Transcript

Cop recruits his mother to shoot pregnant ex in custody battle

From True Crime News · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 36 min · 6,110 words · 162 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "Cop recruits his mother to shoot pregnant ex in custody battle", an episode of True Crime News published January 2, 2026 (36 min, about 6,110 words). It mentions 10 people, works and ideas, including Caroline Conway, Crystal Manie, Richard Conway, Robert Manie, Desiree Turner.

What this episode is about

In a shocking custody battle incident, a police officer conspires with his mother, a grandmother, to shoot his pregnant ex-girlfriend in a fast food parking lot, resulting in chaos as bystanders narrowly escape the gunfire. The scenario unfolds into a disturbing tale of obsession and violence, culminating in a jailhouse interview with the convicted shooter who reflects on the evidence against her and the miraculous survival of the victim.

Key takeaways

  • When fast food becomes fatal: a parking lot shootout turns a family outing into a nightmare.
  • Granny with a gun: sometimes maternal instincts take a dark turn, shocking us all.
  • Surveillance cameras catch chaos, but can they capture the motives behind such madness?
  • Two innocent lives shattered in a drive-thru; the quest for custody fuels a deadly obsession.
  • In the era of social media, even Snapchat can trigger real-world violence—proof that pixels can pack a punch.

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 5:00: Robert Manie, Michelle Sigona, Chris Hansen, Crystal Manie
  2. – 10:00: Caroline Conway, Crystal Manie, Robert Manie, Michelle Sigona
  3. – 15:00: Caroline Conway, Richard Conway
  4. – 20:00: Caroline Conway, Michelle Sigona, Chris Hansen, Charles County Detention Center
  5. – 25:00: Caroline Conway, Richard Conway, Michelle Sigona
  6. – 30:00: Caroline Conway, Desiree Turner
  7. – 35:00: Desiree Turner
  8. – 36:10: Desiree Turner

Notable quotes from "Cop recruits his mother to shoot pregnant ex in custody battle"

  • I, am, so, thankful, to, be, here, today, to, be alive.
    about Desiree Turner · at
  • [screaming] Wednesday, night, at, the, shopping, mall, in Waldorf, Maryland, a middle-class suburb about 30 miles away from Washington DC.
    about Waldorf, Maryland · at
  • That, eyewitness,, Crystal., Miraculously, both she and her unborn baby survived after Crystal took a bullet to the belly. And the young mom knows exactly who shot them.
    about Crystal Manie · at
  • It's a shocker. Let's head back to Michelle Sagona in Maryland with the details.
    about Michelle Sigona · at
  • More, like the address where the 53-year-old grandmother lives along with her son, a patrol officer with the Prince George's County Police Department.
    about Richard Conway · at
  • Chris,, today, in, a, Crime, Watch, Daily exclusive, Caroline Conway is breaking her silence to me from behind bars for the very first time about her case.
    about Caroline Conway · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Caroline Conway — Person · Primary perpetrator (referenced subject) / interviewee · 13 mentions · first at
    Central figure in the first case: identified by the surviving victim as the shooter; later interviewed from jail and discussed as convicted of first-degree murder.
  • Crystal Manie — Person · Primary victim/survivor and key eyewitness · 4 mentions · first at
    Pregnant shooting survivor who identifies the shooter; her custody exchange context and survival drive the investigation and prosecution narrative.
  • Richard Conway — Person · Accomplice (son) / law-enforcement officer (referenced) / convicted co-defendant · 4 mentions · first at
    Crystal’s ex and Caroline’s son; described as a police officer who allegedly helped with pickup, concealment, and alibi; later convicted.
  • Robert Manie — Person · Homicide victim · 5 mentions · first at
    Husband of Crystal; executed during the parking-lot ambush, his death is the homicide at the center of the case.
    But this is no random shooting. The targets are newlyweds Crystal and Robert Manie. The attacker assassinates Robert shooting him several times in the chest then pumps a bullet into Crystal's belly, who's carrying a baby.
  • Desiree Turner — Person · Primary victim/survivor (second case) · 6 mentions · first at
    Teen shooting survivor in the Utah case; her attack and recovery anchor the second half of the episode.
  • Michelle Sigona — Person · Correspondent / interviewer · 5 mentions · first at
    Leads the reporting on the Conway/Manie case and conducts the jailhouse interview with Caroline Conway.
  • Chris Hansen — Person · Host · 3 mentions · first at
    Introduces and frames the Crime Watch Daily segments, transitions between stories, and cues correspondents.
    Welcome to Crime Watch Daily everyone.

Companies & orgs

  • Prince George's County Police Department — Company · Affiliation · 1 mention · first at
    The police department where Richard Conway, the son of the shooter, worked as a patrol officer.
    More, like the address where the 53-year-old grandmother lives along with her son, a patrol officer with the Prince George's County Police Department.

Places & events

  • Waldorf, Maryland — Place · Setting · 1 mention · first at
    The location where the shooting incident took place, a middle-class suburb near Washington DC.
  • Charles County Detention Center — Place · Setting · 1 mention · first at
    The detention center where Caroline Conway was held and gave an exclusive interview.
    Chris,, today, in, a, Crime, Watch, Daily exclusive, Caroline Conway is breaking her silence to me from behind bars for the very first time about her case.

Full transcript with timestamps

I'm Chris Hansen. Right now on Crime Watch Daily from here in New York. A wild shootout in a fast food parking lot. The targets, newlyweds with a baby on the way.

She, was, shot, 7, months, pregnant, in, her abdomen. The, crazed, shooter, caught, fleeing, the scene on surveillance video.

This, is, a, mad, gunman, running, around., But this isn't a random attack. And the suspect is a shopper. She's a grandma.

There, was, some, inexplicable, obsession. Today,, the, killer, granny, and, her, police officer son partners in an evil crime.

Do, you, remember, pulling, the, trigger? In, an, exclusive, jail, house, interview, the convicted killer is on the hot seat with our Michelle Sagona.

I, know, all, the, evidence, is, there,, but then, it's, a, miracle, she's, alive., The Utah girl who survived a senseless attack. Why cops say two boys snapped over her Snapchat.

I, am, so, thankful, to, be, here, today, to, be alive. Right, now, Andrea, Eenser, with, Crime, Watch, Daily.

Jason, Mat, with, Crime, Watch, Daily. This I'm, Elizabeth., I'm, here, with, Crime Watch. I'm Michelle from Crime Watch Daily. Anna Garcia from Crime Watch

is, Crime, Watch, Daily., Stay, off, my property. We'll, find, you, again., We, always, do. Welcome to Crime Watch Daily everyone. I'm Chris Hansen. First up today gunfire in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant. Two people are shot one will not survive. Our Michelle Sigona unravels the mystery of who pulled the trigger and why.

Mayhem, at, the, mall, in, broad, daylight. It, was, chaos. A, spray, of, bullets, ricocheting, off, cars parked near a McDonald's. There's people in the the drive-thru. Their cars were struck by bullets.

With, the, smell, of, gunpowder, hanging, in the air, innocent people narrowly escaping death.

Two, children,, both, under, 10., And, one, of these children actually finds the bullet and says, "Grandd look here."

But, two, are, about, to, be, hunted, like prey. Robert, died, not, knowing, if, his, wife, and unborn child were still alive. and the person firing the gun will shock you.

She, identified, the, shooter, as, she, was being taken to the hospital. [screaming]

Wednesday, night, at, the, shopping, mall, in Waldorf, Maryland, a middle-class suburb about 30 miles away from Washington DC.

It, was, prime, time, hours. Quietly, sitting, in, their, car, in, the, mall parking lot, newlyweds Crystal and Robert Manie. Crystal is a devoted mom to one child with Robert and one on the way. She also has two children from a previous relationship with a man named Richard Conway, a respected cop who had majority custody of the children. The dad and his kids live with grandma who watched the children when her son worked. He had what? 10 days on, 4 days off.

Correct. That's, a, lot, of, custody, for, two, young children to go to a father.

Yeah., Richard, was, the, primary, residence. On that fateful day, Crystal and Robert are waiting in the parking lot to pick up her kids as part of the custody deal with her ax.

They're, sitting, there., It's, about, 5:45. The meeting place and the time is 6:00. And it's been that for I don't know, a year and a half, however long the first um visitation schedule was set up

but, the, children, never, arrive., And, all hell is about to break loose. Suddenly, bullets are flying through the crowded parking lot. Frantic people run for safety, but Robert and Crystal are sitting ducks.

One, woman, saw, their, shooter, shoot Robert, come around the car, shoot Crystal, and then return and shoot Robert again while he's on the ground and then walk away.

Were, they, the, targets, of, an, attempted carjacking, an armed robbery, or was this something far more personal?

This, is, a, like, a, mad, gunman, running around. Yeah., From, the, witness's, accounts,, it seemed very calculated.

Crystal, and, Robert, are, blindsided, when the craze shooter suddenly jumps in the back seat.

At, that, point,, Robert, and, Crystal, look at each other. They have this silent communication that one of them is going to go for this gun.

This, is, within, a, matter, of, seconds. Yes. But, Robert, can't, get, to, the, gun, before the shooter in the back seat opens fire. Robert goes out the driver's side door and falls to the pavement. He doesn't move., Looks, like, he, was, hit, at least, one time while he was in the car getting out of the car.

The, attacker, jumps, out, of, the, car, stands directly over Robert like an assassin, pumping bullets into his chest, then coldly walks around to the passenger side, and shoots his pregnant wife, Crystal, in the stomach.

She's, hiding,, cowering, on, the, other side. finds her, shoots at her two or three times, hits her I think one time.

Looking, across, at, her, husband, from, under the jeep, Crystal could see he was fading away.

I, mean,, this, is, a, woman, who's, 7, months pregnant. I, can't, imagine, her, somebody, going through that. She was literally laying on one side of it was a jeep where she got shot. Robert, who was basically executed on the other side of the jeep he's just laying there. Emergency crews arrive and desperately try to save Robert. Tragically, it's too late.

The, emergency, medical, folks, worked, and worked and worked, but from the very moment that he was there, they didn't have a pulse or a or a heartbeat, but they worked on trying to bring him back for about 10 or 15 minutes. Robert died not knowing if his wife and unborn child were still alive. The shooter flees, leaving behind death destruction, but also an unexpected eyewitness.

She, identified, the, shooter, as, she, was being taken to the hospital. That, eyewitness,, Crystal., Miraculously, both she and her unborn baby survived after Crystal took a bullet to the belly. And the young mom knows exactly who shot them.

She, was, obviously, rushed, to, the, hospital as quickly as possible. Correct.,, and, and, she, even identified her shooter to police officers who arrived at scene.

So,, who, does, Crystal, say, shot, her? She, says,, "It's, my, ex's, mom,, Caroline Conway. She's the one who shot me."

That's, right., The, shooter, is, her, ex mother-in-law, Caroline Conway. But why would Caroline, a seemingly sweet grandmother, want to rub out the mother of her own grandchildren? There was some inexplicable obsession on the part of Caroline Conway. She wanted those children with her.

Cops, are, about, to, learn, Caroline Conway's son is their brother in blue an officer of the law. Did she use a service weapon? Coming up, our exclusive interview with Caroline Conway from behind bars? The big question, what [snorts] on earth would drive a grandmother to shoot her pregnant exotherin-law and new husband? A shooting in a parking lot has left one man dead. His pregnant wife has also been shot in the stomach, but somehow survives. And on her way to the hospital, she's able to whisper the name of the person who pulled the trigger.

It's a shocker. Let's head back to Michelle Sagona in Maryland with the details.

An, ambush, unfolds, in, a, mall, parking, lot. A crazed gun toading killer seems to be on the loose.

People, are, terrified., They're, fleeing. But this is no random shooting. The targets are newlyweds Crystal and Robert Manie. The attacker assassinates Robert shooting him several times in the chest then pumps a bullet into Crystal's belly, who's carrying a baby.

She, was, shot, 7, months, pregnant, in, her abdomen member. Tragically,, Robert, died, at, the, scene, but Crystal and her unborn baby survive. As paramedics take her to the hospital Crystal identifies the coldblooded killer, and it's a shocker. The shooter is Crystal's ex-mother-in-law, Caroline Conway.

Crystal, lived, with, her, for, a, couple, of years, so she obviously knows who it is and knows the voice and everything.

Uninjured, and, hysterical,, Crystal, is also able to give investigators even more, like the address where the 53-year-old grandmother lives along with her son, a patrol officer with the Prince George's County Police Department.

Sheriff's, office, went, directly, to, the house and they set up a perimeter. They, had, the, emergency, services, team, which is basically a SWAT team. They were uh geared up and at the Conway's house,

but, when, they, descend, on, the, house, Caroline is nowhere to be found, and neither is her son, Richard.

So,, there, was, an, allout, search, to, find this mother and son. Correct. What, cops, do, soon, locate, is, this surveillance video from near the mall parking lot in the moments after the murder spree. It shows the grandma casually walking away from the terror zone.

She, crosses, that, highway., She, crosses right at a a Dunkin Donuts and gas station.

And, at, this, point,, Grandma's, getaway plan takes action. Investigators say there is video of her son Richard circling the parking lot. Cops claim Caroline seen here moments after the shootings. Calls him from a burner phone, a prepaid thrownway phone that can be difficult for police to trace. She uses it to tell Richard to pick her up. From there, they go to the house of some family friends, the Gales. there. Police say Caroline changes her shirt.

So,, Richard, receives these phone calls picks, up, his, mother. They, go, to, um, the, Gail's, house., It's, a family about 15 20 minutes away. She takes a shirt from their house and puts that shirt on, which I believe it was yellow.

But, the, quick, change, would, soon, become attempted buried evidence. Richard, uh, is, seen, putting, the, gun, and clothes in a trash bag. You can't necessarily make out a gun on the video but the gales tell you that's what was there.

Did, they, confide, in, the, gales? Caroline,, when, she, got, there,, first thing out of her mouth was, "I shot him. I shot them both."

She, said, that, to, a, mom, and, they, have, no, idea, what, she's, talking about.

That's, what, they, said., Yeah., And, she said she shot him. Investigators, find, more, damning surveillance video. Here, Caroline can be seen wearing what looks like a yellow shirt, getting into a car with her son and two kids. Detectives say after leaving the Gail's house, they head to Lla, the next location in the duo's twisted plan.

Where, were, they? They, were, attempting, to, live, out, the alibi that uh Caroline had set up for them,

which, was when, Caroline, got, into, the, car, and, put them put Crystal at gunpoint. She forced her to call Richard to change the custody drop off to 7:30 at the LLA courthouse, which was, you know, hours after she was supposed to meet at the McDonald's.

Caroline, and, Richard, thought, their, ruse was airtight. The plan to meet Crystal at the courthouse as if they didn't know she was dead. But there's one small hitch.

They, don't, know, that, Crystal, is, alive. They just don't know. So, uh, they can say that Caroline didn't make it to the McDonald's. The phone records would show that she didn't go over to the McDonald's, but Crystal Mains is alive. She can identify her.

But, for, some, reason,, they, never, make, it to the courthouse where the handover for the kids was supposed to take place and go to a Target store instead.

Where, did, she, go, in, in, the, Target? They, just, went, into, the, bathroom,, then left and went home.

But, home, sweet, home, is, anything, but. It's now swarming with cops. The neighborhood completely cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape.

When, they, arrived,, they, were, in, the crowd of onlookers. So, the police have blocked off this section of the street.

Richard, and, his, mom, join, the neighborhood onlookers trying to blend in, acting like they have no idea what's going on. But while standing in the crowd, Richard gets a call from his supervisors. They want to talk to him. There's a problem.

There's, a, problem., He's, been, getting calls and texts and he's been ignoring them. He finally answers the phone and the officer says, "Where are you?" He goes, "Why?" He goes, "Charles County Sheriff's Office needs to talk to you." But Richard finally goes ahead and goes over to the sheriff's officer and says "Hey, I'm Richard Conway. I'm told I need to make contact with you." They ask him, "Uh, where's your mother?" And he says, "Oh, she's right over there." And she's standing over there in the crowd as well, just standing there

as, if, she, were, like, waiting, to, get, to her home as if nothing was happening.

But, something, was, definitely, happening. Caroline is immediately arrested on the spot and Richard is brought in for questioning.

Is, he, cooperative? Yes., Yes. At, the, police, station,, both, Caroline, and Richard sing like birds, talking for hours to detectives, even without a lawyer present. Why as a police officer would you do that?

I, guess, he, was, trying, to, clear, his, name. Um, you know, he he thought he could talk his way out of it.

What, about, Caroline, Conway?, Is, she cooperative? To, a, certain, certain, degree., I, mean,, if by cooperative he meant that she gave a statement. Yeah, she gave a statement. They tell the same story at first. The same story of with the kids driving around looking at homes. That's that's what they're saying that the time frame was. and that the call um the call from Crystal that changed the location place. See that's

so, they, say, they, were, out, just, driving around driving, around, looking, at, houses

but, cops, weren't, buying, her, story, and investigators had enough evidence to hold Caroline in jail charging her with firstdegree murder. Richard was released, but it wasn't long before Prince George's County police came back knocking on his door, cuffing him after they received a phone call and video from the Conway's friends.

Two, old, family, friends, came, forward, and told police that the Conways had actually come by their house after the shooting. They're captured on home surveillance video and they're both seen handling a white trash bag. And the man who owned the house, he said that he saw a gun in there. Now, son and mother face murder charges.

She, says,, "I, have, amnesia." Yeah. And, an, eyewitness, who, they, thought, was dead is very much alive. Next, from behind bars, Caroline Conway tells her story exclusively to Crime Watch Daily.

I'm, the, closest, thing, they, have., Me, and them did everything together. Like if I was raising my own children.

And, just, wait, till, you, hear, why, she wanted her exother. Do, you, remember, pulling, the, trigger? What would cause grandmother Caroline Conway to snap? Well, today she says she has a good reason why she opened fire on the mother of her grandchild and her new husband. Once again, here's Michelle Sagona.

Chris,, today, in, a, Crime, Watch, Daily exclusive, Caroline Conway is breaking her silence to me from behind bars for the very first time about her case. A young mother, Crystal Mani, and her husband, Robert, are gunned down in a busy parking lot in broad daylight. Unbelievably, the shooter is Crystal's own exmother-in-law.

We're, here, today, in, the, Charles, County Detention Center. You have agreed to sit down with Crime Watch Daily to tell your side of the story. Why is this important to you?

Because, I, need, people, to, know, what happened. The truth. Now, in an exclusive jail house interview, that shooter, Caroline Conway, is talking publicly about that terrible day for the first time.

So,, as, far, as, the, actual, shooting,, do you take responsibility for that? I, know, they, said, it, happened, and, I, know the evidence says that I did it but I don't remember it.

And, so,, you're, saying, to, me, here, today, you do not remember? No,, ma'am., I, do, not.

She, doesn't, remember., This, is, the, same woman who used a burner phone and arranged for a pickup with her son just moments after shooting her ex-daughter-in-law and her new husband.

Let's, be, real, for, just, a, second, here, okay? I mean, there's no question. There's no question in anybody's mind that Caroline Conway jumped in that jeep and end up shooting those two people. There's none.

But, Conway's, attorneys, say, there's, no way anyone in their right mind would have designed such a flawed murder blueprint. This is not the not the mind of a sane person at all that would literally think not only could you commit a shooting in broad daylight with no mask on, but that you would walk away from it afterwards.

She, claims, the, shooting, is, a, blur,, but Caroline Conway is crystal clear on what triggered her murderous rage, and it's a shocker.

We, believe, your, grandchildren, are, still in trouble today. I believe they're with their molesters still today. Yes.

Yes,, you, heard, her, right., Caroline Conway is now claiming she thought her grandchildren were molested while staying at their mother's home.

You, believe, that?, Why?, Because, my grandson told me and we have evidence. Crime, Watch, Daily, reached, out, to, the Virginia Department of Social Services and they issued this statement in part. The only circumstances under which VDSS would be able to share information around an investigation would be in the case of a child fatality. We do not have records of any of those individuals being investigated under that particular criteria. But prosecutors take it one step further claiming the grandmother was grasping for straws, looking for a defense.

Evidence, shows, what? Well,, the, evidence, shows, there's, no abuse. The charges that were were level the allegations were found to be what they call unfounded. She just kept ratching up, ratching it up. I'll say this, see if this works. I'll say something worse. See if that works. I'll say something even worse and see if that works.

But, Conway, insists, a, friend, of, Robert and Crystal, a man named Montana nicknamed Tana, was sexually abusing the children, even though she had no evidence to prove it.

My, grandson was showing signs of being molested and he started telling me things.

He, confided, in, her, more, than, anybody else. So when he told her Caroline yaya to him, he says yaya these things are happening to me. She believed him.

Caroline, also, claimed, that, when, her grandchildren returned from their mother's house, they were filthy and showed signs of neglect.

Then, Gracie, came, back, with, like, blood stained pampers. Blood, stained, pampers., Raw, Pampers., Like it was all raw. Like I don't know. It was just really bad. When we took it to the doctor, he was like, "It could be a bad rash."

In, fact,, Caroline's, lawyer, claims, one, of the reasons she snapped came when grandma was flooded with her own bad memories.

This, crime,, and, as, far, as, I'm, concerned, goes back years and years and years some 50 years to when she was a small child.

Defense, attorney, James, Farmer, says Caroline claims she was the victim of horrible sex crimes as a child. When Caroline was 2 years old, some friends would sexually abuse and rape Caroline. It's something that she has suppressed. She had suppressed for decades. That did not come up even in her 20, 30-year relationship with her husband.

Did, Caroline, Conway, ever, admit, to actually pulling the trigger? She, did, not., Because, of, her psychological disorders, she does not have a concrete memory. and not remembering what happened is just one defense Conway's attorney took to the jurors. Both Caroline and Richard Conway face separate trials on murder charges.

She, does, not, remember, squeezing, the trigger. The, prosecution, says, memory, loss, is, a crackpot theory and that Caroline and her son simply wanted Crystal out of the picture so they could have full custody.

They, can, come, up, with, any, other, motive that they want to, but that was the real motive behind this. They wanted the children with them all the time.

Exactly. In, court,, attorneys, picked, apart, the case like crows. The defense honed in on text messages between Crystal and Montana. They say the text show Montana lived in the home with the couple and therefore had access to the kids.

And, so,, and, this, child,, this, young, child alleges that Montana was in fact the person who may have been allegedly touching him.

That's, right. The state investigation never found any sexual abuse in Crystal's home, and Montana was totally cleared. The prosecution argued they could point to premeditated murder. First, the burner phone that Caroline used to call her son after the shooting was purchased about a month before the incident.

Richard, got, a, young, man, at, 16,, 17, years old, I think he was at the time. He gave him some ridiculous story about uh he needed a burner phone because as a police officer he was working this huge narcotics case with some New Yorkers and he didn't want to use his own phone and Richard drove him over to the Walmart and sent the kid in there with cash. He got the phone, brought it back out, gave it to Richard and that was that. And that was the phone that Caroline used as she's walking away from the scene to call Richard twice um in order to pick her up.

Those, phone, records, match., Absolutely. Also, under, the, microscope,, damning surveillance tape.

How, important, were, all, the, video elements in this case for you? Oh,, they're, critical., Um,, one,, you, know, video corroborates people's testimony and Crystal's testimony was corroborated. It's the video from the Gail's house. It's extremely important. Remember, the Gales were the Conway's friends who gave detective surveillance footage showing Richard trying to discard the weapon used in the shooting into a white trash bag. And in a dramatic courtroom moment, Caroline took the stand in her own defense.

She, explained, what, she, could, recall, of of the day and what was going on with the children.

But, the, jury, didn't, buy, the, long, list, of defenses. After a two-e trial, Grandma Conway was found guilty on firstdegree murder. her son Richard also guilty. Both will spend the rest of their lives behind bars.

Will, she, ever, see, the, light, of, day? I, believe, that, everybody, who's, convicted by jury um of first-degree murder should stay in jail for the rest of their life um because they have taken somebody from this planet and you cannot bring them back ever.

And, from, behind, bars,, Grandma, Conway still adamantly stands by her story that her grandchildren were in grave danger. She's determined to keep fighting. Do you in your heart really honestly believe your grandchild or grandchildren were touched inappropriately?

Yes,, I, do., They, told, me, they, heard, her, but nobody listened. Up, next,, the, man, Caroline, Conway, accuses comes forward to set the record straight and fires some shots of his own.

Did,, anything, ever, inappropriate happen? It's, been, dubbed, a, custody, dispute, on steroids. one that would involve accusations of sexual abuse, a sheriff's deputy, and a grandma with a gun. Our Michelle Sagona is in Maryland now with more of our exclusive investigation.

Caroline, Conway, and, her, son, Richard, are sitting behind bars, both convicted of murder after Caroline coldbloodedly shot her exother parking lot. all over our custody battle and allegations of sexual abuse.

My, grandson was showing signs of being molested and he started telling me things. He said to her things of a sexual nature when they were bathing him

after, hearing, the, stories, are, horrified Caroline sent her grandson to a therapist. One day therapist goes through bad touch, good touch, confusing touch, your private area, and it says at mama's house. I'll be hurt if I tell.

The, therapist, reported, the, alleged, abuse to the Virginia Department of Social Services, who did not find evidence to support the claim.

I, need, to, know, here, specifically, what your grandson told you about what he said was happening to him. He said that they made him go into the bathroom, sit in the tub with no water in them. He said cuz Robert and Montana would come in there naked and make them touch them and they would rub themselves on them.

Montana,, the, friend, of, Crystal, and Robert was never called to testify in court. Both he and Crystal were totally cleared of any wrongdoing by the Department of Social Services. But Montana came to us to set the record straight once and for all, claiming that he never touched either of Crystal's children, and he's appalled by the allegations.

Why, do, you, think, Caroline, Conway, said these things about you? Uh, they, were, grasping, at, straws, cuz, they knew, that, they, were, going to, be, losing the uh

child, custody, case, and, they, thought, that if they had accused Crystal, Robert, and I of sexually assaulting the children then they'd be a slam dunk. No one would really look into it much.

We, asked, Montana,, a, former, naval officer, whether he lived with Crystal and Robert, a big point of contention in court, which would suggest he had access to the kids.

And, so,, would, you, classify, yourself, as, a roommate? [sighs] It's, hard, to, distinguish, simply, because I had my own place. Uh, I lived on base in what's called PPB. Um

some, would, say,, well,, why, are, you spending so much time over there? because uh Rob was my best friend in the Navy. Um we shared everything. Um we spent a lot of time when we were out to sea together.

But, as, far, as, spending, time, with, the children, you definitely did that. Mhm.

By, yourself, and,, with, them with, them, the, majority, of, the, time. Every now and then, you know, it'd be a hey, we're running to the store or something. Can you keep an eye on the kids? Yeah.

During, that, time,, did, anything, ever inappropriate happen? No,, never., I, would.

Did, you, ever, give, the, children, a, bath without water? God,, no. Anything, else, that, they, are, claiming?

No. That, you, did? No., I, would, I, would, never, lay, a, hand, on a child like that. That is that is ridiculous. I've never touched the children in any way, shape, or form like that. I I hate people like that. And like it just fills me with rage knowing that somebody would go that far to try to ruin someone else's life. Montana recalls the moment he heard the devastating news that his best friend Robert was killed.

My, friend, was, gone, and, there's, nothing that I could do to bring him back and [sighs] sorry. Um

it's, okay. [sighs and gasps] And, uh, I, just, I, lost, it. And, Montana, says, he, wishes, he, had, the chance to confront the Conways face to face. Did you want to testify?

I, wanted, to, look, the, people, in, the, eye that had took one of my best friends away from me and let them know that what they did was wrong and that they they didn't need to take it that far. And I wanted to make sure that they had the book thrown at them.

Since, the, sentencing,, Crystal, moved, to Florida with the kids, leaving Caroline's daughters, who want to remain anonymous, to pick up the pieces. Are you angry with your mom a little?

I, don't, want, to, say, angry,, more, upset, or and disappointed because it's like you almost took that from us and our families. Um, what are we supposed to say when we have kids? And they ask about like and he asked about like grandma, you know, like that's not just like your life, it's like our lives and our family's lives.

And, even, though, the, book, is, now, closed on the dark tale of the Conways, the 53-year-old grandmother says she still can't remember pulling the trigger, but she will live with the consequences for the rest of her life.

My, family's, been, broken, up., They've, been torn apart through this whole situation. [snorts]

Do, you, have, for, that?, I, regret, that., I have I feel tremendous guilt for that [snorts] because it's wrong. But I honestly can't remember doing this.

Coming, up,, one, shot, to, the, head., Desiree was left to die. I, told, my, dad, that, I, am, tougher, than, a bullet.

But, the, teen, survived, and, cops, say, the violent and vicious attack was at the hands of two of her classmates with a shocking motive. I haven't seen anything like this case in the 18 years that I've worked for Cash Canada.

Next, as, we, travel, across, the, country, covering crime stories, we've certainly run across some pretty outrageous reasons why people commit crimes. Case in point the attempted murder of a young Utah girl. Just wait until you hear what the suspects say their alleged motive was.

They, were, teens., Two, 16-year-old, males were identified as significant people of interest who cops say snapped.

He, shot, her, in, the, back. I, haven't, seen, anything, like, this, case. It's, midFebruary, in, Smithfield,, Utah. There's a winter chill in the air and something else much colder. A conversation between two 16-year-old boys, Coulter Peterson and Jason Decker. One day [snorts] while they were playing video games, they talked about how easy it would be to just get rid of her.

Then, her, is, fellow, Sky, View, High, School student, 14-year-old Desiree Turner.

She, was, a, competitive, equestrian,, a, very thoughtful, responsible, sweet young woman and a good student. According to her parents and her teachers

but, to, her, classmates, Coulter, and, Jason, she's something else. Something worth killing for. Coulter tells his best friend Jason that he wishes he could get rid of her. According to courtroom testimony, Jason responds, quote, "Well you've got a 6-in blade. Why don't you do it yourself?"

The, original, plan, had, been, to, slit Desiree's throat. They had talked about how that would be quieter, but as a backup, Coulter did bring a gun with him. 2 days after Valentine's Day according to courtroom testimony, the plot is a plan. And that plan is in motion when Jason sends a text to Coulter which reads, "Let's get this done bro."

Cter, Peterson, asked, Desiree, to, meet, him at the canal. He was going to sell her a knife. So, she got there and Jason Decker was there as well, something that she was surprised about. The three high schoolers chat for a little bit and then Desiree receives a text from her mother asking her to hurry home. Desiree turns to walk away.

That's, when, Coulter, shot, her, in, the back. The, bullet, hits, Desiree, in, the, back, of the head and she falls to the ground. Then Jason removes the backpack from the girl's seemingly lifeless body for a heartless final act.

And, as, she, was, there, presumably, dying, the boys went through her backpack. They took her iPod. They took her phone. They took $55 in cash and uh they left her there.

Hours, pass, and, Desire's, parents, are panicked. They've been waiting for her since school let out and their daughter still hasn't come home. They file a missing person's report and take to Facebook asking for help.

The, community, went, out, and, started looking for Desire. It's a small community.

Finally,, just, before, 1:00,, a.m., two family friends find her laying face down in the field covered in blood where she was left to die. But as it turns out, the girl is still alive, even if just barely.

Desiree, is, currently, in, critical condition. She's in a medicalinduced coma, and she is in the fight of her life right now.

Meanwhile,, Smithfield, police, searched for the shooter. Investigators, have, served, multiple search wars and recovered key evidence.

Evidence, like, Desire's, phone, records from right before she was shot. Two 16-year-old males were identified as significant people of interest.

Cops, soon, tracked, down, Coulter, and, he admits to shooting Desiree and the motive as senseless as they come.

The, boys, became, annoyed, with, Desiree because she was contacting them consistently through social media.

According, to, courtroom, testimony, Coulter says, quote, "I just didn't want anything to do with Snapchatting her anymore." That's right. Coulter admits he snapped over Snapchat. But while he admits he was the trigger man, he claims Jason was the mastermind. At first Jason denies any involvement, but later changes his story after police make a damning discovery in his bedroom. The shell casing to the bullet used to shoot Desiree, which Coulter claims Jason asked to keep as a momento. I haven't seen anything like this case in the 18 years that I've worked for Cash County.

And, neither, has, the, judge,, who, later determines the 16-year-old boys will be tried as adults. Coulter Peterson's attorney reacting to the news that his client will be moving from the juvenile facility to an adult prison.

He, started, a, cooking, class., He's, getting his education. Um, he's really thriving in this environment. And now to take him out of that, I think it's a travesty.

Coulter, Peterson, and, Jason, Decker, face charges of aggravated attempted murder aggravated robbery, and obstructing justice. Coulter Peterson's trial will begin in the fall, and Jason Decker's trial is scheduled for January. Neither one of them has entered a plea. As for Desiree, she miraculously survives.

I, am, so, thankful, to, be, here, today, to, be alive. With the bullet still lodged in her head, Desiree puts on a brave face for the media, including our Fox 13 affiliate reporter, Dora Shidell.

In, all, the, pictures, we'd, seen, of, her, she had these long curly locks and her hair was short, uh, obviously due to her brain injury and all the surgery that she had had to have on her skull.

I, told, my, dad, that, I, am, tougher, than, a bullet. And, the, first, thing, this, teen, equestrian wants to do when she gets home, see her beloved horses. My favorite horse's name is Junior and I'm super excited to go see him and ride him again.

Unfortunately,, it, may, be, some, time before Desiree rides again. Dez, has, battled, for, her, life, and, the ability to do daily tasks. She still wages this battle and will for many years to come.

Desire's, physical, wounds, will, continue to heal over time, but the entire community is still trying to recover from the scars left by an act so senseless. I think what's been most shocking about this case is trying to figure out why. Why would these young boys do something so violent so cruel just because they were annoyed that she was messaging them through social, media?, I, don't, know if, we'll, ever truly understand why they did this.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Cop recruits his mother to shoot pregnant ex in custody battle"?

Chris Hansen (Host), Michelle Sagona (Guest), Caroline Conway (Guest), Richard Conway (Guest), Montana (Guest).

What is "Cop recruits his mother to shoot pregnant ex in custody battle" about?

In a shocking custody battle incident, a police officer conspires with his mother, a grandmother, to shoot his pregnant ex-girlfriend in a fast food parking lot, resulting in chaos as bystanders narrowly escape the gunfire. The scenario unfolds into a disturbing tale of obsession and violence, culminating in a jailhouse interview with the convicted shooter who reflects on the evidence against…

What is mentioned in this True Crime News episode?

10 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Caroline Conway, Crystal Manie, Richard Conway, Robert Manie, Desiree Turner, Michelle Sigona. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Cop recruits his mother to shoot pregnant ex in custody battle"?

The episode runs 36 min; the transcript is about 6,110 words in 162 timestamped sections.

More from True Crime News

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated January 24, 2026.