rachelle: No, it's what I assumed.Sgt. Radel shaved his entire body to avoid leaving evidence behind. Lauri Waterman, a 48-year-old special education aide, wife and mother spent the evening volunteering at a Chamber of Commerce dinner. From her mother, known by everyone in town for her acts of kindness? When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. On Sunday, Nov 14, 2004 Robert Claus, now a retired Alaska state trooper, went into work at the police station in Crag only to receive a call that a hunter had found a burning van with potential human remains in it over on a logging road that was essentially in the middle of nowhere. According to Jason, he and his friend Brian were well aware of the abuse Lauri inflicted on Rachelle; at least, according to Rachelle. Rachelle also answers to Rachelle Ann Waterman, and perhaps a couple of other names. Brian is nothing but a loser who was trying to get in teenage panties. The locals will tell you there's no reason not to leave your keys in your car no need to lock your doors at night. Investigators first turned to Doc as a potential suspect, as there were rumors he'd had affairs. Anchorage's police department was called in to help, and Claus waited at the crime scene overnight to make sure no animals or weather disturbed the body. Rachelle's brother Geoffrey still has questions, but has never discussed their mother's murder with Rachelle. Pierce: Rachelle was just totally in tears. Radel broke under heavy interrogation as well and admitted that he was the one who had killed Lauri. 30 minutes into a police interrogation, she confessed. Apart from the online diary Rachelle kept, the case is also unusual because matricide committed by female minors is extremely rare. Her daughter Rachelle an honor student and athlete at the local high school was 400 miles away in Anchorage, playing in a volleyball tournament. Arrant and Radel then allegedly met at Forest Service Road 3012 at about 2:30 a.m., and Arrant followed Radel to its dead end, where Radel had driven the Waterman's van. Update the categories youd like to receive notifications about. After the failure of the latest appeal, the three-year jail sentence stood. Jason and Brian went way back as the latter later confessed in court that as teens, the pair had made a blood oath to do whatever the other needed doing. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. The jury took one week in its deliberations and returned with not guilty verdicts on first degree murder, kidnapping, burglary and attempted murder, and guilty of criminally negligent homicide. And no one would have thought much about Rachelle and Jason dating, except that Rachelles parents had higher aspirations for their daughter, and settling for an unambitious dud like Jason wasnt one of them. Rachelle Waterman poured out her feelings on her blog, where she claimed her mother abused her. In the meantime, Rachelle was sent back to prison but not for long. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. This page was last edited on 15 December 2022, at 02:16. Wells: Did Rachelle Waterman ever ask you to kill her mother?Radel: No.Wells: Did Rachelle Waterman ever tell you, I want my mom dead?Radel: No.Wells: Did she ever come to you and say, Let's figure out plans to get rid of my mom?Radel: No. Watermans attorneys argued that juveniles brains are not yet fully developed, which affects their judgment, impulse control and appreciation of consequences. Lets find out all there is to know about Brian Radel and Jason Arrant, shall we? Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. Rachelle Waterman is currently incarcerated at the Lemon Creek correctional facility, in Alaska. He broke into the Waterman home and forced Lauri to drink a bottle of wine, then drove her in her own van to a remote forest service road, where he met Arrant. Now, with her father standing by her, Rachelle would face the prosecutor and her mother's killers. Prosecutors argued early on that Rachelle played a crucial part in her mothers death, saying she led the two men to believe the mother abused Rachelle, and that Rachelle wanted her mother dead. Rachelle: Murder wasn't the first thing we came to. And then, in a classic good cop-bad cop act, the sergeant warns Rachelle the other investigator is losing his patience. Police told her they knew the answer: she had played a role in her mothers murder. Despite what she told her friends, Rachelle Waterman was neither abused nor antisocial. So he returned home and roamed aimlessly around the island with no real sense of direction. Police said Jason Arrant and Brian Radel tried to destroy the . If convicted, she was looking at a prison term of 99 years. "My whole family is going to hate me," she cried in the tape. The police suspected Jason and Brian from the beginning of their investigation. Both Jason and Brian accepted a plea deal in exchange for testifying against Rachelle and took the stand during her first trial. Lauri, 48, went missing in November 2004 and her remains were found in her minivan, which had been abandoned in the woods and set on fire. Rachelle has since been released from prison and left Alaska behind. Lauri was loved and respected in her small town, often referred to as a "saint" by most of the people who knew her. The morning after the murder, Rachelles teachers found her demeanor not normal for someone whose mother was missing. Rachelle Waterman's 60-year-old father, Carl "Doc" Waterman, is a real estate agent and serves as president of the Craig School Board. Why would a 16-year-old girl, who had just lost her mother, to murder nonetheless, write such a cold, uncaring statement so devoid of any emotion? "The remains had been almost completely destroyed by the fire," Claus told "Fatal Frontier: Evil In Alaska," airing Sundays at 7/6c on Oxygen. This page is archived, and is no longer publicly editable. Wells: This deal actually salvages your life, doesn't it?Arrant: Yes, it does. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Facebook gives people the power. Doc called his best friend and next door neighbor Don Pierce. 00:00 Rachelle Waterman was 16 when her two boyfriends beat her mother to death and framed the murder to look like a car wreck. But as the investigators dug deeper, they discovered another side of Rachelle one her family hadn't seen. View the profiles of people named Rachel Waterman. Got a correction? *Editors Note: An earlier version of this story said the appealwas denied by the Alaska Supreme Court. Despite his airtight alibi, perhaps he may have hired someone to do the deed. Other strange aspects of the scene told authorities the car hadn't crashed, but had instead been set on fire. Jason Arrant also pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was awarded a maximum of 50 years in prison with parole eligibility just after 16 years. Rachelle Waterman free on bond, pending appeal, By Becky Bohrer / Associated Press Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Tweets from https://twitter.com/newsminer/lists/fdnm-tweets, Fort Wainwright soldier charged in connection with wife's death, Three Fort Wainwright soldiers killed, one injured in Apache helicopter collision, Army identifies soldiers killed in helicopter crash, Council reviews marijuana license renewal after a violation reported, Army-wide aviation stand down issued after Fort Wainwright crash, Fairbanks man pleads guilty to harassment, Man sentenced for kidnapping and attempted sexual abuse of a minor, Attorneys present opening statements in trial of man accused of 2019 Yankovich Road slaying, Challenge accepted: Rocky Burbank's journey to competitive bodybuilding filled with extreme achievements. Other than sporadic employment, Brian roamed aimlessly, living in the moment. One of the last entries in Rachelle's journal wonders whether anyone is reading her comments (verbatim spelling): Although Waterman has not yet been convicted, sociologists and forensic psychologists are beginning to study her journal and the circumstances of her writing it. A 2006 trial ended in a hung jury. Don Pierce, friend of the Waterman family: Something she said triggered such strong emotions in Jason that he felt that he had to save her. Waterman was found guilty in a 2011 retrial of criminally negligent homicide for telling two men she had been dating that she wanted her mother dead, and then failing to warn her mother or alert authorities when she found out that the two men were, indeed, planning to kill Lauri Waterman. Arrant was then brought in for further questioning, finally admitting his full involvement. The complaint says the girl told one of the suspects when she and her father would be out of town. Arrant and Waterman will be arraigned in the District Court in Craig this morning. McPherron: You didn't do anything.Rachelle: I was scared.Sgt. Community theater, high school volleyball, and concert band werent enough. ET) on Investigation Discovery. Since then, she has served her prison term and is now a free woman. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. They had talked with the Watermans neighbors, Geoffrey Waterman, Rachelles teachers, and her classmates. She signed an agreement to be placed into the general population. Magestro also opined that "we've got a lot more fetal alcohol and drug children who are growing up, and they don't understand the consequences of some of their actions." Demars: They didn't give her any room to talk.Jones: For a 15-year-old who's scared out of her mind, they're professionals. And yet Dan Reierson: I felt she was definitely involved.Larson: Involved how?Reierson: Involved in the fact that she probably at one point did say, I want my mom dead. But you know, Ive heard my own sister say, I want my mom dead.. Both men confessed that they were involved in Lauris murder. Still, it was only after repeated interrogation that Jason broke and confessed to being involved in the murder of Lauri Waterman. McPherron: And then after you knew what had happened --Rachelle: I told them not to do it!Sgt. She lives in Florida and continues to run her blog, My Crappy Life where she touts Covid-19 conspiracies. Reportedly, Arrant dropped Radel off near the Waterman home shortly after 12:00 a.m. Sunday, November 13, 2004 (local time) where Radel proceeded to kidnap Lauri Waterman, force her into a minivan owned by the Waterman family, and kill her with a blunt object. Rachelle: Does it look like Im gonna go to jail?Wells: The only way that she could see to get that door to open was to tell them what they wanted to hear. Rachelle Waterman is 34 years old and was born on 08/26/1988. Luckily, they both quickly implicated themselves in the murder. Don Pierce, friend of the Waterman family: Even if she had been acquitted in the trial, just outright, homes where she'd been allowed to go in and parents would have welcomed her, she wouldn't be allowed in to. So its no real surprise to anyone that these two rambling men would be pals. The fire burned so hot, it stripped the paint off the van, melted the license plates. In Rachelle's trial both Brian and Jason testified. And then, they would hand the judge a message no one wanted to hear. Her husband, Carl "Doc" Waterman, was away on business. No one had seen her and she'd left no explanations. It was the same thing her family and friends wanted to know: Why? Jason testified that Rachelle told him she wanted her mother dead, and the two of them had discussed various murder plots. Lauri Waterman was suffocated after her killers failed to break her neck and make her death appear to be a drunk-driving accident. Prosecutor Steven West would try to prove that she not only wanted her mother Lauri Waterman dead but with the cooperation of two former boyfriends -- helped plot the murder. Her daughter Rachelle, trying to maintain a sense of normalcy, went to school where she shared fears that her mother was dead -- perhaps even killed in a drunk driving accident. Doc searched the town and then called police. He attacked a sleeping Lauri, bound her with duct tape, forced her to drink a bottle of wine, and threw her into the minivan. And he was willing to do anything to keep her. See Photos. And when it came to the fatal night in question, Jason testified that Rachelle not only told him how to break into the house. Due to the severity of the charges, Waterman has been waived into adult court. Radel explained he had broken into Lauri's home and abducted her, tying her up with a synthetic robe. Corrections Deputy Commissioner Portia Parker indicated that Waterman "is an adult in the eyes of the law.". Both Radel and Arrant testified against her, but the trial ended in a hung jury. Watermans lawyer, Steven Wells, says they tried to appeal the verdict, arguing that the trial shouldve been in juvenile court.