EXCLUSIVE: America's Got Talent Contestant Releases Video Criticizing Cops In Wife's Death Probe -- Watch It Here
Feb. 21 2011, Published 7:15 a.m. ET
Cops investigating the death of an America's Got Talent contestant's wife could have come face-to-face with the killer when they arrived at the crime scene -- this according to the woman's devastated husband who has accused law enforcement of botching the death probe.
Joe Finley, who had been married to wife Laura for 26 years until her mysterious death in October, has published a heartbreaking nine-minute music video in which he criticizes cops and their failure to "bring this sick murderer to justice".
Watch it exclusively on RadarOnline.com
In the emotional video titled 'Murder At The Biltmore -- So Out Of Touch', Joe and his children released songs they wrote and recorded in tribute to the wife/mother, who was found dead at the bottom of a stairwell at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles on October 23, 2010.
It includes a rap song performed by Laura's son, in which he asks "to be given the strength to move on" and a video diary from the woman's daughter, who declares she "won't ever forget" her memories about her mom.
In the scrolling preamble, Joe criticized the Los Angeles Police Department for its handling of the investigation in a death that still has Hollywood baffled.
"What if somebody were to suggest that her killer was at the crime scene when the police arrived," wrote Joe, a rock singer and guitarist, who auditioned for the talent show around the time Laura's body was discovered.
"Even further that he had been watching Laura for some time waiting for his opportunity to strike.
"As I slept, Laura's voice was forever silenced.
"Instead of notifying me of this heinous act, the LAPD decided to follow me for hours. Not until I made contact with HOTEL SECURITY did they approach me."
Despite Joe's allegations, high-level police sources have insisted Laura's death was not at all suspicious, although the cause of death has never been declared an accident, homicide or suicide.
In a previous interview, Joe told RadarOnline.com's Senior Executive Editor Dylan Howard that he believed Laura was brutally raped, strangled and robbed before her body was moved to the bottom of the staircase to appear like she fell a number of floors.
He also revealed Laura was found without three expensive solitaire diamond rings.
"It's obvious that she was murdered," Joe said, adding he believed Laura "was raped, killed and her body was moved and the scene was staged to make it look as though she'd fallen to her death."
The Californian mother vanished after a night of celebrations with her rocker husband.
Her body, clad in just her underwear, was found at about 8 a.m., as Joe was preparing for his scheduled audition in front of judges Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel.
In the video, Joe detailed what happened in the hours afterwards.
"They (the police) told me they had a picture at the Central location that they wanted me to look at," he said.
"On the ride there I was asked to try and calm down. They went so far as to tell me the picture may not even be Laura.
"The interrogation had begun. Still no picture. When I had the picture placed in front of me I collapsed and became hysterical. They removed the picture and left the room."
Joe, who was named a person of interest in the death, added cops later interrogated him.
"I was later stripped down and handcuffed to a chair," he said.
"Screaming in physical pain and mental anguish, I had agreed to polygraph and never got the opportunity."
The musician signed off the missive "Peace, Joe" -- but not until pleading for the persecution of his family from the press to stop so his "family can begin to heal... If that is even possible."
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