Ep 99. Deadly Exchange

In "Deadly Exchange," the season 23, episode 99 of Dateline, viewers follow the investigation into the mysterious death of a young woman, Nicole Nachtman. The episode begins with a recording of Nicole's 911 call made shortly before her untimely death. She tells the operator that her mother, Myriam, has just been shot in the chest and is not breathing. The operator frantically instructs Nicole on how to perform CPR on her mother while emergency responders are on the way.

Nicole was a student at Florida State University, and her mother had traveled from her home in France to help her daughter move into her new apartment. The two had a complicated relationship, and investigators learned that there was much more to their family dynamic than initially met the eye. As detectives dig deeper into the case, they uncover a tangled web of lies, deceit, and betrayal that eventually leads them to the truth.

Myriam was a beloved psychiatrist and had a thriving practice in France before coming to the United States. Her husband, a wealthy businessman, had agreed to fund Nicole's education. However, their marriage disintegrated under the pressure of his mounting debts and Myriam's infidelity. Myriam had several lovers, including one who she was planning to leave her husband for at the time of her death.

The investigation leads detectives to question several individuals who had been in contact with Nicole and Myriam leading up to their deaths. One of the individuals they spoke to was a classmate of Nicole's who had also been in a long-distance relationship with her. He had visited her in Florida and had given her a gun as a gift. Detectives learned that this gun was the same one that had been used to murder Myriam.

Another person who was questioned was a Frenchman who was also a patient of Myriam's. He had been involved in a romantic relationship with her and had traveled to Florida to be with her. Investigators soon uncovered that he had married her as well, and he was also one of the financial backers of Nicole's education. It was then revealed that the Frenchman had a history of violence and had been previously arrested for domestic abuse in France.

As the investigation unfolded, detectives discovered that there had been communication between the Frenchman and the classmate. They had been discussing the gun and had planned to exchange it, although their reasons for doing so remain unclear. It wasn't until detectives brought in the classmate for questioning that the truth began to emerge.

With the help of forensic evidence, phone records, and witness accounts, they were able to piece together what happened on the day of the murders. They learned that Nicole had requested that the Frenchman shoot her mother, and in exchange, she would give him the gun. The classmate had agreed to help them after Nicole promised him a cut of the insurance payout.

Nicole, the Frenchman, and the classmate were all arrested and charged with murder. In the trial that followed, their sordid web of lies, deceit, and betrayal was brought to light. It was revealed that Nicole had been mentally and physically abused by her mother and had convinced her two accomplices to carry out the murder. In one final twist, it was discovered that Nicole had purposely left her phone on during the murder, possibly as a way to incriminate herself.

Dateline's "Deadly Exchange" is a compelling true crime episode that explores one of the most profound crimes one can commit. It shows how family dynamics can become twisted and entangled to the point where murder seems like the only answer. The episode is an insightful and emotional exploration of the events that led to the deaths of Nicole Nachtman's mother, Myriam, and their aftermath.