High School Grad Killed After Dumping Her Boyfriend: The Murder of Lauren Astley
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.
- 🎓 The speaker is making a donation to The Lauren Dun Asley Memorial Fund, highlighting the importance of discussing breakup violence.
- 👨👩👧👦 Lauren Dun Asley was a vibrant 18-year-old with a passion for performing arts and community service, who tragically lost her life.
- 💔 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.
- 🤔 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.
- 🔍 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.
- 📚 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
🌟 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.
📚 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.
🎓 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.
💔 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.
🚔 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.
🏠 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.
😢 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.
🏡 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
💡Babel
💡Breakup Violence
💡Lauren Ashley
💡Nathaniel Fujia
💡Lauren Dunn Ashley Memorial Fund
💡Domestic Violence Awareness
💡Education and Prevention
💡Mandatory Sentencing
💡Teen Relationship Violence
💡Community Service
💡Theatre and Performing Arts
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
today's episode is kindly brought to you
by Babel and thanks to their support and
support from viewers like you today I'm
able to make a donation to The Lauren
dun asley memorial fund so this summer I
am taking a trip with my family out to
Costa Rica and I am so excited and my
stepmom is going to be with us and she
is not fluent in Spanish but she
recently took some Spanish classes and
knows quite a bit I did not do well in
Spanish and high school friends like and
so I have turned to Babel to help me
brush up on my Spanish Babble is
scientifically proven to help you start
speaking a new language in just 3 weeks
and the lessons are designed by real
language teachers and what's cool about
Babel is they teach real world
conversations and Babel is actually one
of the top language learning apps in the
world I wanted to show you guys how easy
it actually is this is what the lessons
look like so I can play someone saying
the phrase in Spanish and then repeat
itas de
passing enough it's never too late to
learn a new language you can get 60% off
your subscription by clicking my link in
the description below and if you are
planning to learn a language let me know
I'd love to hear what language you would
like to
[Music]
learn hello everyone and welcome back to
True Crime with Kendall Ray so happy to
have you again as always if you're new
then welcome be sure to hit subscribe so
today we are going to be talking about a
case that so badly needs to be talked
about and that's mainly because it
brings up a conversation around breakup
violence this is a case that I came
across late last year and I haven't been
able to get it off my mind I consider
doing it around October for domestic
violence awareness month but I feel it's
one that needs to be talked about as
soon as possible today we're going to be
taking a look at the murder of
18-year-old Lauren asley now her parents
and many others including myself believe
that it was a murder that absolutely
could have been prevented and her
parents have really dedicated themselves
to spreading awareness about Break of
violence and it's a topic that we don't
often discuss I feel you know it's
something that so many of us experience
but it's not one that we talk about all
that much I mean as as a society we've
gotten better about talking about
domestic violence in general I think
we're headed in a good direction there
much more open dialogue but one term
that we just don't bring up very often
is Breakup violence now what exactly
does that mean well we will be talking
about it more today and I think it's a
conversation that absolutely should be
had in more households because the more
we educate people on it the more we can
prevent it and it's a great thing for
parents to talk to their children about
it's something that I think is really
lacking in our school systems but of
course it's something that doesn't just
affect younger people it can affect
someone at any age before we jump in
really quick I just wanted to remind you
guys that our latest neck Mech items
have been stocked the topz blue long
sleeve shirt and the blue sweatshirt
they are available in my shop right now
we do have very limited quantities so if
you are wanting to get one definitely go
ahead and pick yourself one up as soon
as you can as always 100% of the profits
are donated to the National Center for
missing exploited children and you can
find all of my neck Mech merch at
Kendall ray. shop and because it feels
very appropriate today I also wanted to
mention neck mech's healthy
relationships video a lot of people
don't know this but neck Mech does
provide a ton of safety and prevention
resources for families and their healthy
relationships video was created to help
you identify exploitive or unhealthy
behaviors in relationships that are
often a part of various kinds of
victimization they have a discussion
guide that you can go through after
watching the video that has questions
and different scenarios that are meant
to spark conversations about
relationships the video is available on
their smarts YouTube page which is net
smarts with a z and it's free to
download from their website along with
the discussion guide but let's go ahead
and talk about Lauren so Lauren Dunn
asley was born on April 1st just had a
birthday 1993 to her parents Mary and
Malcolm in Boston Massachusetts but she
grew up 30 minutes west of the city in
Wayland Lauren was raised by her parents
as an only child so to say that she was
the center of their worlds would be a
total understatement and despite her
parents divorce she was raised by two
people who loved her and supported her
through all seasons of life and even
though Lauren only got to experience 18
short years of life she did a lot in
those 18 years and everyone that was
around her could easily tell that she
was a very active person whether that
meant Physically Active like playing
sports or active in her community she
was always doing something just to name
a few things Lauren was a tennis player
a singer in an AC capella group a member
of the Metro West youth Symphony
Orchestra a camp counselor a member of
her church choir group and even starred
as the lead role in a performance of
Annie through a local Performing Arts
Center now Lauren may have only been 5T
tall but the phrase small But Mighty
really applied to her her interest in
performing arts and community service
were two things that really encompassed
who she was and what she cared about and
I loved learning this about her and I
think it says so much about who she was
when she was only 12 years old she
actually traveled down to New New
Orleans to help in the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina I mean to be that
young and to think about helping others
before yourself you know to take such an
action like that at such a young age I
think is really impressive and says so
much about her character that is one
thing to know about Lauren is she really
cared about other people other people in
her life her family her friends of
course but other random people total
strangers she just was that type of
person Lauren attended Wayland High
School and it was there that that she
joined the AC capella group the muses
and let me tell you this girl was meant
to be on stage she was a naturally
gifted singer and her stage presence was
I mean impossible to ignore on top of
being part of the singing group Lauren
was also just a regular high school
student and I'm sure so many of you out
there know what I mean when I say this
but looking at pictures of her High
School experience like totally throws me
back to my own high school experience
it's just such a interesting and special
but also highly emotional and intense
time and yeah just seeing the pictures
of her back in high school sort of
reminds me of what that time was like
and sort of puts everything into
perspective for me when it comes to this
case it's also really weird to think
about because I graduated the same year
as Lauren 2011 and to think that she
would be around my age right now and has
missed out on all these years you know
that I've had since high school is just
God it makes me sick to think about I
think for most people high school feels
like your life well it is your life is
supposed to be just beginning it's so
exciting it's so new you know and you
feel sort of
invincible to imagine that those years
were her last years is just so
unimaginably painful to think about all
the things that she was planning to do
with her life were just taken away from
her like that and it was so so prevent
mble and what's crazy is nobody not a
single person could have predicted what
would happen to her I mean not even
Lauren could have possibly known and
that's what makes this so upsetting to
think about and why it is so important
to raise awareness around breakup
violence the warning signs were so small
though practically non-existent I mean
there were a few but no one could have
imagined it would lead to murder and I'm
sure you've already figured out by now
that Lauren was killed by her boyfriend
or her ex-boyfriend I should say and his
name is Nathaniel fua just like Lauren
Nathan was a student at Wayland High
School and he was definitely known as
being the popular attractive football
star and he really was that guy in their
high school I'm sure you can picture
that guy from your own high school
experience possibly or you know picture
any movie the popular jock you know the
person everyone liked the person and
everyone wanted to be with that was
Nathan everyone seemed to like Nathan
everyone cheered for Nathan at the
football games everyone was kind of
jealous of him in general and especially
when it came to his relationship Lauren
and Nathan began dating in early high
school and on the outside they seemed
like the perfect couple Lauren was
bubbly she was an outgoing theater girl
and Nathan was the football guy however
as you can imagine their relationship
and I want to emphasize this was not
perfect even though it may have seemed
that way on the outside the two of them
definitely did a lot of fighting there
was a lot of you know breaking up
getting back together breaking up
getting back together just sort of the
on and off again cycle and I get it I
mean they're high schoolers so it's
pretty normal I think to fight like that
I mean even for adults I think fighting
in relationships can be healthy can be
normal but it gets to a point where it
becomes unhealthy and can be dangerous
and I truly believe Lauren was trying to
you know figure out what she wanted in
life figure out where her life was going
and Lauren was really in a place at this
point in her life where you know most
high schoolers are when they're starting
to think about their future where they
want to go who they want to be in their
future and she was really questioning
things her friends were definitely not
supportive of the relationship many of
them had actually created a list for her
or helped her kind of create a list of
reasons why she should break up with him
now this is something that there's no
evidence Nathan knew about but I thought
it was interesting to note that her
friends knew that he was bad for her I
don't think they knew they actually I
know they have said that they couldn't
imagine it would have ever gotten to the
point that it did but they knew that he
was not the right match for her for sure
but as graduation approached and the
reality of life really beginning at that
point for Lauren which unfortunately
wouldn't actually be the case for her
but she was definitely feeling the
pressure of figuring out what she wanted
to do with her life and who she wanted
to be in it and so just like she had
before in the past she ended up breaking
up with Nathan actually on her birthday
and this time it was supposed to be
permanent Lauren had been accepted into
Elon University in North Carolina which
is where she was planning on going in
the fall and of course she was really
looking forward to it as for Nathan he
was going to go play football at Trinity
College where he would be going and
starting a new chapter of his life and I
can only imagine that the timing just
felt right to Lauren that they're both
moving on with their lives so Lauren
graduated high school single and she was
looking forward to her last summer at
home with her friends in fact her and
her friends wanted to really kick off
the summer with a pretty big party there
was over 150 students invited and it was
supposed to be this you know big
celebration of life beginning High
School ending you know all of that and
even that had to be ruined for her by
who else Nathan came to the party and
just seemed intent on not allowing her
to have fun he kept coming up to her
trying to talk to her and her friends
say that she was pushing him away not an
aggressive way but just back up off me
I'm trying to enjoy my time here we're
broken up we're done leave me alone and
he could not do it I mean she's trying
to have fun at this party not have a
serious conversation with her
ex-boyfriend it just you know it's like
time and place dude and I'm sure they
had had plenty of conversations about it
all in the past so she was just ready to
really move on and he could not let it
go Lauren even told her mom about how he
was acting that night saying that he was
harassing her that he was being super
invasive he just like I said he couldn't
Let It Go I mean he was just pissed off
pissed about Lauren breaking up with him
pissed that Lauren didn't want to talk
to him and pissed off about the fact
that Lauren seemed to be happy in fact
he was so pissed that during the party
they had rented some type of you know
one of those tents that you see for
weddings or big parties that go outside
and he was so mad about Lauren not
wanting to talk to him that he went up
to one of the polls and punched it so
hard that the whole thing almost
collapsed and people had to rush up to
it and hold it up so that that wouldn't
happen at that point Nathan was asked to
leave but the damage had really been
done I mean the night was pretty much
ruined for Lauren by Nathan so that
brings us to Sunday July 3rd 2011 Lauren
spent her afternoon at the boutique
clothing store that she worked for at
her local mall and she can actually be
seen entering the mall on surveillance
footage and sadly this would actually
end up being one of the last times that
she was ever seen and after work Lauren
had plans to hang out with a couple of
her friends however she didn't end up
showing up and instantly they were
worried because it just wasn't like her
to not show up and to not you know at
least let them know that she wasn't
going to be there and her father Malcolm
was also really worried because she
always would check in with him even
though he knew that she did have plans
after work she was supposed to come home
and you know quickly touch bass before
heading back out with her friends and
when she didn't and this being so out of
character for her he instantly knew that
something was wrong and didn't waste any
time he immediately called the Wayan
police department and reported her as
missing and by that point all of her
friends really started to panic that no
one had heard from her word got around
town that she was missing and people
were starting to freak out and luckily
the police jumped right into action
which often times I don't get to say
when covering these cases oftentimes we
see the police being really hesitant to
take immediate action and so I really
commend everyone here um not just the
place but also her friends and family
for knowing that something was wrong and
getting help immediately so the search
for Lauren started right away and very
quickly into their search they actually
made a huge discovery that night
Lauren's red Jeep was found in the
Wayland Town Beach parking lot with its
windows rolled down her purse and
computer were still inside but there was
no sign of Lauren and her dad remembers
driving to the beach as fast as he could
and this is heartbreaking but he
actually ran right out to the water
hoping that if she were out there that
he could help her but she wasn't there
and he sadly could not help her at this
point all of her friends were so
concerned that they actually spent the
night on the beach camped out hoping
Lauren would show up but she never did
officers obviously start asking her
loved ones if there was anyone in mind
that maybe could have done something to
her taken her somewhere anyone she could
be with and at first no one could think
of anybody they actually specifically
asked if her ex-boyfriend could be
involved once hearing about the fact
that she had recently broken up with him
and her friends even were like no
there's no way he would have done
anything to her Nathan wasn't violent I
mean he did punch that pole but for the
most part Nathan wasn't known to be
violent at least not to their knowledge
and so that just seemed like the
furthest thing from their minds but of
course the police know that anything is
possible even the people that you would
never expect could do something
absolutely can so they of course got in
contact with Nathan right away that
night they drove to Nathan's house where
they spoke with him and his mom Beth
however it sounded at least initially
like he had an alibi he did admit to
seeing Lauren that night he said that
she was in her car and pulled up they
had a 5 minute very awkward conversation
according to him but that was it she
drove off and he hadn't seen her since
but his Alibi and that story were about
as strong as a twig because 48 hours
later he was being arrested for murder
and that's because that following
morning just before Dawn a cyclist was
out taking a morning ride and they came
across a gruesome Discovery just 5 miles
away from her home Lauren Ashley's body
was discovered in a marsh and when she
was recovered from the water it was
immediately clear what her cause of
death was and God it's just so brutal at
age 18 I hate even having to explain
what happened to her it's obviously
important but it's very upsetting Lauren
was found with a bungy cord around her
neck and a gaping wound to her throat
her body was immediately sent to the
medical examiner's office where her
father had to make the official
identification which oh my God this just
broke my heart to hear there's an
interview with him in an episode of 48
hours and uh it chokes me up even
thinking about it it is so so sad seeing
the pain on his face I mean that is
something no parent should ever have to
do identify your child's remains it is
just unimaginable it's truly a
responsibility that I would not wish on
my worst enemy but it was in fact Lauren
he knew right away 18-year-old Lauren
Dunn asley had been strangled to death
and stabbed multiple times by someone
who the police had already spoken to and
I know you all know who it was that day
investigators learned a lot more about
Nathan vuja and just what a massive toll
the breakup had taken on him he had not
been the same since he had gone from
this upbeat football player who was you
know super popular always hanging out
with his friends thriving social life to
miserable never leaving home and a lot
of people in his life were worried about
him he had been drinking and smoking
daily he showed no excitement towards
playing college football which is
something that he had dreamt of since he
was a kid and his mom of course had
really picked up on this knew something
had to be really wrong she had actually
taken him to the psychiatrist and what's
crazy is his mom actually secretly
visited Lauren at work and asked her if
she could go and talk to her son you
know maybe try and cheer him up just try
to have more of a civil conversation
from like a friendly perspective and
while I do understand where she was
coming from as a mother myself obviously
you want to do whatever you can to help
cheer up your child especially when
they're in such a dark place like that
and I think bringing him to the
psychiatrist was a great move for sure
but I don't know I struggle with the
fact that she asked Lauren to go and
talk to him um maybe she didn't know all
the details of their relationship and
how I mean I don't know I just don't
think it was Lauren's responsibility to
ever do that and I'm sure his mother
feels terrible about asking her to do
that because she probably for sure never
could have imagined how that meeting
would end and truth be told Lauren was
actually worried about him herself self
I mean I think she had also really seen
this change in him and of course she
there was a part of her that still cared
about him as many people even after you
break up you still have that part of you
that wants what's best for this person
even if they're not with you and Lauren
cared so much about others I mean I've
talked about that already and she she
wanted to help him she definitely wasn't
worried enough to you know get back
together with him but she was willing to
go and talk to him and again it just
shows what a kind person Lauren was but
sadly though this act of kindness would
actually get her killed that same
surveillance footage from the local mall
shows that on that evening around July
3rd Lauren left work around 6:45 p.m.
and in this footage she can be seen
talking on her phone and a quick search
of the cell record show that she was
talking to Nathan now she never told
anyone that she was planning to go and
talk to Nathan which I'm sure she didn't
see the need to I mean she was planning
to quickly run over to his place after
work and talk to him quickly I'm sure
she was planning to keep it short and
then go meet up with her friends Lauren
texted Nathan the word here at 7:05 to
let him know that she'd arrived at his
house and sadly this would end up being
the last text she ever sent and knowing
that his house was the last place that
she ever made communication with anyone
was enough to point investigators back
in Nathan's Direction so on July 4th
investigators go back over to his house
to speak with him however this time he's
not there and his parents have no idea
where he is luckily though that didn't
hinder their investigation entirely
because obviously they needed to Now
find evidence to corroborate their
theory that Nathan was probably involved
so later that night July 4th they
executed a search warrant on the fuja
home and they started their search in
the garage and it only took them a few
moments to realize that something
terrible had happened there in addition
to finding several bungee cords that
matched the cord found around Lauren's
neck they also found several Blood
Stained splotches blood was found on the
floor of the garage a door handle the
floor of the kitchen the kitchen sink
and the bathroom sink they also found a
gym bag and inside that bag was a pair
of Muddy shoes and mud that matched the
type of mud that was found by the marsh
where Lauren's body was recovered and if
that weren't incriminating enough they
also found something extremely
disturbing in the crawl space above
Nathan's bedroom hidden up there was
another pair of shoes a pair of blood
soaked shoes and wet clothing and
obviously at this point the evidence was
pretty undeniable and so the following
morning 18-year-old Nathan fua was
arrested and charged with the murder of
18-year-old Lauren Ashley the crime lab
confirmed that the blood found in his
home was a match to Lauren and he was
taken into custody without in inent and
it's been reported that he was quiet and
compliant during his arrest at his
aunt's house and said nothing during the
process and this sort of quiet
compliance appears to be how Nathan
acted for the next several months and on
August 23rd he was seen in court for a
plea hearing and in a voice hardly
louder than a whisper Nathan ended up
pleading not guilty and this was to the
charge of first-degree murder as well as
two counts of assault and battery with a
dangerous weapon and a Sal and battery
and more details regarding Lauren's
murder came to light during this hearing
including that additional wounds to her
body were found which were said to have
occurred before her death and this is
really really bizarre but on the night
of the murder it turns out Nathan had
called up his cousin and asked her if
she wanted to hang out now they didn't
end up hanging out she was busy or
whatever but the next day she sees him
and at that point the news of Lauren's
murder had come to light and so she asks
him about it and his response was
chilling he said they're never going to
find the murder weapon there if that's
what you mean and he also admitted to
having driven Lauren's car down to the
town beach parking lot and said that he
had wanted to hang out with her his
cousin that night because he needed to
get his mind off of it and at the end of
this hearing prosecuting attorney Lisa
McGovern asked the judge to hold Nathan
without bail and that request was
granted then there was was another
hearing for pre-trial motions and that
was held about a month before trial
began and some seriously interesting and
disturbing information came to light it
turns out that back in 2009 Lauren and
Nathan were on one of their you know off
periods in their on andof relationship
and at one point she was at a dance and
there was another boy who kissed her and
Nathan threatened to Slit this kid's
throat because of it and so obviously in
the eyes of the prosecutor and everyone
this showed the rage and jealousy that
Nathan was capable of showing and it's
also you know exactly what ended up
happening to Lauren it was also made
clear during this hearing that Nathan
was possibly going to be using a Not
Guilty by reason of insanity defense and
obviously the hopes of that is that even
if he is found guilty that he will get a
lesser sentence and that is exactly what
ended up happening trial started for
Nathan on February 13th 2013 and right
off the bat it was clear they were going
to be using the Not Guilty by reason of
insanity defense so let me just walk you
through what the prosecution said
happened and how the defense tried to
counter it using the claim of insanity
over the course of the 3-week trial
prosecuting attorney Lisa McGovern
argued that Nathan purposely and
deliberately murdered Lauren asley as as
a result of his inability to cope with
the breakup this was not a crime of
passion rather an intentional plot to
end her life on the day of her murder
Nathan had called the store where Lauren
worked trying to get a hold of her and
he also called her cell phone three
times and we know that one of these
calls was when she was seen leaving work
on surveillance video while the
prosecutor argued that Nathan lured her
over to his house when he knew his
parents would not be home and then
brought her into his garage where the
attack took place and based on the
autopsy report Lauren did suffer more
wounds than just the strangulation and
the Slit to her throat she also had
clear signs of Defense wounds as well
from there they argue that Nathan drove
her Jeep A4 mile down the road to the
parking lot where he abandoned it and
then dumped her car keys in a storm
drain which were later recovered after
that he went back home put Lauren's body
in his own car and then drove to the
Marsh where he dumped and concealed her
body and a witness even saw Nathan
driving back after doing that with his
shirt off windows down in his car
blaring music and from there the
prosecution argued that Nathan took
steps to clean the evidence such as
wiping up blood and hiding his wet and
bloodied clothes this act alone the
cleaning up and hiding of evidence was
proof of Nathan's guilty conscience
according to prosecutors it was not as
the defense was trying to argue a
fleeting moment of psychosis but of
course that is exactly what the defense
argued that it was throughout the course
of the trial of course Nathan's defense
team absolutely couldn't deny that he
was in fact Lawrence killer I mean it's
pretty obvious at this point right but
they argued that he wasn't in his right
mind when he did it his attorney argued
that he had slipped into a temporary
psychotic episode which was the result
of several mental health conditions for
one they argued that schizophr ran in
the fija family which they say may have
partially contributed to the psychosis
they also argued that repeated head
injuries from playing football over his
lifetime had an impact on his mental
state and lastly and really the biggest
thing they argued was that Nathan was
suffering from major clinical depression
a forensic psychiatrist that evaluated
Nathan and took the stand for the
defense said that based on their
professional analysis Nathan lacked the
ability to know his actions were wrong
again C the major clinical depression
the repeated brain injuries from
football and also Daily marijuana and
alcohol use and Friends of Nathan even
got up there and testified and said that
he had just not been the same since the
breakup which just added to the idea
that even people close to him recognized
that he was in a depressed state and
because there had been no prior mention
of abuse in their relationship the
defense really tried to emphasize that
this was a one-time lapse in character
and that Nathan was not someone who
could truly murder someone if he was in
his right mind they even brought up that
Nathan had mentioned that he felt out of
his body while the murder happened
almost like his brain was doing one
thing and his body was doing another but
all of these arguments were met with
repeated attempts by the prosecution to
show otherwise and they had their own
forensic psychiatrist evaluate Nathan
and they testified for the prosecution
and said that he absolutely was in his
right mind when he kill Lauren and in
closing arguments the prosecution
reminded the jury that Nathan didn't
just get a magical dose of psychosis
from The psychosis fairy the reality is
Nathan lured Lauren over to his house he
brutally attacked her and killed her
then took steps to conceal her body and
then cleaned up the evidence or at least
tried to they argue that the amount of
time and effort that it took to commit
this crime was proof that he was
consciously making decisions and
understood the consequences of his
actions and the jury agreed on March 7th
Nathan was found guilty on all charges
after one day of jury deliberation and
as you can imagine this moment in the
courtroom was so incredibly emotional
for everyone I mean on one hand this is
an 18-year-old and Nathan's parents are
just so shocked and Disturbed that their
son could do something like this and was
found guilty obviously it's beyond
upsetting for them as well and also for
Lauren's family I mean it's a total mix
of emotions I mean she's finally getting
justice but at the end of the day she is
gone and then Lauren's dad did something
that I don't think I've ever seen in all
of my years covering True Crime and it
was truly beautiful to me he walked
across the courtroom and gave Nathan's
parents a hug Malcolm said that he did
that because he knew that both families
had lost something that day and I just I
really think that shows so much strength
of character that he was able to do that
in that moment honestly I don't know
what I would do in that situation I
normally don't even like to speculate or
say how I would act if I were in these
parents shoes because obviously I'm not
and I hope to never be but I don't know
if I would have the strength that he had
I mean that is just I just shows so much
empathy but yeah I don't think that's
something I've ever seen and I thought
it was a really interesting and Powerful
moment now when it came to Nathan's
sentencing the state of Massachusetts
has a mandatory sentence of life in
prison without parole for those
convicted of first-degree murder so that
is what he ended up getting but before
that sentence was given to him Lauren's
parents gave a victim's impact statement
and as you can imagine it was incredibly
emotional Lauren's mom Mary spoke about
her daily life and how her days are no
longer filled with being a mom but
instead filled with shock grief
disorientation unrest and longing and
one thing that she said that just broke
my heart is that she
said from this day forward she will
never be called Mom or mommy ever
again oh it's so horrible in her dad's
statement he spoke a lot about needing
to educate teens on the dangers of
relationship violence and breakup
violence and it was incredibly powerful
to say the least we do need to expand
our efforts to understand what led to
the deeply harmful and tragic act to
take steps to identify needs
vulnerabilities and shortcomings in our
young people and to address them with
determination
education protection and caring so as to
Foster responsibility mutual respect and
safety and thus prevent such acts in the
future
and like I mentioned at the beginning of
this episode Lauren's parents have
really made it their mission to educate
other young people about the dangers of
breakup violence in the wake of their
daughter's death Malcolm and Mary have
created the Lauren dun asley memorial
fund this is a nonprofit that seeks to
educate teens about the dangers of
breakup violence and they promote
healthy teenage relationships as well as
support the Arts and community service
two things that were extremely important
to Lauren I think the work that her
parents have done over the past 12 or 13
years has been really incredible to see
and the more I looked into it the more
impressed I was like I said the term
breakup violence I don't think is
something we hear very often it's not
something I've thought that much about
but it's such an important thing to
discuss Lauren's story is unfortunately
a prime example of it and it is exactly
what it sounds like it's violence that
occurs as the result of a breakup and so
to try and help combat this the Lauren
dun asley memorial fund raises money to
sponsor programs in schools so that kids
across the country can learn about this
phenomenon and how they can avoid it
Malcolm and Mary have done a ton of
media appearances talking about their
goals with their organization and they
really emphasize the need for teens to
have proper tools to deal with the pain
of a breakup the parents of Lauren dun
asley are asking State lawmakers to
support legislation that would mandate
sexual education and violence prevention
programs in Massachusetts schools their
daughter's boyfriend of three years was
convicted of killing Lauren after she
tried to break up with him kids need a
lot of training in what is one of the
most painful parts of Being Human and
that is having a an intimate
relationship come to an end we can
provide them with support and tools and
ways to cope with and to be ready for
the jolts of breaking up and like I said
breakup violence is something that can
affect someone at any age but their
mission is to really focus on the youth
giving them the tools to prepare
themselves for what they could encounter
in life because the reality is breakups
are a part of life it's very very
painful I mean anyone I'm sure most of
you out there have experienced a breakup
at some point it can be devastating but
even though breakups are normally a part
of everyone's life violence doesn't have
to be and her parents have said that
they have found a lot of strength in
their mission to help others that it's
been you know very healing for them in a
lot of ways and I think it's really cool
that even though they were divorced that
they really came together on this for
their daughter it's it's
beautiful my talks with them Focus try
to focus on the need to prepare uh young
people better for the terrible pain of
breakups when we think about it it's the
most painful the most traumatic event
that happens to young people apart from
the death of a loved one or apart from
violence in a neighborhood but but the
breakup if you talk with adults about it
you watch their postures droop it's
terribly painful but we don't provide uh
significant education about it
information about it uh kids have on an
average of about eight breakups before
things get serious but they don't have
knowledge about it they're not prepared
for it and we can do a lot better job
that's part of what our work is with the
amendment and Mary's message to teens is
really to never go alone and this is a
really great piece of advice to keep in
mind she wants people to not go alone
during the actual breakup or in Lauren's
case going to see the person afterward
these moments can create a lot of
vulnerability and possibly a lot of
danger if the person who was broken up
with doesn't handle it well what do you
tell people and I have to say because it
was breakup violence Lauren was not
afraid of him and so my message always
is do not go Al alone if you are you
have to be in public if you're going to
go alone especially if the other person
hasn't wanted the breakup because she
somewhat walked into it because she
wasn't fearful of him so to avoid it I I
can say there were things that I saw but
really the one thing that probably would
have maybe prevented it was her not
going alone that night Malcolm himself
has traveled all over the country to
speak at schools and directly educate
teenagers and share his daughter's story
as a cautionary tale there's a lot
coming to light now about it
relationship violence of all kinds and
it's so good that uh women are starting
to speak out about it and that boys and
men are starting to step forward to join
with women uh to deal with this very
tough problem what happened to Lauren is
horrible unimaginably horrible but like
I said I don't think anyone really saw
the signs and that's why education
around breakup violence is so important
if people are equipped with better tools
and knowledge when it comes to breaking
up with someone it could potentially
save lives and that's why this week I
wanted to make a donation to their
organization because I know they're
going to put it to amazing use and of
course I'll have it linked in the
description below if you're also
interested in contributing as a mother
to a little girl myself this story has
obviously been really difficult but I
feel it's important to know about and
I'm so grateful to their family for you
know making this their mission and
educating so many others because I have
learned a lot as well and it's something
that you know when my daughter is dating
age which oh don't even want to think
about that but when she's there I know I
will have these discussions with her and
you know many most parents know to have
the discussions regarding safety and
drinking and sex education you know all
those things but I think breakups and
how to handle that is sometimes missed
or not explained fully and that's
probably because we didn't get that
education ourselves and there aren't
that many tools available and that's why
I think their organization is so vital
but before I wrap up this episode
there's one more thing I want to share
and that's that I found a recent article
from January of 2024 saying that the
highest court in Massachusetts has
overruled legislature that previously
required everyone convicted of
first-degree murder to be given a
sentence of life in prison without
parole which which as we know was the
sentence given to Nathan because of the
original state mandate and this new
ruling says that anyone under the age of
20 cannot be given a life sentence
without the possibility of parole even
if they're convicted of first-degree
murder and obviously the idea behind
that is that their brains are not fully
developed now Nathan was 20 when he was
convicted and sentenced to life in
prison without the possibility of parole
and we haven't heard anything yet but
it's possible that him and other
may be given the possibility of parole
in the future now Lauren's mom is
understandably devastated by this ruling
and doesn't understand why he would get
to live his life if her daughter can no
longer live hers she said I did think
it's over when he was deemed guilty and
senten but that was completely naive I
don't see how if Lauren doesn't get to
live her life why he gets to live any
life I don't want him dead I don't
believe in the death penalty but he
doesn't deserve to be outliving a
regular life now I know that people have
different opinions when it comes to
things like this so I definitely want to
hear your thoughts below I'm very
curious to see what comes of this and
especially to see what ends up happening
with Nathan's case ultimately though I'm
just so sad for this family especially
now that things are kind of continuing
on with this new ruling and just the
fact that they have to Forever live
their lives without their daughter and
think about all the things that she
would have done and never had the chance
to do because Ethan stole all of that
away from her and from them Lauren had
so much more life to live I mean she was
just getting started only for it all to
be cut short by someone who was so cold
and so heartless I just hope her parents
know at the end of the day how much all
the efforts that they are putting in are
actually helping other people it's it's
truly admirable but that is all I have
for you guys on this case today I
definitely want to hear your thoughts on
everything we talked about and I'm sure
I'm going to hear a lot of heartbreaking
stories and scary stories that you guys
have experienced from your own you know
breakups and yeah it's it's a really
tough thing to deal with and I really
encourage parents out there to talk to
your child about breakup violence and
help provide them with the tools so that
they can go into those situations as
safe as possible and I will be back next
week of course to discuss yet another
case but until then stay safe out there
[Music]
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