Dateline on OWN Season 2 Episode 15 The Ballad of Mike and Dalia
- April 22, 2013
In this episode of Dateline on OWN season 2, titled "The Ballad of Mike and Dalia," viewers are taken on a suspenseful journey through the complicated relationship between a married couple, Michael and Dalia Dippolito. The episode delves into the shocking events that transpired in 2009 when Michael Dippolito was set up to be murdered by his own wife.
The episode begins with a reenactment of the day that Michael Dippolito was arrested by the Boynton Beach Police Department in Florida. The police department had received a tip from a confidential informant that Michael's wife, Dalia, was planning to hire a hitman to murder her husband. The police immediately began to investigate the situation, and before long, they caught Dalia on camera offering to pay an undercover police officer posing as a hitman $7,000 to kill Michael.
From there, the episode takes viewers on a journey through the events that led up to Dalia's arrest. Through interviews with police officers, prosecutors, and witnesses, we learn that Dalia had a troubled past and a history of manipulating those around her. In fact, she had been convicted of fraud just a few years prior to attempting to have her husband killed.
As the episode continues, we see flashbacks to the tumultuous relationship between Michael and Dalia. The couple had met just a few years prior, and they had a whirlwind romance. However, their relationship was far from perfect. Michael had a criminal record, and Dalia was known to be controlling and manipulative.
Despite their issues, the couple got married in 2009. It wasn't long before Dalia began to plot her husband's murder. She was caught on camera discussing the details of the plot with an undercover officer and even went so far as to purchase a fake gun to use in the crime.
The episode is filled with suspenseful twists and turns as the police work to stop Dalia's plan. We see footage of Dalia's arrest and the subsequent trial, which became a media sensation. Throughout it all, Michael maintains his innocence and insists that he had no idea that his wife was planning to have him murdered.
As the episode comes to a close, viewers are left to ponder the complex relationship between Michael and Dalia. Were they both equally to blame for the events that transpired, or was Dalia the true mastermind behind everything? Regardless of the answer, "The Ballad of Mike and Dalia" is a fascinating look at a relationship gone horribly wrong and the ultimate consequences of deceit and manipulation.