Amanda Perrault death: Who pulled the trigger? Questions raised after Georgia police officer Seth Perrault says his wife fatally shot herself

This story initially aired on Jan, 28. It was up to date on Nov. 18.

Simply an hour-and-a-half after Seth Perrault stated his 44-year-old spouse, Amanda, shot herself proper in entrance of him, he was struggling to inform his story.

SETH PERRAULT (to Sheriff Howard Sills): I am in shock. My spouse of eight years, that I really like greater than something on this world…

SETH PERRAULT (to Sheriff Sills): I do not know even the place to begin, sir. … I’ve misplaced every part in my life.

Perrault, 44, then a police officer for the Metropolis of Eatonton, Georgia, instructed Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills that his spouse Amanda had shot herself within the head.

Anne-Marie Inexperienced| “48 Hours” contributor: What did he say occurred?

Sheriff Howard Sills: He stated that they have been in mattress and … they have been arguin’ … After which impulsively, she simply produced the gun outta skinny air and executed herself.

SETH PERRAULT (to Sheriff Sills): I simply sat there and watched my spouse execute herself.

Sheriff Howard Sills: In all my years of questioning anyone for … suicide … I’ve by no means heard anyone use the time period “executed.”

Angie Johnson: I knew she hadn’t. I knew that he was mendacity.

From the very starting, Angie and Alesha Johnson say that they had questions on what occurred to their sister Amanda.

Alesha Johnson: We knew higher. We knew our sister. … Amanda beloved life.

Angie Johnson: She would not put us by way of this.

About eight years earlier, within the fall of 2011, a lately divorced Amanda met Seth Perrault on-line.

Alesha Johnson: I bear in mind her being type of enthusiastic about it. … he handled her in another way from a number of the previous relationships she had been in the place, you already know, she wasn’t revered.

Seth, battling most cancers and unemployed on the time, appeared to fall for Amanda quick and exhausting.

Angie Johnson: And so they moved in pretty fast. Like, he had her transfer in inside six months of them assembly.

Seth was residing an hour away, along with his mom, who was caring for him. However Angie says Amanda would shortly take over the function of Seth’s caretaker.

Angie Johnson: When she moved on the market … he did not need her to work.

They are saying Seth’s dad and mom have been paying the entire couple’s payments – and serving to with bills for Seth’s daughter from a earlier relationship.

Anne Marie Inexperienced: So, Seth was principally depending on his household?

Alesha and Angie Johnson: Very a lot.

And Amanda was depending on Seth.

Angie Johnson: For the longest time, like, he would not let her have any type of … cellphone, mobile phone or something like that … It could be his cellphone or a landline.

Sheriff Howard Sills: She did not also have a automotive to drive. He monitored her always.

As time went on, Alesha and Angie say they noticed much less and fewer of their sister.

Angie Johnson: He stored us from bein’ capable of see her.

Alesha Johnson: She did not come to, like, any of our Christmas occasions, or like, any of our occasions as a result of she needed to host for his household and prepare dinner for all of them.

Amanda lived with Seth for 5 years. Then, on June 23, 2017, the couple stunned everybody once they quietly went to the native courthouse and acquired married. Angie and Alesha consider the one purpose Seth married their sister was to assist him get custody of his daughter.

Alesha Johnson: That is why I really feel like he requested her to marry him.

Seth’s custody battle had been happening for nearly precisely a yr at that time.

Anne-Marie Inexperienced: Do you assume Seth marrying Amanda helped him achieve custody?

Justin Kenney: Completely.

Seth’s lawyer, Justin Kenney is Seth’s lawyer.

Justin Kenney: If Amanda was going to be current in his daughter’s life they needed to get married … I believe that was one of many paramount points for him to achieve custody.

Kenney says Seth did love Amanda—and his daughter—and was simply attempting to do what he thought was greatest for everybody.

Justin Kenney: This was a man that doted on his daughter. He was a household man. … he would dote on his spouse. … I simply thought he was a — a stand-up particular person.

Just a few months after Amanda and Seth have been married, he was granted custody of his daughter. Somewhat over yr later he was employed by the Eatonton Police Division, and his father purchased him a home close to Lake Oconee.

Alesha Johnson: She beloved their new dwelling.

Anne-Marie Inexperienced: This could have been every part she hoped for.

Alesha Johnson: Yeah, it was. You realize, apart from the connection.

Alesha and Angie say they did not know simply how dangerous issues had gotten, however have been listening to increasingly more tales of preventing, fueled by alcohol.

Justin Kenney: I’ve heard tales and interviews that, you already know, once they have been sober, they have been loving towards each other. However it’s when alcohol got here into the combo … that is when it grew to become poisonous.

Somewhat over a yr after becoming a member of the police pressure, Seth fell down some stairs on the couple’s dwelling and needed to go on medical depart. Now, together with the alcohol, there have been ache drugs, and the sisters say the preventing gave the impression to be escalating.

Angie Johnson: You would hear it, like, on cellphone calls.

Alesha Johnson: His tone and demeanor round her.

Angie Johnson: I might ask. … “would you like me to name 911? Can I name 911?”

Alesha Johnson: She would let you know, “No, no, do not name.” You realize, “We have simply been drinkin’. We’ll be — every part’ll be OK in a while.” … Possibly she knew her state of affairs would grow to be even worse, you already know.

Then, issues did worsen. On Jan. 28, 2020, simply days earlier than her loss of life, Amanda referred to as 911.

911 DISPATCHER: Putnam County Sheriff’s Workplace will you maintain please?

AMANDA PERRAULT: Sure, thanks.

Angie Johnson: She had barricaded herself in … a again bed room.

AMANDA PERRAULT (911 name): It is my husband, and he is placing his fingers on me.

Angie Johnson: She ended up havin’ to run subsequent door.

AMANDA PERRAULT (911 name): He locked me out of the home and I am simply attempting to get my issues out of the home, please.

911 DISPATCHER: She’s on the neighbor’s home proper now.

One other sheriff’s dispatcher was alerted.

SECOND 911 DISPATCHER: And he or she stated her husband is … an officer with the Eatonton Police Division.

That second dispatcher stated he knew Seth Perrault and stated he had a popularity.

SECOND 911 DISPATCHER: I ain’t purported to know this … however he is been out of labor along with his again and apparently, he is over their whoopin’ up on her ass.

Seth made native headlines when he was arrested on costs of straightforward battery and household violence.

Angie Johnson: She … instructed me … would I come get her the subsequent mornin’? And I instructed her sure, to ensure to pack every part, have it prepared.

As a substitute, Amanda determined to attend Seth’s bond listening to. When the decide agreed to launch Seth on bail, he requested Amanda if she wished a “keep away” order added. Amanda stated no, after which let Seth come dwelling.

Alesha Johnson: ‘Trigger she was scared. … She knew he was mad, she knew that it was … public that he had been arrested. “He is a police officer … You realize, I’ve to carry him dwelling and make this proper.”

Alesha Johnson: I talked to her the day he acquired out. And … I stated, “How are issues?” And he or she stated, “He is bein’ unusually good.”

Alesha says she doubted Seth’s new angle and felt that beneath he have to be seething —understanding that if he was convicted on abuse costs, he was at risk of dropping custody of his daughter and his job.

Alesha Johnson: He knew it was gonna embarrass his household … And he had already put himself up right here on this pedestal like he was king. After which to be humiliated in entrance of individuals … I believe it made him very indignant.

Alesha says Amanda was terrified and in search of a means out.

Alesha Johnson: We have been all on — a series message … and we have been tellin’ her, “Simply get out … divorce him, inform his father that you do not need something however a automobile.” … And … she stated, “I am not attempting to get killed.”

Simply 5 days later, Amanda was useless.

QUESTIONS RAISED

Sheriff Howard Sills says that from the very begin of his investigation into the loss of life of Amanda Perrault, he wasn’t shopping for her husband’s story.

Sheriff Howard Sills: I knew somethin’ was mistaken the day I walked in the home.

For starters, the place of Amanda’s physique — depicted under in a “48 Hours” animation based mostly on the crime scene images — left Sills sure that Amanda couldn’t have shot herself.

Additionally of concern to Sills was the best way the Smith and Wesson .380, which belonged to Seth, was discovered mendacity subsequent to Amanda’s physique with its journal ejected

Sheriff Howard Sills: The journal … It was … close to her proper facet, and the pistol itself, was means down right here under her left foot.

What made the ejected journal much more curious says Sills, is the truth that there was a bullet discovered contained in the gun’s chamber.

Sheriff Howard Sills: It is a semiautomatic gun. So, when it fires … the slide comes again. The spent cartridge casin’ is ejected, and it picks up the subsequent spherical.

Due to that bullet within the chamber, the journal needed to be ejected after the gun was fired, says Sills. And, except the gun is flawed, the one strategy to eject the journal is to push the button.

Sheriff Howard Sills: Now, do not do that at dwelling. However whenever you do that (places gun to his proper temple) the way you gonna get your hand — your second hand round there to do it (reaches round along with his left hand to attempt to attain the button)?

There was additionally no blood on Amanda’s fingers or the lengthy sleeves of her shirt. And one thing else caught the sheriff’s eye.

Sheriff Howard Sills: In the course of the closet on the ground was a humid inexperienced towel … Someone had dried off with it, little doubt about that.

One of many first deputies on the scene stated Seth smelled like shampoo. Additionally alarming, the bed room was suffering from 20 miniature bottles of Fireball Whiskey — all of them empty. Sills says he did not have the manpower to course of the scene, so he referred to as in brokers from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Whereas they collected bodily proof and Amanda’s physique was transported to the state medical expert, Sills centered on Seth.

Sheriff Howard Sills (in his workplace): He got here in and sat proper on this blue, leather-based chair.

Seth spoke to Sills in his workplace for over an hour with out an lawyer current.

SETH PERRAULT: I am not gonna mislead you. I am — I’ve no purpose to mislead you.

Sheriff Howard Sills: I wished to know what had occurred that day. … how did the journal get outta the gun? … How did the gun get the place it was?

SHERIFF SILLS: Did you contact that gun at present?

SETH PERRAULT: The .380?

SHERIFF SILLS: Yeah.

SETH PERRAULT: I imply, it has been, like — no.

SHERIFF SILLS: In the present day?

SETH PERRAULT: No, sir.

Anne-Marie Inexperienced: How does her physique get into that place —

Sheriff Howard Sills: He … No reply.

Anne-Marie Inexperienced: — as a result of he by no means touched her?

Sheriff Howard Sills: No, by no means touched her.

However Sills says that did not make any sense, so he stored urgent. After which, Seth modified his story.

SHERIFF SILLS: Did you contact her?

SETH PERRAULT: Possibly I d — I do not know … I most likely did contact her. I used to be most likely huggin’ the s*** out of her. And I used to be most likely like, I am so — like, “honey. What the hell’s happening?”

Sheriff Sills says Seth tried a number of occasions to deflect questions along with his badge.

SETH PERRAULT: I take delight in being an excellent regulation enforcement agent.

Sheriff Howard Sills: I can not bear in mind what number of occasions he seemed me within the eye and stated, “I am an excellent police officer.”

Amanda, he stated, additionally knew what an excellent cop he was, and the way assault costs would spoil each their lives.

SETH PERRAULT: She h — hated to see my popularity destroyed on the information ‘trigger she is aware of what an excellent police officer I’m. … And he or she was so nervous I would lose my daughter. … She wished to return down right here and let you know that it was a lie.

Seth insisted that Amanda had lied the day she referred to as 911 and felt so dangerous about it that she wished to admit to perjury.

Sheriff Howard Sills: He stated that she had written one thing that she supposed to carry to me, recanting what she had instructed the deputies. And he instructed me the place it was.

A handwritten letter was present in Amanda’s nightstand. It reads partly:

“I Amanda Perrault wish to retract my assertion … My husband by no means put his fingers on me ever. I really feel horrible for the humiliation I’ve put my husband and my household by way of. I’m keen to take any punishment I could deserve for what I’ve achieved.”

Sheriff Howard Sills (exhibits Inexperienced the letter): I do not deny she wrote it. However take a look at the penmanship. There’s not the slightest error of any sort.

Sheriff Howard Sills: What we have right here is an inexperienced police officer dictating what’s to be written.

Like Sills, Amanda’s sisters are sure Seth was behind the letter.

Angie Johnson: She wrote it, however she was coached. … I believe what he was telling her — “I would like you to jot down this to get me out of hassle.”

However Seth instructed Sills he was not about to let Amanda confess to mendacity to authorities.

SETH PERRAULT (to Sheriff Sills): I knew if she got here down right here, it was a false assertion and a felony. I knew it.

However in response to Seth, Amanda could not take the guilt anymore, so she put his gun to her head and pulled the set off.

SETH PERRAULT (to Sheriff Sills): She checked out me and stated, “I am sorry. I am sorry I put you thru this.” Increase. … I could not even say a phrase, Sheriff. It was achieved.

Seth tried to persuade Sills that Amanda killed herself, as a result of her name to 911 had probably ruined their lives. However the sheriff did not see that as a purpose for suicide; as a substitute, he noticed a motive for homicide. Believing that Amanda would by no means take her personal life, this made sense to her sisters as effectively.

Alesha Johnson: He needed to make it seem like she took her life in order that he could possibly be cleared of all this wrongdoing.

Sheriff Sills says he was satisfied that Seth Perrault was in some way concerned in his spouse’s loss of life, however that day, he felt he did not have sufficient to arrest him.

Sheriff Howard Sills: I wished to see if I may get some extra proof. And I did.

TROUBLING CLUES

One of many clues that satisfied Sheriff Sills that Seth Perrault wasn’t telling the reality have been his actions simply 20 minutes earlier than he reported his spouse Amanda was useless. That is when Sills’ deputy, Terrell Abernathy, arrived at Seth’s entrance door, attempting to ship paperwork on an upcoming case.

Deputy Terrell Abernathy: That they had a type of video doorbell issues, and I rang that.

The scene was captured on video.

Deputy Terrell Abernathy: I anticipated him to reply the door, and I anticipated him at hand him his copy of the subpoena … I imply, you are a policeman. You know the way this works.

Abernathy says he may inform somebody was dwelling.

Anne-Marie Inexperienced: What’d you hear?

Deputy Terrell Abernathy: I heard footsteps or footfalls, heavy ones. … I am saying myself, who I’m, what it’s. I even turned my again to the door. … I do not care in the event you’re in your underwear. Simply reply the door and take the paper.

He waited seven minutes after which left — subpoena nonetheless in hand.

DA Wright Barksdale: In my coronary heart, I consider that Amanda Perrault had already been shot when Abernathy rang the doorbell. … I believe he was involved that someone heard the gunshot, and that is why he did not go to the door.

District Lawyer Wright Barksdale believes Seth was attempting to determine what to do subsequent.

DA Wright Barksdale: Take into consideration this: he is within the means of staging this scene, and he hears the doorbell ring. Are you able to think about what was goin’ by way of his thoughts?

However lawyer Justin Kenney says that isn’t what occurred.

Anne-Marie Inexperienced: Why did not they arrive to the door when Deputy Abernathy rang that bell?

Justin Kenney: Concern of what he is bringing. … Seth is afraid that … his ex is about to serve him with custody modification paperwork.

Anne-Marie Inexperienced: What does Seth say occurred after that?

Justin Kenney: So, I consider that there’s a heated dialogue that takes place. … He lays down … (to) diffuse the state of affairs, he lays right down to take a nap. … He awoke to Amanda mumbling one thing, whispering one thing … and— her pulling the set off and capturing herself.

Kenney factors out that Amanda was impaired by alcohol — 3 times the authorized restrict, when examined by the medical expert. That and the escalating pressure in her marriage, grew to become a lethal mixture.

Justin Kenney: The great home … the daughter … the monetary safety, all of this was crumbling round Amanda. And then you definately tack on a .23 blood alcohol content material … She thought that that was the one strategy to — to repair it, to — to finish it.

Anne-Marie Inexperienced: She was actually drunk.

Sheriff Howard Sills: Completely.

Anne-Marie Inexperienced: Possibly she unintentionally shot the gun.

Sheriff Howard Sills: How’d she unintentionally get the journal out of it? … How’d she unintentionally get posed as she was?

Sills was additionally very troubled as a result of Seth did not name 911 when his spouse allegedly shot herself. As a substitute, Perrault referred to as his boss, the Eatonton chief of police, on his mobile phone. “48 Hours” made a number of unsuccessful makes an attempt to achieve the previous chief of police for remark.

Sheriff Howard Sills: Clearly, we’re not gonna have a recording of that. And so they have no less than a 20-minute dialog earlier than I am referred to as. 

Hoping the Perrault’s neighbors had heard one thing the day Amanda died, Sills had Deputy Abernathy return to the Perrault home to query them. What he realized made Sills much more suspicious about Seth’s involvement in Amanda’s loss of life.

Sheriff Howard Sills: We came upon that there had been a real sample of home violence for years and years.

Neighbors stated the couple could possibly be heard preventing practically day-after-day. And of their eyes, Seth was virtually at all times the aggressor.

DA Wright Barksdale: They instructed tales a few bodily altercation between Seth and Amanda the place he really grabbed her by the again of the hair and pulled her down and pushed her into the driveway.

One neighbor instructed Abernathy that he would usually stand by in case issues acquired actually violent.

Deputy Terrell Abernathy: He talked about how that at occasions he would simply stand within the yard and simply wait to see if he wanted to name 911, as a result of it was so violent over there.

One other neighbor stated that Amanda had twice made this chilling remark:

Deputy Terrell Abernathy: That if she have been to wind up useless … that Perrault is the one which did it, and … she made this neighbor promise … that she would insist that her loss of life be investigated as a murder.

Anne-Marie Inexperienced: Did anybody name the police?

Sheriff Howard Sills: No.

Anne-Marie Inexperienced: Why not?

Sheriff Howard Sills: Properly, one of many solutions was that “Properly, we have been scared to name as a result of he was the police.”

Alesha Johnson: It is hurtful — it is hurtful. … and for this reason I wished to do that present, is to ensure that folks know to talk up.

The day Amanda died, the neighbors stated they did not hear a factor. The one witness to what occurred was Seth Perrault — and Sills was positive he could not belief him after the interview in his workplace.

Sheriff Howard Sills: Based on Seth … they take the kid to high school, they arrive again dwelling, they usually go nowhere in any respect aside from down the road to the comfort retailer. Properly, that did not occur. He lied.

Sills says the proof was on surveillance digital camera footage of the couple discovered 12 miles away—at a drive-through liquor retailer, the place Amanda purchased these 20 miniature bottles of Fireball whiskey.

Sheriff Howard Sills (exterior the liquor retailer): She drives as much as this drive-in window. Proper there’s the digital camera that catches the truck [points to the camera].

Concurrently, Seth was captured on a digital camera subsequent door, in a comfort retailer.

Da Wright Barksdale (within the comfort retailer with Inexperienced): You see him stroll and he really comes down, I consider this aisle and he walks, and he will get one thing to drink.

The video, says Barksdale, would grow to be an important piece of proof not due to what was bought, however due to what Seth was sporting: a Pink Floyd T-shirt and black athletic pants. Almost 4 hours later, when sheriff’s deputies arrived on the Perrault dwelling to research Amanda’s loss of life, Seth was sporting one thing else.

Sheriff Howard Sills: After we get there he’s wearing shorts and a darkish T-shirt.

And the clothes Seth was sporting within the video?

DA Wright Barksdale: We discovered these … within the washer.

The clothes was dry and had clearly not been laundered, however there was that deputy who had reported that Seth smelled freshly washed, and there was that damp towel that was discovered on the closet ground.

Justin Kenney: Seth says … he took a shower.

Seth’s lawyer Justin Kenney says Seth did wash up in some unspecified time in the future.

Justin Kenney: In the event you take a shower — you are gonna change garments.  …. there was no proof that the washer had really been turned on. … it seemed just like the washer …  was getting used as a — a laundry basket.

Solely a tiny speck of blood was discovered on the bottom of Perrault’s pants, and a hint quantity of gun powder residue was discovered on his left hand when examined.

Justin Kenney: They did it three hours later after … potential contamination from being … on the police station.

Amanda’s fingers have been by no means examined—and the gun was by no means dusted for fingerprints. However Sills felt he now had sufficient proof to make an arrest. Simply two days after Amanda’s capturing, now former Eatonton Police officer Seth Perrault, was taken into custody.

Alesha Johnson: Sheriff Sills referred to as me and let me know that they have been going to arrest him for her homicide. And I … My entire household w — simply was so relieved and — and blissful that – that –

Angie Johnson: She was gettin’ justice.

Alesha Johnson: Sure.

However earlier than a grand jury may hear the proof and determine if there was sufficient to go to trial, COVID shut down the courts. Seth would sit in jail for practically 9 months till that post-mortem report was launched by the medical expert, declaring Amanda’s loss of life a suicide. Her resolution was based mostly totally on the dearth of gunpowder across the wound, which meant the gun would needed to have been proper up towards Amanda’s head when it went off — and there have been no indicators of a wrestle.

Justin Kenney: No one is simply going to permit someone — to place a gun to their head and pull the set off with out placing up some kind of combat.

Sheriff Howard Sills: I used to be astounded. … Very first thing, I simply referred to as the DA. I stated, “You are not — (laughs) you are not gonna consider this.”

Anne-Marie Inexperienced: Did you assume possibly you made a mistake?

DA Wright Barksdale: Completely not. … We’re gonna take each little bit of the proof and attempt to piece this factor collectively.

However Justin Kenney did assume the prosecution was making a mistake, and that the post-mortem report was all of the proof wanted to defend Seth Perrault.

Justin Kenney: I imply, it was — it appeared fairly open-and-shut to me.

THE TRIAL OF SETH PERRAULT

It was Nov. 3, 2020, and Seth Perrault, nonetheless unindicted, had been in jail for practically 9 months. When COVID restrictions lastly eased, a grand jury was set to determine if there was sufficient proof towards him, to go to trial.

Sheriff Howard Sills: And you already know the very first thing I put up for that grand jury to see?

Anne-Marie Inexperienced: The crime scene photos.

Sheriff Howard Sills: No, ma’am. … The post-mortem report that stated, “Suicide.” … “Girls and gents … The state crime lab medical expert says this was a suicide. Now, I am gonna present you the proof I discovered.”

Members of the grand jury did see the crime scene images and heard proof of home abuse and shortly determined that, regardless of the medical expert’s report, Seth Perrault ought to face a jury of his friends.

Anne Marie Inexperienced: What have been the fees?

DA Wright Barksdale: Malice homicide … felony homicide … and aggravated assault.

Perrault pleaded not responsible to all costs. At his trial in February 2022, he determined to not testify, leaving protection lawyer Justin Kenney to inform his story.

Justin Kenney: I believe there was an entire absence of adequate proof that Seth killed his spouse. 

The prosecution confirmed a jury of eight ladies and 4 males the crime scene images, together with the best way Amanda’s physique and the gun have been discovered. In addition they heard testimony from that sheriff’s deputy who thought Seth smelled freshly showered. They watched the footage of Deputy Abernathy on the Perrault’s entrance door and listened to all 60 minutes of Perrault’s interview with Sheriff Sills.

SETH PERRAULT (to Sheriff Sills): I do not understand how this occurred.

District Lawyer Barksdale says that a number of the most compelling proof was discovered on Amanda’s mobile phone. Like this video she recorded seven months previous to her loss of life.

SETH PERRAULT: It is unhappy. It is unhappy as a result of you already know what, I married you and I am — I am not gonna — I am — dude, you are achieved.

AMANDA PERRAULT: I am achieved?

Amanda’s sisters have been seeing the video for the primary time.

Alesha Johnson: It made me indignant.

AMANDA PERRAULT: I wanna have an excellent weekend.

SETH PERRAULT: You burned that up whenever you tried to place that cellphone in my face.

AMANDA PERRAULT: What cellphone in your face?

SETH PERRAULT: Oh, proper there. Oh, you are videotaping.

AMANDA: Yeah, since you’re being a d*** and I am gonna present you tomorrow.

SETH PERRAULT (yelling): Oh, so that you did not videotape all of the s*** whenever you hit me and smacked me –

AMANDA PERRAULT (yelling): Hit you? You f****** choked me eight f****** occasions!

Justin Kenney: The video … was problematic. … However it — it would not present every part that befell … Seth additionally states that she had acted violently towards him as effectively.

There was no proof of Seth having been abused launched at trial. However Amanda’s cellphone additionally contained images of her with bruises, a black eye and a break up lip together with texts like this one to her sisters: “Seth simply choked me until I practically handed out, busted my lip vast open.”

Seth’s then-8-year-old-daughter was interviewed by a forensic youngster psychologist. Keep in mind, she was a witness to what occurred the day Amanda referred to as 911.

PERRAULT’S DAUGHTER: I used to be scared that, um, certainly one of them would possibly get damage.

PERRAULT’S DAUGHTER: They have been cussing at one another. … Miss Amanda was cussing too, however she did not contact daddy in any respect. … Daddy was, like, touching her nostril like this (demonstrates by pointing to her nostril). Like, “Get out of my home proper now.”

The jury was proven a lot of the videotaped interview.

PERRAULT’S DAUGHTER: She was on the ground like this (will get on her knees) … tryin’ to get her stuff. … then, impulsively, Daddy simply began grabbing her arms. … and Daddy simply pushed her over the laundry desk. After which, um — opened the door … and pushed her out the door.

Whereas her father spent the night time in jail, she stated Amanda begged her to not inform anybody what occurred, or there could possibly be lethal penalties.

DA Wright Barksdale: Amanda tells her that night time, “In case your daddy loses custody of you, he will shoot me useless.”

PERRAULT’S DAUGHTER: “Your daddy would come shoot me useless.”

However when Barksdale referred to as the now-10-year-old to the witness stand, she stated she could not recall what occurred that day, or what she stated within the interview.

Alesha Johnson: She, I believe, felt actually torn. I seen her take a look at her dad a pair occasions … And I felt like … she was extra cautious about what she was saying — like someone had been teaching her.

In cross examination, the protection requested if anybody had coached her on what to say. She stated no. However Justin Kenney says he believes one other prosecution witness might have been coached: a jailhouse informant named Jack Faulk, who had shared a dorm block with Seth Perrault.

Justin Kenney: Jack Faulk has a prison historical past, I consider 28 pages lengthy. … quite a few contacts with the police, and he had each incentive to lie, make up a narrative.

Faulk had come ahead three weeks earlier than the medical expert’s report was launched, claiming he had useful details about Amanda’s loss of life.

Sheriff Howard Sills: He knew issues that solely Seth Perrault may have instructed him.

In two hand-written letters, Faulk claimed that Seth instructed him, “The digital camera catching him with the garments on was his largest concern.” He additionally claimed that Seth stated, “He had been giving (Amanda) ache killers all day” and that “she was handed out” on the time of her loss of life.

Sheriff Howard Sills: I believe he was within the mattress along with her after she was handed out … and held the gun towards her head.

Anne-Marie Inexperienced: He was behind her?

Sheriff Howard Sills: Behind her or barely to the facet.

The protection argued that Amanda shot herself as a result of her lies about Seth assaulting her had probably ruined their lives. Moreover, solely that tiny hint of gunshot residue was discovered on Perrault’s left hand and there was simply that one speck of blood discovered on his clothes.

Justin Kenney says the toughest factor for the protection to elucidate, was the best way Amanda’s physique was discovered.

Justin Kenney: We knew that it was gonna be an issue. … the physique needed to be moved in a roundabout way. Needed to be touched in a roundabout way.

Kenney says there may be one clarification that is smart to him; one thing Seth Perrault stated in his interview with Sheriff Sills.

SETH PERRAULT (to Sheriff Sills): I most likely did contact her. I used to be most likely huggin’ the s*** out of her.

Justin Kenney: And that will probably account for her arms being, ah, by her sides.

As for the best way Seth’s gun was discovered beside Amanda’s physique with the ejected journal by her facet, the protection employed an professional who testified that he fired the gun six occasions and after a type of firings, the journal spontaneously ejected.

Justin Kenney: It exhibits that that firearm can drop the journal when it is fired.

DA Wright Barksdale: Howard Sills took that very gun out and shot it a number of occasions. The GBI examined that gun, did not notate of their report any malfunctions in any way.

Then there was the medical expert, Dr. Lora Darrisaw. Barksdale referred to as her to the stand and requested her to elucidate how she got here to her conclusion of suicide as the style of loss of life.

DA Wright Barksdale: What I wished the jury and for her to see … she didn’t contemplate all of the proof. … She had not thought-about Seth’s daughter’s interview. She had not thought-about the mobile phone knowledge, the prior home abuse.

SETH PERRAULT (mobile phone video): Oh, so that you did not — you did not video tape all of the s*** …

However Dr. Darrisaw defended her conclusion. And on this assertion to “48 Hours,” the Georgia Bureau of Investigation backed her up: “Our company stands behind the unique professional opinion of Perrault’s loss of life.”

Anne-Marie Inexperienced: Have been you nervous in any respect in regards to the verdict?

DA Wright Barksdale: What I attempt … and remind myself, it’s my job to pursue justice and to current a case for the jury to contemplate. … And in the event that they have been to stroll him out the door, I might have the ability to look to Amanda Perrault’s household and say, “We did every part we may.”

THE VERDICT

It had been just below two-and-a-half-hours, when the jury within the homicide trial of Seth Perrault introduced that that they had reached a verdict.

Alesha Johnson: After they referred to as us all again in, all of us simply held fingers … And … dropped our head. I simply bear in mind praying, sayin’, “God, you already know, simply please — you already know, please do that for our household. … Allow us to have justice for our sister.”

And justice is what they really feel they acquired. The decision: responsible of homicide.

Alesha Johnson (emotional): It was bittersweet, as a result of we acquired justice, however it did not carry her again. It did not carry our greatest buddy again.

That very same day, Perrault was sentenced to life, with out the opportunity of parole.

Alesha Johnson: I need a few years of him prayin’ to God, and bein’ on his knees that he woulda took his personal life as a substitute of my sister’s.

Justin Kenney says he believes an harmless man is now behind bars, for all times.

Justin Kenney: My coronary heart sank. … I’ve identified Seth for nearly a decade now, and … I do not assume he did it.

Each August, on her birthday, Amanda’s sisters honor her reminiscence by releasing love letters tied to purple balloons.

Angie Johnson: “I really like you Amanda, and I hope you might be having a good looking birthday in heaven.”

In 2022, the notes additionally included the Nationwide Home Abuse Hotline quantity.

Angie Johnson: And hopefully it will discover someone that basically wants it.

Alesha Johnson: We simply wanna create … consciousness round home abuse. And for folks to — do not sit again and simply let it occur, it doesn’t matter what the — the sufferer is telling you. Battle for them, you already know? Assist them. Assist them any means you’ll be able to. There’s so many issues I want I may return now and do completely different (cries). I want I may return and save her.

Anne-Marie Inexperienced: You are gonna save someone with this.

Alesha Johnson: I hope so.

In the event you or somebody you already know is a sufferer of home abuse, name 1-800-799-SAFE or go to thehotline.org.

Seth Perrault’s daughter resides along with her mom, who has custody; his sister is petitioning to take custody. 

“48 Hours” Publish Mortem podcast

What occurs when a poisonous relationship turns lethal, particularly by the hands of somebody who is meant to serve and shield? “48 Hours” contributor Anne-Marie Inexperienced and producer Judy Rybak focus on crossing the skinny blue line, a questionable word left behind on the crime scene, the stunning report from the medical expert ruling Amanda’s loss of life a suicide and if this could be sufficient to search out Seth harmless at trial.  

Produced by Judy Rybak. Michelle Sigona and Anthony Venditti are the event producers. Shaheen Tokhi is the sector producer. Lauren Turner Dunn is the affiliate producer. Jud Johnston, Marcus Balsam, Marlon Disla and Wini Dini are the editors. Anthony Batson is the senior broadcast producer. Nancy Kramer is the chief story editor. Judy Tygard is the chief producer. 

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