268. The Murder of Cayley Mandadi

Summary

Murder With My Husband: Episode 268 - The Murder of Cayley Mandadi

Released: May 12, 2025
Host: OH NO MEDIA
Description: A true crime podcast that ventures into the darkest crimes with a wife who loves it and a husband who hates it.

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Introduction

In Episode 268 of "Murder With My Husband," hosts Peyton Moreland and her husband Garrett Moreland delve into the tragic and mysterious case of Cayley Mandadi. Balancing their contrasting views on true crime—Peyton's passion and Garrett's apprehension—the couple navigates the complexities of Cayley's life, relationships, and untimely death.

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Background of Cayley Mandadi

Cayley Mandadi, a 19-year-old sophomore at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, epitomized the quintessential college experience. Described as an "all-American girl," Cayley was not only a popular cheerleader but also academically driven, nurtured by her accomplished parents—her father an international executive for MGM Resorts and her mother a scientist, alongside her stepfather, a NASA engineer.

"Cayley brought that radiance with her to Trinity College," explains Peyton [05:51].

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Cayley's Relationships: From Jet to Mark

Cayley's romantic life was a significant facet of her college experience. She previously dated Jet Burcham, a Trinity star football player and fellow member of Greek life, from January 2017 until their relationship soured by the summer. Seeking a more serious commitment in her sophomore year, Cayley met Mark Howerton, a 22-year-old former high school baseball star residing in Houston.

"Mark and I have a great relationship," Garrett remarks humorously about his own experiences, reflecting the dynamic between the hosts [02:32].

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The Fateful Music Festival

On October 29, 2017, Cayley and Mark attended a music festival in San Antonio. The day took a pivotal turn when they decided to consume MDMA at a nearby car wash ([10:08]). The altered state heightened emotions, leading to an awkward encounter with Cayley's ex-boyfriend, Jet. This meeting ignited tensions, culminating in a heated argument between Cayley and Mark.

"We get into a bit of an argument. I told Cayley that Jet wasn't worth her time," Mark recounts during police interrogation [20:49].

The couple left the festival early, with Mark driving Cayley in his Mercedes. However, their journey took a tragic turn when Cayley became unresponsive.

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Cayley's Disappearance and Discovery

Cayley failed to communicate with her friends and missed a scheduled sorority meeting after the festival. Her friends' growing concern led them to contact the police for a wellness check, but authorities initially declined due to Cayley's age, being over the 17-year limit for Amber Alerts.

At around 10 PM on October 29, Mark arrived at Luling, Texas, hospital, visibly distressed, claiming Cayley wasn't breathing ([19:40]). Paramedics discovered Cayley unconscious, with significant bruising and disheveled clothing, suggesting foul play rather than a mere overdose.

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Investigation and Autopsy Findings

Police interrogated Mark, who maintained that Cayley had overdosed on MDMA and alcohol, leading to her collapse. However, discrepancies arose when the autopsy revealed the true cause of death: blunt force trauma to Cayley's head, resulting in a severe brain bleed.

"The autopsy stated that Cayley's head injury was so substantial that it caused her brain to separate from her skull," Peyton details [26:26].

These findings shifted the investigation towards homicide, with Mark becoming the prime suspect due to his inconsistent statements and the physical evidence against him.

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First Trial and Mistrial

In December 2019, Mark Howerton faced trial for first-degree murder and first-degree sexual assault. The prosecution presented compelling evidence, including autopsy photos and witness testimonies. However, the defense countered by attributing Cayley's injuries to medical interventions during her overdose treatment and emphasizing the lack of direct eyewitnesses to the assault.

Jet Burcham's conflicting testimony further complicated the case. Initially claiming limited observation, his later statements did not fully corroborate the prosecution's narrative.

After extensive deliberations, the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict, resulting in a mistrial [40:21].

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Renewed Efforts and Second Trial

Undeterred, Cayley's parents, Allison Seal and Lawrence Baitland, intensified their pursuit of justice. They critically examined the autopsy photos, identifying specific injuries that suggested deliberate assault. Their relentless efforts included purchasing Mark's Mercedes to uncover additional evidence and commissioning reenactment videos to support their case.

In June 2023, the second trial commenced with new evidence, including cell phone data that contradicted Mark's initial account. Despite heightened scrutiny and public outcry, the jury found Mark not guilty of first-degree murder but convicted him of aggravated assault causing serious bodily harm, sentencing him to 20 years in prison and ordering him to pay $10,000 to Cayley's family [45:22].

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Aftermath and Advocacy

The verdict left Cayley's family grappling with the limitations of the legal system. Determined to prevent similar tragedies, Allison Seal established "Kaylee's Calling," an organization advocating for extended Amber Alerts for adults. Her efforts led to legislative changes in Texas, aiming to expedite alerts for missing individuals aged 18 to 64.

"We want justice for our daughter, and we are getting to work," Lawrence emphasizes [41:01].

Kayley's family continues to promote awareness and support for victims of domestic violence, ensuring her legacy endures through community education and advocacy.

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Conclusion

The tragic case of Cayley Mandadi underscores the complexities of domestic violence, legal challenges in prosecuting homicides, and the critical need for systemic changes to protect vulnerable individuals. Through meticulous investigation and unwavering determination, Cayley's family strives to honor her memory and safeguard others from similar fates.

"You should have the right in this world to break up with anyone whenever and for whatever reason you want," Peyton asserts, highlighting the fundamental freedoms that must be respected to prevent abuse [37:44].

For more information or to support Kaylee's Calling, visit kayleescalling.org.

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Notable Quotes

• Garrett Moreland [10:14]: "Well, sorry, what is mdma? Molly dance from? I didn't know that was Molly, did you?"
• Peyton Moreland [05:51]: "Cayley brought that radiance with her to Trinity College."
• Garrett Moreland [45:18]: "He's found guilty of aggravated assault causing serious bodily harm."
• Peyton Moreland [37:44]: "You should have the right in this world to break up with anyone whenever and for whatever reason you want."

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Key Takeaways

• The Complexity of Domestic Abuse Cases: Cayley's case illustrates how domestic relationships can escalate into fatal violence, often obscured by initial appearances and misleading narratives.
• Legal System Limitations: The first mistrial and reduced charges in the second trial highlight challenges in securing full accountability for perpetrators in the face of inconsistent testimonies and circumstantial evidence.
• Advocacy for Systemic Change: Cayley's family’s establishment of "Kaylee's Calling" emphasizes the importance of proactive measures in law enforcement protocols to prevent delays in alerts for missing adults.

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This detailed examination of Cayley Mandadi’s case offers listeners an in-depth understanding of the events leading to her tragic death, the ensuing legal battles, and the enduring impact on her family and community.

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. Happy Monday. Happy Monday. Happy Monday. Happy Monday. Hope everyone is doing great. Here we are in another episode of Murder with My Husband. If you by chance are listening to this for the first time, my name is Garrett. That is the lovely Peyton Moreland. And she tells me a new case each week. I have no idea what she's going to say, what she's going to talk to me about. And I love true crime and I historically hate true crime.

[Peyton Moreland]

Historically.

[Garrett Moreland]

Here we are. We do podcasts once a week and if you want bonus content, extra episodes and ad free, you can also check out our Apple subscriptions or Patreon slash Spotify subscription.

[Peyton Moreland]

And trust us, we know we're about to just ruin your life because you'll never find a podcast better than this and you're gonna run out of episodes. And we know.

[Garrett Moreland]

But here we are every single week coming back. Thank you guys for supporting us. We love you.

[Peyton Moreland]

That leads us to Garrett's portion of.

[Garrett Moreland]

The show when he talks about hot tamales. This week for my 10 seconds, I. I think I have a hot tamale obsession. Not good. You know what? Red forties in that. Not good. I eat a lot of hot tamales. If I die one day, it's going to be because of my hot tamales. That's okay. I love hot tamales and I just wanted everyone to know that I love them so much and I hope that everyone else also likes hot tamales. I also just got a buzz cut. Buzz my hair. It's pretty sure if you're watching on YouTube, there's a weird light coming in from the left because we don't have curtains currently on the so sorry youtubers that it's not super visually appealing. We apologize. That's our fault. We are recording later than usual. I think that's all. That's what I got for 10 seconds. You know, just pickleball. Hot tamales. I went golfing for the first time this season. I think it's going to be a pretty good year of golf. I think I should be a scratch golfer by the end of the season. I'm pretty excited about it. Payton doesn't know what that means, so she doesn't know if I'm being serious or not. But no, for anyone out there. I'm not a scratch golfer, but hopefully at some point I am.

[Peyton Moreland]

I said it before and I'll say it again. I don't really know how golf works because whenever I go with Garrett, he uses like 10 balls.

[Garrett Moreland]

Get out of here.

[Peyton Moreland]

Get. He just doesn't like his shot and then puts a new one.

[Garrett Moreland]

She's making that up because she watches too much Tick tock. Do not listen to her talk.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah, I didn't get that off.

[Garrett Moreland]

That's what all the tick tock people do. Nope, that's not true.

[Peyton Moreland]

I just thought that was funny.

[Garrett Moreland]

It was funny. It was funny. All right, shall we get into this week's episode? Yes, let's do it.

[Peyton Moreland]

Our sources for this episode are kens5.com yahoo.com ksat.com cbs news.com courthouse news.com my san antonio.com and sandhills express.com so when I think about the typical college experience, a lot of things come to mind, like the challenging coursework, making new friends, finding new hobbies, maybe a little bit of partying. But I think one of the biggest parts of the college experience, at least for me, is honestly the dating. I mean, I found my Garrett during my College Finding your Ms. Or your Mr. Or Mrs. Forever or your Mr. Or Mrs. Right. Either way, exploring new relationships sort of comes with the territory in college. It's part of finding ourselves, learning who we are, what we want, what we don't want for the rest of our lives. But dating a new person always comes with risks. Are we going to catch feelings for someone that maybe we're not ready for? Are we going to get our hearts broken? Are they going to get jealous or bitter if it doesn't work out? What we rarely stop to consider is how this person might react if things don't go the way they were hoping for in the relationship. So today we are headed to San Antonio, Texas.

[Garrett Moreland]

All right.

[Peyton Moreland]

To meet 19 year old Kaylee Mandy in 2017. Kaylee is a sophomore at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. It is a liberal arts school of about 2500 students, and Kaylee is studying to be a communications major there. She's 19, just barely entering her college career. And in many ways, Kayleigh does fit the mold of an all American girl. Growing up, she was popular in school. She was a cheerleader, but someone who had a huge heart and was always very warm. She was trusting. She was open and honest with people. And friends said she always had a huge smile on her face both on and off the football field when she was cheering. And Kaylee brought that radiance with her to Trinity College. There, she made a lot of friends quickly. She had joined the Trinity Trinity cheerleading squad, which helped her feel right at home. And she became a member of one of the sororities on campus. But Kaylee was also a person with a lot of depth because she was really smart, probably because she was raised by some really intelligent people. Her father was an international executive for MGM Resorts.

[Garrett Moreland]

All right.

[Peyton Moreland]

And her mother was a scientist. Her stepfather worked for NASA.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, my gosh.

[Peyton Moreland]

And as the only child, Kaylee's parents made sure they set up for success. But as we know, college is an exploratory chapter in a young person's life. It's a time that will not only shape the future of your career, but the future kind of of what person you're going to become. And sometimes that means sowing wild oats and trying out new things and new people, which was what Kaylee was definitely embracing going into her sophomore year at Trinity. Now, by that point, Kaylee had been dating a guy named Jet Burcham. She was kind of dating him on and off for the last nine months. Now, Jet was a Trinity star football player and he was in Greek life himself. So together, he and Kaylee the cheerleader were sort of like an idyllic college couple. They met around January of 2017 and dated throughout the spring semester of her freshman year. But by the time summer rolled around, Jet and Kaylee were on the outs. And by September, when the two returned to campus, Kaylee had sort of soured on the relationship. Now, going into sophomore year, she was looking for something more serious, someone she could make things exclusive with. But Jet just was not into that idea. So Kaeli was kind of over it. By the time she returned to campus for her sophomore year, she was ready to leave Jet in the past and see if there was someone who really wanted to commit themselves to her more, you know, kind of in a more meaningful way. And that's when she met 22 year old Mark Howerton. Now, Mark wasn't actually a student at Trinity, but he was there all the time visiting his friends. He actually lived three hours away in Houston at this time. But Kaylee might have liked that. Mark was a former high school baseball star, another fellow athlete, which seems to be her type. And things seemed hot and heavy pretty quick for Mark and Haley, even though he knew she was fresh out of a relationship. But that didn't seem to stop Mark. Instead, four weeks after they started dating, he invited Kaylee to be his plus one to a concert. It was at a music festival in San Antonio on October 29, 2017. Now, that morning, Mark picked Kaylee up from campus. The two seemed ready for a day of partying and to blow off some steam. But before they got to the stadium where the festival was being held, there was something they wanted to try. So they pulled over at a car wash around the corner and took some mdma. The two got to the concert, saw a few bands, met up with a few friends and had a few drinks. And they honestly spent the afternoon dancing and laughing.

[Garrett Moreland]

Well, sorry, what is mdma? Molly dance from? I didn't know that was Molly, did you?

[Peyton Moreland]

Well, now you got me questioning things. Not like I've ever done it, but I'm pretty sure MDMA is Molly.

[Garrett Moreland]

I haven't done it either, so that's why I'm asking. I don't know anyone out there who's done mdma. I assume it is Molly. Let us know if we were wrong. Thank you.

[Peyton Moreland]

It's Molly. I'm not going to doubt myself. I was so sure on that that I didn't even look that up.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, I don't know.

[Peyton Moreland]

So they spend the afternoon dancing and laughing. But at 3:45, things got a little awkward. At this music festival, because this is when Kaylee runs into her ex boyfriend from freshman year, the football player jet. I can only imagine how weird this must have been being with your new boyfriend and running into your old one. I mean, the two supposedly knew about each other, but I would think when you have added Molly and alcohol to that equation, it probably makes the emotions you're feeling a little bit heightened. And while they don't do much more than just say hi, from what I can tell, it definitely ruins the day for Kaylee, because only an hour or so later, Kaylee and Mark actually leave the music festival early. They get into Mark's Mercedes and drive off. But come the next morning, this is October 30, 2017. Kaylee's friends are getting worried. Her friend Taylor, who's been buddies with Kaylee since freshman year of high school, wakes up to notice that she hasn't gotten her morning Snapchat message from Kaylee. The first thing they did every day when they woke up is send a Snapchat message to one another. Now, Taylor doesn't actually go to Trinity with Kaylee. She's at another college nearby.

[Garrett Moreland]

She.

[Peyton Moreland]

But Kaylee's friends at Trinity are also starting to worry about her because Haley failed to show up to a sorority meeting the night before after the concert. So she was supposed to do the music festival and then go to this sorority meeting. And they've been trying to call her and text her ever since she missed it. Now, Kaylee hasn't answered her phone or any of her messages since she left the music festival. But people looking for her next tried Mark, her boyfriend, and he has answered. See, one of her sorority sisters named Morgan Sampson tried to FaceTime Kaylee late on the night of the 29th. Kaylee didn't answer her phone. Mark did. And he told her, hey, Kaylee can't talk right now, and then just hung up. So that really disturbed Kaylee's sorority sisters. So much so that when they haven't seen Kaylee the next day, they go to the police to try and file a report and get a wellness check on Kaylee. And for some reason, the police tell the women that's not an option yet. So meanwhile, they're begging the police, like, please, can you put an Amber Alert for our friend? Maybe she's been kidnapped. And police are like, I'm sorry, but your friend is too old for the Amber Alert program. That only applies to people till age 17. And they're like, oh, my gosh. Well, no one's answering. Mark did that Weird thing. I mean, you know where this story is going. He knows where Kaylee is. It's not a mystery. Because around 10pm on the night of October 29, about five hours after he and Kaylee left the festival, he was arriving at a hospital in Lulling, Texas, which is a little over an hour outside of San Antonio. Paramedic Cheryl Lane was right in front of Mark's black Mercedes as it pulled up to the emergency entrance. He was honking his horn, flashing his lights as he arrived. Then he got out of the car, screaming that his girlfriend isn't breathing. And when Cheryl takes a peek inside the passenger door of the vehicle, she sees Kaylee there, unconscious in the seat. And this paramedic notices that Kaylee has some bruising. Her clothes aren't on her. They are lying on the floor of the car.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, my gosh, dude.

[Peyton Moreland]

But Cheryl is more concerned with getting the girlfriend out. Haley. And administering cpr. Now, as other medics rush out and help Kaylee inside, Mark starts frantically explaining that he and Kaylee had taken Molly at a music festival, and when they left, she passed out. So for the time being, all of the doctors and nurses are actually treating Kaylee's condition as a drug overdose. They insert a tube into her chest to help her breathe. They put IVs in both of her arms, and they send in a sexual assault nurse to photograph Kaylee just in case. Meanwhile, as Kaylee's at the hospital fighting for her life, her parents are pretty unaware because for whatever reason, they aren't contacted until 4am on October 30, 2017. So they get to the hospital and they see their daughter for the first time, and they can't help but notice how extensive the bruising is all over her body.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, my gosh.

[Peyton Moreland]

It's actually so bad that her parents are like, this is not a drug overdose. Like, did she jump off a bridge? Did she, like, have a terrible fall? What could have done this much damage? Was it the amount of times they had tried to administer CPR on her? And the police are curious about this too, because at the same time, they are actually in another room interrogating Mark Howerton, the boyfriend. They want to know every second of what happened leading up to his arrival at the hospital. Because if you show up with someone who's apparently overdosing but has bruising all over, they will call the police. And they get a lot of the conversation they have with Mark on body cam footage. Are you looking for a natural way to promote and maintain your liver health? I found A clinically supported, potent and effective solution and I can't wait to share it with with you. Dose for your Liver was formulated to cleanse your liver of unwanted elements, aid digestion and maintain your body's filter. And why does this matter? Why is our liver so important? It's the second largest organ in your body and is responsible for over 500 functions in your body. Your liver is more important than you have ever been told. It is literally your body's filter, flushing out unwanted elements and breaking down what you consume into essential nutrients. So you need to be taking care of your liver and Dose for your liver does just that. Doses Science backed formula promotes liver function, aids digestion, eases bloating and even boosts energy levels. Clinical Results In a double blind placebo controlled clinical trial, Dose for your liver lowered liver enzyme levels by 50% in over 86% of the participants. Stick with dose and feel the incredible benefits over time. More energy, better digestion, reduced bloating, healthier liver enzyme function, reduction in brain fog, better, better sleep. It goes on. This is how you know one dose for your liver shot is equivalent to 17 shots of turmeric juice. Dose is gluten free, dairy free, sugar free and vegan. I use Dose every single day. I love it. I think taking care of your liver is so important and so should you. So save 30 on your first month of subscription by going on Dose Daily Co Husband or entering husband at checkout. That's Dose Daily D O S E D a I l y.co/husband for 30 off your first month subscription. Okay you guys, Jolie sponsors this podcast and if you don't know you need to listen. Jolie is a beauty wellness company that purifies the water we shower in for better skin, hair and overall well being. Okay, it's Jolie's Filtered Shower head. It's the best in class for removing chlorine and heavy metals. It's the only lab tested in clinic clinically trialed filtering shower head on the market. And you guys know how important it is to filter the water we drink. Why aren't you doing the same thing for your hair and skin? Jolie Shower Head is clinically proven to reduce hair shedding in 81% of people. Lab tested to reduce hair frizziness by 40%, lab tested to maintain color retention and lab tested to protect the hair's surface layer. We have Jolie Shower heads in every single one of our showers. I recommend it to anyone. It's a great gift for even college or newly adults and they're easy to put in and take back out. And they look good. They look expensive. And Jolie still gives strong water pressure and fits all showers as the plumbing pipe size is universal. They have a beautiful, sleek design. Jolie will give you your best skin and hair guaranteed. Head to jolieskinco.com husband to try it out for yourself with free shipping. That's Jolie Skin company.com husband for free shipping. And the best part, you guys, if you don't like it, you can return your Jolie for a full refund within 60 days, no questions asked. Jolie is also available on Amazon and at select Ulta stores. Get yours now. Also, please use slash husband. It's just a great way to support the show. And you get free shipping. So they bring Mark to the quietest place they can find in the hospital. Okay, this is happening. Right on. Okay. The hospital staff calls the police. The police come and they're just trying to make sure everything's good.

[Garrett Moreland]

I love how much is on body cam footage now because you can just, especially at hospitals. So much information. Yes, love it.

[Peyton Moreland]

So they kind of bring Mark to a quieter place in the hospital that happens to be the chapel. And Mark starts off the conversation seemingly pretty honest with them. He says, yeah, we took mdma. We had some drinks before going into the festival. He mentions that they ran into Kaylee's example jet at around 3:45pm he tells them that after this encounter, him and Kaylee actually got into a bit of an argument. Mark says he told Kaylee that Jet wasn't worth her time. She just needed to get over him and enjoy the festival. And that the fight got so heated that they just decided to leave the concert altogether early. But once they got into his car, he claims things began to calm down. He tells police they pulled over at a gas station parking lot and that's when they started to have makeup sex in the car. But Mark admits to the police that this sex was not loving and tender. He does say it was a bit rough. We, you know, there was some choking, but it was 100% consensual when we were having sex on children.

[Garrett Moreland]

But it wasn't like chilling.

[Peyton Moreland]

And he tells the police, he's like, this also isn't far off from how things usually are between us in the bedroom. He said, this is actually normal.

[Garrett Moreland]

I'm sure the police are just like, bro, her entire body is filled with bruises. Yeah, like, what are you talking about?

[Peyton Moreland]

Then he says after they finished having sex, they got back on the road and started heading for his home in Houston, About a three hour drive. And on route, Kaylee started to say she wasn't feeling well. She fell asleep in the passenger seat. And shortly into that drive, Mark says he realized that Kaylee wasn't breathing.

[Garrett Moreland]

She.

[Peyton Moreland]

That's when he rushed her to the nearest hospital. That's the one they're at.

[Garrett Moreland]

How'd her clothes get off?

[Peyton Moreland]

Well, because they were having sex before this. Now, on its surface, this story could be plausible. I mean, it could even be honest, considering Mark admitted to them, yeah, we did fight. Yeah, we were on drugs, we drank. But the bruising on Kaylee can't be ignored. So they ask him, okay, we understand what you're saying, but the bruising on her body, what happened? And he said, I noticed some bruising on her legs earlier, but that bruising that's on her now wasn't there when I dropped her off. Which is a bit shady for two reasons. Number one, the paramedic noticed the bruising the second that Kaylee got there. And number two, Mark actually has bruising on his hands at the time of this interrogation. The top of them are like a little red and scabby, which is enough for police to go, okay, you're gonna stay here, we're gonna go search your car, because that's where you're claiming most of this happened.

[Garrett Moreland]

It's kind of interesting, too, because at this point, I'm sure he's hoping she doesn't wake up, right? Because if she does wake up or she's gets better, I mean, she's going to be able to tell them exactly what happened. Which is also interesting because wouldn't he want to make sure she's dead if that was the case?

[Peyton Moreland]

Well, anyway, keep going, keep going. They decide they're going to go search his car. Mark is very cooperative, and I want to reiterate that all of this is happening at the hospital, like in the the next day. He doesn't tell them to get a warrant. He just tells them to look around in the car, where they discover some marijuana and a gun. But Mark doesn't seem too alarmed by this. This is Texas, after all. Instead, he is just like, okay, I understand you guys are searching my car, but can I get an update on Kaylee, my girlfriend? But the truth is, things are not going well over with Kaylee in the hospital room by the morning of October 31, 2017. The next day, doctors bring Haley's parents in and tell them that there is no hope for recovery after trying to resuscitate Kaylee. Seven times over the course of the last day and a half, they let the family know that Kaylee was now brain dead, which is when her parents were left with an unimaginable decision. They called her closest friends, invited them to the hospital to say goodbye, and they signed the papers to fulfill one of Kaylee's wishes, to donate her organs to those in need. And then that afternoon, Kaylee's family gave her one last kiss as they decided to take her off life support.

[Garrett Moreland]

That would be so hard.

[Peyton Moreland]

Awful.

[Garrett Moreland]

That would be. That would be awful. Awful.

[Peyton Moreland]

So after Kaylee's passing, the police continued to speak with Mark Howerton on a few separate occasions because now she has died and his story remains consistent each time. He says that we went to the festival, saw her ex, we got in a fight, we left, we had makeup sex in the car. And then Kaylee said she wasn't feeling well, we were driving, and then I noticed she wasn't breathing. That's when I rushed her to the nearest hospital. And for now, there's nothing the police can charge him for. This isn't exactly looking like a homicide until the autopsy comes back, of course. And that changes everything because the autopsy doesn't say that Kaylee died from high levels of alcohol or MDMA or mixing them. It says that Kaylee's cause of death was. And get this. Blunt force trauma to her head.

[Garrett Moreland]

Holy crap.

[Peyton Moreland]

Which is consistent with what they found on the rest of her body. Bruises everywhere. And this is actually something that I didn't know, but I learned the other day and is actually something you can look for in children or elderly people to see if there's a possibility that they are being abused in the care of someone else.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

If someone is getting hit in the head, oftentimes a symptom of that will be bruising in their ears.

[Garrett Moreland]

Interesting.

[Peyton Moreland]

And it doesn't mean that they'll bruise on their actual head, but if you look at their ears and there's bruising in or around their ears, that's a sign of head trauma. And this actually has been used multiple times to prove that people are being abused, which is actually gross. And I'm not even going to go there that this is something they look for in children. But this is what's happening with Kaylee at this point. There is bruising in her ears and this is slightly graphic. But I do think it's important to understand the severity of these injuries because it's definitely not an overdose and this is a huge part of the case. So you can fast forward if you don't need all the details. But the autopsy stated that Kaylee's head injury was so substantial that it had actually caused her brain to strip away from her skull.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, my gosh.

[Peyton Moreland]

And then create a brain bleed, which then you have to think he's pulling up to the hospital saying, oh, she just fell asleep, and her brain is not attached to her skull. So once investigators get this information from the autopsy, they are like, what? What? This is not an overdose. This is a homicide. And the bruising, it is not consistent with rough sex like Mark Howerton had said they'd had. This looked more like a case of extreme physical assault. And once they learn more about who Mark Howerton is, you know, they're like, okay, this is our number one suspect. Things start coming together pretty fast. Let's get into the real Mark Howerton. Let me start by saying that Mark is a pretty big guy. He's tall, he's muscly, to the point where some of Kaylee's friends even said that they thought he was on steroids. So the thought of him attacking Kaylee and doing that amount of damage even in a confined space like a car doesn't actually sound that impossible. Especially after you hear what her friends had to say about Kaylee and Mark's relationship. Because it turns out Kaylee wasn't in this one for the long haul. She did seem to still have feelings for Jet, and she was kind of already one foot out of the relationship with Mark. By the time of the music festival, she had actually spoken to a few friends about breaking up with Mark, but she also passively mentioned that she was kind of afraid to. To do it. Like, she was afraid to have this conversation with him. And the reason for why became a bit clearer a few days before they went to that music festival. So this was October 15, 2017. Kaylee's roommate, Morgan Sampson, told police after her death that on that night, Mark came to campus to hang out with Kaylee. Remember, he doesn't go to the college. It seems like Mark got super drunk that day and then showed up that night and began throwing up off of Kaylee's dorm room balcony. So at this point, Morgan invited Kaylee to a frat party and told her she should just leave Mark behind to sober up, cool off. Like, he's already too far gone to party. Now, Mark isn't cool with this because Jet is part of the fraternity that's hosting this frat party.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

He. He senses that Kaylee is not necessarily over that breakup, but Kaylee And Morgan decide to go to the party anyway. And they're basically like, mark, you don't even go here. You need to stay home and sober up. Like, you're. You're kind of not invited. So Mark stays in Kaylee's room, and while she's out, her neighbors hear a bunch of loud banging coming from her bedroom. So they actually call campus police. They're like, hey, there's something going on over there. So police show up, they knock on the door, and they find Mark. They ask him, hey, we need to take a look inside the apartment. He says, no, but the police are like, okay, okay, we're campus police. We're coming inside anyways. And what they find is that the balcony door to this apartment has been broken and all of Kaylee's clothes from inside her bedroom have been thrown off the balcony.

[Garrett Moreland]

Holy crap.

[Peyton Moreland]

And onto, like, the trees outside, as well as her laptop has been thrown off the balcony. Keep in mind, Mark doesn't go to Trinity. So campus police are like, okay, you can't ever step foot here again. Yeah, like, you are not allowed on campus. Now, as far as I can tell, nothing happened to Kaylee that night. It seems like police told him, get off campus immediately, before Kaylee even came back to her dorm room. But I know that at this point, she tells her ex boyfriend, Jet, that, you know, I'm dating this new guy, Mark, and I am scared of him. Like, I want to break up with him, but his behavior is just showing me that it might be dangerous to do so. And another friend of hers said that she had actually begun to see bruises on Kaylee after that day.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, wow. So.

[Peyton Moreland]

And when she confronted Kaylee about it, like, hey, why all of a sudden do you have bruises on you? Kaylee admitted that they were from Mark. So after he does this on the balcony, he then starts to get physically violent with her.

[Garrett Moreland]

We've talked about it a few times. I actually truly don't know what you're supposed to do when you're being beat, but you're scared to leave because they're gonna kill you. Like, I truly don't know what you're supposed to do.

[Peyton Moreland]

And honestly, because.

[Garrett Moreland]

Sorry to interrupt, because the. The legal route for that isn't working. It's just. It's just not. It's just sticky.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yes.

[Garrett Moreland]

Right. It's so sticky. Like, it doesn't solve the issue. He's not gonna go to prison for what he's done.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah.

[Garrett Moreland]

If it's not super severe yet, like, what happened.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah.

[Garrett Moreland]

So it's just. It's too sticky. And I don't know what. I don't. Female, male, whatever. I don't know what you're supposed to do when you're being abused like that.

[Peyton Moreland]

And I will say, like, I got the hint that, like, there was a little bit of victim blaming going on. Being like, well, if Kaylee's still in contact with Jet, how is that fair to Mark?

[Garrett Moreland]

What the.

[Peyton Moreland]

Blah, blah, blah. Let me just clarify something. When you are in trouble with someone, you tend to go to people you trust who you think can help you out.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

A former boyfriend could easily do that. He cares about you.

[C]

He.

[Peyton Moreland]

He's another guy. Like, he knows what it's like to be in a relationship with you. It really is not that crazy that that's who she turns to for help. So I just don't want to go down that road at all because she's in a dangerous situation. And then another friend told police that Kaylee had confided in them about a time when Mark had grabbed her head and smashed it into a car window.

[Garrett Moreland]

What is happening now?

[Peyton Moreland]

By this point in October, Kaylee had apparently tried to end things with Mark more than once. But whenever she told him, like, hey, I think we should break up, like, she tried to have the talk with him, he would threaten to die by suicide. There was even a text message from Mark to Kaylee. So this is, like, hard proof that read, quote, if I leave, it's death, basically saying, like, if we break up, I will kill myself, by the way.

[Garrett Moreland]

I mean, that's a form of abuse and manipulation.

[Peyton Moreland]

Like, that's not.

[Garrett Moreland]

Can't.

[Peyton Moreland]

That is not health.

[Garrett Moreland]

Not okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

And even if someone is so low to the point where that's how they're.

[Garrett Moreland]

Feeling or the other person's fault, just no. Just saying no.

[Peyton Moreland]

I mean, if you can get help and get other people involved. But by the time the Festival rolled around, October 29, Kaylee is literally on her last leg. She told Jet that she was planning to break up with Mark while she was there that day because there would be a lot of people around. So if anything goes sideways at the festival, there would be the witnesses. Jet also said, though, that Kaylee was really nervous about this breakup. Like, the only reason she was going to this festival was to break up with him in public.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

And rightfully so, because Jet said after he ran into Kaylee at the festival, he saw Mark and Kaylee fighting. Obviously, he's figuring that they're breaking up. And it appeared like Haley was trying to get away But Mark kind of hooked his arm around her shoulder and then they just like he just began walking her to the exit. You guys, the rumors are 100 true push up bras are officially back and I am so here for it. I talked about this on YouTube last week, but I have the ultimate balconet push up bra from skims. And I'm gonna be honest with you. I initially chose to get this bra because the straps are a little wider on my shoulders and I have a couple shirts that go out that wide and sometimes my straps show. So I was like, okay, I'm gonna get the ultimate balconette push up bra so that I can wear it with these shirts. Okay.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

But then the bra showed up, I put it on and I was like, oh no, I'm. This isn't actually only going to be worn with my wide cut shirts because this is the best push up bra I have ever owned. It makes the girls look fake. It looks like I just stepped out of the plastic surgeon's office. Okay. I don't know what they put in this skims bra, but it makes the girls look good. Shop the skims ultimate bra collection and [e-mail] and then after you place your order, be sure to let them know we sent you select podcast in the survey and be sure to select our show in the dropdown menu that follows. You guys, we are jumping into an ad and lately I have been making a big effort to be more intentional with how I grocery shop, both for my health and my wallet. I'm so over wandering the store for so long, reading all the labels, just trying to find what's healthy but not really knowing what is. So that's when I decided to give thrive market a try. And can I tell you, it has been a game changer. I'm still getting all of my favorite clean brands, but for way less money and zero compromises on quality. Thrive market is like your favorite health food store, but it's all online and it's more affordable. I'm talking about premium brands like primal kitchen, simple mills, all delivered to your door and up to 30% less than what you'd pay at traditional stores. So you guys, if you are wanting health healthy brands, brands that you know everything they sell is non gmo, meets incredibly high standards. They actually ban over a thousand ingredients that are still allowed in U. S products. So you know when you are using thrive market, you are getting clean food and the site is super easy to shop. You can filter by diet, gluten free paleo keto low sugar vegan. You're not wasting any time reading every label trying to figure out what fits you. I even stock up on wellness essentials like magnesium omega 3s, herbal teas. It's not just food, you guys. They have the healthy supplements too. All vetted and way more affordable than you would expect. I use Thrive Market because it's easy. I can find all the things that Garrett and I are looking for in one place. So skip the junk without overspending. Head over to thrivemarket.com WMH to get 30 off your first order and a free $60 gift. That's thrive market.com MWMH thrivemarket.com MWMH so now with this eyewitness testimony against Mark Howerton and the incredibly damning autopsy report, police feel like they have more than enough to press charges.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, I'm so mad because. What, I've said this in the podcast before and I totally get if you disagree with me and I'm fine with that. Like, I don't, I don't care. It doesn't offend me. I still love you, you still love me. We're a happy family.

[Peyton Moreland]

Way to force that.

[Garrett Moreland]

But it's just like, I. I just don't think. I mean, he's gonna get prison time, obviously. I don't know. That ain't good enough for me. That's not good enough for me. Like, that's just not. It's not okay. Like, yeah, sure, he goes to a prison, but cool, like he physically killed somebody.

[Peyton Moreland]

Like, because he's rageful and egotistical and can't be told no.

[Garrett Moreland]

Like, you still have your life. Nah, not about it. I'm just, I'm not about it.

[Peyton Moreland]

You should have the right in this world to break up with anyone whenever and for whatever reason you want. And it doesn't mean it's not going to emotionally hurt someone, but you also have that freedom as a person.

[Garrett Moreland]

It's crazy.

[Peyton Moreland]

Police are like, hey, we have enough to press charges. And just a few weeks after the autopsy is revealed, on February 28, 2018, they go and arrest the 22 year old Mark. He's charged with first degree murder and first degree sexual assault. Now, it takes almost two years for Mark to go to trial. So In December of 2019, the prosecution is ready for a conviction. They argue at trial that on the night of October 29, after attempting to break up with Mark, Kaylee was forcefully taken back to his car where she was sexually assaulted by him and then beaten so badly that she suffered that fatal brain Bleed. And they show the jury just how bad it was with photographs taken of Kaylee in the hospital. Now, when it's the defenses turn, they are like, not so fast. They argue no one saw what transpired between Kaylee and Mark in the car that day. And here's the thing. Jet is called in as a witness for the prosecution because he originally told police he saw him lead her out of the music festival. But when he testifies, he doesn't say that on the stand this time. He's like, no, I just saw the two of them walk away. I didn't really see her being, like, forced away with him. Which, honestly, just like a technicality. Like, yeah.

[Garrett Moreland]

Big difference, though. Not saying it makes him innocent or not innocent, but it. But the defense, I mean, they can use that. I mean, anything that creates doubt will be used, right?

[Peyton Moreland]

Why Jet changed his tune during the trial is kind of a mystery. Maybe he just wasn't. He was exaggerating the day that he talked to police. And then when he was under oath, he was like, I should probably just tell the truth.

[C]

But that still doesn't explain all the bruising and the autopsy results that happened from the time she was last seen at the festival to the hospital. Though the defense had a pretty convincing argument for that, too. They said that the bruising was caused by the hospital, by Kaylee's medical team, who tried to resuscitate her seven times in an effort to save her life. That for this, they point to a broken rib on the autopsy. And the defense leans into the MDMA aspect of the story, that while the autopsy didn't state it as a cause of death, it was in her system at the time. And some experts called on by the defense argued it could have definitely played a role. So after 10 hours of deliberations, the jury returned to the courtroom, and they claim that they couldn't agree.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, my. Get the. Get out of here.

[C]

So they don't have a verdict. Mark Howerton's case ends in a mistrial, and he's a free man. Mark would be getting a new trial date, which wouldn't come until 2023, because.

[Peyton Moreland]

They'Re going to try him again, though.

[C]

That's when Kaylee's mother, scientists Allison Seal and Keely's NASA engineer stepfather, Lawrence Baitland, realized this case wasn't as cut and.

[Peyton Moreland]

Dry as they thought. They thought that, like, going to trial.

[C]

Is going to just be open and closed, and they decide police need more evidence this time around. And they're like, we're gonna fight it. Like, we want justice for our daughter, and we are getting to work.

[Peyton Moreland]

Okay.

[C]

Kaylee's stepfather, Lawrence, starts by pouring over these autopsy photos. And what he notices is a small, little angry above Kaylee's right. Right here. And then he notices a few more injuries. They're. They're subtle things, but soon it starts to paint a picture. He and Allison think that the fatal blow was when Mark hit Kaylee in her left ear, which sent her head into the window. That hit the lock button on the.

[Peyton Moreland]

Car, and that was what that was on her right above her ear.

[C]

Now, what's frustrating about this is that Mark Howerton actually admitted in a recorded interview with police that he had done something similar to this before. He told them that at one point.

[Peyton Moreland]

They had gotten into a fight in.

[C]

His car and he had pushed Kaylee's head into a window. Now, whether or not this detail was included in the first trial, I have no idea. But I know Kaylee's parents weren't about to let this slip through the cracks. Like, he's already kind of done this motion and movement with her. So they take things a step further. They learn that Mark actually sold his card back in 2018. And they do a search for the VIN number, track it down to the new owners. Once they find them, Allison and Lawrence literally go up to them, say, can we please buy this car from you? We believe our daughter was murdered in.

[Peyton Moreland]

This car, and we need it.

[C]

I mean, how do you say that? Yeah, how do you say no to that? So they buy the car and drive it home, and they hire experts to help them prove their theory. In fact, they even hire a PI to make a reenactment video in case they need it for court. They actually bring in two actors similar in stature, like in weight, to Kaylee and Mark, and they have them play out a couple scenarios of how the injuries from Caitlyn's autopsy pictures could have occurred in the car. So come June 2023, it's time for Mark Howerton's case to get a second trial. And this time, Kaylee's family's like, we've done a lot more work.

[Peyton Moreland]

This time.

[C]

We are feeling optimistic. For starters, Mark hasn't been doing himself any favors since he got off the first time and has been waiting for this date because he's been posting ridiculous things on the Internet, saying stuff like, quote, come at me libly.

[Peyton Moreland]

I will beat you.

[C]

And seeing his social media videos, quote, Wow, 75 of people think I'm guilty. That just means 75% of people in the world can suck my. But it's possible Mark was really feeling the pressure because now he wasn't just facing charges of first degree murder and sexual assault.

[Peyton Moreland]

They had actually tacked on more charges.

[C]

Like aggravated assault and criminally negligent homicide. And when the day comes for trial, there's new evidence presented, particularly in regards to Mark and Kaylee's cell phone data. It proves that Mark's story doesn't make sense. The one about them having makeup sex and him driving her to the hospital.

[Peyton Moreland]

Once she passed out.

[C]

Instead, experts see that from the cell phone data. This time around, it's more likely that Mark drove around with Katie in his car for a long time between stopping and taking her to the hospital.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, because he wanted her to die.

[C]

Yes. He was hesitating, trying to come up with a plan. Do I take her in? Do I just let her die here? Just getting his story straight. Whatever. But there are a few hiccups when it comes to the prosecution side. That reconstruction video Kaylee's parents made, judges like, you can use it in trial, but it comes with a condition. The parents now have to be witnesses in the trial, which means they aren't able to sit in and watch the trial.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay.

[C]

Ultimately, this wasn't something they wanted to risk. So Allison and Lawrence agreed to just take back the video. They're like, we'd rather just be present for the trial than have to sit out and like be testify in the meantime. The defense continues to argue basically the same thing. That all of this was caused by consensual sex. Now the question was, who are the jurors going to believe? When they left to deliberate this time, they did come back with a verdict. For now, 27 year old mark. And when the judge reads the results, it makes a lot of people's hearts sink because Mark Howerton is found not guilty of first degree murder.

[Garrett Moreland]

Get me. Get out of here. Get the f out of here. There's no way.

[Peyton Moreland]

Do you want to know.

[C]

He's found guilty of.

[Garrett Moreland]

Pull up. Sorry, I shouldn't.

[C]

What do you think he's found guilty of?

[Garrett Moreland]

Him, drugs or sexual assault.

[C]

Guilty of aggravated assault causing serious bodily.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay, so what?

[C]

Literally a bar fight.

[Garrett Moreland]

So he gets three years in prison.

[C]

She died. She died. And he got convicted of punching someone at variously.

[Garrett Moreland]

Is. That's. Oh my gosh. Whoever was on the D.R.E. for this garbage. Absolutely. You guys bad.

[C]

I will say insane. I mean, okay, it'd have to be a pretty bad bar fight because you have to cause bodily. But anyways, mark is given 20 years in prison.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, okay. So, I mean, I mean, yeah, I take some.

[C]

Does he deserve life?

[Peyton Moreland]

Probably.

[C]

But for just aggravated assault causing serious bodily harm, it could have been way less. 20 years in prison. Ordered to pay $10,000 to Kaylee's family.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, wow.

[C]

$10,000, cool. But Kaylee's parents can't help but think about how easily all this could have been prevented. It's actually one of the hardest pills for them to swallow. The fact that nothing could be done. When king these friends first reported her missing. Remember when police told them they couldn't issue an Amber Alert?

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[C]

Because Haley was over 17. Well, Kaylee's mom, Allison stood on that for a while. And that's when she decided she was going to fight for Amber Alert to be sent out for anyone. Because who knows really how long this whole process had taken. And the friends couldn't reach her that night. Remember she was supposed to be at that sorority thing. And so she. In 2019, Allison created the Katie's Calling organization. And with that made the Clear alert. It works just like Amber Alert, only it's made for people between the ages of 18 and 64. So basically an Amber Alert for older people. And In September of 2019, Allison got the program approved by Texas legislators. But Allison isn't done trying to keep Kaylee's legacy alive. Her non profit Kaylee's Calling has been traveling around Texas trying to educate law enforcement on how to properly utilize this alert. The hope is that everyone in the community can come together to prevent a crime like Haley's from ever happening again. If you would like to learn more about Kaylee's Calling or donate to the cause, you can visit kayleescalling.org and that is the murder of Kaylee Manatee.

[Garrett Moreland]

I don't know. People piss me off. I don't know how else to say other than that that's crazy. I just. Okay. And I know this is why this is good. We leave some of this stuff to the end because a lot of people have probably turned the podcast off by now. But this is exactly why I just think there's not a scary enough punishment. People aren't scared. People are not scared to go to prison, apparently, because they're doing this stuff. Stuff. If you were truly terrified of consequences from your actions, you wouldn't do something. Majority of people. You're still gonna have your 1% of people who are just serial killers and don't care. Yeah, I don't know. Just my thoughts. But horrible and cooler for the family. And that My thoughts are this.

[C]

Not everyone, but I would say a lot of people do have been turned down by someone that they wanted.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah, right.

[Garrett Moreland]

I'm sure.

[Peyton Moreland]

I mean, there's, you know, and that.

[C]

Hurts and it does feel bad. But not everyone shoves someone's head into the side of the car so hard that their brain splits from their spot.

[Peyton Moreland]

And that's the difference.

[C]

All right, you guys, thank you for watching this week's episode or listening and we will see you time next.

[Peyton Moreland]

Next time with another one. I love it and I hate it.

[C]

Goodbye.

[D]

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