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Dateline explored a chilling case of a woman who was shot dead in her own home in Texas. The incident occurred after midnight on October 10. The victim was Debbie Kelly. She was a healthcare executive and was murdered by a shotgun aimed at her chest.
The person who shot was her husband, named Lars Itzo, and later claimed that it was a tragic accident. He said that he thought she was an intruder and shot at her. But the story did not make sense to the investigators. They suspected that there was more to what meets the eye.
As the case progressed, the investigators questioned and examined the true intentions of the husband and found the truth of the case to bring justice to the victim
Dateline: The fatal night
Lars Itzo called 911 just after the shooting and told the operator his wife had been shot. When police arrived, they found something strange. Itzo's hands were clean, and there were no bloody footprints around the body. This did not match his claim that he tried to save her.
The shooting happened in the hallway outside their bedroom. Debbie was struck from just three to four feet away. Lars told the officers that he woke up to strange noises. He heard their dog growling. He grabbed his shotgun and saw a figure in the darkness and fired immediately.
Dateline: Changing stories
Investigators noticed Lars transformed his story several times. On the 911 call, he mentioned seeing a light. When the officers arrived, he mentioned seeing flashes from the front of the house. He said he saw people running. At the police station, he claimed he heard a door squeaking at the beginning. These inconsistencies raised major red flags.
Lars also failed a polygraph test, and during interrogation, he requested Dr. Pepper. Prosecutors found this behavior odd given the situation. However, Lars also displayed moments of distress, including crying and pacing.
Dateline: Who was Debbie Kelly?
Debbie was an ambitious and driven woman. She worked as Vice President for National Surgical Healthcare. Her career meant everything to her. She traveled frequently and had a busy social life, often engaging with friends and participating in tennis matches.
Debbie met Lars when she hired him to work on her home. He was a contractor. They started dating and got engaged within a year. They got married in an Arkansas chapel, and for two years, they seemed content together.
Dateline: Growing problems
As time passed, friends began to notice problems after Debbie received a promotion. She complained that Lara's laid-back personality didn't match her ambitious nature. She grew frustrated that home productions never got completed.
Even friends started noticing she seemed less eager to come back after going out. Prosecutor Karl Alexander believed Lars wanted more of her time. He wanted her to adopt a more traditional role as a wife. When she refused, prosecutors argued this drove him to kill her. Alexander suggested Lars loved her more than she loved him.
Dateline: The Trial
The reporter Andrea Canning covered the case thoroughly. The trial started a few years back, and Lars testified that their marriage was wonderful. He said Debbie was the best thing that ever happened to him. His defense team argued the shooting was a tragic accident.
The jury deliberated for five hours. They reached a split verdict. Lars was found not guilty of murder but convicted of manslaughter. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison plus a $10,000 fine.
Dateline: Family Reactions
Debbie's family strongly disagreed with the verdict. Her mother questioned why Lars did not check if his wife was next to him before he fired the shots. Her father felt very disappointed by the manslaughter verdict instead of murder.
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Dateline followed up a few years later, and Lars is currently being held at a Correctional Facility in Texas. He told Dateline from the prison that he keeps the picture of his wife in his pocket and still misses her a lot.
Dateline's coverage highlighted how perception shapes this devastating story. Was Lars a calculating killer or a heartbroken husband? The debate goes on to date.
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