The Secret Wife

Summary

Fear Thy Neighbor: Episode Summary – "The Secret Wife"

Overview "The Secret Wife" is a compelling episode of the Fear Thy Neighbor podcast, hosted by ID. This episode delves into a harrowing true story set in the quiet town of Spring, Texas, where seemingly benign neighborly relations spiral into a nightmare of control, fear, and tragedy. Through firsthand accounts, real 911 calls, and surveillance footage, the episode uncovers the dark secrets behind Hector Campos, a neighbor whose concealed marriage leads to a cascade of frightening events.

Introduction and Setting The story unfolds in Spring, Texas, a serene suburb just north of Houston. Mourning Dove Road, the focal street, is depicted as a picturesque neighborhood where residents take pride in their homes and lawns.

Carmen Guillen [04:37]: "Everybody kind of took care of their lawns. They really, you know, took care of their houses. You know, they were very friendly people."

Main Characters

• Anna Weed: A beloved member of the community, Anna manages an upscale elderly living facility and enjoys a successful marriage with her husband, Scott Weed.
• Scott Weed: A successful executive in the information technology sector, Scott is portrayed as a devoted husband and stepfather.
• Virginia (Anna’s Mother): A strong matriarch who moves in with Anna and Scott to help fill the "empty nest" void after their sons leave home.
• Hector Campos: The enigmatic neighbor living next door, Hector is a quiet airline mechanic of Mexican heritage who has maintained a cordial but distant relationship with the Weed family.
• Leti Campos: Hector’s wife, whose sudden appearance and disturbing revelations become the catalyst for the unfolding drama.

The Discovery of Leti After years of Hector living alone, Leti Campos emerges, presenting herself as Hector's wife. This revelation shocks the Weed family, who had never seen Leti despite Hector’s decade-long residency.

Virginia [10:35]: "This is my wife Letty."

Letty [10:38]: "Oh, congratulations."

The family struggles to reconcile their perception of Hector with this new information, leading to growing curiosity and unease.

The Struggle to Free Leti Leti reveals to the Weed family that she has been locked inside their home by Hector due to his paranoid fears of external threats. Determined to help, Anna and her mother devise a plan to gain Leti's trust and facilitate her escape.

Letty [06:20]: "I probably put them at about 8 and 10 when they got together. Scott was a really good stepdad. He really supported anything they did."

Virginia's empathy, shaped by her own traumatic past with an abusive father, fuels her determination to free Leti from Hector's control.

Letty [17:09]: "I came here to Houston, Texas in 1980 and actually I was running away from, you know, an abusive husband. Yeah, I went through a lot actually."

Hector's Rage and Escalation As Leti gains independence, Hector becomes increasingly possessive and paranoid. His behavior escalates, marked by the presence of multiple firearms and restrictive measures to keep Leti confined.

Carmen Guillen [20:28]: "He had a lot of guns. He had many guns, and he had them in many locations in the house, you know, just in case somebody broke in."

Attempts to help Leti, including organizing a Bible study group and planning her escape to Mexico, only intensify Hector's suspicions and aggression.

The Tragic Conclusion The climax occurs on January 24, 2017, when a confrontation between Hector and Anna Weed leads to a tragic shooting. After a tense exchange, Hector, refusing to accept Leti's departure, shoots Anna in a fit of rage.

Carmen Guillen [41:23]: "Forged by the sea. He was pointing the gun towards the dog. And then Anna grabbed her dog. No. And then he shot her."

Despite immediate medical attention, Anna succumbs to her injuries, leaving the community in disbelief and mourning.

Letty [42:33]: "I just put my arms up in the sky and say, lord, don't take my daughter. But I can see her eyes. And she went like this twice. My daughter died at that time."

Aftermath and Legal Proceedings Hector is arrested but quickly released on bail. The Weed family files a civil suit against him, culminating in Hector's eventual conviction after a prolonged and emotionally draining trial.

Carmen Guillen [47:45]: "There was a few resets and I was like, you know what, this is crazy. She was unarmed, there's a witness. He killed her in cold blood. Why is it taking a year, two years?"

In a public twist, Hector appears on Dr. Phil, attempting to portray himself as a victim. However, his lack of remorse and the overwhelming evidence lead to his conviction.

Carmen Guillen [46:38]: "She's not armed. She was smaller than he was physically."

He is ultimately sentenced to 45 years in prison, providing some measure of justice for Anna's family, albeit after five and a half years of legal battles.

Reflections and Conclusions The episode concludes with heartfelt reflections from Anna's family, emphasizing her strength, selflessness, and the enduring impact of her loss.

Virginia [50:45]: "Anna should be a hero to Leti and her daughter because she gave her life for another family so that they could live their life."

Anna’s legacy as a protector and beloved community member is poignantly highlighted, underscoring the profound loss felt by those who knew her.

Letty [51:03]: "I miss my angel. I miss my daughter a lot. But someday I will see her."

Notable Quotes

• Virginia [09:56]: "He locks me inside."
• Carmen Guillen [17:19]: "My dad was very abusive with all of us."
• Carmen Guillen [32:21]: "Anna would just go away, leave me alone, brush him off, like, just leave me alone."
• Carmen Guillen [46:18]: "She's 53 years old. And she's about 5, 3, 5, 4. She's my. About identical build to me."

Conclusion "The Secret Wife" is a gripping narrative that explores the thin veneer of neighborly relations and the latent dangers that can lurk behind closed doors. Through meticulous storytelling and emotional testimonies, Fear Thy Neighbor highlights the fragility of trust and the devastating consequences when fear and control override compassion and community.

Transcript

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Most violent crimes that capture the public's imagination are about serial killers, mass shooters, crimes of passion, or clashes among underworld figures. Yet some of the most shocking and deadly conflicts we encounter are between everyday neighbors in ordinary neighborhoods. These stories about people like you and me who just happen to move in beside each other and fall out over often minor and likely resolvable issues are stranger than fiction. Their seemingly minor quibbles escalate until violence erupts and it impacts an entire community. What makes a good neighbor go bad? We may never truly know, but heed this warning about the terrible things that can happen when even the pettiest disagreements pass. The point of no return. And good neighbors become worst enemies. Because how can you sleep at night when the person you fear or hate the most lives right next door? In today's story, we find ourselves in a friendly Texas town where a Mexican American family discovers that the helpful bachelor who's lived next door for almost a decade is actually married. And despite living there for over eight years, they have never seen his wife. That is, until she emerges from the house one day and starts talking to the family next door. She's also from Mexico, which helps break the ice between the family and their new, well, newly discovered neighbor. Soon the mysterious woman reveals why it's taken so long for them to realize she's been there. Her husband locks her inside the house, and as further details of the relationship emerge, the family next door is compelled to take action and help her escape. Little do they know this will start a chain of events ending in heartbreak, bloodshed, and, strangely, international television appearances. This is fear thy neighbor. The Secret Wife. Just north of Houston, the town of Spring, Texas offers its residents a peaceful oasis outside the big city. And within Spring is the street of Mourning Dove Road.

[Carmen Guillen]

Everybody kind of took care of their lawns. They really, you know, took care of their houses. You know, they were very friendly people.

[Virginia]

It was just such a nice place to live. It seems so quiet and safe.

[Narrator]

The voices you just heard belong to Arnold Eldretti and Carmen Guillen. Arnold and Carmen are intimately familiar with the unique charms of Mourning Dove Roads. It's the picturesque street that their beloved sister, Anna Weed has called home for nearly a decade. Here's their mother, Virginia.

[Letty]

The neighbors are good, are very nice.

[Narrator]

Friendly, as most people in the tight knit community would attest to. Few people are as well loved on Mourning Dove Road as Anna.

[Carmen Guillen]

She really enjoyed her time with her family. She loved her dogs. She was all about enjoying life. You make your money, spend your money.

[Narrator]

Enjoy your life, you know, it's undeniable that Anna is magnetic. So it's no surprise that Scott Weed was quick to fall in love with her. The pair married while her two sons were young. Scott rose to the occasion as husband and stepfather.

[Carmen Guillen]

I probably put them at about 8 and 10 when they got together. Scott was a really good stepdad. He really supported anything they did. They were in a really good marriage.

[Narrator]

But recently, Anna's two young boys have grown and flown the coop. Now the two lovebirds find themselves to be empty nesters. In order to fill the space left by their sons, Anna has her mother, Virginia, move in with them.

[Letty]

And I used to say, mama, you Spoil my husband, but that's the way I am.

[Carmen Guillen]

Scott was very into our family. You know, he loved my mom. You know, mom cooked like incredible food, authentic Mexican food, you know, so they got along very well.

[Letty]

Those years were very happy years for us.

[Narrator]

Though not an entirely unusual setup, Anna's relationship with her mother transcends that of a mother and child. Here's Anna's sister Carmen to explain.

[Virginia]

Anna's friends used to say, how could you live with your mom and still be happy about it? And she's like, oh, my mother is my best friend. They had a really good relationship. They got along well.

[Narrator]

Anna and the rest of the close knit consider themselves quite lucky. As immigrants from Mexico who came to Texas and thrived, they're living the American dream.

[Carmen Guillen]

Anna was managing a very upscale elderly living place. She always had all these employees that worked for her. She was always, you know, a big boss.

[Narrator]

And Anna's husband Scott is a successful executive for a major information technology company.

[Carmen Guillen]

They really enjoyed life. They enjoyed their time together and they enjoyed life.

[Narrator]

Their professional success has earned Anna and Scott the opportunity to travel as much as they please.

[Carmen Guillen]

They went on so many vacations, like multiple times during the year and there's pictures everywhere, you know where they went.

[Narrator]

But since Anna's mother Virginia lives with them and doesn't always come on vacation, it leaves her alone in the home on Mourning Dove Road. Luckily, they have a kind if quiet next door neighbor, Hector Campos.

[Letty]

We exchanged some aloe vera because I used to have aloe vera and say, yeah, do you want to plant it? I can get you one.

[Narrator]

Hector has lived quietly next door to Anna and Scott for almost a decade. Despite the neighbors enjoying frequent cordial exchanges. Little is known about Hector, just that he is also of Mexican heritage and works as an airline mechanic.

[Virginia]

He just seemed kind of quiet. He was a quiet guy.

[Narrator]

As it happens, Virginia owns a house a few blocks away that she rents out while living with her daughter. While her daughter and son in law are out of town, Virginia decides to ask the nice young man next door for some help with light maintenance.

[Letty]

We went to my house, I had their house rented. I was wondering if he can go ahead and measure for me.

[Narrator]

As always, Hector is happy to lend a hand to his neighbors when they need it.

[Virginia]

Sure. Let's start with the blinds.

[Letty]

Thank you.

[Carmen Guillen]

Six feet by, you seem like a little nerdy type. Doesn't really get out much. So they became friendly and they trusted each other.

[Narrator]

Virginia and Hector get along so well, so it's no surprise that the family asks Hector to be an emergency contact for Virginia as Scott and Anna prepare for their next vacation. You know, I worry about you here being all alone.

[Letty]

And I said, mom, you know what? Why don't you go to the next door neighbor and ask him for his phone number he can keep an eye on? Okay, I'll ask for his number.

[Virginia]

And Hector was that type of neighbor that was always vigilant, wanted to know what was going on.

[Narrator]

So Virginia goes next door for Hector's number. It's an innocuous thing many of us have done with our own neighbors. But Virginia could never know that this simple action is about to alter the lives of both families forever.

[Letty]

So I went over there. Hey, Hector, you know my daughter is going on vacation.

[Narrator]

Can I get your phone number just in case?

[Virginia]

Sure.

[Narrator]

To Virginia, Hector seems almost flustered at her unplanned visit. And when he shifts to reveal someone standing behind him, she understands why.

[Letty]

And that's when I met Letty. She was behind him, but she was kind of, like, scared. I could tell, you know, her face was, like, in fear. Oh, who says, hi, I'm Virginia next door.

[Virginia]

This is my wife Letty.

[Letty]

Oh, congratulations.

[Narrator]

I didn't know you got married.

[Virginia]

We've been married eight years. Hold on a second. I'll go write down my phone number for you.

[Carmen Guillen]

My mom thought it was really odd that Hector and Leti were married. And Leti had been living there for years, and they never knew about her.

[Virginia]

Had never seen her in all these years. I just didn't know she was living next door.

[Narrator]

The whole family is shocked by the news. It's all they can talk about. So naturally, when Scott and Anna get in from their trip, it's the first thing Virginia mentions to them.

[Letty]

And I said to Anna, this man has women there, you know, and he introduced her as his wife.

[Narrator]

Anna and Scott are just as rocked by the news as the rest of their family.

[Carmen Guillen]

They thought that was very strange. We all did. I actually didn't even believe it, you know, I was like, no, she. She lived there for many years. They didn't know that Hector was married. That doesn't make any sense.

[Letty]

I thought, well, maybe he's one of those guys that they don't want for the women, you know, have friends.

[Narrator]

Strangely, after Virginia meets Leti, Hector is not seen by his neighbors for months. The discovery of Leti has caused the family to be more intrigued by Hector than ever before. And his sudden reclusiveness only intensifies their curiosity. So when Leti's sister shows up and introduces Herself. Virginia jumps at the opportunity to get to know her and her sister a little better.

[Carmen Guillen]

Oh, you know, why don't you two come for dinner?

[Virginia]

We have a pool.

[Carmen Guillen]

She's like, would you like to go swimming?

[Narrator]

Yeah.

[Carmen Guillen]

The little girl was like, yeah. Bye. We'll see you later.

[Narrator]

That evening, the two families socialized for the first time. The invitation is also extended to Anna's brother Arnold, who meets Leti for the first time.

[Carmen Guillen]

She was very pretty, you know, I thought, wow, she's beautiful. He's a little short, geeky little guy. And I thought, that's kind of crazy, you know, that she's, you know, this real pretty girl. I was like, how did they meet? They met, like, in a chat room or something like that. So I was like, oh. So she came over to the United States, and she lived there for many, many years.

[Virginia]

Anna was speaking to her in Spanish, but she was a little bit protective of herself, almost as if she didn't want to give away too much of anything.

[Narrator]

The whole family seems to pick up on Leti's unease when they finally get the chance to talk to Leti alone.

[Carmen Guillen]

Hey, Hector, come over here and show me how you two like your steak.

[Narrator]

Anna jumps at the opportunity to ask the burning question.

[Carmen Guillen]

So how can we never see you?

[Narrator]

But the reason is much darker than anyone would have thought. He locks me inside.

[Letty]

She told us that she was locked inside the house.

[Virginia]

She said that when Hector would go to work, that he would deadbolt her in. Why would he do that?

[Advertiser 1]

He says, they will rape me.

[Carmen Guillen]

He would tell her, hey, look, you don't want to go outside because there are murderers and rapists and this and that. And he would lock the doors from the outside.

[Letty]

Hector didn't even leave the garage door open because he says that bad people was going to go inside and rape Letty.

[Narrator]

The party wraps up, but Anna and her mother are left disturbed by this reveal about their timid neighbor. Never in a million years did they expect this to be the answer to the question on everyone's mind. And now they're left to debate the proper course of action. Dear old work platform. It's not you, it's us. Actually, it is you. Endless onboarding, constant IT bottlenecks. We've had enough. We need a platform that just gets us. And to be honest, we've met someone new. They're called Monday.com, and it was love at first. Onboarding. Their beautiful dashboards, their customizable workflows got us floating on a digital cloud nine. So no hard feelings, but we're moving on Monday.com, the first work platform you'll love to use.

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[Narrator]

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[Carmen Guillen]

It seemed like mentally he was just controlling her.

[Narrator]

Virginia's past gives her a heartbreaking and terrifying perspective on Leti's situation.

[Letty]

I came here to Houston, Texas in 1980 and actually I was running away from, you know, a abusive husband. Yeah, I went through a lot actually.

[Carmen Guillen]

We had a really rough childhood with my dad. You know, we left. We had to get away from him. He was just a horrible, mean person and probably would have killed my mom.

[Narrator]

And it's not just Virginia that understands what it's like to live in fear. The whole situation unfolding next door brings back painful memories for Anna as well.

[Virginia]

My mother went through that and then Anna was the one that suffered the most at the hands of my father because she was the oldest. See, I believe that our experiences with an abusive parent, with that abusive father My dad was really what opened up Anna's heart for Leti.

[Narrator]

Que te pasa? Por quime es eso? Nu cam.

[Virginia]

Escuchas.

[Carmen Guillen]

My dad was very abusive with all of us.

[Letty]

I wanted to save my kids.

[Carmen Guillen]

My mom told me one time that my dad pulled out a gun, aimed it towards my mom, and Anna got between them and pretty much told my dad to shoot her instead. No, no. I mean, she's always defending even her mother at a very young age. That's who she was.

[Virginia]

And I think all of that was always on Anna's mind, the fact that we grew up with this controlling, abusive father. And I think that she was concerned for Leti because we lived that life.

[Narrator]

To help Leti gain a bit of independence, Virginia devises a plan to help her get out of the house, one she hopes Hector will agree to.

[Letty]

I'm going to invite Hector and Leti.

[Virginia]

To our Bible study group so she trusts us.

[Narrator]

Surprisingly, Leti is allowed to attend. Here's David Paez, a neighbor who became aware of Leti and her situation while hosting Bible study with his wife Martha.

[Carmen Guillen]

I was the host for vicki and about 14 other people that attended mine.

[Virginia]

And my wife's Bible study in our home.

[Letty]

Being Christian is something that I want to share with people living a different life full of hope and faith.

[Narrator]

Even at the Bible study, people notice Leti's demeanor is off. When he was in the room, she was muffled, quiet.

[Carmen Guillen]

I think she was terrified of him.

[Narrator]

But Virginia's plan seems to be working. As she spends more time with Leti, trust begins to build between the two women.

[Carmen Guillen]

Leti started opening up more about what was going on to my mom, and that's how they really got to know Leti.

[Narrator]

And it's when Leti starts to open up about life at home that Virginia realizes how dire the situation really is.

[Carmen Guillen]

He forces himself on me.

[Virginia]

My mother was so bothered by the fact that this guy was, in Letti's words, was forcing himself on her.

[Letty]

She was really living a really tough life.

[Narrator]

And Leti shares another shocking revelation.

[Letty]

I am pregnant.

[Narrator]

As time goes on, Hector grows suspicious over his neighbor's interest in his wife. His mission is to make sure she remains safe at all costs. And as Leti's pregnancy progresses, Hector's alarming behavior intensifies.

[Carmen Guillen]

He had a lot of guns. He had many guns, and he had them in many locations in the house, you know, just in case somebody broke in. He didn't go to this gun, or he could go to this gun. That kind of put Letty on guard, you know, like, oh, gosh, I'm not.

[Narrator]

No psychologist, but I felt that he was just getting too possessive and he was losing that possession. Feeling vulnerable, Leti invites her mother, Guadalupe to visit from Mexico, preventing Hector from locking her indoors. But before Guadalupe can arrive, Leti needs her neighbor's help. So when Hector leaves the house to run errands, Leti jumps at the chance to phone Virginia.

[Letty]

Letty was so scared and she says, nyaviki, can you come over? Hector was not there. And she said, I want you to see this. I don't know, I don't know what it is. And then she says, at three o' clock in the morning, I was just like trying to go to sleep and I can see him with this pointy thing and I thought he was gonna kill me.

[Narrator]

Leti tells Virginia that Hector has begun guarding her while she sleeps.

[Carmen Guillen]

Go to sleep.

[Narrator]

But that's not what's disturbing to Leti. What scares her most of all is where she found it hidden this morning.

[Letty]

But he threw it underneath the baby's crib.

[Virginia]

You found it? What is this for? It's for protection when the baby comes.

[Carmen Guillen]

I think Hector was getting into Letty's head.

[Narrator]

Anna and Virginia can hear the fear in her voice and are quick to rush over and help their neighbor.

[Letty]

So he says, yeah, I want you to take a picture because I don't know what is going to happen.

[Carmen Guillen]

It was a little dagger, probably, you know, about five, six inches long. And he had it under the baby's crib. Letty would ask him, why do you have that there? It's to protect the baby. It's to protect, you know, you and the baby or whatever. I don't know, it's kind of creepy. I, I wouldn't have a knife under my son's crib.

[Letty]

She told me that she was afraid that he was going to do something harm her.

[Narrator]

With that, to Leti's relief, her mother finally arrives.

[Carmen Guillen]

Leti's mother came in town to visit from Mexico.

[Letty]

When her mom was in Mexico, she used to call her mom every day.

[Narrator]

During her daily phone calls. Leti has told Guadalupe everything about Hector's increasingly alarming behavior.

[Virginia]

This marriage is not right.

[Advertiser 1]

I'm afraid.

[Letty]

Guadalupe always says, you know, I think he's going to kill my daughter.

[Narrator]

Not sure how to help and fearing for her daughter's life, Guadalupe turns to the kind family next door that have taken an interest in her daughter's well being. And please, you have to help me.

[Virginia]

Take care of my daughter.

[Letty]

Anna said, as long As I live.

[Narrator]

Here, nothing is going to happen to your daughter. I promise.

[Carmen Guillen]

Anna wasn't afraid. Anna wasn't afraid of nobody. She didn't fear anything. She didn't fear her neighbor, you know, but sometimes you just gotta sit and think, you know, hey, you know what? People are capable of a lot of different things, you know?

[Narrator]

Leti gives birth to a healthy baby girl. But the arrival of his child makes Hector even more paranoid. This time, his sights are set on the family next door.

[Letty]

Letty used to say that he was always looking through the mini blinds, kind.

[Carmen Guillen]

Of a weird stare, you know, and you're like, you know, what's up with this guy?

[Narrator]

With the arrival of their baby, Anna barely sees her neighbors anymore. But Hector continues to watch her.

[Letty]

Lettie was 100% desired to call the police. You cannot call the police just because you suspect about somebody that is gonna do something bad.

[Narrator]

Fearing serious repercussions, Anna and her family decide to obey Leti's wishes, not to get the police involved. But they're still concerned for their neighbor's safety and try everything they can to get Leti out of the house. Anna and Virginia decide to throw a party for the newborn, which Hector surprisingly allows.

[Virginia]

It's a onesie. See a onesie. My sister hosted a baby shower with the Bible study group. And Hector was there, and Leti was there.

[Narrator]

Leti's mother, Guadalupe, has traveled once more from Mexico to see her new granddaughter.

[Advertiser 1]

Thank you for invite her.

[Narrator]

And she has a message for the baby's mother, Leti.

[Letty]

It's time.

[Carmen Guillen]

Lupe told Leti that she needed to get away from him. There was too many strange things that she saw during her visit. And that's when they started trying to figure out a way for Leti to get away from Hector.

[Virginia]

Hector. That's really Hector.

[Carmen Guillen]

Mama wants to ask Hector.

[Letty]

My family wants to see the baby back home.

[Advertiser 1]

Just a short trip.

[Narrator]

Ni amor. What a great idea. He was very peculiar, odd, and I.

[Carmen Guillen]

Hate to say the word weird, but he gave that aura of strange, you know, we'll see.

[Narrator]

Hector soon relents, allowing Leti and the baby to visit her family in Mexico.

[Virginia]

So he had signed a form for her to take her child. So she had all of the documentation that she needed in order to leave the country.

[Narrator]

Hector's neighbors are relieved. They know that if Leti can get to Mexico, she won't be coming back to the prison that is her home.

[Letty]

Lettie really didn't want to come back to United States. She wanted to stay in Mexico.

[Narrator]

But the night before his wife's trip, Hector makes one condition. He presents her with a small stack of papers.

[Virginia]

It was a document that he wanted her to sign.

[Carmen Guillen]

I don't know what it was, but something very important.

[Letty]

He could not stop asking Lettie to sign some types of paper, you know, for like, a loan.

[Narrator]

Whatever the papers may be, Leti doesn't trust Hector's intentions, especially given that she's at a disadvantage in understanding the contents.

[Carmen Guillen]

They were in English she didn't understand, and she wouldn't sign it. Hector, I cannot sign something. I don't know what it is.

[Virginia]

It was in English, and she didn't quite understand what it was, but she said, no, I'll sign it when I get back. You don't trust me?

[Carmen Guillen]

Letty, sign it.

[Virginia]

No, no, you're not leaving until you sign this. He said that it was something to do with refinancing the home, but I think Leti felt it was something else.

[Narrator]

According to Leti, her refusal to sign the forms angers her husband, forcing her to lock herself in the bathroom.

[Virginia]

Letty, open the door.

[Carmen Guillen]

Letty, you're not going to Mexico till.

[Virginia]

You sign that paper. Hector, please open the door.

[Narrator]

Physically barricaded and with nowhere to turn, Leti calls her mother for help. But Guadalupe knows she can't face Hector alone. So she reaches out to Virginia, hoping the neighbor's family can help her daughter.

[Letty]

Guadalupe was desperate. He says, oh, I know he's going to kill my daughter. I know he's been knocking on the door.

[Narrator]

After speaking to her mother, Anna jumps into action and goes next door, armed with the perfect plan to get Leti, Guadalupe, and the baby out of the house safely. But first she must challenge the authority of a man who is growing increasingly power hungry. And Hector won't go down without a fight. Hector has grown increasingly hostile as his wife refuses to sign his documents. Fueled by memories of her abusive father, Anna is determined to rescue the three generations he has under his control. But Anna is smart and knows she has to do it subtly so as to not upset him further.

[Letty]

She says, hey, Hector, I'm going to the airport. Do you want me to take your mother in law and your wife and the baby? I'll take them.

[Narrator]

But Hector is determined to keep her under his control until she signs the documents. Meanwhile, Leti's mother, Guadalupe, jumps at the chance to escape Hector's grasp.

[Virginia]

Lupe was the one that was like, making her way to Anna's car. So now they're sort of like in a safe haven because now we're Outside.

[Narrator]

Hector's frustrations only grow as his wife and mother in law brazenly disobey his orders.

[Carmen Guillen]

She was like, let's go. This is our opportunity. Let's go. Let's go, let's go.

[Narrator]

Since the confrontation has moved outside, other neighbors on the street are looking on, meaning Hector must try and maintain his cool. But Guadalupe and Leti can almost taste freedom and a new beginning. They're now seated in Ana's car and about to take off.

[Virginia]

Lupe, step out of the car. I'm driving you later.

[Narrator]

Letty, stop.

[Virginia]

You're not leaving until you sign this paper. No.

[Carmen Guillen]

He kept pressing her about signing those papers.

[Virginia]

You have to sign. You have to, Hector, why?

[Carmen Guillen]

What's so important about this piece of paper? And then Anna's like, hector, what is it that you want her to sign? What is this? I think he lost some of the power there. I think Anna took the power from him. I think that really pissed him off.

[Virginia]

Get out of my way.

[Narrator]

Don't you dare touch me.

[Carmen Guillen]

And then Scott comes out. Hey, buddy, cool it. Hector's only 5, 5, 5, 6. Scott, 5' 11, 6 foot, probably outweighs him by like £75 or more.

[Virginia]

If she doesn't want to sign it.

[Carmen Guillen]

She doesn't have to sign it. So a double whammy. He's got to deal with Anna, and now he's got to deal with a.

[Narrator]

Bigger presence with Scott. Now, between Hector and the car, Leti takes the opportunity to drive off with Guadalupe Leti and her baby.

[Carmen Guillen]

From then on, it was like, there's no turning back.

[Virginia]

Come back.

[Carmen Guillen]

Anna and Scott took the power from Hector. They weren't doing it to make him feel less of a man. They were just doing it because, like, hey, look, you want her to sign some documents? What are these documents, you know?

[Narrator]

After Anna drives off with Leti, Hector tries a different tactic to prevent his wife from leaving the United States.

[Carmen Guillen]

I think that really pissed him off because he went back inside his house, canceled the tickets, and Anna took him to the airport and they found out he canceled the tickets.

[Narrator]

But when Anna is set on a course of action, she won't be denied.

[Virginia]

Anna was smarter than him and was able to buy Lythie a ticket and help her to get out of the country.

[Narrator]

But when Anna returns from the airport later that night, Hector is waiting and he's furious to see the empty car. Are you happy?

[Virginia]

You stole my family. They weren't going to leave until you knocked on my door, you know, you.

[Narrator]

Stupid piece of paper.

[Virginia]

I'm glad she didn't sign it.

[Carmen Guillen]

When Letier didn't want to sign those documents, that's when he blamed my sister Anna. That opened a new danger with Hector.

[Narrator]

Which we didn't expect. But Hector's rage doesn't end there. If anything, it's only the beginning. As time goes on, it becomes clear to Hector that his wife isn't coming home.

[Carmen Guillen]

That's where it kind of, I feel it turned, you know, for the worse. And it escalated.

[Letty]

He blamed Anna. I think he got really, really bad.

[Narrator]

Upset with her having lost the one person he had under his complete and absolute control. Hector becomes enraged. He's convinced Anna knows exactly where Leti is and demands answers.

[Carmen Guillen]

Anna would just go away, leave me alone, brush him off, like, just leave me alone, don't waste my time. I think he hated that. And Anna did that. I think just like trying to avoid.

[Letty]

Any confrontation, you know, he was stalking her.

[Narrator]

Hector's increasingly obsessive and aggressive behavior has everyone on edge. In particular, Scott is becoming increasingly fearful for his wife's well being.

[Carmen Guillen]

Scott got mad and Scott went over there and confronted him, was like, look, you got something to say, say it to me. If I catch you making threats or looking at her bad or something, then you know we're going to have a problem.

[Narrator]

But Hector refuses to stop antagonizing Anna, blaming her for his wife's disappearance. Meanwhile, Leti catches wind that Hector is accusing her of a terrible crime.

[Letty]

So the lady called me and he's accusing me of kidnapping the baby.

[Narrator]

Although well hidden from her husband in Mexico, Leti doesn't want to live with the fear that Hector may try to take the baby back through legal means. She makes the hard decision to move back to the United States. But she's not moving back in with Hector.

[Letty]

So she stayed in my house four blocks away from him.

[Narrator]

Virginia moves out of Anna and Scott's house back into her own home close by. Leti secretly moves in with her. Now back in the country, Leti hopes to obtain full custody of her daughter. Virginia contacts a lawyer friend and successfully secures legal representation. But just when things start to look up, Leti receives a distressing phone call. Hector has tracked down where Leti had previously been hiding. He shows up in her hometown of Torreon, Mexico.

[Letty]

He went over there and looked for her and threatened everybody, her sisters and, you know, but of course, you know, they said, well, she's not here. That's why he came back to Houston.

[Narrator]

This gives Hector the revelation that his wife and daughter must be stateside. Knowing Virginia and Anna's history with helping Letty, their family become scared of what he might do in his efforts to search for his wife.

[Virginia]

We were in fear of my mother being confronted by Hector because he knows where she lives.

[Letty]

Carmen, my daughter says, mama, they need to go because you know something is going to happen.

[Virginia]

So yes, I was in fear for my mother's life.

[Narrator]

Now back stateside, Hector finds out that Leti has retained an attorney. And he wastes no time finding their office and confronting her lawyer head on. Where is she?

[Virginia]

Answer my question.

[Letty]

He went over there and threatened the lawyer.

[Virginia]

Where is my daughter?

[Carmen Guillen]

Where is my daughter?

[Narrator]

Meanwhile, Leti is once again living like a prisoner just four blocks away from Hector. She's safe, but still in hiding. Thankfully, Hector hasn't put it together that Leti is living with Virginia. Instead, he returns the focus of his wrath to his next door neighbor, Anna.

[Letty]

He blamed Anna. He wanted for her to go to jail because she kidnapped the baby.

[Narrator]

And for Anna, when it rains, it pours. While trying to protect herself from the anger aimed at her by Hector, she undergoes a major operation.

[Virginia]

So Anna had surgery on her neck on the 22nd of December. So a couple of days, a few days before Christmas, she just had level.

[Carmen Guillen]

3 fusion bracket thing put on the back of her neck and she had this 3 or 4 inch cut here, so she could barely move. She was in a lot of pain.

[Virginia]

She was home from work because she was recovering from neck surgery.

[Narrator]

Anna's recovery leaves her in a vulnerable state, not ideal when tensions between her and Hector are at an all time high.

[Carmen Guillen]

She was in a lot of pain.

[Virginia]

She couldn't lift any amount of weight.

[Narrator]

Despite her pain, Anna is determined to make a great belated Christmas party for some family that's visiting from out of town. It's early in the day on January 24, 2017, when Anna realizes she's short of wrapping tape.

[Carmen Guillen]

And she was wrapping some late Christmas presents. We had a lot of nephews and nieces and a lot of them couldn't make the Christmas gathering which we had at Anna's house.

[Narrator]

Setting out for the errand, Anna brings her miniature schnauzer Maggie along with her. But little does she know, next door, Hector is peering out the window, staring at her.

[Virginia]

Hector complained about her dog all the time. He didn't like Maggie at all.

[Narrator]

When Hector sees his neighbor, he moves to confront her once more.

[Carmen Guillen]

Anna turned towards him from the back of her car, the trunk, and she's like, I don't know where your wife is, where your child is. That had happened a few times before that and it didn't go any further. But that day it did.

[Narrator]

This fateful day, Anna's dog advances on Hector.

[Letty]

She was like protecting her mom, you know.

[Carmen Guillen]

The dog who was cancer stricken and blind went after him apparently to attack him. He went to kick the dog but you know, he went after that dog pretty hard and he missed him and fell on his back.

[Virginia]

Hector started just boiling over and just, I think it just escalated to the point where he snapped and he just completely lost control when he got up. I think he was embarrassed probably, and that's probably what angered him more.

[Narrator]

And Hector aims that anger directly at Anna in the form of a nine millimeter pistol. Work management platforms ugh. Endless onboarding. IT bottlenecks admin requests. But what if things were different? Monday.com is different. No lengthy onboarding, beautiful reports in minutes, custom workflows you can build on your own. Easy to use prompt free AI huh. Turns out you can love a work manager management platform. Monday.com the first work platform you'll love to use.

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[Narrator]

Last year, long crime brought you the trial that captivated the nation. She's accused of hitting her boyfriend, Boston police Officer John o' Keefe, with her car.

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Karen Reed is arrested and charged with second degree murder.

[Narrator]

The six week trial resulted in anything but resolution. We continue to find ourselves at an impasse.

[Virginia]

I'm declaring a mistrial in this case.

[Narrator]

But now the case is back in the spotlight and one question still lingers. Did Karen Reed kill John o' Keefe?

[Carmen Guillen]

The evidence is overwhelming that Karen Reid is innocent.

[Narrator]

How does it feel to be a cop killer? Karen I'm Kristen Thorne, investigative reporter with.

[Advertiser 1]

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[Narrator]

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[Virginia]

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[Narrator]

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[Virginia]

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[Carmen Guillen]

Forged by the sea. He was pointing the gun towards the dog. And then Anna grabbed her dog. No. And then he shot her.

[Narrator]

One of Anna's neighbors, Travis Hopa, witnesses the shooting and rushes over to help Scott, who has come outside to find his wife on the lawn.

[Virginia]

And then Travis said, go get a towel. They put the towel underneath Anna. And then Travis held his hand or his finger over the wound. But at the same time, Travis held Hector at bay with the gun drawn on him. And then Scott's rendering aid.

[Letty]

But I don't think Hector count on Travis, the guy across the street. This guy went to school with Dana's kids. Travis saw everything. So Travis, you know that guy who's great, you know, grab his gun and he stopped him.

[Narrator]

Virginia arrives to the scene and is horrified to find her daughter bleeding out from her gunshot wound.

[Letty]

I went and grabbed her face.

[Virginia]

And.

[Letty]

I was, you know, trying to revive her. I said, don't go, Anna. Don't go.

[Virginia]

Don't go.

[Narrator]

Don't leave me.

[Letty]

I just put my arms up in the. In the sky and say, lord, don't take my daughter. But I can see her eyes. And she went like this twice. My daughter died at that time. They took him to the hospital and everything, but I think she was dead.

[Narrator]

While being held at gunpoint. Hector calls 91 1. You're about to hear the audio from that phone call where Hector paints himself as the victim and Anna the attacker.

[Carmen Guillen]

You're an ambulance employees out here.

[Narrator]

Are you sad? Can I tell me exactly what happened?

[Virginia]

No.

[Narrator]

There's been a shooting.

[Carmen Guillen]

Okay.

[Virginia]

My neighbor attacked me.

[Advertiser 1]

Now.

[Carmen Guillen]

Okay.

[Advertiser 1]

Were you.

[Carmen Guillen]

No.

[Narrator]

The person that fired in self defense. And where did you shoot her at?

[Virginia]

In chest.

[Narrator]

Police been called out here numerous times because they've threatened me in the past. Getting out my property.

[Letty]

What was your name?

[Narrator]

My name is Hector Campos.

[Carmen Guillen]

Anyone outside with her?

[Narrator]

Yes, all the neighbors are outside. Guys. Pointing guns at me right now. Okay. Wherever you feel safe. I just want you. I want you away from where the gun is.

[Carmen Guillen]

Okay?

[Narrator]

All right.

[Carmen Guillen]

All right.

[Narrator]

Thank you, sir. Bye Bye. Hector Campo says is taken into custody as Anna Weed is rushed to the hospital. The seriousness of her condition is not immediately clear to her family. Arnold explains what was going through his mind at the time.

[Carmen Guillen]

She'll be fine. She'll be. Anna's strong. She's a warrior. She's gonna make it. I really did. We all did. But when the doctor came in and told us, they told us nothing they could do. She's gone. Yeah, we just hit the floor. They're like, well, we're gonna clean her up. You guys can come and see her. And got over there and she just looked like she was sleeping.

[Narrator]

The police set out to document everything and try to piece together what happened. But Hector is more concerned with protecting himself than he is with telling the truth.

[Letty]

He said that my daughter was threatened to choke him with some tape.

[Narrator]

Yeah.

[Letty]

Liar. You know, he's just a bunch of lies. I don't cry much, but sometimes when I remember the day, the day that I saw my daughter, it was so cruel, you know, to shatter her heart. It's really hard seeing your daughter die in your arms.

[Narrator]

Although arrested at the scene, Hector is freed less than 24 hours following the shooting after he posts $50,000 in bail. Thankfully, Leti and her child are granted a protective order against him. Despite being on bail while awaiting charges in the trial, Hector will soon be facing other repercussions.

[Virginia]

On behalf of my mother, my brother in law, and my sister's surviving son. They filed a civil suit against Hector.

[Narrator]

In a shocking twist to the story, Hector makes an appearance on Dr. Phil to continue to plead his actions as self defense.

[Carmen Guillen]

Today on an all new Dr. Phil.

[Narrator]

Why did you shoot and kill Anna Weed? What you're about to hear is the actual interview between Dr. Phil and Hector Campos only one week after Anna's death. How big a woman is she?

[Carmen Guillen]

She's my size.

[Narrator]

She's 53 years old.

[Carmen Guillen]

Yes. And she's about 5, 3, 5 4. She's my. About identical build to me. Maybe a little bit heavier. I'm asking you this so you can explain yourself.

[Narrator]

You've got a 53 year old grandmother.

[Carmen Guillen]

Five foot five, baby weighs 130, 140 pounds.

[Narrator]

And you pull a gun and shoot. Shoot her dead.

[Carmen Guillen]

Does that seem reasonable?

[Narrator]

Did you try to run away? I was. No.

[Carmen Guillen]

It wasn't self defense. She was not armed. She was smaller than he was physically.

[Virginia]

The Dr. Phil show actually helped our case because it really showed what type of a person Hector is and how cold and unremorseful he is and that he. He intended to do it. What would you do differently?

[Narrator]

I don't know if I'd do anything different soon. Hector's appearance on the popular show has financial repercussions.

[Carmen Guillen]

Going on a national program to discuss.

[Narrator]

Why he gunned down his neighbor may.

[Carmen Guillen]

Have been a $70 million mistake.

[Narrator]

For Hector Campos, that was a civil jury's wrongful death verdict for shooting his neighbor, Anna Weed. Despite the weeds winning their civil suit against Hector, his murder trial takes five and a half years to reach the courtroom. Anna's brother Arnold describes the agony the drawn out trial had on the family.

[Carmen Guillen]

There was a few resets and I was like, you know what, this is crazy. She was unarmed, There's a witness. He killed her in cold blood. Why is it taking a year, two years? It just breaks your heart, you know, because you're like, we need to have closure. She deserves it. Our family deserves it, but she deserves it. This is for Anna, you know?

[Narrator]

When the case finally goes to trial, Hector Campos goes on the stand. Here's Anna's sister Carmen, describing his infuriating behavior in the courts.

[Virginia]

I couldn't believe that Hector took the stand. And when he portrayed himself on the stand, he portrayed himself as like, I did nothing wrong and she caused this herself. I just felt like he portrayed himself as the victim when really he wasn't. But he wanted everybody to feel like he was the victim because he said that he defended himself, that she was trying to kill him with the roll of tape.

[Carmen Guillen]

And I remember the last day they let us go on a break and had gone to the bathroom, to the restroom and left the urinal, was going to wash my hands and he walked in and first time we were both alone and he just stopped and he looked at me and he just put his face down and I just stopped. Man, I wanted to choke him. I was like, very close. It's like, God, this guy, you know, he ruined it for everybody. You ruined your own life, your family, our family.

[Narrator]

Finally, after four drama filled days in court, Hector Campos is found guilty of murder. He's sentenced to 45 years in prison.

[Letty]

I'm a believer, you know, I'm a Christian and I know I'm gonna have to forgive this man for what he did to my daughter sooner or later.

[Narrator]

In the wake of the murder trial, Leti is granted full custody of her daughter and they relocate within the United States. She's grateful to Anna's family for all that they did to help her. While they're happy Leti and her daughter are safe, Hannah's family must grapple every day with the loss of such a fearless and selfless woman.

[Virginia]

This person that's life was taken. This victim is a loved person. She was such a good friend. People say all the time what a good friend she was. I guess, you know, the fact that he took something so valuable in this life is very sad to me. And that's the most tragic part of Anna's life was that she was just this, this incredible person. And then she was taken away so tragically and in just the flash of an eye, she was taken.

[Carmen Guillen]

Anna has always been a fighter, always been a warrior protector. She definitely was.

[Virginia]

Anna should be a hero to Leti and her daughter because she gave her life for another family so that they could live their life. I really want people to know what a good person Anna was. She truly was.

[Carmen Guillen]

She's still with me.

[Virginia]

We're not gonna forget her.

[Letty]

I miss my angel. I miss my daughter a lot. But someday I will see her.

[Narrator]

Fear Thy Neighbor is produced by Cream Productions in association with Freemantle Media for ID subscribe and take a moment to leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts and watch Fear Thy Neighbor on ID and Max.

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[Narrator]

Acast Powers the world's best podcasts.

[Virginia]

Here's a show that we recommend.

[Narrator]

Hey guys.

[Carmen Guillen]

Welcome to Giggly Squad.

[Narrator]

A place where we make fun of everything, but most importantly ourselves. I'm Paige Desorbo. I'm Hannah Berner.

[Virginia]

Welcome to the squad.

[Narrator]

Giggly Squad started on Summer House when we were giggling during an inappropriate time.

[Virginia]

But of course we can't be managed.

[Narrator]

So we decided to start this podcast. To continue giggling. We will make fun of pop culture news. We're watching fashion trends pep talks where we give advice, mental health moments and games and guests listen to Giggly Squad on Acast or wherever you get your podcasts. ACAST helps creators launch, grow and monetize their podcasts everywhere.

[Letty]

Acast.com.