Episode 334

Summary

Sword and Scale – Episode 334 Summary

Release Date: January 11, 2026
Host: Sword and Scale
Main Theme:
This episode examines the shocking murder of Angie Diaz in Waller County, Texas, focusing on the grisly crime, the investigative process, and the psychological unraveling of her husband, Jared Dykus. The episode weaves together interviews, 911 calls, and police interrogations to explore not just what happened, but why – delving into issues around mental health, drug abuse, and the tragic downfall of a young couple.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Setting the Stage: The Crime and Initial Discovery

• Introduction to Angie Diaz
  • Immigrant from Central America, came to the U.S. at 17 seeking a better life, living with her uncle in Texas.
  • Described as hardworking, eager to help, and grateful. [05:20–06:14]
• Her Relationship with Jared Dykus
  • Quick romance: Met at work ("Chepes" meat market). Jared used a cheesy pickup line; soon they were inseparable.
  • Married within a few months; lived together in an efficiency apartment build behind Jared’s parents' home. [10:13–12:09]
• The Day of the Crime
  • Jared’s father, Rodney, found Angie’s body in a pool of blood; her head was discovered in the bathtub. The scene is described as “a gruesome scene at best.” [04:11, 17:33]
  • 911 call features Rodney in severe distress; he notes his son is acting abnormally and recently had been hospitalized for mental health concerns. [12:46, 14:57]

Notable Quote:

"My son's wife is dead... please. There's something wrong with my son... He was hearing voices. I told the doctor to keep him. The doctor said he was fine."
— Rodney Dykus [14:57]

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2. Background: Angie and Jared’s Life

• Angie’s Aspirations
  • Worked hard, wanted to become a fitness instructor, planned a better future. Friends and family describe her as ambitious and joyous.
• Jared’s Background and Decline
  • Jared struggled after his best friend died. Subsequent layoff, failed business venture, and DWI added to mounting personal stress. [34:40–35:14]
  • Parents noticed changes: lethargy, withdrawal, and strange, erratic behaviors. Suggested onset of mental health crisis or drug use.
• Early Relationship and Changes
  • At first, Jared seemed mature and family-oriented, but relatives and friends noticed he became reclusive and moody as he struggled with personal setbacks. [12:04, 35:51]

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3. The Crime Scene and Law Enforcement Response

• Discovery and Reaction
  • Scene described as extraordinarily violent and shocking, even to seasoned paramedics: "I realized the patient did not have a head. We knew there was nothing we were going to do."
    [15:31]
• Investigation
  • Law enforcement immediately suspects Jared due to context and history; both sides of the family devastated.
  • The crime scene evidence points to brutal murder followed by decapitation; Angie is found clothed with no signs of struggle, intensifying the mystery. [16:34, 53:27]

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4. Jared’s Mental Decline and Hospitalization Attempts

• Parental Warnings and Attempts to Intervene
  • Days before the crime, Jared’s parents became increasingly concerned; tried to bring him to a hospital, noting symptoms of paranoia, hearing voices, and inconsistent claims of drug use. [24:22–25:42, 38:02]
  • Jared’s 911 calls: He alternately claims to have used drugs and to need help, but then recants, demonstrating deep confusion. [39:36–40:30]

Notable Quotes:

"I had him in the hospital two days ago. He was hearing voices. But I didn't tell the doctor to keep him. The doctor said, you're fine."
— Rodney Dykus [42:32]

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5. Interrogation and Attempts at Understanding

• Jared’s Confused Accounts
  • During the post-arrest interrogation, Jared’s answers are incoherent, contradictory, and at times delusional. He blames “drugs” and describes hearing commands from the TV, claiming “time would stop” and he was being controlled. [51:24–51:54]
  • Often insists “it wasn’t Jared” who did it and alternates between apologetic and numb states.

Notable Quotes:

"I don’t know. Because it wasn’t Jared. It wasn’t Jared."
— Jared Dykus [52:23]
"It was like someone came in here."
— Jared Dykus, pointing to his head [47:06]

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6. Toxicology Findings and Theories About Motive

• Drug or Mental Illness?
  • Hospital drug tests two days before the murder were clean; after his arrest, Jared tested positive only for a small amount of cocaine, not meth as he claimed.
  • Police and family debate whether drugs caused or merely exacerbated Jared’s psychological unraveling.
• Possible Jealousy and Resentment
  • Friends noted changes in Angie post-marriage; texted and behaved as if she was having second thoughts. Police theory: mixture of jealousy, frustration at life failures, and possibly a latent psychotic episode. [54:47–55:07]
• No Insanity Evaluation, Plea Accepted
  • Jared pleads guilty, receives 40 years in prison without a full mental health assessment or trial. [56:40–57:20]

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7. Aftermath and Reflection

• Community and Family Grief
  • Angie’s friends and family struggling to comprehend how a pursuit of the American Dream ended in tragedy.
  • Candlelight vigil held in her honor.

Notable Quote:

"She came here for a better life... My friend didn't deserve to be taken away like this."
— Friend of Angie Diaz [57:44]

• Lingering Questions
  • Was this avoidable? Could medical intervention have made a difference? The episode closes with a reflection on the limits of mental health care and the devastating randomness of such crimes.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Angie's arrival to the U.S. and background: 05:05–06:48
• How Angie met Jared and marriage: 09:17–12:09
• Discovery of crime and 911 call: 12:46–14:21
• Family’s observations of Jared's decline: 24:22–25:42, 34:40–35:14
• Paramedic account of scene: 15:31–16:34
• Jared’s 911 calls about his mental state: 39:36–40:30
• Police interrogation highlights: 46:56–52:35
• Findings on drug use and alternate theories: 54:47–55:07
• Sentencing and aftermath: 56:40–57:20
• Community reaction and vigil: 57:20–57:59

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On intervention failures:
  "I told the doctor to keep him. The doctor said he was fine." — Rodney Dykus [14:57, 42:32]
• On Jared's mental state:
  "It was like someone came in here." — Jared Dykus [47:06]
• On denial and responsibility:
  "It wasn’t Jared." — Jared Dykus [52:23]
• On unimaginable loss:
  "My friend didn't deserve to be taken away like this." — Friend at vigil [57:44]

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Conclusion

Sword and Scale’s 334th episode dives deep into the confluence of mental health struggles, family trauma, and domestic violence. By layering stark real audio with interviews and a methodical chronology, it provides not just the details of Angie Diaz’s brutal murder but an exploration of the ripple effects on a community and lingering questions about prevention, justice, and the unseen monsters in everyday life.

Listeners are left pondering not just how, but why such tragedies occur, and to what extent families and the system can—or can't—intervene before it’s too late.

Transcript

[A]

Sword and Scale contains adult themes and violence and is not intended for all audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

[B]

So how did you kill her? Tell us how you killed her. I don't know because it wasn't. It wasn't. It wasn't Jared. It wasn't Jared.

[A]

So I come back from basically almost less than a week of a break and I put out three episodes for you. I put out Sword and Scale television. I put out Nightmares, the return of Nightmares, by the way, season three and brand new Sword and Scale. And what do I get? I get complaints. I get some guy complaining, oh my God, this isn't the kind of story I wanted. So oh my God, I'm gonna compl. Guys are miserable. Would it kill you to just say thank you? I mean, really, you don't work this hard. I know it. I can tell you're gonna miss me when I'm promise you that. Always so negative, always complaining. I bring you all the true crime in the world and all you do is complain. You people owe me. Go buy a shirt right now. Go buy a shirt. You owe me a shirt.

[B]

Go buy a hat. Go buy a hat.

[A]

Sword. Sword and scale Dot com. Go right now.

[B]

All right.

[A]

Is that enough silliness? Can we start? This is season 13, episode 330 I don't know. Something of Sword and Scale show that reveals that the worst monsters are real.

[B]

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[A]

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[B]

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[A]

And push past your goals with routines tailored to you. Get the new cross training series term supply. Every family has a story that they don't expect to tell. In Waller County, Texas, two families were bound together by a relationship, a marriage and a moment of unimaginable violence. On the 11th yesterday, approximately 4:18pm, we received a call through dispatch. There's a possible deceased person, 21 year old female, inside a residence located behind 206O Kahlo. Upon arrival, they did find a deceased person inside the house. It was a portion of a body dismembered and a residence that was covered in blood.

[B]

And so a gruesome scene at best.

[A]

Further investigation led to the family being detained in the suspect placed into custody for what we're assuming is going to be a murder charge. In the end, on the flat coastal plains of southeast Texas, something unthinkable happened. It was January 12, 2023. The Sheriff of Waller County Stepped up to the microphones. He told the press what he could. By then, most of the facts were known. What happened, who was involved, where, when, and how. The only question left was why. That would take some time. Days later, investigators sat down with someone who knew her best. Her uncle, Irvin Orellana.

[B]

She hasn't been here very long, Greg. Can you tell me about how she got here? She was abroad, illegally, as you already know. I don't care about that. She came a long way. Her two brothers. Okay.

[A]

Angie Diaz came to the United States when she was just 17. She crossed the border with her two brothers. They were undocumented, but hopeful and determined. Like so many before her, she was chasing something simple, A better life. She landed in Waller county, just northwest of Houston, and moved in with her uncle. It wasn't glamorous, but it was safe. It was clean. And for Angie, it was a start.

[B]

She was always, uncle, teach me how to write the lawnmower. I'll do it for you. And she was always. She always had that initiative of doing something for the house because she felt grateful that she was living with us. But in a way, she felt like, I can't put my so much weight on your shoulder, Uncle. I gotta help you somehow.

[A]

Angie carried her weight, helping her uncle and contributing in any way she could. They were family, but she didn't want to be a burden. Her uncle didn't put any pressure on her about finding a job or contributing financially. She was still young, but one eventuality worried him.

[B]

And I even talked to her one day, like, I know eventually you're gonna meet someone, and when that time comes, there will be some set of rules at home for you to follow.

[A]

Of course, Angie accepted her uncle's rules. She settled in, started to learn English, and found a job at the local Hispanic meat market called Chepes. Chepe is Spanish slang for Joseph. It's like calling a place Joe's for those monolingual people out there. And it wasn't long before she proved her uncle right and met someone. She followed the rules and told her aunt and uncle she was just starting to get to know him. Their relationship would build, and the family would finally meet him. But not long after that, she broke it off.

[B]

I broke up with Joseph. To us, it was very surprising news. Before we went to vacation, she had even bought a wedding dress because they were thinking of getting married, you know, so. And then we came from vacation, and all of a sudden, she broke up with Jose. To us was, like, so very surprised.

[A]

Angie was young, but she was Clear about what she wanted. She said there wasn't another guy. What bothered her was Jose's indecision and his reliance on his mother. He was a bit of a mama's boy. Angie wanted something more.

[B]

I have not met anyone. It's just that I don't think things are going to work out. I need a real man in life, in my life. I can't keep wasting my time with the kid. She's.

[A]

Angie had large aspirations in life and had the work ethic to achieve them. The last thing she wanted to do was waste it with a momless boy. She needed a man instead with similar life goals. Her uncle, though, suspected that maybe she'd already met him.

[B]

Later I had a conversation with her, just one on one. I told her, I need you to be honest with me. Is there anyone you're getting to know, anyone you talking with? And I need to know, is there someone else in your life? Because I am responsible of what happens to you. You look out for her. And she said, yes, yes, Uncle, I met someone. And right now we're not going out. We just getting to know each other. And I said, okay, it's fine. Thank you for letting me know.

[A]

That's when Jared Dikus showed up. He was quiet, but there was something about him, put it that way. Here's how his dad, Rodney, remembers the first time Jared met Angie.

[B]

The pickup line that he used to get her to call her. Apparently, he had gone into the store where she was working at, and he was looking at his phone, and he told her, he said, I'm sorry, I don't know what to do, or something in that line. And she's like, what? He said, I cannot find your number in here. And she gave him his number. And that's when they started dating. What kind of relationship did they have? Did you know, I thought that it was a pretty cool relationship because every time you heard them too, they were laughing. In her life, it was just something special. It was just pretty cool. Pretty cool to hear that little girl had.

[A]

Jared wasn't anything like Jose. He had a career as an electrician and more importantly, didn't have to ask his mom for permission every time he did something. He was also white with bright red hair, which earned him the nickname Rojo around Chepe's Meat Market. In case you didn't know, Rojo is Spanish for red. They talked constantly. Video calls, voice messages, that sort of thing. They were falling in love.

[B]

Eventually, she came home. She liked Luke. Uncle I really love him a lot, and he loves me. A lot. And we have decided to get married. And I would like you to be the witness.

[A]

He thought to himself, what can I do? I'm just the uncle. If Angie wanted to marry Jared, he wasn't going to stand in her way. By this time, she was 21 years old. A grown woman who could make her own decisions. She could do whatever she wanted with or without his approval. But even before the family could meet Jared, she tied the knot. She texted her uncle a picture of her and her new husband on the steps of the courthouse. Jared carried Angie across his arms. As they kissed, her white dress shimmered in the sunlight. When Angie's uncle finally met Jared, he was impressed. Jared was always clean and well dressed. He was polite. He always shook hands. But he was quiet. He couldn't speak Spanish, so he was often lost during conversations. But he tried to be part of the family. During Christmas, he bought Angie's little cousins Nerf guns and played Nintendo with them. It was all very wholesome.

[B]

He gave me this perspective of a mature person.

[A]

It was a whirlwind relationship. They had been dating for a few months when they got married in the fall of 2022. But both Angie and Jared gave it their all. Jared started spending all his money to convert a small outbuilding on his parents property into an efficiency apartment for them. Angie started taking beach body training courses, even flying to Florida to attend. She had her sights on becoming a fitness instructor. They were happy with their whole lives ahead of them. Isn't that usually how it starts?

[B]

Waller County 911. Yes, ma', am. My name is. Rodney died at ambulance and police at 206 Ocala Boulevard. Okay, what's going on? I don't know everything, but my son's wife is dead. Please. Okay. Oh my. Okay, where is he at? He's in my house. Okay. This is your house. They have a building on my property. Oh, my God. Okay, sir, just. Just calm down. We're getting people en route. Okay? And you said okay. And you said this is who to you now? She's my daughter in law. She's my daughter in law.

[A]

Angie was dead. Rodney Dykus found his daughter in law lying in a pool of blood in Jared's apartment. It was clear even to Rodney that only one person could have been responsible.

[B]

Oh, my God. Please hurry. There's something wrong with my son. Please hurry. He has no weapons. He's in my house. He's laying in the floor crying. Please. Okay. Oh my God. Damn it. Oh, son.

[A]

Rodney was clearly in anguish, but he had to call 911 because Jared's mother Lynn couldn't. She saw Angie's body too and just lost it. Her legs gave. She went down on the ground in the front yard and couldn't get back up. Crying, wailing, waiting for the police to arrive. Her husband Jared was balled up on the floor inside his parents house, also crying. The whole situation didn't make any sense. But Rodney had felt something was coming.

[B]

Oh my God. I stole him in the hospital to keep him. Oh my God. I told him that I stole him that two days ago to keep him. I had him in the hospital two days ago. He was hearing voices. I told the doctor to keep him. The doctor said he was fine.

[A]

The scene got hectic quickly. While the dispatcher was relaying this information over the radio, the EMTs were out of the loop. They walked into something they never expected.

[B]

There would look to be like a towel on the floor and pink socks from what I could originally see as I began to step up the steps, I could see underneath the towel there was looked like blood. It looked like there was some blood on the floor as well. Because we had no information, didn't know what had happened. Had she committed suicide with a shotgun? You know what we were walking into? There was a desk immediately to the right of me when I walked in. The door looked like it had a computer on it. And as I looked around the desk, I could see her feet stepped in far further and I could see the rest of the body. And then I realized the patient did not have a head. At that point, my crew was coming up behind me. I stopped them, I said, back out. We're in a crime scene. And they said they kind of looked at me and they realized the look on my face. They even told me later that like we saw the look on your face. We knew there was nothing we were going to do. So they backed out. I backed out. EMS got there, Vice, paramedic, what we had. I said there's nothing we can do.

[A]

This wasn't a suicide or accidental death. This was a crime scene. And very obviously so I need crime.

[B]

Scene and detectives out to this location.

[A]

They said deputies were already in route. Still more surprises were waiting on Oak Hollow Boulevard.

[B]

Oh, Constable, thank you for coming. Who you got detained? Emergency, sir. Emergency. Oh, yeah, okay.

[A]

The lead deputy assessed the scene. Jared was already in the back of a patrol car. His mom, Lynn, was weeping on the front lawn. His father, Rodney, paced back and forth when he wasn't seated on his riding mower. Other deputies kept them separate. And took all of their phones. The lead deputy had the big picture, but the lead paramedic filled in the details.

[B]

Yeah, she was just brutally decapitated. She's got stab wounds to her back. Her head is in the bathtub. I mean, it's a redhead.

[A]

It's a.

[B]

No, she's dark as. No, no, no. The one you got detained. Old redheaded boy. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

The responding deputy thought he knew exactly what this was. That redhead boy. He'd seen him before. But as the scene unfolded, something didn't sit right. What they found inside that small apartment was worse than anyone expected. And the truth was far stranger than the assumptions that had brought them there. Whatever happened wasn't just violent. It was something deeper. It was something harder to name.

[B]

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[A]

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[B]

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[A]

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[B]

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[A]

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[B]

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[A]

This is the story of the One as the purchasing manager at a manufacturing plant, she knows the only thing more important than having the right safety gear is having it there when you need it. That's why she partners with Grainger for auto reordering. So her team members can count on her to have cut resistant gloves on hand and each shift can run safely and efficiently. Call 1-800-GRAINGER clickgrainger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done. The body of Angie Diaz was found on the floor of a small apartment she shared with her husband Jared Dykus. But her head was found in the bathtub and this was taking place in a residence occupied by himself, the suspect and the wife, the deceased living behind the parents house.

[B]

Turning now to what appears to be a horrific case of domestic violence in Waller County. And we do want to warn you, the details in this case are very disturbing.

[A]

Everything happened on the property and all parts and pieces were recovered and submitted for evidence, she was found dead this past Wednesday.

[B]

Investigators say that her husband, Jared Dykus, had killed her with a kitchen knife and severing her head from her body. It is gruesome.

[A]

It's a gruesome crime. And the best you can say is.

[B]

That'S the world we live in today.

[A]

And it's a gruesome scene and both.

[B]

Sides of these families are going to.

[A]

Be altered by it.

[B]

Either way, suspect and. Or the victims, they were only married in October. And now he is charged with her murder.

[A]

Newlyweds. Jared and Angie had so much promise. Now, Jared was charged with her murder, but the media calling it a horrific case of domestic violence didn't really tell the whole story. You see, the sheriff's department was familiar with the address. There has been prior calls disturbance wise, but nothing to this effect and. And to.

[B]

To this level of violence. This is old crazy boy. Yeah. You been here before? Yeah, I have. Where was. Where was old Redhead. He was sitting down in this chair.

[A]

Right here with his mama.

[B]

Did he say anything to you? He didn't say. I'm a sick person and I didn't say okay.

[A]

When they got there, they assumed it would be more of the same. But his deputies talked with the father, Rodney.

[B]

Were you done? Was that all the information you needed from me?

[A]

You wouldn't have to know Ms. Angie's maiden name.

[B]

They said your wife's Diaz. Diaz D, I, A, Z.

[A]

And the mother? Lynn. Hello, ma'. Am.

[B]

I'm Deputy Lewis. I think I've talked to you at the door here a while back about maybe some dog or something.

[A]

No. Your son's truck.

[B]

Remember I come knocking on your door one morning, I said, hey, you know where. You know where that truck's at?

[A]

And the brother, Wayne.

[B]

I was telling you, Mama. I think the last time I was here, your brother's truck was broke down or out of gas or something up there.

[A]

Yeah. They realized it wasn't what they thought at all.

[B]

It's a mom and daddy and two brothers. And then unbeknownst to me, one of the brothers got married back in September. A little girl that worked at Chappies. And they're living in the shed back behind the house. But when I heard possible boa at 206o hollow, I thought it was the brother that's sitting up in front of the carport. I just figured he'd od. I wouldn't. I didn't. I didn't think this other one would.

[A]

Be involved between Jared and his brother Wayne. Jared was the good Son, Jared.

[B]

Randy Lewis. Remember me? Yes, sir. You okay?

[A]

Yes, sir. Wayne was the one who had previous run ins with the law. Even the deputy was surprised to find Jared in the back of the patrol car. But interviews with the parents would shed light on Jared's recent behavior. He'd been acting unusual for some time. But the day of the murder, all the parents worries would come to a head.

[B]

I think it was around noon when Jared came in and told me that we needed to go to. We needed to go to a Houston store. And he gave me the store number. I kept telling him, that doesn't tell me anything. I don't know. I don't have an app to look up store numbers like you do because I don't work for them. You have to give me an address so I know where we're going. He said, it's Houston. I said, houston's fairly large. It doesn't tell me shit. And he went back there and his mother was asleep. And he came back and that's when I stopped him and cornered him. And he heard where we're going and stuff. I don't think he was going to talk to me at all. I don't get the impression that he was there to talk to me. I got the impression he was there to talk to his mother. All right. And then I asked him, what does he need? He told me he needed his gun. What did you tell him? Told him, you're not getting that gun back right now while you're like this. I said, what do you need your gun for?

[A]

And he did this, already suspicious of his behavior. There was no way Rodney was going to give Jared his gun. When he asked him what he needed it for, he pantomimed putting the gun up to his own head, but then quickly tried to play it off like he was just scratching an itch. Odd, for sure.

[B]

I just need it. And I said, actually, I went and woke his mother up. I started asking her, who do we call? Did we take him to the hospital? Jerry, do you want to go to a hospital? Do you want to go to a mental hospital? What do you want to do? That started the conversations. And I laid down and the next thing I know, I woke up and my wife was yelling at him from our bedroom to the hall bathroom, the common bathroom, because she heard him on the phone. And that was around 4, 4pm today. His behavior just kept getting weirder and weirder and weirder from one o' clock on. Yeah, he just wouldn't answer my questions. I said, jared, do you need to take you somewhere. Do you need to talk to someone? And then I just found him sitting in the bathroom on the toilet, just looking at his phone. And he was talking to someone. And I said, well, who are you talking to? And he wouldn't like, answer me. He said, that was my boss. I said, well, you didn't say much. I said, what did he want? I mean, he was giving me my instructions for the tonight's job. And then he came in my bedroom because I asked him, derek, come here. Because he wouldn't answer my questions. You know, I heard a phone ring from the bathroom, and I was like, whose phone is that in the bathroom? Why do you have like, well, I have two phones. And I said, why do you have two phones? And then he goes, no, I only have one phone. But he would just go back and forth, back and forth with these weird answers. And he went and picked it up out of the bathroom and put it in his pocket. And I said, why do you have two phones? And then I said, give me your phones. And he gave me both of them. And then I noticed one of them wasn't Standish. I fit with it because I saw the picture of Jared and Angie on the phone, so I just recognized that as hers. Everything's in Spanish. And I just kept asking, why do you have Angie's phone? We didn't know she was supposed to be at work. And then it just. Me and my husband just right away.

[A]

Right outside, already worried about their son's behavior. Their stomach sank when they saw that he had Angie's phone. They didn't know what to expect, but they knew it wouldn't be good.

[B]

I opened the door and I walked in and you couldn't see anything. And I took a step in and I saw. And that's when I told my wife, I said, you don't want to come in here. And she came in and I said, call 911. And that's. I knew she wasn't going to come be able to. I grabbed my phone and I started calling. When y' all walked in, what did you say? Apparently. Can you describe for me? I know it's hard, but just. She was on her stomach. Okay. And just blood on the side, her right side. And then we just. Any other type of injuries you felt? I didn't see her head, but I don't. No. You didn't see her head at all? No, but it was a click glance that I didn't see her hair because she had long, long, long hair. I didn't see her Hair. And we ran back in the house, and I said, what have you done here? And he was already on the floor crying. We're in your bedroom. What did he tell you? He just said, I'm sorry. He wouldn't give me any answers. None. I'm sorry. I'm not a bad person.

[A]

Rodney and Lynn found Angie's body lying on the floor of the apartment. They knew it was already too late to help her. While they scrambled to call the police and keep Jared from doing anything else, their minds flooded with all the little weird things Jared had been doing for a while now. At work the night before, his father noticed some odd things.

[B]

That was his demeanor. He's quiet. He was quiet. He's been. I don't know what the words are, but I think the word is lethargic. He just detached away. He was happy because he was going to work, and it was too. He seemed. He was really happy that he was laid off from November. It was because they're slow during that time of year. It happens every year. He doesn't like that. But he was laid off during November, December, and this was his first job back. Okay, no, I'm sorry. This was his third job back. He did have two other jobs prior to that, but he was happy as he was going to work. But other than that, he was just distant and we didn't talk.

[A]

When Jared wasn't laid off, he was an electrician, and the company he worked for had a contract with Home Depot. The night before the murder, he was supposed to work at two different store locations. At the first one, Rodney noticed Jared was just off.

[B]

So I started the demo, and then he came over and said, I'm sorry, Pops, you're on the wrong aisle. You need to put these back up. I'm like, oh, shit. So I put them all back up, and he said, make it look like we weren't on this aisle. You know, kind of to say that, you know, we didn't mess up. I got them all back up. And as soon as I got them back up, he cut back his. Said, I'm sorry, dad. He says, it is the right aisle. You need to go ahead and demo this. That was a little strange because they've been doing this so long. They don't. Him and my older son, they don't. They don't usually start on the wrong spot, you know.

[A]

Other than that oddity, the rest of the job went fine. Afterwards, they headed to the second location. The store was closed by then, and the manager had to meet them at the door. To let them in. That's when Rodney learned that Jared had gone to the two locations out of order. Another uncharacteristic mistake by Jared.

[B]

So when we got there, she said, oh, hold on. You're not going in. You gotta tell me what you're here for. And of course, those managers, they know what's happening in their stores. They know what aisles people are supposed to be on. They know what people are to supposed was supposed to be doing. And she was asking him that, and I don't have that information, so I. I don't say anything. And she asked him for, and I don't remember the words that she used his, His ID code or job order code or something. And he said, I love you, father. She asked him what? And I looked at him and I was like, I can't believe he just said that. And he looked at her and he said, I love you, father. So he wasn't looking at you, he was looking at me? No, he was not looking at me. He was answering her question. And it kind of threw me back a little bit. I said, jared, she needs your job number. It's on your phone. So he started working on his phone. And it looked like he was just dishonest and distracted.

[A]

Eventually, Jared found the work order. He and his dad got the job done. He read the blueprints, followed the instructions, and everything went the way it should. But something still felt off. Jared wasn't acting like himself. And on the drive home, his dad noticed.

[B]

And did he ever make. On the way home, did he make any remarks when we were just leaving the store, we were getting onto 290. What did he tell me? He said, I'll never give up again. And I said, you're not supposed to give up. You're supposed to keep going forward. So whatever was bothering him over the last few days or whatever was going through his mind over the last few days. Few days. I think I thought at the time that him going to work made him realize that, you know, you don't need to give up. You just need to, you know, of course they were. You just need to keep going forward. And I felt really relieved that he said that.

[A]

Rodney took Jared's comment as a good sign that he was getting over whatever it was that was bothering him. Both Rodney and Lynn had noticed the change in their son over the last few months. And it all started with the death of his best friend.

[B]

This is where. Yeah, with Tony first. Then his brother got on drugs and his brother lost his job. Then he got a DWI In November. So now he can't drive with his job. It started when he. I think when he. The night that he got to dwi, he was crying and wailing in my front yard about the death of. In May of 2022. Yes, he's been really upset on that.

[A]

In May of 2022, Jared's best friend died suddenly. It shook him. Not long after, he met Angie, and by September, they were married. But whatever stability that brought didn't last very long. He was laid off from work, tried to start a business, but couldn't get it off the ground. The failure seemed to wear him down. Then came the DWI in November, and with it, the loss of his license. But it wasn't until the final week, the week leading up to Angie's death, that his parents started to fear something was truly wrong.

[B]

And everything seemed normal with him at the time. No, nothing has seemed normal with Jerry since Sunday. Okay. Since the. Sunday, the 14th. Yes. But it seemed like he wasn't as bad as he was before. Okay. So, no, he's not been himself for a few days. Explain it to me. How? Describe. He answers, yes, sir. No, sir. Yes, I've known him recently before, you know. You say, you thirsty? Yeah, I'm thirsty. You're lately. Are you thirsty? Yes, sir. It's just a quiet. It's not him.

[A]

While being polite isn't the biggest red flag. It wasn't like Jared, like parents do. They started asking him what was wrong.

[B]

He kept saying that he was on meth. And then you would start grilling him about it. And then he would say, I'm not on meth. I just told you that. Jared started acting strange, like, ed, I'm capacity. What's wrong with you? And then he said. I said, are you on drugs? And he would say, no. Then the next time I would ask him, what's wrong? He would say, I'm on drugs. And, okay, well, are you or aren't you? Where is it? Where did you get it? And he would convince us that he had gone and gotten meth, and that's what he was doing. He wasn't sure on how he was using it, you know, because you would ask him questions. Are you smoking it? Are you shooting it? Do I need to look at your arms? You know, how are you using this? Are you snorting it? Smoking it? Shooting it? What are you doing? I don't. I don't know. And things like that. It'd be like you would believe that he is, but then you would be like, he's not Telling the right stuff. Yeah. To be using that.

[A]

They couldn't get a straight answer from Jared. He was acting like he was on drugs. But people on drugs can still tell you what they were doing. They were convinced he was having some sort of mental episode.

[B]

And my husband did tell me that there was something that happened because Jared has. Something's been going on with him. Mentally, Physically. Mentally. And this was dead, I'm going to say about a week. When I ask him, are you doing drugs? He'll say yes. Then he'll say no. And then I'm not sure what day it was. A couple of nights ago he called an ambulance on the shelf. Waller County 911. Yes, this is, this is Jared Dykis. Hello, Waller County. Go ahead. I'm just, I did a little bit of drugs and I need help. I'm serious. So called Lord. Okay, and what's the problem? I just don't feel well. Okay. And you said you took drugs? No, ma', am. I'm, I'm, I'm still here. Sorry, I don't know why I called. Okay, and are you there by yourself? There's somebody waiting. My family's here with me. Oh, your family's with you? Okay. Okay, so you don't. Okay, but do you need an ambulance or no. Are you good? I need an ambulance. I gotcha. Okay. I have an available north end unit to 206 Ocala Boulevard. 206 Ocala Boulevard. We have EMS en route for an unknown problem. Further information sounds like he is possibly under the influence.

[A]

Jared called 911 for himself. He claimed he did drugs and now he didn't feel well. But then he changed his mind and then he changed it back. Even more bizarre, after he called 911, he called again.

[B]

Wally.

[A]

911.

[B]

What's your emergency? Yes, this is Jared. Hi, Mr. Jared. How can I help you? Yes, I'm a. Yes, sir, we have EMS in route to you. Are you okay? Did something change? Yes, ma'. Am. No, I'm not okay. Okay. What's going on? I, I just, I, I, I did some drugs yesterday and I don't feel well and I, I didn't do any drugs. I don't, I don't know. I'm sorry. That's okay. I have EMS around to you. Okay, thank you. Yes, sir.

[A]

He sounds confused. Like a spun out meth head. Regardless, the ambulance arrived and took him to the hospital. They ran various tests, including different types of drug tests. Then they said he was perfectly healthy, so.

[B]

And everybody believed that he was on Drugs, because that's what he called 911 for. And he told them just like I think, yeah, I'm doing that. So of course they did a urinalysis at Tombo Regional. Sunday, Monday morning. Sunday night. Monday morning. And then they released him. Even after I told him he's hearing voices. He's, he's, he's, he's thinking that people are going to hurt. The reason he can't stay in his hospital is y' all are going to kill him and things like that. And the doctor questioned him about this stuff and he told the doctor, yeah. And I told the doctor, please don't send him home, let's send him somewhere instead. They referred him to a psychiatrist. So I don't know if he's actually did some drugs. We didn't even get the results of his blood test or your analysis when he. I was at the hospital, so I don't know. I can't say that he wasn't, but I don't remember.

[A]

Jared's parents didn't know what to do. He wasn't violent, he wasn't angry. But something was wrong. Something they couldn't quite put their finger on. They hoped the hospital would figure it out with all those fancy doctors and expensive equipment and whatnot. They hoped that someone, anyone would see what they were seeing. But that's not what happened. That's not the state of our medical system. So you know what they did? They just sent him home, as they usually do. He was released the next morning with a clean bill of health. Days later, Angie was dead.

[B]

I had him in the hospital two days ago. He was hearing voices. But I didn't tell the doctor to keep him. The doctor said, you're fin.

[A]

Was it drugs? Was it psychosis? Was it both? Or was it something else entirely? This is the story of the 1. As the purchasing manager at a manufacturing plant, she knows the only thing more important than having the right safety gear is having it there when you need it. That's why she partners with Grainger for auto reordering. So her team members can count on her to have cut resistant gloves on hand. And even each shift can run safely and efficiently. Call 1-800-GRAINGER clickgrainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

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[B]

You are Jared. Can you state your name? Okay, don't drone. So I keep calling you Jared and you don't know. I used to know. And it was like somebody came in.

[A]

Jared didn't even recognize himself. It was like someone came in here. He Said, pointing to his own head.

[B]

So it's my understanding we were just in the hospital, Is that right? Yes. And after that, I started feeling weird.

[A]

Jared said he went to the hospital after doing a substance.

[B]

Next, you said, okay, is that something you use a lot or dabble or. Okay, until recently, when's the last time that you used the same. Oh, I did it. I did. Two weeks. I've been up for, like, two weeks. You've been up for two weeks. Okay, and then when you just went to the hospital, what, two days ago, you said it was for the substance. And after that, is that when it. Have you used again since then? Okay, math or something different. Okay, when was the last time that you used that? You remember? You don't remember when it was?

[A]

Jared mumbled and shook his head to most of the questions, but when he did actually speak, it still didn't make any sense. He claimed that he had never touched meth in his life until that day. But then he said he'd been doing it for two weeks. The timeline was a little fuzzy.

[B]

Jared, this is on you to decide how this goes. It's not a question. I've already told you that. It's not a question that you did it in the manner in which you did it. But what matters is the why. What happened? You said you're on drugs. Okay. But that didn't. That doesn't tell us what happened in that room, what was going on. Just drugs. And you gotta stay away from drugs. Well, I understand that. So you did it. And tell us what happened after. You did drugs just make you go crazy? It makes you really sorry. Mixed up, she said. All right, so what did it make you do this morning? Last night?

[A]

Jared was blaming the whole thing on drugs, but he was reluctant to be specific about what he did or why. Sometimes he would just stare back at the detectives, refusing to say a word. He would look as though he was about to cry, then return to a dazed and confused state.

[B]

I just lost my way. I lost my way with God. That's clear. We're not asking for generalities. We're not asking about your personal relationship with God. Obviously, it's a struggle. It's a struggle for everybody. That's not a question. Nobody has a perfect relationship with him. But we're going to ask you one last time what happened. And if you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. But your opportunity to have any kind of looking like a good guy of, this is what I did, and I'm sorry, and I can't believe I did it. That door is closing on you. I didn't do it. You can't even keep it straight for anybody.

[A]

This dude cracks a joke. It was hard to gauge where his head was at. Almost crying one moment, stoic the next. Then making jokes.

[B]

I'm crazy. I was just up too long. So what did she say to make you mad? To do that to her? She had to say something to be that man. To do what you did. No, no, no. Something, something. Okay, so it did. So it made you do what? Something. What did it make you do?

[A]

Telling me.

[B]

Telling me what to say. What did it tell you to do? Like, stop time. Every time I would do something, it would stop. Time would stop.

[A]

Jared was speaking in broken sentences. It was hard to follow his train of thought. But he said that something took control of him. Something on the screen was telling him what to do, and it would stop time. He claimed he wasn't in control of himself.

[B]

Being forced. Not in my free will. Okay. Forced to do what? Forced to just walk. Forced to go. Okay, what do you do? What did it force you to do to her? What did it force you to do? To what? It forced me to what? To kill her. So how did you kill her? Tell us how you killed her. I don't know. Because it wasn't. It wasn't. It wasn't Jared. It wasn't Jared. What did you do? What you saw. What did I see? Tell me. I saw. That's what it made. It made you cut her head off.

[A]

He tried to explain that when he got home, Angie turned on the tv. That's when he started hearing commands. Time stood still and the screen was filled with numbers. A voice told him what to do, and if he didn't listen, it would make him hurt. But after getting all of that off his chest, he started answering questions.

[B]

How did the fight start? How did a knife get introduced? Walk us through that we're getting to a fight part. She grabbed a knife. We were just talking normally, and then she turned on the PD Me. And that's when that started. Why did that. You told me to rape her. He told me to rape her.

[A]

It was unclear if he did rape Angie. She was found fully clothed with no defensive wounds. There wasn't even a single sign of a violent struggle, which is disturbing in and of itself.

[B]

Why did you put her head in the bathtub? Her hair was wet. How come? Did you turn the shower on? Yes. To wash yourself or to wash your hair or. What was it? To wash. Did you have plans on Hurting your mom or your dad. When you went over to their house, there were no voices that told you to hurt them. No voices that tell me to shoot us, to shoot yourself.

[A]

Jared's explanation did little to actually tell us why he did what he did. He contradicted his own account. He said drugs were involved, but he was also hearing voices. The only thing we know was true is that he cut her head off and put it in the bathtub to wash her hair. And she didn't fight back because he probably took her by surprise. But after talking to Angie's family, friends, and co workers, the police had a theory.

[B]

Do you know what he did? Interview. Do you know anything? Right now? It's just a theory. When I told you about theories, they could be wrong. But. But from what we're gathering, it was possibly a combination of him being on drugs and his jealousy.

[A]

Friends of Angie said her normally upbeat attitude changed shortly after she got married to Jared. When asked, she said he had changed. She was clearly having second thoughts. But this theory all hinged on drug use. And to be fair, Jared was high as a kite during his interrogation. In his intake photos, his pupils are the size of saucers. But that's where it gets weird. When the police checked his toxicology report from the hospital stay two days before the crime, when he called 911 claiming meth use, it was completely clean. There were no drugs in his system whatsoever. If he did drugs the night before, it would have shown up. While the drug test the police conducted after his arrest showed drugs in his system, it wasn't meth. It was cocaine. He didn't even know the difference, I guess. And it wasn't a lot. Not enough to cause psychosis, that's for sure. So maybe the drugs didn't cause what happened. Maybe it just unleashed what was already in his brain. So an alternative theory is that Jared was unraveling mentally long before he ever tried drugs. He lost his best friend. The layoff, the failed side hustle, the dwi. It all compounded weighing on him at a time when he just wanted to be able to provide for his new wife and seemed to be failing at it. Meanwhile, she was living the dream. She had a job, she had friends, and was pursuing her goal of being a fitness trainer. She was succeeding while Jared was failing. Maybe there was some jealousy involved. Maybe he was jealous of Angie. But that didn't matter. Jared pleaded guilty. There would be no trial. There would be no courtroom drama, no chance to explain what really happened, and no chance to be evaluated for mental illness. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison. He'll be eligible for parole when he's 65.

[B]

The family of a young woman found decapitated inside her Waller county home is.

[A]

Planning a vigil for her this weekend.

[B]

The person accused of killing her is her own husband, Jared Dus. And I just want to tell the people I'm really scarring. She didn't deserve that. Nobody ever does. Nobody deserves.

[A]

And friends of the woman found decapitated inside her Waller county home held a vigil in her honor tonight.

[B]

I mean, I'm sure she came here for better life. I mean, they met, they got married. I just don't know what happened. My friend didn't deserve to be taken away like this.

[A]

Angie Diaz came to this country in search of a better life. She found it. She found family. She found friends, and she found love. She was chasing something bigger than herself. Maybe Jared wanted that, too. But somehow he lost himself along the way. Slowly, quietly, secretly. Until it was too late. I'd better see my Shopify lineup with dozens of orders after this. I ain't even kidding. You guys are annoying. As if I'm gonna deal with you. You better start buying some T shirts. I'm gonna start holding this shit hostage. Go buy a shirt.

[B]

Sam.