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For decades, Dateline NBC has shed light on some of the most shocking and complex criminal cases across the United States. Cases where family ties, betrayal and buried secrets collide in tragic ways. The episode titled "Too Fat to Kill" is no exception.
At the center of this chilling story is Paul Duncsak, a well-established pharmaceutical executive from Ramsey, New Jersey, whose life came to a violent end inside his own home in 2006. What followed was a tangled investigation including family drama and startling twists.
The Dateline episode not only covers how the crime took place, but also uncovers unsolved details about the victim's life and the murder. One of the major parts in the killing of Paul Duncsak is that the killer was around 300 pounds, and his defence team claimed that it wouldn't have been possible for him to commit the murder
Yes, that's correct. The episode has been titled "Too Fat to Kill" because the man who turned out to be the murderer was obese and faced other issues like asthma, sleep apnea, and a history of being a heavy smoker. This isn't just shocking but also heartbreaking as Paul's children lost their beloved father.
Keep reading to dive deep into the tragic 2006 murder.
Dateline episode "Too Fat to Kill" reveals how Paul Duncsak's life turned upside down
As previously explained, Paul Duncsak was a successful pharmaceutical executive from New Jersey, whose life unexpectedly took a dark turn during a difficult divorce from his wife, Stacey. Like many bitter cases, Paul and Stacey also faced challenges as they wanted to win custody children.
Things got even more strained because of Paul’s rocky relationship with Stacey’s father, Edward Ates. At one point, Ates had even tried to get Paul to invest in his golf business, which was an idea that didn't work well and only worsened tensions.
The Dateline episode explains that Stacey accused Paul of several things during the trial, which ultimately damaged his reputation. Not only this, the fight made it difficult for Paul to maintain good business relationships as well.
However, Paul Duncsak didn't give up and was trying to rebuild his life and relations by 2006. This was the year when he even got blessed with a fiancée named Lori and returned to work. But the custody battles still lingered, and he feared that Stacey might try to take the children out of the state.
The 2006 murder of Paul Duncsak featured on Dateline
Now comes the heartbreaking part in the Dateline episode as it reveals the details about how Paul Duncsak tragically met his end. It was on August 23, 2006 when everything changed. Paul was talking to his fiancée at night and suddenly Lori heard him scream, followed by the sound of gunshots.
Lori couldn't connect to Paul after that and soon police arrived at his house. As explained in the Dateline episode, Paul was found dead in a hallway of his home and shot multiple times with a .22 caliber weapon.
What made the case even more complex and chilling was that nothing appeared to have been stolen. The man was still wearing his Rolex and no money was taken from him. There wasn't any sign of forced robbery as well, confirming that it wasn't a robbery case but a planned murder.
Investigation led to the killer of Paul Duncsak
Almost a year after the incident, authorities arrested Edward Ates in his mother's residence in Louisiana. Despite having some health issues and weighing approximately 300 pounds, investigators felt that he had traveled from Florida to New Jersey, murdered Paul and then driven nearly non-stop to Louisiana to establish an alibi.
The evidence against Ates wasn't in the form of fingerprints or DNA — it was pieced together from a series of incriminating details. Police discovered wiretapped conversations, like where Ates taught his family members how to stick to their lie. Cell phone records put him near Paul's residence in the moments leading up to the killing.
A forensic examination of his computer uncovered horrific searches on the subjects of "how to commit the perfect murder," silencers and lock-picking. Adding to that, Paul's brother and best friend came forward to testify that Ates had the motive and will to do it.
Particularly since Stacey and the children stand to gain from Paul's death. Another strike to Ates' alibi was when his sister, who initially corroborated his alibi, confessed that she had lied to cover for him.
At trial, Ates’ lawyer introduced a highly unusual defense strategy. They claimed that Ates was physically incapable of committing the crime, citing his obesity and other health issues. Doctors were brought in to explain how it would be nearly impossible for someone in his condition to sneak into a house, climb stairs and fire a weapon multiple times, and then drive long distances without significant rest.
But while this "too fat to kill" argument drew public attention, the jury didn’t buy it. They believed the weight of the circumstantial evidence was too strong to ignore. In the end, Edward Ates was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, with no chance of parole for over six decades.
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Also Read: Dateline: The Knock At The Door - 5 harrowing details about Tara Ord-Sidarovich's murder, explored
Continue exploring Soap Central for more such true-crime stories.
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