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From the Vault | Cassie Carli · Justice For

• speaker-0: Welcome to Justice 4, a true crime podcast hosted by two besties from Colorado. We're focused on bringing justice to the victims by telling their stories. New episodes release every single Tuesday, so make sure to hit that subscribe button and the follow button anywhere that you can find us and you'll get updates on all of our new episodes. speaker-1: Just a warning, this podcast does contain adult language and adult themes such as assault and abuse of varying forms, so please listen and watch with discretion. Every time domestic violence ends in tragedy, we all hear the same thing. Why didn't they leave? How could they allow that treatment? But what if they did leave and they followed all the steps of leaving an abuser properly, filing protection orders, going through the court and attorneys? They did everything they were supposed to, and it still wasn't enough. Would they s would they still say why would they allow themselves to be treated this way? Or would they be mad at the abuser for still terrorizing them? The unfortunate reality is that sometimes leaving your abuser isn't enough. And for one Florida mom, that was the case. speaker-0: Welcome back. I'm already upset. speaker-1: Welcome back to Justice 4. We're your hosts. I'm Jackie. And I've already ruined your day. Yeah. I would like to thank Trisha for suggesting this case. and she suggested through the case submission on the website. She did. speaker-0: And I'm Sam. So ⁓ Yay. She did. It was awesome. And it's not taking us fifty million years to get it to it. speaker-1: Well The thing was speaker-0: A recording schedule. speaker-1: And things kept happening. speaker-0: Bro, yeah. speaker-1: With the case. That case I was waiting for things to like find a spot and then I once I was like looking more into him, I like, ⁓ shit, I just have to do it. Well So speaker-0: Yes. We were gonna do this one together. We were. And then like literally up until this morning. And then she was like, ⁓ by the way, I'm gonna go over this. I'm like, Do you just wanna do all of it? And she's like, Okay speaker-1: This this was going to be something that was easy for us to both do. Yeah. But then I went through so many documents that I was like, ⁓ my god. speaker-0: This was a lot. Yes. So be ready. I did not do research on this case. So we are finding out together. I know a little bit. And because I read about it with the case submission. Yes. ⁓ but I don't know details. speaker-1: She knows a little 'cause I'm random. Because when y'all submit a case, our podcast liaison, aka my big sister, ⁓ she actually receives those and she will give us a little summary and give us some links to go with it so that we can kind of get an idea of what we're looking at. ⁓ so the more links and the more info you guys can send us with it is really helpful. ⁓ but I was really excited to get into this case just from the little description that I speaker-0: Yeah. I remember reading it and I was like, ⁓ my god, we have to do this soon. Yes. Yes. Appreciate you. I'm happy you're a listener. I miss you. I hope you're doing well. So speaker-1: So thank you so much, Trisha. Yes, this one's for you. Okay. We wanted to share the story of Cassie Carly with you today in hopes that it could help someone in a similar situation. Domestic violence is an epidemic in our country, and we talk so much about how to leave an abuser and how to recognize a toxic relationship. But what isn't talked about enough is what to do when you're still being terrorized by your abuser after speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: And Cassie did everything right, and it still went all wrong for her. The biggest piece of advice after leaving an abuser is to never be alone with them and to always meet in public places. And we're gonna have more info for you on that at the end of the episode and how Cassie is already making it safer for court ordered pickups. Even in a recent case as well. speaker-0: Mm-hmm. speaker-1: Another person who did everything right took a friend with her to pick up her kid, her and her friend both went missing. Bruh. It wasn't a public, safe place with recorded surveillance. Which is another part of this. It's just it's two cases recently that have had a similar outcome because not having a safe place to exchange custody of. speaker-0: But speaker-1: So it's a little different today. This isn't this is a story about someone who got out and it still wasn't enough instead of somebody who should have gotten out. speaker-0: I'm ready to fight. ⁓ speaker-1: ⁓ I'm I'm so ready to fight. speaker-0: I don't know anything and I'm I'm ready. So I don't know. speaker-1: Who is Cassie Carly? She was born on May eleventh, nineteen eighty-four, in Lafayette, Louisiana. And even though she moved to the panhandle of Florida at an early age, she still maintained her love for the Saints. She was a die hard Saints fan. This girl loved her football. And Yeah, I understand. And you know, Saint, not a bad team. speaker-0: I understand. I don't hate ⁓ speaker-1: But I don't root for ⁓ all the time. I rooted for ⁓ in like one Super Bowl. speaker-0: Well, yeah. Also, he's not with him anymore, but I was always a Drew Brees fan as well. ⁓ yes. Ugh, that man. ⁓ yes. So Cassie speaker-1: Absolutely loved Navarre, Florida, which is where she lived. She loved living by the beach. She called it her forever home when she got there, even at a young age, and she kept that. And after graduating Navarre High School in 2002, she went on to earn her bachelor's degree in business management. And her goal in life, personally and professionally, was to make an impact on the world and help others. Cassie was a natural-born leader with an outgoing spirit. And did I mention that she is Absolutely gorgeous. And her whole life was she absolutely gorgeous. Okay. Blonde hair, beautiful eyes, biggest smile, just you wanted to be friends with her. Nice. And she even won she was even crowned baby Miss Queen of Morgan City, Louisiana when she was a baby. Yes, she was a baby Miss Queen. Sure was that. ⁓ speaker-0: Like That's pressure. speaker-1: Everyone said that Cassie had an infectious laugh and was just a complete joy to be around. And Cassie was very close to her family. Her mom, her dad, her sister, just constantly texting. And they had this little family text sign-off that was loving you always, L-U-V-I-N. And they would abbreviate it to capital L-U-V. ⁓ and that's just what they would sign off their text messages with. And it just speaker-0: Mm-hmm. speaker-1: You know, it was a sign. It was them texting. And Cassie had always dreamed of being a mom. And after having an infertility issues in her first marriage, she kind of shelved those dreams. I could not find a lot of information on her first marriage and what happened. There is a post in Ego Fun Me, we'll talk about later, that she talks about the ending of that being one of the most traumatic times in her life. Okay. So I don't know if he passed away. I don't know if it was a toxic relationship. speaker-0: But do you know how y old she was? So this was speaker-1: She was in her thirties. 'Cause so she is thirty-seven when she goes missing. She's thirty she's thirty seven now. She's thirty five when she she's in her thirties when she has her daughter. And was in her twenties. It was a younger in her twenties. And so I didn't dig too far on that because he has nothing to do with this. There's yeah. I just wanted to put it out there that it was there and that's part of it. speaker-0: But the first marriage No need. Yeah. So speaker-1: She was just and she's kind of like shelved what? speaker-0: I just had a thought if I just I'm piecing together like infertility issues plus a tragic ending, maybe he had some type of terminal thing and that's why they couldn't bear children and that could be why she may possibly be widowed. We don't know. Yeah. But just speaker-1: Pasometric. Just especially. Yeah. I just didn't dig too far into that just because I didn't need to. Don't need to drag all those people into something that and it's not really ever it's the only place that that first marriage and that stuff is brought up is in personally from herself and a GoFundMe She makes at some point. So and so after that first marriage, she just kind of shelved those dreams of being a mom. She was just living her life and figuring out how to be single again. speaker-0: So she speaker-1: And it was around this time that Cassie met Marcus ⁓ Spanivello in July of 2017. And after a few months of dating, Cassie had been noticing some really big red flags in Marcus, but she just kind of pushed them aside. She's having fun, she's dating, you know, it's not a big deal right now. This isn't anything serious. But then she found out she was pregnant. And she knew Marcus was not the man to start a family with. But she was so desperate for her family that she went on with the pregnancy. And let me make it very clear. Cassie says over and over again, she never regretted having Sailor. Having Sailor was the best thing to ever happen to her. Having Sailor with Marcus was not a good decision. speaker-0: just saying you can have a baby and not have a man included. Yes. What a thought. Like I understand that it's like a financial shean Yeah. Like exhausting thing, but just like if you know it's gonna be what's best. Bye. speaker-1: Yes. And it's kind of you're predicting good. Gee. You're doing really good here. Gee. But the pregnancy had just made things worse and Marcus became more controlling and the relationship became even more toxic. And that's a story we hear time and time again. Pregnant women it's the most vulnerable time ever in a relationship. speaker-0: That's the leading cause of death in pregnant women. speaker-1: Is spouses murdering them. Yes. Yes. It is the leasing or murder murder. In generally it is the spouse. And Cassie didn't want her baby growing up in that kind of environment. And with the help of her friends and family, Cassie left him and she stayed away. She didn't she didn't go back. She didn't, ⁓ whatever. This back and forth that we hear so much. She's done. speaker-0: I don't know just spouse. It's just ⁓ Mm. Period. Wait. And that was before Sailor was born? Mm-hmm. Hell yeah. So she speaker-1: Yeah. She did it. She did what you're supposed to do. And according to Internet Warriors Everywhere, that's it. That's all you have to do and it's over, right? Like that's it. Simple. You get away and you're done. Right? Well, if it were that easy, you wouldn't be listening to us right now. And I wish I could tell you that it did get better for Cassie. And speaker-0: But it's that's a More people would have done it. speaker-1: But the point is is that everybody behind a keyboard says if you just leave it's fine. speaker-0: Yeah. They don't know what goes into it. speaker-1: No. And Cassie and and I wish got better. I do I wish I could tell you Cassie and Marcus go on to co-parent and raise a beautiful little girl together. Unfortunately it's not what happened. And Marcus was only beginning to show his true colors. Ugh! speaker-0: I could tell you. speaker-1: On July thirtieth, twenty eighteen, Cassie gave birth to her daughter Sailor. And Sailor. Mm-hmm. And Cassie loved, loved, loved being home. Yeah. Her and Sailor were constantly together. They were playing and t ⁓ just everything they did together, videos, outings, all of it. They just loved to be together. speaker-0: What did you just Jul July thirtieth? Two thousand eighteen. Nice. Hell yeah. Yeah. speaker-1: They used to walk around holding hands, singing the little song of just the two of us, just in their own little rhyme and their own little thing, just, you know, toddler and mom stuff. And unfortunately, though, three months after Sailor was born, an intense custody battle began. And I need everyone in this room and listening to buckle the fuck up. Because I was not even ready for the way this man used the court system to terrorize Cassie. speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: When I opened up this webpage, which will be linked below, which is absolutely beautiful, and I tell you like I can't even count the number of court documents we're gonna go through. I couldn't even put an estimate, and if I did, I put it around sixty plus. Easily. Yeah. So on Halloween of twenty eighteen, Cassie filed for a domestic violence injunction against Marcus. And the judge then granted her and three month old Sailor a temporary protection order until a court date on November ninth. And this was a really big deal because in order for all of that to happen, Cassie had to prove that her and Sailor's life was in imminent danger. But a week later, it was all dismissed because Cassie couldn't produce any more evidence that showed her life was still continuing to be in that imminent danger. speaker-0: Are you fucking kidding me? So which is speaker-1: pretty wild because if a week ago she wasn't safe enough, but now because she can't change but now she can't prove that Marcus is still putting their life in imminent danger, so it's fine now. March eighth of twenty nineteen. So we're gonna jump from four month October of twenty eighteen to March of twenty nineteen. Marcus filed a domestic violence injunction against Cassie's mom. He claimed that she was yelling at him and she had a gun. He also added that he's had access to Sailor this whole time, even though she lives with her mother and has no parenting plan figured out. But luckily the judge saw through all of his bullshit and he immediately shut it all down and denied it the same day. Good. Two months later, though, on May 7, 2019, just four days before Cassie's thirty fifth birthday. Marcus calls DCF to report Cassie for child abuse. Sailor is now nine months old, and Marcus alleges that Cassie had a medical marijuana card and is drinking excessively. He then claimed that Saylor has a bruise on her forehead that he didn't believe Cassie's story of Sailor getting the bruise while crawling, because to him, that's just unbelievable. speaker-0: At nine months old. speaker-1: At nine months old. Don't babies. No, they're crawling around that time. Walking. I mean, some babies can walk at nine months old, but this is the only child in the house, so it's not mimicking other babies. Nine months old is a crawling age. We're starting to pull up on stuff and like cruise furniture at that age. But we're not freely walking on our own. I it's speaker-0: Walk around that time. And also not that I crawl frequently, but I feel like I'm worried about where the hell my hands are going. ⁓ speaker-1: Shit. And also judge me away for this, but every single one of you parents has done this, and I know you have. Don't try to deny it. Listen. There's at least one to two times while you have a baby that you are walking through a doorway and you just their head straight into the doorframe. And you feel real bad. But it's happened to all of us, okay? So a bruise on the forehead is not that crazy because speaker-0: My mama. speaker-1: Furniture cruising, walking through doors, any of that I get it. speaker-0: Shit happens, dude. It does. speaker-1: And but it's just wild because he's all that's just unbelievable. That just can't happen. Babies can't get bruises when they're crawling. So this is like this is a ridiculous story. and two weeks after that ⁓ call for the bruise the DCF report about Cassie, Marcus made ⁓ so two weeks after he made that phone call, he filed a petition for paternity determination and other relief. speaker-0: Okay. Just a little too speaker-1: Basically, he was asking for full custody of Sailor. And the paternity determination is something that is done early on in custody cases because you have to determine paternity in order to prove that going forward and just makes it easier. There's just a lot with it. It's kind of stupid, but yeah, I get it. And so now I need to tell you what he claimed. And we're this is gonna go in two parts. speaker-0: So speaker-1: First, I'm going to give you the overall narrative that was written in the report by the DCF worker. The narrative is: Sailor lives with her mother and maternal grandmother. Grandma has a significant criminal background and had children removed from her custody in the past. Mom has a medical marijuana card. In addition to marijuana, mother also drinks excessively. Mother is often drunk at night while Sailor is in her care. Mother sometimes drives while intoxicated and sailor is in the vehicle with her. Mother has a history of the D of D. speaker-0: Mm-hmm. speaker-1: Has a history of DUIs. Sailor has sig has a significant bruise on her forehead at this time, and mother stated that Sailor sustained the bruise while she was crawling. These are concerns that this may not be the actual cause of the bruise. So DCF took what he was telling them and put the general narrative broken down like that. Uh-huh. And that's the gist of his phone call and why he wants the temporary relief. speaker-0: Uh-huh. Okay. speaker-1: This filing then goes on to state, and I am so sorry that this is a bit wordy, but it's worth it. I just want you to hear his audacity in its fullness. Shared parental responsibility would be detrimental to the minor child in this case. It would be in the best interest of the party's minor child for the court to award the father sole parental responsibility and majority timesharing of the minor child. With the mother having a safety focused timesharing plan designed to include safety measures, including supervised timesharing, to make sure the minor child is safe while on timesharing with the mother. In the event that the court awards shared potential responsibility, it is in the best interest of the minor child for the court to award father ultimate decision making for parenting decisions if the parties do not agree. Award the father majority timesharing of the minor child, and award a supervised safety focused timesharing plan. For the mother. If the father has incurred attorney fees and costs in this case, and the mother should be required to pay for the father's attorney fees and costs in this case. And my favorite word that used so much in all of these things, wherefore? The father respectfully requests that the court render a judgment adjudicating the petitioner as the father of the subject minor child, awarding the father sole parental responsibility of the minor child. in the alternative share shared parenting with father having ultimate decision making, awarding the father majority time of sharing of the minor child and requiring that the mother's time sharing be supervised at all time. And grant the father all further temporary and permanent relief consistent with the father's petition. speaker-0: What the fuck dude? That's a lot. speaker-1: Basically, he wants Cassie to be supervised in all of her visits, have no say in any parenting decisions, and he gets allowed to do everything and be everything. Hey. And she has to pay all of his ⁓ court attorney fees, even though he makes more money. But we're gonna get into that in a second. speaker-0: And she has to pay Bitch. So speaker-1: I want to mention that around the time of Marcus filing that, the Department of Revenue was addressing him paying child support. Okay. And so on May 29th, Cassie is served with court documents. And ⁓ in the state of Florida, you have 20 days to respond to court documents. And you have 45 days to disclose the mandatory documents. speaker-0: Mm. Yeah. speaker-1: For the hearing, whatever you're being brought for. It's very important that is gonna go a long way in here. Twenty days. Got it. But Marcus apparently thought Cassie was taking too long because a week later, a notice of production was sent to Cassie's job and another one to Cassie saying she had 15 days to produce all of her financials and health insurance documents. And on June 18th, 2019. speaker-0: Twenty days, forty five. speaker-1: Cassie gets an attorney and filed a counter petition that basically suggested, instead of all of Marcus's sole father, parenting, things like that, that the best interests for both of them to have shared responsibility. But Cassie having ultimate decision making on education, healthcare, and day to day needs. We have two cases going on. We have the custody case and then we have the child support department of revenue case. Yes. And we're gonna be bouncing back and forth between these two. speaker-0: Okay. I have a quick question. Yes. And if you are answering this later, just tell me to shut up. In one of the documents, you stated that her mother has had children removed from her before. Is this accurate? So I speaker-1: Tried to dig into that a little bit. Okay. And I couldn't really find a lot. speaker-0: So as we go through speaker-1: This Not to taint your guys' view on this, but Marcus doesn't says a lot of things to make himself look better. To he's very much a narcissistic he's very much trying a lot of sleight of hand of he will present him looking like a monster, but then he will also deflect onto Cassie's mom and try to make her look. So I do think that there might be a little bit of weight. speaker-0: Yes. Like a narcissist. ⁓ speaker-1: To Marcus's accusations against Cassie's mom because there is a moment where Cassie doesn't talk to her mom for an entire year, and Marcus tries to use the videos of Cassie's mom against her and sends to the attorney. So I'm not entirely sure, and I didn't overly dig on their relationship like that. Because her mom's background is her mom's background, and it really doesn't come into play for much of the other stuff. So I it if it if it would have come in more into play. speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: And it would've gotten bigger, I would have probably dug harder and would've been able to find stuff. Yeah. But speaker-0: So w w what I'm thinking is like he brought that information to a judge to begin with and he was like, No, fuck off. ⁓ And then DCF decided to write it probably because they didn't want to do their own research. Well, they didn't do their job. speaker-1: Yeah. So in where it was written with theirs, it was like his narrative that was the narrative that he was giving them. So they wanted it recorded because he said it. So I'm not entirely sure on that. It also could be she got kids removed when she her like her personal kids when they were younger. And so this is twenty years ago. speaker-0: I feel like Yeah. I'm just saying like if it wasn't brought up further, if there wasn't a further investigation, I'm assuming it has absolutely fucking nothing to do with that. speaker-1: Like when ⁓ Dante brought up Kelsey Shelling's dad being abusive. Yeah. You know? speaker-0: Yeah. And also with how close their family is with their group chats, things like that, I kinda doubt it. Like every once in a while you just stop talking to your parents for this or that reason. It happens. speaker-1: And who knows, her attorney could have suggested it because of how hard Marcus was going against her mom. Maybe. And Marcus and her mom dig not like each they would get into it. Why? ⁓ speaker-0: I can only imagine why. Yeah. So speaker-1: Because he has so the documents for her financials and the insurance, that is the Department of Revenue case. Okay. The custody case is where all of these parenting plans and all the other stuff is coming in. Okay. So we're gonna hop back into the custody type rental stuff. So on June eighteenth, twenty nineteen, Cassie gets an attorney and files a counter petition that suggested the what was in the best interest for Sailor and both of them as parents. And it was speaker-0: Captain. speaker-1: For them to have shared responsibility, but Cassie having ultimate decision making on education, healthcare, and day-to-day needs. ⁓ extracurriculars, mental health, all of that. And she wanted the majority of the time, which makes sense since Sailor has only ever been with her. Mm-hmm. And Marcus should pay child support, and she's gonna pay her attorney, even though she can't really afford it, but Marcus can afford it, so he should actually be pitching in a little bit here. Mm-hmm. And So you know, just a mom trying to co-parent in the best interests of the child. And on June 19th, there's so much that happens. Are we stuck? We are still in 2019. Okay. So Sailor's almost won. Mm-hmm. So on June 19th, Cassie's attorney files an objection to requests for production of documents, which was basically objecting Marcus wanting that financial info early. And speaker-0: This one nineteen. speaker-1: Two hours after that, ⁓ Marcus files an amended request for production of documents. And Marcus is like really trying to rush these financial documents, and there's a reason for that. So Marcus has a hearing with the Department of Revenue on July 10th, and Cassie doesn't have to have her financials in until July 15th, which means Marcus won't have all the financial info if he on Cassie on time, so that he doesn't have to pay as much child support in his mind. speaker-0: So he's trying to say she actually makes a lot more money than what she said. I wanna make sure of that so I don't have to pay more. Yes. So speaker-1: What does Marcus do next? He files an objection to the hearing with the Department of Revenue stating everything I just said above. But it didn't work for him and it wasn't granted. Okay. So on July 8th, so two days before his child support hearing, he files his financial documents for the child support hearing. And I don't know what he was thinking, but his numbers were all over the place. Not to mention he only lists one of his companies for his self-employment, which was Pin Air. ⁓ he didn't list his three D Visual Solutions company that he had registered in March of twenty seventeen. speaker-0: What a depth shot. He also like speaker-1: took his cars and something else and like listed their like brand new off the lot price instead of like what they were actually worth or what he owed on them. And so like, you know, just speaker-0: Wild. But that doesn't make sense. Like you think you would want to put that they are actually less, so you don't like ⁓ you've got this it's saying that he has more debt. speaker-1: Yeah, so that he doesn't have as much available money to use. speaker-0: I guess that makes a lot more sense. Ugh. But speaker-1: Luckily, a judge a judge saw right through him, and on july tenth, Marcus was ordered to pay eight hundred forty three dollars forty nine cents in child support a month. speaker-0: That's not that bad. Plus ⁓ speaker-1: $168.70 a month in retroactive child support until $5,552.42 was paid back as well. This came out to $1,012.19 a month. That was a massive hit to Marcus and probably pissed him right the fuck off. speaker-0: I've seen worse but I've also seen much better. speaker-1: So la go and pa power that with his narcissistic ass. speaker-0: What did this take place? Florida? ⁓ speaker-1: Florida I'm so sorry. I I'm so sorry. speaker-0: For your singing Florida? Yeah. We're doing I don't know exactly what the housing like what they pay down there. I don't know what economy looks like down there. I imagine speaker-1: Anyway, He doesn't have a rent or a mortgage. I'll get into that later. What speaker-0: shit bag. Never mind. So get there own and he owns two companies. And multiple cars. speaker-1: Supposedly supposedly. speaker-0: I have something that he can have completely for free. These fucking hands, you know what I'm saying? speaker-1: What? This Yes, I like that. I like that. He likes free so that works. Okay. speaker-0: So speaker-1: Now Marcus owes a fuckload of money every ⁓ month. That he owes a fuckload of money every month. It could be her rent if he pays it. So about three weeks before their scheduled court date for the custody stuff, Cassie's attorney filed a motion to compel because Marcus was attempting to hide baked statements and loans. He's basically attempting to bury a whole bunch of financial stuff to make Cassie look like she has more money than he does. speaker-0: He owes. Yeah, that could be her rent. Uh-huh. So How crazy. speaker-1: Then on September twentieth, a hearing was held at Marcus's request for temporary relief. At this hearing, Marcus's attorney submitted four documents. The first two were about child support. One was just the breakdown of what he was paying, and the other was showing that he had made payments equaling over two thousand dollars two weeks before this hearing. 'Cause you know, trying to pay down that retroactive balance and he's showing his good then speaker-0: Faith. ⁓ my god. Such a good guy because they pay my chance upon it. speaker-1: ⁓ keep that energy for this next line. Then he added a selfie that Cassie took of him, her, and Sailor in the hospital when Sailor was born. Which was like weird, but like pictures are allowed to be admitted, but you'll understand like what kind of pictures are supposed to be admitted. It was kind. It was kind of him being like, Look at me. I'm such a good parent. speaker-0: I was over a year old. I was there when she was born. Yes. speaker-1: Then he submitted a signed order. And what was this signed order, you asked? Well, it was the dismissal of the temporary restraining order that Cassie got back in 2018. You know, the one that got dismissed a week later? Mm-hmm. Which was basically, I'm guessing, his version of being like, Look, I'm not really a bad guy because a judge dismissed it a week later. The things he attaches to filings make him look so bad, and it's the narcissist in him that makes him think that he's painting the other person in a bad light. speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: Basically trying to get everything dismissed, like his hearing like pushed out and delayed because Yeah. He's a good and he shouldn't have to be paying child support because he just paid two thousand. speaker-0: Dad. Ew. That's not how it works, bruh. speaker-1: No, but let's talk about what Cassie submitted at this hearing. speaker-0: ⁓ okay. speaker-1: Cassie also submitted photos, but her photos were of her house and Marcus's house. In the pictures, you can in the pictures of ⁓ Cassie's house, you can tell a child lives there. There's a crib and toys in the bathroom and, you know, in the living room. But Marcus's house, on the other hand, looked like a child had never even set foot in it. Except ⁓ yeah. speaker-0: Yeah. Yeah. Like Barney from How I Met Your Mothers? speaker-1: Not that nice, but essentially. I mean, it it looks like a single guy lives there. I mean there's furniture and other stuff like that, but it doesn't look like there's a child that don't look like speaker-0: Got it. It doesn't look like anyone lives there to be honest. So speaker-1: But like they say, a picture's worth a thousand words. And Cassie submitted way more pictures of her house than Marx's house. Yes. See this is the example of photos you should submit at this time because it's showing the ⁓ living area of these you know. And speaker-0: Damn right. Good evidence that you can physically The child. Yeah. I wonder how new those how ⁓ pictures of Marcus's house was. Like how recent those pictures of his house were. speaker-1: Mm-hmm. I think that they were all like right before this happened. Because there's only like three pictures of his house. Obviously there's more of Cassie's house because she has more access to it. Obviously. But yeah. Those pictures. I know. So am I. I'm impressed that she got those pictures as well. speaker-0: I'm just surprised she got those. So So she also speaker-1: ⁓ so she also submitted a shared parenting plan and an addendum to shared parenting. And the shared parenting plan that she submitted, so like Marcus's demanding like all access, like he gets everything. This was her version. And she wanted final decision making for everyday stuff, school, sports, activities, doctors, all of that. And she wanted communication to go through talking parents. And Talking Parents is a court monitored app for co parenting. So all of your communication goes through that and it is actually like monitored by the court itself and attorneys, judges, lawyers, they can all pull it in real time with timestamps. You can't delete things out of it, any of that. So it's very much it's an awesome tool. and he can't gaslight y it really just takes away all of the shittiness. Can't hide anything. And the addendum was just laying out how everything would go. And it said that once Marcus had adequate housing and living area for Sailor, as long as all of those were met, the timeshare would start on September twenty seventh. And Marcus would have Sailor every other weekend from Friday at six PM through Sunday till six PM, with the expa exchange spot being the Walmart in Destin, unless otherwise agreed upon. No special holiday schedule, just follow the normal timeshare. And then she also included a copy of the report that Marcus made against her back in May about her medical marijuana card and drinking. And Marcus didn't submit a parenting plan to the judge at that hearing. He submitted one sometime between that hearing and October second. And his plan outlined shared parental rights. And then every other weekend arrangement was arrangement was fine, but he added Wednesdays after school till eight. And all major decisions have to be decided together. All the things Cassie wanted sole decision making of, they had to do it together. And if they couldn't agree, they would use a third party to help. Like by a third party, it is ⁓ like a mediator, yeah, ⁓ an attorney, a judge, something like that, okay. speaker-0: I'm assuming not in a speaker-1: Well like ⁓ the attorney can help, but like we're not to the judge part yet. So the third party could be mediator. There was like other there's other boxes they could check, but it was like a mediator and something else. This part's really weird how he does this. And if they can't agree that third party, but if the third party doesn't work, then naturally this is where it goes to the court. speaker-0: assume it would probably be like a mediator of Okay. Okay. They'll use that. ajá speaker-1: He brings it back around to it goes back to them being the final decision making. So if they can't come to an agreement, they go to a third party. If the third party can't help him come to an agreement, the ultimate decision goes back to the two of them. speaker-0: But they can't come to an agreement. How does that fish as a visible? Yes. Thank you. Like speaker-1: Then it goes back to a mediator. ⁓ Can't even say a fucking word. A vicious circle. It it it doesn't make any sense. Like it he just he just made it this vicious circle that nobody wins and he's gonna get his way no matter what. And he only wanted communication through text and email, no talking parents program. Then he listed a bunch of other stuff, and none of this stuff was listed in Cassie's. Okay. Okay. speaker-0: Like he speaker-1: Having addresses and phone numbers and a full itinerary for any trips Cassie wanted to take Sailor on with a minimum of 72 hours notice before the trip with all this information. They must maintain a positive relationship, have to respect differences, and they have to be courteous to each other and foster love for the other parent through the child. All of those stipulations contained the ending of especially in front of the child. speaker-0: So hi. speaker-1: He wasn't just asking Cassie to be cordial and civil in person. He was also asking Cassie to be like this when he wasn't around. speaker-0: Awesome. speaker-1: His entire like submitting of it was exhausting to read, to be completely honest. And he even goes on to say, sometimes Sailor won't want to participate in timesharing. So the parent must explain that the other parent loves them and has a right, need, and desire to timesharing. He even goes as far as requesting a photo of the other parent be kept in the child's room at all times at the opposite house. He went speaker-0: He speaker-1: On and on. No discussing parental business at drop-offs, no quizzing the kid about the other parents' house, no being sad when they leave, no keeping secrets, no asking who you want to be with, no saying ask your dad for it, not being allowed to call a step parent, mom or dad, if one ever comes in the picture, no listening to phone conversations between parent and child. And if Cassie breaks any of these rules, she would deal with the court. But also keep in mind, Marcus's dumbass doesn't realize that if he breaks any of those rules, He also is going back to court. Yeah. speaker-0: My I have a a quick comment here. You cannot control a child from being sad at a drop. speaker-1: No, the parent is not allowed to pull a sad long face at a drop off. We're not even done. speaker-0: Could you imagine though, like having to go drop off your kit and just in there be like, Huh So speaker-1: Obviously we are very deep into parental alienation type vibes here. Yeah. And some parents who their custody is a nasty battle and there are parents who will cry and make big theatrics and antics in front of the child about them leaving. I am gonna be so sad without you next week. It's so lonely and sad when you're not here. I hate it when you go to dad's. That is what he doesn't want. speaker-0: came up in my mind I'm not gonna say it out loud. We will talk about it speaker-1: But that's what that means. speaker-0: Yes. So that makes so much sense. Like I I don't know, I guess I don't have kids. I've never my dad didn't even live in the same state, so we never had to go through that when I was a kid. So it's just like speaker-1: Let me tell you, you remember the you know you you know this TikTok video of the mom with her arm through the door and that teenage boy is sitting so calmly and he's like, I don't want to go with her and they like she's just like screaming and the officer's like, ma'am, and she's just that. Like that's an extreme version of this, but that's what we're talking about. speaker-0: That's totally fair. So what a dipsh he doesn't realize like that goes against him too, my gay. Yeah. Wow. So speaker-1: remember how Cassie was like, and we'll just keep holidays the normal weekend schedule, blah blah blah, like that's what we're gonna do. Nah. This motherfucker. Every single holiday. Like, I'm not kidding you, I fucking think I saw Columbus Day in there, dude. I'm not kidding you right now. Okay, I think fucking Columbus Day was in there. What about Flag Day? ⁓ I'm pretty fucking sure Flag Day's in it, alright? Earth Day! speaker-0: Right. We're gonna go plant trees. So speaker-1: Isn't that our our our Arbor Day? Arbor Day? Talking about the earth, man. Anyway. Like his parenting thing was twenty-four pages long. I feel like Homeboy and his attorney sat down and went through the entire like shared parenting plan and was like, How many of these boxes can we use in this? speaker-0: Probably. They're I mean, what do you say? So Like I Check to you. I guarantee the attorney did it just because he's like, I want more money. I'm okay with more money. speaker-1: So and it's just it's so much and one of the other things I want to point out that I did not list thoroughly through in here is one of the very big points of contention's gonna come up later. Mental health evaluations are seeing a therapist for sailor. The other parent has to be informed before they are taken to see one and they have to be notified of it. There's a very big point of contention in these shared parenting plans, and it comes up later. So just remember that that is a no no. On his path. Anybody. If Cassie takes her to a therapist or a child psychologist, she has to notify Marcus before she does it and can do it. He has to do the same as well. It is pre it's to prevent speaker-0: Fucking take her to one of those. Let's be real. speaker-1: Bitch wait ⁓ honey, just wait. speaker-0: Feminist, I'm right. speaker-1: On October 2nd, a judge decided that Marx's parenting plan sounded better than Cassie's. Fuck off. And he adopted it into a temporary shared parenting order. And although the judge did change a couple things, he didn't change much. He did say that talking parents had to be used for c communication. Good. So we loved that. So Marcus got a win, but it wasn't enough for him. He was still making Cassie's life hell. And at the end of October, Cassie was trying to get a response from Marcus about trading weekends so she could go out of town to a family member's baby shower. And he was being a jerk about it. Basically, he refused to switch, and Cassie offered him an extra weekend and extra time. And he demanded equal time. Week for a week. Not an extra weekend. Cassie did end up getting to take this trip. And it was over Halloween that this trip happened. And so on Halloween, Cassie sent a bunch of videos and pictures of Sailor to Marcus, you know, just trying to show him she's having fun, she's having a great time. Thank you so much for letting me do this. Like I appreciate it. One of those things. Like, don't you want to see how happy your daughter is and she's having fun? His response was I don't care. She wa he was like, This is supposed to be my time, so I don't really care to see her having fun and doing stuff. I don't care. speaker-0: So basically, he wanted this time with his daughter. speaker-1: Because it was his time. speaker-0: But the only reason he even fought to get this time with her was just to piss her off. Yeah. Like not actually to give a shit about Sailor and spend time with his dog. speaker-1: And and you're gonna hear that in a second. speaker-0: Fantastic. So speaker-1: Cassie was just like, I just wanted to show you she's having fun and enjoying herself. And he's like, She's supposed to be with me, so I don't care to be watching her having fun when she's supposed to be with me. speaker-0: So then I speaker-1: ⁓ Cassie was also texting him later after the strip about how daycare was gonna be closed on a Monday and she needed him to take Sailor because she had to work. And he was like That's not my time. And she was like, Dude, can you please just like get her? Like I need your help. And he was like, ⁓ I'll only do it if you say that you can't handle Sailor and you can't care for her. If you admit that, then I'll take her. speaker-0: Mm. speaker-1: Like legitimately texting. So all of that took place between October twenty fifth and November fifth. In January of 2020, Marcus's attorney withdrew from the case because there was no more legal filings happening. And so Marcus is now representing himself. And then in March, he realized a text didn't send ⁓ to Marcus about a trip that they were taking. And so she kind of had to tell Marcus a little bit last minute. And she was like, I'm really sorry about this, but you know how if he has every other weekend, and then so she can take like ten days at a time. speaker-0: Huh? Mm-hmm. speaker-1: Without imposing on his time. And she goes, But I'm still gonna have Sailor wherever you want her by six PM on the twentieth. His response is wild. Do you get off by pissing me off? How many times am I going to have to tell you, in all caps, there is a court order in place that tells you where and what time we need to meet to exchange Sailor? Three exclamation points. We're out of caps now. speaker-0: Okay. speaker-1: How many times I got to tell you to leave me alone and stop harassing me? I don't need your advice. I don't need your opinion nor your feedback. All you do is lie. I don't have time to waste with you. He goes on, are you delusional or something? In parentheses, rhetorical. You're clouded by your mother and lied on a sworn affidavit just to keep using drugs and drinking. And on top of that, and on top of that, get my daughter from me for over a year. How in the hell would I want to have anything to do with you? The only thing I want with you is to put you in jail for crimes you've committed. So until then, leave me the fuck alone. Remember, w we're on a court ordered parenting talking app. speaker-0: This literally has nothing to do with what she sent him. What is he currently trying to pull? What is he trying to do here? speaker-1: Like he's just trying to point out any time that she doesn't stick to the approved parenting plan or anytime she tries to go outside of it. speaker-0: But it also seemed like he's trying to like make this narrative of like, You're harassing me, you just want me, leave me alone kind of situation. Yes. speaker-1: And yeah, he that's a very big narrative with him as it continues. And you're gonna see that. speaker-0: Great. So just speaker-1: It's just like do you even want to spend time with your child? Like, do you even want to spend time with your child? speaker-0: I doubt it. I mean he didn't for the first year. He literally just did this to piss her on speaker-1: she's asking to exchange and times and she's always willing to give him more time. She was even trying to get him there's a weekend that she was trying to get him to take Skylar. Like it Sailor, it was giving him extra time with Sailor. And she's even pointing out like I'm giving you my time. I'm giving away my time to you to help me out to make this work. Like can we do this? And he's still like no, I only want to run my time. speaker-0: This whole thing seems weird. Like, and don't get me wrong, I understand like things come up, things happen, but like you know how he is. Why would you even offer it? Like speaker-1: Well, it's because she's in the court she these apps are all monitored by the court so they can pull everything. So she is actually doing everything she's supposed to be doing. If she needs that weekend to go to that baby shower, naturally you exchange a weekend and you work together. Like my sister and her ex husband, they are wonderful co parents. We joke all the time that they are much better co parents than they were married parents. Like there's work better as friends. Mm-hmm. It's scary sometimes how much better they work this way. So I went out there for a spring break. That was his spring break. But he totally let us have my nephew for like five days. He came by the house and I was like, Thank you so much for like switching your time and stuff like that. And was like, You're never in town. I get it. It's fine. So like some co parenting relationships were really easy where that exchange just happens and they flip flop their time. speaker-0: I totally get that. What I'm saying is why even bother asking him though? speaker-1: Because she's it's showing her good faith. It's showing her doing but you have this dude. You have to play the game if you want to win in the courts. You have to play even though the abuser isn't playing the game and they aren't playing by the rules, you have to play by the rules. She's playing by the rules. speaker-0: Say. This is why another reason, ch just to add on to the fucking list of why I don't want kids. Yeah. speaker-1: So she has to play the game. It sucks. It's stupid. I get what you're saying. That's also why we're doing this episode. Like this is stupid. That this is being allowed to happen. Yeah. speaker-0: So speaker-1: You know what's coming. You know what's coming. The pandemic hit. It was COVID. Yay. Cassie and her attorney made the decision to keep Sailor at Cassie's house. When COVID hit and the lockdown started, Sailor's healthy. But it's just what's best. And now at this point, Cassie claims she hasn't seen or spoken to her mom in a year. And that's important. speaker-0: Ugh I know. ⁓ that's not what I thought. Okay. So During COVID. Yes. But speaker-1: Because Marcus was pissed that Cassie was taking a worldwide pandemic so seriously. And he said that his house was just as safe as Cassie's and said that he was filing a motion with the judge when he got back into town. And Cassie said, Go ahead, but the courts are closed and they're not taking any filings and Sailor is staying at my house. speaker-0: the best fucking time doing that, sweetie. speaker-1: Yeah. Yeah, and Cassie just kept repeating, this is about keeping Sailor safe. You can FaceTime her, you can come talk to her from outside of her bedroom. Like it's just I'm not risking this right now. speaker-0: Just Also, I understand your house is safe, but you're out of town, my guy. Did you never watch Contagion Bitch? Right there. speaker-1: Right. Yes, and that's the other reason. He travels all the time for work. speaker-0: So speaker-1: And So then Marcus just keeps sending Cassie videos of her mom and then sends them to the attorney of Cassie's mom. And Cassie goes, I don't know what you're doing or what the point of this is. She goes, But I haven't talked to my mom in like a year. So I don't know. And I couldn't actually play the videos or see what they were. I'm gonna assume that they are just like her mom being ridiculous or something else. Okay. But like he's just trying to use it as like. speaker-0: Where is he getting these videos from? speaker-1: You can't stay at home because like I don't trust your family. And like and is trying to like put it to where it's not safe for Sailor to be with her during this time. And he's just pushing it and pushing it like my house is fine, like you can do this. Blah blah blah. And he has kept referring to the plan with the court, and then Cassie was just so over it, and she finally goes, You know that I do know where you live now, right? Like you do know I know you're lying. You know that we know the same people. speaker-0: So speaker-1: And I know for a fact you're living out of a hotel and the construction trailers. Damn well, my kid is not coming over there where ⁓ I'm sorry, you're using a trough for a makeshift whatever. speaker-0: She goes, So I know. Shower probably. speaker-1: No idea. But like no. For the fact that Cassie to finally like lose her shit and be like, all right, motherfucker. She's we're not doing this. She's like, Sailor is not staying there. I'm happy to go back to court with you. And Marcus responds with, Stop nagging me and leave me alone. Why are you always harassing me? speaker-0: And so, Okay. speaker-1: So much Cassie's attorney also withdrew from the case in July, ⁓ due to the inactivity in the case, courts being closed, you can't do filings, all that jazz. And over the next year, Marcus and Cassie continue in the vicious cycle. ⁓ filings and then going and filings and going. And and of course Marcus hasn't been paying child support. But a whole year has been going by without their paternal case moving, doing anything. And so the court moves to dismiss. The case due to lack of activity. Because they have their shared parenting plan. No one's getting file happy anymore. Everything seems to be fine. So but when it Because the child support is on the different docket. Yes. Basically, because there's no activity in that case, the they're just going to move to dismiss it. And they're not it's not like active in the courts and they're not having hearings and all this stuff anymore. And so they set a hearing date to close the pending case. Okay. For the fall. speaker-0: So basically speaker-1: But on July 13th, 2021, Cassie files an emergency pickup order for Sailor. Because Marcus was supposed to bring Sailor back on July 11th. But he didn't, and he wouldn't answer any communication with Cassie. And hold on. speaker-0: He was supposed to be back July eleventh. Filed it on speaker-1: With Cassie. She the thirteenth. Now, Sailor is back in her custody when it's filed, but it still has to get filed. So that part is a little confusing. It took me a second to figure that out. Okay. And in this filing on the thirteenth, she revealed that ⁓ Marcus had constantly been bragging to her about fleeing to Brazil with Sailor because he still had his passport and he in fact has dual citizenship in Brazil. speaker-0: Hm. So Is he from there? speaker-1: Yes. Got it. ⁓ Sailor, like I said, was back in Cassie's custody by the thirteenth. She still needed that documented. And because another reason why she documented this on the thirteenth was because on the July twelfth, Marcus filed six motions. In one day. Six motions. All right. You ready? No. So we have motion to dismiss. He asked the court to dismiss their own hearing because he states he wasn't given enough notice. The hearing was set for September 13th. This is July 13th. 12th. This is July 12th. He has almost three months. Two. Two months. Yeah. Okay. Motion for psychological evaluation. He asked the court for a psyche val on Cassie. There's no evidence attached or allegations, but they need to do one. speaker-0: He is speaker-1: Motion for temporary custody. He asked for full custody. No exhibits are attached. No allegations are attached. And ⁓ the only like he wants DCF to pick Sailor up from Cassie and give him to her. speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: He motioned for cease and desist. He asked that Cassie not say his name ever again. Motion for that Motion for case transfer. He asked the case to be moved to Santa Rosa County. Motion to request daycare attendance. This just says that the respondent initially keeps minor child from daycare. So daycare won't notice and report the bruises on the child. Basically, he's accusing Cassie of keeping Sailor out of daycare. So daycare speaker-0: ⁓ my god. This is speaker-1: Doesn't have to be a mandatory reporter of the child abuse that Cassie inflicts. speaker-0: Okay, yeah go on. So speaker-1: Cassie retained an attorney on July 15th, and her attorney sends out DCF employee subpoenas on the 21st. Okay. On July 22nd, Marcus takes Saylor out of state for a mental evaluation and doesn't tell Cassie about it. Dassa Nunno in the parenting plan. Remember? I'm Member. Dasa Nunno. I'm Emba. And also, kinda shocking, but not shocking in a second. But don't y'all worry. speaker-0: Okay. speaker-1: Marcus didn't let July come to an end without filing seven more motions. Homeboy submitted a six page violating parenting plan motion. He asks to be awarded full custody and attaches the text messages from earlier that I've kind of gone over with you guys that all make him look like an ass. Mm-hmm. And about the weekend exchanges. Three pages on not exchanging the child for Father's Day. He includes text messages of him looking like an ass again, not providing change of address. speaker-0: Uh-huh. Harassing me. speaker-1: That's one page. Six pages for not providing an itinerary for the trip over Halloween. And then all those text messages of him being an asshole. Like the videos being sent and him being like, I don't care about my kid. Then six pages for not exchanging the daughter for Halloween weekend. Even though they arranged. And one page not providing change of address. We filed this twice. And one page of changing the dial child's daycare. speaker-0: Yeah. Mm-hmm. speaker-1: He wants to change the daycare. So thirteen motions in one month. Thirteen. But he wasn't done. But he wasn't done. Okay. On August 3rd, he filed a motion for mental and eye care, claiming Cassie was neglecting and physically abusing Sailor, according to that out of state therapist. He included more text messages. I don't know why he keeps doing that, because he's an ass in all of ⁓ speaker-0: That's flirt. speaker-1: But don't worry though, because Cassie's attorney on the 4th of July filed a 31-page motion of contempt against Marcus, and it basically outlines all the way he is in contempt of his own parenting plan that he submitted. Him refusing to give Sailor back, him keeping her for two weeks with zero communication, taking her out of state without telling the other parent, or giving 72-hour notice. He also took her for a mental health evaluation without telling Cassie. speaker-0: You just said all of that so fucking fast. Calm down. speaker-1: Sorry. But like literally, he outlined a twenty four page parenting plan to trip Cassie up. And he violated it in eight different ways himself. speaker-0: And he violated it. So speaker-1: Around this time, Cassie created a GoFundMe because she really needed help paying for these attorney fees. I mean, it was just it was getting out of hand. Fuck it's in one month, yeah. And she also wrote a lot about how toxic their relationship was and how she had how he had continued to control her even after she had gotten away. And she really put everything out there. speaker-0: thirteen mo speaker-1: I mean, she aired all the dirty laundry. Where she went wrong, where she's going right, how she's trying to be a good mom. Good for her. I mean, she's just trying to keep her daughter safe. Yeah. And so the court finally issues a hearing for October 1st, 2021. The judge is fucking fed up and he's all alright, I want to hear all this shit in one go. Let's go. Yeah. In September, Marcus filed a motion in his child support docket to reinstate his passport saying he isn't a flight risk and never has been. And he speaker-0: So ⁓ yeah. So speaker-1: Took his license and his passport and he has never been a flight risk. Right. But he also needs dental work done and his dentist is in Brazil. speaker-0: Okay. speaker-1: On the same day he also files a motion to dismiss his child support payments altogether, and I quote calling it unconstitutional and that Cassie just wanted the money for herself. speaker-0: Isn't it just be so fucking for real? speaker-1: Alright now. So fucking for real. Like entertaining how in the same day like he like he files something and then he's all let's wait a few hours and see if they notice I do it again. It's like he files something in one case and then files something in the other one. Like the speaker-0: This is probably all he thinks about all day long. Maybe he needs to see a psychiatrist for like a hyperfixation. Maybe he has o like an autism. speaker-1: Apparently Homeboy needed to be an attorney 'cause he would have done a good job. Well not a good job. I think he just enjoys court and motions. Like I just feel like he enjoys the court process. I th speaker-0: He's just a dick. He said he worked construction? How does he have time? speaker-1: How does he have time? Let's be real here. Well, every time he comes back into town, he files all the motions. So he's got all that time out of town to think about all of his motions. speaker-0: Maybe. I'm just saying every time I've ever been to Florida, there's so much construction going on. Yeah, it's just it's speaker-1: Just so funny how much he files things in the same day thinking nobody will do anything about it. On October 7th, the judge finally hears all of Marcus's and Cassie's motions. Marcus's 15 billion and Cassie's 31 page motion on contempt. And the court would deny all of Marcus's motions by October 25th, which is prime. Cassie's order of contempt was partially granted, which is great. speaker-0: So speaker-1: And the judge changed the pickup spot ⁓ to the Walmart in Destin, like permanently. Like I know that we had that said in there before, but that's just where we're gonna stay. Okay. And Marcus was ordered to pay attorney fees. And I know this pissed him the fuck off, but he didn't file any more motions. speaker-0: Weird. speaker-1: He didn't even file a motion when Cassie filed her attorney fees in January of twenty twenty two. speaker-0: Okay. speaker-1: But on March eighteenth, 2022, the court ordered Marcus to pay five thousand nine hundred and twenty dollars in attorney fees within thirty days. And this is a huge win for Cassie because for the first time Marcus is being held accountable in real time. And but we know this just really, really, really pissed Marcus off. It's just we didn't know how much this had pissed Marcus off. speaker-0: Uh-huh. ⁓ so speaker-1: On Sunday, March 27th, 2022, Cassie left her house in Navarre, Florida, where she was living with her dad Andrew. Uh-huh. And it was just before 7 p.m. And she went to meet Marcus at Juana's, a local restaurant at the boat docks in Navarre. It's a very public place. Yes, they were meeting at the Walmart and Destin. This place was not far from where Cassie was living. I believe this is like two minutes. And where they had been meeting recently. It is 7 p.m. on the boat docks at this time is very popular banging. We have volleyball ⁓ leagues playing out there in the sand. We've got people sitting at the bar, we got people bringing their boats in for their night. You know, there's a lot of people. Right. So she told her dad that she would be right back. And she really meant it. It was only a couple minutes away. But Andrew fell asleep, and when he woke up three hours later, Cassie and Sailor weren't home. And He kind of started to panic. He was surprised. There's nowhere else they were gonna go. So he started to call Cassie. And yes, she was picking Sailor up. Got it. So he started calling Cassie. But she wasn't answering. And wasn't answering and wasn't answering. Then he received a text from Cassie saying that she was having phone and car issues. ⁓ but it was okay because she was gonna stay the night with Marcus and he was paying her to do some stuff around the house. So he wasn't totally convinced that all was well, but he didn't feel the immediate urge to call the police. At least not right away. So Monday morning, Cassie's dad and sister ran, ⁓ they just they just keep calling her. And it's all going straight to voicemail. And Cassie's dad is calling Marcus over and over, and he isn't answering his phone. Finally prompting the following text exchange between Andrew, Cassie's dad, and Marcus. speaker-0: Andrew and Marcus. speaker-1: Andrew's Cassie's dad. This is Marcus. Yes, this is a screenshot from Marcus's phone because it says Cassie's father at the top. So Marcus says, why you keep calling me? Andrew, I haven't heard from Cassie. Is she with you? Okay. Marcus responds, No. She was out of her mind last night. First with her car not working, then she said her phone had an issue and asked me to see if I could fix it. As I'm trying to see what's wrong with it, she kept getting mad at me like I was trying to look at her text messages, then asked for a ride home. And as we were getting close, she changed her mind because quotes, you would flip out if you see her like that. And and then He doesn't end quote that. He just dot dot off. Then asked me to drop her off at in parentheses, I don't know, Stacy, I think, but didn't want to tell me where the place is because I could, in quotes, go after Stacy. And asked me to just drop her off in the middle of nowhere in Dustin that late in the night. In parentheses, with Sailor. I told her I wouldn't let Sailor go like that, and she flipped out. I left with Sailor. If she Once sailor back next weekend, she will have to drive to me. So basically Marcus is saying that he dropped Cassie off in the middle of Destin at night and took Sailor with him because Cassie was acting crazy and wanted to be dropped off in the middle of Destin at night. speaker-0: The way it sounds is like he's trying to make it seem like she was like fucked up somehow. speaker-1: Yeah, like on drugs and didn't want her dad to see it that way. Yes. And Cassie's dad replies, Stacy moved to Alabama a while ago. Cassie would never have you do that. Would never have you drop her off anywhere. Is her car at your house? Marcus goes, I'm not good with names. I'm not sure if it was Stacy. Either way, she didn't want to give me an address of a place to drop her and sail her off. Why would her car be at my house? speaker-0: Or something. speaker-1: Andrew says, Where did you exchange Sailor? Where is her car? And then the next day he replies, Navarre. Yeah. speaker-0: That's it. So speaker-1: On Monday, Cassie is officially reported missing. And her friends and family immediately began searching for her and posting on social media. And they managed to get a lot of traction and attention for Cassie right away. I mean, like instant. Like local media is picking up on this. And both her and Sailor's name were out there because also, like, Marcus is saying that he has Sailor, but no one's physically laid eyes on Sailor at this point. And so on Tuesday, the twenty-ninth. Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office officially announces Cassie and Sailor is missing and endangered. They say Cassie's car was found at Navarre Beach and her purse was located inside. Her phone is missing though. speaker-0: Course it is. I wonder. speaker-1: Rihanna, Cassie's sister, texts Marcus. And this is what she says. Uh-huh. Is Sailor with you? Please, Marcus, this is not like my sister. She has been doing great and was supposed to start a new job. I hope you will at least cooperate with the police slash let them know you have Sailor. She is now a missing person. And she did the like sad eye emoji. Yeah. Like the almost crying. And I'm just like, ma'am, Auntie's having a moment. And Marcus responded with Sailor's with me. She wanted to be dropped off in the middle of nowhere in Destin with Sailor. I told her I wouldn't let Sailor go like that to give me an address and I'd take them to it. Yeah, cops already called me and might call again for more questions. If they do, I will. Apparently everybody will be asking me that. So I'll just copy and paste what I told your father and then sent the text messages I just read. speaker-0: So speaker-1: Wednesday, March thirtieth, it was announced that a f that four year old sailor was found safe in Birmingham, Alabama. Bitch. What? She was found safe in Birmingham, Alabama with Marcus. Marcus was working on a house at that time in Birmingham. And they also interviewed Marcus ⁓ at that time. And when they got to him, they had already had a lot of information that I've already told you guys about her disappearance. And so they knew he was lying to them. And they let him. speaker-0: They let him lie. speaker-1: They didn't tell him that they knew he was lying. They let him lie. and since Marcus does have partial custody of Sailor, they didn't take Sailor. And so on the next day, Santa Rosa holds a press conference saying that Cassie's cell phone and credit card activity has been silent and that the investigation has expanded outside Santa Rosa and the FBI is now involved. And that they are intent on speaking to Marcus again because he was the last person to see Cassie. By Friday, April 1st, Crime Stoppers announced a three thousand dollar reward for information that helps solve the case. Search efforts were growing substantially, and Cassie's sister even reveals that she'd been in contact with Gabby Petito's mom. speaker-0: Uh-huh. Do you speaker-1: Yeah. So like just you know, offering support, any help, anything, you know, making sure they're thinking of all the things and doing all the things. speaker-0: So this was happening while Gabby Petito was also being searched for. Or was it after? speaker-1: This is twenty twenty two. So we are after Gabby. Wasn't Gabby during the pandemic? speaker-0: ⁓ I don't remember. I didn't I thought it was after the pandemic. Around that time. So it speaker-1: Yes, right. was after the Gabby Petito thing because she was talking to her. speaker-0: I mean she could have been talking to her during it. speaker-1: What you got? speaker-0: We would. speaker-1: Yeah. So add a yearly yeah, but we're all still going through all the Gabby Petito stuff. ⁓ my gosh. Like it was still very front and center. speaker-0: Because I mean she wasn't found, she was searched for then Brian Go. So speaker-1: Yeah. No. I know. This is Friday, April first. That evening, it's announced that Marcus was arrested in Tennessee. I know. The states that just keep popping out of nowhere. So he was in Tennessee. He fled up there and he had Sailor with him. And he was arrested on three charges related to Cassie's disappearance. Tampering with evidence, giving false information concerning missing persons investigation, and destruction of evidence. He ⁓ destroyed Cassie's phone. Okay. So that's where that charge is from. speaker-0: like a GPS on him or some shit? Is that how they found him? Or w was someone like just like watching? speaker-1: It was tips and G yeah. They just they knew where they knew where he was. They didn't just like Thanks for talking to us, sir. Bye. We're gonna leave your four year old daughter with you, even though we've pretty sure you killed your your ex wife your ex girlfriend. It's fine. ⁓ speaker-0: So speaker-1: They like they left but they didn't like leave. You know what I mean? Yep, yep, yep, yep. speaker-0: So speaker-1: He was so he was actually arrested like the thirty first late evening, like eleven thirty almost midnight. But they didn't break it till the next day. It just kind of was just a fun like on top of the press conference. ⁓ Sunday, April 3rd, it was announced that Cassie's body was found in a shallow grave in a barn in Alabama on Saturday night. On a property that Marcus had been working at. So Marcus had been working in this house and about a hundred feet away from the house was a barn. speaker-0: So where he was being questioned at speaker-1: is where she was right for body was literally a hundred feet away in a shallow grave in the barn. And of course, be prepared to be shocked, guys. Marcus fought extradition. Nancy Grace was even fucking confused by this shit. She goes, No. You do something in another state. You are found in another state. You go into court. They say, What is your name? You tell them your name. You confirm. They say they're extradited. You go, you asking if he wants to be extradited. She goes, That's not a part of this. I have to ask. So yeah, so he basically was like, hmm, no. speaker-0: You why is this judge? Question Are they extraditing him to Florida or Alabama because that's where they found her body? Do they have to do it in both? speaker-1: Both states. So yeah, we're getting there. We're getting there. I'm I'm happy about you though right now. I'm speaker-0: Virginia So speaker-1: He fights his extradition and it somehow worked. And it took him even longer to get back to Florida. So Florida's where we were extraditing him to. Uh-huh. And once back in Florida, Marcus was held in the Santa Rosa County jail, or in the Rosa County jail. Ultimately, Santa Rosa would have to drop the charges and extradite Marcus to Alabama, where Alabama will pick up the charges because that's where the body was found. I'm also curious if that is where everything took place because they're doing everything there instead of in Florida. You know? Because also where I go for this is Skylar Nees. Now the murder and her body was in Pennsylvania, but they tried her in West Virginia. Mm-hmm. So, you know, that they're just it came out that like Alabama was the best chances. Like the FBI and everybody were like, Alabama's where the seems to be dotted. speaker-0: I wonder if there was just no evidence in Florida except for her disappearance. speaker-1: We'll get to 'cause these charges are not the charges that he's going to trial for. So we'll get there. Okay? Okay. And the charge that he does get was so confusing I had to make my sister explain it to me. speaker-0: So speaker-1: Ultimately, Santa Rosa drops those charges, extra to Alabama, in October, where he would be indicted by a grand jury on kidnapping resulting in death. Yes. That is it. That is his charge. Yeah, kidnapping resulting in death. That is the charge. That's it. There's nothing else. That is the charge. He was indicted by grandjury on kidnapping resulting in death. See h but it still carries a hella life sentence, death or life sentence. So that's fine. ⁓ let me talk about the autopsy while you think about that. Because it took six months. For them to do her autopsy. And it wasn't because she was super decomposed. It wasn't because they weren't working with a lot. And in fact, I keep bringing up Nancy Grace a lot. I'm sorry, guys. She discusses on her show how the conditions in that part of Alabama and the barn were really good to slow down decomp. Because she was, it's a cool, like it's not super hot and heat in that part of Alabama at that time of the year. ⁓ and so March like in the March beginning of April and in a shallow twenty twenty two and in a shallow grave in a barn with hay and stuff probably put on top of her, it was really good conditions to slow it all down. It kept her cool. speaker-0: What time of year was that? Okay. Twenty three. speaker-1: So he speaker-0: Fucked up. That's what you're saying. speaker-1: No, he didn't. The hard part. It took them six months to do her autopsy, six months to go through everything, just for it to the cause of death to be undetermined. Fuck off. That doesn't mean it wasn't homicide. It's just undetermined. Like, her toxicology or toxicology report showed nothing. There's no signs on her. They cannot figure out how she died, which is why the charges are kidnapping resulting in death. So like. speaker-0: That's speaker-1: What happened? What happened? Did he lock her in a trunk and she suffocated? speaker-0: I feel like they would have been able to determine that though. speaker-1: But that would be kidnapping or speaker-0: Creates water in your lungs. speaker-1: Yeah. So they cannot figure out how she died at all. And but investigators are confident that Marcus was responsible for her death. Yeah. Marcus was supposed to have a plea hearing in I on okay, before this there was a bunch of plea hearings and trial they supposed to start before this, like four or five of them. speaker-0: How she Obvious yes. So I can't imagine trial's gonna be easy for this man. speaker-1: So Marcus was supposed to have a plea hearing in Pell City on August twenty first and a trial on September twenty third in Asheville. But of course, in true Marcus fashion, he asked for a continuance again. Like, homeboy has had like four or five continuances at this point. He also waived his right to a speedy trial really early on, shocking. But like I also feel like there should be a set number of times of continuances that you can request before you're not allowed to anymore. Like it's it's ridiculous. The new plea hearing date is january fifteenth, twenty twenty five. And Pell City and January twenty seventh, twenty twenty five at Pell City for the trial. Bitch, you're No, because the trial was supposed to be happening right now, which is why I was gonna hold off on doing this episode because I saw how close trial was. And then and then I saw he speaker-0: So Telling this hasn't happened yet? speaker-1: I saw it got pushed again and I was like, ⁓ we're doing this. We're doing this now. And then when I go through everything else and how many motions and things he likes to file, you get to that and you're just like, Are you fing kidding me? Like for this family to have to deal with him? Like Yes. Here's the hoping that Marcus does not try to drag this out again for the sake of Cassie's family and friends. They deserve closure. They just want his reign of terror to be over. speaker-0: Okay. So speaker-1: Silver lining, motherfucker's been held in jail this whole time. speaker-0: They won't give him bond? speaker-1: No. Good. He's flight risk. Brazil. Dual citizenship. speaker-0: Alabama, Tennessee. Tennessee is one of two states that border the most other states. He's gonna go away. speaker-1: Yeah, like they already caught him in so many different places. So that's not happening. ⁓ Cassie's mom does have a Facebook page where she posts updates and she like actually screenshots all the court documents to it. Good. Which is super awesome, which is how I got updated so quickly on his continuances. And ⁓ we'll have that linked below as well. But go ahead. I want to tell you all something amazing that came from this horrible tragedy. Go ahead. speaker-0: Go ahead. Now I'm gonna pause you. Why are they not doing another autopsy? Did they cremate her? Do we know? speaker-1: That's why we're gonna get I do not know. ⁓ They did have her body for six months. They were trying I don't know what else they are doing in terms of determining her cause of death. I have a feeling that there's a lot that's going to come out of trial because there's not a whole lot released in it. Like even in what did get released is what I told you for her autopsy. It's just undeterminable. It's speaker-0: I'm just saying speaker-1: I'm also wondering if they're keeping a lot of things quiet before because trial because of how he is. I'm wondering if they're trying like 'cause I mean Nancy Grace has already had a hold of this and everything else before we got up to here. So I'm wondering if trial, like they're trying to keep things out of the public so that he can't try to stand on like speaker-0: I mean maybe, but unfortunately if it's something that's gonna be put into trial, his attorneys are gonna have to know. Or just him if he's representing himself. Like they're gonna have to know about it one way or another. speaker-1: Which is okay and that can be done in there, but letting the public know about it or her family know about it, I could see them not doing because of the way that Marcus does function. Him the public having any sway or anything before he goes to trial, he will use that. speaker-0: Like they're trying to do everything to not get a mistrial or speaker-1: Yes, because with the way he is, I could see that they are keeping a lot locked down. speaker-0: Mm-hmm. Did you have like something to say? No, I was just gonna say there might just be trying to avoid a mistrial. I just really feel like I hate to drop another case that we've worked on in here, but Kendrick, they did three separate autopsies. And they have found something each time. Like, I know it sucks, that's not something you ever want to have to go through with your children. Yeah, especially if it's gonna fucking put him behind bars, dude. Yeah. Like speaker-1: Yeah. But it's also like special coffee. For life. I wouldn't be surprised if they did another autopsy or something. ⁓ but yeah, that's definitely something. I maybe Which they could I could see them super locking this up so that he can't pull any of his funny business. speaker-0: Where's sailor? speaker-1: Sailor is with Cassie's family. speaker-0: Okay. So speaker-1: I have a little blurp in there, I think. speaker-0: Mm. So speaker-1: I wanna tell you about something that's like really amazing that came out of this. Okay. And I love it so much when we can take a horrible, horrible tragedy and turn it into something that's gonna help other people. And Cassie's family and friends worked very, very hard to get a new law made called the Cassie Carly Law, or the Safe Exchange of Minor Children Law. And it actually went into effect on July first, twenty twenty four, so just two months ago. And Cassie's law now requires there to be a safe pickup slash drop off location for high risk family cases. They believe this could prevent this horrible tragedy happening again. And I want to tell you what that law requires. It requires the courts to identify high-risk, high conflict families. The law requires sheriffs in every county to designate a portion of their parking lot as a safe exchange location. Each parking lot must have a purple light or sign, a color long associated with domestic violence awareness and prevention, to clearly identify the neutral safe exchange location, and it must include the following. The lot must be accessible twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. The lot must provide adequate lighting and external video that records continuously twenty four seven. The lot must have at least one camera that records an accurate date and time and can retain footage for at least forty five days. Another provision requires petitions for protective orders to include a checkbox that re to request a safe exchange location. By the time that I wrote this episode, there were so many safe spots already that I couldn't count. This is Florida. I hope, hope this could go nationwide. So incredibly smart. I would love for this to go nationwide. And ⁓ we have a nice little picture of what the little sign looks like. ⁓ but there's on the Facebook group that Cassie Mama's speaker-0: Is this nationwide? Okay. I mean it's so smart. It's really helpful. speaker-1: created in in other articles and stuff. I saw so many comments that, ⁓ another another safe place just went up in this county. ⁓ we just added one over here. Like I was trying to get a count for you guys, but then I was just there's so many different places to keep track of already. So it's just it's so wonderful. Yeah. And speaker-0: I see. speaker-1: It just is completely on track with Cassie and her professional and personal like mission statement in life of wanting to help people and make a difference. It's it's very unfortunate that this is how she made her difference. But it's it's so nice that she could help prevent somebody else from going through this. Yeah. Or at least help them not have the tragedy ending. speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: But also on that note, it's so unfortunate that major changes like this don't happen till a completely preventable tragedy happens. And we really need to get out of this mindset of it isn't if it isn't broke, don't fix it. Because just because something's worked for decades doesn't mean it's still the best way to do it. And I think that's a lot of our like speaker-0: Mm-hmm. speaker-1: Child protective system and custody and parental court is that it has been the same for so long that it needs to be changed. It needs to be more current. Like things that used to work, they're not working anymore. speaker-0: Yeah. It's honestly awful. Like I we've gone through so many cases now that laws have been made. All of these things have been changed because of these tragedies. Like I just hate that we're having to lose someone who could have done so much good for this world on their own to be able to make these changes that should be apparent in the first place. speaker-1: It's it's awful. But I'm glad something's being done about it. And if any of our listeners or any of our listeners know anybody who knows how to possibly suggest this as a more national level or how to get more states to adopt this, please let us know because that's something I would definitely be very interested in also working with them on because I feel it's something that needs to be done everywhere. speaker-0: Yes. I think it's so I don't understand why people don't think of doing these exchanges at police stations, at sheriff's offices. speaker-1: And they do, a lot of them do. Yeah. speaker-0: But like to have that designated spot that most likely has cameras and all of these other things in it to protect both parties, prote to protect the children, like that's genius. And I don't understand why they wouldn't want to adopt this. speaker-1: Yes. And speaker-0: So speaker-1: You know what time it is. We do. We do it at the end of every episode. We speaker-0: Hey Dale. He ain't got shit. Just this. speaker-1: It's currently loading. speaker-0: Justice is loading. Justice is loading. speaker-1: It's loading for Cassie and Sailor. And Cassie's Law is a great start to justice. Even though she's no longer here, we're still helping make the world a better place. Who knows how many lives could be saved because of Cassie's Law? And there is a fund currently run by Rihanna, Cassie's sister. It's a GoFundMe, and it started off as a way to fund the searches for Cassie. ⁓ but it has since turned into a fund to for her funeral. And once They had done that. ⁓ it is now just for Sailor's future. Hell yeah. The GoFundMe is still open. They do have a larger goal on there, and I think that they are over halfway to that goal, but now it's it's for Sailor. To ⁓ Sailor is currently with Cassie's family, so we don't have to worry about anything there. we know of. But You're never really ready to raise another child, especially when you're older or you have your own kids or you're done. And so a lot of this is to just very much help make sure that Sailor can have the life that she deserves to have without her parents. speaker-0: 'Cause she has unfortunately lived her life of this constant battle and now she has neither of them. speaker-1: Yes, and so we just hope that Sailor has a wonderful, beautiful life. speaker-0: Mm-hmm. Absolutely. speaker-1: And ⁓ It's just so unfortunate. Cassie did everything right. She did everything she was supposed to. She did everything everybody tells her. Everything that everyone is told. She did. And it wasn't enough. speaker-0: life lesson for you guys really quick. Use condo. speaker-1: ⁓ my god. That is not what I thought you were about to say. But wait a lighten shit up because I was about to cry. Use cot Fuck. Jesus Christ. Okay. But on that note, I also feel like telling people who leave their abusers is not just enough to just keep doing that and saying it and do the right thing and do that. I feel like there also needs to be a change on the court level. speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: There's no way Marcus should have been able to have file motion after motion after motion the way he did, and without any evidence or allegations that meant anything. Now most of the time the judge did deny him. Yeah. speaker-0: But he's still able to do it consistently. speaker-1: But the fact like just the motion is him controlling and still continuing to abuse being allowed to do that. speaker-0: Those were mental fucks for sure. He may not have been like a physically abusive person, but that does not make him not an ab abuser. speaker-1: Yes, and just the financial control, keeping her constantly in the court turmoil and locked in that. And that's stressful and hard and I hope that his trial does not get delayed again. Dear God I might lose it. speaker-0: If for any reason he happens to be listening to this, sir, I will make sure these hands are for free on Facebook Marketplace just for you. speaker-1: Free ninety nine over here. Can they listen to podcasts in jail? I don't fucking know. They can be on TikTok. speaker-0: They're not supposed to be. speaker-1: Do you ever accidentally get off prison TikTok? Yes. It's hilarious. Don't ruin that for me. Okay. Shh allow prison tick tock. It's fine. speaker-0: Okay. Anyway, we're gonna move on. This has been a long and it was needed. But speaker-1: It has been a long episode, but it was a lot of information it was. speaker-0: We love you guys. No, we're not ending this yet. Go subscribe to our shit. speaker-1: I was waiting to see if she remembered. Go subscribe, like, follow us on everything. We're hilarious if you haven't just experienced that. So Facebook, Instagram, TikTok. speaker-0: Yeah. YouTube, Apple, Spotify. speaker-1: It's all gonna be at Justice Four or Justice Four Pod, Justice Four Podcast. speaker-0: You can also literally find all of it just on our website, justiceforpodcast.com. That's also where you can go and submit cases. Thank you, Trisha, for giving us this case. I'm a little upset. speaker-1: Thank you. Yeah, sorry. I thought this one was gonna be a quick and easy one until I found the custody battle. speaker-0: Reading all the court documents. speaker-1: Yeah. ⁓ yeah. I'm gonna have a a link down there and you're gonna click on that link and it's gonna give you all of those in there and it's a lot of fun. Yeah. Well But yeah. speaker-0: Now we're gonna end it. We love you guys. Please stop killing people. Please use condoms. We love you. All that jazz. Love you. Okay. Bye. speaker-1: See something, say something. Love you. Love you.