Take the case of Russ Faria, whose wife Betsy was killed in the home. Open and shut case. Period.
She had 55 stab wounds--a crime of passion
The door was unlocked and no signs of forced entry
She was in late stages of breast cancer
He was on camera at different stores to get receipts to set up an alibi
He had blood on his shoes
He had abused her
He had a terrible, violent temper
He had put a pillow over her face on multiple occasions, telling her that's what it would feel like to die
He threatened to kill her
He told people he wanted her dead
He had a mistress
She was going to divorce him and change the life insurance policy to her best friend to set up a trust for her kids (they're not his kids)
Friends that helped him set up an alibi as part of their gamer group to see if they could get away with murder
Guilty as charged. Never a doubt.
Not so fast my friends...
The problem is, only the top 3 things were actually true.
He was on camera at different stores to get receipts to set up an alibi He was at stores, but buying snacks and drinks for game night 45 minutes from home. No possible way he was able to kill her, based on the time she was last seen alive and the estimated time of death.
He did have blood on his shoes, which were in his closet The blood was smeared and not spattered. It was on the top of his shoes, with no trace on the bottom (remember, 55 stab wounds). No blood on his clothes or body, which was argued that he did it naked, except for the shoes.
The evidence below was all spread as rumors by her best friend, the real killer, to frame him and get away with it. People believed her and spread it and the rumors became "truths".
He had abused her
He had put a pillow over her face on multiple occasions, telling her that's what it would feel like to die
He threatened to kill her
He told people he wanted her dead
He had a mistress
She was going to divorce him and change the life insurance policy to her best friend to set up a trust for her kids (they're not his kids) 4 days before the murder, the policy was changed to give the money to the best friend and trusts were never set up.
Friends that helped him set up an alibi as part of their gamer group to see if they could get away with murder
After 3 years, the conviction was overturned and as not retried. The best friend took an Alford Plea 4 years after Russ's conviction was overturned, after she murdered a different person and was suspected of killing her mother to get $500,000 in life insurance money.