Talana Carraway

The only way to reproduce the blood spatter evidence that we found at the crime scene was the position of the killer had to be on top of Lance in a straddling position, striking him.

The only way to reproduce the blood spatter evidence that we found at the crime scene was the position of the killer had to be on top of Lance in a straddling position, striking him.

This was a person that Lance would have been very familiar with. He was naked from head to toe, lying face up in his bed.

This was a person that Lance would have been very familiar with. He was naked from head to toe, lying face up in his bed.

Right, right.

Right, right.

Correct, that's right.

Correct, that's right.

Yes. And when we looked at Janine, certainly there were some obvious motivations. Recently divorced, she had accused Lance of infidelity.

Yes. And when we looked at Janine, certainly there were some obvious motivations. Recently divorced, she had accused Lance of infidelity.

She had company from a male companion who was a new person in her life who had come to the house and spent the evening with her there.

She had company from a male companion who was a new person in her life who had come to the house and spent the evening with her there.

If she had to be categorized in Lance's life, I guess we could call her perhaps his primary or his main girlfriend.

If she had to be categorized in Lance's life, I guess we could call her perhaps his primary or his main girlfriend.

The one that he spent a considerable amount of time with, she was known to be a person that he was actively involved with.

The one that he spent a considerable amount of time with, she was known to be a person that he was actively involved with.

And maybe that would have been the source of Kathy's consternation.

And maybe that would have been the source of Kathy's consternation.

She could have found out that Lance was cheating.

She could have found out that Lance was cheating.

It was just a very odd response from a person that we believed would have been close with Lance. But certainly it did suggest to us that perhaps there was more to meet the eye about the nature of their relationship. And so it really did cause us to take a real hard look.

It was just a very odd response from a person that we believed would have been close with Lance. But certainly it did suggest to us that perhaps there was more to meet the eye about the nature of their relationship. And so it really did cause us to take a real hard look.

Right. Kathy had begun seeing another gentleman.

Right. Kathy had begun seeing another gentleman.

On the night of this incident in which Lance would have been murdered, she traveled to the home of this gentleman and spent the rest of the evening.

On the night of this incident in which Lance would have been murdered, she traveled to the home of this gentleman and spent the rest of the evening.

We learned that Lance and Talana had been friends for a very long time. Initially, they started out as lovers.

We learned that Lance and Talana had been friends for a very long time. Initially, they started out as lovers.

I will say that there's kind of a feeling amongst investigators that if you're truly an innocent person, you should not need the protections of an attorney to kind of help you navigate your rights.

I will say that there's kind of a feeling amongst investigators that if you're truly an innocent person, you should not need the protections of an attorney to kind of help you navigate your rights.

Investigators not only pulled her phone records... They pulled the phone records of Lance Herndon, both calls going out from his house and calls coming into his house.

Investigators not only pulled her phone records... They pulled the phone records of Lance Herndon, both calls going out from his house and calls coming into his house.

We know she was the last person to see Lance alive before he was murdered.

We know she was the last person to see Lance alive before he was murdered.

We got the DNA of all of the women that were potential suspects to look at whether or not they matched any of this evidence.

We got the DNA of all of the women that were potential suspects to look at whether or not they matched any of this evidence.

There were three separate individual calls that she reported to investigators that they were really interested in trying to determine who this person was and what is it that they wanted with Lance Herndon and could they be involved in his murder.

There were three separate individual calls that she reported to investigators that they were really interested in trying to determine who this person was and what is it that they wanted with Lance Herndon and could they be involved in his murder.

She is, in fact, the frustrated caller.

She is, in fact, the frustrated caller.

She lets them in and they sit down and they begin to question her about her relationship with Lance.

She lets them in and they sit down and they begin to question her about her relationship with Lance.

She indicated that Lance Herndon absolutely loved her. They were in a romantic, intimate relationship.

She indicated that Lance Herndon absolutely loved her. They were in a romantic, intimate relationship.

Recently divorced, she had accused Lance of infidelity. Talana and Lance were friends for a very long time.

Recently divorced, she had accused Lance of infidelity. Talana and Lance were friends for a very long time.

They go all the way back to the beginning, and they talk to her about the development of her relationship with Lance.

They go all the way back to the beginning, and they talk to her about the development of her relationship with Lance.

Right, because in speaking to Talana Caraway, she indicates that she was at the home consistently from about 6 p.m. until 10.30 p.m. when she leaves. And she indicates that Lance never left the house during that time period.

Right, because in speaking to Talana Caraway, she indicates that she was at the home consistently from about 6 p.m. until 10.30 p.m. when she leaves. And she indicates that Lance never left the house during that time period.

She maintained consistently that she was not in Lance's home on the night that he was murdered.

She maintained consistently that she was not in Lance's home on the night that he was murdered.

So at the end of the interview, law enforcement officers did not have enough evidence at that time to charge her with any crimes. And so she was released from custody.

So at the end of the interview, law enforcement officers did not have enough evidence at that time to charge her with any crimes. And so she was released from custody.

They were stuck until... We get a phone call that changes everything.

They were stuck until... We get a phone call that changes everything.

Lance was consistently paying a good bit of money in monthly alimony and monthly child support. And so we just found that there really wasn't a solid financial motive for Janine.

Lance was consistently paying a good bit of money in monthly alimony and monthly child support. And so we just found that there really wasn't a solid financial motive for Janine.

Her alibi completely made sense. And she was eliminated as a suspect.

Her alibi completely made sense. And she was eliminated as a suspect.

Because of her alibi with her new found gentleman friend, we were able to eliminate her as a suspect.

Because of her alibi with her new found gentleman friend, we were able to eliminate her as a suspect.

We were able to eliminate her based on the phone records and her alibi.

We were able to eliminate her based on the phone records and her alibi.

Then that kind of left us with Dionne Barr, who we put a bit rigged circle around because we were not able to eliminate her.

Then that kind of left us with Dionne Barr, who we put a bit rigged circle around because we were not able to eliminate her.

She had the opportunity to do this. We caught her in several lies.

She had the opportunity to do this. We caught her in several lies.

I was absolutely shocked.

I was absolutely shocked.

Right, because now I've got statements out of the mouth of Dianne Barr herself, which are very incriminating.

Right, because now I've got statements out of the mouth of Dianne Barr herself, which are very incriminating.

During her testimony under oath, she maintained to the judge, after vigorous questioning, that her relationship with Lance Herndon was merely platonic.

During her testimony under oath, she maintained to the judge, after vigorous questioning, that her relationship with Lance Herndon was merely platonic.

Caught in another lie. It was just a friendship. He was like a mentor.

Caught in another lie. It was just a friendship. He was like a mentor.

She now told the judge and divorce court that she actually traveled to Lance's house to obtain a laptop computer. And by saying that, she then put herself at the crime scene.

She now told the judge and divorce court that she actually traveled to Lance's house to obtain a laptop computer. And by saying that, she then put herself at the crime scene.

There was a large concern that she would flee the country and then be unavailable to us for prosecution. And so the decision was made to arrest Dionne Barr as she left the courthouse on the evening of her testimony during the divorce trial.

There was a large concern that she would flee the country and then be unavailable to us for prosecution. And so the decision was made to arrest Dionne Barr as she left the courthouse on the evening of her testimony during the divorce trial.

Well, it was important.

Well, it was important.

There was no direct evidence. There were no eyewitnesses. There were no fingerprints. There was no murder weapon found in their possession. And so it was a real uphill battle.

There was no direct evidence. There were no eyewitnesses. There were no fingerprints. There was no murder weapon found in their possession. And so it was a real uphill battle.

The thing I wanted to communicate to the jurors is that Dionne Ball actually targeted Lance Herndon.

The thing I wanted to communicate to the jurors is that Dionne Ball actually targeted Lance Herndon.

There were three things of real high value and significance that proved to be missing and all consistently in the possession of Dion Ball. I categorized them as the three C's.

There were three things of real high value and significance that proved to be missing and all consistently in the possession of Dion Ball. I categorized them as the three C's.

A few hours after Lance's body had been found, there was a very expensive credit card charged for dining room furniture to the tune of several thousand dollars that was made by Dionne Ball. Wow.

A few hours after Lance's body had been found, there was a very expensive credit card charged for dining room furniture to the tune of several thousand dollars that was made by Dionne Ball. Wow.

Everything about this case suggests that this was done by a cold-blooded, calculated, heartless individual.

Everything about this case suggests that this was done by a cold-blooded, calculated, heartless individual.

Dionne Ball had possession of Lance's brand new Mercedes Benz.

Dionne Ball had possession of Lance's brand new Mercedes Benz.

What was that document found?

What was that document found?

Speaking with people very close to Lance, he was going to use this criminal trespass case as a way to say, hey, if you don't leave me alone, I'm going to go forward with these charges.

Speaking with people very close to Lance, he was going to use this criminal trespass case as a way to say, hey, if you don't leave me alone, I'm going to go forward with these charges.

The actions of Deon Barr really painted for the jury a picture of who Deon Barr really was. Really violent, a very obsessive person with respect to Lance Herndon.

The actions of Deon Barr really painted for the jury a picture of who Deon Barr really was. Really violent, a very obsessive person with respect to Lance Herndon.

Dionne indicated that Lance absolutely loved her.

Dionne indicated that Lance absolutely loved her.

She certainly had the motive to want to do this. Or secrets.

She certainly had the motive to want to do this. Or secrets.

She arrived at the house sometime after midnight. They would have had sex. I believe that Lance drifted off to sleep. I believe that she would have obtained that wrench. She would have crawled onto the bed, straddled him, and she would have used her hands to strike him in the head and the face. After she killed Lance, she unplugged the alarm clocks.

She arrived at the house sometime after midnight. They would have had sex. I believe that Lance drifted off to sleep. I believe that she would have obtained that wrench. She would have crawled onto the bed, straddled him, and she would have used her hands to strike him in the head and the face. After she killed Lance, she unplugged the alarm clocks.

She turned the picture of Kathy Collins down on the nightstand. I believe she went through Lance's wallet and removed the credit card. She went down into the office. She decided to take the laptop computer. She went out through the garage. I think that she dropped a series of silver chewing gum wrappers.

She turned the picture of Kathy Collins down on the nightstand. I believe she went through Lance's wallet and removed the credit card. She went down into the office. She decided to take the laptop computer. She went out through the garage. I think that she dropped a series of silver chewing gum wrappers.

As she got the keys out of her purse to get into her car to leave, she went home and pretended like she didn't know anything about it.

As she got the keys out of her purse to get into her car to leave, she went home and pretended like she didn't know anything about it.

I thought that nothing really had changed in terms of our theory, and I didn't believe that the defense attorneys had really come up with an explanation that would adequately explain the inconsistencies in Dion's testimony, her statements, and her possession of the laptop computer.

I thought that nothing really had changed in terms of our theory, and I didn't believe that the defense attorneys had really come up with an explanation that would adequately explain the inconsistencies in Dion's testimony, her statements, and her possession of the laptop computer.

So the only thing we have left is to try and tee it up a third time and have a third trial.

So the only thing we have left is to try and tee it up a third time and have a third trial.

It's one of the most unusual and bizarre experiences I've ever had professionally.

It's one of the most unusual and bizarre experiences I've ever had professionally.

We would resolve the case by allowing Dion Ball to plead guilty and receive a sentence much less than she would ordinarily receive if she were found guilty of murder. Ten years. We agreed to serve to give her a sentence of ten years, yep, on a charge of manslaughter.

We would resolve the case by allowing Dion Ball to plead guilty and receive a sentence much less than she would ordinarily receive if she were found guilty of murder. Ten years. We agreed to serve to give her a sentence of ten years, yep, on a charge of manslaughter.

I guess we could call Kathy his main girlfriend.

I guess we could call Kathy his main girlfriend.

She wasn't upset at all. We get a phone call that changes everything. Caught in another lie.

She wasn't upset at all. We get a phone call that changes everything. Caught in another lie.