Dateline: Horror At The Lake - 5 harrowing details about Denise Hallowell's murder, explored 

Dateline: Horror At The Lake, which aired on November 5, 2021, investigated the murder of a Florida resident, Denise Hallowell, who was killed by the stabbing of an ax in the back of her head in 2019.

The official synopsis of the episode reads as follows:

Florida investigators desperately search for a killer, after teacher Denise Hallowell is murdered

After many searches and dead-ends, the police finally arrested her 17-year-old adoptive son, Carlos Hallowell, for his mother's brutal murder.

Here are 5 key details about Dateline: Horror At The Lake.

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Dateline: Horror At The Lake- 5 harrowing details about Denise Hallowell's murder

1) Denise's adoptive son Carlos found her dead body

In July 2019, Denise spent quality time with her son Carlos in their idyllic home in Inverness, Florida. One day, Carlos, then 17, saw his mother dead in her room, with an ax-wielding blow from the back of her head.

As confirmed by the 911 call recording played on Dateline, Carlos said:

“Hello?... I — I need someone, fast,”

When investigators reached their house, Carlos described their ideal relationship and the day's events, which were nothing extraordinary. He also had no suspects in mind as he noted with the investigators:

“I don’t know anybody that would have done that,”

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2) Police suspected Denis's other adoptive son of her murder

While Denise always wanted a family of her own, things did not work out for her, and she finally adopted a 4-year-old boy, Carlos. Soon, she adopted another 8-year-old boy, Angel, hoping the brothers would live in harmony. But her relationship with Angel was not healthy, and he often had fits of rage and would run from the house.

In 2015, Dateline victim, Denise, was even arrested on accounts of child abuse after the police found evidence against her in Angel's home. While Carlos testified in favor of his mother, Angel was rehabilitated elsewhere.

The police initially suspected Angel, who was then 15, but he was later cleared because he was already sentenced in prison for an armed robbery.

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3) Police found evidence linking Carlos to her mother's murder

On further investigation, the police found abandoned camera cords in Carlos' room, which hinted at foul play on his part. The police also found Denise's phone and the camera tossed in a nearby lake.

Carlos' phone's GPS showed he was walking down the lake during the call to 911. After he was confronted with all the data, he finally confessed to the murder, as told on Dateline:

“I remember being outside at the shed, and grabbing the ax...,” he told detectives. “And that’s it. That’s all I remember.”

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4) Denise Hallowell's son/murderer was diagnosed with bipolar disorder

After his confession, the police found that Carlos once overdosed on pills and was admitted to a mental facility, where he was diagnosed with bipolar disease and depression.

After his confession, he revealed that he had a heated argument with his mother on the fateful morning about his college plans. Denise's statements triggered Carlos and forced him to take this drastic step.

In an interview with Dateline's Dennis Murphy, Carlos revealed what his mother's triggered words were:

'If I didn’t adopt you, you would still be on the streets,'”

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5) Carlos expressed regret over his actions

Carlos went into trial two years after his arrest, where he was sentenced to life in prison on the charge of first-degree murder. Considering his age (17), his sentence is eligible for a re-evaluation in 2044. He is currently being held in Holmes Correctional Institution in Florida.

On Dateline, Carlos expressed regret over his actions:

"I am very deeply and truly sorry for what I did. I did something very heinous and very unimaginable. I miss her. I love her and I wish I could take things back, but I can’t ‘cause I did that. I made that choice.”

Also Read: Dateline: Deadly Devotion - What happened to Capt. Lynn Armstrong Reister?

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