Ep 10. The Figure in the House

In Dateline season 31 episode 10, titled “The Figure in the House,” viewers are taken on a suspenseful journey to uncover the truth behind a mysterious figure caught on a home security camera.

The episode centers around the case of Ashley Freeman and Lauria Bible, two best friends from Welch, Oklahoma who disappeared on December 30, 1999. The girls had been celebrating Ashley’s birthday when their house caught on fire, and when authorities arrived they found the bodies of Ashley’s parents, Danny and Kathy Freeman, who had been shot to death. However, Ashley and Lauria were nowhere to be found. Despite extensive searches, the girls remained missing for years and the case went cold.

Fast forward to 2018, when an Oklahoma man named Ronnie Dean Busick was finally charged in the girls’ disappearance and the murders of Danny and Kathy Freeman. The breakthrough in the case had come after a tipster reported that Busick and three other men had killed the Freemans over a drug debt, and that the girls had been taken and murdered as well.

“The Figure in the House” investigates this chilling case, focusing particularly on a piece of home security footage that was discovered in the years between the girls’ disappearance and Busick’s arrest. The video had been captured by a camera in the Freeman’s living room on the night of the fire, and it showed a figure walking through the house shortly before the blaze broke out. The video had never been released to the public, but Dateline obtained it for this episode.

The figure is both intriguing and ominous, as it walks throughout the home with what appears to be a flashlight in hand. Speculation and theories behind the figure’s identity and motive abound throughout the episode. It is suggested that the figure could have been one of the killers, searching for drugs or valuables before the fire was set. Alternatively, some believe that the figure could have been a police officer, searching the scene for evidence in the early stages of the investigation.

As the episode unfolds, viewers are taken through interviews with family members of both the victims and the accused, as well as law enforcement officials who were involved in the case. New details and information are revealed at every turn, and the tension builds as the audience waits to hear more about the figure in the house and what it might mean for the case as a whole.

Despite the darkness of the subject matter, there are glimmers of hope and humanity in “The Figure in the House.” Eyewitnesses and loved ones of Ashley and Lauria share touching stories of the girls’ bond and their sense of adventure. Police and investigators who worked tirelessly on the case express relief that justice might finally be served. And as details emerge about the role that each of the accused men played in the crimes, viewers are reminded that there is often more to a story than meets the eye.

Overall, “The Figure in the House” is a gripping and thought-provoking episode of Dateline that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. By exploring the complexities of a decades-old mystery, the episode provides insight into both the human capacity for evil and the strength of those who seek justice.