Latest / Murder Files Unsealed / The Horrific Murder of Evelyn Boswell

Transcript

The Horrific Murder of Evelyn Boswell · Murder Files Unsealed

0:00
Speaker 1: Hey, everyone, ready to take a deep dive into a
0:02
case that really got to people. We're talking about little
0:05
Evelyn Boswell at Tennessee Tozzler. You know, her disappearance back
0:08
in twenty twenty. It was all over the news, and
0:10
after years of twists and turns and a trial that
0:12
just wrapped up, we finally have a verdict. Yeah, Evelyn's mother,
0:15
Megan Boswell, has been found guilty. But the path to
0:19
that courtroom decision, it was a long one and complicated.
0:22
Speaker 2: You got that right. It was not a simple case
0:24
at all. This wasn't just about finding Evelyn. It was
0:26
like piecing together a puzzle, a really disturbing puzzle. We're
0:29
talking conflicting accounts, questionable behavior, and in the end, it
0:33
was the science that helped uncover a really heartbreaking truth.
0:36
Speaker 1: Okay, so to really understand how we got here, let's
0:38
rewind all the way back to the beginning. Evelyn was
0:40
born in November twenty eighteen to a seventeen year old Megan.
0:43
Speaker 2: Right away, you can see there might be some challenges. Yeah,
0:46
a teenage mom, barely an adult herself now having to
0:49
deal the huge responsibility of being a parent, and on
0:52
top of that, Megan's own upbringing was very rough. She'd
0:55
spent time in foster care while her mom, Angela, was
0:57
dealing with drug charges.
0:59
Speaker 1: Man's you can't help but think about how much those
1:02
early experiences affected Meghan's ability to be a mom, you know,
1:07
like a cycle repeating itself.
1:09
Speaker 2: It's a factor, for sure. You can't ignore those generational traumas.
1:12
But let's move on to February of twenty twenty. That's
1:14
when everything changes. Evelyn disappears, right, But here's the thing.
1:18
It wasn't even Meghan who reported her missing. It was
1:20
her grandfather, Tommy Boswell Senior. And even his story about
1:24
when he last saw her was well, let's just say unclear.
1:27
Speaker 1: I'm no detective or anything, but that delayed reporting, right,
1:30
it makes me wonder, Right, it really seems like someone
1:32
was trying to hide something, don't you think.
1:34
Speaker 2: Oh? Absolutely, it's a huge red flag in these types
1:36
of cases. It really messes up the investigation right from
1:39
the start, makes it so much harder to figure thing out.
1:42
And then there's Meghan herself. She was all over the
1:44
place with her stories, different stories to the media, the police,
1:47
probably even the grocery store clerk if they asked, Really,
1:50
one minute Evelyn was with Ethan Perry, the man everyone
1:53
thought was her father. Then the next minute, Angela had
1:56
taken her to a campground in Virginia, maybe for a
1:59
better life, or at least that's what Meghan said.
2:01
Speaker 1: So the police are running around like crazy, searching ponds,
2:03
knocking on doors, chasing down every little lead. It must
2:07
have been incredibly frustrating for them not to mention, heartbreaking
2:10
for anyone who was hoping Evelyn was still safe.
2:12
Speaker 2: Oh definitely. And you know what's interesting, what's that Meghan's
2:15
changing stories. They weren't just random. There's a pattern there
2:18
that you see a lot in these cases. It's all
2:20
about deflecting, buying time, creating confusion. Sadly, it's something people
2:24
do when they're desperate to cover their tracks.
2:26
Speaker 1: Wow, talk about adding insult to injury. So did any
2:29
of those leads ever pan out? Is there any point
2:31
where it felt like they were getting to finding Evelyn?
2:34
Speaker 2: Sadly? No. Weeks went by, hope started fading, and then
2:37
the news that everyone had been dreading came. In March
2:40
of twenty twenty, human remains were found in a shed,
2:44
a shed and guess where where? And Tommy Boswell Senior's property.
2:48
Speaker 1: Wait a minute, you're telling me the little girl's remains
2:50
were found on a family member's property. That's just chilling.
2:53
What were the details, what did they actually find?
2:55
Speaker 2: Well, get ready, because this is hard to hear. The
2:57
clothes on the remains matched what evil was last scene wearing?
3:01
Speaker 1: Oh wow.
3:02
Speaker 2: Agent Brian Frayley one of the investigators. He testified that
3:05
they found her in a trash can, her tiny leg
3:07
and foot sticking out. Can you imagine the emotional toll
3:11
that takes on the people who have to find those scenes.
3:13
Speaker 1: I can't even begin to imagine. And what about Megan?
3:16
What happened when they found the remains.
3:17
Speaker 2: Well, you can bet the authorities were keeping a close
3:19
eye on her. The minute those remains were found, Pregan's
3:22
bond amount went way up. They were putting the pieces together,
3:25
and those inconsistent stories she's been telling they were starting
3:27
to look a lot more like lies.
3:29
Speaker 1: Makes sense. The evidence was right there in front of them.
3:31
So did they confirm that the remains were Evelyns. I'm
3:33
guessing that was the final confirmation, right.
3:35
Speaker 2: It was just a few days later they officially identified
3:38
the remains as Evelyn's It was a tragic ending to
3:41
a desperate search, but for the justice system, it was
3:43
just the beginning of a long and difficult road.
3:46
Speaker 1: So they had the body, the location, and a lot
3:48
of suspicion pointed at Meghan. What did the autopsy tell them? Right,
3:53
what was the cause of death?
3:54
Speaker 2: Well, this is where things take a really dead re turn.
3:56
The autopsy showed that Evelyn died asphyxiation. She suffocated. Oh
4:02
and it wasn't an accident. It was ruled a homicide.
4:04
Speaker 1: Oh man, that's chillin. Knowing that this wasn't some random tragedy,
4:08
but that someone intentionally took this little girl's life. It's
4:11
just horrifying. So where did Meghan's story go from there?
4:13
Did she try to explain how Evelyn suffocated?
4:16
Speaker 2: She did, but you'll see how it all starts to unravel.
4:18
Meghan's first claim was that her boyfriend at the time,
4:21
Hunter Wood, had accidentally rolled onto Evelyn while they were sleeping,
4:25
you know, the classic co sleeping accident.
4:27
Speaker 1: Okay, so that would be a convenient way to try
4:29
and explain it away. But something tells me it wasn't
4:31
that simple, was it.
4:32
Speaker 2: You're exactly right, it was too convenient, too rehearsed, and
4:35
as the investigation went deeper, the forensic evidence started showing
4:39
a very different and much more sinister picture.
4:41
Speaker 1: Oh man, this work, it's really intense. So what did
4:43
the forensic experts find that didn't match Meghan's story? What
4:47
just didn't add up?
4:48
Speaker 2: Well, there's this one detail that's especially disturbing. It really
4:51
gets to the heart of how investigators knew this was
4:54
no accident.
4:55
Speaker 1: Okay, I'm oilier telling me what was it?
4:57
Speaker 2: It all comes down to a tiny detail, a detail
4:59
that says so much. They found something wrapped around Evelyn's head,
5:03
around her head, something that completely blew Meghan's story apart. Wow,
5:07
but we'll have to get to that in the next part.
5:09
Stay with us. So we left off with that disturbing
5:11
detail that didn't fit with Megan's story about Hunter accidentally
5:15
rolling onto Evelyn.
5:16
Speaker 1: Right, I'm still thinking about it. What was it?
5:18
Speaker 2: Well, you remember Megan's story about it being a tragic
5:20
co sleeping accident, that she and Hunter had fallen asleep
5:23
with Evelyn in their bed.
5:24
Speaker 1: Yeah, and it was just a terrible accident, right, But.
5:27
Speaker 2: The forensic evidence told a totally different story. Remember Agent
5:30
Brian Frehley, the one who found Evelyn's remains, well, he
5:34
testified about this detail that really changed the investigation. Aluminum foil.
5:38
They found it wrapped around Evelyn's little head.
5:40
Speaker 1: Aluminum foil You mean, like the stuff in the kitchen, Yeah,
5:42
exactly why. That's just I don't even know what to say.
5:45
Speaker 2: It's horrifying, isn't it? And it completely debunked Megan's story
5:48
about it being an accident. Think about it. Would you
5:50
ever wrap a baby's head and foil while they were sleeping?
5:53
Doesn't make sense.
5:54
Speaker 1: No, that's not just neglect, that's something else entirely. So
5:57
the foil was basically proof that she was lying. Right.
6:00
What did the prosecution think about that?
6:02
Speaker 2: It was huge for them. They argued that the foil,
6:04
together with the way Evelin was found all wrapped up
6:07
in a blanket and stuffed into a trash can, pointed
6:09
to a deliberate act to suffocate her.
6:12
Speaker 1: So it wasn't just the foil itself, but the whole situation,
6:14
the way she was hidden away, it all pointed to
6:17
something much more sinister than an accident. Did Meghan try
6:20
to explain the foil? I can't even imagine what excuse
6:23
she could come up with for that.
6:24
Speaker 2: You know, it's strange. She didn't really try to explain
6:26
it directly. She just kept repeating her story about Hunter,
6:29
trying to make it seem like an accident, but the
6:30
evidence just didn't support that at all.
6:32
Speaker 1: Yeah, a piece of foil does just end up around
6:34
a baby's head by magic. Did the prosecution have any
6:37
ideas about why Megan might have used the foil?
6:40
Speaker 2: They did. They suggested that maybe Meghan used it to
6:44
muffle Evelyn's cries, or to make it even harder for
6:47
her to breathe so she wouldn't make any noise.
6:50
Speaker 1: God, that's just awful. I can't even imagine what that
6:52
poor child must have gone through. It seems so planned out.
6:55
It's sickening.
6:56
Speaker 2: It's a chilling thought. And it's these little details, these small,
7:00
seemingly insignificant pieces of evidence, that often make or break
7:03
a case.
7:04
Speaker 1: Like they say, the devil's in the details, and in
7:06
this case, it's definitely true. But let's be real, A
7:08
piece of foil, while disturbing, isn't the only thing they
7:10
had against Meghan. There had to be more to the
7:13
prosecution's case.
7:14
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, there was a lot more. Remember all those
7:16
different stories Megan had been telling everyone. That was just
7:18
the beginning. The prosecution were called in FBI's special Agent
7:22
Paul Durant, a digital forensics expert, and let me tell you,
7:25
his testimony was really eye opening.
7:27
Speaker 1: Ooh, digital forensics. This is where it gets interesting. What
7:30
did Age Durant find? Was Megan leaving clues online?
7:34
Speaker 2: Let's just say that Megan might have been good at
7:36
manipulating people face to face, but online she left a
7:39
trail of digital evidence. Really, Agent Durant looked at everything,
7:43
her social media, her texts, her search history, you name it,
7:47
and what he found was pretty incriminating.
7:49
Speaker 1: Okay, I'm hooked. What did they find in all that
7:51
digital stuff?
7:52
Speaker 2: Well, first of all, remember how Megan kept saying that
7:54
Ethan had custody of Evelyn, right, Well, her online activity
7:57
told a different story. Agent Durant messages where Meghan was
8:01
trying to sell baby stuff like car seats and strollers
8:04
even before Evelyn disappeared.
8:06
Speaker 1: Wow, that's cold. If Evan was safe with her dad,
8:08
why would she be getting rid of all her things.
8:09
Speaker 2: It's a big contradiction, isn't it? And it gets worse.
8:12
They also found social media posts where Meghan was complaining
8:15
about Evelyn being difficult to handle. Oh no, these posts
8:18
went back months before Evelyn vanished. It really made Meghan's
8:22
attempts to act like a loving mother look pretty fake.
8:25
Speaker 1: So basically what she was saying online was the opposite
8:27
of what she was trying to make people believe. It's
8:29
like her mask slipped and you could see her true
8:32
feelings about Evelyn exactly.
8:34
Speaker 2: And for the prosecution, this digital evidence was huge. It
8:37
let them paint a picture of a woman who at
8:39
best resented her child and at worst was capable of
8:43
something truly awful.
8:44
Speaker 1: It's crazy how much our online activity can say about us,
8:47
even if we think we're being careful. It's like a
8:49
window into our thoughts to what we really want, sometimes
8:52
even the things we try to hide.
8:53
Speaker 2: It's true in this day and age, you can try
8:55
to run, but you can't hide from your digital footprint.
8:58
And in Meghan's case, digital footprint led right back to
9:01
her and showed a pattern of lies and a possible
9:04
motive that the prosecution used against her.
9:07
Speaker 1: But the digital evidence wasn't all they had, right, There
9:09
had to be more to build a strong case against Megan.
9:12
Speaker 2: Absolutely, we're talking about a murder trial here, and the
9:14
prosecution needed to present a rock solid case to convince
9:18
the jury that Megan was guilty.
9:20
Speaker 1: Okay, so what else do they have? What other evidence
9:22
did they use to try to prove their case?
9:24
Speaker 2: Well, this next part is pretty graphic. Honestly, it's tough
9:26
to hear. They showed the jury photos from the crime
9:29
scene and the reaction was well, let's just say it
9:32
was clear how disturbing those photos were.
9:34
Speaker 1: Yeah, crime scene photos are always intense, especially in a
9:37
case like this. What was it about those photos that
9:40
had such an impact?
9:41
Speaker 2: Imagine seeing photos of a little girl's body discarded in
9:44
a trash can, wrapped in a blanket, with that foil
9:47
around her head. God, it wasn't just about the death itself.
9:50
It was about the complete lack of respect, the coldness
9:53
of it all. Some of the jurors were visibly shaken,
9:56
even crying.
9:57
Speaker 1: I can't say I blame them. That's the kind of
9:58
image that stays with you, reminds you that behind all
10:01
the legal talk and courtroom drama, there's a real victim,
10:04
a child whose life was brutally cut short. But the
10:06
photos weren't the only visual evidence they had.
10:08
Speaker 2: Right, You're right. There was another piece of visual evidence
10:11
that was really important, the bodycam footage from the officers
10:14
who first talked to Meghan.
10:15
Speaker 1: Ooh, bodycam footage. That's always interesting and sometimes it reveals
10:18
a lot. What did those videos show?
10:20
Speaker 2: Well, the footage showed Meghan in the early days of
10:22
the investigation, before she move in a suspect, and they
10:25
analyzed everything about her, how she acted, her body language.
10:28
They were looking for any signs of guilt, anything that
10:30
didn't match up with her ever changing stories.
10:33
Speaker 1: So it wasn't just about what she said, but how
10:35
she said it, like was she really worried or was
10:37
she faking it exactly?
10:38
Speaker 2: And you know what's interesting when you watch those videos,
10:40
there are moments where Megan seems almost distant, like she's
10:43
talking about losing something unimportant, not her own child.
10:47
Speaker 1: That's creepy. Did the prosecution point that out to the jury, like, Hey,
10:50
look at how she's acting. Does this look like a
10:51
grieving mother to you?
10:52
Speaker 2: Oh? They definitely pointed out those inconsistencies. They argued that
10:55
the way Megan was acting, her lack of emotion or
10:57
her feed eating, and the way she kept looking away.
11:00
Those were all signs of someone hiding the truth.
11:02
Speaker 1: I bet the bodycam footage wasn't the only time they
11:05
caught Megan acting strangely, was it? You're on a roll?
11:08
Speaker 2: There was another instance that really caught people's attention. Remember
11:11
Meghan did a few interviews with the media before they
11:13
arrested her.
11:14
Speaker 1: Yeah, I remember seeing those on TV. It was like
11:16
a media frenzy. Everyone wanted to hear from her.
11:18
Speaker 2: Right well, the prosecution showed the jury clips from those interviews,
11:21
and there was this one moment that really stood out.
11:24
Megan was asked directly about Evelyn, and for a split second,
11:27
just a quick flash smirk crossed her face.
11:30
Speaker 1: The smirk, really, that's chilling. What did they make of
11:32
that smirk?
11:33
Speaker 2: The prosecution argued that it was a subconscious slip, a
11:36
brief moment where Meghan's true feelings about Evelyn's disappearance came out.
11:41
They said it was a sign of how cold and
11:43
uncaring she was, implying that she wasn't really sad, but
11:45
actually relieved to be free of her child.
11:48
Speaker 1: So it's like one of those micro expressions, a tiny,
11:50
involuntary movement that betrayed her real emotions. It's amazing how
11:54
much those small things can.
11:55
Speaker 2: Reveal absolutely well. Humans aren't always as good at high
11:58
our feelings as we think, and sometimes those brief moments
12:02
of honesty can speak volumes.
12:04
Speaker 1: Well, they say the eyes of the windows to the soul.
12:05
But in this case, it sounds like Megan's smirk was
12:07
pretty revealing too. So between the foil, the crime scene photos,
12:11
the digital trail, and her suspicious behavior, they were building
12:14
a really strong case against her. But did they have
12:16
any physical evidence that directly connected Megan to Evelyn's death.
12:21
Speaker 2: That's a really great question, and that's where the forensic
12:23
experts really come into player. I remember we talked about
12:25
the autopsy that show Evelyn died from asphyxiation. Yeah, well,
12:28
the prosecution brought in two very respected forensic pathologists, doctor
12:33
Matrina Schmidt and doctor Durenka Malise Nikpulchon to explain that
12:37
findings in details.
12:38
Speaker 1: So they were the ones who officially ruled it a homicide, right,
12:40
But how could they be sure that Evelyn didn't just
12:43
die accidentally like Megan said.
12:45
Speaker 2: Their testimony was key in dismantling Megan's defense. They explained
12:49
that the way Evelyn was found all wrapped up in
12:51
a blanket, the foil around her head, stuffed into a
12:54
trash can. All of that created a situation where she
12:56
couldn't breathe, and they were very specific about the kind
12:59
of asphyxiation.
13:00
Speaker 1: So it wasn't just that she couldn't breathe, but there
13:02
was something specific about how it happened. Tell me more,
13:05
what did these experts say?
13:06
Speaker 2: This is where it gets a little technical, but it's important.
13:09
Doctor Malisa Pulsion, she's really good at what she does,
13:13
testified that there was evidence of a mechanical obstruction in
13:16
Evelyn's airway. Basically, something was physically blocking her breathing.
13:20
Speaker 1: Okay, now that sounds a lot more deliberate than someone
13:22
accidentally rolling onto a baby. Did they have any ideas
13:25
about what might have caused this mechanical obstruction?
13:29
Speaker 2: They did, and it was bad news for Megan. They
13:30
suggested that the blanket itself, wrapped tightly around Evelyn's small body,
13:35
could have been enough to obstruct her airway, and the foil, well,
13:38
that just made it even harder for her to breathe.
13:40
Speaker 1: So as a combination of things that ultimately led to
13:42
Evelyn's death. Right the blanket, the foil, the fact that
13:45
she was in a trash cam. It all created a
13:47
deadly situation exactly.
13:49
Speaker 2: And both pathologists were very clear this wasn't an accident.
13:52
It was a homicide, plain and simple. And their testimony,
13:55
backed by their years of experience and scientific expertise, really
13:59
resonated with.
13:59
Speaker 1: The It's like they say, the science doesn't lie. So
14:02
we've got the digital trail, the crime scene photos, the
14:04
bodycam footage, and now the expert testimony from these pathologists.
14:08
It's a mountain of evidence against Megan. But did anyone
14:11
come to her defense? Was there anyone who believed her
14:14
side of the story.
14:15
Speaker 2: Well, even with all that evidence, there were still people
14:17
in Meghan's life who supported her, who wanted to believe
14:20
that she could have done something so horrible, and their
14:22
testimonies in court gave us a glimpse into the complexities
14:25
of family loyalty and the unwavering belief that deep down
14:29
there's good in everyone.
14:31
Speaker 1: That's interesting. So, even with all this evidence, there were
14:33
still people willing to vouch for her. Who were these people?
14:36
Speaker 2: We'll dig into their testimonies and the emotional rollercoaster of
14:39
the trial when we come back good day with us.
14:41
Speaker 1: So we're back in Man. This Evelyn Boswell case, it's
14:44
been a tough one. We've talked about the lies, the evidence,
14:46
the science that all led to Megan Boswell being found guilty.
14:50
But there's another side to this human side that we
14:53
need to look at.
14:53
Speaker 2: Yeah, you're right, we can't forget that behind all the
14:55
legal stuff in the courtroom, there are real people whose
14:59
lives were changed forever by what happened. And during the
15:02
trial some of those people they got up on the
15:04
stand and shared their stories. They gave us a glimpse
15:06
into Meghan's life beyond the headlines.
15:09
Speaker 1: Like, we're trying to understand why things happened the way
15:12
they did. Right, Right, We've seen the evidence, we know
15:14
what happened, but now we're trying to figure out the motivations,
15:16
the human side of things that led to this awful outcome.
15:20
So who were these people who spoke about Meghan? Did
15:22
they make her sound like a monster or was there
15:24
something more to their stories?
15:25
Speaker 2: Well, one of the most powerful testimonies came from Meghan's
15:28
own father, Tommy Boswell Sr. Remember he was the one
15:31
who first reported Evelyn missing, and his story hadn't always
15:34
been consistent. But on the stand, he described Meghan as
15:38
a troubled young woman, really affected by her rough childhood.
15:42
Speaker 1: So he was basically saying she made some terrible choices,
15:44
but let's not forget where she came from. It's like
15:46
he was trying to make her seem more human, to
15:48
give the jury some background.
15:49
Speaker 2: On her exactly. He talked about Meghan struggling to fit in,
15:52
having trouble holding down a job, her tendency to get
15:55
angry when things were hard. It was almost like he
15:57
was trying to explain her behavior and not use it. It
16:00
was a really emotional moment. You could feel it in
16:02
the courtroom.
16:03
Speaker 1: It must have been so hard for him, you know,
16:05
as a father, to see his own daughter accused of
16:07
such a horrible crime, but also to admit to the
16:10
pain she'd been caring for so long. Did anyone else
16:12
from Megan's family testify?
16:14
Speaker 2: Yeah, and this one was maybe even more emotional. Meghan's mother, Angela,
16:18
She took the stand right, And remember Angela had struggled
16:21
with drugs in the past and had been in and
16:23
out of Meghan's life while she was growing up.
16:25
Speaker 1: Yeah, it sounds like their relationship was complicated. So what
16:27
did Angela say? Was she there to defend her daughter?
16:29
Speaker 2: It was actually the opposite. Angela's testimony was really raw,
16:32
on and heartbreaking. She admitted her own failures as a mother,
16:36
saying that she hadn't always been there for Meghan, that
16:38
she'd made choices that hurt her daughter. It was then
16:41
she felt the weight of generations of trauma.
16:43
Speaker 1: Wow, that takes a lot of courage to admit your
16:45
own mistakes in court, especially in such a difficult situation.
16:48
Did her testimony seem to affect the jury?
16:51
Speaker 2: You could see it. The jurors were leaning in, listening
16:54
really closely. Their faces showed sadness, empathy, maybe even some judgment.
16:58
It reminded everyone that this case wasn't just about one
17:01
person's actions, but about a cycle of dysfunction, a chain
17:04
of pain and bad choices passed down through generations.
17:06
Speaker 1: It makes you think how much of Meghan's behavior came
17:09
from her environment, how she was raised, and how much
17:11
of it was her own bad intentions. It's probably impossible
17:14
to know for sure, but it's definitely something to consider absolutely.
17:17
Speaker 2: And then there was Gail Kite, Meghan's foster mother. Gail
17:20
took Meghan in when she was just a teenager and
17:22
gave her some stability and support during her really tough time.
17:26
Speaker 1: So Gail knew Meghan on a deeper level. She'd seen
17:28
her vulnerable side and her potential to change. What did
17:31
she think about everything? Did she believe Megan could have
17:33
committed murder?
17:34
Speaker 2: Gail's testimony was interesting. She was obviously conflicted. She talked
17:37
about Meghan's trouble past, her lying and manipulation, but she
17:40
also emphasized how Meghan was capable of love, her moments
17:43
of kindness and empathy. It was like she was desperately
17:46
looking for the good in Meghan, holding onto hope that
17:49
deep down she could still change man.
17:52
Speaker 1: That must have been hard, trying to balance the good
17:54
and the bad, the love and the hurt. Did she
17:56
give any insights into why Meghan might have done what
17:58
she did? She was the one responsible for Evelyn's death.
18:02
Speaker 2: Gail suggested that Megan might have been overwhelmed. She said
18:05
that the pressure of being a young mom on top
18:07
of her own unresolved trauma might have pushed her too far.
18:11
She talked about how Megan always craved attention, how she'd
18:13
make up stories or exaggerate things to get people to
18:16
focus on her.
18:17
Speaker 1: So it's like she was stuck in this pattern of
18:19
needing validation, creating drama to fill the void from her
18:23
own tough upbringing. It's sad and complicated.
18:26
Speaker 2: It really is. Gail didn't try to justify Meghan's actions,
18:29
but she did ask for leniency. She said that Megan
18:32
wasn't a lost cause, that with the right help and therapy,
18:34
she could turn her life around. It was a powerful statement,
18:37
one that highlighted the possibility of change even after such
18:40
a horrible crime.
18:41
Speaker 1: It's fascinating to hear these different perspectives, these glimpses into
18:45
Meghan's life outside of the courtroom. It shows us a
18:48
more complete picture of her, not just as a villain,
18:51
but as a complex person shaped by her experiences, her choices,
18:55
and maybe even her own desperation exactly.
18:57
Speaker 2: And while these testimonies didn't change the evidence against her,
19:00
they did add more depth to the story. They reminded
19:03
everyone that this case wasn't just about right and wrong,
19:05
guilty or not guilty. It was about the messy, complicated
19:09
reality of human lives colliding, about choices and consequences.
19:12
Speaker 1: It reminds us that even in the darkest situations, there's
19:15
always more to the story, more to understand, more learn from.
19:18
So after all that, what was the final verdict? What
19:20
did the jury decide where?
19:21
Speaker 2: After thinking about it for about four and a half hours,
19:23
the jury came back with their decision. Guilty on all charges.
19:27
They found Megan Boswell guilty of three counts of first
19:30
degree murder, two counts of aggravated child abuse, one count
19:34
of aggravated child neglect, one count of tampering with evidence,
19:38
one count of abuse of a corpse, one count of
19:41
failure to report a death under suspicious, unnatural, or unusual circumstances,
19:45
and twelve counts of false reporting.
19:47
Speaker 1: Wow, that's a lot of charges. It sounds like they
19:49
didn't hold back. What was the sentence? Did the jury
19:51
recommend life in prison or something else?
19:53
Speaker 2: Well, in Tennessee, first degree murder automatically gets a life sentence, right,
19:57
but the jury had to decide whether to recommend parole
19:59
after fifth one years.
20:00
Speaker 1: So there was still a chance, even if it was small,
20:03
that Megan could get out of prison eventually. What did
20:05
they decide?
20:05
Speaker 2: The jury decided not to recommend parole. Oh wow, that
20:08
means Megan Boswell will spend the rest of her life
20:11
in prison without the possibility of getting out early.
20:14
Speaker 1: Wow, that's a serious sentence. As we wrap up this
20:17
deep dive, it leads me with a lot to think
20:18
about this case, the tragic death of little Evelyn, all
20:21
the lies, the different stories, it's all so disturbing. It
20:25
makes you question human nature, accountability, and the systems we
20:28
have to protect children.
20:29
Speaker 2: It reminds us that these cases aren't just sensational stories
20:32
in the news or dramatic courtroom battles. They represent real
20:35
lives lost, families torn apart, and communities struggling with unimaginable
20:39
sadness and anger. And while we may never fully understand
20:43
what led Meghan Boswell to do such awful things, her
20:46
story is a stark warning, a call for all of
20:48
us to be more aware, and more compassionate, and more
20:51
dedicated to protecting those who are most vulnerable.
20:53
Speaker 1: You're right, this case it's a wake up call. It
20:55
reminds us that the fight to protect children never ends.
20:57
We all have a part to play in making sure
20:59
kids are safe and cared for.
21:00
Speaker 2: If you want to learn more about this case, I
21:02
recommend checking out Court TV's coverage They have videos from
21:05
the trial, interviews, expert opinions, the whole thing. It's a
21:09
great resource for anyone who wants to understand the legal
21:11
details of this case and the wider issues of child
21:14
abuse and neglect.
21:15
Speaker 1: And remember, if you ever think a child is being
21:17
abused or neglected, don't hesitate to report it. You could
21:21
be saving a life. Thanks for joining us on this
21:24
deep dive. So it's been a tough one, but hopefully
21:28
by talking about this tragic case, we can help create
21:31
a future where children are loved, protected, and given the
21:35
opportunity to live their best lives.