Ep 3. Backyard Daddy

In season 3, episode 3 of American Monster, entitled "Backyard Daddy," viewers are taken on a gripping journey into the world of domestic violence, abuse, and murder. The episode tells the story of a seemingly loving father, Ronald "Butch" Parker Jr., who had a secret past of abuse and manipulation that eventually led him to kill his wife, Tammy Parker.

Butch had always been a charmer, his family and friends remembered, and he gave no signs of the monster he held deep within. He was the epitome of a caring and doting father. He would coach little league baseball and take his kids on hunting trips, all the while, living up to the perfect image of an American father. However, behind the closed doors of their home, Tammy lived in constant fear of her husband.

The couple had been married for 16 years, and initially, their love story seemed straight out of a fairy tale. They met when Tammy was a nurse and Butch was a patient in the hospital where she worked. According to Tammy's friends, they were instantly smitten with each other. However, something inside Butch had changed after they married, and he became increasingly aggressive and controlling.

Butch's abuses started subtly, like biting and pushing Tammy, and escalated over time to brutal force. He would humiliate her, force her to participate in sexual acts she wasn't comfortable with, and isolate her from her family and friends. Tammy was too scared to leave and endure the full wrath of the monster she was married to.

Tammy's best friend, Wendy, mentioned that she noticed marks on Tammy's neck that Butch claimed were "love bites," but Wendy suspected it was something more sinister. One day, Butch beat Tammy so hard that she had to be hospitalized. However, after her release, Tammy withdrew her complaint against Butch.

One night, Tammy finally summoned the courage to leave Butch and took their two kids with her. However, Butch refused to let go and started stalking Tammy. He became obsessed with her and threatened to kill himself if she didn't come back to him. Tammy relented, thinking that Butch would seek psychological help to overcome his issues. But she was wrong.

One day, Tammy went outside to mow the lawn in their backyard. Butch had been acting somewhat strange, claiming that he was "a different person." Suddenly, he walked outside, poured gasoline all over Tammy, set her ablaze, and then shot her execution-style in the head before their kids' eyes.

After the heinous act, Butch parked his car outside a local police station and confessed to the murder. In a later interview, Butch maintained that he was not in his right mind when he set his wife on fire and shot her. However, an investigator found that Butch had burnt all of his possessions on a bonfire, except for a rifle and ammunition, the night before he killed Tammy.

Throughout the episode, viewers will be taken through Tammy and Butch's love story and subsequent descent into domestic violence, abuse, and murder. The story is gripping, emotional, and disturbing, and will highlight the horrifying reality of domestic violence and the need for its prevention.

Overall, in season 3, episode 3 of American Monster, viewers will be presented with a tale of a monster hiding in plain sight, and how the woman he claimed to love the most paid the ultimate price.