S1: E15 – The Disappearance of Danny Burroughs, Part 2

Summary

American Homicide: S1:E15 – The Disappearance of Danny Burroughs, Part 2

Release Date: January 30, 2025
Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and Glass Podcasts
Description: American Homicide delves into mysterious and iconic murder cases across America, intertwining each crime with its unique setting. Journalist Sloane Glass guides listeners through each case with interviews from victims' families and investigators.

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Introduction

In the fifteenth episode of the first season, American Homicide continues the harrowing investigation into the disappearance and eventual murder of Danny Burrows. This episode, titled “The Disappearance of Danny Burroughs, Part 2,” uncovers the dark truths behind a seemingly ordinary family unraveling into a nightmare.

The Disappearance of Danny Burrows

Danny Burrows, a beloved Boy Scout leader, husband, and father, vanished from his home in Maize Landing, New Jersey, in August 2007. Initially, his wife Loretta Burrows claimed Danny had run off with another woman, a waitress from a restaurant they frequented during vacations. However, suspicions lingered among family and neighbors who found Loretta's story inconsistent.

[01:36] Maria Tremarke: "When Danny Burrows disappeared from his home in Maize Landing, New Jersey, his wife Loretta said he ran off with another woman... But not everyone bought Loretta's story."

Investigation and the Discovery

Six years after Danny’s disappearance, in May 2013, investigators acted on a tip suggesting Loretta had forged legal documents. This led to simultaneous search warrants at Loretta’s New Jersey home and her sister’s residence, where she had been staying.

[02:13] Sergeant Caroline McDonald: "When we entered the house, we were all shocked. I think it was the last thing we expected, honestly."

During the search, Sergeant McDonald and her team made a chilling discovery in Loretta’s impeccably maintained bedroom closet. Hidden beneath layers of plastic garbage bags and concealed within Tupperware containers were remnants of Danny’s decomposed body.

[05:17] Sergeant Caroline McDonald: "She was the only items in the house that appeared to be concealed in a strange way."

The stench of decomposition forced the team to halt, only to receive a phone call confirming they had found Danny's body within the house.

[06:16] Sergeant Caroline McDonald: "We were going to find Daniel's body inside the house."

Loretta Burrows' Confession

As detectives probed further, Loretta was questioned and confessed to stabbing Danny during an argument in 2007, claiming self-defense. However, inconsistencies in her story raised red flags among investigators.

[07:16] Maria Tremarke: "Loretta said she killed Danny, but it was in self-defense."

One critical inconsistency was Danny's recovery from shoulder surgery at the time of the supposed attack, making Loretta’s narrative implausible.

[07:55] Detective Lynn Docherty: "That doesn't mean he couldn't throw her on the bed... It didn't add up."

Loretta admitted to storing Danny’s body in various containers and moving them between residences to conceal her crime.

[10:31] Detective Lynn Docherty: "We asked her, like, how did you put his body into a rubber bag container? She'll go, I just, like, pushed it in."

The Trial

The trial, presided over by Judge Mike Donio, was a pivotal moment in the case. Prosecutor Seth Levy aimed to dismantle Loretta’s façade of a loving grandmother and reveal her as a cold-blooded murderer.

[20:39] Prosecutor Seth Levy: "She's one of the few that I would say is the closest thing or potentially to a psychopath that I've ever met."

Notably, Judge Donio disallowed Loretta’s initial confession, compelling the prosecution to rely on concrete evidence and Loretta’s deceptive actions over the years.

[21:07] Maria Tremarke: "The voice you are hearing here is Judge Mike Donio... It's incredible to get his perspective."

Verdict and Sentencing

After presenting graphic photographic evidence of Danny’s decomposition and highlighting Loretta’s manipulative behavior, the jury convicted Loretta Burrows of murder and hindering apprehension in a swift two-hour deliberation.

[27:39] Maria Tremarke: "Loretta Burrows never took the witness stand. But... her range of facial expressions were on full display during the trial."

Loretta was sentenced to 55 years in prison, ensuring she would never be eligible for parole.

[39:17] Judge Mike Donio: "Mrs. Burroughs will spend the rest of her life in prison. So to that extent, justice was served."

Impact on the Family

Danny’s brother, Ray, endured profound emotional trauma, recounting years of uncertainty and the ultimate horror of discovering his brother’s remains.

[32:10] Nancy Grace: "There’s no way is the real killer rightly behind bars or still walking free."

Ray's victim impact statement highlighted the relentless anguish and the quest for justice that sustained him through the ordeal.

[33:04] Ray Burrows: "For many years the murderer was enjoying life again. I was taken back to August 2000, 2007 and the several times I visited my brother's home, listening to the monster's made up stories."

Conclusion

The episode culminates with Loretta Burrows’ conviction, bringing a semblance of closure to Danny Burrows' family after years of uncertainty and pain. The case underscores the devastating impact of deceit and the relentless pursuit of truth by those seeking justice.

[37:20] Holly Fry: "I stand before you today... I'm ready to accept the responsibility."

Next Episode Preview: American Homicide will next explore a carjacking gone wrong in Atlantic City, delving into the deeper layers of this seemingly straightforward crime.

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Notable Quotes:

• Sergeant Caroline McDonald ([02:13] - [06:16]): Detailed initial shock and the discovery of Danny’s body in deceptive concealment.
• Prosecutor Seth Levy ([20:39], [21:58], [25:59]): Described Loretta’s dual nature and strategic prosecution plan.
• Judge Mike Donio ([21:31] - [39:49]): Provided judicial perspectives on the trial and sentencing, emphasizing severity and justice.
• Ray Burrows ([33:04], [35:07]): Expressed the deep emotional toll and the relentless pursuit of justice.

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Final Thoughts:

American Homicide masterfully navigates the intricate layers of the Danny Burrows case, blending investigative depth with personal testimonies to present a compelling narrative. This episode not only chronicles the uncovering of a heinous crime but also highlights the enduring pain and resilience of those left behind.

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Listen to American Homicide:
Available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

Transcript

[Holly Fry]

He was a boy Scout leader, a husband, a father. But he was leading a double life. He was a monster hiding in plain sight. Journey inside the mind of one of history's most notorious killers, btk, through the voices of the people who know him best. Listen to Monster BTK on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Nancy Grace]

Beautiful young women full of life and dreams, murdered or vanished without a trace. Their families left with nothing but heartbreak, questions and memories. I'm Nancy Grace. This week on Crime Stories, we uncover the truth behind these unsolved cases. We work to bring justice and answers to grieving families. Please don't miss Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Listen on the iHeartRadio app at Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maria Tremarke]

Welcome to the Criminalia Podcast. I'm Maria Tremarke.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry. Together, we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime.

[Maria Tremarke]

Each season we explore a new theme. From poisoners to art thieves, we uncover.

[Holly Fry]

The secrets of history's most interesting figures, from legal injustices to body snatching.

[Maria Tremarke]

And tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in cocktails and mocktails inspired by each story.

[Holly Fry]

Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maria Tremarke]

When Danny Burrows disappeared from his home in Maize Landing, New Jersey, his wife Loretta said he ran off with another woman, a waitress who worked at a restaurant Danny and Loretta used to go to when they were on vacation down south. But not everyone bought Loretta's story.

[Sergeant Caroline McDonald]

There was a lot of rumors and deception surrounding Daniel's disappearance.

[Maria Tremarke]

Six years later, detectives executed simultaneous search warrants, one on Loretta's New Jersey home and the other at Loretta's sister's house, where Loretta had been staying. Investigators never imagined what they'd find.

[Sergeant Caroline McDonald]

When we entered the house, we were all shocked. I think it was the last thing we expected, honestly.

[Prosecutor Seth Levy]

She was an elder care nurse for years, just taking care of other people. And when you look at this case, you could see through that mask.

[Maria Tremarke]

We're in South Jersey today for the conclusion of the disappearance of Danny Burrows. I'm Sloan Glass, and this is American Homicide. And just a warning that what you're about to hear is graphic. Please take care while listening. By May of 2013, Danny Burrows had been missing for nearly six years. The case had gone court until prosecutors received a tip that Loretta Burrows had forged some legal documents. This sparked a search warrant of the two residences where Loretta had been staying. Her Home and her sister's.

[Sergeant Caroline McDonald]

We were of the understanding that it was for insurance fraud documents with the capacity that we could find possible items of evidentiary value related to a homicide or a disappearance.

[Maria Tremarke]

So as Loretta Burrows was being questioned at her sister's house, another team led by Sergeant Caroline McDonald was searching Loretta's home in Ventnor City, New Jersey.

[Sergeant Caroline McDonald]

Loretta Burrows. House was impeccably clean when I entered it. It smelled very fresh. Generally speaking, it was as if she was expecting visitors.

[Maria Tremarke]

Her beachy two bedroom, two bath duplex sat a couple blocks from the Atlantic Ocean and just minutes from the many casinos and nightlife of Atlantic City.

[Sergeant Caroline McDonald]

At that time, I was conducting the search. I was the one photographing. My primary area of concern was her bedroom. That's where I started. What particularly stood out to me in Loretta's bedroom was the organizational aspect of her closets. She had every pair of shoes that she owned in their own little Tupperware cases stacked on top of each other on the top of her closet.

[Maria Tremarke]

Sergeant McDonald had the camera, and her team had a system in place.

[Sergeant Caroline McDonald]

Every time an item of potential evidentiary value is located within the residence, whoever's searching that area will call your name so you can photograph it as it exists.

[Maria Tremarke]

While she was in Loretta's bedroom, the lieutenant in the guest bedroom called her name.

[Sergeant Caroline McDonald]

In my mind, I'm thinking, okay, he found something of interest. So when I walked into the bedroom, it had bunk beds, some kids items in there. And we were made to understand that that is the room that when her grandsons came over, they would sleep.

[Maria Tremarke]

And standing in front of the closet was the lieutenant. He had a puzzled look on his face.

[Sergeant Caroline McDonald]

When you opened the first set of closets, there wasn't anything of particular interest in there. It was kind of empty. When you got to the second closet and you pulled open the doors and there were a lot of clothing items in there.

[Maria Tremarke]

Mixed in with Loretta's clothing and Christmas decorations was something odd.

[Sergeant Caroline McDonald]

There was a stacked object and it had blankets draped over it and clothing items draped over it, things on top of it appearing to cover up whatever the object was. He called my attention to it because he found it to be strange. They were the only items in the house that appeared to be concealed in a strange way. As we started to remove the coverings around the Tupperware containers, there were plastic bags, garbage bags.

[Maria Tremarke]

In fact, there were nine layers of black plastic garbage bags.

[Sergeant Caroline McDonald]

As we dug deeper into it, we were finding little air freshener beads that were melting and coming apart. We were finding dryer Sheets that had scents to them.

[Maria Tremarke]

You probably know where this is going. Even with all of those air fresheners, Sergeant McDonald noticed a smell she described as decomposition.

[Sergeant Caroline McDonald]

As it became stronger and stronger and started to fill the room, we. We stopped. I called the medical examiner's office, and as I was hanging up the phone with them, another sergeant who was present, he was coming into the room to let me know that Sergeant Docherty was interviewing Loretta Burrows and that we were going to find Daniel's body inside the house.

[Maria Tremarke]

You may remember from the last episode, another team of detectives was questioning Loretta at her sister's house.

[Sergeant Caroline McDonald]

It was almost simultaneously that the discovery happened, as well as the phone call.

[Maria Tremarke]

As the team photographed the many plastic bags, dryer sheets, and air freshener beads, Loretta Burrow sat with Detective Shaleck and Sergeant Lynn Docherty.

[Detective Frank Shaleck]

She simply said, are you Detective Shaleck? And I said, yes. And she says, I want to talk to you. We Mirandize her, and at that point she tells us everything that happened. Redhead said that they had gotten into an argument.

[Maria Tremarke]

She told the police the argument she had with Danny happened in August of 2007.

[Detective Frank Shaleck]

Daniel had pushed her on the bed. And once that happened, she got a knife from the kitchen and repeatedly stabbed Daniel and killed him.

[Detective Lynn Docherty]

She said she stabbed him. She said it was in the bathroom and he fell into the bathtub and that she left the body in the bathtub.

[Maria Tremarke]

Loretta said she killed Danny, but it was in self defense.

[Detective Lynn Docherty]

Everything that she told us was about her being the victim.

[Maria Tremarke]

Keep in mind, Danny was recovering from shoulder surgery at the time and his arm was in a sling.

[Detective Lynn Docherty]

That doesn't mean he couldn't throw her on the bed, but the way the house was set up, she then ran down the loft, down the steps, through the living room, into the kitchen to grab a knife, and then back through the kitchen, through the living room, up the steps, through the bedroom, and into the bathroom to protect herself from the person that was upstairs the whole time. It didn't add up.

[Maria Tremarke]

So the picture that Loretta is painting would mean that she got into her car and drove to a theme park in Pennsylvania for a vacation with her daughter Nicole and her grandchildren, all while her husband was still in the bathtub. And if you remember from the last episode, Loretta told Nicole that Danny called her during that trip.

[Detective Lynn Docherty]

When we said, why would you tell Nicole that you're calling Danny and having conversations with him? And she said, oh, I was calling him to see if he picked up, but you just said you knew he was dead. She's like oh, yeah. I just, like, was hoping. I mean, nothing she said made sense.

[Maria Tremarke]

That's when investigators began to connect the dots.

[Detective Lynn Docherty]

She's telling people that he's calling her from Florida, and he's clearly not. So she was laying foundations for people to not be suspicious of him disappearing the whole time. You know, why Are you going to report him missing? I told you, I talked to him. He's not missing. He's in Florida.

[Maria Tremarke]

You know, what investigators were getting at is that Loretta had a clear plan over the last half decade. She spun a tangled web of lies to cover the fact that she stabbed and killed her husband.

[Detective Lynn Docherty]

I asked her in the interview. Okay, so you stabbed him, right? You're saying that there was this fight, and you stabbed him. Did you ever think to call 911? Like, even in the heat of passion, if you're mad at somebody and you stab them, which is still, like, a terrible, horrible thing, what do you do? You call 911 and try and get the medical attention. And then she said something to the effect of, and he's still with me. Danny's still with me. Something like that. I'm like, does she keep, like, a vial of blood around her neck on a necklace? Like, what kind of crazy thing is she talking about that he's still with me? I never imagined that she was gonna tell us what she told us. And then she said, I just put him in a Rubbermaid container.

[Maria Tremarke]

That's the same plastic container the police found hidden in Loretta's guest closet.

[Detective Lynn Docherty]

We asked her, like, how did you put his body into a rubber bean container? She'll go, I just, like, pushed it in. And we specifically asked her if she had cut up his body or anything. And she said no. But then later, the autopsy report showed that there were cut marks on the bones. And then she tells us that she had to put him, like, transition into another container, which is the one we found him in, and that his head fell off. So she put that in a separate container, and she claimed to take the body out of the closet and talk to it.

[Maria Tremarke]

So just to be clear, Loretta says she killed the man she loved since they were kids. And she loved him so much that she stuffed his dead body into big plastic containers and then talked to the body.

[Detective Lynn Docherty]

Six, seven years she's been traveling around with this body, keeping it. It's like something you watch on tv.

[Maria Tremarke]

At first, Loretta said she kept Danny's body in a container out in the yard behind their house in May's Landing. But she eventually dug up Danny's Remains and put them into storage containers. If you remember, neighbors of Loretta complained of a smell on her property. To this day, they continue to wonder if Danny's body was under that tarp in her backyard.

[Detective Frank Shaleck]

I've never heard of anyone ever murdering someone and keeping the body, and not only keeping the body, she transported it to her second house and then transported it to her third house. So it completely blew us away.

[Maria Tremarke]

Detective Frank Shaleck arrested the 61 year old grandmother and charged her with murder.

[Detective Frank Shaleck]

And then investigator Lynn Docherty and I went to Nicole's house and sat down with her and explained her everything that had happened.

[Maria Tremarke]

Nicole is Loretta's daughter.

[Detective Frank Shaleck]

She just couldn't believe it. You know, Nicole had just lost her stepfather. You know, it was confirmation of that. And Nicole just lost her mother. Her mother was now going to go away to prison, probably for the rest of her life. It was very hard for her.

[Maria Tremarke]

Nicole had plenty to process, including the fact that her children spent many nights at Loretta's home.

[Detective Frank Shaleck]

Daniel's body was stored in the bedroom of her third home, which her grandkids would use. I mean, she murdered someone, it's disturbing. But to put the body in the closet where her grandkids were sleeping. I just can't fathom what she was thinking, like. I don't know. It bothers me.

[Maria Tremarke]

Well, no one imagined the years of wondering what happened to Danny Burrows would end like this. She kept him in the closet for seven years.

[Holly Fry]

I don't know what the.

[Maria Tremarke]

I can't even get into a head like that. I can't. Ruth Ann Tovanni not only grew up with Danny, but she went to prom with him. How in the world. How do you make a decision to do that? It's sad.

[Detective Lynn Docherty]

Very sad.

[Maria Tremarke]

It was very sad. Especially for Danny's brother Ray, who had spent years trying to get anyone to listen when he said, something here is not right. My brother would not disappear. And he was right. His brother was closer to him than he ever expected. His intuition told him Loretta was behind it. And her duplicity hid a dark, dark side.

[Holly Fry]

He was a Boy Scout leader, a church deacon, a husband, a father.

[Maria Tremarke]

He went to a local church. He was going to the grocery store with us.

[Judge Mike Donio]

He was the guy next door.

[Holly Fry]

But he was leading a double life.

[Judge Mike Donio]

He was certainly a peeping Tom. Looking through the windows, looking at people, fantasizing about what he could do. He then began entering the houses.

[Maria Tremarke]

He could get into their home, take.

[Nancy Grace]

Something and get out and not be caught.

[Maria Tremarke]

He felt very powerful.

[Holly Fry]

He was a monster hiding in plain Sight.

[Maria Tremarke]

Someone killed four members of a family. It just didn't happen here.

[Holly Fry]

Journey inside the mind of one of history's most notorious killers. Btk through the voices of the people who know him best. Listen to Monster BTK on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Nancy Grace]

Beautiful young women full of life and dreams, murdered or vanished without a trace. Their families left with nothing but heartbreak, questions and memories. I'm Nancy Grace. This week on Crime Stories, we uncover the truth behind these unsolved cases. We work to bring justice and answers to grieving families. Please don't miss Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maria Tremarke]

It was big news. I mean, white girl gets murdered, found in a cemetery. Big, big news.

[Nancy Grace]

When a young woman is murdered, a desperate search for answers takes investigators to some unexpected places. He believed it could be part of a satanic cult.

[Maria Tremarke]

I think there were many individuals present. I don't know who pulled the trigger.

[Nancy Grace]

A long investigation stalls until someone changes their story.

[Maria Tremarke]

I, like, saw whole thing that happened.

[Nancy Grace]

An arrest, trial, and conviction soon follow.

[Holly Fry]

He just saw his body just kind of collapsing.

[Nancy Grace]

Two decades later, a new team of lawyers says their client is innocent.

[Maria Tremarke]

He did not kill her.

[Nancy Grace]

There's no way is the real killer rightly behind bars or still walking free. Are you capable of murder?

[Holly Fry]

I definitely am not.

[Nancy Grace]

Did you kill her? Listen to the real Killer, Season 3 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maria Tremarke]

Loretta Burrows spent six years portraying herself as a scorned wife. She told everyone that her husband Danny left her for a young blonde in Florida. The reality was Loretta murdered Danny.

[Detective Frank Shaleck]

Not only did she kill her husband. Okay, I see that occasionally, but that she then chopped him up and put him in a tote. But no, we don't stop there. She moved him from location to location.

[Maria Tremarke]

Damon G. Tyner was the Atlanta county prosecutor whose jaw dropped when he read about the case.

[Detective Frank Shaleck]

You can't make this up. If you made it up, it would really be a bad horror film.

[Maria Tremarke]

Loretta moved Danny his dead body two other times and was in the process of moving a third time.

[Detective Frank Shaleck]

So what mindset is there that when the moving vans show up to move you from one destination to another, that you say, hey, don't forget my body over there. It's unheard of. And her grandkids are coming to that home. They're visiting there. And she has something in there as bizarre as the remains of her Late husband, like, what is that all about? But the reality is that if Danny Burrow's remains were not in that home or had never been found, this is a case that doesn't go to trial. It's probably not even charged.

[Maria Tremarke]

This is a crime Loretta could have gotten away with. It had been six years, and up until now, there was no evidence that Danny was more than a missing person. There's no rationalizing what Loretta did. But could she have been in shock? Was Danny really this violent man? And she was responding in self defense? Well, the trial brought out those answers. In March 2015, the case went to trial and prosecutors said Loretta Burrows motive was much darker and meaningless.

[Detective Frank Shaleck]

Loretta had a gambling problem. She was addicted to gambling. And I believe that she wanted to stay in the area, not for the purpose of being close to her children and grandchildren, but for the purpose of feeding her addiction.

[Maria Tremarke]

And no matter where Loretta lived in New Jersey, she was always a short car ride away from the numerous casinos in Atlantic city. Back in 2006, for example, those casinos took in over $5 billion from the busloads of gamblers who played slot machines and table games. And Loretta was one of those gamblers.

[Detective Frank Shaleck]

Loretta Burrows was greedy. She would do anything to feed that addiction. And that includes murder.

[Maria Tremarke]

Prosecutor Seth Levy learned Loretta's gambling addiction dated back to the 1990s. That's when she got in trouble with one of her employers.

[Prosecutor Seth Levy]

She, over the course of time as a bookkeeper, was slowly embezzling money from the company she worked for.

[Maria Tremarke]

According to court records, Loretta stole $470,000. And in 1996, she was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison. Her lawyer at the time blamed it on Loretta's gambling addiction.

[Prosecutor Seth Levy]

That kind of crime takes patience. It takes devotion to the crime. It takes knowledge. And so now you're looking at somebody in a different lens.

[Maria Tremarke]

As the trial began, two questions loomed. Would Loretta take a plea deal? And would she testify on her own behalf? Judge Mike Donio presided over the trial.

[Judge Mike Donio]

I didn't think she would enter a guilty plea because I think she figured that, you know, if I'm going to spend most of my life or all my life in jail, I might as well take the shot, even though I know it's a long shot.

[Maria Tremarke]

The voice you are hearing here is Judge Mike Donio. I've covered a lot of cases. Rarely does the judge speak to reporters. It doesn't matter if the case is closed. It's just not something they often do. And as the trial started, Loretta got a big win. Judge Donio threw out Loretta's confession to the police. It's incredible to get his perspective and.

[Judge Mike Donio]

As to why she had a lawyer early on when they were talking to her, and then when they did interview her one time, the lawyer was not present and there was a little issue there. So I ruled that certain of those statements that she made would not be.

[Maria Tremarke]

Admissible without Loretta's confession. Prosecutor Seth Levy had to change his strategy. Here's prosecutor Levy.

[Prosecutor Seth Levy]

She comes off as very nice, old loving, grandmotherly woman. And her story is this big ogre of a man came after me to kill me, and I stabbed him in self defense. That thought and that juxtaposition kind of drove my entire creation of the prosecution. She's one of the few that I would say is the closest thing or potentially to a psychopath that I've ever met. What I mean when I say that is you get what's on the outside. You get smiles, you get a sweet voice, somebody who wants to hug and help. And, you know, she was an elder care nurse for years, just taking care of other people, always taking care of other people. And when you look at this case, you could see through that mask. And it's almost if at night she would unzip the grandmother costume, step out into her real Persona. So, you know, we came up with this strategy of how to unmask her, of how to show the jury she is not who she says she is.

[Maria Tremarke]

Here's Judge Mike Donio again.

[Judge Mike Donio]

The prosecutor said that this was like the Little Red Riding Hood. And like all these old folk tales, there's a lesson to be learned. There's a moral to the story. And the moral is, not everyone or everything is as it seems.

[Maria Tremarke]

But no fairy tale contains the amount of graphic testimony and evidence this case featured.

[Judge Mike Donio]

Showing the jury bones torso that was found in a box in the defendant's house.

[Maria Tremarke]

There was also photographic evidence of Danny's decomposing body that was so disturbing that Judge Donio ruled prosecutors could only show it in black and white photos.

[Judge Mike Donio]

I remember it was hard on the drawers. And when the photographs were presented with the. The bones, especially the women on the jury were like, taken back. And you could see that they were like, visibly like, wow.

[Maria Tremarke]

If you think it was tough on the jury, imagine what it was like for Danny's brother, Ray. Judge Donio remembers Ray in the courtroom.

[Judge Mike Donio]

His emotions would get the best of him. There was a couple times where I had to admonish him because he would come to court and hold up, not in front of the jury, but when we would have motions, he would hold up pictures of Ms. Burroughs with a knife in her hand and things like that. And he would blurt things out. And a couple times I had to have a little talk with him. Let's let the system do its work and let's let justice prevail. You could possibly cause a mistrial, you could cause a problem, and that. You don't want that. We don't want that.

[Maria Tremarke]

Loretta's court appointed public defender claimed it didn't make sense for Loretta to murder her high school sweetheart for what amounted to a few thousand dollars.

[Judge Mike Donio]

The defense attorney who was representing her basically was harping on the fact that there was no weapon.

[Maria Tremarke]

He claimed there was no way to know who killed Danny, when they did it, or even why they did it. He added that a cigarette butt was recovered with Danny's remains. That cigarette butt contained DNA, but that DNA did not belong to Loretta.

[Judge Mike Donio]

He did what many defense lawyers do. You just keep raising issues. And then in his summation, he harped about reasonable doubt.

[Maria Tremarke]

Loretta's lawyer pointed to Danny's toxicology report that showed drugs in his body, including amphetamines. The defense suggested that maybe Danny was smoking meth and it could have been a heart attack or even natural causes that killed Danny. But prosecutors at Levy reminded the jury that Danny was recovering from surgery when he died, and Loretta was the one administering Danny's pain medication. He stared at Loretta and said, you don't overdose on meth and then cut yourself up.

[Prosecutor Seth Levy]

We took apart her story one at a time. If she says, I did this because of this, we proved it wasn't so. She told another lie. We proved that lie wasn't so.

[Maria Tremarke]

Loretta Burrows never took the witness stand. But, and this was notable to me, her range of facial expressions were on full display during the trial.

[Prosecutor Seth Levy]

I don't think I've ever encountered somebody who had so clearly two different ways of looking and giving off a feeling. You could just see it. The smile would drop, the eyes would drop from going up into a smile to just cold.

[Maria Tremarke]

It was something that even stood out to Judge Donio.

[Judge Mike Donio]

There were times when she would appear in court and she would be the quintessential grandmother. And you'd look at her and think, there's no way that a woman like this could do something like this. But then when the evidence started to come in about the notarization, about the bogus divorce, telling the neighbor that he left with a young woman and a Hummer, and when you start putting all that together now, you see the Jekyll and Hyde. You go from, you know, being like the grandmother to this devious woman that was capable of this deceit and these lies and ultimately the ultimate crime, murder.

[Maria Tremarke]

What a scary thing to witness in a person that seems so innocent.

[Prosecutor Seth Levy]

This may appear to be a grandmother, it may do things that are like a grandmother, but she is a cold blooded killer. And we have the proof in these two Tupperware containers. The jury agreed, and they convicted her.

[Maria Tremarke]

And it took just two hours for the jury to convict Loretta Burrows of murder and third degree, hindering apprehension. Now it was up to judge Donio to sentence Loretta. And that hearing would leave everyone in the courtroom in tears.

[Holly Fry]

He was a boy scout leader, a church deacon, a husband, a father.

[Maria Tremarke]

He went to a local church. He was going to the grocery store with us.

[Judge Mike Donio]

He was the guy next door.

[Holly Fry]

But he was leading a double life.

[Judge Mike Donio]

He was certainly a peeping tom. Looking through the windows, looking at people, fantasizing about what he could do. He then began entering the houses.

[Holly Fry]

He could get into their home, take.

[Nancy Grace]

Something and get out and not be caught.

[Maria Tremarke]

He felt very powerful.

[Holly Fry]

He was a monster hiding in plain sight.

[Maria Tremarke]

Someone killed four members of a family. It just didn't happen here.

[Holly Fry]

Journey inside the mind of one of history's most notorious killers. BTK through the voices of the people who know him best. Listen to Monster BTK on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Nancy Grace]

Beautiful young women full of life and dreams, murdered or vanished without a trace. Their families left with nothing but heartbreak, questions, and memories. I'm Nancy Grace. This week on Crime Stories. We uncover the truth behind these unsolved cases. We work to bring justice and answers to grieving families. Please don't miss crime stories with Nancy Grace. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maria Tremarke]

It was big news. I mean, white girl gets murdered, found in a cemetery. Big, big news.

[Nancy Grace]

When a young woman is mur murdered. A desperate search for answers takes investigators to some unexpected places. He believed it could be part of a satanic cult.

[Maria Tremarke]

I think there were many individuals present. I don't know who pulled the trigger.

[Nancy Grace]

A long investigation stalls until someone changes their story.

[Maria Tremarke]

I, like, saw one thing that happened.

[Nancy Grace]

An arrest, trial, and conviction soon follow.

[Holly Fry]

You just saw his body just kind of collapsing.

[Nancy Grace]

Two decades later, a new team of lawyers says their client is innocent.

[Maria Tremarke]

He did not kill her.

[Nancy Grace]

There's no way is the real killer rightly behind bars or still walking free. Are you capable of murder?

[Holly Fry]

I Definitely am not.

[Nancy Grace]

Did you kill her? Listen to the Real Killer Season 3 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maria Tremarke]

Judge Michael Donio presided over the trial of Loretta Burroughs.

[Judge Mike Donio]

It was one of the three most difficult or toughest cases that I did.

[Maria Tremarke]

Loretta's sentencing hearing took place in April 2015. A month earlier, a jury convicted Loretta of murdering her husband Danny and hindering apprehension.

[Judge Mike Donio]

We don't sentence that day. Usually it's four to five weeks later and a pre sentence report gets prepared. I get the police reports, prior record and things of that nature and I review all that and then put a sentence together.

[Maria Tremarke]

Judge Donio also heard from Danny's friends and family who submitted victim impact statements. Some of them were in court that day to share their statements. But it wasn't easy to hear over the sounds of Loretta's sobbing.

[Judge Mike Donio]

She just sat there and cried.

[Maria Tremarke]

One statement came from a 12 year old neighbor of Loretta's who used to spend the night in the same bedroom where Loretta was keeping Danny's body. Over Loretta's tears, her letter was read to the court. My dad told me that Loretta had been arrested for killing Danny. I was sad. But then the sadness turned into madness knowing that she made me sleep in a bedroom with a dead body in the closet. Then came a man named Gary who played in Danny's band. He explained how Loretta used to cook dinner for the band and always insisted on making Danny's plate. And after every dinner we'd go back.

[Holly Fry]

To the rehearsal room.

[Maria Tremarke]

He would get behind his drum kit.

[I]

And double over in pain.

[Judge Mike Donio]

And we kept saying, there's something wrong.

[Maria Tremarke]

He said, oh, I'll be all right.

[Judge Mike Donio]

This went on every practice and we.

[Maria Tremarke]

Knew, me and my bass player knew.

[Judge Mike Donio]

There was something wrong.

[Maria Tremarke]

He believed that Loretta was poisoning Danny. I just have nightmares every day.

[Holly Fry]

He was my brother.

[Maria Tremarke]

He was like closer than my brother to me. And I just. I'm sorry.

[Judge Mike Donio]

Sorry, but I'll never get over this.

[Maria Tremarke]

For six years, those closest to Danny didn't know whether he was missing or dead. You can hear that emotion in the courtroom. Loretta faced 30 years to life and something about that stuck with Danny's brother.

[I]

January 2006 and just 19 months prior to my brother being murdered, New Jersey abolished the death penalty. It is of my opinion she also.

[Maria Tremarke]

Researched that Ray placed a picture of Danny on the table in front of him and spent more than 20 minutes eulogizing his brother and condemning Loretta.

[I]

Last time I stood on my brother's property was the day I filed A missing persons report, labor day weekend of 2007. Because the murderer had changed the keypad entrance code, I couldn't even get into my brother's home. I believe that if I had, this investigation may not have taken as long because I believe I would have found my brother's remains inside myself. On May 17, 2013 approximately at 8:30am I received a call stating, ray, we found your brother instantly. I felt as if a large part of my flesh was ripped from my body. At that instant I was taken back to day one when I realized Danny had gone missing. I finally found out what the horrors that monster did to my brother and how she allowed his body to rot for several years in containers, which caused me to drop to the ground and sob like a child thinking of my poor brother mutilated and decomposing. While for many years the murderer was enjoying life again. I was taken back to August 2000, 2007 and the several times I visited my brother's home, listening to the monster's made up stories, repeated lies into my face telling me he called. While all along my brother's dismembered, disemboweled, rotting body may have very well been in the next room or just below the kitchen in the basement freezer. Your honor, how do I shut that off? After many years of mental torture and pain I haven't been able to turn off, I came to the realization that I needed to reach out for help or I was going to give up on living. I believe that the only thing that kept me going was the need to fight for my brother's justice because I, I knew Dan would have done the same for his little brother. Just trying to make it through each day is very difficult because of the horrors my brother endured and how my mind is tortured with those images. I don't look forward to tomorrow. And since I can't simply turn it off, it has become a form of endless mental torture. What she did to my brother. Horror movies, nightmares are made from. And I am living in both. Your honor, I am not above bagging. And after all I have endured the past seven plus years, begging is about all the fight I have left. Loretta was found guilty and now she deserves punishment for her actions. This inhumane premeditated murder demands the maximum sentence. Anything less would not be justice, but an injustice to a good man that was brutally and horrifically taken away from his family and friends. I thank you for listening to me.

[Maria Tremarke]

Ray spent every day as a spectator sitting in the front row of the courtroom. After finishing his statement to the court. He needed help. As he returned to his familiar seat, he was distraught.

[Judge Mike Donio]

He was distraught, and rightly so. He was very close to his brother.

[Maria Tremarke]

Judge Donio then turned to Loretta, who addressed the court for the first time. You're about to hear Loretta's voice.

[Holly Fry]

I stand before you today, your hunter, to accept responsibility for some horrific actions and choices that have brought me in your courtroom today. I had this state applied a different charge, I would have never taken it to your courtroom, your honor. And put families and myself in the courts through extensive heartache and expenses that were incurred by taking it to trial.

[Maria Tremarke]

Had the state charged Loretta with aggravated manslaughter, she claims she would have pled guilty. That charge came with a 10 to 30 year sentence. So you can see why the state wouldn't offer that deal.

[Holly Fry]

If there's such a thing as two people loving one another too much, making the relationship toxic and difficult demands, then I truly believe that Danny and myself were guilty of this. I don't believe. I don't believe in closure, your honor. I don't believe I'll ever sleep right again. But I do believe in Philippians 4:13, that all things can happen through Christ who strengthens him. I pray today that everyone will continue to try to heal from this horrific, horrific situation. I pray that my son sentence will give them some type of peace. No one knows what goes on behind closed doors, your honor. I pray that I'll be able to help people who are mentally and physically abused. I'm sorry for my crime, and I'm ready to accept the responsibility.

[Judge Mike Donio]

My God. All this because you didn't want to go to Florida? Wait till you see now where you're going to go.

[Maria Tremarke]

Judge Donio clearly had heard enough.

[Judge Mike Donio]

I gave her a sentence of 55 years with three years for the hindering running concurrent. That means together. For a case like this, justice is punishment. Severe punishment. And making sure that it never would happen again by this person.

[Maria Tremarke]

Loretta Burrows will not be eligible for parole until she is 110 years old.

[Judge Mike Donio]

Mrs. Burroughs will spend the rest of her life in prison. So to that extent, justice was served.

[Maria Tremarke]

Next time on American homicide. A couple's night out in Atlantic City ends with a carjacking gone wrong. But investigators believe there's more to the story. I'm Sloan Glass. Join me for murder on the parkway. That's next time on American homicide. You can contact the American homicide team by emailing [e-mail] that's AmericanHomicidePodmail.com American Homicide is hosted and written by me, Sloan Glass and is a production of Glass Podcasts, a division of Glass Entertainment Group in partnership with iHeart Podcasts. The show is executive produced by Nancy Glass and Todd Ganz. The series is also written and produced by Todd Ganz with additional writing by Ben Fetterman and Andrea Gunning. Our Associate producer is Kristin Melchuri. Our I Heart team is Ally Perry and Jessica Krynchak. Audio editing, mixing and mastering by Nico Aruka. American Homicide's theme song was composed by Oliver Baines of Noiser Music Library, provided by Mime Music. Follow American Homicide on Apple Podcasts and please rate and review American Homicide. Your five star review goes a long way towards helping others find this show. For more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Holly Fry]

He was a Boy Scout leader, a husband, a father. But he was leading a double life. He was a monster hiding in plain sight. Journey inside the mind of one of history's most notorious killers, btk through the voices of the people who know him best. Listen to Monster on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Nancy Grace]

Beautiful young women full of life and dreams, murdered or vanished without a trace. Their families left with nothing but heartbreak, questions and memories. I'm Nancy Grace. This week on Crime Stories, we uncover the truth behind these unsolved cases. We work to bring justice and answers to grieving families. Please don't miss Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maria Tremarke]

Welcome to the Criminalia Podcast. I'm Maria Tremarke.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry. Together we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime.

[Maria Tremarke]

Each season we explore a new theme. From poisoners to art thieves, we uncover.

[Holly Fry]

The secrets of history's most interesting figures, from legal injustices to body snatching.

[Maria Tremarke]

And tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in cocktails and mocktails inspired by each story.

[Holly Fry]

Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.