Ep 5. Michelle Theer & John Diamond

Michelle Theer & John Diamond are the primary subjects of Killer Couples season 8 episode 5. The show examines their relationship and the crimes they committed together.

Michelle Theer was a married woman who wanted out of her marriage. She began an affair with John Diamond, a soldier stationed at Fort Bragg near Fayetteville, North Carolina. The two of them developed an obsessive relationship, indulging in BDSM and discussing their fantasy of murdering Michelle's husband. In December 2000, Michelle's husband, Air Force captain Marty Theer, was found shot dead in his garage. He had been shot six times.

Having acted as though she was trying to find her husband on the night of his murder, Michelle confessed her involvement to a friend and was arrested - as was Diamond, who had also been involved in the planning. Their trial was a sensational event, with lurid details from their relationship and emails being widely publicized. Michelle's defense team argued that the affair amounted to an irrational and passionate love affair, but Michelle was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, receiving a life sentence without parole. Diamond pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, and was sentenced to 30 years.

The episode explores the nuances of Michelle and John's relationship. We learn how their mutual obsession with BDSM and fantasizing about murder escalated from talking to planning to execution. We hear their conversations, accompanying each other in paranoia and excitement.

The show also examines the legal proceedings, with expert analysis and interviews with law enforcement. The evidence against Michelle and John is substantial, including emails and plans they made to kill Michelle's husband. Prosecutor Sylvia Baumann is interviewed, and gives her thoughts on the case's broader implications.