Kills His Grandma, Thinks He’s Going Home

[00:00:00]You don't want to know why I'm here.

[00:00:01]I assume so, man. What do you assume?

[00:00:04]Well, you all obviously think that I had something to do with my grandmother's death.

[00:00:08]>> Here we have Colton Hughes, a man who looks and talks like he just played a round of golf with these officers, not like someone who has been accused of murdering his own grandmother for a big payout.

[00:00:18]>> What does he stuff that we laid in the house? There's a reason why we laid in the house those things out.

[00:00:22]>> Okay.

[00:00:22]>> You weren't there for 30 minutes.

[00:00:25]>> I don't want to point fingers because, I mean, whoever points fingers, you don't want to point at you, but I think my dad did it.

[00:00:32]>> Colton may point fingers at everyone he can, but he doesn't know that the cops already have him dead to rights, and that he brought the key piece of evidence into the room.

[00:00:41]>> Let's hear what you have to say. The truth, Colton. What happened? She hurt you?

[00:00:45]>> Yeah, um Okay, um >> When police first arrived on the scene of Leah Hughes's death, they assumed it was a simple fall. To be fair, she was an elderly woman and there was no visible sign of foul play. That would be a pretty run-of-the-mill stop for any police officer. The bullet wound was small enough to go unnoticed and there was no apparent exit wound. It nearly got missed and Colton nearly got away with it. Luckily, they happened upon a.410 slug at the scene. This started a whole different kind of investigation to determine if it was actually murder.

[00:01:17]After the autopsy, it was revealed she was in fact shot.

[00:01:20]>> [music] >> It didn't take them long to determine that her grandson, Colton, was the last person who saw Leah alive. Now, all they really needed was motive. So, what kind of person would shoot his own family?

[00:01:30]>> What uh what business is your I guess your uh mother's side of the family and and your dad's side? What do they >> They both do oil.

[00:01:39]>> They do oil?

[00:01:40]>> Yeah, ranching and oil. Well, well, my mom's side is the ranching side and my dad's side is oil and water and now he does sand plant stuff.

[00:01:49]>> Sand plant?

[00:01:51]>> For uh fracking.

[00:01:53]>> You're working at sand plant?

[00:01:54]>> No.

[00:01:55]>> [clears throat] >> I don't like to do with the sand plant.

[00:01:57]>> You don't want to do with the sand >> No, I don't want to mess with the dirt.

[00:01:59]>> So, >> tried hard to get out of the dirt. I don't want to go back to the dirt.

[00:02:02]>> Already he casually refers to his family as dirt he was trying to get away from.

[00:02:06]Luckily there was someone else who was willing to hold out a hand, the family's matriarch.

[00:02:11]>> Well man, tell us about your grandmother. I know you I know she raised you, didn't she?

[00:02:15]>> Yeah. I mean I spent I probably spent more time with her than any other member of my family, probably.

[00:02:27]I mean I was with her all the time. Me and her went and did stuff. We went to Vegas. We went to the lake. I mean well, she love she love to go to Vegas. So I mean we went to Vegas several times. We went to the casino Winstar. We went to everywhere. I mean I spent more time with her than anyone else. She basically raised me.

[00:02:47]And then when I moved from um actually to Big Spring then I stayed with her too. I mean I did. Me and my dad don't exactly have a phenomenal relationship.

[00:02:59]>> What's the deal with that one? What's >> Well, my they got divorced when I was 14 or 15, somewhere like that, almost 16. And it was nasty, nasty divorce. I mean it was a lot of fighting in the courts [clears throat] and I was forced to go you know, see him and then I was forced to go this and do that and it was it was it was not a great situation. So >> I can imagine.

[00:03:22]>> Yeah, I mean I >> pulled back and forth.

[00:03:24]>> Exactly. I was fought over in the middle and then >> [clears throat] >> anyway, it was just a bad situation and so I was me and him have never had a great relationship. I mean nothing wrong there, but I mean me and him just never really like had a >> [clears throat] >> great relationship.

[00:03:43]>> What about your What about mom?

[00:03:46]Do you all talk a lot?

[00:03:48]>> Me and my dad?

[00:03:49]Not really. I mean um >> [clears throat] >> if he needed something, he'd call me, you know, and then if I needed something, I'd call him, but like we never just picked up the phone to see how each other was doing. I mean, it was all through my grandmother that I would always find out what he was doing, and he would always ask her what I was doing, so.

[00:04:10]Cuz they knew that she talked to me all the time, so.

[00:04:13]I don't know, but I mean, we just never really had that father-son relationship, I guess.

[00:04:22]>> Even when pressed to move the conversation to his mother, he still holds the focus on his father. Already, he's planting the seeds for the detectives that his father is not a great guy.

[00:04:33]Maybe trying a little too hard. In a previous interview, he'd already tried to push that narrative, but the police expertly pull it back to the grandmother. And more importantly, the money.

[00:04:42]>> Well, they she just bought that land um >> What land?

[00:04:49]>> for uh from the city. She bought land from the city for uh my dad's sand plant thing.

[00:04:57]And so, she just bought land, and then I don't know, she was I don't know if that stressed her out or what, but she was freaking out about it, cuz I just spent $900,000 on sand.

[00:05:09]And then um she >> Was she having any financial issues?

[00:05:12]>> Oh, no. She makes >> The only reason I asked is cuz you know, you're dealing with Terry, and then I guess the land.

[00:05:19]>> She makes >> she plumbing or >> a fortune in oil money.

[00:05:24]>> Does she >> And never never spends it. I always tell her, I'm like, "Mimi, you need to spend some of this money."

[00:05:30]Like, "You need to spend it. Like, it's just going to go to waste."

[00:05:33]>> All right.

[00:05:34]>> And >> So, I'm not going to spend I'm not going to spend any of it.

[00:05:37]>> She finally I finally convinced her to buy a new Escalade. She drove like a 2018 thought And I was like, "You need to buy a new Escalade. Like, buy a new Escalade."

[00:05:47]>> She was tight with her money?

[00:05:48]>> Yes, very.

[00:05:50]She At times it was weird.

[00:05:52]>> or nothing?

[00:05:53]>> At times she was really tight. And then when it was time to go to the casino we can go to the casino. We blow 20 grand in slot machine.

[00:06:04]>> She would get everyone anything back?

[00:06:06]>> Yeah.

[00:06:06]>> Even big?

[00:06:07]>> Uh I think the most she won one time was like 25,000.

[00:06:10]>> Yeah.

[00:06:13]>> And I know this because she said she sent me a picture and she bought a Louis Vuitton purse to carry it home in.

[00:06:19]First Louis Vuitton purse she ever bought.

[00:06:24]But she didn't care about that kind of stuff. I mean >> So what material is it?

[00:06:30]>> No.

[00:06:32]>> Uh >> Still kept my granddad's pickup for >> So >> however long that was.

[00:06:39]>> You left about 5:15.

[00:06:42]Mhm.

[00:06:42]>> [clears throat] >> And you were in Fort North Fort Worth.

[00:06:46]>> Fort Worth, Fort Worth.

[00:06:47]>> Louisville.

[00:06:50]>> And what's what's what's in there?

[00:06:53]>> That's where my business partner lives.

[00:06:56]>> Business?

[00:07:00]What kind of business you all do?

[00:07:02]>> [snorts] >> We own an investment company. We do international investing.

[00:07:06]Uh crypto's currency exchange uh uh different crypto's and then a little bit of stocks and bonds and stuff like that.

[00:07:16]>> It's not hard to hear the frustration in his voice. A woman with a vast fortune wasting it by either not spending it on Escalades and bags or by blowing it at the casino. She might not care about that kind of stuff, but it sounds like he very much did. He even made a career out of it.

[00:07:31]>> So what's your uh company's name or >> Royalty Investments International.

[00:07:35][clears throat] >> So is that all y'all do is invest in Bitcoin and stuff like that or what do you >> We have um we can run a jet charter business through some of our stuff so like we can we get clients that call us and say hey you know we want to charter a jet so then we can call I think there's five or six different places here that we can call and charter a jet and kind of broker that for them and then my business partner Steven he runs or he doesn't run it but he manages like chartering out yachts so we have like three or four yachts that we kind of help manage during the summer for people that want to make money off of them because I mean if they're just sitting they're not doing anything.

[00:08:19]They're not making any money.

[00:08:20]>> So you're talking about the actual owners of the yachts y'all kind of a go-between the >> Yeah we just we handle all of the rentals stuff for them like uh cuz you have to have a captain you have to have a it's not stewardess but a stewardess essentially and then the >> [clears throat] >> you have to have like the the billing and all of that for the yacht and then we pay the owner whatever percentage is previously negotiated so >> What kind of percentage y'all pay the owner of these here >> Anywhere from like it depends on how you know how much we charter it out >> Yeah.

[00:08:58]>> kind of changes but anywhere from 10 to 20% I would think.

[00:09:01]>> We already know he doesn't like how his grandmother spent her money but what does a guy like him spend his money on?

[00:09:08]Probably the last hobby you want to admit to when being questioned for a shooting guns a shocking amount of guns.

[00:09:14]>> What kind of shotguns y'all >> I've got tons of shotguns uh 20 gauges 12 gauges um 28 gauges I've got tubes that go in my 12 gauge that shoot 28 gauge 12 gauge uh 12 12 gauge 28 gauge 20 gauge and 410 um but I've I've got tons of tons of shotguns.

[00:09:43]>> What about rifles?

[00:09:44]>> Tons of tons of rifles.

[00:09:46]Yeah.

[00:09:47]I've got >> What kind of [snorts] guns?

[00:09:49]>> Yeah, mostly uh PRC rounds. So, like I've got a 6.5 Creedmoor and then uh uh 300 PRC is Well, I don't usually I don't do a lot of hunting. So, I just have those two rifles and I've got a 25-06 that's back at home.

[00:10:06]Uh then I've got a lot of 5.7 by 28 I really like. I don't know why I've fallen in love with that round, but I have. So, I have Yeah, 5.7 by 28s all that kind of stuff.

[00:10:20]So.

[00:10:21]>> Do you have any pistols there?

[00:10:23]>> Yeah, yeah, 5.7 by 28s.

[00:10:25]>> What What kind of How many What are those top pistols? So.

[00:10:28]>> Uh I've got a.22.

[00:10:31]Um and the 5.7 by 28s. And then I have uh like a 9-mm that's integrated suppressed.

[00:10:40]>> Mhm.

[00:10:41]>> Um [gasps] and then I have I guess you consider it a pistol. It's like a shotgun pistol. It's a 12-gauge.

[00:10:48]Um and then I've got a what is called a bolt gun.

[00:10:53]It's like a bolt action 9-mm. It's just got the It's in It's got a suppressor on it, too.

[00:10:59]Um that's all I have for pistol wise. I used to have.45s.

[00:11:05]Uh but then I didn't have a suppressor for a.45 and I didn't want to buy one, so I was like, I'll just get rid of the.45s and get 9-mms.

[00:11:15]>> Is that all the pistols you have?

[00:11:17]>> Yeah, that I currently have, yeah.

[00:11:20]>> What all pistols have you owned?

[00:11:23]>> Oh, yeah.

[00:11:24]>> What kind?

[00:11:25]>> All kind. I've owned all kinds of pistols from.22 long rifles to um.22 magnums to.38s,.357s, um.45 long Colts. I've had If it's probably a pistol, I've probably owned it at some point.

[00:11:48]Or bought it. I mean, I I've got ton or I've had tons of pistols.

[00:11:53]All different kinds.

[00:11:54]>> What kind of gun? What kind of.45 long Colts? Those are pretty nice.

[00:11:58]>> Those are pretty >> Yeah, I've got a I used to have a Python.

[00:12:02]Um then I had the revolver, and then I think I had uh a Judge.

[00:12:08]And then um another like Derringer.45.

[00:12:13]Um I think that's it on the Well, I had a had a What is that called?

[00:12:23]An FN.45. Um >> [clears throat] >> I think that was ACP.

[00:12:28]And so, I've had tons of different guns. I mean, you know, I've had all I get on my buy, I tinker with them, and then I sell them, or I trade them, or I give them, or whatever.

[00:12:40]I mean, I've had tons of guns.

[00:12:42]>> What kind of Derringer do you have?

[00:12:45]>> Um I think I had It was a the.38, like the Bond Arms, like the little.38.

[00:12:51]Um I know I had one of those.

[00:12:54]Um I had a Judge.

[00:12:57]I had >> What's that Judge?

[00:12:59]>> It's the that revolver that shoots like.410,.45 long Colt.

[00:13:06]And then I think they have another cylinder that goes in it.

[00:13:10]>> Mhm.

[00:13:10]>> It shoots.38s, maybe. I don't know. I didn't keep it very long.

[00:13:15]Um >> You said that Bond Arms was a.38?

[00:13:20]>> I think so. I've had I've had a.410.

[00:13:23]I've had a.45 long Colt one. I've had a.22 one I've had, uh the.357 one.

[00:13:32]Um I've had several of the Bond Arms. None of them shoot real well.

[00:13:36]I don't ever keep those cuz they don't shoot real well. They hurt your hand.

[00:13:40]>> You still have them?

[00:13:42]>> No. Uh I sold those or with the.38 probably 4 months ago, 5 months ago maybe.

[00:13:54]A while ago cuz that's when I bought uh three more 9 mm.

[00:14:00]>> What about the Judge?

[00:14:03]>> That's been a long time. Uh >> [sighs] >> probably I don't know. That was over 2 years ago.

[00:14:10]>> And where did you sell them to?

[00:14:12]>> Um probably I traded it probably somewhere in San Angelo cuz I was still living in San Angelo. So I probably traded it um either for another gun.

[00:14:23]Uh I may have traded it on a suppressor.

[00:14:25]Um I'm not real sure. Like I said, I I buy guns for charity auctions. I give guns to sporting clays auctions. I mean, I there's no telling. There's been several auctions that I've been like, "Oh, I've got a gun that I don't use. Here you go."

[00:14:43]>> Right.

[00:14:44]>> So I couldn't tell you.

[00:14:45]>> The police have used a classic tactic to box him in there. When someone knows the truth, the only way to throw them off of yourself is to present them with an alternative narrative. We already know his target, his father, so now he just has to supply a motive. How good of a performance can he give?

[00:15:01]>> He was my only family I had.

[00:15:03]She affiliates with me.

[00:15:04]And she always was on my side.

[00:15:09]And then she had bought all that sand plant stuff >> Mhm.

[00:15:13]>> for the land for the sand plant. And then she didn't want him to do what he wanted to do with it.

[00:15:19]Um and they had already had a fight about that and then um my aunt and him had had a fight about it and then it was kind of a touchy situation there. That's the only thing I can think of cuz nobody Nobody else would have hurt my grandmother. She was the nicest lady ever. I mean she was She would do anything for anybody. Well And so I know that that my dad is pointing fingers at me because >> When did he do that?

[00:15:56]>> I mean just based on what I've heard about what he's been saying back at home.

[00:16:02]What did you hear him say?

[00:16:04]That he said that I had like stolen my money or stolen the money stolen the 100 and 300,000.

[00:16:11]Um that I was the last person to see her.

[00:16:15]Uh which I I guess I was.

[00:16:18]Um and that I did it.

[00:16:20]And so that's what he's been spreading at home according to my mother. I haven't talked to him. I haven't heard from anyone at home that said that.

[00:16:28]That's just what my mother kind of been saying.

[00:16:30]>> How much more did he say?

[00:16:32]>> Yeah. That they're saying at home.

[00:16:34]But I mean I know he's pointing fingers at me so I don't want to point fingers at him.

[00:16:41]But there'd already been an issue there with him so it's whatever. I mean I just want y'all to figure out who did it.

[00:16:50]For the long we gone.

[00:16:52]Whatever that looks like.

[00:16:53]>> So he came in hard with the sand plant theory. He even dropped in a detail about his dad and his aunt getting in a big fight to get someone to corroborate his story. This was a smart move.

[00:17:03]Unfortunately for him, the police were just waiting for this to happen. He'd already spun them a tale in his last interview. One with a completely different villain.

[00:17:12]>> I think it was 2 years ago there was a she was in a relationship with a guy named Terry Hale.

[00:17:19]And Terry Hale's daughter and her boyfriend or husband or fiance, I'm not sure what they are. Anyway, >> [snorts] >> so we were riding at I was driving the Polaris with Terry Hale's daughter at our ranch or my the Coleman side, my mom's side ranch in Borden County.

[00:17:42]And I rolled the Polaris and broke his daughter's arm and they life flighted her to Lubbock and I was all kinds of things.

[00:17:52]And then they sued my mom's side of the family for $5 million.

[00:18:01]And so we had lawyers and all kinds of crap and depositions and all kinds of stuff.

[00:18:10]And then like 2 months ago they settled for $2 million.

[00:18:17]But she's got 1.

[00:18:20]2 million or something in medical expenses already and then the lawyers that work for her getting it on percentage.

[00:18:28]>> [clears throat] >> So they get 30% of that or something. I'm not sure I don't know about all of them on their side. I'm just guessing, but like 2 months ago they settled >> [clears throat] >> for 1 or $2 million.

[00:18:41]>> Right.

[00:18:43]>> And then that was that's she was all upset about that.

[00:18:48]She couldn't figure out why they settled.

[00:18:50]And then she had invested previous to that 150,000 with Terry Terry's friend. I don't I I have no idea. I don't She never told me all the details, but it was with Terry's friend that was here and then the money was supposed to make some big comeback.

[00:19:15]And then we had been waiting on or she had been waiting on the money.

[00:19:19]And she never I don't guess ever got it that that I know of. She said she hadn't heard anything and the money was transferring and then nobody ever got the money and >> So when did all of this all take place?

[00:19:35]>> They all we've been She invested money.

[00:19:45]Like 2 years ago?

[00:19:47]And then it was supposed to come like the investment was supposed to be ready in a year and then it was a year and 6 months and then it was finally all the money was ready to like be paid out cuz there was supposed to be a bunch of other people in this investment.

[00:20:07]And it was supposed to be paid out and then nobody ever got paid, I guess.

[00:20:12]>> Yeah.

[00:20:13]>> And the only contact person she had through it was Terry.

[00:20:19]That I know of. She said she got emails.

[00:20:24]She got emails and she got paperwork from the company that did this.

[00:20:28]But it was all point person was Terry.

[00:20:30]>> So we have another long-winded story with complicated investments, shady figures, and vague details that he can't quite recollect. He's smart enough to give himself some wiggle room if he's asked about any of this again, though the cops run their own game, one that he's not smart enough to wiggle out of.

[00:20:46]>> So So you got there What? What did you say?

[00:20:51]>> I would say around 4:30-ish.

[00:20:55]>> Okay.

[00:20:57]>> I would think. I'm not I'm not 100% sure. Somewhere around there. I know I wasn't there very long. I was there probably 15 to 30 minutes.

[00:21:07]And then I left her the dogs and then I said I'll come back and you know I'm I'm going to Broken Bow. I'll come back and see you after the New Year's and pick up the dogs.

[00:21:16]>> So when you uh when you got there uh when you got there, what kind of dog did you take her or what?

[00:21:22]>> I have two labs.

[00:21:23]>> Yeah, two labs.

[00:21:24]>> Yeah, yeah, a chocolate and a black lab.

[00:21:27]>> Okay.

[00:21:28]So uh did you tell her you were you were coming and you were bringing the dogs or >> Yeah, yeah, I mean >> When did you talk to her?

[00:21:36]>> That well probably the day before and then that morning cuz she called me uh and I said, "Hey, I'm going to bring the dogs tomorrow. I'm going to go to Broken Bow this weekend for New Year's and I'd rather just leave them with you than leave them here or take them cuz there's people in Well, yeah, the next day probably.

[00:21:55]Uh um >> [clears throat] >> there's people coming in and out of the house, you know, in Broken Bow. I don't I just didn't want to take them up there for that. So anyway, I told her I said, "I'm going to go bring you the dogs.

[00:22:05]Um and then I'll come back after the New Year's and we can go do something or we can go to Vegas or whatever you want to do."

[00:22:14]And she had kind of been planning on that. So >> So you got there what you say?

[00:22:20]>> 4:30 >> I don't know, somewhere >> Yeah, somewhere right around there.

[00:22:23]4:00, 4:30, 4:45 somewhere like that.

[00:22:27]>> So what what was the what was she doing when you got there? What How did you get How did you go in the house and all that or how did they >> I usually go through the garage.

[00:22:36]>> You always go through the garage?

[00:22:38]>> Yeah, yeah, cuz that's If you pulled around to the front of the house, you can't really pull around to the front of the house. So everybody goes to the back where the garage is. I mean, that's pretty much the front door. Everybody goes in that way. I mean, y'all showed up there, everybody showed up there.

[00:22:52]>> I mean, [snorts] I wasn't there but >> No, I know but I mean uh >> Right.

[00:22:55]>> If you If you go to the house, you don't go to the front, you go to was door.

[00:23:01]>> What was the garage door open and she usually come out and meet you or was she inside and you just opened it?

[00:23:07]>> No, she didn't come inside. She's generally in the garage smoking or whatever she does on her phone or she's playing that slot machine game. Um but I generally just go through the garage and then go into the house. So.

[00:23:22]>> So, did you open the garage or when you went and talked to her?

[00:23:25]>> Yeah.

[00:23:25]>> Which which door did you open? Do you remember?

[00:23:27]>> The far left one. That's the only one that uh I have the code thingy too.

[00:23:34]So, that was that was the one with the button.

[00:23:36]>> Well, there's two different codes or one of them is the writer.

[00:23:40]>> Yeah, so you enter like um the one garage door keypad thing, which I don't ever use that. I have the one in the car.

[00:23:47]So, what is >> say you used the garage door opener on the car.

[00:23:50]>> Yeah, on the car. Yeah, and that's the only one I have that that is programmed to my car. But, you can use the garage door keypad one, but you have to hit I don't know if the one on the far left is three or one. Anyway, you have to hit like one and then the code and then enter it.

[00:24:08]And then it'll open whichever one you've selected.

[00:24:10]>> Now, the detectives have him down at specific times he claims he saw his grandmother. 4:30 for 15 to 30 minutes to be exact. That and he went through the garage. Watches the detectives pin him to the wall using the truth.

[00:24:23]>> Colton when we talked the first time in my office.

[00:24:31]>> Mhm.

[00:24:31]>> Do you remember what I told you?

[00:24:34]>> What was that?

[00:24:35]>> What I stressed to you. It was me, Detective Clark. We stressed it to you.

[00:24:38]Stressed it to you. Stressed it to you.

[00:24:40]Do you remember what that was?

[00:24:43]>> Um how that day was kind of a whole thing. [snorts] I think it was Well, you wanted to know um if there was any kind of accident that you you would stress that.

[00:25:00]Um >> I told you if there was anything that we needed to know that day Yeah.

[00:25:07]And then was the time to let us know.

[00:25:09]>> Well, I I Yeah. Yeah, you said that many >> What do you think I've been doing since that day?

[00:25:15]All the way up until so my presence here.

[00:25:19]What do you think I've been doing? What do you think the major did up?

[00:25:22]>> Investigating to see what happened.

[00:25:25]>> passion.

[00:25:26]>> Yeah. All right. And what we want >> Why? Because we we want what you want.

[00:25:30]>> Exactly.

[00:25:30]>> We want to be able to be at peace. We want the family to be at peace.

[00:25:34]>> Yeah, I completely agree.

[00:25:36]>> And so >> I did.

[00:25:38]>> And in a way this is like another opportunity for us.

[00:25:43]Right?

[00:25:44]With a lot of stuff.

[00:25:47]We know some stuff.

[00:25:48]That's why we're here.

[00:25:49]>> I I know what I I figured that. Yeah.

[00:25:54]So.

[00:25:59]>> You were You said that you were at Layla's residence or home >> Uh >> [sighs and gasps] >> maybe 30 minutes.

[00:26:08]>> Okay.

[00:26:09]Well Uh I don't want to say that's strike number one, but that's that's one thing you got wrong.

[00:26:18]>> That's right.

[00:26:18]>> And I know you know, there's You're talking to us.

[00:26:24]You you cooperate.

[00:26:26]It does a good treat to you.

[00:26:29]But there's some stuff that we really do not There's a reason why we didn't bring those stuff. Those things up.

[00:26:33]>> Okay.

[00:26:35]>> You weren't there for 30 minutes.

[00:26:39]>> I I would I don't I don't think I was there for longer than 30 minutes at all.

[00:26:44]But >> Well >> if if I was >> There's no if. I mean, there's there's no if.

[00:26:49]>> Okay.

[00:26:50]>> You were. It's it's a fact. Okay.

[00:26:53]So, that's That's one thing I want you to keep in mind.

[00:26:56]>> Okay.

[00:26:56]>> I know how long you were there.

[00:26:57]>> Okay.

[00:26:58]>> So, knowing that, I know you know how long you were there.

[00:27:04]>> Okay.

[00:27:04]>> So, tell me.

[00:27:05]>> I I don't think >> Let's Let's start off on a clean slate.

[00:27:10]>> I I don't >> Let's start telling Let's start telling the truth.

[00:27:12]>> I don't think I was there longer than that.

[00:27:15]You asked me what I remembered and how long I was there and that's that's how long I think I was there.

[00:27:20]>> 30 minutes.

[00:27:22]15 to 30 minutes. 15 And like I said, I wasn't looking at the clock. I don't know. I couldn't I cannot tell I cannot put my hand on a Bible and swear to you that I was there for exactly 30 minutes.

[00:27:31]I don't know.

[00:27:32]I just don't think I was there longer than that.

[00:27:35]I don't think I was there longer than 30 minutes.

[00:27:38]Or 15 to 30 minutes.

[00:27:40]>> You want >> It's revealed in the trial that the detectives actually have a firm idea of how long he was there in a pretty ingenious way. I told you to watch Colton closely because the key piece of evidence is in the room. Did you notice that this entire time he's been wearing an Apple Watch, a device that specifically records his location and even his heart rate? That is how they knew exactly how long he was there. He was there during the time of the murder and even had an elevated heart rate.

[00:28:06]They have him contradicting himself.

[00:28:08]They have the Apple Watch data. They have the financial motive. Now, all they really want is that big show-stopping confession.

[00:28:14]>> You know what everybody thinks?

[00:28:17]>> What?

[00:28:18]I mean, I've heard it before and all, but I don't know.

[00:28:23]>> something we don't find that I personally don't find. I find you're a good person.

[00:28:30]We all everybody makes mistakes.

[00:28:33]That's what they're saying. You're a cold-blooded killer.

[00:28:36]I don't think you're a cold-blooded killer, Colton.

[00:28:40]I just think you made a mistake.

[00:28:44]That's all.

[00:28:46]And God gives you >> Mhm.

[00:28:51]>> You understand that?

[00:28:52]>> Yes, I do.

[00:28:55]Things happen.

[00:29:01]>> You didn't like You didn't like the shooting, did you, man?

[00:29:04]>> Well, I didn't do anything.

[00:29:07]I didn't.

[00:29:10]>> Are you a cold-blooded killer?

[00:29:12]>> I'm not. I'm not.

[00:29:15]>> I don't think you are.

[00:29:16]>> No.

[00:29:19]>> But something happened in that garage out there between you and Wayne.

[00:29:24]Between you and Wayne, man. Did she attack you?

[00:29:28]>> No, I didn't.

[00:29:28]>> What did she do?

[00:29:29]>> I didn't have anything to do with this.

[00:29:33]>> Colton, there's nobody that was at that house after you left. Nobody.

[00:29:38]Nobody, Colton.

[00:29:42]>> I I I didn't have anything to do with this.

[00:29:45]>> I I I know. I do. Yes.

[00:29:48]I don't have anything to do with this.

[00:29:49]>> But did you know that Did you know that things can happen at a drop of a hat?

[00:29:57]>> I do.

[00:29:58]>> People can snap and not mean to do anything.

[00:30:01]>> I do.

[00:30:02]>> It happens.

[00:30:03]>> Yes.

[00:30:04]>> It happens all the time.

[00:30:05]>> Mhm.

[00:30:07]>> That all of a sudden I mean you know, uh >> [snorts] >> couples, you know, kill each other.

[00:30:20]>> I do. I get that.

[00:30:22]I've seen my parents fight, you know. I I just one minute everything's fine and then the next minute everything's not. I I get that. No, I do.

[00:30:29]>> Yes.

[00:30:30]>> Look at the way they brilliantly give him two different stories he could cop to. In one, he's the cold-blooded killer. In the other, he's just a normal guy who let a fight get out of hand.

[00:30:40]Notice also the way they push him on the shooting itself. That's because they've got him on that, too. It was also revealed in the trial that his grandmother was shot with.410 ammo, the exact same one he voluntarily bragged about. They didn't get him to crack on the shooting yet, but maybe on the motive. Next, they push him on the money.

[00:30:57]>> Did she ask you to bring some money to you?

[00:31:00]>> Yeah, I mean I had been was in a meeting we've been waiting on her check to come in for the $150,000.

[00:31:08]We've been waiting on that, but I don't always have a running joke that I have I'll bring you your check because it hadn't come in yet. I mean we can't have >> she expecting a check that day?

[00:31:20]>> No.

[00:31:21]>> You sure?

[00:31:22]>> Pretty sure cuz I told her I wouldn't have to bring it.

[00:31:24]>> So, when I mentioned hey, I'll give you two for one.

[00:31:30]Does that ring any bells?

[00:31:33]Two for one?

[00:31:34]>> Yeah, when I told her that we were going to bring her her check.

[00:31:38]I'll give you two for one.

[00:31:39]>> So, there wasn't a check.

[00:31:40]>> No, there wasn't. There wasn't. That was the running joke was that I was going to bring her her check. And she had two checks for me.

[00:31:47]>> Well, according to all the bank records and all the messy details, it wasn't a joke. She was expecting a check.

[00:31:54]>> Cash your check for $43,000.

[00:31:56]Yeah.

[00:31:57]>> $48,000?

[00:31:58]>> $48,000.

[00:32:00]Yeah.

[00:32:01]>> So, we get when I ask you, was she expecting a check?

[00:32:05]>> No, cuz I told her that I didn't have it.

[00:32:08]>> Yeah.

[00:32:10]Do you guys have a bad upbringing when you got there?

[00:32:14]>> No.

[00:32:14]>> to hand it to him. Colton is still holding strong. It's time for the police to turn up the pressure. They've done the good cop routine. Now, it's time for just a little bad cop.

[00:32:23]>> I don't know what I you're you're you're looking at me for this and I didn't do this. So, I may have done things, Colton, but >> I want you to consider something. This is drawing.

[00:32:42]What do you think all this is?

[00:32:44]Look at this. Look at all this. All that.

[00:32:46]>> Evidence.

[00:32:47]>> Where do you think that goes?

[00:32:48]>> To the DAs.

[00:32:50]>> DAs, who else?

[00:32:51]>> I have [clears throat] no idea.

[00:32:53]>> Jurors.

[00:32:55]Other people are going to see this.

[00:32:58]>> [snorts] >> All of it.

[00:33:01]>> Okay.

[00:33:01]>> We've done our investigation.

[00:33:03]>> Okay.

[00:33:03]>> It's not a question of who did it.

[00:33:05]That's not what we're here for. We know who did it.

[00:33:07]>> Yes. [snorts] It's why.

[00:33:11]Okay.

[00:33:11]>> And like you said it earlier >> The rumor mill there's going to be tons of rumors out there. Yeah, there is.

[00:33:17][clears throat] >> The ranger and he said You know what? I don't think you're a cold-blooded killer.

[00:33:21]I don't think you are. No, me and the ranger are on the same page.

[00:33:25]>> No.

[00:33:26]>> Mistakes happen.

[00:33:28]>> I've made my fair share.

[00:33:29]>> When we present the evidence Do you think everybody's going to think the same way we do?

[00:33:37]>> I don't know.

[00:33:38]>> I'll tell you I'll tell you right now no they're not.

[00:33:41]>> No.

[00:33:42]>> Unless they get a valid explanation.

[00:33:44]>> Yes.

[00:33:46]I Yes.

[00:33:47]>> Okay.

[00:33:50]>> Yes, I am.

[00:33:52]>> You're You're >> Yeah.

[00:33:54]>> You're hurting yourself, man.

[00:33:55]>> Yes.

[00:33:56]>> You're hurting yourself.

[00:33:56]>> I know.

[00:33:57]You are, man.

[00:34:00]Don't hurt yourself.

[00:34:03]We can explain things. Listen.

[00:34:06]I Just a couple weeks ago I saw a a I I I sat in front of a cold-blooded killer.

[00:34:12]>> Yes.

[00:34:13]>> I talked to this man.

[00:34:14]>> Yes.

[00:34:14]>> He seemed fine.

[00:34:16]Until we realized this guy is a cold-blooded killer.

[00:34:20]>> You know what?

[00:34:21]>> That's not the same thing here. I'm not looking at a cold-blooded killer. I'm looking at somebody that made a mistake.

[00:34:25]>> Yes.

[00:34:27]>> Exactly. A terrible mistake. Something bad happened. There was an argument.

[00:34:31]Something. Or maybe she didn't like your lifestyle.

[00:34:36]Yeah. Maybe she found out about your lifestyle or your your different way of life.

[00:34:42]>> Exactly.

[00:34:43]>> You know what I'm talking about.

[00:34:44]>> Yeah. Yeah, I do.

[00:34:46]>> With her being a hardcore Christian, I doubt she would have I doubt she would have approved of that.

[00:34:53]>> I mean, she knew about it when I was in high school.

[00:34:55]>> She wouldn't disown you.

[00:34:57]>> No, I No.

[00:34:58]>> She didn't know about it.

[00:34:59]I don't know.

[00:35:00]>> When I was Yeah.

[00:35:01]>> She might have suspected it. She >> Well, I I I I I >> Did she find out that night? Did she find out or saw the proof that, "Hey, my grandson, the one I love so much, the one I I spent money on and whatever he wants right then and there, I'll I'll I'll get it for him. No questions asked.

[00:35:15]That's my Colton right there."

[00:35:16]>> Yes.

[00:35:17]Same.

[00:35:18]He's gay.

[00:35:20]>> Was she Did that have anything to do with it? What What What What set off an argument?

[00:35:24]>> There wasn't an argument.

[00:35:25]>> What happened that night?

[00:35:27]Nothing happened. I didn't do anything.

[00:35:32]I didn't do anything, Colton.

[00:35:36]>> You're not just talking to me.

[00:35:38]>> I know.

[00:35:42]I know.

[00:35:45]>> This affects you. This affects your family.

[00:35:52]It affects you.

[00:35:54]It needs closure.

[00:35:56]>> I agree.

[00:35:57]100%.

[00:36:00]>> Leah needs it.

[00:36:02]Family needs it. You know who else needs it?

[00:36:06]Your soul.

[00:36:08]>> Yes.

[00:36:09]>> This has been eating at you since that night.

[00:36:14]I know it has.

[00:36:18]>> I mean, I I >> Have you asked for forgiveness?

[00:36:23]>> No, I haven't been I haven't been to church.

[00:36:25]>> You haven't asked.

[00:36:27]>> No.

[00:36:28]>> Well, you better.

[00:36:31]>> With what?

[00:36:32]>> Because y'all forgive.

[00:36:34]You know that.

[00:36:35]>> Mhm.

[00:36:37]I do.

[00:36:38]>> People do bad things and make mistakes.

[00:36:43]We've all sinned come short of the glory of God.

[00:36:46]>> Yes, sir.

[00:36:49]>> Me lying to somebody or you lying to somebody or you killing somebody is on the same level with God. God sees sin as sin.

[00:37:07]>> Yes, sir.

[00:37:08]I know.

[00:37:12]>> People forgive you.

[00:37:14]I don't know about people, Colton.

[00:37:18]But that's their problem.

[00:37:20]>> Yes, sir.

[00:37:24]>> Both sides of that have to be held before uh >> I understand.

[00:37:29]>> You're torn up.

[00:37:31]Because you've been trying to hold stuff inside.

[00:37:38]And it has to be exhausting.

[00:37:41]I don't think you're a monster.

[00:37:46]We met a monster the other day.

[00:37:49]He killed three people.

[00:37:52]He's 25 years old. He's been in prison before.

[00:37:56]He killed people for the fun of it.

[00:38:01]I don't believe you did that.

[00:38:04]That you killed her for the fun of it.

[00:38:07]So, I don't.

[00:38:09]You loved her with all your heart. You loved her with all your heart. She loved you.

[00:38:14]>> Still do.

[00:38:16]>> Yes.

[00:38:18]You know what?

[00:38:19]She'd forgive you.

[00:38:22]You remember when a time ago Yeah, y'all [clears throat] y'all were on the phone and y'all got into an argument.

[00:38:30]She told you, "Colton, just for once tell the truth."

[00:38:33]You remember that?

[00:38:34]>> Yeah.

[00:38:36]Yeah, I think so. Uh >> You know what?

[00:38:39]Those those those words are still in play.

[00:38:41]>> Mhm.

[00:38:42]>> Those words are still in play and she's in her grave right now. She's not at rest and she's screaming out to you, "Colton, please for the love of God just tell the truth." That's what she wants from you.

[00:38:51]>> Yes.

[00:38:52]>> Colton is holding strong. This is everything and the kitchen sink time.

[00:38:56]The cops have got to hit him with both barrels to get him to crack. Family, guilt, God, pressure, whatever it takes.

[00:39:03]>> There's been a lot of lies, Colton. A lot of lies.

[00:39:08]She still wants you.

[00:39:10]>> Huh?

[00:39:12]She does.

[00:39:13]>> Do you want to put your grandmother at at rest, at peace? You know what you got to do.

[00:39:17]>> Yes.

[00:39:19]>> Is it easy?

[00:39:20]>> No, not at all. No.

[00:39:22]Especially for something like this. No.

[00:39:27]>> Will it save you in help you in the long run? Absolutely.

[00:39:31]>> Yes.

[00:39:32]>> Absolutely.

[00:39:33]>> Man, that's what it's going to do. It's going to help you. It can't hurt you.

[00:39:40]To tell the truth.

[00:39:44]>> So many lies, Colton.

[00:39:47]So many lies.

[00:39:50]All this had to go and and get knocked all those lies.

[00:39:59]>> And the truth will set you free.

[00:40:00]>> And you know you you hurt my feelings a bit.

[00:40:04]I sat there, you sat there in my office and told me You told me and I told you and I tried to help you.

[00:40:13]I tried to warn you. I sit and tell you, "Look, man, if there's anything I need to know, now is the time.

[00:40:19]>> I feel so >> Look what I had to do.

[00:40:22]>> Yes, sir.

[00:40:23]>> And that's not even all of it.

[00:40:25]The other half I couldn't even bring with me.

[00:40:28]>> Yes, sir.

[00:40:28]>> Lies, Colton, lies on lies on lies.

[00:40:34]>> Now is the time to tell the truth.

[00:40:37]I couldn't tell you but I'll feel a whole lot better.

[00:40:41]>> Or it's going to at least put you on the right path to start feeling better.

[00:40:44]>> Yes.

[00:40:45]>> Because like I said, it's it's got to be exhausting, Colton.

[00:40:48]>> I know.

[00:40:49]>> You're having to keep up with all, you know, this living the life that you're living.

[00:40:54]>> I know, man.

[00:40:55]>> Everybody thinking that you've got money left and right.

[00:40:59]How am I going to get the next couple hundred thousand dollars? How am I going to do this? How am I going to do that?

[00:41:03]How do I keep portraying myself to be what I am now in front of these people who have have no idea. And you're hurting them all.

[00:41:11]>> And yourself.

[00:41:14]>> Specifically yourself.

[00:41:17]>> I think you're a good man.

[00:41:21]I really do.

[00:41:22]I just think you might >> Yes, yes, exactly. He has the potential to be a great person, yes. But you let so many lies, you let so many things catch up and and you you you were drowning in it. You're drowning in it, Colton.

[00:41:36]And all it's doing for you now, you're digging your own grave.

[00:41:42]It's getting deeper and deeper and deeper.

[00:41:46]>> I know. You can get past this.

[00:41:50]You can.

[00:41:54]There's still people that love you.

[00:41:56]I know.

[00:41:57]>> Absolutely.

[00:41:57]>> They're going to be disappointed.

[00:41:59]>> They're going to be hurt.

[00:42:01]>> Yeah.

[00:42:01]>> They're going to be hurt.

[00:42:02]>> But they still love you.

[00:42:05]>> But out of all of that, you know what you're going to bring about?

[00:42:09]Peace.

[00:42:10]>> Yes.

[00:42:10]>> Now that they've established a relationship with the suspect, soften the perception of his crime, and offered a mixture of guilt and mild intimidation, they can now begin the final push for the confession.

[00:42:20]>> You are not a monster at all.

[00:42:22]>> No.

[00:42:23]>> [snorts] >> And And I've told people that.

[00:42:26]We know what a monster is. And we're not looking for one.

[00:42:30]We're looking at a man that just made a mistake.

[00:42:38]And that's all.

[00:42:47]Just made a mistake.

[00:42:53]We all make mistakes.

[00:43:00]>> [gasps] >> So, what happened?

[00:43:08]Well, I don't know.

[00:43:12]The truth is holding the truth, man.

[00:43:15]The truth.

[00:43:17]The truth.

[00:43:22]You know what it is. I can see it all over you, man.

[00:43:26]I can see it all over you. The truth is calling.

[00:43:29]What happened? Did she hurt you?

[00:43:34]Yeah. Um Okay. Um I think I I need a lawyer now.

[00:43:43]I think that's what I need to do now.

[00:43:51]Yeah.

[00:43:52]I think so.

[00:43:57]Okay.

[00:44:00]We're done.

[00:44:03]Yes, sir, we are.

[00:44:07]I feel for you, I really Yeah.

[00:44:10]>> [clears throat] >> Am I going to help you in any way?

[00:44:14]Um Got nothing else.

[00:44:17]Requested a lawyer. We're going to end this interview at 4:12 p.m.

[00:44:22]>> The week-long trial ended in July of 2025.

[00:44:26]After reviewing the conflicting stories, the digital evidence, and the financial motive, Colton Hughes was found guilty of murder in the first degree, even without a confession. For murdering his grandmother, Leah Hughes, he received a sentence of 70 years in prison and a fine of $10,000.

[00:44:42]Thank you for watching this video. Don't forget to subscribe and check out one of the craziest cases I've ever covered right here.