Janet Abaroa

Summary

True Crime All The Time — Episode 508: Janet Abaroa

Release Date: June 22, 2026
Hosts: Mike Ferguson ("Ferg") and Mike Gibson ("Gibby")

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Mike Ferguson and Mike Gibson take an in-depth look at the 2005 murder of Janet Abaroa in Durham, North Carolina. The case centers on Janet, a young, pregnant mother who was found stabbed to death in her home. From the immediate suspicion on her husband, Raven Abaroa, to the years-long investigation and complicated legal outcomes, the hosts break down the events, evidence, and trial, while also highlighting the tragic dynamics of abuse, manipulation, and mistrust. The episode spotlights the circumstantial pitfalls of justice and leaves listeners questioning whether justice was truly served.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Background and Introduction to Janet and Raven

• Janet Marie Christensen Abaroa was born in 1979 in Alexandria, Virginia, the seventh of ten siblings in a devout LDS (Mormon) family. She was described as friendly and outgoing.
  • "That is a big family." — Mike Gibson (06:12)
• She met Raven Abaroa at Southern Virginia University; both were collegiate soccer players and quickly fell in love.
• After marrying in 2000, they moved to North Carolina for jobs at Eurosport, a sporting goods company, and later settled in Durham.

Marriage Troubles & Red Flags

• The marriage soon faced significant stress:
  • Raven admitted to Janet he had cheated with multiple people; Janet confided to her family she felt "helpless."
  • Janet became pregnant with their son, Kaden, soon after discovering Raven’s infidelity.
    • “She didn't want to raise her baby as a single mother.” — Mike Ferguson (09:12)
• Raven was later caught embezzling nearly $10,000 from their employer, further humiliating Janet, who resigned after the scandal.

The Night of the Murder (April 26, 2005)

• Timeline:
  • Janet, Kaden, and Raven had a typical evening; Janet picked up Kaden from daycare and dropped off her car for repairs.
  • A church member visited until around 7pm. Raven claimed he left for indoor soccer at 8pm, returning close to 10:40pm.
  • Raven called 911, stating Janet had been shot, but officers determined she had been stabbed.
• Crime Scene Details:
  • Janet was found upstairs — lying on her back, arms above her head, T-shirt pulled up, and a bloody palm print on her chest. She had minimal defensive wounds.
  • There were no signs of forced entry or struggle, and valuables (like her wedding rings) were left in plain sight. Only Raven’s laptop and hunting knife were missing.

"Raven's hunting knife is missing and his laptop, but yet the person leaves very valuable jewelry that is left out in plain sight." — Mike Ferguson (13:33)

The Investigation: Scrutiny on Raven

• From the beginning, Raven was under suspicion given his status as spouse, history of infidelity, financial woes, and odd behavior.
• Raven moved with Kaden to Salt Lake City and pleaded guilty to embezzlement, but at first, police found no direct evidence to charge him in Janet's death.
• Details such as the missing hunting knife, lack of forced entry, and incongruence between Raven’s statements and physical evidence (e.g., Janet’s contacts still in her eyes, contrary to Raven’s claim she was “getting ready for bed”) contributed to sustained suspicion.

Raven’s Second Marriage & More Abuse

• In 2007, Raven began dating Vanessa Pond — a single mom. Vanessa later described Raven as initially charming but increasingly volatile and abusive.
• Janet’s sisters warned Vanessa about Raven's past, including their belief he was responsible for Janet's murder.
• Vanessa detailed Raven's physical and emotional abuse — including being shoved into a wall and threats that he "couldn't get in trouble anymore." (21:01)
• "He said he didn't care if I die. He said he wanted to hit me so bad and that he couldn't get in trouble anymore." — Vanessa Pond, via Mike Ferguson (21:18)
• The marriage was annulled after four months; Vanessa later went public with her fears that Raven killed Janet.

Renewed Investigation and Key Evidence

• Det. Charles Soule took over the cold case, noting oddities:
  • Raven's conflicting statements to police.
  • Their financial distress contrasted with him keeping up Janet’s life insurance premiums.
  • Janet always removed her contacts before bed — they were found in her eyes at exhumation, further contradicting Raven's narrative.

Arrest, Trial, and Legal Proceedings

• Arrest and Pre-Trial:
  • Raven was arrested in 2010, several years after Janet's death.
  • Evidence remained circumstantial; the prosecution leaned on Raven’s history of abuse, insurance motive, and the contact lens contradiction.
• Defense Arguments:
  • Claimed tunnel vision by investigators and mishandling of evidence (e.g., a discredited lab tech, destroyed evidence by church cleaning crew).
  • Pointed to unidentified fingerprints, a bloody shoe-print with unknown DNA, and contemporaneous burglaries/break-ins in the area.
    • "They're making some strong points, right...They're trying to say that investigators got tunnel vision." — Mike Ferguson (38:19)
• Prosecution:
  • No direct motive provided; relied on circumstantial evidence and extensive testimony about abuse, affairs, and the couple’s financial stress.
• Testimonies Painted a Dark Portrait:
  • Multiple women testified to Raven's pattern of infidelity, emotional volatility, violence, and manipulation — both before and after Janet’s death.
    • "Janet was once fun, happy, and strong, but she was beaten down by Raven's abuse." (Brittany Romito, paraphrased at 51:04)
  • The prosecution emphasized that Janet feared for herself and her son due to Raven’s temperament.

Trial Outcome and Aftermath

• Hung Jury (2013):
  • 11 to 1 in favor of conviction, but resulted in a mistrial (61:06).
• Alford Plea (2014):
  • Raven accepted an Alford plea for voluntary manslaughter, maintaining his innocence but acknowledging enough evidence for conviction. Sentenced to 95–123 months, with time served.
    • "I didn't receive a fair trial the first time, and I don't think I'll receive a fair trial the second time...I did not kill my wife." — Raven Abaroa (61:54)
• Release:
  • Raven was released from prison on Christmas Day, 2017, after serving 7 years.
• Family and Public Response:
  • Vanessa Pond later urged women to "stay far away from him" and to heed online warnings about Raven.
    • "Please listen to what's out there, what's available on the Internet. Please don't be drawn in, and please get away as fast as you can." — Vanessa Pond (as paraphrased by Mike Ferguson, 63:29)
  • The hosts raised the question of whether true justice was served, given the complexities and the Alford plea outcome.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Motive and Marriage:
  • "I think it'd be healthy...to sit down, husband and wife, and just talk about your motives. Share your motives." — Mike Ferguson (05:40)
• On Evidence:
  • "She always takes out her contacts when she goes to bed. He said she was getting ready for bed, so they must have thought that was enough." — Mike Ferguson (33:57)
• On Domestic Violence:
  • "I promise I'll never hurt you. And I didn't know how to take that." — Vanessa Pond, via Mike Ferguson (23:56)
• On Alford Plea and Justice:
  • "If he killed his wife in cold blood, as I believe a lot of people think he did, he got off really light in my eyes." — Mike Ferguson (64:06)
  • "There's finality, but there's not. So did Janet really get justice? Did her family really get justice? I highly doubt that they see it that way." — Mike Ferguson (65:56)

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Important Timestamps

• 04:41 — Case Introduction: Overview of Janet’s murder and the early suspicion on Raven
• 08:34 — Janet discovers Raven’s infidelity and pregnancy; feelings of helplessness
• 10:01 — Raven's embezzlement revealed
• 11:39 — Discovery of Janet’s body; crime scene details
• 12:15 — Minimal defensive wounds and implications
• 14:18 — Autopsy reveals Janet was pregnant at the time of her death
• 21:01 — Vanessa Pond describes Raven's escalating violence
• 29:44 — Vanessa’s shift from defending Raven to fearing him
• 32:12 — Key clue: Janet’s contacts not removed before death
• 33:44 — Arrest of Raven Abaroa
• 36:09 — Trial focus: prosecution’s circumstantial case; defense's alternate theories
• 41:26 — Testimonies on couple’s arguments and Janet’s fears
• 47:32 — Testimony of inappropriate advances by Raven towards other women
• 51:04 — Insight into psychological toll of Raven’s abuse on Janet
• 61:06 — Jury deadlocked 11–1, mistrial
• 61:54 — Alford plea entered; Raven maintains innocence in court
• 63:29 — Vanessa Pond’s public warning to other women

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Tone & Language

• The hosts maintain their signature mix of seriousness and light humor, ensuring the gravity of the crime is never undermined while lightly peppering the conversation with banter (“Are you saying you have a big time dumper?” — 49:55) and observational asides.
• Direct quotations from witnesses and victims' families retain an empathetic, respectful tone.

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Summary/Takeaway

The story of Janet Abaroa is a cautionary tale about hidden abuse, the limitations of circumstantial evidence, and the frustrations of seeking justice through the legal system. The hosts highlight how patterns of manipulation, violence, and coercion can evade quick resolution, even when the circumstantial evidence seems overwhelming.

The episode draws a clear line from Janet’s mounting fear to her tragic murder; it showcases how, for many survivors, leaving—or even getting justice—can be frustratingly out of reach. The conviction through Alford plea ensures some legal closure, but leaves lingering doubts and dissatisfaction for those seeking clear answers or “perfect” justice.

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For more details, visit the True Crime All The Time website and listen to episode 508 — Janet Abaroa.

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"Stay safe and keep your own time ticking." (68:00)

Transcript

[Mike Ferguson]

You know folks making that decision to start a podcast or really any type of business, it's scary. It was for Gibby and I as well. What if no one listens? What if we make fools of ourselves? And it can be really hard to get over that doubt, but choosing to make that leap was one of the best decisions we've ever made. Another great decision was picking Shopify to help with our podcast merge. It really does help when you have a partner like Shopify on your side. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world and 10% of all e commerce in the US from household names like Gymshark to True Crime all the Time to brands just getting started, there is a lot to love about Shopify. I love the fact that they're now packed with helpful AI tools that help you write product descriptions and even enhance your product photography. You can easily create email and social media campaigns and if you get stuck, Shopify is always around to share advice with their award winning 24. 7 customer support. It's time to turn those what ifs into with Shopify today. Sign up for your $1 per month trial today at shopify.com tcat go to shopify.com tcat that's shopify.com tcatt

[Mike Gibson]

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[Mike Ferguson]

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[Mike Ferguson]

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[Mike Gibson]

See full [e-mail] Sam.

Foreign.

[Mike Ferguson]

And welcome to episode 508 of the True Crime all the Time podcast. I'm Mike Ferguson and with me as always is my partner in True crime, Mike Gibson. Gibby, how are you?

[Mike Gibson]

Hey, I'm doing good. How about you?

[Mike Ferguson]

I am doing great, man. I'm feeling rested. You and I are both coming off a vacation. I went to Jamaica. My daughter got married. It was an amazing time.

[Mike Gibson]

Awesome.

[Mike Ferguson]

And you went to Greece.

[Mike Gibson]

I went to Greece and had an awesome time with Christina. Got engaged, you know, so life is good.

[Mike Ferguson]

That's amazing. Congratulations to you.

[Mike Gibson]

Thanks.

[Mike Ferguson]

So we're both back, we're rested, we're ready for the rest of the year. Let's go ahead and give our patreon shout outs. We had Penny Lewis.

[Mike Gibson]

Hey, Penny.

[Mike Ferguson]

Jinxy.

[Mike Gibson]

Oh, like some jinxy. Mike.

Hawk.

What's going on, Hawk?

[Mike Ferguson]

Heather Bellamy.

[Mike Gibson]

Hey, Heather.

[Mike Ferguson]

Jennifer Monroe.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, thank you so much, Monroe.

[Mike Ferguson]

Desiree Baker.

[Mike Gibson]

Hey, Desiree.

[Mike Ferguson]

And last but not least, Femke Van Heerden.

[Mike Gibson]

Femke.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. Love that name.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah, you do.

[Mike Ferguson]

And then if we go back into the vault this week, we selected Jennifer Ratcliffe.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, thanks, Jennifer.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, we appreciate all the Patreon support. We have a brand new episode out right now on True Crime all the Time Unsolved, where we're talking about Ben McDaniel. This is a guy who, in 2010, when cave diving at a popular tourist spot in Florida, and he never resurfaced. And they had a bunch of people looking for him. And there's a lot of mystery around this because there are some who believe that he was never even in the Cape.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

So we dive into it all.

[Mike Gibson]

Want to go cave diving or spelunking?

[Mike Ferguson]

I definitely don't want to go lunking or whatever you said, but cave diving does not sound like fun to me. No, I'm sure if you're one of those real adventurous adrenaline seekers, that would be cool. I am not that person.

[Mike Gibson]

They were lucky to get you to go snorkeling is what you're saying.

[Mike Ferguson]

And I did, though.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

And had a blast. All right, buddy, are you ready to get into this episode of True Crime all the Time?

[Mike Gibson]

I'm ready.

[Mike Ferguson]

We're talking about Janet Abaroa. On April 26, 2005, 25 year old Janet Abaro was stabbed to death in her Durham, North Carolina home. Early on, investigators had suspicions about her husband, Raven, but it would take several years before they were able to make an arrest. And we know, Gibbs, the husband is always going to be looked at. Has to be ruled out.

[Mike Gibson]

Sure.

[Mike Ferguson]

Because husbands most of the time will have some type of motive, possibly to want to kill their wives. And, you know, wives will have a motive or two to kill their husbands.

[Mike Gibson]

I. I think you can look at your spouse right across from right now, right now. You know, just look at your spouse right now. That spouse has a motive on why they might want to take you out. And you probably have one that you might want to take them out.

[Mike Ferguson]

And I think it'd be healthy for, for everybody to sit down, you know, husband and wife or husband and husband. Or wife and wife.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

And just talk about your motives. Share your motives.

[Mike Gibson]

Hash it out.

[Mike Ferguson]

Hash it out. Janet Marie Christensen Abaro was born on June 19, 1979. In Alexandria, Virginia. She was the seventh of ten siblings. Her family were devoted members of the LDS Church. That is a big family.

[Mike Gibson]

That is a big family.

[Mike Ferguson]

Now, I'm not an expert on the the LDS Church faith, but I believe they tend to have larger families than. Than other segments of the population. Is that fair to say?

[Mike Gibson]

It is. I think it's encouraged to grow the family.

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

To have bigger families. Janet was described as a friendly, outgoing person. In 1998, she met Raven at Southern Virginia University, where she played soccer. Raven also played soccer, and the two fell in love quickly. So they were both athletes in college, which means, they were, you know, playing at a fairly high level.

[Mike Gibson]

Sure.

[Mike Ferguson]

And I'm sure they bonded over that. Raven said in a 2007 interview with the TV show NC Wanted. She was beautiful, attractive. I just felt so much comfort when I was with her. And we started this journey of getting to know each other, and it was an amazing journey.

[Mike Gibson]

I feel like I've heard you say that about your wife.

[Mike Ferguson]

Well, she is beautiful and attractive, and I'm very comfortable when I'm with her. And it's been an amazing journey. See, I said 30, 30 years last month, man, you did. In August 2000, Janet and Raven got married at the LDS Temple in Washington, D.C. they moved to southeastern Virginia soon after the wedding. They both got job opportunities at Eurosport, a sporting goods company in Hillsborough, North Carolina. They settled in nearby Durham. I wonder how common that is. I think it's common for people to meet and fall in love at work. Yeah, but how common is it to get married and then for both people to find a job at the same company?

[Mike Gibson]

I think that would be not very common.

[Mike Ferguson]

Less common, for sure.

[Mike Gibson]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

Than the other way. But eventually, they started having marriage problems. According to 2020, Janet's sister, Sonya Flood, said he came to her one day because he wanted to be out of the marriage and explained to her that he had been cheating on her with several different people. And very soon after that, she found out that she was pregnant.

[Mike Gibson]

You know, I mean, for your new husband to come to you, you know, I mean, it's a few years, but it's still new to say, hey, I've been cheating on you. I want out. And then meanwhile, she's like, and I'm pregnant. I mean, you feel like you got to be stuck.

[Mike Ferguson]

Well, Janet did confide in her family that she felt helpless. She didn't want to raise her baby as a single mother. And, you know, finding out that you're pregnant for most people is like, just Such a joyous time.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

And it should be to be happy, but she's in the middle of this very bad situation where her husband, you know, is admitting to cheating on her. Not with one person, with several different people.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah. Now she has to decide, should I cut them loose or keep them? Because I don't want to raised this baby by myself.

[Mike Ferguson]

Their son Kaden was born on October 17, 2004. According to Janet's sister Sonja, Raven swore he would not cheat on her again. So on the outside, it seemed like maybe the two had worked things out. But in December 2004, Raven was caught stealing from the sporting goods company. He embezzled almost $10,000 and was stealing and reselling high end merchandise.

[Mike Gibson]

And now he's a cheater on a

[Mike Ferguson]

different level, which would be horrible if he worked there by himself.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

But you have the added element that his wife works there as well. How shameful is that to her?

[Mike Gibson]

It's going to be shameful.

[Mike Ferguson]

And it was said that she was mortified, and although she wasn't involved in any way, she resigned. And I do think it would be hard, right, to continue to work there. People are going to talk behind your back and they're probably going to say things about you. Janet was murdered on April 26, 2005. It seemed like a normal Tuesday for the family. Janet picked Kaden up from daycare and went with Raven to drop her car off for repairs. A church member visited their home until about 7pm Raven said Janet was getting ready for bed around 8pm when he left to play indoor soccer with friends. His game started at 9pm and he got home about 10:40. Raven called 911 after finding Janet's body in an upstairs office. He told the operator Janet had been shot, but police officers quickly realized she had been stabbed to death.

[Mike Gibson]

But I think if initially you walk in and see something like that, you could make that mistake.

[Mike Ferguson]

Well, and we've heard other people in other cases, right, say something like that this person's been shot. But when, you know, the authorities look into it, they were stabbed. Or maybe even the other way around. Let's face it, I'm picturing a very bloody scene. May not be easy to tell what's going on. Raven said he found Janet in a kneeling position. Investigators found her lying on her back with her arms above her head. Her T shirt had been pulled up to expose her chest, and there was a bloody palm print on her chest. Raven reported that he turned her over when she didn't respond to him. Janet was stabbed in the neck and chest, she had what were described as minimal defensive wounds. And I think that's something that investigators would take a look at.

[Mike Gibson]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

What does either the lack of defensive wounds or very minimal defensive wounds normally mean?

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah, that you know the suspect.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, that you weren't confronted by a stranger and thought that you needed to put up a fight.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah. Now, you could say maybe she didn't have defensive wounds because. Or minimal defensive wounds because she was taken by surprise.

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

I think you have to keep all of those things in play. The walls in the office were covered with blood, but otherwise, the house was neat and orderly. Kadin was found in another room, unharmed. There were no signs of forced entry. There were no signs of a struggle. Raven's laptop and hunting knife were the only things missing from the home. Other valuables, like Janet's engagement and wedding rings, were left in plain sight. So, you know, these are all things investigators are going to take a look at. Right. No signs of forced entry, no signs of a struggle. Kind of. Also things leading you to think that possibly she knew her killer in.

[Mike Gibson]

Raven's hunting knife is missing and his

[Mike Ferguson]

laptop, but yet the. The person leaves very valuable jewelry that is left out in plain sight.

[Mike Gibson]

Pretty questionable.

[Mike Ferguson]

It is, because if you're a killer and you also decide that, well, I've already killed, I'm going to take a few things. A hunting knife doesn't seem to be at the top of the list.

[Mike Gibson]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

It's not particularly valuable. Now, a laptop might be worth some money, but obviously her engagement ring, her wedding ring, things like that, those are things that could be worth something and pawned relatively easy.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

Janet's autopsy revealed that she was in the early stages of pregnancy. So police questioned Raven, but they didn't identify any suspects. Weeks, and then eventually, months passed with no answer. And, Gibbs, with everything we talked about, you know, obviously, not only does Raven have to be questioned, but he has to be ruled out. Right. He has to be thought of as a person of interest who has to be ruled out. There's too much here. Number one, he's the husband. He is the person who found Janet.

[Mike Gibson]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

He said that his laptop and hunting knife were missing, but this jewelry wasn't. I mean, there's. There's nothing there that you would say, oh, well, yeah, obviously it's him, but there's all. These are also things that could potentially make it seem like maybe he had something to do with it.

[Mike Gibson]

And if he did have something to do with it, did he turn her body over purposely that way? He could use that as a reason why DNA or fingerprints, whatever were on

[Mike Ferguson]

the body were on her body. But I keep coming back to this hunting knife. She stabbed to death, and his hunting knife is missing. In August 2005, Janet's family reported that Raven and Kadin had moved to the Salt Lake city area. On Aug. 23, Raven pleaded guilty to five counts of embezzlement. He. He was sentenced to 24 months of probation and ordered to pay $9,600 in restitution. A year after Janet was murdered, police said they didn't think her death was random, but they did not yet name any suspects. In February 2007, it was reported that police traveled to Salt Lake City to interview Raven. Police had not called him a suspect and said he was cooperative. But that tells me they haven't given up on him. Right.

[Mike Gibson]

I don't.

[Mike Ferguson]

I don't think they've ruled him out. They still have questions of him, but it also means that they don't have any evidence, or at least enough evidence yet to tie him to the murder.

[Mike Gibson]

No, but I think they have to keep an eye on him.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. And not a bad idea to maybe every now and then go interview him again. You know, is he going to slip up? Is he going to say something different than he said in a previous interview?

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah, maybe he'll change his story.

[Mike Ferguson]

In December 2007, Raven started dating a woman named Vanessa Pond. Vanessa was a single mom whose daughter was in the same daycare program as Kaden. Vanessa later told 20 20, Raven seemed very upfront, very honest and genuine. And I found out that he was a single father, and I really, really admired that. When they started dating, Raven mentioned that his wife died, and she felt sorry for both him and Kaden.

[Mike Gibson]

Are you really buying a car online on Autotrader right now? Really? At a playground? Yeah.

Really?

[Mike Ferguson]

Look at these listings from dealers.

[Mike Gibson]

Wow, your search can really get that specific. Really? And you just put in your info and bo Car's in your budget.

[Mike Ferguson]

Mom needs a second, honey.

[Mike Gibson]

You can really have it delivered.

Really?

[Mike Ferguson]

Or I can pick it up at the dealership. One sec, sweetie. Mommy's buying a car.

[Mike Gibson]

Mommy, I think your kid is walking up the slide.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

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[Mike Gibson]

Again?

Really?

[Mike Ferguson]

Autotrader buy her car online?

[Mike Gibson]

Really?

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[Mike Ferguson]

Vanessa went online to find out more about Janet's death. At the time, she wasn't convinced Raven was innocent, but she talked to him and according to her, he removed any and every doubt from my mind. According to Vanessa, he had his stories about how people were trying to frame him, about how horrible the cops were and how he continued to try to contact the police to find out what was going on.

[Mike Gibson]

Not surprising that she went out to do a little research before she took it to the next level.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, I mean, I think it's a good thing to do. And it doesn't surprise me either that once she learned what really happened. Right. Because he didn't say his wife was murdered. He said his wife died.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

In the research, she's going to very quickly find out that she was murdered in a very brutal way. We are going to have some additional questions. Right. For this person.

[Mike Gibson]

I'm going to need some answers.

[Mike Ferguson]

But according to her, he erased any doubts that she had. So maybe he's a very convincing person.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

They eventually decided to move in together. On Mother's Day 2008, they got engaged. When Janet's sisters found out about the engagement, they felt they had to reach out to Vanessa to make sure she knew what she was getting into. They told her they were fearful for her. Vanessa recalled. I was heartbroken. I didn't want to believe it at all that he had done this. But shortly before the wedding, Raven began acting in ways she didn't understand. On the day of her bridal shower, Vanessa and Raven got into an argument. Raven shoved her into a wall and poked her in the chest.

[Mike Gibson]

So Hard.

[Mike Ferguson]

That it hurt for several days. After Vanessa pleaded with him to stop, she later testified, per wr, he said he didn't care if I die. He said he wanted to hit me so bad and that he couldn't get in trouble anymore. He swung his hand back and stopped just before hitting her.

[Mike Gibson]

Okay. Anger issues.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. And it's a very bad sign for someone who is about to get married that it seemed to me, all of a sudden, she's starting to see a different side to this guy.

[Mike Gibson]

And you think it would be a good reason maybe to pause getting married?

[Mike Ferguson]

Why do you have to also couple it with Janet's family reaching out to you and say, hey, we're worried about you. We want you to know what you're getting into. I mean, just think about all of the people listening, Gibbs. A lot of whom have gotten married. I'll ask the question. How many of you listening right now received a call from someone in your loved one's life who said, you should not get married to this person? We're worried about you. He's dangerous. I mean, that would be a. A real eye opener. It would be for a lot of people.

[Mike Gibson]

And I'm gonna think we're gonna get a couple calls where people will tell you that they did get a call like that. Yeah, but. But, you know, when you think about, you know, Vanessa, I mean, red flags, I. You know, you got two pretty sizable red flags here.

[Mike Ferguson]

Red flags, yes. But is Raven so convincing that maybe he's able to spin some of these things? Because you think about the family calling. Could he spin it and say, well, they have their suspicions. I didn't do it, but they think I did. So they're going to tell you a bunch of stuff about me. None of it's true. Now, I don't know how you spin this act of domestic violence, because she was the victim of it. She was there. She witnessed it.

[Mike Gibson]

But if he can spin it, he's going to find a way to spin it.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. And maybe it's the old line of, I'm sorry, I'm never going to do it again. Trust me. And maybe that that worked, because it does work sometimes for some people. But they got married on September, 6, 2008. According to Vanessa, on the first night of their honeymoon, he was very drunk, and he started talking about how mad he was after Janet died. He just kept reiterating how mad he was. And then he cuddled up close to me and said, I promise I'll never hurt you. And I didn't know how to Take that.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah, It's a little strange.

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

At that moment, maybe, you know, this is post coitus. I don't know what's going on. It's honeymoon.

[Mike Gibson]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

Night. So, you know, you're laying there, you're spooning, whatever you're doing. He is talking about the murder of his first wife. And then when you add on to it, I promise I'll never hurt you. Now, I'm sure he didn't emphasize the you, but you could make it out that way, right?

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

In that type of context, if you just say it out of the blue, I'll always take care of you. I promise I'll never hurt you. Okay. But when you're talking about how your wife was murdered and you say, I promise I'll never hurt you, that it takes on a different gravity.

[Mike Gibson]

I feel like it changes the mood of a honeymoon.

[Mike Ferguson]

Well, yeah, I would think it would. Raven became verbally abusive, and he had rapid mood swings. Vanessa told 20 20. Within moments, he could switch. He could say the most horrible things, and then moments later, he would apologize. And I think there are a lot of people out there like this, especially when you talk about people who commit acts of domestic violence who are physically or emotionally abusive. They can flip on a dime, but then afterwards, it's all, you know, oh, I didn't mean that. I'm sorry. It's whatever they can say to try to keep that person from either leaving them or calling the cops or both. Vanessa said there were also further incidents of physical abuse. She recalled, he grabbed me from the door and threw me up against the wall, and then I fell. Later, he tried to convince me that I tripped. Is that the definition of gaslighting?

[Mike Gibson]

Oh, I think it is crime.

[Mike Ferguson]

Vanessa began to fear for her safety and her daughter's safety. She worried what would happen if she left. So she tried to get Raven to leave, and he did so on Christmas Eve 2008, Vanessa said in an interview with NC Wanted, he was in the process of cursing me, calling me names, saying how he hated me, telling me he didn't care if I died. Then he said, you know what? I want to hit you so bad, and I can't get in trouble for it anymore. So he was pushing me around in the bathroom and wouldn't let me out of the bathroom. And later, as Raven was leaving, he went downstairs and grabbed Kadan and said, come on, we have to go. Mommy doesn't want us anymore. Who does that to a child? Their marriage was annulled after just four months.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah, I Can see why.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. I mean, just think about all the. The stuff that we talked about prior to the wedding and then what happened after the wedding. I mean, this just never was good from the get go. I don't think. I think it was four months of what did I get myself into? I have made a terrible decision here on the part of Vanessa.

[Mike Gibson]

He really. I mean, and he's saying how he really wants to hit her, just not good.

[Mike Ferguson]

But also, what do you make of that? I can't get in trouble for it anymore.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

It's almost as though he's gotten in trouble for it before. And this would be an additional and maybe more severe punishment would follow. I mean, you can take that a couple different ways.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah. I'm not sure how he was leading this, but it. It's. There's something there.

[Mike Ferguson]

In the spring of 2009, Vanessa went public with her fears that Raven killed Janet. In her interview with NC Wanted, Vanessa recalled how she searched Raven's name online and found his October 2007 interview with the program. He told Vanessa he spent months preparing for the interview and. And she wondered why he had to prepare so much. She also saw a video made by Raven that showed him opening a knife in front of Janet and talking about how he liked to collect knives. She was disturbed by the video because Raven told her he never had a knife collection and was not fascinated by knives.

[Mike Gibson]

Okay. I mean, I have a knife collection.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, so do I. You and I have talked about it before.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah. I mean, I like my knives. I don't know if I'm overly fascinated by them.

[Mike Ferguson]

No, I wouldn't say fascination is the word, but I like to collect a lot of things, you know, I do.

[Mike Gibson]

You do.

[Mike Ferguson]

I have a ton of different collections down here in the studio.

[Mike Gibson]

I'm looking at at least three or four of them right now. Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

But that's just, you know, my personality.

[Mike Gibson]

And I never ask what's behind that door there that has the chain on it.

[Mike Ferguson]

And you should never.

[Mike Gibson]

I don't really want to know, but

[Mike Ferguson]

I don't think there's any doubt. Right. That between the turbulent marriage, the stuff that she's finding online, the discrepancies between what she was told by Raven and what he said in interviews, what she's seeing in videos, she just has a completely different opinion of him. Right. Than she did maybe in the beginning when she was defending him.

[Mike Gibson]

Yes.

[Mike Ferguson]

She can't do that any longer.

[Mike Gibson]

No.

[Mike Ferguson]

As the wedding approached, Vanessa's parents decided to ask Raven directly if he killed Janet. According to Jodine Pond. And Raven's response to that was, I loved my wife in a beating around the bush kind of way.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

I mean, if you want to have a sign that maybe this marriage is not going to work out, the bride's parents having to ask the groom if he killed his first wife seems to be a real bad sign to me.

[Mike Gibson]

Imagine if that would have happened this past week down where you're at. Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

You know, I just can't even imagine having to come out and ask that.

[Mike Gibson]

No.

[Mike Ferguson]

That just tells you the extent to which they were worried about it. They were thinking about it.

[Mike Gibson]

This.

[Mike Ferguson]

It's not an off the cuff question. There's a definite concern there.

[Mike Gibson]

Absolutely. I feel like some of this conversation should happen. Should happen. Well before coming up on the wedding.

[Mike Ferguson]

Well, and you don't. We don't know. Right. How much or what type of conversations they had with Vanessa about, you know, maybe this is not a great idea. You know, we don't know. There's always some of that maybe here. That year, the Durham police assigned Detective Charles Soule to review Janet's case. Sowell noted from the beginning that Raven gave contradictory statements to law enforcement. Sowell also learned that the family was dealing with financial problems. Raven took out a life insurance policy on Janet, which he cashed in days after she died. Despite the fact that they were behind on bills and receiving aid from their church, Raven never missed a payment on that life insurance policy.

[Mike Gibson]

See, that's pretty telling.

[Mike Ferguson]

It is. Now, you and I have talked about life insurance policies before. I mean, they are a good thing. You want to be able to take care of your family in the event that something tragic should happen to you. But I would think for a lot of people, if you can't pay your bills, if you can't put food on the table, that might be one of the first payments that goes unpaid.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah, I mean, you gotta shift your priorities.

[Mike Ferguson]

Sowell reviewed crime scene photos and noticed a key detail. Janet's contact lens case was sitting open in the bathroom and indicating that she had not yet taken out her contacts. Family and friends told Sol that Janet consistently removed her contacts before going to bed. So this kind of contradicted Raven's story that she was getting ready for bed when he left the house. Sowell also noted the lack of disturbance of the crime scene. With stabbings, there's usually a violent struggle between the victim and the perpetrator.

[Mike Gibson]

And.

[Mike Ferguson]

And that's part of what we talked about. Right. There were quite a few things that, at least on the surface Seem to indicate that either Janet knew her attacker or she was taken so completely by surprise that she didn't have a chance to react really whatsoever. On February 1, 2010, Raven Abaroa was arrested and charged with first degree murder. In July 2010, the Christiansen family agreed to have Janet's body exhumed to determine if she was still wearing her contacts. Forensic analysis determined Janet had acuvue contacts in her eyes, which she always took out as she got ready for bed. This was enough evidence to send Raven to trial. Okay, now, this seems thin.

[Mike Gibson]

It does.

[Mike Ferguson]

But there's a lot of stuff, I think, behind it. But I wouldn't say, I wouldn't call it smoking gun, but it does contradict his story.

[Mike Gibson]

It does, Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

She always takes out her contacts when she goes to bed. He said she was getting ready for bed, so they must have thought that was enough. Jury selection began on April 22, 2013. In their motion to dismiss, the defense claimed investigators collected blood that pointed to a third person at the scene and argued that a state bureau of investigation agent who examined blood on Janet's shirt was discredited in 2011 for fabricating, ignoring, and withholding evidence. In several other criminal trials, an independent investigator did not agree with the original investigator's findings. They also argued that evidence left at the crime scene, which was destroyed by a church cleaning crew, could have cleared Raven. Well, it doesn't surprise me that the defense is going to file a motion to dismiss now. I think what is a big problem, and you do see this sometimes, right. When you have someone in a position of power in this case, you know, an agent with the bureau of investigations who is discredited and they were part of this case. Yeah, that there's a little bit of taint there.

[Mike Gibson]

It's going to hurt.

[Mike Ferguson]

And it does happen sometimes. The judge denied the motion to dismiss, and the trial opened on April 29, 2013. The jury heard from 80 witnesses, including Raven's ex wife, Vanessa pond, and several other women who testified to Raven's violent behavior. Several of Janet's friends also testified regarding Raven's abusive behavior.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, that's not going to be good for him.

[Mike Ferguson]

No, but it's just a piece of the puzzle.

[Mike Gibson]

It is. Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

You can be an abusive person, but not be a murderer. Doesn't make you a good guy. But it also doesn't necessarily mean you're a killer.

[Mike Gibson]

No, it doesn't.

[Mike Ferguson]

Prosecutors offered no motive, but said circumstantial evidence would build a picture of why Raven was guilty.

[Mike Gibson]

I mean, yeah, you can somehow toss in the life insurance.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Mike Gibson]

You can also throw in the fact that he was a cheater on several levels.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. Maybe wanted to be with someone else. Maybe the motive was money. Again, they don't always have to prove motive or they don't have to prove motive. But like I talk about a lot, I mean, I think so many of these cases are in large part circumstantial, and it's just putting brick by brick. Right. Building the case up where the jury believes beyond a reasonable doubt that the person is guilty.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

I just don't always think it's like the Perry Mason episodes that we used to watch. I mean, you watched them when they first came out. I watched the reruns because they were in black and white. But, you know, in Perry Mason, there was always that aha. Bombshell.

[Mike Gibson]

Oh, yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

Where now he was getting his client off because he was a defense attorney. Right. But that's kind of the thing. It was proven. Something bombshelly was proving that his client couldn't have done it. I don't think in a lot of these cases, the prosecution, you know, they always have that one piece of evidence, like DNA that proves conclusively the person did it. I think a lot of times it is just circumstantial. But it's a lot of circumstantial evidence.

[Mike Gibson]

It's true.

[Mike Ferguson]

In their opening statement, the defense acknowledged that Raven wasn't perfect, but there was no evidence to suggest he killed Janet. The Durham police focused solely on him and ignored evidence that might have pointed to another suspect. Investigators found an unknown fingerprint in the closet of the office, which began the disregard of evidence that might have cleared him. Investigators also found a bloody shoe print next to Janet's body and a blood stain on the frame of the side door of the home that contained unidentified DNA.

[Mike Gibson]

But that could come from anything.

[Mike Ferguson]

Well, it could, but I do think, you know, if you. If you break down the defense's argument, they're making some strong points. Right. They are trying to say that investigators got tunnel vision.

[Mike Gibson]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

They locked in on Raven. They pretty much disregarded anything else. The one thing that, you know, you can talk about an unknown fingerprint in the office or the closet of the office.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

That could come from, you know, a lot of different people. The one that is kind of disturbing is a blood stain that contains unidentified DNA.

[Mike Gibson]

All right.

[Mike Ferguson]

Could that have come from somebody doing some work on the house? Somebody that came over from the church and was helping out, happened to have a cut or something? Yeah, it could Possibility, but you know, the defense is going to try to make it out that, all right, this is the real killer right here. Why are you not trying to go get him? The defense noted that there had been more than a dozen car and home break ins in the neighborhood prior to the murder in including a car break in on the night of the crime. In that case, a jar of coins in the car was disturbed. Police ignored evidence of a canine leading investigators to a creek in front of the aberro home where they found a coin. So they're trying to tie the murder into, you know, all of these car break ins and home break ins.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, if you can, for them, it benefits the time altogether.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah. Because you could see how possibly it could cast some doubt in a juror or jurors. Janet's mother, who is also named Janet, testified that her daughter confided in her that Raven left the marriage because he was unfaithful. Janet said that Raven verbally abused her but didn't hit her. Janet Christensen testified per wral. She said that he would be up and happy and then that he would be weighed down. And when he was weighed down, she said what he did was verbally abuse me. And we've talked about verbal and physical abuse a lot over the years and they're both terrible. But we have had listeners write in, leave voicemails and say that they've experienced both. And some people have said that the verbal can actually be worse sometimes.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah, I think it lingers with them.

[Mike Ferguson]

But again, neither one is good. No, nobody should be doing that stuff. Unfortunately, it does happen way too often. Former neighbor Lisa Sealy testified that on several occasions she could hear the couple having heated arguments. Two weeks before the crime, she saw Janet holding on to the hood of the couple's car while Raven was driving. They both laughed off the situation and said they were kidding, but she was concerned because it was abnormal and because of the prior arguments.

[Mike Gibson]

It seems like something you would see in a made for TV movie or just a movie.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, like. Like you have somebody hanging on a car while somebody else is driving. Now, it could have been that it was a real argument and. But then when they saw that, you know, one of the neighbors was watching, they. They tried to play it off because they didn't want to look bad or something like that. Durham officer Jason Williams testified that Raven was extremely composed when he spoke to the police after finding his wife's body. He was crying, but not uncontrollably. He had an answer for everything.

[Mike Gibson]

Again, on how people respond when they Find their spouse murdered. Some people are going to lose their mind. Other people will shut down. Some people find a way to be. I don't want to say cool and calm, but it's kind of. They're kind of cool and calm. Yeah. You know, and they're. Maybe they break down later when no one's around.

[Mike Ferguson]

It could be. I mean, there is no one way. But you'd have to admit that the more calm and collected you are, the stranger. It's going to look to police and people who respond to these types of situations a lot, because it's not going to be the norm. Former medical examiner Thomas Clark testified that Janet suffered three stab wounds. One to her left hand, one to her chest, and one to her neck. The neck wound was fatal. She likely lost consciousness within a few minutes and. And died soon after. The neck wound cut the right subclavian artery and punctured her right lung, causing her to bleed about 2 liters of blood into her chest. And it sounds like a very horrible way to die.

[Mike Gibson]

It really does.

[Mike Ferguson]

Janet's hormone levels indicated that she had recently been pregnant. During cross examination, Clark said the levels also could have been high after a recent miscarriage. And we just got done a little bit ago talking about possible motives. The one that we didn't talk about was Raven finding out that Janet was pregnant and not wanting to be a dad.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

After this marriage had crumbled, it just

[Mike Gibson]

really seems like a act of rage on how she died. Somebody was really upset with her.

[Mike Ferguson]

Clark said it was impossible to determine the exact time of death because of factors such as the temperature of the house affecting decomposition. Raymond Wilson, Raven's former boss at the sporting goods company, testified that he played with Raven on the company soccer team. Raven's personality on the soccer field was different. He got into arguments and sometimes physical arguments, but I don't know what you make of that, Gibbs. I mean, are people sometimes different when they play sports?

[Mike Gibson]

I would say yeah, I think so. It's a pretty competitive sport, too. I mean, you're going to be pushing and jousting, you know, out on that field, and that's kind of normal.

[Mike Ferguson]

I know I'm a different person on the basketball court than I am in the office. Right. I'm not sure. I'm not body checking people in the office. It's frowned upon by hr, I believe. But on the court, I mean, it's. It's a physical game. And sometimes, you know, you're pushing, shoving, you're yelling at people, you're getting into

[Mike Gibson]

arguments that's why so many people at the office that played basketball with you after hours didn't really want to play basketball with you after hours.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, I. I tend to be a little rough. Janet's friend, Megan Dowd. Counsel testified that Janet confessed to her that she was scared of her husband months before she was killed. Megan said, she told me things were getting weird and that Raven was making her nervous, that she was scared of him. Before Janet could elaborate, Raven walked into the room. Megan told wral, Janet bowed her head and just looked like a scared animal. Megan also testified that Raven flirted with her. Shortly after her conversation with Janet, Raven was sitting on her couch and asked her to look at something on his computer. He told her to sit in his lap, and she looked at him like he was crazy, as I would think most women would when their friend's husband tells them to sit on their lap. That is not a normal interaction.

[Mike Gibson]

No, no, it's not. It's not going to probably go over well with your wife either, if she

[Mike Ferguson]

finds out about it.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

And then the friendship's going to be in danger as well. Megan testified that during another visit with Janet in early 2004, Janet told her she thought her husband might have bipolar disorder. Megan said she didn't know who she was going to have to deal with each day. Raven was never the same person. His mood could be one way one day and completely different than next.

[Mike Gibson]

That's so scary, man.

[Mike Ferguson]

It is. Charlotte Ravel testified outside the jury's presence that in 2003, Raven invited her to his apartment to discuss a problem she was having at work. Janet wasn't there, and Raven wanted her to watch a video of him and Janet having sex. She didn't want to see it. She tried to pull away. At that time, Janet returned home from work to have lunch, and Raven pushed her into a closet. She was completely freaked out and didn't know what to do.

[Mike Gibson]

It's not funny.

[Mike Ferguson]

It's not. But you almost have to laugh because it's so wild.

[Mike Gibson]

And the fact that she went into the closet and probably stayed there because

[Mike Ferguson]

she didn't know what to do.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

But I do think what these people are doing is they're painting a real bad picture of Raven.

[Mike Gibson]

Sure.

[Mike Ferguson]

Right. This is the guy who obviously didn't care much about his wife because we already know he had numerous extramarital affairs. And you've got the. This. These testimonies of, you know, he flirted with me. He asked me to sit on my lap. He wanted me to watch a video of him and Janet having sex. I mean, this is just very strange stuff.

[Mike Gibson]

Makes you just wonder, you know, next time you go over to a friend's house and they put a tape in, you're like, what's this tape about?

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, well, first of all, I'm going to ask, why do you have a VHS in 2026? That's going to be my first question. That's the first red flag right there.

[Mike Gibson]

How old is this?

[Mike Ferguson]

Now, the judge ultimately allowed Charlotte's testimony because it helped establish a motive that Raven didn't want to be married. And I think that's important, right? If you're the prosecution, you are trying to get that across to the jury. Folks, here's a man who didn't want to be married. He has this life insurance policy that, despite having financial difficulties, he kept making the payments on. Can you put it all together?

[Mike Gibson]

And he cashed it in within days.

[Mike Ferguson]

Janet told her friend and co worker Kathy Cheek that as long as Raven took his medicine, he was okay. And when he didn't, he was verbally mean. Janet told Cathy that they separated in early 2004, but didn't tell her why. Kathy said Janet just said that she was sad and lonely and didn't understand why he left, why things were the way they were. Janet feared Raven's reaction when she found out she was pregnant with Kayden because Raven didn't want a child.

[Mike Gibson]

Well, that's just going to tie him down even longer.

[Mike Ferguson]

So you have to take that into account when she then finds out that she's pregnant later on before she's killed.

[Mike Gibson]

Oh, yeah. I'm sure it's a struggle for her to deal with knowing how he felt about the first child.

[Mike Ferguson]

And that's when maybe the relationship was actually halfway decent. Now it's in the dumper. Oh, it's terrible.

[Mike Gibson]

Big time dump. Dumper.

[Mike Ferguson]

Are you saying you have a big time dumper?

[Mike Gibson]

I just wonder if you're going to pick up on that.

[Mike Ferguson]

On at least two occasions in the two months before her death, Janet called Kathy from a payphone, asking if she and Kadin could spend the day with her because Raven was in one of his moods. Adrian Nelson, a friend who worked for an insurance company in Utah, testified that Raven asked her about different life insurance policies during a visit in late 2004. Adrian told him that B because of some of Janet's health issues, it was unlikely she would qualify for a policy worth more than $500,000. Raven said he could find a better insurance policy for cheaper. Janet's friend Brittany Romito testified that Janet considered moving away at one point, but she decided to stay and work on the marriage. When she became pregnant with Kadin, however, she told me her greatest fear was that her child would ever be alone with Raven. I don't know about you, but I'm just getting this feeling that Janet was just in a horrible position.

[Mike Gibson]

I feel like she was locked in

[Mike Ferguson]

between a rock and a hard place. I mean, she got married. I think she saw who this guy really was after she was married and already had a child together. It's kind of in our nature, most of us, to try to make things work, especially when there's a child involved. According to Brittany, Janet was once fun, happy, and strong, but she was beaten down by Raven's abuse. Brittany testified, the loving, charismatic Janet that I knew no longer existed after being in a relationship that was so abusive for so long. Her only motivation once Kayden was born was. Was Kadin and keeping Raven happy. Witnesses testified about the couple's financial problems. Raven talked about selling his truck or motorcycle and had to negotiate his lease for cheaper rent. At the time of Janet's death, he was working as an admission specialist for a company that specializes in online courses, and he was making about $30,000 a year. He was in jeopardy of losing his job if he didn't reach sales goals. During a review of financial records from the couple's home, investigators learned that the couple spent as much as they made. They had four auto loans, a $500,000 insurance policy for Janet, and a $1 million policy for Raven. There was a check in Janet's organizer for more than $1,100 to a bankruptcy attorney, but they never filed for bankruptcy.

[Mike Gibson]

Definitely in financial distress.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah, but here's my question. Why does a guy who makes $30,000 a year need a $1,000,000 life insurance policy?

[Mike Gibson]

Don't. It doesn't make any sense, right? Maybe if you do 10 times your current earnings. So maybe 300,000, but why?

[Mike Ferguson]

Or 500. But a million just seems very high.

[Mike Gibson]

It does.

[Mike Ferguson]

Now, a person could make the argument that if you've got something nefarious in mind, right, you want to have more out on you so that you can make the argument, well, I didn't kill for money. I had a million on me. We only had $500,000 on her.

[Mike Gibson]

I mean, it looks better than if it was. If it was for less than the

[Mike Ferguson]

other way around or something like that. Janet's sister, Sonia Flood, testified that Janet stayed in the marriage because, despite everything, she wanted to keep her Commitment to Raven and to God. And that's another thing that we. We kind of haven't talked about in a while, and that's the. The LDS fate.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

So you know how much of that played into it for Janet, wanting to keep this marriage together?

[Mike Gibson]

I think it played a big piece of.

[Mike Ferguson]

I imagine it did as well. Sonia also testified that a few weeks after the murder, when Raven stayed with her at her home in Virginia, she found a CD backup of his computer hard drive dated April 25, the day before the murder. Her husband made copies, and she waited to give them to the police because she was unsure and had mixed emotions. According to wral, Sonia said, I was really mixed because Raven was someone Janet loved, and I loved Janet. Even though thinking he had committed this act, it was still hard to sort through it. Vanessa Pond also testified about the abuse she endured during her marriage to Raven. She testified that despite her reservations about his innocence and the violent incident on the day of her bridal shower, she went through the wedding because, as she said, I was really the only one in the position to get the information that they needed. So I felt like I could do that. I went through with the wedding. And if he wasn't guilty, then we could have a great relationship with a lot of bumps along the way. But if he was guilty, I was hoping that I could help.

[Mike Gibson]

She's trying to be positive, right? She's. If it's not good, if he's.

[Mike Ferguson]

If he's a killer.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

Then. Then what? I can help put him away. It does seem. And I don't want to second guess people. Right. That's not my place. But it does seem like a strange reason to go through with a marriage.

[Mike Gibson]

It does.

[Mike Ferguson]

If he's not guilty, then maybe it'll be okay. If he is, then I can help put him away.

[Mike Gibson]

It's a pretty strange rationale.

[Mike Ferguson]

It is, but who am I to judge? The jury also heard from Raven's former co worker, who said she had sex with him on a late night road trip because she was unsafe and was unsure what he might do to her. They became friends when she was 17 and still in high school. Their relationship changed in college. In the fall of 2003, on the way back from a road trip to Charlotte, Raven started making unwanted sexual advances and they pulled off at a highway rest stop where they had sex. She testified, I finally realized that I'm going to need to follow through with what's happening here. I felt like I was unsafe and that something was going to happen. I just wanted it to be over. On the way back, she was so nervous that she left her hair in the car so investigators could find her DNA if something happened. She never talked about that night with Raven.

[Mike Gibson]

So he sexually assaulted her.

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

I mean, this is a very bad guy. He's not yet convicted of Janet's murder. But if all this other stuff is true, you know, he's an abuser, He's a sexual predator at the very least. The jury also heard that when Janet was exhumed, contact lenses were found in her eyes, which discredited Raven's story that Janet was getting ready for bed when he left that night. The defense maintained that Janet never spoke of physical abuse and that most people who knew them said they were a normal, happy couple. And I'm telling you, Gibbs, I've talked about it time and time again. There is a difference in many people's lives between what happens behind closed doors and. And what they let those people around them see.

[Mike Gibson]

Very true.

[Mike Ferguson]

And I actually think that's especially true with some of these men who are physically and verbally abusive. They don't want people to see that.

[Mike Gibson]

No.

[Mike Ferguson]

So they. They don't do that in front of friends and family. They try not to. They save that for, you know, behind closed doors when nobody else can see.

[Mike Gibson]

I mean, in most cases, these are going to be fun, loving people to hang out with.

[Mike Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Mike Gibson]

You're not going to know it.

[Mike Ferguson]

They have to have that facade.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

Defense witnesses provided a different view of the couple's relationship. One witness said that Janet and Raven were a prime example of what he wanted for his future relationship. He never heard the couple argue. Darius Nearings testified that he lived with the couple for several months in 2003 and never heard them argue or saw signs of mistreatment. During the trial, the defense learned about Janet's work computer and hard drive, which they didn't have access to before. Forensic examiners found dozens of flirtatious emails between Janet and a former boyfriend, which essentially turn this case on its head. According to the defense, the emails were dated within weeks of the crime. So I think what they're trying to say there, Gibbs, is, okay, do we have another person who may have had a motive to kill Janet?

[Mike Gibson]

I mean, you can try to make

[Mike Ferguson]

that case, and I think that's something they would do or did. Prosecutors presented their theory of how Janet died in closing arguments. She had likely finished washing dishes and was prepping lunch for the next day when she was killed. Her rings were found by the kitchen sink. Witnesses testified earlier that she never Washed dishes with her rings on. Peanut butter, jelly, bread and sandwich bags were also laid out on the counter. It was likely that Raven called her to the office and stabbed her as soon as she stepped into the room. There was little indication of a struggle. Janet never saw it coming. After being stabbed in the chest, she likely fell to her knees, clutching her throat. Raven approached her from behind and stabbed her in the hand and the neck. She then fell face down. The prosecution hinted at a financial motive. Raven wanted to live beyond his means, and he was in financial straits. He was close to losing his job and facing embezzlement charges. He hadn't paid rent, but never failed to pay the premium on Janet's life insurance policy, which could help solve all of his problems.

[Mike Gibson]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

In their closing argument, the defense noted that the police ignored evidence, including the computer hard drive found in storage at the Durham pd. The hard drive allowed the state to present a dishonest picture of who Janet Abaroa was, who Raven Abaro is, and what their relationship was like. So the case went to the jury on May 29. Then on May 31, the judge declared a mistrial due to a hung jury. The jury deadlocked 11 to 1 in favor of conviction.

[Mike Gibson]

Wow, 11 to 1.

[Mike Ferguson]

So there was one person who held out. Raven rejected two plea deal proposals. But then in 2014, rather than risk a retrial, Raven agreed to enter an alford plea. On March 12, 2014, Raven made an Alford plea for voluntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to 95 to 123 months in prison, with credit for four years time served. Raven said in court is quoted by wral. I didn't receive a fair trial the first time, and I don't think I'll receive a fair trial the second time. The fact is that I love my family very much, and I don't think it's worth risking the possibility of spending the rest of my life in prison for something I didn't do. I take this plea to ensure that that doesn't happen. And that's the only reason I did not kill my wife. Raven served three more years in prison and was released on Christmas Day 2017. And from what I could tell Gibbs, he's not spoken publicly about this since.

[Mike Gibson]

I don't know why you would want to open that up.

[Mike Ferguson]

And I'm with you. I don't know what he would have to gain by talking about it at all. But I want to go back to the Alford plea. I mean, really, Gibbs, if you think about was probably the best Thing for him.

[Mike Gibson]

Oh. The way this was headed, for sure.

[Mike Ferguson]

I mean, 11 to 1 to convict, hung jury is pretty close. Thinking that you're going to spend possibly the rest of your life in prison. I mean, he's arrested in 2010, he's released in 2010. 17. So he did seven years.

[Mike Gibson]

I mean. Yeah. Pretty lucky, right? I mean, seven years after he pleaded,

[Mike Ferguson]

now if he's not guilty, he lost seven years of his life.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

And I will say that, you know, this is not a slam dunker. There's a. There's a lot of evidence that doesn't make him look good. Right. Leans toward him being guilty. It doesn't surprise me that 11 people voted to convict him. I could see that.

[Mike Gibson]

Sure you can.

[Mike Ferguson]

I could also see how a person maybe had some reservations that maybe the state just didn't quite have enough. In 2019, Raven's ex wife, Vanessa Pond, told 2020 that her advice for women who might meet Raven is to stay far away from him. She said, please listen to what's out there, what's available on the Internet. Please don't be drawn in, and please get away as fast as you can. So for me, you know, as we wrap this one up, he did serve seven years in prison. Like I said, if he didn't do it, he lost seven years of his life.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

But if he killed his wife in cold blood, as I believe a lot of people think he did, he got off really light in my eyes.

[Mike Gibson]

He really did.

[Mike Ferguson]

But the offered plea, to me, it takes both sides. Right. So that means maybe the state wasn't all that confident.

[Mike Gibson]

I think they had to be lacking something for them to even consider it.

[Mike Ferguson]

That's usually how it goes.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

Maybe they didn't want to go through the expense, or maybe they just thought, you know, we think he's guilty, but this case isn't as strong as we'd like for it to be. I don't know.

[Mike Gibson]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

I didn't read anything where they came out and explicitly said why they went with the Alford plea. It's a strange case, though, in that I can see how neither side would be happy.

[Mike Gibson]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

Obviously he's not happy because he had to do seven years in prison. The family is not going to be happy because they believe that he killed Janet and he only did seven years in prison.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

Nobody's going to be happy.

[Mike Gibson]

No. No. Great win for anybody.

[Mike Ferguson]

And although technically he's guilty. Right. Of voluntary manslaughter, there still is a lot hanging out there because with the Alford plea, You know, you maintain your innocence.

[Mike Gibson]

Do.

[Mike Ferguson]

But you admit that the state has enough evidence to probably get a conviction. Whatever the exact wording is. I don't know. It's a little unsatisfying, if that's the right word.

[Mike Gibson]

I think it's a good word to describe what happened.

[Mike Ferguson]

Like, there's finality, but there's not.

[Mike Gibson]

Right.

[Mike Ferguson]

So did Janet really get justice? Did her family really get justice? I highly doubt that they see it that way.

[Mike Gibson]

I don't think they would.

[Mike Ferguson]

But that's it for our episode on Janet Abaroa. We got a voicemail. You want to check that out?

[Mike Gibson]

Let's hear it.

Mike and Gibby. My name is Faith. I'm a listener all the way down here in Savannah, Georgia. I'm currently watching which one is it? Sorry? I'm currently watching the Casey Woody episode, and I got to the comment where Gibby was talking about the girl at Crimecon doing the index finger and the thumb. I haven't even finished the episode. I literally. I called immediately. I just wanted to say that that is a good thing. A lot of people, that's when you go, you say, clock it, or you say, that's T. And you put your fingers together. But it is a very good thing. You like it? It's good. And then I just wanted to add there was a different episode about someone else out here in Savannah, and y' all were talking about the city of Rankin, and y' all were calling it Rincon, but a lot of people who aren't from here call it Ringcon, and even, like Siri on the map will call it Ringcon, but we call it Rankin. Anyway, love this job and listening for I don't know how long now, but thanks. Keep your own time ticking.

[Mike Ferguson]

All right. Love it. Thanks for the voicemail. Thanks for calling in.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

I.

[Mike Ferguson]

Absolutely. Gibbs. I don't know if I've said it before, but I love Savannah.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah, you do.

[Mike Ferguson]

It is one of my favorite cities. I love the architecture. The whole midnight in the garden of good and evil vibe. And it's just a really cool city.

[Mike Gibson]

You're probably going to paint your door blue, too. I might move there. I might.

[Mike Ferguson]

I don't know.

[Mike Gibson]

It's supposed to keep away the evil spirits. Something like that.

[Mike Ferguson]

I've also had some really good food in Savannah over the years. I've only been there a few times,

[Mike Gibson]

but they'll have you back there.

[Mike Ferguson]

They also have some great peach cookies. I forget the name of the.

[Mike Gibson]

Oh, that's right.

[Mike Ferguson]

Company.

[Mike Gibson]

Love those peach cookies.

[Mike Ferguson]

But I know it's in Savannah.

[Mike Gibson]

Yeah.

[Mike Ferguson]

And they sell these. They're little, small peach cookies that are out of this world.

[Mike Gibson]

And you couldn't get enough of those?

[Mike Ferguson]

No, My whole family loves them. Yeah, but that's it, buddy, for another episode of True Crime all the time. So for Mike and Gibby, stay safe and keep your own time ticking.

[Mike Gibson]

Sa.