What Angelina Saw | Full Episode

neck an inch and a half or two and a half,

what

ever it was, you held the knife that cut your fiancee's artery and he bled to death, people would think well, you murdered him, my actions led to his death, they did, but I did not make the decision to take his life. I didn't want that to happen, but if it wasn't him, it would have been me. the terrain hear more from Angelina and learn more about the case on 48hours.com foreign Fernández's trial finally approached his legal team prepared his defense domestic violence or intimate partner violence was central to the entire case Mara Tansley was one of Fernandes' lawyers who prepared the nature of the relationship between these two people and I think raised questions about

what

happened that night Mr.

Wagner died, the trial had been delayed by procedural arguments and then the covid pandemic. Stephanie had spent those years in home custody with an ankle bracelet in June 2022, eight years after Andrew Wagner was murdered, Stephanie Fernandez's murder trial finally began Andrew Wagner's family was there his mother Melissa his father Tom and his sister Jillian Cristaldi declined our request for an interview surrounded by supporters they hoped that at the end of this trial Fernandes would be behind bars in his initial prosecutor's statement Terry McLaughlin said Stephanie Fernandez stabbed her fiancé Andrew Wagner in the neck, cut him an artery and killed him.

McLaughlin says Stephanie told different stories about what exactly happened that night, she said he was waving a gun around so she stabbed him and a neighbor. she said, "he hit me, so I hit him," and McLaughlin said Stephanie had angry outbursts and that she was the aggressor. Lead defense attorney Peter Ettenberg told the jury that Andrew Wagner was 189 pounds of rage and frustration and that he lunged violently at Stephanie and said, "I'm going to kill you Edinburgh says Stephanie thought she was going to be killed, so she acted to protect herself." We believe that when he grabbed her hands and went to headbutt her, he pulled and that stabbed the knife into her neck, but prosecutors presented to witnesses that Stephanie testified that he has a long history of violent outbursts.

Julianne Carcassinas, how many times did you see Miss Fernandez hit Mr. Wagner multiple times? Man, this is Daniel DeStefano, he was a friend of Wagner and a former police officer. He says he saw Fernandez hit Andy at a wedding reception. in 2010. Can you please tell the court that where Miss Fernandes hit Mr Wagner, she very accurately hit him in the face and head with a closed fist. Do you admit that you have sometimes hit men in your life? with a Closed Fist Punch Hit them no I hit them good yes I hit Andy once he hit me in the head I hit him back and Stephanie's ex fiancé Mike Laramie testified that he told the court that Stephanie He pointed a knife at him in his house.

This is the audio from Laramie. testimony suddenly I heard the sound of a knife coming out of the Butcher Block and I walked in and I couldn't die by her hand and there was another incident with the knife, she went to my dining room table and was going to carve I picked it up and I feared for my life. I grabbed the chair and I wasn't going to let her come near me with it and she stabbed the chair with it like three or four times after this happened, what if you did something? all the knives and I got rid of them the things that, like Mike Laramie, said, it's not true, you never came after Michael Laramie with a knife in your hand, I never did, you never damaged his furniture with a knife, no, I didn't.

I did. Tiffany's defense began, they called. an unusual witness my name is William perrow I'm a Worcester police sergeant the detective who interviewed her the night Andrew died the defense showed the jury that police video a video that prosecutors had decided not to show in that interview the Dog Detective points out Stephanie's bruises and they're not old bruises, I mean, they're new. The fact that there are new bruises on her is consistent with how she described Andrew Wagner grabbing her and approaching her. I don't know what else would be better to lay the groundwork for. that she was acting in self defense you have bruises on your face on your arm on your body I can see those things that prosecutors show but photos taken that night he says he sees a bruise on her arm but not on Stephanie's face and you see any injuries to the defendant's face in this photograph objection the judge overruled I do not see and see any injuries to the defendant's face in this photograph No prosecutors suggest that during that interview he may have been interpreting to Stephanie some of her questions or Comments are designed to make the person you are interviewing lower their guard or talk to you correctly to show empathy and relate to me.

You want him to start speaking properly. Yes, two people fought that night in 2014 and only one survived. The defense decided they had no choice but to put Stephanie on the stand with the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I hope you can do it. Her defense attorneys accompanied her in the hours before Andy's death. We tried to be on cement that morning. Yes, okay and it happened no, she says Andy got angry when she made fun of him. I made the comment when I got out of bed and went to the bathroom and he went in there and hit me a few times later that night with Angelina upstairs in the bed.

Stephanie. Andy says with a gun in his hand he attacked her he hit me in the head with a gun he strangled me and he wanted sex somehow we were on the ground and I was crying and I ended up running away and I ran screaming in a way like don't come close to me don't come close to me at me and he was yelling I'm going to kill you when I ran and I kept saying don't come near me don't come near me did I hear you when you said? that or he kept coming at you it happens so fast when I ran to the kitchen I grabbed a knife and held it and said I don't like to scream anyway all the time don't come near me don't come near me Andy um he ran up to me and said : give me the knife and he put his hand on my throat and grabbed my hand and once I got over and he did things I think they stabbed me I just stood there I was in shock I think I think they were both in the store after that Stephanie Fernández took the stand and told her version of the events.

Good afternoon, prosecutors took their turn to challenge her while Assistant Prosecutor Julianne Carcassinas focused on Stephanie's history with the man. You claim that she was a loyal woman, don't you? right right yeah, were you loyal to Andy when you cheated on him with Mike? Yes or no. I didn't cheat on him. Mike was Mike Laramie now on July 26, 2013. You were in Niagara Falls. He is a Democrat. Right, if you accept forty-four thousand dollars. Mr. Laramie's engagement ring while he was in that trailer, isn't that correct?, that's correct. I put it on my finger. Yes, do you commit to all your friends?

No, on Stephanie's second day on the stand, she can continue, the prosecutor tried to separate her from her. account of the day that Andy died, Miss Fernández, how many times did Andy strangle her that day, May 7, 2014, that day, yes, in the morning and on the night of the event, and then for how long did she strangle her that morning? I'm not sure I didn't tell it. I'm not sure it was fast and you didn't have marks on your neck. I don't remember Stephanie describing a struggle around the couch in the house that night, but the assistant prosecutor says the crime scene.

The pictures don't show any sign of the coffee table being in front of the couch and then yes, in our house, yes, and it's not out of the way, right. I can't tell with that couch and how close the couch and coffee are. The table is there but it doesn't seem crooked, it's not suicide or anything like that, how was he strangling you on the couch at one o'clock? It all happened so fast and Carcassinus tries to cast doubt on Fernandes' memories of the night so that you have no memory. of certain parts of that night is not so correct I would say it is correct like the time and things like that and finally Carcassinus questioned Stephanie's credibility, especially her claims that she had lived her life in fear of Andy Wagner, were you afraid of Andy Wagner when you told him he was stupid.

Yes, were you afraid of Mr. Wagner when you said to him: I hope a car falls on you? No, were you afraid of Mr. Wagner when you sent him a photo of you having sex with Michael Laramie? yes or no ma'am no no more questions wrong thank you okay both sides called domestic violence experts who interviewed Stephanie good morning members of the jury Carol ball testified for the defense saying that Andrew Wagner's increasing verbal threats and physical violence left Stephanie with PTSD, my opinion is that she experiences the symptoms of battered women syndrome, also known as intimate partner violence, that cycle repeats itself over and over again and prosecutors called their expert David Adams who concluded that Andrew, not Stephanie, was the victim of the abuse.

Actually, I didn't see any evidence that she was afraid of him. I think the case raises some interesting questions about what it means to be a victim. Stephanie is not a sympathetic victim, true, she is a flawed person and yet she is still a victim and still has the right to act in self-defense, it is much easier for us to understand someone as a victim of domestic violence where she gets a pass. perfect where there are no other anger issues or anything else, but that's not what we have, the defense believes this Ultimately the case will come down to whether jurors believe Stephanie intentionally murdered Andrew Wagner.

A medical examiner who testified couldn't say for sure, couldn't rule out the fact that it was an accident, and after 10 days of witnesses, the defense presented its closing arguments. He picked up a knife and said, Andy, get away, get away, he didn't do it this time for some reason, it was too much and the prosecution hasn't proven that this wasn't an accident and they haven't proven that it wasn't in itself. -the defense but the prosecution has not proven that Stephanie Fernández is a murderer the prosecutor Terry McLaughlin did not agree she is the aggressor she is the one with a bad temper she is the one with the mouth ladies and gentlemen I was suggesting that this It's premeditated first degree murder and she planned it she got up from the side or she took him from behind from behind she grabs a knife and stabs him when he's not looking or he's not ready for it with that argument the case would go to the germs Stephanie's decision to chat now with the 48 Hours team on Facebook and Twitter if convicted of first degree murder Stephanie Fernandes could face life in prison, but the question is: did you murder him?

No, it makes me nauseous just thinking about it, after nine. hours of deliberation, jurors reach their guilty verdict on a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter that carries the possibility of up to 20 years in prison. Shane Bernard and Gala bjeksha were part of the jury. I think they are both equally controlling and abusive towards each other. You know, I agree, I think they were both in this vicious cycle where they just couldn't stop, he was more of a physical abuser, while she was more of a psychological abuser. I think she didn't want to kill him, but she did as far as Fernandez was concerned.

Self-defense jury claims Gala Bjeksha believes Wagner made contact with the knife when Stephanie says she tried to headbutt him. The header was a huge piece for us. We deviate from the medical examiner's report that said the knife entered from the front. The angle was from the front and down and that she had actually made a stabbing motion to make her innocent, that in a sense was what ruled out self-defense before sentencing. Andrew Wagner's family was finally able to speak directly to the woman they believe murdered her son and My brother's name is Jillian Cristalde. I am Andrew's sister, my parents and I have waited to speak out to have a voice, to give my brother a voice and to get him the justice he deserves to clear his name of the blatant lies that have been. dumped by Stephanie Fernandes and Mouse her lawyer for over eight years.

When you look at Stephanie Fernandez, you are seeing the evil face of someone who does not consider her actions, who is incapable of love, and who has shown no remorse or guilt for killing my brother Andrew's mother, Melissa Wagner, took Andrew's life. joy and love of life, took away all of Andrew's family and friends, took away Andrew's dreams of having a family of his own, took away all of Andrew's money, took away Andrew's dignity and self-respect . and when he had nothing left to take, he took Andrew's life. I beg you for your judgment and I beg you.

I beg you. I beg you. Take away what matters most to him. Take away his freedom for as long as possible. Please, please, thank you. I realized that no sentence I impose in this case can be perfect. Justice James Reardon reminds everyone that Stephanie Fernandez was found guilty not of murder but of voluntary manslaughter. Ms. Fernandez is being sentenced for that conviction, not for her relationship with Andrew. Wagner or anyone else or because of her past life I sentenced Stephanie Fernández to a sentence of no more than 10 years and no less than eight years in state prison after all this, according to what you have said, Andrew hit you, strangled you , threatened you with agun, do you still have any kind of emotion for this man? some kind of love for this man.

I know. I know Bob. many people. I will always love him. Stephanie says that the night Andy died could have been avoided, maybe the night would have. It wouldn't have happened if I had given him help if I had given him therapy if I had given him therapy Angelina why did this happen because he was abusive and my mother was his victim but his family blames your mother so they are going to believe what I want to believe, I can't imagine the pain they are going through. I don't think they want to see her son die like that, so they're trying to blame my mom for all the harm she did to him.

Angelina is now. She is studying to be a forensic psychologist and hopes to work with victims in court and with children. Angelina says that she looks forward to the day when she can be reunited with her mother, when she gets out of jail she will be able to see them all. my successes and she will be able to see everything I have achieved. I want to fulfill all my dreams so my mom can experience happiness after Moriarty abroad and this is my life of crime. Listen to My Life Of Crime from 48 Hours. Wherever you get your podcasts, understand what the right choices are to make for you and your family