this prosecution was absurd no relevance as to how he did it and abslutly no explantion of why he would want to.
There's some truth in that, though of course at least one jury member is on record as saying he thought the defendant lied, though he was not on trial for that, but murder. He was also helped by the jury not being able to visit the alleged crime scene, and the defendant's history heretofore, strongly supported by his children, who took the stand in his defence.
However it's my belief that this was a pre-planned murder of a wife where the marriage had gone stale, of a man who had lived under his wife's shadow for 27 years and who wished to change direction, though knew as a Roman Catholic she would be reluctant to grant him a divorce. If only he could have a doormat as wife and not someone who was so smart, explaining the choice of spouse after her demise.
The route was carefully chosen, concealed amongst the Arcadian bliss of Cottonwood Creek, a spot which proved to be Leslie's graveyard. The girls weren't there of course that weekend,
because they may well have decided to accompany their parents on the hike, but Fred knew the habits of his son and that he wouldn't care to go.
There was a pretence of snapping photographs, Leslie looking all the more surprised after each one, and Fred with those trance-like eyes as he posed for pictures he knew were his defence, staged and manufactured. Whether he was prepared for a murder trial I very much doubt, but he had his story off pat, his emotions flat and rehearsed, there were indications of a scuffle by the cliff edge, yet no forensic evidence of her body ever having fallen onto the granite slab, as he more likely chased her down the ravine, overpowered her, held her underwater and positioned her body under the stationary log, there to be discovered, as he composed himself, fixed his dishevelled appearance as best he could and ran to the nearest neighbour to relate this well- rehearsed cock and bull story.
http://www.nbcnews.com/video/dateline/55297847
