Sentencing and Victim Impact

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Terms applly, see optimum dot com for details It's Jacob Goldstein from Business History In our new series, American Genius, we tell the stories of three great writers who changed the way business works in America. Our first episode is about Benjamin Franklin. Among many other things, was a best selling business rightite Take a listen He's writing this much later in his life consonsciously creating this image of himself I do want to emphasize how unusual this model is at the time, this self made man myth. because you don't want to be self made. It's low class to be self made. You know, this idea that we have today is the opposite, right? And it comes from Franklin. todayoday. there is the derisive term neepo bing. Well, exactly right. And these days, if you are a billionaire, you had better have a Benjamin Franklin story about starting in a garage, coming up with the idea from nothing. And here is Benjamin Franklin inventing it right before our eyes This has been brought to you by Odu To listen to more of our American Gius series, listen to business history New episodes release every Wednesday on the IHart Radio app or wherever you get your podcast Follow the Minds of Madness on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. To support the show and get access to early release and ad free episodes, go to patreon dot com slash Madness pod. You can also hit subscribe and Apple Podcasts, videos of our Thursday release episodes betweenween the Madness are available on YouTube and Spotify. We've got all the links in our episode notes Opinions expressed in the following episode do not necessarily reflect those of the Minds of Madness podcast Listener discretion is advised Days before Christmas, twenty twenty, thirty nine year old interior designer, Jake Janks decided to surprise her stepfather by cleaning his home before he was discharged from the hospital But what Jade found in her stepfather's San Diego home set off a series of events that meant that Tom Merrryiman wouldn't live to see the newew yearar Join me now. As we delve into this baffling case, involving a complicated relationship between a stepfather and a stepdaughter, uncovering a trail of trauma that led to Tom Merrryman's body being found at the end of his driveway. You'll hear a story of shocking text confessions and a scandalized stepdaughter compared the case to a real life weekend at Bernie's We've all gotten some unhinged texts late at night from friends Drunk outb confessions to all Cs rage rants. They're the reason many of us switch our phones to silent after nine PM But when Adam Sibblack started getting disturbing texts on New Year's Eve twenty twenty, it was the middle of the afternoon. And they were from his dropp dead gorgeous friend, Jade Janks Jade had just picked up her stepfather, Tom Merriman that day from the hospital In general Tom had been in poor health, but recently had been recuperating from his injuries due to a fall in eye surgery earlier that month Since moving next door to her stepfather, Jade had been taking good care of him, driving him to doctor's appointments and picking up his prescriptions. But now Jade's longtime friend Adam, was getting texts from her saying peculiar things like, He's in the back of my Toyota forerunner. He's waking up. I really don't want to be the one to do this Adam was in a difficult position himself, recovering from addictions and a young son to support Not to mention being hopelessly in love with a woman who didn't feel the same His friend Jade T, it hooked up in the past, but Adam never quite made it out of the friend zone Even when they vacationed together in Mexico a month prior, the pair remained platonic Although Adam initially declined to help Jade with whatever situation she'd gotten herself into that day, by seven PM, changed his mind and drove out to meet her. As they stood together in her driveway, Adam listened as Jade told him a shocking story The whole time he kept his eyes locked on Jade, refusing to look inside her vehicle Before leaving, Adam smoked a cigarette and kissed Jake goodbye What Jay didn't realize is that their conversation had left Aam with an unsettling feeling, and the following morning he contacted police Later that day, Jade received a call from Tom's brother, A detective had phoned him inquiring about Tom's welfare. Detectives soon swooped in, investigating Merryman's home over the next twenty four hours The sixty four year old California beekeeper kept a modest apartment with little square footage to hide many secrets Even so, what they were looking for was right in front of them the whole time It wasn't until Detective Rosa Patron investigated the exterior of the home that she noticed something strange in the driveway pile of junk, including some cardboard boxes, a wheelbarrow, and other debris But when she took a closer look, she discovered something shocking at the bottom of the pile, Tom Merryman's body, still wearing his hospital bracelet and gown Tom Merrryman was known around San Diego as a gentle coer of butterfly farms, an education and research nonprofit During the summer months, he'd speak to more than fifty thousand visitors to the butterfly exhibit at the San Diego County Fair He was also known for traveling around his schools, teaching kids about butterflies Tom had grown up in the Midwest in a large Catholic family with five brothers and a sister At the age of nine, Tom had an experience that would have a traumatic impact when he witnessed his little six year old brother getting hit by a car after running toward a dog on the street For the rest of his life, Merryman would struggle with depression and later on drug and alcohol addictions But his family always remained close, in spite of, or maybe because of that family tragedy In his later years, Merryman grew into a somewhat reserved, intelligent young man, described as socially awkward, a man who enjoyed tinkering with cars and the great outdoors Prior to moving out to California, he worked as a cabinet maker and a landscaper in Colorado. And by the mid nineties, Tom had met a woman named Jeanette Jeanette and Tom both had children from previous marriages and were ready to start a new life together. Despite the tumultuous history they both experienced in previous relationships Jeanette accepted Tom's previous history and his social shortcomings, but she also had plenty of shortcomings of her own throughroughout her life Janette struggled with a variety of addictions and mental health problems Years earlier, back in nineteen eighty three, these compounding problems led to one of the most devastating moments of her life Just three months after giving birth to her daughter Jane, Jeanette was forced to turn over custody of the newborn girl to Jane's birth father, Steve Janks, who raised her with his wife, Jenny Smith. Despite her chaotic start in life, Steve described his daughter as the most beautiful happy little girl Jade would eventually reconnect with her birth mother one day in her early teens after receiving a phone call from her After years of bouncing in and out of Jane's life, Jane had some big news to drop on her daughter. She was getting married to a man Jade had never met Dan They were expecting their first child together. Sade was soon introduced to her mother's new husband, Tom Merriman Jade's new stepfather After Jade's step brrother Cash was born, she began visiting her new baby brother, regularly at her mom in Tom's home, and eventually moved in with them, completing the family of four The family dynamic wouldn't last long Jeanette was struggling with stability and on Casha's first day of kindergarten had forgotten to take him It became clear to Tom and Jade that Jeannette's mental health and addiction struggles were affecting her parenting with cash like they'd done with Jade Soon after, Jank got arrested, and Jade Tom and Cash all quietly moved out The family of four had shrunk to a family of three with Jade who was now eighteen, becoming parentified in the role of Cass's caretaker. But Cash wasn't the only one Jade was taking care of in the home. During this time, Jade noticed Tom becoming more and more reliant on her domestic chores, such as laundry and cleaning She also noticed Tom seemed increasingly threatened by her birthfather, Steve, who was still very much a part of Jay's life Within a few years, the less than ideal living situation and interfamily friction was enough to cause Jade to move out on her own In two thousand eight, Tom and Jeannett had filed for divorce for the third and final time, with Jeanette citing domestic abuse by Tom After the divorce, Jade and Tom drifted apart for a time mostly only seeing each other on holidays and your brother's birthdays As Jade drifted away from Tom, She became closer with her birth father, especially after beginning to work at his construction company From construction, Jade parled her networking skills into working as an art gallery consultant before eventually starting her own interior design business, Jade Jenankkss interteriors. Around town Jade was known as Bright. Beautiful and creative Deming with pride and independence, when she spoke about her business But her business branding had a foreshadowing element to it. One poster for Jade Jenks interiors. featured a polished photo of Jade's megawatt smile holding up a sign the red, avoid costly mistakes At the height of the COVID nineteen pandemic, many people felt their priorities shifting and all over the world, people wanted to move closer to family. Both Jade and her stepfather, Tom, found themselves living alone when people needed support more than ever So in twenty twenty, when Jade saw a rental available next door to him On South Nardo Avenue, she decided to move in Soon after, Jade found herself falling back into the familiar role of caregiver Anytime something would go wrong when we lived together before and then after I moved there If he hurt himself, I'd go get bandages. If he was sick, I'd go get soup. I needed to ride to the doctor. I took him When Tom was feeling up to it, Jade and her stepdad went on walks together around the neighborhood with Jade's dog Although Janade had always considered Tom a bit socially awkward, she respected his intelligence. As they grew closer together, Jade began to trust Tom's opinion more and more, referring to him as Mena level smart, and dadding him in her phone as, My consultant Jade told her friends, she trusted her stepdad more than anyone else in her life, and Tom seemed to encourage that trust by sending Jade text to said things like No one will ever love you as much as I do. At one point, to have authority over his medical issues, Tom even appointed Jade as his power of attorney By mid december twenty twenty, Tom had already been in poor health, unrelated to the global pandemic reaching around him, and he was admitted to the hospital. With his expected release dates set for right around the holidays, Jade decided she wanted to surprise him by cleaning his home What she found in Tom's apartment on december twenty third, twenty twenty was anything but clean Save more on what you need to get the job done right. Right now, at Lowe's. Get fifteen percent off, select custom entry and interterior doors. Plus, save eighty dollars on the DeWalt twenty Volt Max two tool combo kit, now just one hundred sixty nine dollars. And at the Lowe's Pro desesk, bring us your materials list and get a quote in minutes. Handwritten, a photo, or even a sticky note is all you need. Keep your jobs moving faster and on budget At lows. Valid through seven eight while supplies last. Selection er is by location Hey, it's your ceiling vent. So I'm dripping. Could be the rain, could be the upstairs bathroom. Yikes You could hire the guy your neighbor recommended, but I'm pretty sure that's just his cousin. Do we know if he's licensed or does he just stone a ladder Listen to your home P a thumb tack Upload a photo or voice note and we'll diagnose your project and match you with the right pro for the job. Thumbtack. We know homes Hire the right pro today Jade's career in staging and interior design. She appreciated a clean living space and thought her stepfather, like anyone who was just coming home from a hospital stay, would appreciate it too. Jade carefully wiped down the surfaces in Tom's apartment. She accidentally bumped the mouse on his desktop computer, bringing Tom's background wallpaper to life on the screen. Jade saaw first on the computer filled her with shock and embarrassment, but when she took a closer look, her blood ran cold It was a cropped photo of a woman's breasts, but not just any woman's From an identifying birthmark, Jade recognized they were her breasts on her stepfather's computer As she proceeded to go through his computer files, what she found wasn't just one nude photo of herself, but hundreds. and they seemed to be meticulously organized, categorized in various folders and labeled by body parts and locations, with file names like Jade Sher It was the most violating awful gut wrenching feeling ever, I felt P sick I fone. I couldn't I couldn't like I couldn't even touch my own skin After discovering the photos and Tom's homecoming date from the hospital right around the corner, Jade had some choices to make. That's when she contacted a man she'd later say was known for working in private security. To most people, he was known as the fixer, Alan Roach. Jade asked Alen to come and guard her in her apartment while she showered after discovering the photos. She explained Alen what she'd found on her stepfather's computer and why she felt she needed protection In the meantime, Jade began sleeping with a knife beside her bed and a plastic tarp covering her bathroom floor. She reasoned that the tarp would make a rustling sound if stepped on and alert her to an intruder in her bedroom. The day before Jade was scheduled to pick up her stepfather from the hospital, she seemed to have come to a decision Jade texted her friend Mike at just past midnight. I struggled with moral issues, yet I will not be looking over my shoulder. so I made the call. When Mike asked for clarification, Jane texted back, It means everything you think it means Days after discovering the photos, on december thirty first, twenty twenty, Jade picked up her stepfather Tom from Scripp's Hospital in Insanitas. It was almost noon and Tom was already groggy. Despite carrying medications with him, including oxycodin, trazidone and Zulpadem He was ranting about other prescriptions he couldn't manage to get filled After some difficulty getting Tom into her vehicle, Jade gave him a gabapentin pill that was in her car It wasn't unusual for Jade and her stepfather to share prescription medications from time to time On the drive home from the hospital, Jade texted Alan Roach, the fixer. I just dosed the hell out of him Stopping for whiskey thenen stopping at Dixie line to stall Let me know Jade then drove around Salana Beach for a while, stopping at a Bevmo to purchase a large bottle of Jack Daniels, a mini bottle of kettlew one vodka, Bushmill's Irish whiskey, and mini chocolates Next you went to CVS and Dixie Line. Dixie Line she purchased terry cloth towels, zip ties, two types of gloves and spray paint She left Dixie Line with Tom in the car at twelve twenty seven PM As Jade pulled into the driveway, Tom began slurring his speech. On the first attempt to make Tom get out of the car, he fell twice, leaving a scrape on his head and the back of his hand Jade began a texting tour that tested multiple friends to see just how ride or die they really were. Texted Alen Roach for help I can't carry him either back to my car or to his house I'm not strong enough Come like right away When the fixer didn't reply, Jade texted her friend Adam Nine even Call me Adams said he couldn't He was getting a tattoo and told her to call Chucky Charles Geary, who whimpa the name Chucky, couldn't help either He was out of town With Tom's still in the driveway, Jane texted yet another friend Sarah, just before one PM He is alive, the text read. Please don't ask me any questions. Just help me get him into the house Before getting a reply, she texted Allen Roach again I had to call someone to help me carry him inside. I wish you were closer. By one PM, Jade's friend Sarah had arrived with her boyfriend Justin, who helped lift Tom back into the vehicle. Jade said she was bringing Tom back to the hospital, and they watched as she drove away. Jade drove to the hospital but returned to Tom's home by two thirty eight PM when she couldn't get a wheelchair She then texted Alan Roach again. He's waking up. I really didn't want to be the one to do this. Alan texted that he could send his associate, but Jane was reluctant, saying she didn't want a lot of people involved. It's pretty much done, she texted Alan. I don't need to talk to anyone. Then at two fifty one PM Jane texted Alen another time, this time saying, How soon will you get here? In an effort at dark humor, Jane threw in an iconic movie reference, texting, It's going to be weekend at Bernie's. Alan insisted again on sending his associate when Jane texted, I asked you for help tried to do it on my own I need your help, and I'm waiting on a stranger By mid afternoon, after stopping at CVS to buy gloves, the associate, Brian Soalomon, arrived at Jade's When he asked for instructions, Jane directed, I want you to strangle him And I'll take care of the rest Instead, Brian said he had to make a call, but left altogether Later at three hundred and forty one Allen texted Jade saying, I ordered him to leave. I don't want him involved like that Jade then checked back in with Adam to see if he was done getting his tattoo He wasn't, so she texted Alan again He's super medicated. I can't keep a kicking body in my truck I'm about ready to clubem. At this point, it was four thirty in the afternoon, and Allen wouldn't respond again until six PM Jade even checked the sheriff's website to find if Allan had been taken into custody By seven thirty PM, Adam had finished getting his tattoo and arrived at Jade's. This is when they had their mysterious conversation on her driveway In actual fact, it was she confessing to killing Tom. killed him drrugged him suffocated him with a bag and choked him Jade then asked Adam to help remove Tom into his bed. Instead, Adam smoked a cigarette, kissed Jade goodbye, and left. By eight twelve PM, Jade texted Allan, Now have hours till bruising shows. Need to get inside. This does not end well for me at nine twenty four PM She said she was going to bed. Jade then went inside, leaving Tom in the vehicle. She celebrated New Year's Eve, twenty twenty by pouring whiskey on Tom's computer Jadade started off the first day of twenty twenty one with a visit to her driveway to check on Tom. After finding his leg cold to the touch, she drove back to Scripps Hospital in Ensanitas to pick up a wheelchair, with Tom still in the car After driving back home with the wheelchair, Jade tried to pullt Tom's body into the wheelchair by herself and move him into the house When his body fell onto the driveway once again, it would be the last time Jade ever picked up after Tom This time, she covered his body with cardboard boxes and piles of debris When Adam called police, hours earlier, they were already tailing Jade by the time she drove to meet with an attorney Before reaching the attorney's office, Jade was pulled over and arrested, not before sending one more final text to the fixer, telling him, Lose my number Detective Matthew Gibson of the San Diego Sheriff's Office described Jankks as calm when they arrested her on New Year's Day With the autopsy reports indicating, Tom died of acute intoxication from ambien, Jade's defense team argued, Tom was an alcoholic and addict simply overdast himself Cing Jaded just panicked and wasn't planning on leaving him there or dump his body Jade's text messages to her friends on New Year's Eve were read in the courtroom It was clear she was spiraling to find a partner in crime. And when she took the stand to defend herself, Jade wasn't swaying the tide of public opinion in her favor. A times, her testimony was nonchalant eliciting the occasional wistful smile as she recalled something ironic from her past Meanwhile, DA's office argued that Jade intentionally druucked Tom, then strangled him and suffocated him with a plastic bag or pillowcase Brian Fixer's associate testified that Jade told him she wanted to strangle Tom Andendelen wrote Sen Aam Siplk said, She had admitted to them that she'd strangled her stepdad When Jane was questioned about her text that read, I'm about to club him on the head as he was waking up And I just dos the hell out of 'em Jade admitted on the stand They were in hindsight pooor choice of words The defense team argued that Jade had sent that text to amp up the sense of urgency, so Roach would come quicker to help her To Sve more on what you need to get the job done right, rightight now, at Lowe's. Get fifteen percent off, select custom entry and interior doors. Plus, save eighty dollars on the DeWalt twenty Volt Max two tool combo kit, now just one hundred sixty nine dollars. And at the Lowe's Pro desesk, bring us your materials list and get a quote in minutes. Handwritten, a photo, or even a sticky note is all you need Keep your jobs moving faster and on budget at lows. Valid through seven eight while supplies last. Selection varies by location. So you know that uneasy, anxious feeling you get when you think about dealing with your insurance company Well, there's actually a term for that. It's called inssureinoia And if that sounds like something you're way too familiar with, you should really think about getting NJM insurance They go to great lengths to do what's best for their policyholders likeike providing dedicated reps whose priority is you And that means you'll find more peace of mind with them Relieve your insur an noia with NjM insurance by visiting njM. com for a quote today question on everyone's mind The moment they heard about the photos Jade found on Tom's computer is, how did he get them At the trial, Jade said the photos were taken consensually years ago by her ex boyfriend and that she suspected Tom had stolen them from her computer, which she had access to. As for the nature of her relationship with Tom, Jade eventually revealed, There was more to the story than just the photos. The talk came into my life when I was just a little girl and exerted influence during that early stage of development when I was still figuring things out. Unfortunately, that influence manifested itself into appropriate touch, coercion, reckless behavior, and complete violation when I now realize is years of psychological manipulation. All of this came crashing down on me when I found hundreds of ned photos of myself and his computer. f shoutered. I'm still picking up the pieces in it's my sincere hope that over the next two years, I can put the pieces back and heal from this trauma. I'm sorry I didn't act the way I was supposed to that day. I think about it every day since and to Tom's family, I understand you hate me for what you believe I did to Tom. Howfever there's a lot more than you'll ever understand. After deliberating for less than a day, Jade Janks was sentenced to life in prison, with a chance of parole in twenty five years Victim impact statements were made by Tom's brothers, including Terry Merryman I want the court to know I live with the guilt that I didn't do more to save my brother on the day he died at the killer's hands A decent person would have used those hands to save a life by dialing nine hundred and eleven I want the court to know that these things haunt me Why did she lie to me on the phone Did Tom struggle at any point or was he too toast How much did he suffer in the hours he had a plastic bag over his head How horrible is it to die in that manner? At what point did he know he was under attack? Why did the killer not take him to emergency when she retrieved a wheelchair? When the killer pulled my dead brother from the back of her killing machine, that became his hearst