Dateline NBC – "The Ruse" (December 9, 2025) – Episode Summary

Overview

This gripping episode of Dateline NBC, hosted by Lester Holt, unpacks a modern true-crime saga that quickly spirals from a missing person’s case into a harrowing examination of police interrogation tactics and psychological endurance. "The Ruse" tells the story of Tom Perez Jr., who reported his father missing, only to become the prime suspect in an intense investigation filled with misleading evidence, a controversial confession, and, ultimately, a stunning twist that leaves both listeners and participants reeling. The episode delves deeply into the ethics and consequences of law enforcement lying—using a "ruse"—to secure confessions, raising questions about the line between investigative necessity and psychological harm.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Missing Father (02:24–06:16)

• Initial Call & Suspicion:
  Tom Perez Jr. contacts police in Fontana, CA, reporting his father, Tom Perez Sr., missing after a routine mail walk.
  “Sometimes he takes a dog for a walk. But the man on the phone, Tom Perez Jr., was describing how his father, Tom Perez Sr., went out for a walk and didn’t come back.” (02:24)

• Early Investigation & Odd Behaviors:
  Joanna Pina, a community service officer, visits the scene and is unsettled by Tom Jr.'s demeanor and the state of the house:
  “So his pants are unbuckled, and he’s just kind of like not concerned, just standing here like, oh, hey.” (03:40)
  Blood evidence and a strong smell of bleach are soon discovered in the home, escalating suspicions.

• Discovery of Evidence:
  A receipt from Lowe’s shows Tom Jr. bought large trash bags the night his father disappeared. Further, a cadaver dog signals possible human remains in the house.

2. Mounting Circumstantial Evidence (07:08–08:50)

• Police Interviews & Growing Suspicions:
  Tom Jr. is brought in for questioning. Detectives note inconsistencies in his account, escalating concern among friends and officers alike:
  “An officer indicated we have overwhelming evidence that there was a murder committed, and he committed this murder. Were you convinced that your friend had killed his dad? Yes.” (09:43)

• Behavioral Red Flags:
  Tom Jr.’s tour of locations, like a donation center and golf course, and his question to detectives—“Don’t bodies float?”—raise further suspicions about his involvement.

3. The Interrogation & The “Ruse” (14:05–18:02)

• Turning Up the Pressure:
  After more than 24 hours of questioning, detectives confront Tom Jr. with a devastating lie: “They told Tom they had found his father’s body.” (14:05)
  His initial, muted reaction—no tears, just shock and denial—leads detectives to push harder:
  “‘You know what’s messed up, Tony? We just told you we found your dead dad and you don’t give a… Not a tear, not a…’” (14:49)

• Collapse & “Confession”:
  Under extreme psychological stress and sleep deprivation, Tom begins breaking down physically and emotionally:
  “We see him literally pulling his hair out, pulling his buttons off.” (16:09)
  Pressured, he gives a vague, narrative confession consistent with the detectives’ leading questions—suggesting a fight, possible stabbing, covering his father’s body with the shower curtain.

4. The Truth Unravels (18:55–22:29)

• A Stunning Reveal:
  In an interview after his release, Tom Jr. explains his “confession” was a product of exhaustion and suggestion: “I didn’t say, yeah, I killed him. I didn’t say that. They said, if you were to kill him, how would you do it?…So then he said, did you wrap him in the shower curtain? Are you sure you didn’t wrap them up in the shower curtain. I mean, I just kept going with their lead. That’s what they call a confession.” (19:12)

• The Real Tom Sr. Appears:
  In a shockingly emotional moment, Tom Sr. appears alive—there was never a murder. He recounts simply taking a spontaneous train ride to LA:
  “So that I did. That exact theory was among the first his son had suggested he might have just walked to the metro and headed la. And that’s what he did.” (22:29)

5. Legal, Ethical, and Emotional Fallout (22:29–32:52)

• Fallout for Tom Jr.:
  Despite his father’s safe return, Tom Jr. is involuntarily committed to a mental hospital for 72 hours without being told his father is alive. The trauma leaves him forever wary:
  “Today I’m more cautious. If Dad’s gonna go out to check the mail, I’m timing him now.” (32:49)

• Police Defend Their Actions:
  Detectives and Fontana Police Chief Michael Dorsey insist the ruse was legally permissible and a valid investigative tool, even if emotionally wrenching:
  “We do not always lie to people, but it is a legally acceptable practice on occasion, when needed, and sometimes it is needed.” (30:48)

• Outside Experts Disagree:
  Former military intelligence officer and interrogation expert Stephen Kleiman condemns such tactics, highlighting the risk of false confessions and lasting psychological harm:
  “False confessions occur at a frequency that would alarm anybody. Tom felt so manipulated, so pressured, so confused, that he said things that he knew wasn’t true.” (29:02)

• Settlement and Aftermath:
  Tom Perez Jr. sued the city, resulting in a $900,000 settlement and no admission of wrongdoing by the police.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You think he’s lying to you?” — “Correct.” (01:17)
• “Don’t bodies float?” — Tom Jr. to detective (08:31)
• “We had overwhelming evidence that there was a murder committed, and he committed this murder.” — Officer/Jana Pina (09:43)
• “We see him literally pulling his hair out, pulling his buttons off.” — Officer reflection on Tom Jr.’s interrogation (16:09)
• “I didn’t say, ‘yeah, I killed him.’ I didn’t say that… I mean, I just kept going with their lead.” — Tom Perez Jr. (19:12)
• “Police had lied about finding his dad’s body. It’s a legal interrogation tactic … called a ruse.” — Narration (22:00)
• “To bring an individual to the point where they’re trying suicide… told their father is dead, has been murdered—can you understand why people would use the word cruelty?” — Interviewer to police (28:15)
• “In my view, police should never, ever be allowed to lie in the interrogation room.” — Stephen Kleiman (29:04)
• “I apologize for what you went through… we are a better policing organization because of this incident.” — Chief Michael Dorsey (31:51)
• “Today I’m more cautious. If Dad’s gonna go out to check the mail, I’m timing him now.” — Tom Perez Jr. (32:49)

Important Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:04 — Crime discovered; initial police suspicions
• 02:24 — Case background, Tom Perez Sr.'s disappearance
• 06:16 — Discovery of key evidence (bleach, blood, trash bags)
• 08:31 — Tom Jr. under suspicion; odd behaviors at interview locations
• 14:05 — Start of high-pressure, deceptive interrogation and “body found” lie
• 16:09 — Tom Jr.’s breakdown and coerced confession
• 18:55 — Tom Jr. on how police led him to confess
• 21:28 — The reveal: Tom Sr. is alive; discussion of “the ruse”
• 25:18 — Attorney and police ethics discussion
• 29:04 — Interrogation expert critiques police tactics
• 30:48 — Police chief responds, apologizes
• 32:49 — Tom Jr. reflects on the long-term impact

Tone and Style

Dateline’s signature style permeates the episode: empathetic but urgent, probing but fair. Quotes and replays from the various interviewees highlight both the raw emotions and procedural rigors central to the story, contrasting police resolve with the personal torment of Tom Perez Jr.

For Additional Context:
The episode finally steers toward a broader reflection on U.S. criminal justice practices, emphasizing the thin line between zealous investigation and ethical overreach—warning of the psychological toll such methods can inflict, and the enduring scars on the wrongfully accused.

This episode is a must-listen for those interested in true crime, criminal justice reform, and the psychology of investigation—and offers a sobering cautionary tale in American policing.