258. The Killer Cadets - The Murder of Adrienne Jessica Jones

Summary

Murder With My Husband - Episode 258: The Killer Cadets - The Murder of Adrienne Jessica Jones

Hosted by: OH NO MEDIA

Release Date: March 3, 2025

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Introduction

In Episode 258 of "Murder With My Husband," hosts Peyton and Garrett Moreland delve into the chilling true crime case of Adrienne Jessica Jones, a beloved high school student whose life was brutally cut short in Mansfield, Texas. This episode unravels the complexities of the investigation, the suspects involved, and the eventual resolution that shocked the tight-knit community.

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Background of Adrienne Jessica Jones

Adrienne Jessica Jones, affectionately known as AJ by her friends, was the quintessential high school sophomore in Mansfield, Texas. Balancing academics, athletics, and social life, Adrienne was a track star with a bright future ahead. She aspired to attend Texas A&M University and pursue a degree in veterinary medicine. Her warm and friendly demeanor made her a popular figure at Mansfield High School, where she excelled both in honors courses and as an exemplary employee at a local fried chicken restaurant.

Notable Quote:

"Adrienne was the textbook definition of the popular girl. She was a sophomore at Mansfield High School. She was a track star with a pretty face that definitely caught the eye of most boys."
— Peyton Moreland [08:55]

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The Night of the Murder

On Sunday, December 3, 1995, Adrienne left her home after being urged by her parents to go to bed. Despite a strict 10 PM curfew, Adrienne found ways to stay out late, often sneaking out through her bedroom window. That night, after a half-day shift at the Golden Fried Chicken restaurant and a workout session with her mother at the gym, Adrienne slipped out of her house quietly between 11 PM and 1 AM.

The following morning, Adrienne failed to return home, prompting her mother, Linda Jones, to file a missing person's report. By 8 AM, with no sign of Adrienne, panic set in when officers in Grand Prairie, Texas, discovered Adrienne's body hidden behind a barbed wire fence, bearing signs of a violent struggle.

Notable Quote:

"But her face was barely identifiable. She had a bullet in her left cheek and through her forehead. Plus her head had been beaten so badly that part of her skull had been dented in above her ear."
— Peyton Moreland [12:25]

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Initial Investigation and Suspects

The investigation swiftly connected the discovered body to Adrienne's reported disappearance. Detectives ruled out abduction due to the absence of signs indicating she was restrained or forced. This led them to believe that Adrienne had likely left her home voluntarily, possibly knowing her attacker.

Given Adrienne's popularity, the list of potential suspects was extensive. The community speculated that the murderer was someone from within their own school—someone Adrienne interacted with daily.

Notable Quote:

"There seemed to be one thing a lot of kids at Mansfield high could agree on. The killer was likely in their halls. They had a locker beside them. Probably they were sitting across from them in the cafeteria."
— Peyton Moreland [15:18]

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The Role of David Graham and Diane Zamora

Among the initial suspects were David Graham, an 18-year-old senior and fellow cross country runner, and his fiancée, Diane Zamora. David was seen as a respectable young man, a battalion commander in the junior ROTC program, and a dedicated student. Diane, on the other hand, was quieter and deeply religious, having recently become engaged to David.

Investigations revealed that Diane had been struggling with intense jealousy and paranoia, especially during their separation while attending the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. This tension between David and Diane became a focal point of the investigation.

Notable Quote:

"Linda was about to tell Adrian to hang up the phone, that it was past her bedtime, but Adrian had a concerned look on her face and she whispered to her mother, he's upset about something."
— Peyton Moreland [16:50]

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Breakthrough and Confessions

Months into the investigation, a crucial breakthrough occurred when Diane confided to her squad leader about her involvement in Adrienne's murder. Initially dismissed as attention-seeking behavior, Diane's repeated admissions under the Navy's honor code led authorities to reopen the case.

Upon confronting David Graham, inconsistencies in his statements surfaced. A friend corroborated that David and Diane had arrived at his house with bloody clothes, contradicting David's earlier alibi. Faced with mounting evidence and a polygraph test, David confessed to a coerced partnership with Diane to murder Adrienne.

Notable Quote:

"Choosing to prove his loyalty to Diane, he agrees to her plans. And on the night of December 3rd, David calls Adrienne, telling her he, he's having issues with Diane. He wants to meet up."
— Peyton Moreland [35:33]

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The Murder and Aftermath

On the night of Adrienne's disappearance, David arranged to meet her, ostensibly to discuss personal issues. Accompanied by Diane, who concealed herself in the hatchback of the car, they confronted Adrienne. Diane attacked Adrienne with a dumbbell, while David ultimately shot her twice in the head as she attempted to flee.

Post-murder, David and Diane struggled with the aftermath of their actions. David expressed remorse, while Diane grappled with feelings of betrayal and control. Their relationship deteriorated rapidly, turning from partners to adversaries.

Notable Quote:

"She [Diane] says, if you don't kill Adrian, I'm going to kill my side."
— Peyton Moreland [36:58]

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Trials and Sentencing

Both Diane Zamora and David Graham faced capital murder charges. Diane's trial concluded with a guilty verdict after a two-week trial and a six-hour jury deliberation, resulting in a life sentence. David, facing his own trial several months later, also pled guilty to the same charges and received a life sentence.

Their once-promising futures were forever marred by their heinous crime, leaving a lasting scar on the Mansfield community.

Notable Quote:

"They were charged with capital murder and they are tried separately... They're both guilty of capital murder."
— Peyton Moreland [39:08]

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Conclusion and Reflections

The tragic case of Adrienne Jessica Jones underscores the dark undercurrents that can exist beneath seemingly perfect lives. It highlights the devastating impact of jealousy, manipulation, and the consequences of actions driven by emotional turmoil. Peyton and Garrett Moreland reflect on the senselessness of teenage violence, emphasizing the loss of potential and innocence.

Notable Quote:

"There's something about when we cover teenagers who kill other teenagers. It's just pure evil. Like, I can't explain it, but every time. The motive is so dumb."
— Peyton Moreland [41:16]

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Final Thoughts

"The Killer Cadets - The Murder of Adrienne Jessica Jones" serves as a haunting reminder of the fragility of life and the profound effects of personal relationships gone awry. Through meticulous storytelling, the episode provides listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the case, fostering both reflection and empathy for those affected.

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For those intrigued by this case and eager to learn more, "Murder With My Husband" continues to uncover the depths of true crime, one unsettling story at a time.

Transcript

[Peyton Moreland]

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[Garrett Moreland]

And I'm Garrett Moreland.

[Peyton Moreland]

And he's the husband.

[Garrett Moreland]

I'm the husband. For those that were interested, our ghost sweaters are back in stock. You can go check those out. We had a lot of demand for those, so we ordered a few more. They're back in stock.

[Peyton Moreland]

And I know we did have a lot of requests for another strangey dainty drop. So that will be coming in the future, so just get ready for that. We heard you. It is coming again. All right, Garrett, do you have our. Your 10 seconds?

[Garrett Moreland]

Our. Dang. You try and take my 10 seconds away.

[Peyton Moreland]

Your 10 seconds.

[Garrett Moreland]

Um, you guys are probably so sick of me always saying the same things for 10 seconds, but I'm currently going to the gym, playing pickleball a few times a week. What else I got going on, babe?

[Peyton Moreland]

Gym, pickleball. Garrett's been, like, weighing his food.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, I am currently. I have some goals that I want to hit before summer, so I'm currently weighing my food, counting all my calories. I just will say it's horrible. Like, if you want happiness in your life, don't do it. Do not do it. Don't do it. But I will say it does work. But I will also say it's absolutely horrible. But it works. It 100% works. That's about it. That's kind of. Oh, I have a sty on my eye. Currently. I don't know why I have a sty. I'm not trying to rhyme. I sound like Dr. Seuss. I don't know why I have a stye.

[Peyton Moreland]

But I might die.

[Garrett Moreland]

But I might die. Anyways, I have a sty.

[Peyton Moreland]

I don't know why. I have a sty on my eye. But I might die.

[Garrett Moreland]

But I might die. So I have a sty. It's not too bad. It should go away in a couple of days. That's kind of all I got for you guys. I will say, though, since I've been a lot more consistent at the gym and with pickleball and with my food. My energy levels have been through the roof. Like, what do you want me to do? I'll do it. Name it. Name it and I'll do it.

[Peyton Moreland]

I want you to clean off our porch.

[Garrett Moreland]

I won't do that. There's a couple things. I'm just kidding. I do need to do that. I need to clean off our porch. That's kind of all I got for you guys. So I hope everyone's have has a great week. And don't weigh your food.

[Peyton Moreland]

All right. Our sources for this episode are oxygen.com dailymail.co.uk Denver post.com murderpedia.org nbcnews.com sportskeeda.com people.com investigationdiscovery.com Texas monthly.com and Dallas observer.com honor, courage, commitment. Those are the core values, essentially the motto for the United States Navy. So when you think about the people that are willing to dedicate their lives to service, you might imagine people who intrinsically have these values and are able to uphold them with no problem. People who are standup citizens willing to go above and beyond for their communities and do whatever it takes to protect the American people. Which may be why it's the perfect cover up for someone who's done the complete opposite. After a gruesome murder of a high school student in Mansfield, Texas, the last place police thought to look was at The Naval Academy, 1400 miles away in Maryland.

[Garrett Moreland]

1400 miles. Wow.

[Peyton Moreland]

But as it turns out, not everyone is who they represent themselves to be. And sometimes those who hide behind the banner of honor, courage and commitment are really masking their shame, cowardice and cold blooded nature.

[Garrett Moreland]

Also, if you're watching on YouTube currently, Peyton's looking pretty hot. So if you're not watching on YouTube, you can go check her out and.

[Peyton Moreland]

Subscribe while you're there. So let's head back in time to 1995 as we travel to Mansfield, Texas, a farming community with an old indoor rodeo and a cute little main street lined with antique stores. Mansfield was a little slice of that all American life in Texas. And that's why Bill Jones and his wife Linda chose to raise their three children there. And while they settled into a modest little neighborhood, a bubble of safety and comfort, Bill always went the extra mile to protect his kids, especially when they became teenagers. There were curfews, rules, checks and balances to keep them safe. Even though they were in a safe area. If they went somewhere, they would have to prove it later on with a ticket stub or a receipt. Particularly Their teenage daughter, Adrian, or as her friends called her, AJ who had been experimenting with her rebellious teenage side lately. See, Adrienne was the textbook definition of the popular girl. She was a sophomore at Mansfield High School. She was a track star with a pretty face that definitely caught the eye of most boys. She had tons of school spirit, was practically a cheerleader without the uniform and pom poms. But she also stayed on top of her academics and got excellent grades even in honors courses. Even her manager at her part time job at a fried chicken restaurant said Adrian was an exemplary employee. And on top of it all, she was nice kids. Said Adrian would say hello to them in the hallway, even if she didn't know them. She was friendly, warm. She never acted snooty or above anyone else, which probably only added to her list of admirers. And while Adrian was definitely looking towards the future, hoping to get accepted to Texas A and M University and eventually get her veterinarian degree, Adrienne was also enjoying just being a teenager. And she did what most teenagers girls do. She flirted with a lot of boys and good for her. But her parents were not fond of it. Mostly because Adrienne was sick of all the rules that her parents had put in place. It prevented her from having a good time living her teenage years to the fullest.

[Garrett Moreland]

Did I? I'm scared to raise a teenager. I'm gonna be honest, but you really just.

[Peyton Moreland]

You have no idea.

[Garrett Moreland]

No, I know you just think, I can't do it.

[Peyton Moreland]

The world is so fun.

[Garrett Moreland]

Can't do it.

[Peyton Moreland]

So do it.

[Garrett Moreland]

I can't do it. Can't raise a teenager. I'm sorry.

[Peyton Moreland]

So with a strict 10pm curfew, she found ways to sneak out through her bedroom window. That was until they caught her and decided to bolt her window shut. Still, as teenagers always do, Adrian found creative ways to skirt the rules. Little did she realize those rules were meant to protect her from the very thing that would happen next. It was Sunday, December 3, 1995. Winter break was fast approaching and Adrian was probably excited about some time off from school and her responsibilities. She just spent her Sunday afternoon working a half day shift at the Golden Fried Chicken restaurant. She was also a ball of energy. When she got home that day, she asked her mom, Linda, if she wanted to go down to the 24 Hour Fitness center with her. It was just a few miles away. So Linda took her down there, always enjoying that quality time between the two of them, and said she even remembered the conversation that they had at the gym that night. Adrian Was thinking about her new career path. She said she was interested in learning why people act the way they do. So her mother was like, hey, you might be interested in becoming a behavioral analyst. But she didn't seem to ask why Adrian had this sudden change in interest or if something or someone in particular had sparked it. So after their workout, they returned home to settle in for the night. By then, it was around 10:45pm so.

[Garrett Moreland]

After Adrian's curfew, you know, everything I've ever done that. How do I say this? Anything that I've ever done that didn't make sense when I was a teenager was definitely because of a girl. You know, I'm saying like a randomly be like, oh, I'm going to do this. And your parents are like, what? Like, oh yeah, I just feel like it now. Now it was always because of a girl or something going on. It's kind of funny.

[Peyton Moreland]

It's after her curfew, but the phone rings when they walk in the door. Adrian answers. Adrian took the portable phone to her bedroom. Remember, we're in the 90s. And then walked around the house chatting while puttering around with laundry and a few other things. Eventually, Linda, her mom, told Adrian, hey, go to bed. Before Linda went to bed. But Adrian wasn't planning to go to sleep anytime soon. Instead, she waited until everything was quiet. And sometime between 11pm and 1am she slipped past her parents bedroom and out the front door of the house completely unnoticed. Around 6am the following morning, Linda woke up to the sound of Adrian's alarm clock ringing in her room. After realizing Adrian wasn't doing anything to turn the alarm off, Linda got up groggily and wandered into her daughter's room, only to find that Adrian wasn't there and her bed was neatly made. Now Linda's first instinct is Adrian just went out for an early morning run, Something she would do. But by 8am when Adrian still wasn't back, Linda started to panic. She immediately called the Mansfield police, who sent an officer to the house to help them file a missing persons report. Meanwhile, 20 miles away, an officer in Grand Prairie, Texas, is responding to a different 911 call. It's from a local who noticed something that morning on his drive to work. He saw what he thought was a body lying behind some barbed wire fence on a quiet stretch of road. When police arrived, they realized it was the body of a teenage girl.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

But her face was barely identifiable. She had a bullet in her left cheek and through her forehead. Plus her head had been beaten so badly that part of her skull had been dented in above her ear. So while the girl had no identification on her, she did have a T shirt on that read Cross Country Regionals 1995.

[Garrett Moreland]

We know who that is.

[Peyton Moreland]

Plus there were a few telling clues about what might have happened. Like the girl appeared to be clutching the grass, which told detectives this was where she died, than rather where she had been moved and left after she was killed. And it only took a few hours for them to realize the Jane Doe matched a missing person's case that had just been reported over in Mansfield. The deceased body was 16 year old Adrian Jessica.

[Garrett Moreland]

16. So young man, so young.

[Peyton Moreland]

So one of the first things detectives need to rule out after making the connection is, is this an abduction? There's no indication of a struggle in Adrian's home. Plus, the autopsy doesn't show any signs that Adrian was restrained or bound. She also didn't really have any defensive wounds of any kind. So they quickly realized that Adrian must have willingly left her house, Whether that was with the attacker or not. But this also told them that she probably knew her attacker. So they start compiling a list of friends, co workers, and fellow students to speak with. But because Adrian was so popular, it kind of turned out to be a pretty long list. They began asking around, Was there anyone that Adrian didn't get along with? Maybe someone was angry with her, Was a girl jealous of her? And that's when the wild theories and rumors started to emerge. And you have to imagine in this small town in Texas in the 90s, a popular girl turns up dead. They're talking to people at the school, and people just start talking. Someone said they heard Adrian talk about attending all night raves that happened about an hour away from Mansfield. There were whispers that maybe Adrian had met someone there that had killed her.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh.

[Peyton Moreland]

Others said, no, no, no. Adrian knew drug dealers, which turned out to be completely baseless.

[Garrett Moreland]

Dude, kids are weird. A few kids are just funny. You know what I'm saying?

[Peyton Moreland]

The problem with in a town like this, it probably wasn't just the kids. That's probably the adults, too.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, you're probably right. Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

A few even mentioned a former friend of Adrian's who had been angry with her ever since Adrian told the girl's mom that she was drinking at a party, like she tattled on her. So there was a ton of speculation, but not much evidence, which only made things even harder for police. But there seemed to be one thing a lot of kids at Mansfield high could agree on. The killer was likely in their halls. They had a locker beside them. Probably they were sitting across from them in the cafeteria. They were sharing a school project with them.

[Garrett Moreland]

How scary is that? Another high school kid killing another high school kid and then going to school, being like someone in here kills somebody.

[Peyton Moreland]

And the reason this is the theory is because police believe she snuck out to hang out with someone and that person killed her.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

Which she was most likely sneaking out to hang out with someone her own age and from school. So there's 2,500 students at their school. So narrowing it down wouldn't be easy. But no one knows a daughter better than her own mother. Luckily, that seemed to be the case for Linda Jones because she had some insight that she thought could help the police. She thinks she knows who Adrian was talking to on the night she died. Remember, she was talking on the phone. Problem was, it wasn't just one person. Rocket Money is a personal finance app that helps find and cancel your unwanted subscription, monitors your spending, and helps lower your bills so you can grow your savings. You guys, you need to be using Rocket Money. This is how I found out how much money I was spending on lives for the games I play on my phone. And needless to say, Rocket Money's been saving me a lot of dollars ever since.

[Garrett Moreland]

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[Peyton Moreland]

You know how easy it is too, to be like, hey, Rocket Money, I don't want that subscription anymore. Can you cancel it? You don't. They, like, handle customer service. It's great. Rocket Money has over 5 million users and has saved a total of 500 million in canceled subscriptions, saving members up to $740 a year when using all of the app's premium features. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals faster with Rocket Money. Go to rocket money.com husband today. That's rocketmoney.com husband rocketmoney.com husband don't forget slash husband. K. Love you. Bye. All right, you guys, we're getting into an ad and it is quints. If you've been listening to this podcast long enough. You know I love Quince and Quince is my go to she's not lying. Luxury Essentials at Affordable Prices I think that Quince has solid things that you all need in your wardrobe. Also. It is all high, high quality. I've told you before. But the reason they're able to do that is they cut out the cost of the middleman and then pass the savings on to you so you can get high quality items at an affordable price. They are known for their cashmere at a lower price than almost anywhere else. So go check it out. Give yourself the luxury you deserve with quince. Go to quince.comhusband for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Can you guys go get the black silk skirt that I love so much? That's q-u I n c e.com husband to get free shipping and 365 day returns quince.com husband Linda said when the phone rang at around 10:45, Linda asked who Adrian was speaking to and Adrian told her it was an 18 year old senior. Remember, Adrian's a sophomore named David Graham who was on Adrian's cross country team. Linda was about to tell Adrian to hang up the phone, that it was past her bedtime, but Adrian had a concerned look on her face and she whispered to her mother, he's upset about something. So Linda let her keep chatting thinking, okay, she's just being a good friend. But sometime during that conversation, Linda heard Adrian switch collars. She was now talking to her new boyfriend, a 19 year old boy named Tracy Smith. But when Tracy, her boyfriend, asked her who she was just speaking to on the phone before him, Adrian doesn't say David Graham, the 18 year old like her. Like she had told her mom, she said she was on the line with a third boy. So she either lied to her mom or actually did talk to all three boys. It was a kid named Brian McMillan who had dropped out of her high school after suffering suffering from depression, but he still had a big crush on her. So if she did lie, why? Well, some of her friends think it's because Tracy knew Brian and didn't feel threatened by him. But if she said she had been speaking with someone else, a senior on her track team, then Tracy, her new boyfriend, might have felt jealous. Okay, so they think that she's lying to her boyfriend is what the consensus is. Still, it's not Tracy that Linda, the mother, is worried about, it's this David name that actually sticks with her because she had never really heard Adrian Mention this guy before, and then Adrian lies to her boyfriend about it. So she checks in with the track coach, says, what do you know about David? And the track coach is like, david Graham, I didn't even know your daughter and David were friends. Which may be a tad bit strange, but by most people's accounts, David is said to be a pretty stand up guy, as some of the other girls at Mansfield High described him. David was sort of the cool guy around campus, by no means as popular as Adrian, but still attracted the attention of some girls. He was said to be a gentleman, very goal driven and family oriented. But his biggest identifier was that he was the battalion commander of the school's junior ROTC program. Now, if you don't know, ROTC stands for the Reserve Officers Training Corps. It's basically like a college prep program for anyone who wants to go into the US Military.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

On top of that, people said David was an excellent student, always very polite.

[Garrett Moreland]

Which is interesting because. And I might be under the wrong impression, I'm just telling you guys what I see on social media, and I don't know why it happens. I feel like I always see people making jokes about people that are on ROTC in high school and college. I don't know why, but it's just what I see on social media. So I'm saying that because I guess we are in a different 90s. But you said, like, he's the cool guy because of it, but maybe that's just changed.

[Peyton Moreland]

I don't.

[Garrett Moreland]

I don't know.

[Peyton Moreland]

Had an ROTC mine.

[Garrett Moreland]

Mine didn't have one either. But our college did. Both of our college. Or went to some college, but our college did, but I didn't. I don't know much about it. I never really paid attention to that.

[Peyton Moreland]

We had other programs for like other career paths.

[Garrett Moreland]

Like potato farming.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah. And then also like nursing. If you want to become a nurse, you could, like take this thing that would get you a certification before you went to college. Like, helped you. I don't know. Actually, I wasn't smart enough to be in the nursing thing though.

[Garrett Moreland]

Peyton was smart. Peyton did really good on her act.

[Peyton Moreland]

Only because I studied, not because I was actually really smart. I was just a hard worker.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah. So pretty smart.

[Peyton Moreland]

So people said David was like the yes, ma'am, yes sir type of guy.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

But when it came to his connection to Adrian, things were still a bit unclear. Yeah, they both ran cross country together, but David actually had a very serious girlfriend. Her name was Diane Zamora. The two had met Four years back through a local Civil Air Patrol group, an Air Force program that teaches sort of the 101s of military life. While Diane went to another high school 15 miles away in Crowley, Texas. She and David grew very close over the years, and the summer before their senior years of high school, they both had started dating. Now, Diane was almost the complete opposite of Adrian. She was reserved, quiet. She kept to herself. She was very religious, the kind of girl who was not going to lose her virginity until marriage. The only thing she had in common with Adrian was that she was also an excellent student on the Honor Honor society. But Adrian shouldn't have been a concern for Diane. Diane and David were madly in love by the summer of 1995. In fact, only a few weeks after they started dating, they actually got engaged in high school, with plans to marry after each one of them finished their respective military training.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

Diane was planning to go to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, while David was going to be attending the Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs, Colorado. They even set a date for their wedding five years out, August 13, 2000. But shortly after announcing their engagement, Diane said something that would sort of change the dynamic between her and David, would make her even more attached. She actually lost her virginity to him after they got engaged. And after that, things definitely got more intense between the couple. Some said that David and Diane both got more possessive over one another. David always had his arm around Diane when they were together, but he also acted differently. He got more quiet, intense when he was with her. And those who knew them said it was hard to tell who was controlling who in the relationship, but it was definitely turning a little toxic.

[Garrett Moreland]

Interesting.

[Peyton Moreland]

Okay, so could that have been what David was calling Adrian about that night? Was there some sort of lovers quarrel between David and Diane that he was confiding in Adrian about? Well, once police hear that Adrian spoke to him in the hours before her death, they call David in for questioning. But they just aren't convinced that this guy is involved. Maybe it was his polite nature. Maybe the fact that he was going to go serve his country. Or maybe it was the fact that not a single one of Adrian's friends mentioned him as suspicious and that he was actually seen crying in the hallways after her death. Either way, they didn't even bother giving David a polygraph test. So they began looking elsewhere, like to another local Mansfield teenager whose name was never formally released, probably because she was a minor at the time. So for the sake of the story, we're gonna just call her Tammy now. Tammy already Had a really ugly rap sheet for a 14 year old girl. A year before Adrian's death, she actually attacked one of Adrian's good friends with a baseball bat after she heard that this friend had been messing around with Tammy's boyfriend. Then Tammy went to her boyfriend's house and shot him.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

While his wounds weren't fatal, charges were definitely pressed against Tammy. She had a trial, and guess who testified against her? Adrian Jessica Jones. Okay, Tammy only got two years probation for delinquency, but many thought that was enough for her to seek revenge against Adrian. So the police pull her down to the station, give her a polygraph, she passes. Plus, she has a really strong alibi, so she's off the list. Which brings them to their next suspect. Another name that Adrian's boyfriend Tracy brought up. Remember how she supposedly lied to Tracy on the phone that night and told him she was speaking to an old classmate named Brian McMillan, the one who had a crush on her and had dropped out of school? Well, Tracy tells police, hey, you gotta look into him too. And I guess even though Brian had dropped out of school, he and Adrian still saw each other since they worked right near each other. But when they start looking into him, it seems like Brian didn't just have a crush on Adrian. It was a little bit more of like an obsession. He began visiting her at work constantly, to the point where she had to hide and lie. When he came around. Hearing this, police decided 17 year old Brian was a suspect. And to be fair, his story was a bit sketchy at first. He denies knowing Adrian altogether. When he talks to police, then he admits, okay, fine, I do. I do know her. So not off to a great start. But when they asked him what he was doing the night Adrian disappeared, he was like, mm, I got drunk by myself.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, gosh. I'm just trying to figure out, like, what the motive is, because we're saying some of these suspects, but I mean, I guess there's not always a good motive for. I mean, there's never a good motive for killing someone, but.

[Peyton Moreland]

But I also feel like. Like.

[Garrett Moreland]

Like what? They. She would. He was jealous. Like what?

[Peyton Moreland]

Right?

[Garrett Moreland]

What's the motive gonna be for him? This is insane.

[Peyton Moreland]

When teenagers kill other teenagers. It's either jealousy or crazy, though so.

[Garrett Moreland]

Young, just to kill someone. It's wild.

[Peyton Moreland]

He told police he was upset that night because he realized all of his friends had girlfriends and he didn't. So this is raising all types of red flags for police. They even get a search warrant for Brian's house. They Impound his truck. But Brian's friends all say, look, there's no way he hurt Adrian. He's a gentle soul. He would never hurt a fly. His dad also says, my son was home all night. There's no way. Still, Brian sits in a jail cell from Christmas Eve to New Year's Eve. Eventually, he's given a polygraph test. He passes with flying colors. So with zero evidence, police release Brian, which means they're back to square one. And that's where the case sits for months. No new leads, no confessions or evidence. Just dead end after dead end. Meanwhile, life in Mansfield goes on. For some people, at least. Linda and Bill Jones still find themselves driving to the street where Adrian was found, thinking maybe this time they'll find something that police had missed. Some students continue to seek grief counseling. Others paint a portrait of Adrian on the art room door. But many students, like David Graham and Diane Zamora, are preparing for the rest of their lives as the two temporarily parted ways. The summer of 1996 was spent in intensive boot camps for both of them. Diane was at the naval academy in Maryland and David at the Air Force academy in Colorado. And while David was excelling in his training, Diane was having a much harder time with the physical training and with the distance from her fiance, David. Other cadets said she talked about him constantly, but things seemed to be falling apart between the two of them now that they weren't communicating and seeing each other every day. Diane was getting increasingly jealous and paranoid, constantly worrying what David was up to. She was going on intense crying fits, as her friends called it, when David wouldn't respond to her emails right away. Eventually, she convinced herself that David had to be cheating on her with a female cadet.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, I know where this is going now.

[Peyton Moreland]

So she thought, why not get him back? So Diane began cozying up to her squad leader, a guy named Jay Guild. And she opened up to Jay about her relationship. And when Jay asked her why she didn't trust David, Diane told her it was because he had cheated on her in the past. And when Jay asked, okay, well, what did you do about it back then, Diane looked this man dead in the eyes and said, I made him kill the girl. Now Jay sort of laughs it off. I mean, she can't possibly be serious.

[Garrett Moreland]

What a weirdo.

[Peyton Moreland]

But that's not the only time Diane says something like this. One night, Diane's having a late night conversation with her two roommates, telling them how deeply in love she and David are. And when one of them says to Diane, I bet you guys Would do absolutely anything for each other, probably even kill for each other. You know what Diane says? Oh, we already have.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, she's weird. Get her out of here.

[Peyton Moreland]

Now, there's an honor code in the Navy. It's called the brigade of midshipmen honor concept, and it basically requires anyone who hears of wrongdoing from a fellow officer to report it. Yep. No questions asked. Because if you don't, it could be grounds for dismissal from.

[Garrett Moreland]

That's why in movies, a lot of you that are listening or watching, like, when someone has an affair and someone else in.

[Peyton Moreland]

Finds out about it.

[Garrett Moreland]

Finds out about it. That's in the military, you're supposed to report it like you're supposed to here.

[Peyton Moreland]

Like you're just any bad behavior, you're supposed to report it. I mean, we talked about earlier that there is an honor code when you're part of the military, even in the academy. So her roommates go and tell the people in charge, and the people in charge don't just sit on this information. Officials call the police stations in and around Diane's hometown. They're like, hey, she's saying that her and her boyfriend killed a girl. And sure enough, they learned that there's an unsolved case from last year that of Adrienne Jessica Jones that's so insane that both her and her boyfriend were questioned in.

[Garrett Moreland]

Do you. I guess you know the answer. This can be crazy if they both did it together. So that's so sad. Whether I'm searching for my next place to buy or rent or I just want to scroll through some dream homes. We use the Redfin app, and Peyton and I have actually. Fun fact. Been using Redfin for years.

[Peyton Moreland]

We actually. One of our first homes was found.

[Garrett Moreland]

On Redfin, and I'm pretty sure we used. Didn't we use the Redfin realtor as well? Yes, almost. So. So if that's not a endorsement, I don't know what it is. You can filter for price beds, baths, square footage, and so much more. And you find a place that you love. Redfin makes it easy to go see in person. Just schedule a tour right from the app.

[Peyton Moreland]

And, you know, if. If you're not one of the people who has found the pleasure of looking at houses you cannot afford on Redfin at night in places that you do.

[Garrett Moreland]

Not live, you're not a real person.

[Peyton Moreland]

You need to join the club right now because there's something so fun about it. Plus, if you're looking to sell, Redfin agents know how to get you the best price possible. For your home. And that's because they close twice as many deals as other agents, and with a listing fee as low as 1%, Redfin's fees are half of what others often charge, which means you'll have more money to put towards your next home.

[Garrett Moreland]

Also, my dad actually sold his home through Redfin, too. Remember that? And it was because they charged only 1% or whatever. So he's like, I'm gonna sell my home through them.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yep.

[Garrett Moreland]

Anyways, we're a Redfin family over here, so whether you're looking to buy, rent, or sell, Redfin has got you covered. Download the Redfin app to get started.

[Peyton Moreland]

You guys, what if I told you the most important part of your spring cleaning routine is your socks?

[Garrett Moreland]

I love socks. Like, I seriously love socks.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yep, you heard that right. It's time to ditch any mismatched tired pairs and refresh your collection with some fresh Bombas. And you guys, can I tell you something? Anytime I wear socks that aren't Bombas, I have this specific person who messages me on Instagram and calls me out every single time. So I have a thousand pairs of Bomba socks, and from here on out, that's the only thing I'm wearing is Bombas so that he can retire from that job.

[Garrett Moreland]

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[Peyton Moreland]

And, you guys, I really do have the Bombas underwear. It's soft, okay? I'm not even gonna lie.

[Garrett Moreland]

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[Peyton Moreland]

On August 30th, 1996, officers pulled her out of a pep rally and brought her in for questioning. Now, once Diane's confronted by these detectives and Navy officials, she says, I made the whole thing up for attention. I just wanted to look tough. Which the police think, okay, that that could be possible. I mean, they have absolutely zero evidence on her besides other people. Perhaps she heard the news on Adrian and is making a false confession. Wouldn't be the first time someone's done this. But she doesn't get to just resume classes the next day. She's given A one way ticket home to Texas while police rule her out for sure. Only Diane doesn't go home to Texas. When she gets to Atlanta on her layover, she goes to the ticketing agent and says, hey, can you actually put me on a flight to Colorado? Next thing you know, she's showing up on David's doorstep.

[Garrett Moreland]

What?

[Peyton Moreland]

Which is a very stupid mistake because that happens to be the detective's next stop, obviously gonna be a visit to Colorado Springs to talk to David on September 4, 1996. Less than a week later, David's getting hooked up to a polygraph machine. And while he's also insisting Diane must have made this whole thing up, police have a new witness statement that discounts that. A friend of David's told police he and Diane came by his house after the night of the murder to change their bloody clothes.

[Garrett Moreland]

So you're telling me that if she didn't go around saying that she killed someone, they probably would have gotten away with this?

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah. So this friend is like, yeah, no, they showed up on my doorstep to change their clothing. They tell police that. And then when police are talking to David and tell him, well, your friend said you showed up in bloody clothes, clothing, he breaks from there. He goes on to write a four page confession letter detailing every little thing that happened that December night back in 1995 and what happened leading up to it. And here's what he says. It all started at a track meet in November. This would be a month before Adrian's death. Adrian and David were away with the rest of the team for a cross country event. And during that weekend, they got pretty close, chatting during their free time. And when the buses finally dropped them off back at Mansfield High, Adrian asked David, hey, can you give me a ride home? But instead of going directly there, he said, they pulled into the elementary school parking lot and hooked up now in the car. And now David writes that he was so ridden with guilt afterwards that he actually went right to Diane and told her everything. Diane, having lost her virginity to David when she never plan to, who's also her fiance at the time, she's so betrayed that she says the only way that they can stay together and that David can earn her trust is if he kills her. Is if he kills Adrian.

[Garrett Moreland]

He did it. What?

[Peyton Moreland]

And if he doesn't, What? He doesn't. Diane says, and if you don't do it, I'm going to kill myself. Diane says, if you don't kill Adrian, I'm going to kill my side.

[Garrett Moreland]

Good luck.

[Peyton Moreland]

Choosing to prove his loyalty to Diane, he agrees to her plans. And on the night of December 3rd, David calls Adrian, telling her he, he's having issues with Diane. He wants to meet up. Adrian sneaks out of the house and hops in David's pickup truck. They come to that desolate county road. And as the two began chatting in the car, the hatchback opens and out comes Diane Zamora, who's been hiding in there this entire time.

[Garrett Moreland]

This is so sad.

[Peyton Moreland]

In her hand is a dumbbell.

[Garrett Moreland]

Gosh.

[Peyton Moreland]

Which she begins hitting Adrian in the head with.

[Garrett Moreland]

And David just sat there and watched.

[Peyton Moreland]

Well, Adrian loser gets out of the car, he runs, and that's when Diane tells David, go after her with your gun. So he chases Adrian into that field, up to that barbed wire fence. When he catches up to her, he shoots her twice in the head. No, like Adrian has a good weekend with this guy. They talk.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

She hooks up with him and he kills her. And then he shoots her in the head.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, they're both, they're both, they're both insane.

[Peyton Moreland]

Like, this is just wrong. This is just explicitly evil and wrong.

[Garrett Moreland]

They're both horrible.

[Peyton Moreland]

When David comes back to the car, he tells Diane he loves her, but he, he says we shouldn't have done this and we need to get rid of the evidence. So of course this is enough to get David behind bars. But now the next step is confronting Diane because she was in the back seat. And when police get her back into the station, she admits to essentially the same story. Police also get a search warrant for David Graham's house and find both the dumbbell and the gun used to kill Adrian. So game over. They're charged with capital murder and they are tried separately. Now 20 year old Diane gets to trial. She's like, no, my confession was coerced. The jury isn't buying it. And so after a two week trial and a six hour deliberation, they find Diane guilty of capital murder and she receives a life sent.

[Garrett Moreland]

That's what I'm talking about.

[Peyton Moreland]

Now, David's trial comes five months later, in July of 1998. His plan is similar. He hopes to argue he was trapped in a controlling partnership. But there's one giant twist in the whole story, something David hasn't even seemed to share with Diane. One of the people called to the witness stand is Adrian's friend and fellow track athlete, Wendy Bartlett. And she claims that November day after the track meetup, she drove Adrian home, not David. Which means they wouldn't have had sex in the car. In fact, David admits at trial, actually, we Never had sex, ever. It was just a lie that he had conjured up to make Diane jealous. One that just became incredibly out of hand and somehow made the situation even more inconceivable. Because if you're telling me that they didn't even have sex and then he lied and then kills her, she has no idea what she's even done.

[Garrett Moreland]

I'm sorry. Those people should not be in our society.

[Peyton Moreland]

So they return with a verdict. Guilty of capital murder. So what was initially a crime of passion had kind of inevitably driven a fake. Yeah, so. And I will say, by the time they were both sentenced, David and Diane, who were once lovers, had now become mortal enemies, which is always so ironic to me when people kill for love and then end up hating each other. Anyways. Diane moved on quickly, though, falling in love with another inmate. She married him in 2003, only to divorce him by 2010. And whether they like it or not, Diane Zamora and David Graham will be forever bound anyways. Only instead of marriage, it'll be because of the horrific crime they committed together over some senseless teenager love. Crazy.

[Garrett Moreland]

So they were. Oh, wait, were they both adults at.

[Peyton Moreland]

That point when they were tried?

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yes.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay, that makes sense.

[Peyton Moreland]

And they got life.

[Garrett Moreland]

That's so sad. That's horrible. I mean, what's even crazier is that she really didn't do any. I mean, she did nothing. Like, she was completely just a citizen. Like, I don't even know how else to say it. They're bystander.

[Peyton Moreland]

There's something about when we cover teenagers who kill other teenagers. It's just pure evil. Like, I can't explain it, but every time. The motive is so dumb.

[Garrett Moreland]

You're so young and like, what?

[Peyton Moreland]

Like, it really just goes to show that their brains are completely underdeveloped and that they're just bad people.

[Garrett Moreland]

Sorry, we can't have those people in our society. It's so sad. Horrible.

[Peyton Moreland]

So awful. Okay, you guys, that was the case of Adrian Jessica Jones. And we will see you next time with another one. I love it.

[Garrett Moreland]

I hate it.

[Peyton Moreland]

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