High School Grad Killed After Dumping Her Boyfriend: The Murder of Lauren Astley

Kendall Rae
16 Apr 202441:46

Summary

TLDRThe video script discusses the tragic story of Lauren Dunn Asley, an 18-year-old murdered by her ex-boyfriend, Nathan Fua, following their breakup. The case highlights the issue of breakup violence, a topic not commonly addressed but which can have devastating consequences. Lauren's parents, Mary and Malcolm, have since dedicated themselves to raising awareness about the dangers of breakup violence through the Lauren Dunn Asley Memorial Fund. The fund aims to educate teens about the risks associated with breakups and promote healthy relationships. The video also touches on a recent Massachusetts court ruling that could potentially allow Nathan, who was sentenced to life without parole, a chance at parole due to his age at the time of the crime, causing further distress to Lauren's family.

Takeaways

  • 🌐 The episode is sponsored by Babel, a language learning app that helped the speaker brush up on Spanish for a family trip to Costa Rica.
  • πŸŽ“ The speaker is making a donation to The Lauren Dun Asley Memorial Fund, highlighting the importance of discussing breakup violence.
  • πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§β€πŸ‘¦ Lauren Dun Asley was a vibrant 18-year-old with a passion for performing arts and community service, who tragically lost her life.
  • πŸ’” The case of Lauren's murder was a result of breakup violence, which her parents believe could have been prevented, and they've dedicated themselves to raising awareness.
  • 🚨 There were no significant warning signs leading up to Lauren's murder, which underscores the importance of educating people about the potential dangers of breakup violence.
  • πŸ€” Nathaniel Fua, Lauren's ex-boyfriend, was popular and well-liked but had a history of jealousy and rage, which escalated after their breakup.
  • 🚨 Nathaniel's behavior drastically changed after the breakup, showing signs of depression, substance abuse, and a decline in his usual activities.
  • πŸ” The police investigation quickly focused on Nathaniel after discovering incriminating evidence at his home and the location where Lauren's body was found.
  • 🏒 Nathaniel was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, with the defense arguing a not guilty by reason of insanity due to mental health conditions and repeated head injuries from football.
  • πŸ“š The Lauren Dun Asley Memorial Fund aims to educate teens about the dangers of breakup violence and promote healthy relationships.
  • 🀝 In a remarkable act of empathy, Lauren's father hugged Nathaniel's parents in court, acknowledging the pain both families felt from the loss and the verdict.

Q & A

  • What was the name of the memorial fund mentioned in the transcript?

    -The Lauren Dun Asley Memorial Fund.

  • What language learning app was mentioned in the transcript?

    -Babel.

  • Why did the speaker choose to donate to The Lauren Dun Asley Memorial Fund?

    -The speaker chose to donate to The Lauren Dun Asley Memorial Fund to support awareness about breakup violence and to honor the memory of Lauren Asley.

  • What was the name of Lauren Asley's high school?

    -Wayland High School.

  • What was the name of the a capella group Lauren was a part of?

    -The Muses.

  • What was the name of Lauren's ex-boyfriend who was convicted of her murder?

    -Nathaniel Fua.

  • What was the cause of Lauren Asley's death?

    -Lauren Asley was strangled to death with a bungee cord and had multiple stab wounds to her throat.

  • What was the name of the organization that provides safety and prevention resources for families?

    -The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

  • What was the name of the video created by NCMEC to help identify exploitive or unhealthy behaviors in relationships?

    -The Healthy Relationships video.

  • What was the name of the non-profit organization created by Lauren's parents to educate teens about the dangers of breakup violence?

    -The Lauren Dun Asley Memorial Fund.

  • What was the ruling by the highest court in Massachusetts regarding life sentences for individuals under the age of 20?

    -The ruling stated that anyone under the age of 20 convicted of first-degree murder cannot be given a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

  • What advice did Lauren's mother give to teens regarding breakups?

    -Lauren's mother advised teens to never go alone during a breakup or when meeting with an ex-partner after a breakup, especially in a non-public setting.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Introduction and Language Learning Sponsorship

The video begins with an introduction acknowledging the sponsorship by Babel, a language learning platform. The host expresses gratitude for the support from Babel and viewers, which has enabled a donation to The Lauren Dun Ashley Memorial Fund. The host shares personal excitement about an upcoming family trip to Costa Rica and mentions using Babel to improve Spanish language skills. Babel is praised for its scientifically proven method to help users speak a new language in just three weeks, with lessons designed by real language teachers focusing on real-world conversations. A discount subscription offer is provided for viewers, and an invitation is extended for viewers to share which language they'd like to learn.

05:00

πŸ“š True Crime Discussion: Breakup Violence

The host transitions into a True Crime segment, focusing on the case of 18-year-old Lauren Ashley, whose murder is believed to have been preventable. The discussion aims to raise awareness about breakup violence, a topic not commonly discussed despite its prevalence. Lauren's parents have dedicated themselves to spreading awareness about this issue. The host also reminds viewers about the availability of new merchandise, with profits going to the National Center for Missing Exploited Children, and highlights a resource by Net Smartz aimed at identifying unhealthy relationship behaviors.

10:02

πŸŽ“ Lauren's Life and High School Experience

Lauren Dunn Ashley is described as an active, community-oriented individual with a passion for performing arts and community service. Despite being only 5'1" tall, she is characterized as 'small but mighty.' At 12 years old, she volunteered in New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina. A student at Wayland High School, she was involved in various activities, including the AC capella group 'The Muses,' church choir, and local theater. Her high school experience is depicted as a time of growth and emotional intensity, with her death being a stark reminder of the potential dangers of breakup violence.

15:04

πŸ’” The Turbulent Relationship and Tragic End

The narrative delves into Lauren's relationship with her ex-boyfriend, Nathaniel Fua, a popular football star at Wayland High School. Their relationship was tumultuous, with many breakups and reconciliations. Friends noticed Nathan's unhealthy behavior and tried to support Lauren in ending the relationship. Despite the initial disbelief that Nathan could harm Lauren, his subsequent actions led to his arrest for her murder. The paragraph ends with the discovery of Lauren's Jeep at the beach, marking a pivotal moment in the search for her.

20:05

πŸš” Investigation and Nathan's Arrest

The police investigation into Lauren's disappearance quickly led them to Nathan, initially providing an alibi but later arrested due to substantial evidence found at his home. Lauren's body was found in a marsh, strangled and stabbed. Nathan's downward spiral after the breakup, his family's concern, and his mother's attempt to involve Lauren in cheering him up are detailed. The tragic outcome of Lauren's act of kindness in agreeing to talk to Nathan is highlighted, emphasizing the unpredictability of such situations.

25:06

🏠 Crime Scene Evidence and Nathan's Trial

The paragraph discusses the evidence found at Nathan's house, including bungee cords, blood stains, and muddy shoes, which led to his arrest. Nathan's trial reveals more about his mental state and the potential use of a 'Not Guilty by reason of insanity' defense. The prosecution argues Nathan's actions were deliberate and premeditated, while the defense claims he suffered from a temporary psychotic episode due to underlying mental health conditions. The jury ultimately finds Nathan guilty of first-degree murder and other charges.

30:08

😒 Sentencing and the Legacy of Lauren Ashley

Nathan is sentenced to life in prison without parole for first-degree murder, as mandated by Massachusetts law. Lauren's parents deliver a victim impact statement expressing their grief and the profound impact of their loss. They establish the Lauren Dun Ashley Memorial Fund to educate teens about the dangers of breakup violence and promote healthy relationships. The fund also supports the arts and community service, reflecting Lauren's passions. The episode concludes with a call for parents to discuss breakup violence with their children and provide them with the necessary tools to handle breakups safely.

35:11

🏑 The Impact of a New Ruling on Nathan's Case

The episode concludes with an update on a recent ruling by the highest court in Massachusetts, which may affect Nathan's sentence. The ruling states that individuals under the age of 20 cannot be given a life sentence without the possibility of parole, even for first-degree murder. While Nathan was 20 at the time of his sentencing, this ruling could potentially allow him a chance at parole. Lauren's mother expresses her devastation at the possibility of Nathan having a life her daughter was denied. The host reflects on the tragedy and the ongoing efforts by Lauren's parents to educate and support others in preventing breakup violence.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘Babel

Babel is a language learning app that is scientifically proven to help users start speaking a new language in just 3 weeks. It is designed by real language teachers and focuses on teaching real-world conversations. In the video, the speaker mentions using Babel to brush up on Spanish before a trip to Costa Rica, highlighting its relevance to the theme of language learning and travel preparation.

πŸ’‘Breakup Violence

Breakup violence refers to acts of aggression or violence that occur as a result of a romantic relationship ending. It is a significant theme in the video as it discusses the murder of Lauren Ashley, which her parents and others believe could have been prevented if more awareness and education around breakup violence existed. The video emphasizes the need for open dialogue and education on this topic to prevent such tragedies.

πŸ’‘Lauren Ashley

Lauren Ashley is an 18-year-old girl who was murdered, and her case is the central focus of the video. She is portrayed as a vibrant, community-involved individual with a passion for performing arts and service. Her tragic story serves as a catalyst for discussing the broader issues of breakup violence and the importance of educating young people about the potential dangers following a relationship's end.

πŸ’‘Nathaniel Fujia

Nathaniel Fujia is Lauren Ashley's ex-boyfriend who was convicted of her murder. The video discusses his transformation from a popular football player to a person deeply affected by the breakup, which led to the violent act. His case is used to illustrate the potential consequences of untreated emotional turmoil following a breakup.

πŸ’‘Lauren Dunn Ashley Memorial Fund

The Lauren Dunn Ashley Memorial Fund is a nonprofit organization founded by Lauren's parents to educate teens about the dangers of breakup violence. It promotes healthy teenage relationships and supports the arts and community service in memory of Lauren. The fund is a key part of the video's narrative as it represents the positive legacy her parents are building to honor her and prevent similar tragedies.

πŸ’‘Domestic Violence Awareness

Domestic violence awareness is the process of informing the public about the prevalence and impact of domestic violence. While the video discusses this in a general context, it places a stronger emphasis on breakup violence, which is a specific type of domestic violence that occurs after the relationship has ended. The video encourages a broader societal conversation about all forms of relationship violence.

πŸ’‘Education and Prevention

Education and prevention are key strategies highlighted in the video for addressing and reducing the occurrence of breakup violence. By educating young people about the warning signs, healthy coping mechanisms, and how to seek help, the video suggests that the cycle of violence can be interrupted. This concept is integral to the video's message of empowerment and safety.

πŸ’‘Mandatory Sentencing

Mandatory sentencing refers to a legal requirement that imposes a minimum or fixed sentence for certain crimes, in this case, first-degree murder. The video mentions a change in Massachusetts law that could potentially allow individuals like Nathaniel Fujia, who was sentenced to life without parole, a chance at parole if they were under 20 at the time of the crime. This shift in legal perspective is significant as it impacts the discussion on justice and rehabilitation.

πŸ’‘Teen Relationship Violence

Teen relationship violence is a specific type of intimate partner violence that occurs among adolescents in romantic relationships. The video discusses the need for better education and tools to help teens navigate breakups safely. It is a crucial aspect of the video's theme as it highlights the vulnerability of young people in the face of emotional distress and potential violence post-breakup.

πŸ’‘Community Service

Community service is a voluntary action that benefits the community, often performed as a form of civic duty. Lauren Ashley was involved in community service, which is mentioned in the video as part of her character's description. It also relates to the mission of the Lauren Dunn Ashley Memorial Fund, which supports community service as a way to honor Lauren's legacy and promote positive youth engagement.

πŸ’‘Theatre and Performing Arts

Theatre and performing arts are fields in which Lauren Ashley was actively involved, as highlighted in the video. Her participation in these activities is used to illustrate her outgoing nature and passion, which contrast sharply with the tragic outcome of her story. The video uses her involvement in the performing arts to emphasize the potential and vibrancy she possessed that was tragically cut short.

Highlights

Babel, a language learning app, is credited for helping the speaker brush up on Spanish for an upcoming trip to Costa Rica.

The speaker is making a donation to The Lauren Dun Asley Memorial Fund, highlighting the importance of discussing breakup violence.

Lauren Dun Asley's murder is discussed as a case that could have been prevented, emphasizing the need for awareness around breakup violence.

Lauren was a vibrant 18-year-old with a passion for performing arts and community service, which is crucial to understanding her character.

The speaker graduated the same year as Lauren, adding a personal connection to the case and a sense of loss for the missed potential of her life.

Nathaniel Fua, Lauren's ex-boyfriend, is described as a popular football star whose relationship with Lauren was tumultuous and marked by frequent fighting.

Lauren's friends were aware that Nathan was not a good match for her, indicating a broader concern for her well-being within her social circle.

The night of Lauren's murder, Nathan's aggressive behavior at her party was a significant warning sign of his inability to cope with the breakup.

Lauren's disappearance and subsequent murder shocked her community, with her Jeep found abandoned and her father leading the desperate search.

Nathan's downward spiral after the breakup included alcohol and drug use, a significant change from his previous behavior, indicating a potential mental health crisis.

The trial of Nathan Fua revealed a defense strategy of 'Not Guilty by reason of insanity,' highlighting the complexity of his mental state at the time of the crime.

The prosecution successfully argued that Nathan's actions were deliberate and premeditated, leading to a conviction of first-degree murder.

Lauren's parents, Malcolm and Mary, have dedicated themselves to educating teens about the dangers of breakup violence through the Lauren Dun Asley Memorial Fund.

The highest court in Massachusetts has recently ruled that individuals under 20 convicted of first-degree murder cannot receive a life sentence without the possibility of parole, potentially impacting Nathan's case.

Lauren's parents advocate for teens to never go alone during a breakup, emphasizing the importance of safety and public spaces in potentially volatile situations.

The speaker calls for parents to discuss the topic of breakup violence with their children, providing them with the necessary tools to handle breakups safely.

Transcripts

00:00

today's episode is kindly brought to you

00:01

by Babel and thanks to their support and

00:03

support from viewers like you today I'm

00:05

able to make a donation to The Lauren

00:07

dun asley memorial fund so this summer I

00:09

am taking a trip with my family out to

00:12

Costa Rica and I am so excited and my

00:16

stepmom is going to be with us and she

00:18

is not fluent in Spanish but she

00:20

recently took some Spanish classes and

00:22

knows quite a bit I did not do well in

00:24

Spanish and high school friends like and

00:25

so I have turned to Babel to help me

00:28

brush up on my Spanish Babble is

00:30

scientifically proven to help you start

00:32

speaking a new language in just 3 weeks

00:35

and the lessons are designed by real

00:36

language teachers and what's cool about

00:38

Babel is they teach real world

00:40

conversations and Babel is actually one

00:42

of the top language learning apps in the

00:45

world I wanted to show you guys how easy

00:46

it actually is this is what the lessons

00:48

look like so I can play someone saying

00:52

the phrase in Spanish and then repeat

00:58

itas de

01:03

passing enough it's never too late to

01:05

learn a new language you can get 60% off

01:08

your subscription by clicking my link in

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the description below and if you are

01:11

planning to learn a language let me know

01:13

I'd love to hear what language you would

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like to

01:16

[Music]

01:24

learn hello everyone and welcome back to

01:26

True Crime with Kendall Ray so happy to

01:29

have you again as always if you're new

01:32

then welcome be sure to hit subscribe so

01:36

today we are going to be talking about a

01:38

case that so badly needs to be talked

01:41

about and that's mainly because it

01:43

brings up a conversation around breakup

01:46

violence this is a case that I came

01:48

across late last year and I haven't been

01:49

able to get it off my mind I consider

01:51

doing it around October for domestic

01:54

violence awareness month but I feel it's

01:57

one that needs to be talked about as

01:58

soon as possible today we're going to be

02:00

taking a look at the murder of

02:02

18-year-old Lauren asley now her parents

02:05

and many others including myself believe

02:07

that it was a murder that absolutely

02:10

could have been prevented and her

02:13

parents have really dedicated themselves

02:14

to spreading awareness about Break of

02:17

violence and it's a topic that we don't

02:20

often discuss I feel you know it's

02:23

something that so many of us experience

02:25

but it's not one that we talk about all

02:29

that much I mean as as a society we've

02:30

gotten better about talking about

02:32

domestic violence in general I think

02:33

we're headed in a good direction there

02:35

much more open dialogue but one term

02:38

that we just don't bring up very often

02:40

is Breakup violence now what exactly

02:43

does that mean well we will be talking

02:44

about it more today and I think it's a

02:46

conversation that absolutely should be

02:48

had in more households because the more

02:50

we educate people on it the more we can

02:52

prevent it and it's a great thing for

02:55

parents to talk to their children about

02:57

it's something that I think is really

02:58

lacking in our school systems but of

03:00

course it's something that doesn't just

03:02

affect younger people it can affect

03:04

someone at any age before we jump in

03:06

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03:09

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03:25

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03:46

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03:47

often a part of various kinds of

03:49

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03:51

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the discussion guide but let's go ahead

04:07

and talk about Lauren so Lauren Dunn

04:09

asley was born on April 1st just had a

04:12

birthday 1993 to her parents Mary and

04:15

Malcolm in Boston Massachusetts but she

04:17

grew up 30 minutes west of the city in

04:19

Wayland Lauren was raised by her parents

04:21

as an only child so to say that she was

04:23

the center of their worlds would be a

04:25

total understatement and despite her

04:27

parents divorce she was raised by two

04:29

people who loved her and supported her

04:31

through all seasons of life and even

04:33

though Lauren only got to experience 18

04:36

short years of life she did a lot in

04:39

those 18 years and everyone that was

04:41

around her could easily tell that she

04:44

was a very active person whether that

04:47

meant Physically Active like playing

04:48

sports or active in her community she

04:51

was always doing something just to name

04:53

a few things Lauren was a tennis player

04:56

a singer in an AC capella group a member

04:58

of the Metro West youth Symphony

05:00

Orchestra a camp counselor a member of

05:03

her church choir group and even starred

05:05

as the lead role in a performance of

05:06

Annie through a local Performing Arts

05:08

Center now Lauren may have only been 5T

05:11

tall but the phrase small But Mighty

05:14

really applied to her her interest in

05:16

performing arts and community service

05:17

were two things that really encompassed

05:20

who she was and what she cared about and

05:22

I loved learning this about her and I

05:23

think it says so much about who she was

05:26

when she was only 12 years old she

05:28

actually traveled down to New New

05:29

Orleans to help in the aftermath of

05:31

Hurricane Katrina I mean to be that

05:33

young and to think about helping others

05:36

before yourself you know to take such an

05:39

action like that at such a young age I

05:41

think is really impressive and says so

05:43

much about her character that is one

05:45

thing to know about Lauren is she really

05:47

cared about other people other people in

05:49

her life her family her friends of

05:51

course but other random people total

05:53

strangers she just was that type of

05:56

person Lauren attended Wayland High

05:58

School and it was there that that she

05:59

joined the AC capella group the muses

06:01

and let me tell you this girl was meant

06:04

to be on stage she was a naturally

06:06

gifted singer and her stage presence was

06:09

I mean impossible to ignore on top of

06:11

being part of the singing group Lauren

06:12

was also just a regular high school

06:14

student and I'm sure so many of you out

06:16

there know what I mean when I say this

06:18

but looking at pictures of her High

06:20

School experience like totally throws me

06:22

back to my own high school experience

06:25

it's just such a interesting and special

06:28

but also highly emotional and intense

06:31

time and yeah just seeing the pictures

06:33

of her back in high school sort of

06:36

reminds me of what that time was like

06:39

and sort of puts everything into

06:42

perspective for me when it comes to this

06:43

case it's also really weird to think

06:45

about because I graduated the same year

06:48

as Lauren 2011 and to think that she

06:51

would be around my age right now and has

06:54

missed out on all these years you know

06:56

that I've had since high school is just

06:59

God it makes me sick to think about I

07:01

think for most people high school feels

07:03

like your life well it is your life is

07:06

supposed to be just beginning it's so

07:09

exciting it's so new you know and you

07:11

feel sort of

07:13

invincible to imagine that those years

07:17

were her last years is just so

07:19

unimaginably painful to think about all

07:22

the things that she was planning to do

07:23

with her life were just taken away from

07:25

her like that and it was so so prevent

07:29

mble and what's crazy is nobody not a

07:31

single person could have predicted what

07:35

would happen to her I mean not even

07:37

Lauren could have possibly known and

07:40

that's what makes this so upsetting to

07:42

think about and why it is so important

07:45

to raise awareness around breakup

07:47

violence the warning signs were so small

07:50

though practically non-existent I mean

07:52

there were a few but no one could have

07:54

imagined it would lead to murder and I'm

07:58

sure you've already figured out by now

07:59

that Lauren was killed by her boyfriend

08:02

or her ex-boyfriend I should say and his

08:04

name is Nathaniel fua just like Lauren

08:07

Nathan was a student at Wayland High

08:09

School and he was definitely known as

08:11

being the popular attractive football

08:14

star and he really was that guy in their

08:17

high school I'm sure you can picture

08:19

that guy from your own high school

08:21

experience possibly or you know picture

08:23

any movie the popular jock you know the

08:27

person everyone liked the person and

08:29

everyone wanted to be with that was

08:32

Nathan everyone seemed to like Nathan

08:34

everyone cheered for Nathan at the

08:36

football games everyone was kind of

08:38

jealous of him in general and especially

08:41

when it came to his relationship Lauren

08:42

and Nathan began dating in early high

08:44

school and on the outside they seemed

08:47

like the perfect couple Lauren was

08:49

bubbly she was an outgoing theater girl

08:52

and Nathan was the football guy however

08:54

as you can imagine their relationship

08:56

and I want to emphasize this was not

08:58

perfect even though it may have seemed

09:00

that way on the outside the two of them

09:02

definitely did a lot of fighting there

09:04

was a lot of you know breaking up

09:06

getting back together breaking up

09:08

getting back together just sort of the

09:09

on and off again cycle and I get it I

09:11

mean they're high schoolers so it's

09:14

pretty normal I think to fight like that

09:16

I mean even for adults I think fighting

09:18

in relationships can be healthy can be

09:21

normal but it gets to a point where it

09:24

becomes unhealthy and can be dangerous

09:27

and I truly believe Lauren was trying to

09:30

you know figure out what she wanted in

09:32

life figure out where her life was going

09:34

and Lauren was really in a place at this

09:36

point in her life where you know most

09:38

high schoolers are when they're starting

09:39

to think about their future where they

09:41

want to go who they want to be in their

09:43

future and she was really questioning

09:45

things her friends were definitely not

09:47

supportive of the relationship many of

09:49

them had actually created a list for her

09:52

or helped her kind of create a list of

09:54

reasons why she should break up with him

09:57

now this is something that there's no

09:58

evidence Nathan knew about but I thought

10:01

it was interesting to note that her

10:02

friends knew that he was bad for her I

10:05

don't think they knew they actually I

10:07

know they have said that they couldn't

10:09

imagine it would have ever gotten to the

10:11

point that it did but they knew that he

10:14

was not the right match for her for sure

10:16

but as graduation approached and the

10:18

reality of life really beginning at that

10:21

point for Lauren which unfortunately

10:24

wouldn't actually be the case for her

10:25

but she was definitely feeling the

10:28

pressure of figuring out what she wanted

10:31

to do with her life and who she wanted

10:33

to be in it and so just like she had

10:35

before in the past she ended up breaking

10:36

up with Nathan actually on her birthday

10:39

and this time it was supposed to be

10:42

permanent Lauren had been accepted into

10:44

Elon University in North Carolina which

10:47

is where she was planning on going in

10:48

the fall and of course she was really

10:50

looking forward to it as for Nathan he

10:52

was going to go play football at Trinity

10:54

College where he would be going and

10:55

starting a new chapter of his life and I

10:57

can only imagine that the timing just

10:59

felt right to Lauren that they're both

11:01

moving on with their lives so Lauren

11:04

graduated high school single and she was

11:06

looking forward to her last summer at

11:07

home with her friends in fact her and

11:09

her friends wanted to really kick off

11:11

the summer with a pretty big party there

11:13

was over 150 students invited and it was

11:16

supposed to be this you know big

11:17

celebration of life beginning High

11:21

School ending you know all of that and

11:24

even that had to be ruined for her by

11:27

who else Nathan came to the party and

11:31

just seemed intent on not allowing her

11:34

to have fun he kept coming up to her

11:37

trying to talk to her and her friends

11:39

say that she was pushing him away not an

11:42

aggressive way but just back up off me

11:45

I'm trying to enjoy my time here we're

11:47

broken up we're done leave me alone and

11:50

he could not do it I mean she's trying

11:52

to have fun at this party not have a

11:54

serious conversation with her

11:55

ex-boyfriend it just you know it's like

11:58

time and place dude and I'm sure they

11:59

had had plenty of conversations about it

12:03

all in the past so she was just ready to

12:05

really move on and he could not let it

12:08

go Lauren even told her mom about how he

12:10

was acting that night saying that he was

12:12

harassing her that he was being super

12:14

invasive he just like I said he couldn't

12:17

Let It Go I mean he was just pissed off

12:20

pissed about Lauren breaking up with him

12:22

pissed that Lauren didn't want to talk

12:23

to him and pissed off about the fact

12:25

that Lauren seemed to be happy in fact

12:28

he was so pissed that during the party

12:30

they had rented some type of you know

12:33

one of those tents that you see for

12:34

weddings or big parties that go outside

12:37

and he was so mad about Lauren not

12:39

wanting to talk to him that he went up

12:41

to one of the polls and punched it so

12:43

hard that the whole thing almost

12:44

collapsed and people had to rush up to

12:46

it and hold it up so that that wouldn't

12:48

happen at that point Nathan was asked to

12:51

leave but the damage had really been

12:53

done I mean the night was pretty much

12:56

ruined for Lauren by Nathan so that

12:58

brings us to Sunday July 3rd 2011 Lauren

13:02

spent her afternoon at the boutique

13:04

clothing store that she worked for at

13:05

her local mall and she can actually be

13:07

seen entering the mall on surveillance

13:09

footage and sadly this would actually

13:11

end up being one of the last times that

13:13

she was ever seen and after work Lauren

13:15

had plans to hang out with a couple of

13:17

her friends however she didn't end up

13:19

showing up and instantly they were

13:21

worried because it just wasn't like her

13:23

to not show up and to not you know at

13:26

least let them know that she wasn't

13:28

going to be there and her father Malcolm

13:30

was also really worried because she

13:33

always would check in with him even

13:35

though he knew that she did have plans

13:37

after work she was supposed to come home

13:40

and you know quickly touch bass before

13:42

heading back out with her friends and

13:43

when she didn't and this being so out of

13:46

character for her he instantly knew that

13:48

something was wrong and didn't waste any

13:50

time he immediately called the Wayan

13:52

police department and reported her as

13:54

missing and by that point all of her

13:56

friends really started to panic that no

13:59

one had heard from her word got around

14:01

town that she was missing and people

14:03

were starting to freak out and luckily

14:05

the police jumped right into action

14:08

which often times I don't get to say

14:10

when covering these cases oftentimes we

14:13

see the police being really hesitant to

14:15

take immediate action and so I really

14:18

commend everyone here um not just the

14:20

place but also her friends and family

14:21

for knowing that something was wrong and

14:23

getting help immediately so the search

14:25

for Lauren started right away and very

14:28

quickly into their search they actually

14:30

made a huge discovery that night

14:32

Lauren's red Jeep was found in the

14:34

Wayland Town Beach parking lot with its

14:36

windows rolled down her purse and

14:39

computer were still inside but there was

14:41

no sign of Lauren and her dad remembers

14:44

driving to the beach as fast as he could

14:46

and this is heartbreaking but he

14:48

actually ran right out to the water

14:49

hoping that if she were out there that

14:52

he could help her but she wasn't there

14:54

and he sadly could not help her at this

14:58

point all of her friends were so

15:00

concerned that they actually spent the

15:01

night on the beach camped out hoping

15:04

Lauren would show up but she never did

15:07

officers obviously start asking her

15:09

loved ones if there was anyone in mind

15:12

that maybe could have done something to

15:14

her taken her somewhere anyone she could

15:17

be with and at first no one could think

15:21

of anybody they actually specifically

15:22

asked if her ex-boyfriend could be

15:25

involved once hearing about the fact

15:27

that she had recently broken up with him

15:29

and her friends even were like no

15:32

there's no way he would have done

15:34

anything to her Nathan wasn't violent I

15:37

mean he did punch that pole but for the

15:39

most part Nathan wasn't known to be

15:42

violent at least not to their knowledge

15:46

and so that just seemed like the

15:48

furthest thing from their minds but of

15:50

course the police know that anything is

15:52

possible even the people that you would

15:54

never expect could do something

15:56

absolutely can so they of course got in

15:58

contact with Nathan right away that

16:00

night they drove to Nathan's house where

16:01

they spoke with him and his mom Beth

16:04

however it sounded at least initially

16:06

like he had an alibi he did admit to

16:09

seeing Lauren that night he said that

16:12

she was in her car and pulled up they

16:14

had a 5 minute very awkward conversation

16:17

according to him but that was it she

16:19

drove off and he hadn't seen her since

16:22

but his Alibi and that story were about

16:24

as strong as a twig because 48 hours

16:27

later he was being arrested for murder

16:29

and that's because that following

16:31

morning just before Dawn a cyclist was

16:34

out taking a morning ride and they came

16:36

across a gruesome Discovery just 5 miles

16:40

away from her home Lauren Ashley's body

16:43

was discovered in a marsh and when she

16:45

was recovered from the water it was

16:47

immediately clear what her cause of

16:49

death was and God it's just so brutal at

16:52

age 18 I hate even having to explain

16:54

what happened to her it's obviously

16:56

important but it's very upsetting Lauren

16:58

was found with a bungy cord around her

17:00

neck and a gaping wound to her throat

17:03

her body was immediately sent to the

17:04

medical examiner's office where her

17:06

father had to make the official

17:08

identification which oh my God this just

17:11

broke my heart to hear there's an

17:13

interview with him in an episode of 48

17:15

hours and uh it chokes me up even

17:18

thinking about it it is so so sad seeing

17:21

the pain on his face I mean that is

17:23

something no parent should ever have to

17:25

do identify your child's remains it is

17:29

just unimaginable it's truly a

17:31

responsibility that I would not wish on

17:33

my worst enemy but it was in fact Lauren

17:36

he knew right away 18-year-old Lauren

17:39

Dunn asley had been strangled to death

17:42

and stabbed multiple times by someone

17:44

who the police had already spoken to and

17:47

I know you all know who it was that day

17:49

investigators learned a lot more about

17:51

Nathan vuja and just what a massive toll

17:54

the breakup had taken on him he had not

17:57

been the same since he had gone from

17:59

this upbeat football player who was you

18:02

know super popular always hanging out

18:04

with his friends thriving social life to

18:07

miserable never leaving home and a lot

18:11

of people in his life were worried about

18:13

him he had been drinking and smoking

18:15

daily he showed no excitement towards

18:17

playing college football which is

18:18

something that he had dreamt of since he

18:20

was a kid and his mom of course had

18:22

really picked up on this knew something

18:24

had to be really wrong she had actually

18:26

taken him to the psychiatrist and what's

18:28

crazy is his mom actually secretly

18:32

visited Lauren at work and asked her if

18:35

she could go and talk to her son you

18:38

know maybe try and cheer him up just try

18:41

to have more of a civil conversation

18:43

from like a friendly perspective and

18:46

while I do understand where she was

18:48

coming from as a mother myself obviously

18:51

you want to do whatever you can to help

18:54

cheer up your child especially when

18:55

they're in such a dark place like that

18:58

and I think bringing him to the

18:59

psychiatrist was a great move for sure

19:01

but I don't know I struggle with the

19:03

fact that she asked Lauren to go and

19:05

talk to him um maybe she didn't know all

19:08

the details of their relationship and

19:10

how I mean I don't know I just don't

19:12

think it was Lauren's responsibility to

19:14

ever do that and I'm sure his mother

19:16

feels terrible about asking her to do

19:19

that because she probably for sure never

19:22

could have imagined how that meeting

19:24

would end and truth be told Lauren was

19:27

actually worried about him herself self

19:29

I mean I think she had also really seen

19:31

this change in him and of course she

19:34

there was a part of her that still cared

19:35

about him as many people even after you

19:37

break up you still have that part of you

19:39

that wants what's best for this person

19:41

even if they're not with you and Lauren

19:44

cared so much about others I mean I've

19:46

talked about that already and she she

19:48

wanted to help him she definitely wasn't

19:50

worried enough to you know get back

19:52

together with him but she was willing to

19:54

go and talk to him and again it just

19:56

shows what a kind person Lauren was but

20:00

sadly though this act of kindness would

20:02

actually get her killed that same

20:04

surveillance footage from the local mall

20:06

shows that on that evening around July

20:09

3rd Lauren left work around 6:45 p.m.

20:11

and in this footage she can be seen

20:13

talking on her phone and a quick search

20:15

of the cell record show that she was

20:17

talking to Nathan now she never told

20:19

anyone that she was planning to go and

20:21

talk to Nathan which I'm sure she didn't

20:24

see the need to I mean she was planning

20:26

to quickly run over to his place after

20:30

work and talk to him quickly I'm sure

20:33

she was planning to keep it short and

20:35

then go meet up with her friends Lauren

20:37

texted Nathan the word here at 7:05 to

20:40

let him know that she'd arrived at his

20:41

house and sadly this would end up being

20:44

the last text she ever sent and knowing

20:46

that his house was the last place that

20:48

she ever made communication with anyone

20:51

was enough to point investigators back

20:53

in Nathan's Direction so on July 4th

20:56

investigators go back over to his house

20:58

to speak with him however this time he's

21:01

not there and his parents have no idea

21:04

where he is luckily though that didn't

21:06

hinder their investigation entirely

21:08

because obviously they needed to Now

21:10

find evidence to corroborate their

21:12

theory that Nathan was probably involved

21:15

so later that night July 4th they

21:18

executed a search warrant on the fuja

21:20

home and they started their search in

21:23

the garage and it only took them a few

21:25

moments to realize that something

21:28

terrible had happened there in addition

21:30

to finding several bungee cords that

21:32

matched the cord found around Lauren's

21:34

neck they also found several Blood

21:36

Stained splotches blood was found on the

21:38

floor of the garage a door handle the

21:41

floor of the kitchen the kitchen sink

21:43

and the bathroom sink they also found a

21:45

gym bag and inside that bag was a pair

21:47

of Muddy shoes and mud that matched the

21:50

type of mud that was found by the marsh

21:52

where Lauren's body was recovered and if

21:55

that weren't incriminating enough they

21:57

also found something extremely

21:59

disturbing in the crawl space above

22:01

Nathan's bedroom hidden up there was

22:03

another pair of shoes a pair of blood

22:05

soaked shoes and wet clothing and

22:08

obviously at this point the evidence was

22:11

pretty undeniable and so the following

22:13

morning 18-year-old Nathan fua was

22:17

arrested and charged with the murder of

22:19

18-year-old Lauren Ashley the crime lab

22:21

confirmed that the blood found in his

22:23

home was a match to Lauren and he was

22:26

taken into custody without in inent and

22:29

it's been reported that he was quiet and

22:31

compliant during his arrest at his

22:33

aunt's house and said nothing during the

22:36

process and this sort of quiet

22:38

compliance appears to be how Nathan

22:40

acted for the next several months and on

22:43

August 23rd he was seen in court for a

22:45

plea hearing and in a voice hardly

22:48

louder than a whisper Nathan ended up

22:50

pleading not guilty and this was to the

22:52

charge of first-degree murder as well as

22:54

two counts of assault and battery with a

22:56

dangerous weapon and a Sal and battery

22:59

and more details regarding Lauren's

23:01

murder came to light during this hearing

23:03

including that additional wounds to her

23:05

body were found which were said to have

23:07

occurred before her death and this is

23:10

really really bizarre but on the night

23:12

of the murder it turns out Nathan had

23:15

called up his cousin and asked her if

23:17

she wanted to hang out now they didn't

23:19

end up hanging out she was busy or

23:20

whatever but the next day she sees him

23:24

and at that point the news of Lauren's

23:27

murder had come to light and so she asks

23:30

him about it and his response was

23:32

chilling he said they're never going to

23:35

find the murder weapon there if that's

23:37

what you mean and he also admitted to

23:39

having driven Lauren's car down to the

23:41

town beach parking lot and said that he

23:44

had wanted to hang out with her his

23:46

cousin that night because he needed to

23:48

get his mind off of it and at the end of

23:50

this hearing prosecuting attorney Lisa

23:52

McGovern asked the judge to hold Nathan

23:54

without bail and that request was

23:57

granted then there was was another

23:58

hearing for pre-trial motions and that

24:00

was held about a month before trial

24:02

began and some seriously interesting and

24:04

disturbing information came to light it

24:07

turns out that back in 2009 Lauren and

24:10

Nathan were on one of their you know off

24:13

periods in their on andof relationship

24:16

and at one point she was at a dance and

24:19

there was another boy who kissed her and

24:22

Nathan threatened to Slit this kid's

24:25

throat because of it and so obviously in

24:28

the eyes of the prosecutor and everyone

24:31

this showed the rage and jealousy that

24:35

Nathan was capable of showing and it's

24:38

also you know exactly what ended up

24:41

happening to Lauren it was also made

24:43

clear during this hearing that Nathan

24:45

was possibly going to be using a Not

24:48

Guilty by reason of insanity defense and

24:53

obviously the hopes of that is that even

24:54

if he is found guilty that he will get a

24:56

lesser sentence and that is exactly what

24:59

ended up happening trial started for

25:02

Nathan on February 13th 2013 and right

25:06

off the bat it was clear they were going

25:07

to be using the Not Guilty by reason of

25:10

insanity defense so let me just walk you

25:12

through what the prosecution said

25:14

happened and how the defense tried to

25:16

counter it using the claim of insanity

25:19

over the course of the 3-week trial

25:21

prosecuting attorney Lisa McGovern

25:23

argued that Nathan purposely and

25:26

deliberately murdered Lauren asley as as

25:28

a result of his inability to cope with

25:30

the breakup this was not a crime of

25:32

passion rather an intentional plot to

25:36

end her life on the day of her murder

25:38

Nathan had called the store where Lauren

25:40

worked trying to get a hold of her and

25:43

he also called her cell phone three

25:45

times and we know that one of these

25:46

calls was when she was seen leaving work

25:49

on surveillance video while the

25:50

prosecutor argued that Nathan lured her

25:52

over to his house when he knew his

25:54

parents would not be home and then

25:56

brought her into his garage where the

25:58

attack took place and based on the

26:00

autopsy report Lauren did suffer more

26:03

wounds than just the strangulation and

26:05

the Slit to her throat she also had

26:08

clear signs of Defense wounds as well

26:11

from there they argue that Nathan drove

26:13

her Jeep A4 mile down the road to the

26:16

parking lot where he abandoned it and

26:18

then dumped her car keys in a storm

26:20

drain which were later recovered after

26:23

that he went back home put Lauren's body

26:25

in his own car and then drove to the

26:28

Marsh where he dumped and concealed her

26:31

body and a witness even saw Nathan

26:32

driving back after doing that with his

26:34

shirt off windows down in his car

26:37

blaring music and from there the

26:39

prosecution argued that Nathan took

26:41

steps to clean the evidence such as

26:44

wiping up blood and hiding his wet and

26:46

bloodied clothes this act alone the

26:49

cleaning up and hiding of evidence was

26:50

proof of Nathan's guilty conscience

26:53

according to prosecutors it was not as

26:56

the defense was trying to argue a

26:58

fleeting moment of psychosis but of

27:01

course that is exactly what the defense

27:03

argued that it was throughout the course

27:05

of the trial of course Nathan's defense

27:07

team absolutely couldn't deny that he

27:09

was in fact Lawrence killer I mean it's

27:12

pretty obvious at this point right but

27:14

they argued that he wasn't in his right

27:17

mind when he did it his attorney argued

27:19

that he had slipped into a temporary

27:21

psychotic episode which was the result

27:24

of several mental health conditions for

27:26

one they argued that schizophr ran in

27:28

the fija family which they say may have

27:31

partially contributed to the psychosis

27:34

they also argued that repeated head

27:35

injuries from playing football over his

27:37

lifetime had an impact on his mental

27:39

state and lastly and really the biggest

27:42

thing they argued was that Nathan was

27:43

suffering from major clinical depression

27:46

a forensic psychiatrist that evaluated

27:49

Nathan and took the stand for the

27:50

defense said that based on their

27:52

professional analysis Nathan lacked the

27:54

ability to know his actions were wrong

27:57

again C the major clinical depression

27:59

the repeated brain injuries from

28:01

football and also Daily marijuana and

28:03

alcohol use and Friends of Nathan even

28:06

got up there and testified and said that

28:08

he had just not been the same since the

28:10

breakup which just added to the idea

28:12

that even people close to him recognized

28:14

that he was in a depressed state and

28:16

because there had been no prior mention

28:19

of abuse in their relationship the

28:20

defense really tried to emphasize that

28:23

this was a one-time lapse in character

28:26

and that Nathan was not someone who

28:28

could truly murder someone if he was in

28:30

his right mind they even brought up that

28:32

Nathan had mentioned that he felt out of

28:35

his body while the murder happened

28:37

almost like his brain was doing one

28:40

thing and his body was doing another but

28:42

all of these arguments were met with

28:44

repeated attempts by the prosecution to

28:47

show otherwise and they had their own

28:49

forensic psychiatrist evaluate Nathan

28:52

and they testified for the prosecution

28:54

and said that he absolutely was in his

28:57

right mind when he kill Lauren and in

28:58

closing arguments the prosecution

29:01

reminded the jury that Nathan didn't

29:03

just get a magical dose of psychosis

29:05

from The psychosis fairy the reality is

29:08

Nathan lured Lauren over to his house he

29:11

brutally attacked her and killed her

29:14

then took steps to conceal her body and

29:17

then cleaned up the evidence or at least

29:19

tried to they argue that the amount of

29:21

time and effort that it took to commit

29:24

this crime was proof that he was

29:26

consciously making decisions and

29:28

understood the consequences of his

29:30

actions and the jury agreed on March 7th

29:34

Nathan was found guilty on all charges

29:37

after one day of jury deliberation and

29:40

as you can imagine this moment in the

29:42

courtroom was so incredibly emotional

29:45

for everyone I mean on one hand this is

29:48

an 18-year-old and Nathan's parents are

29:51

just so shocked and Disturbed that their

29:54

son could do something like this and was

29:57

found guilty obviously it's beyond

29:59

upsetting for them as well and also for

30:02

Lauren's family I mean it's a total mix

30:05

of emotions I mean she's finally getting

30:07

justice but at the end of the day she is

30:09

gone and then Lauren's dad did something

30:12

that I don't think I've ever seen in all

30:14

of my years covering True Crime and it

30:18

was truly beautiful to me he walked

30:20

across the courtroom and gave Nathan's

30:23

parents a hug Malcolm said that he did

30:25

that because he knew that both families

30:28

had lost something that day and I just I

30:30

really think that shows so much strength

30:33

of character that he was able to do that

30:36

in that moment honestly I don't know

30:38

what I would do in that situation I

30:40

normally don't even like to speculate or

30:42

say how I would act if I were in these

30:46

parents shoes because obviously I'm not

30:49

and I hope to never be but I don't know

30:53

if I would have the strength that he had

30:55

I mean that is just I just shows so much

30:59

empathy but yeah I don't think that's

31:01

something I've ever seen and I thought

31:02

it was a really interesting and Powerful

31:04

moment now when it came to Nathan's

31:07

sentencing the state of Massachusetts

31:09

has a mandatory sentence of life in

31:10

prison without parole for those

31:12

convicted of first-degree murder so that

31:15

is what he ended up getting but before

31:17

that sentence was given to him Lauren's

31:19

parents gave a victim's impact statement

31:21

and as you can imagine it was incredibly

31:24

emotional Lauren's mom Mary spoke about

31:27

her daily life and how her days are no

31:29

longer filled with being a mom but

31:31

instead filled with shock grief

31:34

disorientation unrest and longing and

31:37

one thing that she said that just broke

31:39

my heart is that she

31:41

said from this day forward she will

31:44

never be called Mom or mommy ever

31:50

again oh it's so horrible in her dad's

31:52

statement he spoke a lot about needing

31:54

to educate teens on the dangers of

31:56

relationship violence and breakup

31:58

violence and it was incredibly powerful

32:01

to say the least we do need to expand

32:03

our efforts to understand what led to

32:05

the deeply harmful and tragic act to

32:08

take steps to identify needs

32:11

vulnerabilities and shortcomings in our

32:13

young people and to address them with

32:16

determination

32:17

education protection and caring so as to

32:21

Foster responsibility mutual respect and

32:24

safety and thus prevent such acts in the

32:27

future

32:28

and like I mentioned at the beginning of

32:29

this episode Lauren's parents have

32:31

really made it their mission to educate

32:34

other young people about the dangers of

32:37

breakup violence in the wake of their

32:39

daughter's death Malcolm and Mary have

32:41

created the Lauren dun asley memorial

32:43

fund this is a nonprofit that seeks to

32:46

educate teens about the dangers of

32:47

breakup violence and they promote

32:49

healthy teenage relationships as well as

32:51

support the Arts and community service

32:53

two things that were extremely important

32:55

to Lauren I think the work that her

32:57

parents have done over the past 12 or 13

33:00

years has been really incredible to see

33:03

and the more I looked into it the more

33:05

impressed I was like I said the term

33:07

breakup violence I don't think is

33:09

something we hear very often it's not

33:11

something I've thought that much about

33:14

but it's such an important thing to

33:16

discuss Lauren's story is unfortunately

33:18

a prime example of it and it is exactly

33:21

what it sounds like it's violence that

33:23

occurs as the result of a breakup and so

33:26

to try and help combat this the Lauren

33:29

dun asley memorial fund raises money to

33:31

sponsor programs in schools so that kids

33:34

across the country can learn about this

33:36

phenomenon and how they can avoid it

33:38

Malcolm and Mary have done a ton of

33:40

media appearances talking about their

33:42

goals with their organization and they

33:44

really emphasize the need for teens to

33:46

have proper tools to deal with the pain

33:48

of a breakup the parents of Lauren dun

33:51

asley are asking State lawmakers to

33:53

support legislation that would mandate

33:55

sexual education and violence prevention

33:58

programs in Massachusetts schools their

34:00

daughter's boyfriend of three years was

34:02

convicted of killing Lauren after she

34:05

tried to break up with him kids need a

34:07

lot of training in what is one of the

34:10

most painful parts of Being Human and

34:12

that is having a an intimate

34:14

relationship come to an end we can

34:16

provide them with support and tools and

34:18

ways to cope with and to be ready for

34:21

the jolts of breaking up and like I said

34:23

breakup violence is something that can

34:25

affect someone at any age but their

34:27

mission is to really focus on the youth

34:29

giving them the tools to prepare

34:32

themselves for what they could encounter

34:33

in life because the reality is breakups

34:36

are a part of life it's very very

34:38

painful I mean anyone I'm sure most of

34:40

you out there have experienced a breakup

34:42

at some point it can be devastating but

34:45

even though breakups are normally a part

34:46

of everyone's life violence doesn't have

34:49

to be and her parents have said that

34:51

they have found a lot of strength in

34:53

their mission to help others that it's

34:55

been you know very healing for them in a

34:59

lot of ways and I think it's really cool

35:01

that even though they were divorced that

35:03

they really came together on this for

35:05

their daughter it's it's

35:07

beautiful my talks with them Focus try

35:11

to focus on the need to prepare uh young

35:14

people better for the terrible pain of

35:17

breakups when we think about it it's the

35:19

most painful the most traumatic event

35:21

that happens to young people apart from

35:23

the death of a loved one or apart from

35:26

violence in a neighborhood but but the

35:28

breakup if you talk with adults about it

35:30

you watch their postures droop it's

35:33

terribly painful but we don't provide uh

35:36

significant education about it

35:38

information about it uh kids have on an

35:40

average of about eight breakups before

35:43

things get serious but they don't have

35:46

knowledge about it they're not prepared

35:47

for it and we can do a lot better job

35:50

that's part of what our work is with the

35:51

amendment and Mary's message to teens is

35:54

really to never go alone and this is a

35:57

really great piece of advice to keep in

35:59

mind she wants people to not go alone

36:01

during the actual breakup or in Lauren's

36:03

case going to see the person afterward

36:06

these moments can create a lot of

36:07

vulnerability and possibly a lot of

36:10

danger if the person who was broken up

36:11

with doesn't handle it well what do you

36:14

tell people and I have to say because it

36:17

was breakup violence Lauren was not

36:20

afraid of him and so my message always

36:25

is do not go Al alone if you are you

36:29

have to be in public if you're going to

36:31

go alone especially if the other person

36:33

hasn't wanted the breakup because she

36:36

somewhat walked into it because she

36:38

wasn't fearful of him so to avoid it I I

36:43

can say there were things that I saw but

36:46

really the one thing that probably would

36:49

have maybe prevented it was her not

36:50

going alone that night Malcolm himself

36:53

has traveled all over the country to

36:54

speak at schools and directly educate

36:56

teenagers and share his daughter's story

36:58

as a cautionary tale there's a lot

37:00

coming to light now about it

37:02

relationship violence of all kinds and

37:05

it's so good that uh women are starting

37:07

to speak out about it and that boys and

37:09

men are starting to step forward to join

37:12

with women uh to deal with this very

37:14

tough problem what happened to Lauren is

37:17

horrible unimaginably horrible but like

37:20

I said I don't think anyone really saw

37:23

the signs and that's why education

37:26

around breakup violence is so important

37:29

if people are equipped with better tools

37:31

and knowledge when it comes to breaking

37:34

up with someone it could potentially

37:36

save lives and that's why this week I

37:38

wanted to make a donation to their

37:40

organization because I know they're

37:41

going to put it to amazing use and of

37:44

course I'll have it linked in the

37:45

description below if you're also

37:46

interested in contributing as a mother

37:48

to a little girl myself this story has

37:52

obviously been really difficult but I

37:54

feel it's important to know about and

37:58

I'm so grateful to their family for you

38:01

know making this their mission and

38:03

educating so many others because I have

38:04

learned a lot as well and it's something

38:06

that you know when my daughter is dating

38:09

age which oh don't even want to think

38:10

about that but when she's there I know I

38:12

will have these discussions with her and

38:15

you know many most parents know to have

38:18

the discussions regarding safety and

38:21

drinking and sex education you know all

38:24

those things but I think breakups and

38:27

how to handle that is sometimes missed

38:30

or not explained fully and that's

38:33

probably because we didn't get that

38:34

education ourselves and there aren't

38:36

that many tools available and that's why

38:37

I think their organization is so vital

38:39

but before I wrap up this episode

38:41

there's one more thing I want to share

38:43

and that's that I found a recent article

38:45

from January of 2024 saying that the

38:47

highest court in Massachusetts has

38:49

overruled legislature that previously

38:51

required everyone convicted of

38:53

first-degree murder to be given a

38:55

sentence of life in prison without

38:56

parole which which as we know was the

38:58

sentence given to Nathan because of the

39:00

original state mandate and this new

39:02

ruling says that anyone under the age of

39:05

20 cannot be given a life sentence

39:08

without the possibility of parole even

39:10

if they're convicted of first-degree

39:11

murder and obviously the idea behind

39:13

that is that their brains are not fully

39:15

developed now Nathan was 20 when he was

39:18

convicted and sentenced to life in

39:20

prison without the possibility of parole

39:23

and we haven't heard anything yet but

39:25

it's possible that him and other

39:28

may be given the possibility of parole

39:30

in the future now Lauren's mom is

39:33

understandably devastated by this ruling

39:35

and doesn't understand why he would get

39:37

to live his life if her daughter can no

39:39

longer live hers she said I did think

39:42

it's over when he was deemed guilty and

39:44

senten but that was completely naive I

39:47

don't see how if Lauren doesn't get to

39:49

live her life why he gets to live any

39:51

life I don't want him dead I don't

39:53

believe in the death penalty but he

39:55

doesn't deserve to be outliving a

39:56

regular life now I know that people have

39:59

different opinions when it comes to

40:00

things like this so I definitely want to

40:02

hear your thoughts below I'm very

40:04

curious to see what comes of this and

40:07

especially to see what ends up happening

40:09

with Nathan's case ultimately though I'm

40:11

just so sad for this family especially

40:13

now that things are kind of continuing

40:15

on with this new ruling and just the

40:18

fact that they have to Forever live

40:20

their lives without their daughter and

40:22

think about all the things that she

40:24

would have done and never had the chance

40:26

to do because Ethan stole all of that

40:28

away from her and from them Lauren had

40:31

so much more life to live I mean she was

40:32

just getting started only for it all to

40:35

be cut short by someone who was so cold

40:38

and so heartless I just hope her parents

40:40

know at the end of the day how much all

40:43

the efforts that they are putting in are

40:45

actually helping other people it's it's

40:48

truly admirable but that is all I have

40:50

for you guys on this case today I

40:53

definitely want to hear your thoughts on

40:54

everything we talked about and I'm sure

40:56

I'm going to hear a lot of heartbreaking

40:59

stories and scary stories that you guys

41:01

have experienced from your own you know

41:04

breakups and yeah it's it's a really

41:08

tough thing to deal with and I really

41:09

encourage parents out there to talk to

41:11

your child about breakup violence and

41:14

help provide them with the tools so that

41:16

they can go into those situations as

41:19

safe as possible and I will be back next

41:21

week of course to discuss yet another

41:23

case but until then stay safe out there

41:37

[Music]

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Related Tags
Breakup ViolenceTrue CrimeTeen RelationshipsEducational AwarenessDomestic ViolenceLauren Dunn AsleyNathaniel FuaCommunity ServicePerforming ArtsYouth Safety