TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Seven weeks after a 26-year-old ex-con pleaded guilty in the brutal murder of a beloved Jacksonville music teacher, the I-TEAM has obtained evidence showing how police cracked the case.
Deborah Liles, 62, was beaten to death in her Panama Park home in March 2017.
Adam Lawson pleaded guilty to breaking into Liles' home, beating her with a frying pan and a golf club and then stealing her car. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Liles' husband, Michael Liles, the former leader of the Justice Coalition, died last year of natural causes before the murder case came to a close.
News4Jax has obtained video of Lawson's interrogation interview, showing that when police first brought him in to question him about Deborah Liles' death, he denied any involvement.
A shirtless Lawson can be seen being led into the interview room at the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office homicide office a week and a half after Liles was found dead in her home.
As he waits, the then 24-year-old grows more impatient.
“I’m trying to remain patient. I just want to know what’s going on. I’ve been told I’m being detained. Will someone please let me know what’s going on?” Lawson said.
Four and a half hours later, Detective Bobby Bowers and Sgt. D. Lewis come in, and Bowers explains that the homicide unit does its homework slowly and meticulously.
They ask if Lawson knows anything about the death of Liles and talk about how great a person she was -- always giving back to the community.
“This woman had grandkids, children that didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to her,” Bowers said.
Lawson continues to deny knowing anything about Liles' murder, so, eventually, the investigators leave him in the room alone.
“You guys are trying to put me in a situation for what?” Lawson says to himself after they're gone. “I don’t even know what the hell is going on.”
When they come back, they say they have DNA evidence and surveillance video and that his girlfriend has given them a statement saying he confessed to her after officers stopped by their home.
“It was on my chest. I couldn’t really sleep,” the girlfriend says in her police interview. News4Jax is not naming her. “I was thinking about the lady and being there with him. I was scared because I never went through anything like this, especially no murders. That lady got hurt. I don’t know.”
But detectives still can't get Lawson to come clean.
“She’s full of s***,” he says.
Bowers shouts at Lawson that he doesn't like people lying to him. And six hours after they first brought Lawson in, he finally seems to realize what's happening.
“So when will I be going home?” Lawson asks.
“You’re not going home. You’re going to jail,” Bowers said.
“Going to jail for what?” Lawson asks.
Lawson was booked on a first-degree murder charge.
Nearly two years later, Lawson confessed, pleading guilty to charges of first-degree murder, armed burglary, grand theft auto and possession of a firearm by a felon. He agreed to a plea deal so he would not get the death penalty.
News4Jax attempted to contact Liles’ children for comment on the newly released interrogation video. If we hear back, we’ll let you know what they have to say.