Tonight on 20/20 ` it just` you get so jazzed. How did Cris Judd get from there... That build-up is what makes it just` you get so jazzed. ...to here? That was probably the most moving thing I've seen. We shine the spotlight on his life... Michael Jackson is the first artist I danced for. ...and his loves. In my head, I'm, like, 'Oh my God. I'm going to marry this girl.' Then a tragic accident... ...or murdered for money? MAN: 17 days before Levi dies, Karl takes out a $700,000 life insurance policy. My father is a sociopath. The only one that matters to him is him. But we were just pawns in his game. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2013 Kia ora, I'm Erin Conroy. He's danced with some of the best ` Diana Ross, Jennifer Lopez, Michael Jackson. But chances are you'd never heard of Cris Judd until he was named as the newest judge on NZ's Got Talent. His career started when he was rejected by a girl ` sounds interesting. And in the space of eight months, Cris was dancing with MJ. So, does he think Kiwis have what it takes to make it? You might be surprised by the answer. Emma Keeling went behind the scenes with Cris Judd. SPOTLIGHTS CLICK SMOOTH MUSIC PLAYS He's a bit of a mystery to us. You wanna be taken on a journey with dancing. You have to make these connections out in the audience. We know who he's danced with. Michael Jackson is the first artist I ever danced for. And sharing the stage with him, its, like,... (SIGHS) doesn't get any better than that. You've seen him in Jennifer Lopez videos. In my head, I'm, like, 'Oh my God. I'm gonna marry this girl.' He loves our culture. It is so powerful and so engaging and so, like... (INHALES DEEPLY) Now Cris Judd can't believe he's here. That phone call must have come out of the blue. That phone call must have come out of the blue. CRIS LAUGHS > I got called by my agent. They were, like, 'They're interested in you being a judge in NZ's Got Talent. And I'm, like, 'Really? Awesome. Where do I sign? Where do I sign?' It was a big miss for me. That was probably the most moving thing I've seen in a long time. MEN CHANT HAKA He was hoping to see more of the emotion of kapa haka on the show. He'd seen it on YouTube after a search on NZ. And they're all, like,... (IMITATES HAKA) you know? And it's, like, this powerful thing, and you're, like, 'Jeez, that's so engaging. That's beautiful.' There's a custom and proud people. But instead, on NZ's Got Talent, he's found a surprising lack of self-belief. And what I'm experiencing here is that everyone was just, like, 'Oh, I'll give it a go. See how it goes.' You know? And I appreciate and respect that humbleness of it, but then sometimes I wish that people would, you know, put a little bit more fire and` and know that they're good. PEOPLE CHATTER It's that desire to see power and passion that brought Cris to Auckland's James Cook High School. You're about to see the powhiri, the haka. Are you excited? You're about to see the powhiri, the haka. Are you excited? I know, right. I'm super excited. It's about time. (SINGS KARANGA) ALL SING IN MAORI It's his first powhiri. Jason Kerrison and Tamati Coffey are here to support him. When they're in their element and doing traditional stuff, man, it is so powerful and so engaging and so, like... (INHALES DEEPLY) BOYS CHANT HAKA You could feel the energy of all of that stuff and, man, it's just so beautiful. That was awesome. That was awesome. Far out. Give youse a clap. It's turning into an inspirational day for everyone. I've travelled the world many times over with Michael Jackson and Diana Ross and many other superstars. STUDENTS: Ooh! STUDENTS: Ooh! LAUGHTER I know. Let me just pick that name up that I've just dropped. I know. Let me just pick that name up that I've just dropped. LAUHGTER Cris knows what it takes to rock a world stage. What you do is you rehearse and you rehearse and you rehearse to forget, right. So when you're on stage, you just live. STUDENTS CHATTER EXCITEDLY Passing on what he learned from the best ` Michael Jackson. ...and three, and... four. STUDENTS LAUGH But the story of Cris Judd doesn't begin with MJ. STUDENTS CLAP, EXCLAIM It starts here. GOLF CLUB CLANGS I played every single sport since I was 5 years old. There wasn't dance in my childhood... (LAUGHS) at all. He started playing golf at 8. Closed. Well, you're lucky. That's all I'm going to say. I'm lucky? I'm lucky? Mm-hm. No dancing at all? Not even, what, at high school dances? No dancing at all? Not even, what, at high school dances? No. I was a complete wallflower. Senior year in high school when my friends were, 'All right, we're tired of you just standing against the wall. Come here and learn.' # We're safe and sound. Driving range. Driving range. It does help to pick a golf course that's open. # I can fill your cup. # Cris, does this remind you of anybody? Cris, does this remind you of anybody? (LAUGHS) Ah! Oh, I could be in a little bit of trouble here. (LAUGHS) CAPITAL CITIES' 'SAFE AND SOUND' That's a nice swing you've got there. That's a nice swing you've got there. Why, thank you. As a teen, Cris quit school and moved with a mate to Florida to work at Disney World. So I would work at night and play golf all day. It could've been golf instead of dance? It could've been. It could've been. I was pursuing it at one point in my life. It was a girl who made Cris the dancer he is. I was the pink hippo from Fantasia and Pluto in the show. And I had this girl as a partner and had this big crush on her. And so I asked her out, and she goes, "I'm sorry. I don't date 'characters'." And she really did the quote thing. She did the quotes as if it was like a status thing. 'So how do I get your job?' That's what I said to her. And she goes, 'You need years and years of dance training. I was, like, 'Give me one year, I'll be dancing at Disney.' He was 21 years old. # Shake. # Shake. # Na-na na-na na-na-na-na. # Shake. # Shake. # Na-na na-na na-na-na-na. # Shake. # Shake. # Na-na na-na da-da-da-da. # Shake. # Na-na na-na da-da-da-da. # Shake. So I went to beginning jazz class, and I walked in thinking I could do this, and` and I got humbled really quickly. But he showed just enough promise. # Super-duper, charming and cool. So after about three weeks, I just started jumping into advanced classes and literally falling on my face. Everything that I could find, I was auditioning for and getting cut. Endless rejection, until one day, after a 15-hour audition of 1500 dancers, Cris was finally chosen. # That, that, that dapper man. It took just eight months for him to ditch Pluto and become a dancer. Did you go back and ask the girl out? No, I didn't, because I went to that first class out of spite. I'm, like, 'I'm gonna show her.' You know? Then after the first class I was, like, 'Oh my god. I love this.' My priorities completely changed. MICHAEL JACKSON'S 'BEAT IT' It was the early '90s. Next Cris auditioned for Michael Peters, not knowing he was the guy in white in Michael Jackson's Beat It video. And then I'm, like, 'That's Michael Peters?' And then they're, like, 'Yeah, you dumb ass. This is the guy who choreographed Beat It and Thriller and this. And I'm, like, 'Oh!' So instantly became a sponge. I was, like, 'You're` this man is not getting out of my sight.' And then he just turns over to me, and he puts his arm around me, and he goes, 'You're an amazing dancer.' From that moment on, I was just, like, 'The sky's the limit.' It would take another couple of years before Cris' big moment arrived. You never know who's watching. And one day I was performing, and Michael Jackson's choreographer was there, saw me dancing and thought I would be great to` to work with Michael in a performance for MTV. # You've been hit by, # you've been struck by # a smooth criminal. Ow! You know you want me. And here's Cris here. Still got the goatee. He was one of only four dancers chosen to travel with Michael Jackson on the HIStory world tour. What did you learn from Michael about performance? I would say he was the master of` of` of being present. He was a master of presence and stillness. CHEERING Dance is all about making moments and breathing. You have to breathe life into the movement. MICHAEL JACKSON'S 'SMOOTH CRIMINAL' PLAYS It has to be believable. You can't just be executing steps. If you don't have any soul, no one's gonna believe it. MUSIC CONTINUES Realising that you're doing the choreography that you grew up watching him do and sharing the stage with him, it's, like,... (SIGHS) doesn't get any better than that. # You've been hit by, # you've been struck by # a smooth criminal. # But the world stopped in 2009 when Michael Jackson died. And everyone's, like, 'No way.' He's` You can't believe it. So, that was difficult. I went to his memorial. Janet Jackson asked me to dance in a tribute to him. # Stop pressuring me. # Just stop pressuring me. # Just stop pressuring me. # Makes me want to scream. # I felt like I was dancing with him again. Cris was getting noticed for his moves. But a stint dancing and choreographing for Jennifer Lopez put him centre stage. And the second I shook her hand and I said, 'Nice to meet you,' I'm, like, 'Oh my God. I'm gonna marry this girl. He did and continued to choreograph and direct her videos. # DJ, just play that song, cos I wanna be dancing all night long. # But it didn't last. It's like anything, I guess. It just didn't work out. The time that I had with her, the time that we spent together, I'll cherish forever. She's already dancing. (LAUGHS) Oh Lord. That was a long time ago. Welcome to life living with Cris. UPBEAT MUSIC I'm remarried. Kelly's... an amazing woman. Never thought I'd be a father, and now I am. And so I just can't... express how happy I am now. I can't just express it. Kelly's not in showbiz. They met at a Lady Gaga concert five years ago. I saw him from across the club and thought, 'I need to know that man.' And I tapped him on the shoulder, and he turned around, and I asked him if he was single and... (CHUCKLES) That's the first thing she said to me, 'Are you single?' (CHUCKLES) That's the first thing she said to me, 'Are you single?' Yeah. < Well, you don't want to waste too much time. < Well, you don't want to waste too much time. BOTH: No. Sure didn't! They were married eight months later. Eight weeks ago, Vivienne Lee turned up. < That must've been tough, Cris ` you are in NZ and Kelly's at home about to pop. Oh, it was perfect timing. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have taken the job, because of that fact. I don't know if I could miss my daughter's birth. I nicknamed him the Swaddle Master, cos he's so good at swaddling her and comforting her. It's sweet. < So you're not just showbiz; you're all about hard work as well < So you're not just showbiz; you're all about hard work as well Yes. Yes. But showbiz is why he's here, and Cris still has some judging to do. Hey! Its semi-final time on NZ'S Got Talent. Cris is here early to watch rehearsals. (CHORTLES) So you come and watch rehearsals. Isn't that cheating? I don't think it's cheating. You kinda get to see what they have and see what they're prepping and then see how they're,... you know, how they prepared for their presentation. He knows what he's looking for. I love the people here. I just would like to see them have more confidence when they're presenting themselves on stage. # Hey, brother. # Do you still believe in one another? Outside, excitement is building as Cris gets ready. You can hear the crowd outside. You can hear the crowd outside. You can hear them. Yes. Sometimes I stand on the roof and yell at them. < EMMA LAUGHS < So, what are you looking for? < So, what are you looking for? I want to be, you know, impressed and entertained, and I want to... go through all the emotions, you know. Next door, his wardrobe is waiting. We're getting close to show time. Whose the one that gets their butt kicked if he's not ready? Is it you or is it him? Well, we get yelled at. Yeah. Well, we get yelled at. Yeah. BOTH LAUGH We're tossing up between these two. We're tossing up between these two. Oh, that's cool. I'm hoping for this. I'm hoping for this. Well, let's rock that. I'm hoping for this. Well, let's rock that. Yep. (IMITATES SCI-FI MUSIC) (LAUGHS) Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Show time! I love being a judge. I` I` I absolutely feel that I have the best job. It's amazing to be a part of the show. It's Cris' favourite moment ` seconds from show time. That build-up is what makes it. Just` You get so jazzed. And you get so... Oh, I can't wait to get out there, you know. And you get so... Oh, I can't wait to get out there, you know. CHEERING Let's welcome them ` the NZ's Got Talent judges! CHEERING It's amazing to be a part of the family. They've been so hospitable and just made my experiences here just amazing. Yeah, I just thoroughly, thoroughly enjoy going to work. I do. And just making someone's dream come true. # Hey, brother. # Cris feels he's living the dream right now. This is beautiful. This is beautiful. She's getting her first day at the beach. The Judds are loving the Kiwi lifestyle. I have to keep catching myself, cos everyone's so sweet here that I find myself kind of, 'Why you being so nice?' And then I remember, 'Oh yeah, 'you're in a country where everyone's really nice.' Cris, would you like to come back to NZ again if the show goes ahead? Absolutely. You know, already telling them, 'I'm ready.' You know, 'Coming back,' or you know, so... Um, that's if they'll have me. Dancer, dad, husband, ice-cream lover. Why wouldn't we have him back? # We got some ice cream. # We got some ice cream. # (CHUCKLES) Oh, he is so cool. Let's definitely have him back. And if you were wondering why our Emma has such a good golf swing, it's because she represented NZ in the junior golf team. Just` Just a few years ago. And that was our last NZ story for the year. What a fantastic year it's been. The stories we've done with you have inspired us, moved us, made us angry, made us laugh. And we'd like you to know that it's you guys that make our show. The big stories; the very personal stories ` it's what makes 20/20 what it is. UNSETTLING MUSIC That's probably one of the hardest things, is he never said goodbye. And he had no last words. Yeah. MUSIC CONTINUES I walked in and all I could see was... (WHISPERS) my brother lying on the bed with all the wires around him. Everything that I have done to help me get well again has made me a better person. So because of the anxiety and the BDD, um, that's why I have` I'm reliable. I have stickability. I'm` I'm a better person because of it. The interview is over. Well done. Well done. You're lovely, Emma. Well done. You're lovely, Emma. You're pretty fantastic too. LAUGHTER At times, I felt like I was ungrateful. (STAMMERS) (SIGHS) Sorry. (SIGHS) Cos, um,... there's lots` lots of people out there want to be where people like` uh, have the opportunity where I'd be. K-POP MUSIC I'm pretty sure everyone that dreams of becoming, you know, an artist, wants to become a celebrity at the same time, because it is the fastest way, of course, to earn lots of money and look nice and be loved and get lots of presents and stuff. (LAUGHS) But the industry has a dark side, one 19-year-old Haeri Lee is about to expose. Look, we read through all your Facebook comments, all your emails and talk through all the ideas that you send in. So let us know what you want us to investigate, or share your own story, and next year we'll be back with the very best in current affairs. Stick around, though, cos after the break, tragic accident or killed for cash? Four years after what seemed to be an accident, a bombshell call to police ` a call on the tip line from a member of Levi's own family telling that investigator, 'Follow that insurance money.' No more beersies for you. Another beer? Another beer? Yeah, nah. Another beer? Yeah, nah. Wh`? What do you mean 'yeah, nah'? I mean, yeah, I'm gonna have a good night tonight, but, nah, I'm not gonna have another beer. THINKS: Nah, not gonna have another beer. MEATLOAF'S 'I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR LOVE (BUT I WON'T DO THAT)' # No, I won't do that. MEATLOAF: # I would do anything for love, anything you've been dreaming of, but I... # No more beersies for you. No more beersies for you. 1 Tragic accident or murdered for money? Just 17 days before Karl was crushed under the vehicle he was working on, his father had taken out a $700,000 life insurance policy. Turns out there's a pattern. Is this guy killing family members for cash? It was a cold November in upstate New York, those Autumn leaves vanishing in the wind, and a young father about to suddenly vanish too. It wasn't unusual to find 23-year-old Levi Karlsen tinkering away in the garage under a pickup truck. WOMAN: He was very good working on cars. He was very mechanical. And on one of those crisp fall days back in November of 2008, that's exactly where his father, Karl, and stepmother, Cindy, found their beloved son ` only this time Levi wasn't working under the truck; he was trapped under it, and this was their desperate plea for help. Levi stood little chance against the 3 tons of metal. That pickup truck, that had been propped up, had come crushing down. MAN: His chest is crushed? You can hear the cries on the 911 tape ` an unthinkable tragedy for two parents who'd just found their son. Police responding to the scene ` Seneca County sheriff John Cleere. It was right inside this barn here? It was right inside this barn here? Yes. At first, it didn't appear to be anything out of the ordinary. At first, it didn't appear to be anything out of the ordinary. No. It appeared to be an accident. A horrible accident. A horrible accident. Yeah, pretty tragic. A horrible accident. Yeah, pretty tragic. The parents were upset. Oh yeah. Absolutely out of their minds. But this story would hardly end here. So many twists and turns long after that 911 call and long after that horrific accident first hit the local paper in Seneca County, the gateway to the sparkling Finger Lakes of upstate New York. In fact, down this rambling country road from the Karlsen home is Seneca Falls, long thought to be the setting that inspired the 1946 American classic 'It's A Wonderful Life'. Yeah! I love Bedford Falls! But, piece by piece, it would soon become clear that this had not been a wonderful life for that young man found in the garage. Four years after what seemed to be an accident, a bombshell call to police ` a call on the tip line from a member of Levi's own family, telling that investigator, 'Follow the insurance money.' So, you were the one who answered the call? So, you were the one who answered the call? Yes. 'And this investigator was soon on his way back to that family farm.' Do you remember the call, to this day? Do you remember the call, to this day? Oh yeah. 'The lieutenant telling us the clues were immediate.' Red flag number one ` they discover a brand-new insurance policy for Levi, taken out just 17 days before he died. That there's this large insurance policy that was collected on ` over $700,000 ` that was taken out only 17 days before the death. For the young man in the garage, is that typical ` that someone so young would have an insurance policy? It seems unusual that a young man in his early 20s, uh, would have one that large. And then red flag number two. But who was the beneficiary? But who was the beneficiary? His father, Karl. Why would you name your father the beneficiary when you have children? Why would you name your father the beneficiary when you have children? We were asking that same question. And they were soon asking something else. Just listen to red flag number three. You discovered a note written by Levi... Yes. Yes. ...that Levi had left, saying what? His father was gonna be the sole executor of his estate and control the` you know, basically, disperse the money to his kids and that, uh, he did not wanna be resuscitated. When was the letter notarised? When was the letter notarised? The day of his death. The very same morning. And while investigators now believe the evidence is damning that Karl Karlsen planned his own son's death, the whole town is now trying to wrap their heads around this sinister plot ` a plot Levi's sister suspected from the very start. And tonight, for the first time, she's coming forward, in a 20/20 exclusive. My father is a sociopath. The only one that matters to him is him. We were just pawns in his game. Erin's brother's death, she insists, was cold-blooded murder... He didn't die instantaneously. He had time to sit there and understand what was happening to him. ...and that the killer she long suspected was inside their own home ` their father. For years, Erin says they grew up in fear of their father, and unlike his sisters, Levi stayed in that small town where they were raised. He had two young daughters of his own, but he was still under the thumb of a father who Erin says he was desperate to please. He was, basically, an indentured servant to my parents, and they were... (SIGHS) I don't know. They were controlling everything. He wanted, more than anything, to just have a close relationship with our father. He was really striving for that. But she is convinced that as her brother tried to build that relationship, her father was crafting something else ` the plan to kill his son. You know, to think that as a parent you can drop a 5000-pound vehicle on your child and watch him die... It's absolutely unimaginable. Especially as a parent myself, I just can't... can't even begin to imagine. We head to the local scrapyard, where Levi's pickup truck was taken after that accident, his truck destroyed long ago. No one knows exactly how that pickup was jacked up, but Joshua Trout, who knows the family, also knows the weight of one of those trucks. I mean, would you go under this pickup truck? I mean, would you go under this pickup truck? I would never go under a truck. I don't like going underneath trucks when they have all four tyres on the ground. Investigators do believe there was a railroad jack that day holding the pickup truck up, but they're unsure if there was anything else. What they do know ` that truck came crashing down. You wouldn't stand a chance. You wouldn't stand a chance. You` You're` You're gone. I mean, you're gone. And just when investigators begin asking how a father could do this, the evidence of a pattern, they say, begins to mount ` that Karl Karlsen had cashed in on insurance claims before. In August 1986, a car fire; the cause, electrical; the insurance payout, $10,000. November 2002, a barn fire that killed three prized horses; the cause, also electrical; the insurance payout, $115,000. But investigators were also learning the biggest bombshell ` what happened to Karl Karlsen's first wife, Levi's mother? After all of the evidence you found right here on this property, what, then, did you make of what happened to his first wife? did you make of what happened to his first wife? Suspicious. When we come back, another insurance policy, another horrific tale, almost impossible to believe. And tonight, only on 20/20, what Karl Karlsen's current wife feared next, and what she was willing to do to trap her husband. So, you send her in through this parking lot. So, you send her in through this parking lot. Yes. And does she`? She has a wire on, where? And does she`? She has a wire on, where? Underneath her clothing. What she got on tape, when we come back. G'day. If you want to have your say in the Citizens Initiated Referendum, keep your eye out for this envelope in the mail. It's got your voting paper inside, so be sure to open yours when it arrives. Go on. 1 When lieutenant John Cleere reopened the investigation into Levi Karlsen's death underneath that pickup truck, finding what he says is evidence his father was out for the insurance money, he never expected the dramatic turn the case was about to take all the way across the country in a small mining town in the Sierra Foothills of California. While you were investigating everything that happened here, you discovered the story of his ex-wife. Yes. Yes. Could you believe it? It certainly raised a lot of concerns. The stunning discovery ` Levi's mother, Christina, Karl Karlsen's first wife, had died in a 1991 house fire. And who just happened to be the beneficiary of a $200,000 life insurance policy? Her husband, Karl. She'd been a vibrant, doting mother. You can see her here in home videos, holding one of her three young children, Erin, Levi and Katie. We took walks. We went on picnics. We did crafts. You know, she taught me to cook and was teaching me to sew. She literally did everything for me. She was just an amazing woman. But Erin claims her mother was trapped in that marriage. My father had a... a very horrible temper, and it didn't take an awful lot to set him off. And my mother would take the brunt of it. She would not allow him to take it out on us. The sister of that first wife remembers asking her the same question over and over. I kept asking her, you know, 'Why aren't you leaving him? Why aren't you leaving him?' And I almost had her convinced to leave. We were this close when the fire came through. It was New Year's Day 1991. The children were napping ` Christina was in the bathroom ` when their home suddenly lit up into a kerosene-fuelled inferno. I remember waking up and going to my bedroom door. I saw the flames, so I woke my sister up. And my father, you know, bust through the window and, you know, got us out. Never once did he look... panicked or frantic or frazzled ` not even confused. He was just very calm and... 'Let's go.' In the fire report, Karl Karlsen told investigators that just three days before that fire, he'd repaired a broken window in the bathroom by boarding it up with a piece of wood and 17 nails. That window would've been his wife Christina's only way out. And then, just a week after the fire, Karl hit the road, leaving California with his three young children, returning to upstate New York to be near his family. And when he left, Christina's sister says he took with him any chance of a thorough investigation into her sister's death. We all raised our concerns that we thought the fire looked very suspicious. The sheriff's department didn't wanna waste their resources. They let this guy walk out of the state of California and never went after him. That was 17 years ago. Now two deaths, mother and son ` each with a big payout for Karl Karlsen. Was he a man cursed with family tragedies, or was he murdering his own family members for money? A lot of people have said, 'When this guy needed money, a family member would die.' There's definitely a pattern there. Glenn Coin, a reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard, has reported extensively on the case. 20 days before Christina dies, Karl takes out a $200,000 life insurance policy. 17 days before Levi dies, Karl takes out a $700,000 life insurance policy. According to the court records, he left both of them to die and walked away. Tonight, authorities in California are now investigating too after reopening the case of Karl Karlsen's first wife. And who is about to help take him down? Karl Karlsen's second wife, Cindy. And you're about to see her play a critical role in the arrest of her own husband. You find all these red flags, and you decide, 'We're gonna call the wife, Cindy.' And what does she say? The first thing she said was, 'Thank God you called.' The first thing she said was, 'Thank God you called.' She said thank God? Yes. Investigators say Cindy Karlsen feared she could be next and had moved out of their home. She was afraid. She was afraid. Yep. She was afraid. Yep. She was seeing a pattern. Was she convinced there was a killer in her own home? I think that she suspected it. She believed that there was an insurance policy on her. On her too. On her too. Yeah. When you asked her to help you out, she said yes? When you asked her to help you out, she said yes? She agreed. It was called Operation Abigail's, and it all went down at this local restaurant, known more for its chicken wings than undercover stings. And 20/20 was taken right through it. So, they walk in as a couple, and she's got the wire on, where? Underneath her clothing. Underneath her clothing. And what does he think he's walking into? Uh, he thinks he's coming to talk to his wife, uh, about getting back together. About reconciliation. About reconciliation. Yes. But she has no plan to get back together. No. No. She's here for you. No. She's here for you. Yes. Cindy sat down with her husband, that wire tap hidden, with one intention ` to catch Karl Karlsen on tape confessing to Levi's murder, a confession she had told investigators he already made to her once before. They're sitting at a table, just the two of them. They're sitting at a table, just the two of them. Yes. And she's got a wire on the whole time. Yes. Yes. As they're sitting there, how many other undercover investigators are in the restaurant? how many other undercover investigators are in the restaurant? There was a total of four. And this is what they got. CINDY: OK, Karl. One of the most significant remarks was that he took advantage of the opportunity. 'Opportunity.' A very strange word for a father to use about a son's death. I would find it very unusual that a parent would refer to the death of their child as an opportunity. A week later, Karl Karlsen agrees to meet his wife again, but Cindy and that team of investigators have other plans. WOMAN: So, you're all set. WOMAN: So, you're all set. CINDY: I'm all set. OK. So he thinks he's coming to meet her again. So he thinks he's coming to meet her again. Yes. But you're waiting for him this time. But you're waiting for him this time. Yes. And you haul him in for questioning. And you haul him in for questioning. Yes. And you haul him in for questioning. Yes. How many hours? About nine and a half. When we come back, nine and a half hours; three different stories about his son and that pickup truck. Which one will you believe? MAN: You're that close, man. You're close. 20/20 inside the interrogation room. And tonight, for the first time on network television, Karl Karlsen from behind bars on the death of his son. Tonight on 20/20 ` 1 DRAMATIC MUSIC Almost four years to the day after Levi Karlsen was crushed to death under a pickup truck ` that insurance policy taken out just 17 days before; his father the executor ` Karl Karlsen now sitting inside this investigation room, across from investigators. MAN: What killed him? MAN: What killed him? KARL: The truck. MAN: What killed him? KARL: The truck. How'd the truck kill him? It landed on him. You haul him in,... and you begin asking questions. How many different stories did he have? Three. Version one ` Karlsen says he and his wife come home from a funeral, and a dinner afterward, to find Levi dead under the truck. But soon, version two. He was now saying that he and his wife were preparing to leave for that funeral when he discovered his son in the garage, pinned under the truck. The truck had already` had fallen over. And... And... So this was around noon. Around, or just before, noon, you found him. You went out there, and the truck was rolled over on him. You went out there, and the truck was rolled over on him. Yeah. And I... <BLEEP> panicked. I dunno. I dunno. <BLEEP> panicked. I dunno. I dunno. So you` you panicked in what regard? Now, you` you saw him. Did you run over and call medical help, call 911? Now, was there a phone in the garage or a cell phone? Now, was there a phone in the garage or a cell phone? No, no, no. You run back to the house and call 911? So he saw his son trapped and dead under the truck and still left for the funeral? Yes. He says that father didn't return until four hours later. During the interrogation, Karlsen asks repeatedly for his pain medication ` medication he says might've altered his behaviour the day Levi died. Like I say, whether it was partially to do with the medicine, I don't know. I don't. I gotta play that card or whatever. And then, several hours into the interrogation, Karl Karlsen appears to be on the verge of yet a third version of his story. I'd never hurt him. VOICE BREAKING: I couldn't. VOICE BREAKING: I couldn't. You're that close, man. You're close. Come on. Let it out. Let it out. Let it out. (SOBS) I couldn't do it. (SOBS) I couldn't do it. I'll walk with ya, man. I'll walk with ya. Was it just a split-second thing? Was it just a split-second thing? (SNIFFS) I couldn't hurt him. OK. You see, Karl, what's happened? We've gone from he was dead when you walked in there to now that it fell when you opened the door. I know. I know. So take the final step. And I was just <BLEEP>ing scared <BLEEP>. His son trapped by the truck, and yet they still leave the house. Yes. Yes. Does that make any sense? Yes. Does that make any sense? No. (CHUCKLES WRYLY) I can't imagine walking away and leaving your child dying on the floor. They were going to a funeral. They were going to a funeral. Yes. And yet many would argue he had just created one right here in his own garage. It's fair to say that. Karl Karlsen continues to insist he's innocent, opening up to the Syracuse Post-Standard about his son from inside the county jail where that father is sitting tonight. Well, um, Levi... I mean, when he was younger, we had problems with him. Um... Um... School was hard for him. Um, losing his first mother was really traumatic. It would be for anybody. He talks about Levi as a young father ` that he took his son back in after Levi's divorce. My wife and I took him back in, and he, um... I... decided to stick my neck out for him and told him what his responsibilities would be. He became responsible. He had manners. He... grew up, and he realised that... Mom and Dad weren't out to make his life miserable. He... got life back into him. As that father now awaits trial in the coming days, his daughter ` Levi's sister Erin ` and her aunt Colette say they're relieved their long-held suspicions will now play out in court. They're hopeful investigators in California will charge Karl Karlsen in the death of his first wife too. I believe Karl killed my sister, and because Calaveras County didn't do their job, they enabled him to kill again, and he killed my nephew. And it's all linked to money. Jurors will not hear about the death of his first wife, Christina; the judge ruling it off-limits, saying prosecutors must stick to what happened to Levi. But his sister Erin still wants answers for both of her loved ones. And I wanna hear it from him. I wanna hear those words come out his mouth. I want him to look me in my eye and tell me exactly what he did. And then I want him to go away for the rest of forever. Next on 20/20, what a way to end our season. A familiar face ` a hot familiar face ` is back on our screens. I can't have dinner with you tonight. I can't have dinner with you tonight. OK. That's right. For a decade, he was the handsome, tall... < How tall are you? < How tall are you? 6'4". ...Dr Luka in ER. The guy who got you and Neela suspended for working with a monkey? The guy who got you and Neela suspended for working with a monkey? It was a chimp. But now it's all about the murky world of drug gangs. Why would you I kill your husband? Why would you I kill your husband? Because he stole from you. That build-up is what makes it just` you get so jazzed. 1 So, I'm pretty sure most of you would have thought this at one point or another ` what the hell happened to that hot Dr Luka from ER? Well, my friends, I've got the answer for you. MAN GROANS Drugs,... You do this,... ...gangs,... ...and your whole family's dead. ...murder... Wait. Wait. GUN FIRES ...and Dr Luka? What's going on here? Well, it's a new drama that's hit our screens this week. Can you do something here? Can you do something here? (SIGHS) Boris, kick him in the shins. (GRUNTS) Ah. High five. What? He needs to toughen up. Hey, Luther. How's it going? A family with connections... Is he here? ...trying to get out,... I swore I'd never expose them to the life that I grew up in. ...but, of course, only gets in deeper. Get off my boat! Do you have to get involved in a bit of action? Are you fit and good to go on that front? (SIGHS) Ish. Ish. I was training,... (CHUCKLES) sometimes. Um, and I get to` You get to wield a gun, which has always been one of my fantasies. Are you a good shot? Are you a good shot? I'm pretty good. Yes, if you think you detect an accent from close to home, you'd be right in Radha Mitchell. The producers went looking for a strong female lead, and they found a good Aussie lass. BOTH CHUCKLE Do you think these Americans are finally realising us antipodeans, we're just... more dedicated, more hard-working... Do you think`? more hard-working... Do you think`? It's starting to make sense, isn't it? There's so many people coming to this town to... to make new shows, new TV, new movies, new ideas, and, uh, I think people who are, uh, good quality and who are, like, uh, hard-working, they surface up. You know, so... if you're Australian, being on a show ` you know, they're just proving they're, like` they're really good, and they're, like, um, hard workers. Actors coming from all over the place in this one. Where do you actually come from? Uh, my character? Uh, my character? No, you personally. I was, like, I dunno. Who are we talking about? I was born and raised in Croatia, and I came first to the States maybe about, uh, 16 years ago for the premier of the movie I've done in Europe. And, uh, during that, uh, trip, I auditioned for a couple of things, and then after about two years of a dull period, I landed the, um, ER job, which was pretty much, after that, it was kind of, like, 'OK, I should move here.' I can't have dinner with you tonight. OK. That's right ` for a decade, he was the handsome, tall... < How tall are you? < How tall are you? 6'4". ...Dr Luka in ER. The guy who got you and Neela suspended for working with a monkey? The guy who got you and Neela suspended for working with a monkey? It was a chimp. But now it's all about the murky world of drug gangs. Why would I kill your husband? Why would I kill your husband? Because he stole from you. So, Dr Luka, no more Mr Nice, Caring Doctor. Mr Mean and Nasty. Nah, nah. I need some` needed to change something, need to do something a little bit different. Mm. This is certainly different. It's action. Definitely starts that way. You know, and then, uh... then` then we'll see. Uh, somebody make a comparison with, like, a godfather. What do you want from me? Radha Mitchell and Dr Luka ` Goran Visnjic in real life ` play rival gang families, but as the series goes on... I don't know anything about that. The relationship with him and Marta's gonna have to change, because they'll end up almost helping each other. 'But unlike Radha...' Are you a good shot? (MURMURS) (MURMURS) (CHUCKLES) (MURMURS) (CHUCKLES) Nah, we're gonna leave it there. A gripping watch, nonetheless, that sees a suburban housewife turn crime boss. MAN: Trust nobody but yourself. I left you some security in the garden. It's under the bonsai tree. But will she pull it off? Now it's up to you. (CHUCKLES) I was a big ER fan. That was very exciting. So if you want to see any of tonight's stories again, head to our website... You can also email us at... Or go to our Facebook page. We're at... And let us know your thoughts on our show. So thanks for all your feedback throughout the year. Remember, get online and send us your story ideas. And that's our show for tonight and for 2013. Thanks for tuning in.