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SHOW: GOOD MORNING AMERICA (07:00 AM ET) - ABC
May 27, 2005 Friday
MURDER MYSTERY? BIZARRE DEATH REOPENED
CHARLES GIBSON, ABC NEWS
But first, we're going to start with a, something of a mystery. The
death of a young mother five years ago under some very mysterious
circumstances. And now a private investigation into her death is
revealing some new details. ABC's Jim Avila has been following this
bizarre death and brings us a first look at his "20/20" report on
this very strange case.
JIM AVILA, ABC NEWS
(Voice Over) It was an old-fashioned Armenian church wedding. Mark, a
37 year-old successful carpet salesman and his beautiful young wife,
25 year-old, Linda. By most accounts, it is a marriage of love for
him, and practicality for him. Dave Delician (PH), Linda's brother,
says even before the wedding Linda had one goal, to become a mom.
DAVE, LINDA'S BROTHER
She wanted a stable family life, and she wanted to have children who
were raised in a stable family.
JIM AVILA
(Voice Over) Mark and Linda Adanalian built a respectable upper
middle-class life in the Armenian capital of America, Fresno,
California. And, yes, by the year 2000, Linda has her family. A dream
come true? Not exactly. Dave, his sister, Meg Bakich (PH), and their
spouses talked to us about Linda and her troubled marriage.
MEG, LINDA'S SISTER
He was mad. He did not want to have another child. And Linda said,
what do you want me to do? She's here.
JIM AVILA
(Voice Over) And perhaps most telling, the once loving couple hardly
touch anymore. Linda starts recording what she calls Mark's rage.
MARK, LINDA'S HUSBAND
Two years we haven't touched each other. Two -over two years? And
it's going to get worse, Linda, because I'll tell you something right
now, this is, this is (censored by network) miserable.
JIM AVILA
(Voice Over) Then, Mark and Linda are broad-sided by a life-changing
event. Mark takes ill. The diagnosis is multiple sclerosis. Mark
would not talk to us directly. He asked instead that we speak to his
attorney and friend of 30 years, the best man at his wedding.
WARREN PABOOJIAN, FRIEND OF MARK
Sure, he was angry. They were both angry. Absolutely. I mean, you
know, this is a, this is a tough time. You know, you're diagnosed
with a, you know, a disease that there's no cure for. You have a, a
new baby. You're starting a new business. Everybody is under a lot of
stress.
JIM AVILA
(Voice Over) A day after her youngest child turned two, Linda,
without warning, collapsed on the steps of the very church where she
was married and died at the hospital three hours later. The rush to
save her life left a slew of unanswered questions. Most importantly,
what killed her?
MEG
I never saw a tear. I have never seen Mark more gleeful. He was
jovial. He ...
JIM AVILA
(Off Camera) He was happy that his wife had died?
MEG
He was happy, he was relaxed, he was in the best mood.
JIM AVILA
(Voice Over) For Linda's family, it was just the beginning of a
litany of strange behavior by Mark that makes them more and more
suspicious.
MARK
I have done everything in my power to prove my innocence. I know my
innocence. I took a lie detector test. I did everything.
JIM AVILA
(Voice Over) Linda's family pushes the coroner for answers. He calls
for Linda's body to be exhumed. And what they would find out
surprised everyone.
graphics: murder mystery
graphics: cold case: mom dies of poison?
JIM AVILA
(Off Camera) Now, what the coroner found was -in Linda's body after
her grave was exhumed, changed the focus of the case. In her liver,
in her kidneys, and in her bloodstream there was an elevated level of
a toxic metal. She was poisoned. But was Mark responsible or was he
just a second victim? Tonight on "20/20," we'll let you hear more of
those excruciating tapes between -the wife, Linda, and the husband,
Mark. Plus, we'll show more of the deposition from Mark. And we'll
bring in a set of fresh eyes, a prosecutor who investigated the case
privately and then took her findings to the Fresno police. All that
tonight on "20/20." Charlie?
CHARLES GIBSON
(Off Camera) All right. Thanks, Jim. And Jim mentioned you can watch
his report at 10:00, 9:00 Central on ABC's "20/20."
graphics: 20/20
CHARLES GIBSON
(Off Camera) Now 35 minutes after the hour. Time now for the weather.
Tony Perkins in Bryant Park with our huge Rascal Flatts crowd and
Rascal Flatts contest. Tony?
SHOW: GOOD MORNING AMERICA (07:00 AM ET) - ABC
May 27, 2005 Friday
MURDER MYSTERY? BIZARRE DEATH REOPENED
CHARLES GIBSON, ABC NEWS
But first, we're going to start with a, something of a mystery. The
death of a young mother five years ago under some very mysterious
circumstances. And now a private investigation into her death is
revealing some new details. ABC's Jim Avila has been following this
bizarre death and brings us a first look at his "20/20" report on
this very strange case.
JIM AVILA, ABC NEWS
(Voice Over) It was an old-fashioned Armenian church wedding. Mark, a
37 year-old successful carpet salesman and his beautiful young wife,
25 year-old, Linda. By most accounts, it is a marriage of love for
him, and practicality for him. Dave Delician (PH), Linda's brother,
says even before the wedding Linda had one goal, to become a mom.
DAVE, LINDA'S BROTHER
She wanted a stable family life, and she wanted to have children who
were raised in a stable family.
JIM AVILA
(Voice Over) Mark and Linda Adanalian built a respectable upper
middle-class life in the Armenian capital of America, Fresno,
California. And, yes, by the year 2000, Linda has her family. A dream
come true? Not exactly. Dave, his sister, Meg Bakich (PH), and their
spouses talked to us about Linda and her troubled marriage.
MEG, LINDA'S SISTER
He was mad. He did not want to have another child. And Linda said,
what do you want me to do? She's here.
JIM AVILA
(Voice Over) And perhaps most telling, the once loving couple hardly
touch anymore. Linda starts recording what she calls Mark's rage.
MARK, LINDA'S HUSBAND
Two years we haven't touched each other. Two -over two years? And
it's going to get worse, Linda, because I'll tell you something right
now, this is, this is (censored by network) miserable.
JIM AVILA
(Voice Over) Then, Mark and Linda are broad-sided by a life-changing
event. Mark takes ill. The diagnosis is multiple sclerosis. Mark
would not talk to us directly. He asked instead that we speak to his
attorney and friend of 30 years, the best man at his wedding.
WARREN PABOOJIAN, FRIEND OF MARK
Sure, he was angry. They were both angry. Absolutely. I mean, you
know, this is a, this is a tough time. You know, you're diagnosed
with a, you know, a disease that there's no cure for. You have a, a
new baby. You're starting a new business. Everybody is under a lot of
stress.
JIM AVILA
(Voice Over) A day after her youngest child turned two, Linda,
without warning, collapsed on the steps of the very church where she
was married and died at the hospital three hours later. The rush to
save her life left a slew of unanswered questions. Most importantly,
what killed her?
MEG
I never saw a tear. I have never seen Mark more gleeful. He was
jovial. He ...
JIM AVILA
(Off Camera) He was happy that his wife had died?
MEG
He was happy, he was relaxed, he was in the best mood.
JIM AVILA
(Voice Over) For Linda's family, it was just the beginning of a
litany of strange behavior by Mark that makes them more and more
suspicious.
MARK
I have done everything in my power to prove my innocence. I know my
innocence. I took a lie detector test. I did everything.
JIM AVILA
(Voice Over) Linda's family pushes the coroner for answers. He calls
for Linda's body to be exhumed. And what they would find out
surprised everyone.
graphics: murder mystery
graphics: cold case: mom dies of poison?
JIM AVILA
(Off Camera) Now, what the coroner found was -in Linda's body after
her grave was exhumed, changed the focus of the case. In her liver,
in her kidneys, and in her bloodstream there was an elevated level of
a toxic metal. She was poisoned. But was Mark responsible or was he
just a second victim? Tonight on "20/20," we'll let you hear more of
those excruciating tapes between -the wife, Linda, and the husband,
Mark. Plus, we'll show more of the deposition from Mark. And we'll
bring in a set of fresh eyes, a prosecutor who investigated the case
privately and then took her findings to the Fresno police. All that
tonight on "20/20." Charlie?
CHARLES GIBSON
(Off Camera) All right. Thanks, Jim. And Jim mentioned you can watch
his report at 10:00, 9:00 Central on ABC's "20/20."
graphics: 20/20
CHARLES GIBSON
(Off Camera) Now 35 minutes after the hour. Time now for the weather.
Tony Perkins in Bryant Park with our huge Rascal Flatts crowd and
Rascal Flatts contest. Tony?