20/20 – "First Comes Love, Then Comes Murder"

Podcast by ABC News
Episode Date: September 13, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of ABC’s 20/20 investigates the brutal 2001 murder of Leslie Prear in her upscale Chevy Chase, Maryland home—a case that haunted investigators, devastated a close family, and left a community in fear. Over nearly 25 years, suspicion swirled around her husband, Sandy, and others closest to her, with only a trail of blood, puzzling DNA evidence, and unanswered questions left behind. Through persistent cold case work, advancements in forensic genealogy, and emotional reminiscence by loved ones, the episode painstakingly reveals how the truth unraveled—and how justice ultimately caught up with an unlikely perpetrator.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Crime & Immediate Aftermath

• Discovery of the Crime Scene

  • [01:50] Brett Reedy, Leslie's boss, and her husband Sandy arrive at the house after Leslie misses work, finding blood, signs of struggle, and a ransacked foyer.
  • [05:35] “That’s a hell of a fall.”—Brett Reedy, reacting to Sandy’s suggestion that Leslie could have simply fallen.

• Police Involvement & Neighborhood Fear

  • [08:00] Police find Leslie dead in the master bathroom shower; neighborhood shaken by the idea such violence happened in their midst.
  • [17:30] “If I were to describe this case in three words, I would call it brutal, intimate and cruel.”—ABC reporter.
  • [21:10] Neighbors and family recall Leslie as warm, beautiful, and beloved; daughter Lauren describes their happy home life.

Early Investigation & Suspicion

• Initial Focus on the Husband

  • [28:00] Police immediately suspect Sandy, Leslie’s husband, questioning him about his alibi and marriage.
  • [31:20] “The most violent ever got was I’d grab her and just say, ‘You gotta snap out of it.’”—Sandy, describing arguments with Leslie.
  • [40:45] Sandy fails a polygraph, further fueling suspicion, though polygraph experts and family note false positives are possible.

• DNA & the Unknown Suspect

  • [49:30] Forensic testing discovers unidentifiable male DNA under Leslie’s fingernails and at the scene—excluding Sandy and other immediate possibilities.
  • [50:55] “Whose DNA is this? And why is it in the house? Why is it under her fingernails?”—Lauren, questioning the mystery.

• Community and Family Impact

  • [56:00] Fear and suspicion destabilize the Prear family and the neighborhood, as leads dry up and Lauren’s relationship with her father grows strained under community doubt.

Years of Frustration & Cold Case Stalemate

• Lingering Doubts & Suspicions

  • [65:00] Lauren considers whether a neighbor, or her father’s possible involvement, could explain the DNA, but all are ruled out.
  • [69:40] “I thought I was going to die without knowing. I really, truly thought that.”—Lauren, voicing decades-long agony.

• Sandy’s Passing

  • [76:20] Sandy dies in 2017, never exonerated in the eyes of some family members or the public.

Breakthrough with Forensic Genetic Genealogy

• New Detectives, New Tools

  • [83:00] Detectives Tara Augustin and Allison Dupois take up the case in 2022, employing genealogy databases that didn’t exist a decade before.
  • [90:30] “The main thing was the unknown DNA under her fingernails and blood on the scene—you can’t ignore that. And that really was the crux of the case.”—Detective Augustin.

• The Aha Moment: Genealogical Match

  • [98:00] Genealogy points to a relative in Romania, narrowing in on an individual with American-Romanian lineage: Eugene Glegor.
  • [101:10] “She finds a name closer to home than Lauren could have ever expected.”—Narration, at the moment of the breakthrough.
  • [102:30] Eugene Glegor: once Lauren’s loving high school boyfriend, warmly welcomed by the Prear family, but estranged for years.

Revealing Eugene Glegor

• Background

  • [106:00] Eugene was popular, charming, a “ladies’ man,” and treated as family by the Prears. Broke up with Lauren after 5 years, about two years before the murder.
  • [119:10] Detective focus returns to overlooked clues—Eugene’s conspicuous absence from Leslie’s funeral and a neighbor’s long-ago tip about him.

• Missed Red Flags

  • [123:45] At the time, without strong motive or evidence, police let the tip slide. Lauren and Sandy each had private reservations—“He never liked him. Even after, [Sandy] wondered, ‘Could Eugene be part of this?’”—Lauren.

• A Troubled Life Emerges

  • [131:00] In adulthood, Eugene leads an ordinary life—jobs in restaurants and business, battles with alcohol, two failed marriages, some minor legal troubles but no serious violence—until a protective order filed by his second ex-wife is found.
  • [134:50] “He throws objects, punches walls...I am scared to be in my home. He is unpredictable.” —Protective order by ex-wife (court document).

The Trap and the DNA Match

• Sting Operation

  • [140:00] Detectives learn Eugene is returning to the US in June 2024, arrange for customs to pull him aside—Eugene drinks from a bottle of water, leaving DNA for testing.
  • [143:30] The test results confirm the match: Eugene’s DNA is the source of the blood and skin found under Leslie’s fingernails.
  • [145:20] “And then you get the call. And then my world was once again upside down. Hands up. Hands up. What’s going on? What is this about?” —Lauren and Eugene’s reactions to his arrest.

• Arrest and Interrogation

  • [149:30] Eugene professes confusion: “I don’t know what to say. I’m not. I have no recollection. I have no memory... I don’t know. I don’t know.”
  • Detectives press him, but he claims memory blackouts—eventually requests a lawyer.

Justice, Sentencing, and Aftermath

• Preparing for Trial

  • [154:00] Interviews with Eugene’s ex-wives confirm his personality changed when drinking, stories of recklessness but no prior violence.
  • [158:30] “He was manipulative in relationships, always the victim at someone else’s expense.”—Detective summary.

• Plea Deal

  • [162:45] In a surprising move, Eugene pleads guilty to second-degree murder before trial, receiving a 22-year sentence.
  • [171:05] “Why would you kill my mom? She was the sweetest of all the sinners. She never judged anyone. You're a monster of wolf in sheep's clothing.”—Lauren Prear, victim impact statement at sentencing.
  • [172:10] Eugene’s statement: “Your honor, I want to express my deepest regret, shame and remorse for the devastating tragedy that I caused... I’m grateful the time has come. I’m relieved. The secret’s over.”

• Prosecution’s Theory of the Crime

  • [175:00] Prosecutors believe Eugene tried to burglarize the Prear home, encountered Leslie (who recognized him as her daughter’s ex), and killed her in a panicked attempt to escape identification.

• Final Reflections

  • [182:00] “It’s over. We did it. Thank God.” —Lauren, after sentencing, reflecting on 23 years of pain, fear, and unanswered questions.
  • [184:10] “She was smart, she was beautiful, just an incredible human being... She was my angel.” —Lauren Prear, remembering her mother.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [05:35] Brett Reedy: “That’s a hell of a fall.” (On seeing the blood and signs of violence)
• [31:20] Sandy Prear: “The most violent ever got was I’d grab her and just say, ‘You gotta snap out of it.’”
• [90:30] Detective Augustin: “The main thing was the unknown DNA under her fingernails and blood on the scene—you can’t ignore that. And that really was the crux of the case.”
• [101:10] Detective Dupois: “She finds a name closer to home than Lauren could have ever expected.”
• [131:00] Second ex-wife (protective order): “He is unpredictable. Eugene repeatedly calls me a whore and yells into my face... I am seeking protection from this verbal abuse and escalation.”
• [149:00] Eugene: “I don’t know what to say. I’m not. I have no recollection. I have no memory... I don’t know. I don’t know.”
• [171:05] Lauren Prear: “Why would you kill my mom?... She was the sweetest of all the sinners. She never judged anyone. You’re a monster, a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
• [172:10] Eugene: “I want to express my deepest regret, shame and remorse for the devastating tragedy that I caused... I’m grateful the time has come. I’m relieved. The secret’s over.”
• [182:00] Lauren: “It’s over. We did it. Thank God.”
• [184:10] Lauren: “She was smart, she was beautiful, just an incredible human being... She was my angel.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Event | |-------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:50 | Discovery of the crime scene by Sandy and Brett | | 08:00 | Police find Leslie dead; neighborhood shaken | | 21:10 | Lauren and friends describe Leslie | | 28:00–44:00 | Early police focus on Sandy, polygraph and suspicion | | 49:30 | Discovery of unidentifiable male DNA at the scene | | 76:20 | Sandy dies, never cleared of suspicion | | 83:00 | Detectives Augustin & Dupois re-open the case in 2022 | | 90:30 | Lesile's DNA evidence becomes focus for genetic genealogy | | 98:00 | Genealogy match to Eugene Glegor discovered | | 102:30 | Eugene’s background, relationship to family detailed | | 131:00 | Ex-wife's protective order & description of Eugene’s volatility | | 140:00 | DNA evidence trap at Dulles Airport | | 143:30 | Confirmation of DNA match/Break in the case | | 149:00 | Eugene’s arrest and interrogation | | 162:45 | Guilty plea to second-degree murder | | 171:05 | Lauren’s victim impact statement at sentencing | | 184:10 | Lauren reflects on her mother, closure for the family |

Episode Flow & Tone

• The episode moves from chilling, personal recollections—"She was running for her life. Running."—to procedural police work and emotional detective interviews, maintaining a respectful, somber, deeply personal tone throughout.
• Listeners hear directly from the main participants: Lauren (Leslie’s daughter), detectives, friends, and even Eugene Glegor’s own words post-arrest. Shock, disbelief, and long-held grief are front and center.
• The resolution of the mystery is as much about forensic science as it is about the unhealed wounds and courage of a family determined not to give up.

Final Thoughts

The episode stands out for its meticulous reconstruction of a cold case, the personal devastation behind headlines, and how love, betrayal, and science converge in the search for justice. It is both a chilling true crime story and an emotional portrait of resilience—showing how, even after decades in the dark, the truth can finally emerge.

For listeners seeking a gripping, in-depth account blending forensic genealogy, family heartache, and the slow, excruciating process of justice—this is a can’t-miss episode.