A Murder In The Family (True Crime Documentary) | Real Stories

On a hot night in 2002, a

murder

took place in this apartment in the Philippines. The victim was a British businessman. His death would transform the life of his mother. Only mother, you know what it feels like to lose a child. There is a part of your soul that it just goes off like that and it's full of pain and it eats at you all the time this is the woman that Margaret believes

murder

ed her son she is Stephens widow Evelyn I loved you they loved you your children loved it and look what happened Evelyn She is on trial in Manila.

She has always protested her innocence, but her mother-in-law has spent two years fighting to bring her to the stand. Life imprisonment is enough for me. I think it's too good. I hugged this girl. I have loved her, but she. She took my son and she destroyed everything that was good in this world, so everyone did it. No, she was my perfect husband to me anyway. I have my two children in six years in hell. He was my godfather. He was just a fun guy. very different a funny meaning humorous he told

real

ly bad jokes but then his smile or his smirk what would make it funny you want her to fly she won't hurt anyone and that's how he approached you were so gentle Steven grew up with two younger sisters in Nottingham , things changed when his father died.

Steven was only fourteen years old, he was quite a playful brother and then when my father had his accident and died, he became older, more responsible, a brother, you just want to take care of me. And taking care of the girls became easier when Anna and I started seeing each other and then Alan started taking on Steven's male role because I felt like Steven had missed out on a lot by trying to be a good guy for me. just click trill, which was

real

ly nice because before that life had been pretty tough at first. Lila, I remember thinking I wish he had been a little more taught and things you don't usually do nowadays, he was always so enthralled. his computer and that's what he was going to do with his life while Steven got his first job working on computers in Nottingham his future girlfriend Evelyn was growing up on the other side of the world jerem Samar is a remote island in the Philippines, you can only get there by ship there is no running water, electricity or sanitation I know but she is here she was a very good girl she was very well behaved when she was young she spent most of her time in the house it is about me and when her father She washed clothes and helped make matches to sell, she was very talkative even when she was little and when asked what job do you want when you grow up, she would say: "Oh, I want to be a bar girl so I can get married." An American, when Steven was 21, was offered an interesting job abroad.

A computer company promised to triple his salary if he left Nottingham to work in Hong Kong. I didn't call him as much because I felt that Steven was very skilled, very intelligent and could do a lot with his life he was a little naïve he grew up I think he grew up very close to his mother that may not have been the best thing that he hasn't been alone in a long time and I don't know I think Steve saw the evil around him Steven took up a new hobby, he joined a flying club in Angeles City in the Philippines, just two hours from Hong Kong, it's where a lot of professionals come to party .

He found himself surrounded by pretty women like women: he was cute. He's a big guy with blonde hair, you know, very white face, smile, good sense of humor, he made them laugh and women were attracted to him, like Stephen. Evelyn decided to leave home in search of new opportunities, but she was only 13 years old. I cried when she started working because she was very young but she said that she had to work because we were very poor. It is a two-day trip by boat and bus to the city of Angeles. It's where many young girls like Evelyn come to work.

Angelis is known as the sex capital of the Philippines. The bars here. They are the best opportunity for village girls to earn money and send it to their families. They often lie about their age to get a job in some bars, not this one. The girls are young, they are 12 years old. They have a pound a night to dance. at five pounds they have sex with a customer there is a higher rate their virgins are known as cherry girls the bar owner keeps a watchful eye he takes most of what the customers pay he doesn't know she was a little embarrassed at what she was doing she said she was forced to do it I said I would use drugs to help her cope the only way out for these girls is to get a rich boyfriend Evelyn was one of the lucky ones her dream of being rescued by a rich man The man was about to come

true

.

He said that he had met this girl and that she was at one of the bosses. I was naive at the time. I didn't know what I meant about the boss. You just think that the Pope, yes, and him. He was quite in love with her. Stephen fell in love with Evelyn the moment he saw her, took her out for the night and then paid the bar owner five hundred pounds so she would never have to return. He said that Steve was kind, handsome and not old, but apparently she understood that he was just young like her and also said that he had a lot of money.

Were you surprised when you found out you had bought a prostitute for the night? I was very disappointed, but you have to be there to understand, some of these girls I could have taken home with me, they are not really for sex, obviously, like mom, they are so pretty, so attractive and they don't deserve to do what they are doing, he says, if you can rescue them. Only one girl from the bar life says that's what I did. I rescued her from that life. You know, Evelyn Davis is on trial in the Philippines for murdering her British husband Stephen.

She claims that she is innocent, if I really think about it. now all I can do is why is he so nice he's so nice it was on a visit to Hong Kong that Margaret met her son's new girlfriend for the first time Evelyn was only 17 Steven was 10 years older you could tell by what fell in love with her um, she was quiet, she was polite, she was totally acceptable. Steven organized a special surprise for them. I'm convinced he only did it because she wanted to share part of her life with us and she bought a beautiful suit.

I think he paid something like that. 500 pounds this little white suit that she doesn't love, I don't forget that day that was the Coris River, I was kind of nervous, you know a little and yes, very happy, the ceremony was postponed because Evelyn couldn't read the vows that she had never been. to school. I just wondered if she knew what she was doing. There are so many

stories

about Western men marrying bar girls first and then marrying someone so young and from such a poor background, and I thought. There was harsh and questionable judgment on his part.

I feel like he felt very secure in that relationship with Evelyn because he was the provider, he pulled the purse strings, yeah, and he must have felt like, um, she wouldn't do it, she wouldn't do it. leave him because without him everyone would have had nothing Margaret and Alan were flattered to be invited to Steven and Evelyn's honeymoon they went to the tropical island of Puerto Galera Margaret was worried about what she saw he loved him with everything he had She does not We will not reciprocate that love, although each other will walk the path. Alistar takes my hand as we walk down the road while Steven tried to hold Evelyn's, but she shrugged her shoulder away from those little things moms sometimes noticed about Steven, tell me yes.

My mother-in-law, she doesn't want me to marry him. Stephen said everything: I love her and she is the one who is going to be killed and she will do it. Stephen's hopes came

true

first, Jessica was born, and then two years later, Joshua, the

family

. He moved from Hong Kong to Angeles City, that's where Evelyn had worked as a bar girl and for a pound a night she was now in a different world. They rented a house in the most expensive neighborhood. Stephen earned £60,000 a year as a computer technician. He gave Evelyn a monthly allowance of a thousand pounds, nothing was too good for her in fact he told her that her wife was lazy after having the children because she stayed in bed all day and the maid took care of it. of the kids. even an unemployed maid to do housework and she wouldn't do anything physically um I need to say she doesn't have to do anything mom she's my princess and I'm back we all did yoga Sam she wasn't the same.

She seemed to have that air of being rich and she always talked about money and somehow belittled her

family

members. It wasn't just Evelyn's life that she transformed. Life on the island changed dramatically for her parents as well. Steven sent them large quantities. With enough money to buy a fishing boat and build the only brick house in town, he would pay the fare to visit him and Evelyn in their new home, sometimes staying for several weeks when they were gone, the pillows would disappear or they liked it or the rice machine anything they could come and take water filter that doesn't get lost, yeah, and Evelyn would feel like it was okay because she would just tell Steven let's go buy more.

Margaret and Alan also visited her at least once a year, they always took their video camera and noticed that their daughter-in-law acted suspiciously every time they saw her, she was texting communicating with someone when she thought he was out. Within earshot, you could hear a giggle when I laugh, you said it was a boyfriend. Didn't you know she just bought a whole attitude towards us and Steven? She was very angry with Steven all the time. At that time Margaret Nellen were not the only ones who suspected that Evelyn was having an affair; her sister Gina had moved in two.

The workers are now me for the children. She confronted Evelyn about the rumors. She finally admitted that it was true that she had a lover and she told me that she and Steve were having problems. The man in question was a local security guard who earned only a thousand. pounds a year which was the same as Evelyn's monthly allowance his name was Arnold I adore I know, I know she had an affair with him that's right I don't know why she thanked me like that Steven was becoming more and more suspicious about his wife's behavior, yes, the money was disappearing he had given Evelyn the expenses for Jessica to go to a private daycare one day he decided to take his daughter there he himself was very embarrassed because Jesse was not even enrolled meri he had taken this little girl to school at lunch they don't even know who she was and the last thing she told me was that she was very wrong this time mom, she pawned a wedding ring, it's only in hindsight of the events that happened that she was actually buying things for her boyfriend we He found out that the rent when he bought her a motorcycle Stephen also started spending time away from his family with his single friends, they went out to the bars and clubs he used to go to before getting married.

I don't think Steve would have done it. an affair, I think he had a chance every once in a while, like I said, they didn't have any sexual relationship, so I think Steve would go somewhere else to satisfy that need. Stephen told Evelyn that he was away on business, in fact, he was staying at Mike's house where they brought the girls to the party. This was the last home video Stephen recorded weeks before his murder. Stephen still wanted his marriage to work. He gave Evelyn an ultimatum: she had to pay back the lost money and get a job or go to college, but nothing changed so he threatened her with divorce.

She was faced with going back to me and being a prostitute in a bar. She would be exactly where she was. five years before selling herself to strangers or living in poverty and returning to her province after being the Queen Steven decided to suspend Evelyn's assignment now that she could no longer support the large network of family and friends who depended on her. I remember telling her that she needed to be careful, you know, you know something these people are. crazy and he made a comment that I'll never forget, he made a comment about you know they wouldn't hurt him because he's the Golden Goose, you see and I remember telling him you forget the moral of the story is that they killed the Golden Goose and I think we just laughed and we had another beer Margaret and Alan will always remember their last holiday with Stephen and his family my anger at Evelyn she let me say goodbye to Stephen that day knowing we wouldn't see him again this is how the goodbyes were it wasn't like in the past it was one last goodbye session she was there she knew she knew it and let him smile after the prostitutes and say goodbye to us, she knew it On July 18, 2002, Margaret received the news that all mothers dread that particular morning .

Anna and I were here alone and Anna was gardening and then I got a phone call from Mike, it was like I heard it and if I didn't say it, it wasn't true and they just told me know-it-all, Lee, he can't be dead, no Steven that night. Steven and Mike had stayed in Manila in their business apartment. Mike woke up to three men breaking down. In one he pointed a gun at her head and said: is that him? When they told him no, he went into the room where Stephen was sleeping. At that moment I heard a scream and three or four shots, they were simultaneous.

There was Steve Schill, he was screaming. Hey. or something like that, but at the same time there were thesegunshots, then I heard running down the stairs so I went to Steve's room, I saw him lying there, I checked for a pulse and there was none, so I went down the stairs and went to the neighbors and called the police and then I told them out loud one of the neighbors, in fact, I just turned around and said he killed him. I meant Evelyn, there was no evidence linking it to Evelyn, it was pure suspicion when I told Mike it was just a good reaction, does it have anything to do with Evelyn?

I couldn't see it. I know she was arrogant and ignorant and all the other things I learned she was a murderer. I couldn't see it. As soon as Margaret found out about her son Stephen's murder, she flew to the Philippines to the funeral home. She thought her widow Evelyn was acting suspiciously. Evelyn was sitting on the left when we entered. and she didn't get up and we went to her coffin in Stevens Evelyn never came to us she seemed upset no, not at all, not at all, not at all, not sort of those girls, I know whatever that time they saw me like when he was alone asleep he's here he's like any victim in this same office you don't know anything he came to me and I wanted to come sir they were Stephen and she told me young man how do we see Mike this before we address this Stephen was lying there dead in front of us, what? have you seen Mike?

So I said no, I hadn't seen anyone and I should, if the guys were in the room for 20 minutes, surely he would recognize them and she was just trying to fill me in on Mike and that's when my notebook. came out and in every interaction we had I knew that the police investigation was moving very slowly. His first theory was that someone connected to Stephen's company might have killed him. We start in his office, which is a few blocks from the event at the department. the employees claim that the victim is a very good employer they don't think of anyone who would do that you are really faced with a blank wall the day Margaret took matters into her own hands she wasn't going to return to the UK until she had reached the truth about the murder of Stephens hired his own private investigator a former police officer who does not want to be identified is crying and gives me a hug crying on my shoulder and saying oh please help solve my son Margaret's case The investigator brought carried out 24-hour surveillance on Evelyn.

There were two men who regularly visited her house. One was Evelyn's lover and the other was her friend. Another security man. Margaret passed this on to the police, who called both men. Mike was able to identify them as two of the three men that broke into his apartment the night of the murder at one point they looked at me and I saw their eyes and those are the same eyes that I knew were going to shoot me, I was 100% sir, they were Both were arrested, but Margaret's campaign to hunt down Stephens' killers was putting her and Allan's lives at risk.

They warned him that they were in danger. The defendant's friends knew who they were. After two months, it was time to return home, but Margaret wasn't going to do it. leave the Philippines without some of Stephens her children she rented to take Jessica and Joshua home to live with her and Alan why did you decide it was the right thing to do to take them away from their mother because she was dangerous she didn't care about coffee Margaret convinced Evelyn to She would let Jessica stay with her for the weekend. A few days later, she left the Philippines for England with her three-year-old granddaughter.

She had not been able to find her grandson. She didn't want to leave Joshua. The hardest thing I did was leave the baby there without carrying him, so he left the passport with Joshua and we were actually on the plane, yeah, and at this point I have half of my list because I have Jessica, I have the passports . I have Stephens' ashes in my carry-on, we have two guys in jail and she was exhausted. Next on Margaret's list was that her grandson Joshua was staying with Evelyn's parents. Margaret sent her investigator to the island with an offer of 200 pounds to hand him over.

I cried I cried for the boy he was going away but I couldn't do anything because I don't have money for his studies whatever he wants to study it is better if he is with the other grandmother Margaret she has a lot of money there he can study and choose the course he wants and finishing her education two months after she fled the Philippines. Margaret met her grandson at Heathrow Airport. He was dressed in pyramid socks and a piece of paper. Grover's legs were cut off because they didn't fit properly. and a Brit ah, isn't that pay?

It was incredible, just hard, Stephen's son in my arms after all, so we would be. Evelyn has not seen her children since she has been living with Margaret and Alan for two years. I hope to be my daughter in fact when she and I will never see you again and we will say it again the love of my children I mean, now she knows that I love my children, she knows it and that my life hemostatic to my children in my hands when she knows that even though Margaret was on the other side of the world, she was determined to prove her daughter-in-law's guilt.

For two years, she worked every day and often into the night to obtain proof that she was a business expensive, he even had to pay gas money to the police. She spent fifty-five thousand pounds to interview all the witnesses, she wanted justice and I think she was enraged and Evelyn could kill her husband in cold blood and then behave the way she continued to behave, all for money, it was the relatives of Evelyn gave Margaret the breakthrough she needed while she was there, she and Alan had become friends, they kept in touch via text, that would be great for me.

I promised her that she would do everything she could to help her. She said thank you. I told him I understand why. We are both mothers, the family held the key to what happened to Stephen that night and this man was supposed to provide crucial evidence that he is stealing, but Evelyn's brother-in-law and Gina's husband had been acting suspiciously since the murder. when the police tried. to interrogate him he hid Evelyn's aunts knew where he was and Margaret convinced them to hand him over finally he admitted that he had been the third man on the night of the murder the truth finally came out that your father was what was around At 11 o'clock , when everything arrived and asked me to go, I didn't know where we were going, I got in the car and then we headed downtown.

Robin told police that Evelyn's lover, friend and Devlin then drove to the apartment where Mike and Stephen were staying, the three men got out of the car and went upstairs. Evelyn's lover was the one who fired the gun two shots and then two more. Evelyn sat in the car to act as a lookout. Evelyn told everyone that Stephen was a millionaire and that she would get all of Stephen's money where Stephen was dead Robin's confession meant that Evelyn's lover and his accomplice were convicted of murder both are serving life sentences Robin was released in exchange to provide evidence in February 2004 Evelyn was arrested and charged although she did not fire herself she can still be found guilty of murder the judge will decide if she planned Stephen's death with her lover Evelyn denies everything but there is strong evidence against her the men had a key to enter the apartment on the night of the murder Evelyn claims she was sleeping at home but a neighbor saw her return in the early hours of the morning.

There are 14 people testifying against Devlin but there is not a single witness to support his version of events. Nonya Ronnie Makati City Jail is where the prisoners are held. Evelyn has been here for seven months, the only visitor she has had is her father, the rest of her family have turned against her and have given evidence that they heard that she and her lover were planning to murder Stephen for his money in six months. weeks, the judge will announce his verdict the penalty for murder in the Philippines is life imprisonment or even execution by hanging it is a shame what has happened to him that has destroyed his life and he has let himself be led through a door I guess not I don't want to waste my energy hating her, I mean, she did what she did, she deals with it.

I feel the loss of a friend. Wow, what bothers me is knowing that I will not see him again and also for his children that I will not have that opportunity and I think that is the saddest thing because I loved his children, I was very proud of him. The most magical words. I leave my house with Jessica and she looks like that star up there, a beautiful star, and I say yes. my dad that's my dad you know he really got you Margaret's goal is in sight the judge is about to pronounce his verdict on Evelyn and Margaret is determined to be there it's been a very long journey it's been two and a half years now It's been a tough journey, a day in and day out journey and I just hope that some of you can take some resolve and focus on the kids and raising them and doing all the things that Steven would like us to do today. today, if we get a correct verdict, there will be a huge sigh of relief.

Evelyn is about to find out if she will be freed or convicted for murdering her husband Stevens, Margaret's mother and her partner Alan have waited two and a half years. Right now, with no family or friends to support her, the only person Evelyn can talk to is her lawyer. It was just an ending, Mr. Shawn a specific portion well for this court, I hereby declare Eviden Bohol Ethan a Wagon also known as Eviden Bilal Evelyn Ball Davis and Anita Ball Davis guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of murder qualified by treason without mitigating or aggravating circumstances and the sentence to suffer the penalty. of recklessness to life Evelyn has escaped the death penalty but has the maximum sentence of life imprisonment which means 40 years in prison without the possibility of early release in her case we are satisfied that they have given her the resolution that I do not understand There is no pleasure in watching my daughter-in-law go to prison and no matter what, I would never bring my son back, but there is no pleasure in watching everyone go to prison.

Margaret has one last task before she leaves, she is going to confront Evelyn with her.

crime

s and say goodbye get up Aaron get up and talk to the other Lin take off those glasses look at me your Christ Torch feeding your son Christ for you they were there mommy, no woman I was joking right while you're in the oven now you knew our tells st . Joseph, you know, dad, I have hockey, how can you convince me of that, no matter what happens with this p1, I don't know, you know that mom, I was completely Steve and everything that happened with a Steven with his, he said, I was there and I'm going to the hospital when I know we suffered for me and I was crying your boyfriend was your portion one hundred you will never get a higher iron and you will even have a relationship with him even if I die now I love saying no to your children look dear and look what happened Evelyn keep denying everything Margaret hoped she would confess but it's a disappointing lie I wish I had wished it were a lie Evelyn if it were different Evelyn I wish it were April I wish it was just you and the kids I brought you some pictures it's Jessica's crying mommy it's Joshua bless the house with the blue doors the house lived with Stephen this is Jessica mommy and Nana she is beautiful absolutely beautiful he is beautiful in general I don't even feel angry with you I'm just so sorry, I'm so sorry we had them there you will save some happy days for the family because he is with Your family sent you photos of them growing up, they will always know that they have a very beautiful mind and they will always be your children, only the courteous angels are always not going now, so don't get up and say goodbye to me, Evelyn, it's not okay, I'm coming, you got your wish, so that I am face to face with her, let's talk to her, that's what you wanted all along, so You have dear Evelyn, you are convicted in court for the murder of your husband Stephen with the help of Arnold or me, your boyfriend.

Nothing you say will convince me that you are innocent. She left you and the Philippines now and justice has been done. done and you will spend the next 40 years in jail you will be an old woman with a wasted life you had it all Stephen called you his princess and not much you are a very evil woman without thinking about the whip you have ruined and I heard that your family's sacrifice was worth it the pity the short time of the love of a door I took my son now I have yours and your daughter's one day you will come and ask why my way why you were so bad and you will leave us and murderous dad I will enjoy your children and we will spend happy moments and we will not think about you.

I will never forgive you or see you again. You are no longer my daughter. Margaret Mercy could still be alive in Bulawayo. My search begins again. this time without clues our tourist visas are running out and I don't have much time left desperate I look for the phone book but mercy it has one of the most common surnames in Zimbabwe hello looking