Schoolgirls Allison and Mary had been best friends for years, spending most of their time together at school, soccer practice, and sleepovers. Mary lived in a modest one-story farmhouse situated on a ranch amongst Greenfield’s rolling hillside. Allison spent the night there often, enjoying the sprawling rural space that provided a contrast to her suburban home. Mary’s father, 36-year-old Ronald Riva, was an unemployed truck driver and former prison officer. He had plenty of spare time to supervise his four young children and their friends, joining them as they played together.

Despite all the fun to be had, Allison would occasionally return home from her visits to Mary Riva’s house moody, grumpy, and overtired. In one instance, her mother Cheryl asked what was wrong and warned Allison she would no longer be allowed to go to Mary’s house if she continued to come home in an irritable mood. Allison simply replied: “It has nothing to do with Mary.”

At around 4:00 pm on April 8 1996, Cheryl was watering the front lawn at her home when she heard the phone ring. She rushed inside to answer it, discovering Mary’s mother Leah was on the other line. As the women’s only connection to one another was through their children, Cheryl knew the call must have something to do with her daughter, 10-year-old Allison.

Leah revealed that she had some extremely difficult news to deliver regarding her husband….