20/20: Bad Romance - Dark Waters (Revisited)
Podcast: 20/20
Host: ABC News
Episode Date: February 4, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode revisits the chilling true-crime case of Staff Sergeant Michael Severance, a respected Air Force crew chief who vanished just four months after marrying veterinarian Wendy Mae Davidson. Through family interviews, investigative reporting, and the first-ever network interview with Wendy from prison, the episode unpacks the tragic unraveling of a romance that descended into suspicion, deception, and ultimately murder. It traces Michael and Wendy's relationship from its impulsive beginnings through mounting domestic strife, Michael's mysterious disappearance, and the breathtaking police investigation into dark waters—both literal and metaphorical.
Key Topics & Discussion Points
The Personal Histories: Michael & Wendy
[01:17–05:45]
- Michael Severance grew up in small-town Lee, Maine, known for his selflessness and called "Superman" by his brother. He joined the Air Force after high school, serving multiple deployments (I: "He loved the Air Force, was doing really well." – [05:25]).
- Wendy Mae Davidson aspired to be a veterinarian from a young age. Described as driven but rebellious, she became a single mother before meeting Michael.
The Whirlwind Romance and Tensions
[05:45–09:48]
- Michael and Wendy met line dancing in Abilene, Texas, had a quick, intense relationship, and soon learned Wendy was pregnant with their son, Shane.
- They married quickly, but tensions flared: crowded living conditions, impending redeployment, and rumored substance abuse put pressure on the marriage.
- E: "At the time, I didn’t realize there was an issue. But looking back ... obviously there was a problem." – [08:13]
Michael’s Disappearance
[09:48–14:26]
- Michael vanished after an argument with Wendy, just before a planned family trip to Maine. Wendy offered conflicting accounts.
- H: "She’s saying she couldn't go to Maine because she can't find Michael ... maybe Michael went to Maine without me." – [12:27]
- Family and police recount the confusion and mounting worry as Michael remains missing, with Wendy only calling the police late in the day.
The Investigation Heats Up
[15:54–20:12]
- The case draws in San Angelo Police, Texas Rangers, and the Air Force OSI; Michael is initially classified as AWOL—a rare move for someone so invested in the military.
- Suspicion grows as Wendy's computer search history reveals she researched "body decomposition."
- H: "When they looked in that computer, they found out she’d looked to see about body decomposition." – [19:38]
The Shocking Confession and Recovery
[20:12–29:04]
- Surveillance leads authorities to a pond at Four Sevens Ranch, where Wendy had spent suspicious amounts of time.
- Confronted, Wendy tells her family she found Michael dead and, in a panic, disposed of his body. Her brother calls the police.
- Wendy details how she loaded Michael’s body (while her two sons slept in the cab) and dumped him in the pond with cinder blocks.
- E: "I put the cinder blocks on these handles and pushed it down the hill ... as soon as the cardboard box hit the water, it disintegrated." – [27:43]
The Forensic Bombshell: Not Drowning, Not Stabbing—Poison
[29:04–33:39]
- Michael’s body is found with 41 post-mortem stab wounds—Wendy claims she stabbed the corpse to "let gases escape."
- Toxicology reveals Michael died from a lethal combination of drugs (phenytoin, pentobarbital, and phenobarbital)—all substances used for euthanizing animals, accessible to veterinarians.
- H: "We are very confident that the cause of death was due to the combined toxicity of three drugs ... It was not the stab wounds." – [29:21]
- Investigators find doctored clinic records and evidence of drug theft in Wendy's veterinary office.
Wendy’s Changing Stories and Legal Turning Points
[32:18–36:38]
- Wendy switches her claims: first blaming a family member, then suggesting Michael overdosed by his own hand, though experts dispute this.
- The defense tries to exclude GPS tracker evidence, but the judge rules it admissible due to the different rules governing military investigations.
- I: "It isn’t the San Angelo police who put the tracker on the car. It’s OSI and they operate under different rules and regulations." – [36:14]
The Legal Resolution—and Aftermath
[36:47–39:51]
- Facing damaging evidence, Wendy pleads "no contest" to murder and tampering with evidence, receiving 25 years in prison—a sentence Michael’s family finds heartbreakingly inadequate.
- B: "She should have got life. The death penalty would have been fine with me. I don’t understand." – [38:34]
- Michael is buried with military honors. His son Shane is raised by Wendy’s family. Wendy claims not to have seen her children since they were very young.
Reflections, Collateral Damage, and Final Words
[39:51–42:05]
- The victim’s pain lingers, tragically affecting not just Michael’s family, but his children and community.
- G: "I didn’t just lose my brother. Dad didn’t just lose his son. Shane didn’t just lose his father. The world ... lost one of the most decent human beings ever. For what?" – [39:33]
- E: "I did what I did. I think that I made a bad choice ... but I still didn’t kill him. What I did was horrible. There’s no excuse." – [40:44]
- Authorities remain convinced of Wendy’s sole guilt.
- J: "I can speak to the fact that 100% certainty that we found no evidence that anybody else but Wendy Davidson was responsible for Michael's murder." – [41:25]
- Wendy remains in prison, denied parole as of 2019, and is eligible again in 2024.
Notable Quotes & Timestamps
-
"He was always there when I needed him."
– G (Michael’s brother), [03:30] -
"I want my side of the story ... heard. I want people to know what did and didn’t happen."
– E (Wendy Mae Davidson), [02:33] -
"No one other than Wendy knows exactly what happens next. But one thing is for sure, Mike will never be heard from again."
– D (Narration), [08:52] -
"When they looked in that computer, they found out she’d looked to see about body decomposition."
– H (Investigator commentary), [19:38] -
"So your two boys are in the car seats in the truck. And in the flatbed is your husband who’s dead?"
"Yes, unfortunately, yes, that’s the truth."
– D & E (Wendy), [27:25–27:32] -
"We are very confident that the cause of death was due to the combined toxicity of three drugs ... it was not the stab wounds."
– H (Medical Examiner), [29:21] -
"She should have got life. The death penalty would have been fine with me. I don’t understand."
– B (Michael’s father), [38:34] -
"I didn’t just lose my brother. Dad didn’t just lose his son. ... The world, the country ... lost a soldier, lost one of the most decent human beings ever. For what?"
– G (Michael’s brother), [39:33] -
"I did what I did. I think that I made a bad choice ... but I still didn’t kill him. What I did was horrible. There’s no excuse."
– E (Wendy), [40:44]
Key Segment Timestamps
| Segment | Timestamps | |----------------------------------------|-----------------| | Michael & Wendy's backgrounds | 01:17–05:45 | | Romance, marriage, and tension | 05:45–09:48 | | Disappearance and early investigation | 09:48–14:26 | | Police suspicion and evidence builds | 15:54–20:12 | | Wendy's confession & body recovery | 20:12–29:04 | | Toxicology results and motive | 29:04–33:39 | | Changing stories and legal maneuvers | 32:18–36:38 | | Plea deal and sentencing | 36:47–39:51 | | Aftermath and emotional closing | 39:51–42:05 |
Tone & Presentation
The episode maintains a somber, investigative tone—respectful toward the pain of Michael’s family, methodical in unraveling the evidence, and probing in its interviews with Wendy. It’s punctuated by emotional family testimony and law enforcement insight, making the story both deeply personal and chillingly procedural.
Conclusion
"Bad Romance: Dark Waters (Revisited)" is a haunting revisitation not just of a marriage gone fatally wrong, but of how denial, secrets, and an avalanche of choices led to irreversible tragedy. It spotlights the pain left behind and the relentless work of investigators who pursued the truth through "dark waters"—both literal and emotional.