
The murder of a young father soon uncovers a tangled web of deceit. A second murder is discovered and just may be linked to the first.
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Anna Sega Nicolasi
Have you ever wondered how Scott and I met? Or how Anatomy of Murder got started?
Scott Weinberger
Or wanted a deeper look into our own backgrounds and how we approach each episode?
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Well, now we're hitting the road to share the story behind AOM and bring.
Scott Weinberger
A live case presentation directly to you.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
We can't wait to spend an evening with our AOM community.
Scott Weinberger
Tickets for select cities are available now in Chicago, Pittsburgh and Philly, Europe.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
First, head to anatomyofmurder.com to grab yours.
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Dr. Horton
Every day, our world gets a little more connected, but a little further apart. But there are moments that remind us to be more human.
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Lisa James
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Dr. Horton
At Ameca, we understand that looking out for each other isn't new or groundbreaking.
Detective Michelle Amicone
It's human.
Dr. Horton
Amica empathy is our best policy.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Previously on Anatomy of Murder.
Lisa James
Who broke into the house? I don't know who broke into the house. All I know is I think my husband is shot. And I didn't.
Dr. Horton
I did not want to go look.
Lisa James
I did not want to look.
Detective Michelle Amicone
It was very execution style. I mean, it was clear. Pillow over the head. The shots into the pillow. He was clearly sleeping. We're 48 hours in and I know that unless we get someone to talk, I don't think this is going anywhere.
George Taylor
I don't even want to get involved in nothing.
Lisa James
I understand you don't want to, but you kind of are.
Detective Michelle Amicone
She knows there's no video. She knows there's no tape going. She knows it's just me and her. She says to me, you're never going to solve this. And I just looked at her and I said, let me tell you something, I am going to solve this and when I'm done, you're going to be in prison.
Scott Weinberger
I'm Scott Weinberger, investigative journalist and former deputy sheriff.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Hi, I'm Anna Sega Nicolasi, former New York City homicide prosecutor and host of Investigation Discovery's True Conviction.
Scott Weinberger
And this is Anatomy of Murder. A quick reminder, this is the second episode in a two part series, so if you haven't yet, go back and listen to part one.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
In January of 1998, Kevin James was asleep in his bed when he was shot three times at close range. His execution style style murder left detectives in Moreno Valley, California searching for clues of who could have wanted him dead.
Scott Weinberger
There were no signs of robbery, but there was a witness, Kevin's 12 year old son, who claimed that after hearing the gunshots, he saw a man fleeing the house and jumping into a distinctive vintage Buick, a car he knew to belong to a neighbor named George Taylor.
George Taylor
Our main thing was, was our love for old cars.
Scott Weinberger
And that Riviera just looked too nice.
Lisa James
Ever been up to his room, up to his kids room? Never ever.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
When questioned by Detective Michelle Amicone, Taylor denied having anything to do with Kevin's murder. But inconsistencies in his alibi were raising all kinds of red flags.
Detective Michelle Amicone
Oh, he just went all over the place where, with where he was that night. I want to say it was like a three hour interview and nothing was consistent. From the beginning to the end. He changed his story two, three times. I mean, nothing was consistent.
Scott Weinberger
Taylor was the prime suspect in the murder of Kevin James, a mechanic, husband and father of two. But while detectives hunted for the evidence to prove it, the case did take a dark and unexpected turn.
Detective Michelle Amicone
Deputies respond out to the very east end of Moreno Valley to a dead body that's found.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
The victim had been shot once in the back of the head. A tattoo on his back helped identify the dead man as Kevin's suspected killer, George Taylor.
Detective Michelle Amicone
George is laying on his stomach, his hands are out fully extended and above his head. I mean it looks like he was dragged there and then boom, left exactly how he had been dragged there and laid.
Scott Weinberger
Despite the gunshot wound to the head, the surprising lack of blood at the scene supported the theory that Taylor was killed elsewhere and dumped in the desert.
Detective Michelle Amicone
And here's the other interesting thing. So he's muddy. I mean, his clothes are muddy. His face is completely muddy. Everything's muddy. Except for his very white socks on his feet. They are white as can be. It's like, okay, someone took his shoes. Why?
Anna Sega Nicolasi
In Michelle's opinion, the two murders of Kevin James and George Taylor were clearly connected. A hunch supported by an autopsy that revealed that both men were killed by.40 caliber ammunition, possibly even fired by the same gun. You know, so Scott, here, the theories, it just. There's so many different ways that you could potentially link these up.
Scott Weinberger
Yeah, I do like the fact that they were able to identify the weapon in both scenes. Right. So my first question would probably be, perhaps George Taylor did not work alone in the murder. Perh. It was the person he was involved with who was his accomplice. Or one other way you can look at it is maybe somebody was taking revenge for the death of Kevin James.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
And again. Right. Like, the caliber of the weapon is not dispositive. But it would be quite a coincidence that two men that knew each other, one being looked at as potentially responsible for the murder of the other, they're both killed by gunfire by the same caliber. But also, you know, if George had nothing to do with it at all, it could be that the actual killer wanted to make it look that way, like they were trying to be silenced. So there's so many different ways to see it. But I definitely do agree with Michelle's early assessment that they definitely do seem, in one way or another, to be connected. But whichever way this may potentially pan out, there were still a stunning number of possibilities. And with very little forensic evidence in either murder, the best place to start was in the interview room, questioning the people in George Taylor's immediate orbit.
Scott Weinberger
Because if you remember, George Taylor's girlfriend had told police that before he disappeared, he'd been hanging out with three people at a local motel. Shelby Harris, who lived next door to Lisa and Kevin James and two other friends of Shelby's, Terrence Bledsoe and Joe Jensen.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
According to Taylor's own mother, her son was no saint, but she was convinced that it was Shelby and these other two men who were the real trouble in the group. And if anyone had conspired to kill her son or anyone else, it was.
Detective Michelle Amicone
Them George's mom refers to as Shelby's gang. And so Tina is the one who puts George, Terrence, Joe, and Shelby as this little gang that are doing criminal activities together.
Scott Weinberger
Before he was killed, George Teller himself had even admitted to police that he had been with Shelby, Jo and Terrence on the night Kevin James was killed.
Lisa James
So who rented the room?
Detective Michelle Amicone
Shelby did.
Scott Weinberger
And now George's mother feared that her son's conversation with police about Kevin's murder gave his so called friends more than enough motive to have him killed.
Detective Michelle Amicone
And so I don't know if this is what his mom has picked up from him, what he's told her, or if it's actually true. But the one thing I do know is the four of these people are hanging out together, and someone else was driving that car that took George away from Kevin's house. And so good possibility it's Selby, Terrence, or Joe. Now I've got two more people that are possibly involved.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
And detectives in Moreno valley were now facing not one unsolved murder, but two. When first questioned by police, Terrance Bledsoe confirmed that they were all indeed together in a motel room on the night Kevin was killed. But he denied ever leaving or knowing anything about the homicide.
Lisa James
So you read about this shooting the next day in the paper? Yeah. Did you ever talk to Shelby about it and ask her, hey, you know, what happened? Or anything like that? No, she didn't say anything. But I remember she saying, man, she's like, now who am I going to get to work on my car? I remember that. You know, you know, that was, you know, that was about it.
Scott Weinberger
But Michelle suspected that Terrence was holding out on her and knew a lot more than he was letting on. And one way to prove it was to go to the motel and to try to verify his story.
Detective Michelle Amicone
I go to the Motel 6 and show them a picture of Shelby, you know, have you seen her? Did she rent a room? Well, we've seen her, but she's not the one who rented the room. Oh, who rented the room?
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Listed in the register on the night of Kevin James murder was the name Lisa Nash, A name that Michelle thought sounded awfully familiar.
Scott Weinberger
It was recognizable because Lisa Nash just happened to be the maiden name of Kevin's wife, Lisa James. Investigators knew that Lisa and Shelby were friends and neighbors. But why would Kevin's widow have never mentioned to police that she actually had been with Shelby, George Taylor and the others on the day her husband was killed? So was this just a coincidence, or was she somehow involved in a plot to kill her husband?
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Suddenly, all of Michelle's suspicions about Lisa's behavior in the immediate aftermath of Kevin's murder were becoming much more relevant. And Lisa's friendship with Shelby, much more concerning.
Detective Michelle Amicone
So I decided at that point, well, let's just see what Shelby and Lisa have to say to each other before I interview Lisa. And so I take Shelby and I say, oh, you know, Lisa's in this other room, but you want to go and talk with her for a minute? Lisa and Shelby are supposedly best friends. They've lived next door to each other for a very long time. I've heard from Kevin Jr. And neighbors how close they were. And so when I bring Shelby into the room, I'm expecting what I would do with my best friend, like, oh my God, big hug, how are you? What happened, what's going on, you know, whatever.
Scott Weinberger
But instead, the two women sat across from each other and didn't speak.
Detective Michelle Amicone
Shelby walks in, she sits on the other side of the room from Lisa. They give each other a hi or hello or something. That's it. And then they sit in total silence with each other. Complete silence.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Michelle's gut instinct as a veteran detective told her something was definitely amiss.
Detective Michelle Amicone
And they just sat there and I watched them on tape for, I don't, it was probably 20 minutes or more. And they just sat there staring at each other. But it wasn't just staring like it was, I don't know, there were a couple head nods, there were some looks. It meant something. In my mind. It's like, I don't know, they're communicating somehow.
Scott Weinberger
In Michelle's opinion, it was the kind of non verbal connection shared by two people that are much more than just friends.
Detective Michelle Amicone
Whether they were having an affair, which was my first guess, or whether something else was going on, I don't know. And so in my mind, I immediately went to, okay, you know, we're going to really interview these two.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
And so Lisa James was led to a separate interview room and the murder victim's widow sat for the first of several interviews, centering not on what she heard or saw on the night of the murder, but what she might have known about it beforehand.
Scott Weinberger
If you remember, in her initial meeting with police on the night that Kevin was killed, Lisa was unable to think of any reason why her husband may have been targeted. But now she had a different theory.
Detective Michelle Amicone
And her theory was that Kevin was into dealing drugs, that he sold marijuana, and that this was one of his dealers had gotten angry at him and he had been arguing with him back and forth over the phone, and she felt like one of them was responsible for his murder.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
And George Taylor had mentioned to police that he sometimes bought marijuana from Kevin James. So this theory from Lisa was not completely out of the realm of possibility. But what was much more telling to Michelle was Lisa's sudden change of heart from being a grieving widow to informing on her husband's potential criminal activity.
Detective Michelle Amicone
I thought that was interesting because I don't have many people throw their beloved people under the bus quickly. You know, they're usually very protective, especially if they're dead. Like, they don't want you to know anything bad about them.
Scott Weinberger
Then Michelle confronted Lisa about her hunch that Lisa had a romantic relationship with her friend Shelby, and that maybe her infidelity had caused friction in her marriage to Kevin.
Lisa James
I'm telling you the truth. Me and her are friends. That's it. Okay? If she's bisexual or she's doing her own thing, that's on her. She's never tried anything with you. She knows I don't like women like that. I like women as a friend. A sex thing. No. I had Kevin. That's. That's. That's all it was.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
As you can hear, in her recorded interview, Lisa adamantly denied being in a relationship with Shelby Harris.
Lisa James
I did not. I do not. I am not having an affair. I did not have an affair with Shelby. I am not turned on by women. Point blank. But you knew deep down, somewhere deep down inside yourself that Shelby had something to do with that. This isn't some stranger who walked in your house and killed Kevin for his marijuana, is it?
Detective Michelle Amicone
And now she starts turning on Shelby a little bit. She's saying stuff like, well, we never had an affair, but I do think she had trouble with Kevin.
Lisa James
I was thinking, if she was my friend, why would she come into my life and do this to me? If she was my friend, my life was fine. That's what I'm talking about. Well, your life wasn't fine. Yeah, it was fine. Kevin was going to leave you again. Well, that's what he told his mother, and that's what he told his brother. Kevin was about to split up with you. Why was he going to leave me? Because he was pissed off about Shelby and the time that you guys spent together.
Scott Weinberger
So, Ana Seeka, I could tell you that there are all types of reasons to target certain questions in these interviews. I mean, clearly, you're trying to get information, and then there's a type of questions. You're trying to get a reaction. And sometimes a person's reaction, their body language, their tone of voice, is much more telling than their words.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
And it's almost like you can hear it by her questions, like, Michelle is fishing like she's trying to set the hook and just see if Lisa will bite. Because again, if her hunch is correct, she just might get that answer based on the way that she frames her question. And Lisa thinks, oh, maybe she knows. And I think that's exactly what Michelle is trying to do. But, you know, even while Lisa continues to deny. Deny. Look at what Michelle is learning.
Scott Weinberger
Yeah. I mean, obviously, when she denies these things and Michelle has this information at her fingertips, she knows that this wedge probably was developing between this relationship and that possibly more and more of this onion's being peeled back and that there's something definitely going on, because either way.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Like affair or not, they're supposedly close friends. But what Michelle is seeing is that Lisa is already starting to turn against Shelby. And so a little while later in the questioning, when she was asked again about what she knew about the murder now of George Taylor, Lisa stayed on the defensive.
Lisa James
So now tell me what you know about George's murder. I don't know anything about George's murder. What has Shelby told you? She hasn't told me about anything about Georgia. You guys haven't talked about George being killed? Nope. I mean, we talked about, like. I mean, she didn't go. She didn't go to his funeral. Right.
Scott Weinberger
To Michelle, the suggestion was clear. Lisa was dropping big hints that Shelby Harris was behind the murder of her friend George Taylor. And Michelle made it clear she knew why.
Lisa James
Follow me here. Why did Shelby want George dead? She thought that he was going to tell. Exactly.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
She thought he was going to tell. In other words, Shelby feared that George Taylor was about to cooperate with police and tell the truth about their plot to murder Kevin James.
Scott Weinberger
A version of both murders was coming into focus. Both connected and both seemingly mastermind by Shelby Harris.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
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Scott Weinberger
Not everything was peaceful in Moreno Valley, California. It seemed the potential romantic relationship between neighbors Lisa James and Shelby Harris was a potential motive for the murder of Lisa's husband Kevin.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Detective Michelle Amicon's theory. Shelby recruited her friend George Taylor to commit the crime and then had him executed when she feared he would spill the beans of what they'd done to police. Here's Michelle and Lisa James talking about that very real and frightening possibility.
Lisa James
So when you found out about George, did you. When I found out about him, I got really scared. I got really scared. What'd you think then? I was thinking, okay, George is dead. You know what I'm saying? And okay, who's next? That's what I was thinking. Did Shelby ever tell you that George was running his mouth too much? She made that comment to a lot of people. Too much. About what? About the Kevin thing.
Scott Weinberger
It's a pretty compelling theory. But here's the thing and something really worth pointing out. There was very little physical evidence to prove any of this. No fingerprints or DNA could put Taylor at the scene of Kevin's murder. No murder weapon had been found and any information he was getting ready to share with police was lost when he was killed and his body was dumped in the desert.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Kevin's 12 year old son had seen Taylor's car in front of their house, but couldn't say for certain that the man he saw fleeing was Taylor. And this being 1998, there were no cell phones to trace, no location data to track Taylor or Shelby's movements on the day of either murder.
Scott Weinberger
Which is all another way of saying that all the circumstantial evidence collected so far relied almost entirely on What Michelle could elicit in interviews with the various witnesses and suspects. And that included multiple interviews with Shelby Harris, who, if you remember, was cooperative with police in the hours after Kevin's murder. But after the discovery of her friend George Taylor's body, her sense of self preservation kicked right into overdrive.
Lisa James
So the reason you're back down here. Like I told you and Lisa before, I have all kinds of new information. I've been talking to all kinds of people. Things are matching up. I told you that the other day. Well, they're matching up even less now.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Confronted with Lisa's insinuations about Shelby's involvement in her husband's murder, Shelby fired back with a brow raising statement of her own.
Lisa James
So if Lisa tells me that you know more about who shot Kevin than you're letting on or that you're telling me, is Lisa lying or telling the truth? I do not. Believe me. If I knew who shot Kevin, they would be dead right now. Honestly, if I knew for sure that George did it, George wouldn't have came.
George Taylor
To the police station.
Scott Weinberger
That's pretty shocking. And a look into the mind potentially of someone willing to entertain revenge. Shelby was saying that if she did know that George had murdered her girlfriend's husband, she would have exacted her own vigilante justice.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Certainly a strange strategy, denying you are capable of murder while still revealing what you just might do if betrayed by a friend.
Lisa James
So if Lisa says, ask Shelby, ask Shelby. Shelby knows. Shelby knows nothing. Shelby has told you everything. Shelby knows. Well, why is Lisa telling me that? Shelby, why? Why am I getting all these different stories from different people? And as far as I do, what the hell is going on?
Detective Michelle Amicone
And she actually also then agrees to a Polly. See, Shelby was one of these I'm the smartest people in the room kind of people. And so no matter what I threw at her, she agreed to it because she was going to show me who was going to win this little chess match we were having or whatever.
Scott Weinberger
Despite her denials, Shelby Harris was demonstrating all of the qualities of someone capable of masterminding a plan, manipulating those around her, and very possibly committing murder.
Detective Michelle Amicone
This is how cocky she was. We were standing there looking at this car, and Shelby says to me in the parking lot, she knows there's no video. She knows there are no tapes going, she knows it's just me and her. And she says to me, you're never going to solve this. And I said, let me tell you something, Shelby. I am going to solve this. And when I'm done, you're going to be in prison.
Scott Weinberger
It was a cat and mouse game for the ages. But Michelle knew it might be time to change tact.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
So we have discussed before how it is legally permissible for law enforcement to use some deception in their efforts to speaking with and getting statements from a suspect. And just for quick review, the reasoning is that a suspect can answer however they want if they didn't do anything, don't know anything, whatever. No matter what a detective says, they are going to only have presumably one answer to give right. The lie, if you will, shouldn't matter unless you're guilty. And then it just might be the thing that spurs the truth.
Scott Weinberger
Remember, George Taylor had been questioned by police about Kevin's murder before he was killed. But none of his suspected accomplices knew just what information he may have shared. And so Michelle and a partner had an idea to pretend that Taylor had actually made a full confession.
Detective Michelle Amicone
Let's write a letter as if it was written by George. So I sit down and I write a like, to whom it may concern. And I kind of just put down my theory along with information I've received from people like. So I put something like this in the letter, like, if I wind up dead, here's what happened. And I decided I'm just going to show him the letter and see if anyone bites.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
And while Shelby was unlikely to believe the ruse, Michelle suspected that her two other potential accomplices, Terrence Bledsoe and Joe Jensen, that with them, this letter, it just might work.
Detective Michelle Amicone
Terrence was the weakest link, in my opinion, and the one that was more easily manipulated.
Scott Weinberger
So in his next interview with detectives, Michelle shows Bledsoe George's supposed confession. And as expected, Bledsoe took the bait.
Detective Michelle Amicone
Terrence was just sweating and getting really nervous, and Terrence just lays out everything for us.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Believing that he had already been incriminated by George Taylor, Bledsoe laid out his version of the events leading up to Kevin and Taylor's deaths.
Detective Michelle Amicone
Tells us that on the day of Heaven's murder, he was at Shelby's house. Lisa was at Shelby's house, George was there, Everybody was there. Joe, George, everybody. Lisa and Shelby left the house. They went into Big 5 Sporting Goods and bought ammo, came back with the ammo to the house, and he saw the ammo. He saw a gun sitting on the table. The ammunition was absolutely.40 caliber.
Scott Weinberger
He then described how Lisa returned home while he, Jensen and Taylor followed Shelby's instructions to drive to the James house.
Lisa James
When you went over to Kevin's, I want to make sure I Have this straight. You were sitting where I was sitting in the back seat and Joe was in the front passenger seat and George was driving.
Detective Michelle Amicone
What Terrence ultimately says when he knows, like, his back's up against the wall. Finally, and we show him this confession note, he says, okay, okay. You know, I drove to Kevin's with George and Joe, but Joe was the driver and George is the one that got out. George ran inside the house. I heard shots fired. George ran out, got in the passenger side. Boom.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
He also confirmed Michelle's hunch that the cold blooded planet was all hatched by Shelby Harris.
Detective Michelle Amicone
He confirms that Lisa and Shelby are having an affair. He confirms that Shelby is the mastermind behind all of this. Shelby told Lisa to sleep in the. In the kids room, told Lisa to leave the door unlocked when she went to bed. Shelby provided George with the gun.
Scott Weinberger
Bledsoe's version of events would be confirmed by his accomplice, Joe Jensen. Although, as you can hear from this recorded phone call, Jensen was a little more hesitant about cooperating.
Lisa James
Where you at? I can come pick you up. Where you at?
Detective Michelle Amicone
I'd rather not say.
Lisa James
I bet you wouldn't.
George Taylor
The only thing I do ask, I mean, I'm not gonna be like, arrested anymore.
Lisa James
Well, I'm gonna be honest with you. It's a distinct possibility. I will give you the opportunity to talk to me, but then I'm gonna have to make a decision. You understand that? Is that fair enough?
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Jensen was brought into the station where he was given the opportunity to lay it all out and hopefully tell the truth.
Lisa James
I've talked with Terrence quite a bit.
George Taylor
That's where I've been told.
Lisa James
In fact, he's still down here.
George Taylor
Yeah, I just seen him a second ago.
Lisa James
Okay. And what I was talking to him about was the night that Kevin him was killed. And Terrence pretty much came clean and told me what happened. So I need you to tell me, just like Terence did, what the hell went on that night. And be honest with me, Joe, because I got a story. Yeah.
George Taylor
I got a question. Okay. If I was with Jordan, is that an exit to my next group?
Scott Weinberger
Like Bledsoe, Jensen admitted that the night started at the Motel 6. He then claimed that just before 11pm he and Taylor got into his 65 Buick Riviera.
Lisa James
He took you over where?
George Taylor
By Kevin's house.
Lisa James
And tell me what happened. This is the important part, Joe.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
As you can hear, he first tried to protect his friend Terrence Bledsoe, claiming that it was just him, Joe Jensen and Taylor in the car. But Michelle Quickly poked a hole in that lie.
Lisa James
Now, are you trying to protect Terrence? Terrence told me he was in the backseat.
George Taylor
Okay, fine. In the backseat.
Scott Weinberger
Jensen went on to describe how he parked Taylor's car in an alley across from Kevin James house. There was little doubt what he was there to do.
Lisa James
Did he have a gun with him?
George Taylor
George always carried a gun. Always. I mean, he had a gun when he was here, when he came and talked to you guys.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
According to Jensen, the front door was out of sight. But shortly after Taylor entered the James home, he heard the unmistakable sound of gunshots.
George Taylor
I heard boom, boom. He comes running outside. And I had asked him. Then I said, no, you didn't. And I said, no. I was upset at him because I'd already. I knew what he did, and I just was like, you just made me an accessory, and I'm not, you know, thanks a lot kind of deal. And I told him to take me home.
Lisa James
How many boom, boom booms did you hear? Two. All right. Loud.
George Taylor
I could hear them. I could tell what they were.
Lisa James
Were the car windows down or up? All right, but you heard them?
George Taylor
Yeah, I could hear them.
Lisa James
And you knew they were gunshots.
George Taylor
I've been around enough guns.
Lisa James
I know.
George Taylor
I know what they sound like.
Scott Weinberger
After Kevin's murder, the men returned to the Motel 6. But the killing would not stop there, because just two weeks later, Taylor was being interviewed by detectives. And while he had not confessed to police, he had already hired an attorney.
Detective Michelle Amicone
Shelby was afraid that when George was arrested and talked to his attorney that he spilled his guts because George, quote, unquote, talked too much. And she told Joe and Terrence, listen, if George talked to his attorney, we're all screwed. So you're going to help me. We're going to get rid of George. Now they make George sit up in the front passenger seat. Joe's sitting right behind George. They drove out to this rural area. Shelby is there and meets them in a separate car.
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Back.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
A month after the murder of Kevin James, the four people who planned and carried out his execution were meeting in a remote area to discuss their next moves. Little did one of them, George Taylor, know that those moves did not include him.
Detective Michelle Amicone
They start arguing about George keeping his mouth shut. You know, he's telling Shelby, my attorney can't say anything. They get into a huge argument. George gets back in the car, sits down in the front passenger seat. Shelby's still standing outside. Joe's still behind him. Joe has the gun out now. And Shelby says to Joe, this mother. And Joe brings a gun up, puts it to George's head. One shot to the back of the head.
Scott Weinberger
According to statements both from Bledsoe and Jensen, Taylor never saw it coming. Shelby Harris assured them that police would assume Taylor had simply gone on the run.
Detective Michelle Amicone
They take George out of the car, drag him over to this little ravine, leave him there, and Joe takes George's boots off of his feet because they were Jones boots, not George's.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Apparently, on the day of Kevin's murder, Harris had forced George to get rid of his shoes in case he had left footprints or trace evidence at the scene of the crime.
Detective Michelle Amicone
So she makes Joe give George his brand new pair of boots, Timberlands that he had just bought. And Joe was pissed. And so when they kill George and duff him, Joe takes his boots back. That's why his feet were so clean.
Scott Weinberger
It was just another dark detail demonstrating just how much control Harris had over these three men.
Detective Michelle Amicone
They would do whatever she told them.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Both men painted Harris as the mastermind and a ruthless killer, even if she never pulled the trigger. But there was still one major question, and that was how much Kevin's wife, Lisa, may have known about Harris plan to eliminate the man she saw as her romantic rival.
Scott Weinberger
And so, armed with these detailed confessions, investigators gave Lisa one more chance to come clean and admit any involvement in the planning, execution, or covering up of her husband's murder. And here is where the first thread began to unravel.
Lisa James
Like I said, we've been. We've been talking to quite a few people. We talked to Shelby. We talked with her last night. We've been talking with her today. We talked with Terrence for quite a while. And I have finally been told the entire story behind Kevin's murder and behind George's murder. Okay? And I'm telling you, I know exactly what happened in both instances. Okay? This is Your opportunity to tell your story. And, Lisa, we talked yesterday, and you were almost to a point, I felt several times where you were actually going to tell me the truth. You never got to that point, although you teetered right on the edge. This would be a really good time to tip to that side of truth and honesty. And when you tell me your story, worry, do not lie. This is really not the time to do that, because I know what happened. And I will promise you this. I will not ask you any question I do not already know the answer to. The only reason I will be asking you the question is to see whether you're going to lie or whether you're going to tell the truth. Okay. Fair enough. Fair.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Lisa admitted renting the motel room under an expired license and to buying ammunition on the day of her husband's murder, although she claimed the bullets were for a planned day of target practice with her husband, Kevin.
Lisa James
It was, like, four different types of bullets and, like, two packs of each kind. Whatever type of guns Kelly had at the house, I don't know.
Scott Weinberger
Did you buy any.40 caliber?
Lisa James
I don't remember.
Scott Weinberger
When she was confronted with the version of the murder that Shelby and her accomplices already gave police, Lisa stopped short of admitting she was in any way involved in the plan to kill her husband.
Lisa James
And then you talk to Shelby on the phone. Right. Okay. Tell me if you remember this statement. Okay. Shelby says to you, okay, this is the night we're gonna do it. You don't remember that I explained to you the importance of being honest, Correct? Correct. Okay, so you understand that? Yes. All right, so you are going to sit here and look me in the eye and tell me that Shelby did not make the statement. This is the night we're going to do it. Right. She didn't say that. Okay, so she said that. She didn't say it to me.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
So Shelby's lying.
Lisa James
And Terrence. Yeah. Both of them lying.
Detective Michelle Amicone
So she says, okay, you know, I think I'm just going to go ahead and go. So I say, okay, well, you're under the arrest. You're under arrest for Kevin's murder. And she has her purse with her, and she's keeping this purse on her lap and hands on. Very hands on this purse. And. And through this whole interview with her, I'm thinking, why are you hanging onto those purse so hard? You know, now I want to look in the purse, and so I search her purse, because now she's under arrest. I can search her purse. And I find notes, a notepad, and there are Notes that are being clearly. Two different handwriting names. Notes that are being clearly. This note has been passed back and forth.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Lisa had vehemently denied any romantic relationship with Shelby Harris, but the explicit note in her purse seemed to prove otherwise.
Lisa James
Lisa, stop telling me you didn't have a relationship with Shelby. I didn't have. I didn't have a sexual relationship. There is no one else in this room. It's you and me right now. You need to start being honest. Okay? You wrote that. It's your handwriting. I know it's your handwriting.
Detective Michelle Amicone
It is my handwriting, all right?
Lisa James
And you were writing it to Shelby.
Detective Michelle Amicone
So I show that note. I said, well, what's this note? And I show it to her. And Lisa.
Lisa James
Oh, my God.
Detective Michelle Amicone
That was all Shelby. I mean, if you want to know the truth, Shelby basically raped me. Yeah, we had had sex one time. I was not a willing participant. I was a victim here.
Lisa James
I've never been attracted to girls before.
Detective Michelle Amicone
You know what, Lisa?
Lisa James
I don't. I don't care. She forced herself. Not forced herself on me. It was like, for me, she knew what I was going to do with Kevin, and she was comforting me. Okay, and what? One thing led to another.
George Taylor
No.
Lisa James
All right, but it happened before Kevin died.
Detective Michelle Amicone
Shelby, Shelby, Shelby, Shelby. Now she is turning on Shelby big time. And, yeah, I do think Shelby had Kevin killed because she wanted to be with me, but I was. No way I was ever going to be with her. So I take the opportunity and say, well, great, if this is all Shelby, let's put a wire on you. And you call Shelby right now and let. And I. Here's what I need you. And she won't, won't, won't. And then finally, I said, yeah, okay, you know, I mean, you can go down for this by yourself, or you can take the people responsible with you. I don't care. And so she agrees to wear a wire.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Lisa James called Harris on a recorded line, but even her closest friend could tell she was someone not to be trusted.
Lisa James
Somebody's there with you, huh? What are you talking about? No, I'm by myself.
Detective Michelle Amicone
We put a wire on her, she calls Shelby, and Shelby's not really biting. But before Shelby completely ends the phone call, Lisa says to her, you know, to the effect like, you know, Shelby, I'm really getting worried. And, you know, I don't know what you did, and I don't know what you did to Kevin. And she's getting these out, and Shelby says to her, well, one point, you know, Lisa, I don't know what you're doing, and I don't know where you are, but you better remember, we're in this together.
Lisa James
You know exactly what's going on. We both know what's going on. So, I mean, why don't you. We're in it together, period. You know what I'm saying? What are you. What are you talking about? Exactly what I'm talking about.
Scott Weinberger
On March 10, 1998, Shelby Harris was placed under arrest. You're under arrest for two counts of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of that.
Lisa James
So young to be going to prison for the rest of your life. We got you. I told you, Shelby, this day would come, did I not? Did I not sit here and look you in the eye and say, shelby, I'm gonna find out who did this? And you said, it ain't gonna be me. Man, I can't believe you lied to me.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Shelby Harris, Lisa James, and Joe Jensen were all charged with multiple counts of first degree murder and conspiracy. They were tried together, but heard by three separate juries during one simultaneous trial. And I can tell you, having done one of those myself, they are a challenge for any prosecutor. It's all about the organization.
Scott Weinberger
In the trial, prosecutors painted Shelby Harris and Lisa James as the masterminds of a calculated murder plot to eliminate the one one person they believed was standing in the way of their romance. Lisa's husband, Kevin James.
Detective Michelle Amicone
Once they're incarcerated, they weren't in the same cell, but they continue writing letters to each other. Lisa and Shelby now, but they write him in code, so the letters are coded, and they're love letters to each other and how much they love each other, and they're still going to be together. And that was the whole thing, you know, was to be together. And so. So, you know, they just had to get through this trial and be found not guilty, and then their day would come, kind of thing. And so it was all about getting together.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
But on December 18, 1999, a jury's verdict would decide a much different future for both of them.
Detective Michelle Amicone
They were all found guilty. Lisa, her sentence was 25 years to life. She is now out on parole, and she, Shelby and Terrence both got life without parole, and they are both still in custody.
Scott Weinberger
In the end, there was justice for Kevin James, a father and a husband who, by no fault of his own, found himself the victim of both an unfaithful wife and her vindictive and violent girlfriend.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
But like in so many cases of spousal homicide, we can't help but ask why Lisa James thought murder was the.
Detective Michelle Amicone
Only option, the single most question. And from day one, everybody that I ever talked to about this case says, why didn't she just divorce him? She's worried about her reputation. She's worried about what her parents think. Her parents were pretty religious. Her and Shelby having an affair was never going to fly with her family, with her friends, with her kids, with anybody. It's just the background she came from.
Scott Weinberger
Instead, James and Harris embarked on a deadly plan that would claim multiple victims, including Kevin James, the man who shot him, and all of those friends and family members whose lives were forever affected by their murders.
Detective Michelle Amicone
I can definitely say that this is one of the most memorable cases, and I would say probably the one that I'm proudest of, really, because there was no evidence. This was truly detective work. To me. This is what an investigation should have been. You know, it wasn't send some DNA swabs off, send some foot impressions off. It was myself and my partners working together and just keeping at it like every single day until we solved it.
Scott Weinberger
For today's closing thoughts, I want to talk about something we call criminal overconfidence. There have been several examples throughout the cases we bring each week where people believe for them, the devil is in the details. Meaning as long as they think out the COVID up the crime, they'll never do the time. They think a staged crime scene, a wiped down doorknob, or a perfect timed alibi will keep them one step ahead of investigators and perhaps a bulletproof piece of lab work. Whether it's a narcissist who truly believes they're too clever to leave a trace, or the psychopath who can't fathom that science will outlast their schemes. They all make the same fatal miscalculation. They misjudge the depth of the investigative web. But here's the kicker. No matter how meticulous you plan, every fiber you dismiss, every smear you think you've erased, it's an invitation for the evidence to do the talking. Modern forensics isn't just about matching DNA or fingerprint patterns. It's about connecting dots you never even saw.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
I was thinking about what I wanted to say about this case. And the thing that keeps coming back to me is this. Kevin James, 12 year old son, heard the gunshot that took his father's life and then had to push past his mom to get to the window. And then saw the person who shot his dad run away from their house and get into a car. That young boy, now a man is not only a hero witness because he put the solving this case in motion. But he is also another victim beyond losing his father, victimized differently now because of his mother and Shelby's brutal, awful plan. I keep thinking about that 12 year old and his younger brother. Of course I think about Kevin James first, a likable man who worked to provide for his family and loved them all, wife and children alike. But his wife strayed from their marriage and we all know that extramarital relationships sometimes happen and that was bad enough. Yet rather than walk away from the marriage, she decided to take her husband's life and her son's father from them forever. All those things criminal, cruel and unforgivable, at least to me. I hope Kevin's boys are well and have each other to hold onto through these years as they have hopefully tried to somewhat heal from this life altering trauma. Tune in next week for another new episode of Anatomy of Murder.
Scott Weinberger
Anatomy of Murder is an audio Chuck.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
Original, produced and created by Weinberger Media and Frasetti Media.
Scott Weinberger
Ashley Flowers is Executive Producer.
Anna Sega Nicolasi
This episode was written and produced by Walker Lamont, researched by Kate Cooper, edited by Ali Sirwa and Phil Jean Grande.
Ashley Flowers
So what do you think Chuck? Do you approve.
Walker Lamont
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Anatomy of Murder: A Tangled Web - Part 2 (Kevin James & George Taylor)
Release Date: May 13, 2025
Hosts: Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi and Scott Weinberger
In the second installment of the two-part series "A Tangled Web," hosts Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi and Scott Weinberger delve deeper into the intricate murder case of Kevin James and the subsequent death of George Taylor. This episode meticulously unpacks the layers of deceit, betrayal, and investigative prowess that ultimately led to unraveling a complex web of relationships and motives.
Kevin James' Murder
In January 1998, Kevin James, a mechanic, husband, and father of two, was found dead in his Moreno Valley, California home. He was shot three times at close range in what appeared to be an execution-style murder, leaving detectives puzzled as there were no signs of robbery. The pivotal witness was Kevin's 12-year-old son, who reported seeing a man fleeing the scene and entering a distinctive vintage Buick, identified as belonging to neighbor George Taylor. [03:49]
George Taylor's Involvement and Death
George Taylor became the prime suspect due to his connection to the vintage Buick. However, inconsistencies in his alibi during multiple interviews raised suspicions. Just weeks after being questioned, Taylor was found dead, shot once in the back of the head, in a manner that suggested he was executed after being eliminated as a threat to the investigation. [05:14]
Notable Quote:
"George is laying on his stomach, his hands are fully extended and above his head. It looks like he was dragged there and then left exactly how he had been dragged." – Detective Michelle Amicone [05:30]
Linking the Murders
Detective Michelle Amicone identified a chilling connection between the murders of Kevin James and George Taylor. Both victims were killed using 40-caliber ammunition, suggesting the possibility of the same weapon or perpetrator. This led investigators to explore the relationships and potential accomplices within Taylor's immediate circle, particularly focusing on Shelby Harris, Terrence Bledsoe, and Joe Jensen. [06:35]
Notable Quote:
"Shelby recruited her friend George Taylor to commit the crime and then had him executed when she feared he would spill the beans of what they'd done to police." – Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi [08:36]
Suspicious Behaviors and Alibis
Terrence Bledsoe initially denied any involvement but later, under strategic deception, confessed details that implicated Shelby Harris and revealed the depth of her control over the group. Concurrently, Lisa James, Kevin's wife, exhibited suspicious behavior, including renting a motel room under her maiden name and purchasing ammunition, which she claimed was for target practice. [09:33]
Notable Quote:
"I thought that was interesting because I don't have many people throw their beloved people under the bus quickly." – Detective Michelle Amicone on Lisa James' sudden shift in narrative [14:17]
Strategic Deception
Detectives employed a clever tactic by fabricating a confession letter purportedly written by George Taylor. This deception was aimed at eliciting truthful responses from the suspects. Terrence Bledsoe, perceiving himself as already implicated, fell for the ruse and provided a detailed confession that confirmed Shelby's role as the mastermind behind the murders. Joe Jensen's hesitant cooperation further solidified the case against the conspirators. [25:09]
Notable Quote:
"Terrence was just sweating and getting really nervous, and Terrence just lays out everything for us." – Detective Michelle Amicone indicating Bledsoe's confession [26:37]
Evidence Through Interrogation
During interrogations, Lisa James' denial of an affair with Shelby Harris was starkly contradicted by a note discovered in her purse, indicating a hidden relationship. This pivotal piece of evidence compelled Lisa to shift from denial to implicating Shelby, leading to Shelby's arrest. [39:33]
Notable Quote:
"I did not have a sexual relationship. There is no one else in this room. It's you and me right now." – Lisa James denying an affair with Shelby Harris [15:00]
Prosecution's Case
The trial painted a damning picture of Shelby Harris and Lisa James as orchestrators of a calculated murder plot. Prosecutors highlighted the motive rooted in a presumed romantic rivalry and presented testimonies from Bledsoe and Jensen that outlined the sequence of events leading to the murders. The lack of physical evidence was counterbalanced by the corroborative confessions obtained through detective work. [43:04]
Verdicts and Sentences
On December 18, 1999, all defendants were found guilty. Lisa James received a sentence of 25 years to life, while Shelby Harris and Terrence Bledsoe were sentenced to life without parole. Their coordination during the trial, despite separate juries, underscored the organized nature of their criminal activities. [43:55]
Notable Quote:
"Once they're incarcerated, they weren't in the same cell, but they continue writing letters to each other... they're love letters to each other and how much they love each other." – Detective Michelle Amicone reflecting on the aftermath [43:19]
Impact on Victims and Family
The case left a profound impact on the victims' families, particularly Kevin James' 12-year-old son, who not only lost his father but also had to witness the unraveling of his mother's betrayal. Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi emphasizes the lasting trauma inflicted on the children, highlighting the multifaceted nature of victimization in spousal homicide cases. [44:32]
Notable Quote:
"From day one, everybody that I ever talked to about this case says, why didn't she just divorce him?" – Detective Michelle Amicone on Lisa James' motivations [44:32]
Detective Work and Criminal Overconfidence
Detective Amicone reflects on the significance of meticulous detective work over reliance on physical evidence. The case exemplifies how criminal overconfidence—where perpetrators believe they can outsmart investigators—ultimately leads to their downfall. Modern forensics' ability to "connect dots you never even saw" was pivotal in solving this case. [45:50]
Notable Quote:
"Whether it's a narcissist who truly believes they're too clever to leave a trace, or the psychopath who can't fathom that science will outlast their schemes, they all make the same fatal miscalculation." – Scott Weinberger on criminal overconfidence [47:01]
Final Thoughts
Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi poignantly reflects on the personal toll of the case, particularly the undue burden on Kevin James' sons, who had to navigate the loss of their father and the betrayal by their mother. This case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating ripple effects of criminal actions on innocent lives. [44:24]
Notable Quote:
"I keep thinking about that 12-year-old and his younger brother... to have them hold onto each other through these years as they have hopefully tried to somewhat heal from this life-altering trauma." – Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi [47:01]
Complex Motives: The intertwining relationships and hidden motives behind the murders highlight the complexity often present in criminal cases.
Importance of Detective Work: The case underscores the critical role of strategic deception and psychological insight in investigations, especially when physical evidence is scarce.
Criminal Overconfidence: Perpetrators' belief in their ability to evade detection often leads to their eventual capture, as seen in the meticulous unraveling of this case.
Impact on Families: Beyond the immediate victims, the broader family and community suffer enduring emotional and psychological effects.
"George is laying on his stomach, his hands are fully extended and above his head. It looks like he was dragged there and then left exactly how he had been dragged."
– Detective Michelle Amicone [05:30]
"Shelby recruited her friend George Taylor to commit the crime and then had him executed when she feared he would spill the beans of what they'd done to police."
– Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi [08:36]
"I thought that was interesting because I don't have many people throw their beloved people under the bus quickly."
– Detective Michelle Amicone [14:17]
"Terrence was just sweating and getting really nervous, and Terrence just lays out everything for us."
– Detective Michelle Amicone [26:37]
"I did not have a sexual relationship. There is no one else in this room. It's you and me right now."
– Lisa James [15:00]
"Whether it's a narcissist who truly believes they're too clever to leave a trace, or the psychopath who can't fathom that science will outlast their schemes, they all make the same fatal miscalculation."
– Scott Weinberger [47:01]
"A Tangled Web - Part 2" masterfully captures the essence of unraveling a convoluted murder case through diligent investigative work and psychological acumen. The episode not only chronicles the methodical pursuit of justice but also delves into the human emotions and ethical dilemmas faced by those involved. For listeners new to the series, this episode offers a compelling narrative of crime, punishment, and the enduring quest for truth.