Father of Teen Accused of Murdering Her Mother Speaks Out for the First Time on 'A Current Affair'

Father of Teen Accused of Murdering Her Mother Speaks Out for the First Time on 'A Current Affair'

'She's in most respects just a normal kid ... not a monster ... just normal,' Says the Father of the Teen Standing Trial for Killing His Wife

NEW YORK, March 22 /PRNewswire/ -- A father speaks out for the first time on national television to 'A Current Affair' in support of his sixteen-year-old daughter who stands trial for murdering his wife/her mother in a crime that was so shocking it rocked the state of Alaska. The interview airs on the Wednesday, March 23 edition of 'A Current Affair' (syndicated, check local listings).

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050322/LATU116)

"I don't know if she was aware that a murder was actually going to take place," says Doc Waterman in response to his daughter's not guilty plea. "At the very worst, she may have been guilty of complicity."

According to police, 16-year-old honor student Rachelle Waterman -- a scholar, an athlete and musician -- seduced her two 24-year-old lovers, Jason Arrant and Brian Radel, into murdering her mother, 48-year-old teacher's aide Lauri Waterman -- Doc Waterman's wife.

The victim was allegedly kidnapped from her home, forced to drink alcohol, brutally attacked, and then thrown over a cliff in her car in efforts to disguise the murder as a drunken driving accident.

Waterman claims his daughter may have been involved with these men, but she surely did not intend to unleash their killing behavior. His daughter wrote an online diary, which police say may contain insight into a possible motive for murder.

"I know for a fact that some of the things that she said in her blog were exaggerations, and I think that's fairly common for kids at that age," Waterman tells 'A Current Affair.' And when he told his daughter about his wife's fate, he says, "She didn't break down completely, but she was quite emotional at that time."

Police have charged all three, and they have all pled not guilty to charges of first degree murder. They're being held without bail. If convicted, all three face life in prison. They stand trial in August of this year. Lawyers are looking to move the case to a larger city where a jury might not be tainted by the hostility of the small rural town of only 1200 residents.

"A Current Affair" is one of broadcasting's most historic and groundbreaking news magazine programs. Hosted by Fox Sports commentator, best-selling author, columnist, practicing lawyer and former NFL star player Tim Green, "A Current Affair" will embody the same principles and landmark style that made the program an astonishing success during its original run between 1986 and 1996.

"A Current Affair" will go deeper than any other news source and deliver the exclusive, hard-hitting stories about "ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances," for which the half-hour strip is celebrated. With its gutsy, razor-sharp, trustworthy and straight forward stories for the new millennium, "A Current Affair" is poised to become a television sensation again.

"A Current Affair" (www.acurrentaffair.com) is distributed throughout the United States by Twentieth Television.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050322/LATU116
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Twentieth Television

CONTACT: Daniella Cracknell, +1-201-305-7285,
daniella.cracknell@acurrentaffair.com, or John Rizzotti, +1-323-491-1976,
johnfoxpr@aol.com, or Les Eisner, +1-310-369-3293, les.eisner@fox.com, all of
Twentieth Television

Web site: http://www.acurrentaffair.com/

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