Episode 2
Howell details his staged “suicide pact” as police probe Hazel’s complicity, coercion claims and the disturbing secrets that push the case toward its decisive appeal ruling.
Colin Howell calmly recounts the aftermath of the murders of Lesley Howell and Trevor Buchanan. Running along the picturesque sands of Castlerock beach at dawn, he enacts his plan to make the murders appear as a suicide pact. Howell calls the police asking about reported traffic accidents, concocting a story that he was alarmed by Lesley’s absence. He plays the concerned husband, informing church members that Lesley had left intoxicated the night before, even suggesting they check her father’s house.
As the churchgoers return home in their Sunday best, news of Lesley and Trevor’s deaths sends shockwaves through the community. Though initially ruled a suicide after a letter is found, some believe something isn’t right.
Police focus on Hazel Stewart’s complicity; how much she knew about the murder plans and whether she drugged her husband, informed Howell of his shift patterns and disposed of evidence.
In contrast, a reporter who interviewed Hazel in prison depicts her as gentle and soft-spoken, suggesting she wouldn’t be in prison if not for Howell. Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Duncan Harding examines evidence of coercion in their relationship.
Hazel tells the journalist her guilt led to thoughts of suicide which seemed like ‘the only way to escape’ Howell. She alleges his control over her was so absolute, she allowed him to drug her before sex. Howell was also drugging and sexually assaulting patients at his dental practice.
Howell ultimately confesses to his second wife Kyle, who convinces him that "the truth will set you free," though she has secrets too. As police investigate Howell’s life, they make a dark discovery on his laptop.
The court rules on Hazel Stewart’s request, the final avenue of appeal open to her.
