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It wasn’t necessarily closure the families wanted. Just truth. The Bateses needed to know what happened. They felt Jeff McCord could give that to them. Roger Brown waited until after Jessica’s trial, because he didn’t want one case to meddle or cause problems with the other. But Jessica had been found guilty, the jury recommending life. It was time to go to Jeff and see if he wanted to talk.

Now or never.

The state offered Jeff two consecutive life terms in trade for the truth. All of it. Step-by-step, what happened? When? Where? How?

Jeff thought about it. Jessica’s jury had spoken loud and clear. Why would a second jury believe him?

Jeff called his attorneys.

“I’ll take it.”