An Eye For Murder

Summary

48 Hours: "An Eye For Murder"

Release Date: April 23, 2025
Host/Author: CBS News
Description:
“48 Hours” delves into the intricate narratives behind notable crime and justice cases. This episode, titled "An Eye For Murder," explores the brutal murder of Dr. Brian Stidham, an esteemed eye surgeon, and the ensuing investigation that unravels dark secrets and unexpected twists within the Tucson community.

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Introduction

The episode opens with Detective Jill Murphy introducing herself and the harrowing case of Dr. Brian Stidham, who was found brutally murdered in a Tucson parking lot. Murphy sets the tone by expressing her disbelief and the community's shock over the heinous crime.

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The Victim: Dr. Brian Stidham

Dr. Brian Stidham was a respected pediatric ophthalmologist who had recently relocated to Tucson from Texas. Loved by his family, friends, and patients, Stidham's sudden and violent death left a void in the community.

• Andrea Depew (Stidham’s sister) describes him as “wonderful, kind, considerate, always made people around him feel at ease” (05:03).

• Joseph Miller, a colleague, adds, “Brian was extremely well trained. He went to Harvard Medical School and people loved him” (01:42).

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The Murder

On October 5, 2004, Dr. Stidham was found stabbed 15 times outside his office, signaling a brutal and personal attack. Detective Murphy recounts her first response to the crime scene, emphasizing the lack of apparent motive:

“Who would kill Dr. Stidham? I mean, he doesn't have any enemies. Murder requires evil. I did not sense the evil until Dr. Stidham was murdered.” – Lourdes Salomon Lopez (03:22)

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The Investigation Begins

Detective Murphy initiated the investigation by delving into Stidham's personal and professional life, uncovering his beloved status in Tucson and his positive impact on the community.

• Murphy states, “We need to know about the victim. We need to know who the victim is, what kind of lifestyle they led, any problems that they had with anybody” (04:25).

A key breakthrough occurred when Stidham's missing Lexus was found six miles from the crime scene, with blood spatter both inside and outside the vehicle (12:04).

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The Suspect: Dr. Bradley Schwartz

Dr. Bradley Schwartz, a colleague from Arizona Specialty Eye Care and Stidham’s former partner, emerged as the primary suspect. Their professional relationship was strained due to contrasting personalities and Schwartz’s personal issues.

• Murphy reflects on their dynamic: “Dr. Schwartz was the type of doctor that came in every morning bright and early, and he would have his jacket and his tie on, and Dr. Stidham would come in dressed in just, like, a golfing outfit” (08:01).

Schwartz's troubled personal life included multiple affairs and a severe addiction to Vicodin, complicating his professional standing and personal relationships:

“He was having marital issues. He was having affairs... Laurie Espinoza believes Dr. Schwartz had affairs with at least 50 different women and sometimes even had sex in his office” (13:21).

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Motive and Evidence

The investigation uncovered Schwartz's deteriorating circumstances: losing his medical license, facing legal troubles, and harboring a deep resentment towards Stidham for taking patients and disrupting his practice.

• Lourdes Lopez, a former assistant DA and witness, revealed Schwartz’s chilling intent:

“Putting acid in his eyes so that he couldn't see that he'd be happy if he was six feet under. He said he wanted him dead.” (34:11)

Surveillance footage and witness testimonies linked Schwartz to the night of the murder. Notably, cell phone records traced Schwartz’s communications to Bruce Bigger, a former patient with a criminal background, suggesting Schwartz hired Bigger to carry out the murder.

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The Trial

The courtroom drama unfolded with prosecutors presenting a case built on Schwartz’s motive and the indirect evidence linking Bigger to the murder. Key testimonies included:

• Jennifer Dainty, a convenience store clerk, identified Bigger as the man in scrubs seen near the crime scene (24:10).

• Louis Lopez and other women testified about Schwartz’s threats and manipulative behavior towards Stidham (34:11).

Defense attorney Rick Stortz III challenged the prosecution’s timeline and the reliability of DNA evidence:

“Because the judge allows only limited testimony on Dennis Walsh... DNA excludes him” (40:29).

Despite the prosecution’s narrative, the defense successfully introduced reasonable doubt concerning the DNA evidence and Schwartz's direct involvement, leading to a hung jury on charges of first-degree murder.

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Verdict and Aftermath

After weeks of deliberation, the jury found Schwartz guilty of conspiracy to murder and sentenced him to 25 years to life. Bruce Bigger was separately convicted and also received a life sentence. The verdict left Dr. Stidham's family grappling with unresolved grief and lingering questions about the true extent of Schwartz’s involvement.

• Murphy poignantly summarizes the tragedy:

“Planned brutality to someone that kind and that gentle. It was just so unnecessary. Merry Christmas. Goodbye. Goodbye.” (44:01)

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Conclusion

"An Eye For Murder" masterfully captures the complexities of a high-profile homicide case, highlighting the meticulous efforts of Detective Jill Murphy and the unpredictable nature of criminal investigations. The episode underscores themes of betrayal, obsession, and the elusive quest for justice, leaving listeners with a profound reflection on the fragility of life and the darkness that can lurk beneath professional facades.

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Notable Quotes

• Lourdes Salomon Lopez: “Who would kill Dr. Stidham? I mean, he doesn't have any enemies. Murder requires evil. I did not sense the evil until Dr. Stidham was murdered.” (03:22)

• Andrea Depew: “He was wonderful, kind, considerate, always made people around him feel at ease.” (05:03)

• Detective Jill Murphy: “Planned brutality to someone that kind and that gentle. It was just so unnecessary. Merry Christmas. Goodbye. Goodbye.” (44:01)

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Related Episodes

• Post Mortem Series: Delve deeper into the investigation with producers and correspondents discussing key evidence and unexpected twists (Post Mortem).

• Classic Revisit: Every Thursday, revisit a classic “48 Hours” episode for more timeless crime stories (Classic Episodes).

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Subscribe to 48 Hours+ for ad-free access to all "48 Hours" podcasts on Apple Podcasts.

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This summary provides a comprehensive overview of the "An Eye For Murder" episode, highlighting the critical aspects of the case and the investigative journey, enriched with notable quotes and timestamps for deeper engagement.

Transcript

[Jill Murphy]

Work creeping into your personal time. Billy products can turn your daily shower into a digital detox. Nourishing body wash can refresh your skin while you mentally refresh your resume. A full body shave with Billie's award winning razor will help you visualize things going smoother tomorrow. And quick absorbing body lotion can hydrate faster than you can say, let's circle back on Monday. You've got your reasons. Billi's got your routine. Shop in store and at mybilli.com at New Balance. We believe if you run, you're a runner, however you choose to do it. Because when you're not worried about doing things the right way, you're free to discover your way. And that's what running's all about. Run your [e-mail] Running Dr. Brian Stidham was a man who came to Tucson from Texas, who brought his wife and family here. Dr. Stidham was an eye surgeon. The practice and the position that he was offered was going to work very well for him. He was so happy here. He absolutely had found his niche. My name is Andrea Depew and Brian's my little brother. He had friends, colleagues, people that he really had a great deal of respect for.

[Joseph Miller]

He was a great doctor. He was somebody who had compassion and had skill. My name is Joseph Miller. I'm a pediatric ophthalmologist. Brian was a friend of mine. He was extremely well trained. He went to Harvard Medical School and people loved him.

[Jill Murphy]

A search is on tonight for a car that belonged to a man found murdered in Midtown. I received the call around 11pm I arrived at the scene at midnight and there was a dead man lying in the parking lot over here. I'm Jill Murphy and I was the lead investigator in the Stidham homicide. Dr. Stidham was stabbed 15 times. This was a very violent attack. I cannot comprehend that this could happen to our family. I mean, we're just your normal middle class American family. It is shocking to find a doctor lying in a dark parking lot so brutally murdered. Who would kill Dr. Stidham? I mean, he doesn't have any enemies. Murder requires evil. I did not sense the evil. I didn't feel the evil until Dr. Stidham was murdered. My name is Lourdes Salomon Lopez. I'm a former prosecutor and I'm a witness in this case. There was a feeling of fear among the other doctors.

[Joseph Miller]

I was scared to death. There's a killer on the loose and I'm next. I called my family. I got my kid out of school I was right to be scared.

[Jill Murphy]

This is a case of hatred that no one can understand. The evil that nobody wants to ever acknowledge, the evil that no one wants to believe is possible in the people that they love. An eye for an eye.

[Joseph Miller]

When 37 year old Dr. Brian Stidham was found murdered in the parking lot outside his office on October 5, 2004, it sent a chill through this desert metropolis.

[Jill Murphy]

It was very shocking to the Tucson community.

[Joseph Miller]

For detective Jill Murphy, the investigation began like any other.

[Jill Murphy]

First of all, we need to know about the victim. We need to know who the victim is, what kind of lifestyle they led, any problems that they had with anybody.

[Joseph Miller]

At first glance, the well known and respected pediatric eye surgeon appeared to be the victim of a random crime.

[Jill Murphy]

What I knew was that Dr. Stidham had worked that evening, did not come home at his regular time. His wife didn't know what had happened to him and his vehicle, his 1992 Lexus, was missing.

[Joseph Miller]

It wasn't far into her investigation that detective Murphy discovered that Dr. Brian Stidham was adored by the Tucson community and he helped children.

[Jill Murphy]

He was a family man. He was just this wonderful human being. His life was cut short. Today, hundreds of people.

[Joseph Miller]

Two months after Dr. Stidham's death, his sister Andrea says his patients and friends paid tribute to him with a memorial walk in his favorite place, Sabino Canyon.

[Jill Murphy]

Hundreds and hundreds of people came to the canyon that morning with their children and, you know, came up to me and told me the effect that they had on their. On their children.

[Joseph Miller]

Born and raised in Longview, Texas, Brian Stidham was the only son of, of Joyce and Max Stidham. How would you describe your son?

[Jill Murphy]

Oh, wonderful, Kind, considerate, always made people around him feel at ease. Very hard worker, hard, studier, very unpretentious.

[Joseph Miller]

After graduating with honors from Harvard Medical School, Dr. Brian Stidham began his career in Dallas, where he met his wife, Daphne. What was the wedding like?

[Jill Murphy]

Oh, it was beautiful. Very elegant. Everything she does was just beautifully done. Elegantly elegant.

[Joseph Miller]

In 2001, Brian Stidham gets an offer to move to the desert. The offer is to work here in Tucson alongside one of the finest eye surgeons in the country. Stidham and his wife visit, fall in love with the beauty here, and decide to take the job. So this was a move he was really looking forward to.

[Jill Murphy]

This was a dream job to him. Absolutely.

[Joseph Miller]

The dream job was with a practice called Arizona specialty eye care.

[Jill Murphy]

This is Dr. Stidham, everybody. Hello, everyone.

[Joseph Miller]

At Arizona specialty eye care, where Brian teamed up with A renowned surgeon named Bradley Schwartz. So very successful business, right? And growing.

[Jill Murphy]

Definitely was growing really well.

[Joseph Miller]

Office manager Laurie Espinosa says in 2001, Schwartz's practice was pulling in more than a million dollars a year.

[Jill Murphy]

We were seeing anywhere between 40 to 60 patients a day for one doctor. People were having to wait a month just to have a surgery. And he finally said, you know what? We're going to have to add another partner. And that was Dr. Stidham.

[Joseph Miller]

Dr. Stidham's impact was seen immediately.

[Jill Murphy]

He really connected with some patients, and the patients loved him right away. And they were a great team together.

[Joseph Miller]

But Lori says the doctors had a different approach.

[Jill Murphy]

Dr. Schwartz was the type of doctor that came in every morning bright and early, and he would have his jacket and his tie on, and Dr. Stinham would come in dressed in just, like, a golfing outfit.

[Joseph Miller]

Were they an odd couple? In a way, yes.

[Jill Murphy]

The odd couple. Completely odd.

[Joseph Miller]

Nearly a year into the job, Dr. Stidham decided to start his own practice.

[Jill Murphy]

The only thing he ever said is, was he and Brad had extremely different personalities.

[Joseph Miller]

Now sit back. Friend and colleague Dr. Joe Miller remembers when Stidham began seeing patients at his new office. And he was doing well. He had a good location when patients were coming to see him in droves. As his practice continued to expand, so did his family. Daphne gave birth to a daughter in August of 2003. Family was putting in roots here.

[Jill Murphy]

Yes.

[Joseph Miller]

Developing a circle of friends.

[Jill Murphy]

Yes. He was so happy out here in his marriage with the children. They just had their little girl. They were getting ready to build their dream house. They had bought the acreage.

[Joseph Miller]

But those dreams were shattered on a night in October 2004. When the news is broken to Daphne that her husband is dead. How does she react?

[Jill Murphy]

She, according to the detectives there at the scene, she had already asked them prior to them even telling her that her husband was dead. If he had been shot, if he had died. So that was kind of an unusual response.

[Joseph Miller]

And this investigation was about to get even more unusual. What was Daphne doing that night? What did your officers learn?

[Jill Murphy]

She was looking over an estate planning document.

[Joseph Miller]

Did that make them suspicious?

[Jill Murphy]

Yes, it did.

[Joseph Miller]

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[Jill Murphy]

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[Joseph Miller]

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[Jill Murphy]

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[Joseph Miller]

Just hours after the murder of Dr. Brian Stidham, his wife Daphne was ruled out as a suspect after questioning by detectives. But the case took an unexpected twist when they asked Daphne a routine question. Did her husband have any enemies?

[Jill Murphy]

She told them that the only person she could think of, the only person that disliked her husband, was a man by the name of Dr. Bradley Schwartz.

[Joseph Miller]

Detective Murphy initially discounted the comments. After all, Schwartz and Stidham hadn't worked together in almost two years.

[Jill Murphy]

I thought, there's no way. There's no way a doctor is going to hold a grudge for two years. And then, seemingly out of the blue, attack.

[Joseph Miller]

Besides, Murphy had already developed a theory of the crime. Stidham had been ambushed in a violent carjacking.

[Jill Murphy]

I think it was very, very fast. It didn't give him a moment to react. He wasn't able to fight back.

[Joseph Miller]

The crime scene yielded few clues. Did you find a murder weapon?

[Jill Murphy]

No.

[Joseph Miller]

Were there bloody fingerprints about?

[Jill Murphy]

No. There's a clue in the mystery surrounding a murder.

[Joseph Miller]

But in less than 24 hours, there was a break in the case. When investigators found Dr. Stidham's Lexus just six miles from the crime scene.

[Jill Murphy]

There was blood spatter on the exterior of the vehicle. There was blood spatter on the interior of the vehicle as well.

[Joseph Miller]

News of the murder generated a slew of tips to police. One of them came from one of Brad Schwartz's ex girlfriends.

[Jill Murphy]

She told us that Dr. Schwartz had confided in her that he hated Dr. Stidham and that he wanted to see Dr. Stidham six feet under.

[Joseph Miller]

But why would Schwartz want Stidham dead? Murphy's team began an intensive investigation that soon discovered that Bradley Schwartz was having problems long before Brian Stidham arrived.

[Jill Murphy]

He was having marital issues. He was having affairs.

[Joseph Miller]

According to office manager Laurie Espinoza. Dr. Schwartz, who was married with three children, had developed a wandering eye.

[Jill Murphy]

If the patients came in, he would tell our techs, here comes a glm. Good looking mother. And if it was a good looking mother, we knew to give the techs knew to give him extra time.

[Joseph Miller]

Espinoza believes Dr. Schwartz had affairs with at least 50 different women and sometimes even had sex in his office.

[Jill Murphy]

I would put my ear to the door and I'd say, oh, my gosh, here he goes again.

[Joseph Miller]

As her investigation continued, Detective Murphy got a call from yet another woman, Lourdes Lopez, an assistant DA and a single mother who met Dr. Schwartz when her daughter became his patient in December of 2000.

[Jill Murphy]

There's this guy who looks like Doogie Howser who's about ready to, you know, do major surgery on my daughter. And I thought, I asked him, how old are you? Do you know how to do this? And he laughed. And from then on, I just thought he was very charming.

[Joseph Miller]

Did you fall in love with Dr. Schwartz?

[Jill Murphy]

Yes, I did.

[Joseph Miller]

But while Lourdes Lopez was falling for Dr. Schwartz, Dr. Schwartz was falling apart.

[Jill Murphy]

When I would go in the morning, he'd be sound asleep in front of the office, Sound asleep, late for surgery.

[Joseph Miller]

By 2001, Schwartz claimed to be suffering from chronic back pain and had become secretly addicted to Vicodin. His chronic pain problems soon became Lori Espinosas. How often did he have you fill these prescriptions?

[Jill Murphy]

Probably about 14 times or more at its height.

[Joseph Miller]

How many pills a month are we talking about?

[Jill Murphy]

I would say at least 200 pills or more.

[Joseph Miller]

Lourdes knew about Schwartz's use of painkillers, but she says she never knew he was addicted. She even let him fill two prescriptions under her name. Was he getting high off of these painkillers?

[Jill Murphy]

Not as far as I could tell. As far as I could tell, it was helping him with his chronic root canals and his spinal surgery.

[Joseph Miller]

In November of 2001, Dr. Schwartz was juggling both his worsening addiction and his booming medical practice. That's when he hired Brian Stidham.

[Jill Murphy]

Brad was really excited about bringing him on.

[Joseph Miller]

But just four weeks after Brian Stidham's arrival, armed agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency raided Schwartz's office.

[Jill Murphy]

I was afraid for what was going to happen to Brad, so I didn't tell the DEA agents what I knew.

[Joseph Miller]

Why did you lie?

[Jill Murphy]

To protect him. He's going to lose his license. Oh, my God. And I know better. I'm a prosecutor. I'm a smart girl. They'll find out.

[Joseph Miller]

But the lies don't protect anyone. Nine months after the DEA raid, both Dr. Schwartz and Lourdes Lopez are indicted for their roles in the prescription drug scam. Dr. Schwartz has his medical license suspended and is ordered into a drug rehab facility. Lourdes loses her job in the DA's office. Both agree to plea bargains that keep them out of jail. Why didn't you at that time say you've been dishonest with me, about you've been using me, manipulating me not to commit an illegal act?

[Jill Murphy]

Not me. Absolutely.

[Joseph Miller]

I'm the Assistant D.A. of Pima County. How can you do this to me and walk away from this guy?

[Jill Murphy]

Because I was stupid. As simple as that sounds, I was stupid. I believed him. I believed him. I believed in him.

[Joseph Miller]

After the Schwartz indictment, Brian Stidham had enough. He gave 30 days notice and made plans to open his own practice. What does Dr. Schwartz think of the fact that his employee, Dr. Stidham, has now made the decision to leave to start his own practice?

[Jill Murphy]

How dare he? The only reason this guy has any patients anybody knows about him is because I brought him here.

[Joseph Miller]

But before Stidham was able to quit, an enraged Brad Schwartz called his office manager, Laurie, from rehab.

[Jill Murphy]

He goes, just fire his ass. Fire his ass. I want him fired. I said, I'm not going to fire him. You fire him.

[Joseph Miller]

Schwartz was left to deal with his addiction and legal troubles.

[Jill Murphy]

Dr. Schwartz was incensed. He was angry. He felt that Dr. Stidham was taking patients and Dr. Schwartz, he was powerless to do anything about it because he. He was unable to practice.

[Joseph Miller]

By all accounts, Schwartz's life was in turmoil. His wife filed for divorce, and he was broke. He's lost his income. He's lost his medical license. He's lost his wife. He's lost his kids. Almost a year would pass before the medical board returned Schwartz's license. In August of 2003, he set about the slow process of rebuilding his practice. Take your glasses off.

[Jill Murphy]

Let me see them.

[Joseph Miller]

Dr. Joe Miller says he was taking the steps he needed to take. He was doing, by all reports, reasonably well. Patients were going to see him. He was not using drugs all along. Lourdes stuck by Schwartz, and in January 2004, the couple became engaged. But Lourdes says their happiness was marred by his obsession with Brian Stidham.

[Jill Murphy]

His tone was, I hate that guy. I hate him.

[Joseph Miller]

So suddenly, this case is really gaining momentum.

[Jill Murphy]

Yes.

[Joseph Miller]

And it's headed toward one major suspect. And who is that?

[Jill Murphy]

That was Dr. Bradley Schwartz.

[Joseph Miller]

But her investigation was about to hit a major roadblock. Dr. Schwartz had an Ironclad alibi. The night Brian stidham was murdered, Dr.

[Jill Murphy]

Schwartz was with me.

[Joseph Miller]

You're certain of that?

[Jill Murphy]

I'm certain.

[Joseph Miller]

Detective Jill Murphy now had her sights set on a private suspect, Dr. Bradley Schwartz. And she wasn't the only woman gunning for him.

[Jill Murphy]

There were quite a few women that called in to tell us that they had information for us about Dr. Schwartz. I don't regret going to the police because it was the right thing to do.

[Joseph Miller]

Months before Brian Stidham's murder, Lourdes broke off her engagement with Dr. Schwartz, tired of his cheating and lies. Now, the murder made her think her ex was also a killer.

[Jill Murphy]

That's it as far as I'm concerned. My world went from white to black.

[Joseph Miller]

And Lourdes was not alone in her suspicions.

[Jill Murphy]

I met Brad Schwartz on an Internet dating website.

[Joseph Miller]

Lisa Goldberg had gone out with Dr. Schwartz only five times, but by that fifth date, she knew something wasn't right. It was October 5, 2004, the night of Brian Stidham's murder.

[Jill Murphy]

We were at dinner at a Thai restaurant. He got a phone call, and he asked if I minded if he had a friend join us for dinner.

[Joseph Miller]

The friend was introduced as Bruce, an acquaintance from Schwartz's days in rehab.

[Jill Murphy]

The first thing he does is ask for a glass of wine. And I found that to be very strange. He looked like he was on drugs. And that's at the moment when things started clicking in my head.

[Joseph Miller]

Something's wrong here.

[Jill Murphy]

Yeah.

[Joseph Miller]

Their date, along with Bruce, continued after dinner. First, they stopped at an atm, and then a series of stops in search of a hotel room. Why are you going to hotels?

[Jill Murphy]

Because Brad is going to give Bruce a room for the evening.

[Joseph Miller]

It didn't make any sense to Lisa, but she didn't become suspicious until Schwartz called her the next day with the news of Brian Stidham's murder.

[Jill Murphy]

He said it very matter of factly. He said, did you hear what happened last night? And I said, no. And he said, my partner was killed. And my heart sunk, and I can't describe what I went through. When I heard that, I confronted him. I asked him if he did it, and he said, how could I have done it? You're my alibi. And I hung up the phone.

[Joseph Miller]

That's when Lisa called police. When Detective Murphy heard Lisa's story, a light went on.

[Jill Murphy]

Some of the witnesses that came forward had told us that Dr. Schwartz had said that he would not have committed the murder himself, that he would have someone do it for him.

[Joseph Miller]

Murphy wondered if the man in the restaurant could be the hired killer.

[Jill Murphy]

They're asking me if I know his name. And the only name I could think of was the first name. Bruce.

[Joseph Miller]

Murphy subpoenaed Schwartz's cell phone records, hoping that information would lead her to Bruce. Instead, it led her to this convenience store.

[Jill Murphy]

What's so significant about this is that this store is across the street and just 400ft north of the murder scene.

[Joseph Miller]

Records show Schwartz called here minutes before the murder.

[Jill Murphy]

When we came here, we talked to a woman by the name of Jennifer Dainty. She was a clerk in the store at the time. And she described to us a man who had come in that night who was acting very agitated, who was moving very quickly. I was working that night. A gentleman came in wearing scrubs, walked around the store. So when he was walking around the store, looking over the things, you watch him and see what they're up to. Plus, he used a phone. Nobody ever uses the phone. She described this man as wearing light blue scrubs.

[Joseph Miller]

Like hospital surgical scrubs?

[Jill Murphy]

Yes.

[Joseph Miller]

Sounds like a doctor.

[Jill Murphy]

Yes, it does.

[Joseph Miller]

Did this man look anything like Dr. Bradley Schwartz?

[Jill Murphy]

No, he did not.

[Joseph Miller]

Jennifer Dainty's description of the man in scrubs was a turning point in Murphy's investigation. It linked, curiously to something Lisa Goldberg had told the detective. A bizarre question Schwartz had asked Bruce at the dinner. What does he say to him?

[Jill Murphy]

How did the scrubs work out? And that particular phrase became a very, very important part of this case.

[Joseph Miller]

Detective Murphy believed the man in scrubs at the convenience store was the killer. But was he the Bruce who joined Lisa and Dr. Schwartz for dinner?

[Jill Murphy]

Dr. Schwartz wanted to have an alibi at the time of the murder. Therefore, we wouldn't be able to pin it on him. So we needed to find Bruce.

[Joseph Miller]

Detectives look for a connection to Dr. Schwartz. And caught a break when one of his employees gave them a name. Ronald Bruce Bigger, a former patient. He had a record and a mugshot. Detectives could show to store clerk Jennifer.

[Jill Murphy]

Dainty, and she immediately picked him out as being the man and scrubs that was in her store the night of the murder.

[Joseph Miller]

Bingo.

[Jill Murphy]

Yes. We are putting together a case where we're saying a doctor hired a hitman to kill another doctor.

[Joseph Miller]

Her murder for hire theory got a boost when she confirmed Lisa Goldberg's story. Hotel surveillance video captured Schwartz and Bigger looking for a room, which, according to Murphy, was a small part of the payoff.

[Jill Murphy]

This is the residence inn where Mr. Bigger stayed on the night of the murder.

[Joseph Miller]

But Bigger checked out by the time Murphy started looking for him. And now she was worried he might be going after a new target. Lisa, why are investigators so concerned about you and your safety?

[Jill Murphy]

Because I'm the only person that can identify Bruce Bigger at this point.

[Joseph Miller]

Now, Detective Murphy had to find Bigger. Was he on the run? Would he kill again?

[Jill Murphy]

So we had a lot of concerns about what is this man capable of? What is he willing to do to get out of this?

[Joseph Miller]

Ten days after the murder, investigators captured Bruce Bigger just outside of Tucson. Later that night, police slapped the cuffs on Dr. Schwartz. He was found at home in bed with yet another woman.

[Jill Murphy]

Did you hear Dr. Schwartz? No comment. Dr. Schwartz, do you have anything to say to Stidham's family?

[Joseph Miller]

Both were charged with murder and conspiracy.

[Jill Murphy]

They were bringing him into the jail. And I thought, my God, that part is over. I don't have to be afraid anymore. Let's have a seat.

[Joseph Miller]

For Lourdes, it was a relief.

[Jill Murphy]

Until I get a phone call, and it's bread. Hey, Lourdes. It's bread. And I'm thinking to myself, this is a sick joke. Or am I have lost. Have I lost my mind? I mean, am I really, like, not understanding what reality is here? Because they just arrested him. Lord help me.

[Joseph Miller]

Calling from a cell phone in the interrogation room, Schwartz begs his former lover turned defense attorney to be his lawyer. Lourdes recalled that conversation for us.

[Jill Murphy]

I want you to be my attorney. I can't be your lawyer. Yes, you can.

[Joseph Miller]

You're the best.

[Jill Murphy]

I can't help you. Do it for my children. Help defend me. I can't help you. I can't help you. It can't be me. Lourdes, please don't. Don't. Don't say goodbye to me like this. I knew that was gonna be the last conversation I was ever gonna have with him. This episode is brought to you by Lifelock. Not everyone is careful with your personal information, which might explain why there's a victim of identity theft every five seconds in the U.S. fortunately, there's LifeLock. LifeLock monitors hundreds of millions of data points a second for threats to your identity. If your identity is stolen, a US based restoration specialist will fix it, guaranteed, or your money back. Save up to 40% your first year by visiting lifelock.com podcast terms apply. Do you have a dark curiosity? Heart starts POUNDING Horrors, Hauntings and Mysteries is a weekly podcast hosted by me, Kaylin Moore. Each week, I'll take you on a dark journey through terrifying true urban legends, bizarre true crime cases, chilling tales of backwoods horror, and more. So if you're looking to join a passionate community of the darkly curious Check out heart starts pounding on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. And remember, stay curious. This episode is brought to you by Selectquote. Life insurance can have a huge impact on our family's future. With selectquote, getting covered with the right policy for you is simple and affordable. Selectquote's licensed insurance agents will tailor your experience to find a life insurance policy for your needs in as little as 15 minutes. And selectquote partners with carriers that provide policies for many conditions. Selectquote. They shop, you save. Go to selectquote.com SpotifyPod today to get started.

[Joseph Miller]

In the weeks after his arrest, Dr. Schwartz's once secret love life became the talk of the town.

[Jill Murphy]

Are you the black sheep in your family?

[Joseph Miller]

And what did you do to earn that title? Good morning, Kim.

[Jill Murphy]

Welcome to the program. As I was driving to work one day, I received a phone call from a friend of mine, and she said, are you listening to the radio? They're talking about your case. You need to turn on krq.

[Joseph Miller]

Kim, why are you the black sheep in the family?

[Jill Murphy]

Well, a week before Bradley Schwartz killed Stidham, I was dating him.

[Joseph Miller]

It was the station's confession Wednesday, and women were burning up the phone lines. Denise, what's your story like?

[Jill Murphy]

About a month before I saw him on the news, I dated him as well. I went out.

[Joseph Miller]

The calls just kept on coming.

[Jill Murphy]

Hang on.

[Joseph Miller]

We gotta pick up another call. Good morning.

[Jill Murphy]

Good morning. I dated him, too.

[Joseph Miller]

As Detective Murphy prepared for trial, she was learning a lot more about Schwartz's past.

[Jill Murphy]

There was a man by the name of Danny Lopez that Dr. Schwartz had approached.

[Joseph Miller]

Is Danny Lopez any relation to Lourdes Lopez?

[Jill Murphy]

Danny Lopez is Lourdes Lopez's ex husband.

[Joseph Miller]

Lourdes introduced her ex husband to schwartz. Soon, the two began having secret conversations. Dr. Schwartz gives your ex husband $5,000. What do you think that money was for?

[Jill Murphy]

I have no idea. I suspect it was for nothing. Good.

[Joseph Miller]

But Detective Murphy couldn't question Danny Lopez because he was dead. Murdered during a drug deal months before Dr. Stidham's murder. But police from that case gave Detective Murphy Lopez's wallet. And inside a bombshell, a picture of Dr. Stidham and Dr. Schwartz's business card.

[Jill Murphy]

The information in Danny Lopez's wallet told me that he had actually tried to hire somebody else to kill Dr. Stidham. Previous to October of 04, Detective Murphy's.

[Joseph Miller]

Investigation had unearthed a lethal pattern of deceit and rage that would soon be presented at the separate murder trials of Dr. Schwartz and his alleged hitman Bruce Bigger. The two men would be up against a woman beyond their control, known for her intimidating style. You often wear a dagger.

[Jill Murphy]

I do.

[Joseph Miller]

Remember, lady justice isn't just blind and holding scales. What does she have in the other hand? She has a big sword. Prosecutor Sylvia Lafferty has always had a flair for drama. Here she's acting in the 1960s Television Western High chaparral. And now, on the first day of Dr. Bradley Schwartz's murder trial, Lafferty once again takes center stage.

[Jill Murphy]

The defendant was an angry man. His anger turned into a grudge and his grudge festered into an obscene. Who was to blame for the defendant's fall from grace? And in the defendant's mind, the person to blame was Brian Stidham.

[Joseph Miller]

Defense attorney Rick Stortz III says the state's case is weak. I submit to you that once you follow the timeline, once you say, show.

[Jill Murphy]

Me the money, once you talk about.

[Joseph Miller]

Dealing with time of death, you will.

[Jill Murphy]

Then make the conclusion that this case.

[Joseph Miller]

Is exactly what reasonable doubt is all about. One by one, former patients and lovers of Dr. Schwartz take the stand. Some asked that we not show their faces. What did he want your husband to do to Dr. Stitt?

[Jill Murphy]

Putting acid in his eyes so that he couldn't see that he'd be happy if he was six feet under. He said he wanted him dead. He told me how the office was secluded. He told me that it would be a perfect place to get rid of somebody. State call Lourdes Lopez.

[Joseph Miller]

You could please step up to the.

[Jill Murphy]

Clerk to be placed.

[Joseph Miller]

All eyes are now on Lourdes Lopez as she takes the standard, including those of her former fiance, Dr. Schwartz.

[Jill Murphy]

I think even at that second, he was hopeful that I was just going to walk away, that I was going to get up and leave and not say anything.

[Joseph Miller]

But the former assistant DA was about to use Dr. Schwartz's own words against him.

[Jill Murphy]

Fred had told me that he wanted Dr. Stidham to die. And excuse me, he said, that guy is gonna die. It would be done like a robbery or a carjacking, that Brad wouldn't do it himself, that he'd have somebody else do it.

[Joseph Miller]

And prosecutors say Bruce Bigger, a drifter with a drug habit, was someone else Schwartz could manipulate. I think he honed in on it like a smart bomb. He had certainly that ability to detect weakness and need neediness in others. And I think he certainly did that with Mr.

[Jill Murphy]

Bigger.

[Joseph Miller]

The state believes Bigger killed Dr. Stidham shortly after the doctor set his office alarm at 7:26pm Then Bigger took off in Stidham's car, drove six miles and dumped the vehicle. What does Bigger do then? Leaves the car, walks across the parking lot into a Denny's restaurant, and from that payphone calls Dr. Schwartz, who's having dinner with a lady friend. The prosecution presents bank surveillance video from the day after the murder showing Schwartz cashing a $10,000 check. Look closely as Dr. Schwartz makes a call on his cell phone. Prosecutor Richard Platt.

[Jill Murphy]

We then got his cell phone records and were able to trace the phone calls that he's making at the bank back to the hotel where he put Mr. Bigger up for the night before.

[Joseph Miller]

It's one of those great moments because earlier in the day, there had been three calls from Bigger to Schwartz in the hotel. Where's my money? Where's my money? Where's my money? Now this is the call saying, I've got your money. And two of Bruce Bigger's drug buddies testify that shortly after the murder, the usually struggling drifter was living large.

[Jill Murphy]

Did Mr. Bigger have anything that attracted your attention? Lots of cash. It was a lot of money.

[Joseph Miller]

When you rolled it up, it was.

[Jill Murphy]

Like the size of almost a softball.

[Joseph Miller]

But Brick Stortz argues that Bruce Bigger's sudden windfall of cash has nothing to do with a payoff from Brad Schwartz.

[Jill Murphy]

There's never anybody that's ever said they saw him give him anything. So there's Nothing that connects Dr. Swartz any money he got with Mr. Bigger.

[Joseph Miller]

And Stortz has his own opinion of the state's theory of a man bent on revenge.

[Jill Murphy]

Hogwarts. Hogwarts. Just that simple.

[Joseph Miller]

Because when this homicide happened, Dr. Swartz had gotten his license back. His practice was well on the upswing.

[Jill Murphy]

He had been drug free for over a year and a half to two years. You have the right to remain silent.

[Joseph Miller]

Stewart says the cops got it all wrong. They should have been focusing on this man, Dennis Walsh, a convicted carjacker who had been known to use a knife.

[Jill Murphy]

What was interesting about Mr. Walsh is.

[Joseph Miller]

That he was involved committing these crimes.

[Jill Murphy]

In and around the medical complex where Dr. Stidham had his office. Please be seated.

[Joseph Miller]

But the judge deals a blow to the defense, allowing only limited testimony on Dennis Walsh. Why shouldn't we believe that Dennis Walsh is the man behind this murder? Well, because DNA excludes him, for one thing. Throughout Dr. Schwartz's murder trial, Dr. Stidham's family sat in disbelief.

[Jill Murphy]

They had warned us there'd be photos, and I was prepared for that. But when they took his wallet out of the evidence, Bag. I mean, I'm sure the whole courtroom heard me just gasp. Seeing a tangible thing that was my brother's, that's what got me. Mr. Bigger isn't the killer.

[Joseph Miller]

But it's the lack of tangible evidence on Bruce Bigger that Brick Stortz zeroes in on. If Bruce Bigger stabbed Dr. Stidham, why wasn't there any blood on him? Not one drop of blood or any other evidence of any violent crime as seen on Mr. Bidden, a when he.

[Jill Murphy]

Makes the call from Denny's, B when.

[Joseph Miller]

He gets into the cab, and C.

[Jill Murphy]

When he gets to this restaurant. Is that the car that you worked on? Yes, it is.

[Joseph Miller]

The state makes its case not on blood evidence, but on a partial DNA sample they say Bigger left on the radio knob of Stidham's stolen Lexus. Had we not found the DNA in the car, this might have been the perfect crime. These are samples that I retain. The state's expert testifies that the odds of the DNA belonging to someone other than Bruce bigger are overwhelming. 1 in 20 million. But in a dramatic turn of events, a defense expert forces Sylvia Lafferty to concede that the math was wrong.

[Jill Murphy]

The huge random match probability numbers, they are just wrong.

[Joseph Miller]

It's a big whoops though, right? It was a big whoops and.

[Jill Murphy]

It.

[Joseph Miller]

Was a disturbing and disheartening moment. If the DNA is now called into question, maybe Bruce Bigger's not involved. Maybe the jury now has reasonable doubt for a note guilty verdict. Well, that's not exactly how that works out, because even the defense expert could not exclude Bruce Bigger. The issue is about numbers, part of the theory of the state. Stortz then attacks the very heart of the State's case. The timeline that Stidham died shortly after setting his office alarm at 7.26pm his expert says Stidham may have died after 9pm if that's the case, Mr.

[Jill Murphy]

Bigger couldn't have been the killer because.

[Joseph Miller]

He was with Dr. Swartz, with Lisa Goldman. If Dr. Stidham wasn't dead by 9:00, what was he doing? He didn't go back into his office. He made no cell phone calls. Stewart says his client is only guilty of of having a big mouth.

[Jill Murphy]

And because Dr. Swartz was a bore.

[Joseph Miller]

And talked about things that he had.

[Jill Murphy]

No business shooting his mouth off about.

[Joseph Miller]

And liked to apparently have quite a.

[Jill Murphy]

Stable of female acquaintances. That doesn't make him a murderer.

[Joseph Miller]

Dr. Bradley Schwartz never takes the stand.

[Jill Murphy]

This trial has shown you how.

[Joseph Miller]

How far so can fall. After nine weeks of trial closing arguments.

[Jill Murphy]

Wasn'T successful at first, but he kept on trying. Like a homicidal Energizer Bunny. He kept going and going and going until he found Danny. And when Danny died, he kept going and going and going until he found Bruce.

[Joseph Miller]

The stage has not met their burden to prove Dr. Bradley Swartz guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The jurors take their time. They have been deliberating for five days.

[Jill Murphy]

And if the case was clear cut and defined, then I think we would have to assume there would already be a verdict.

[Joseph Miller]

Finally, the jury reaches a decision. And it's a surprise for both sides.

[Jill Murphy]

Ladies and gentlemen, on the verdict form regarding count one, there's an indication that you are deadlocked.

[Joseph Miller]

The jury is hung. On the count of first degree murder, some jurors couldn't quite connect. How can Schwartz be responsible for the death of Dr. Stidham if he's not the actual killer? But Schwartz is found guilty of conspiring with Bruce bigger to murder Dr. Brian Stidham. Four weeks later, Dr. Schwartz, the once prominent doctor who threw it all away because of a misguided sense of revenge, is sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. But it's little consolation to Dr. Brian Stidham's family.

[Jill Murphy]

Planned brutality to someone that kind and that gentle. It was just so unnecessary. Merry Christmas. Goodbye. Goodbye.

[Joseph Miller]

And all who have been touched by this tragedy are haunted by the what ifs. As an assistant DA, you must have taken some sort of oath in office to enforce the laws to protect the people of Pima County.

[Jill Murphy]

I sure did.

[Joseph Miller]

And you didn't do that?

[Jill Murphy]

I didn't do that. If just one of these women would have called the sheriff's department, then we could have potentially prevented Dr. Stidham's murder.

[Joseph Miller]

Bruce Bigger was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.