Dateline NBC Talking Dateline: The Ruse
8 snips
Dec 10, 2025 
Dan Slepian, a senior investigative producer for Dateline, joins Keith Morrison to dissect the baffling case of Tom Perez Jr., who confessed to murdering his father—a crime that had never occurred. They delve into the chilling evidence that raised suspicions, including cadaver dogs and behavioral cues. The conversation uncovers how interrogation techniques can lead to false confessions, and Slepian shares insights from expert Steve Kleinman on the psychology of deception. Listeners also hear responses to their burning questions about the case.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Investigation Driven By Confirmation Bias
- The Perez case looked like a clear crime at first but ultimately had no victim because Tom Sr. was alive.
- Confirmation bias led investigators to treat ambiguous signs as proof of guilt.
Household Clues Mistaken For A Crime Scene
- Police found blood drops, a cadaver-dog alert, and a missing shower curtain in the home which raised suspicion.
- Tom Jr. offered mundane explanations like his father’s diabetes and a moved shower curtain to account for the evidence.
How Suspicion Becomes a Narrative
- False confessions often begin with reasonable suspicion about a person but escalate due to investigative framing.
- Once detectives see someone as a suspect, subsequent facts are interpreted to fit that theory.