Thomas Fast, because of his mental instability, is the perfect patsy for his father, Bruce Fast. Bruce sent Susan back to the US a day before his arrival. Bruce's hit man, the dark headed man Susan was seen with, was waiting for Susan to return and killed her before Bruce was back in the country, providing Bruce with his alibi. It was then Bruce who found the body and immediately began blaming the murder on his son, Thomas Fast. Geez, this is easy to figure out. Why can't the prosecutor see this?

I am curious as to whether Thomas Fasts mother is in court? I think that law inforcement should have looked alot more closely at the father. For me, there is doubt.

Conspiracykook that is a very interesting theory, I hope some one from the district attorneys office reads this !!

I too am not comfortable with the father's side of this story which seems to be too pat, cut and dry and dad seems to find things before LE looks for them.. He's a real convenient person..

It seems to me that the defense attorney is ill prepared. He has long pauses many times between questions.

I was surprised at the fact that Bruce Fast when he landed home at the Ft Lauderdale airport didn't call his wife to tell her he landed safely since he stated they were very close always kissed and held hands before going to sleep etc.. Did he know that she wasn't there or alive to answer the phone ?

I am out sick from work today and watching the Fast trial...I am always intrigued by Tru TV programs. Not seeing previous testimony, was there any type of physical evidence pointing to the son being guilty? Can you give me the short synopsis version (fingerprints, DNA, etc.)
Thanks!

I, too, like Conspiracykooks' theory. Wait and see how the evidence plays out.

Bruce Fast does not call his wife to tell her he's on his way home.Where's the other wife's?He's been married three times.How is this guy not a suspect(Bruce Fast)The prosecution cannot even prove the son"s fingerprints were on the lexus.Something seems off in this case.By the way What Father asks for the death penalty on his own son.

TO "Paul-Orland Park,IL"–This defense attorney is not ill prepared.He takes a long pause to "think" before he speaks so as to not get an objection. Dot all i's & cross all t's–after all he has a client to defend and wants to hear "not guilty" at the end of this interesting trial. thanks & peace

Are you kidding me? I have watched this trial and listened yesterday to the father, I am hands down convinced the father is using the son to hide his ivolvement in her death. He was so close to his wife yet he didnt call to let her know he arrived, he sent her home early, how convienent. This is a smack in the face for the prosecutor and I hope that they will go after the father when this mentally ill man is aquitted.
but then again it is east to make this stepson a patsy for a crime the father permitted.

What is wrong with you people? The father wasn't in the country when his wife was killed – he was returning from the Bahamas! I'm I the only one that is actually listening to the testimony?

One question is why would Bruce Fast take a plane from the Bahamas to Ft Lauderdale when there is an airport in Tampa? Another thing is why would Bruce fast mark the blood stains with green stickers? is that not the police investigators job? I was convinced at first of the guilt of Thomas Fast (I have been following the story since Susan Fast went missing), however, now I am starting to question the prosecution! Why did Bruce Fast NOT have a key to his OWN residence after being out of state? Don't most residents have a key to their home? Is there evidence that Thomas Fast actually threatened Susan Fast's life? One more question that I have to as is WHY Bruce Fast WAS not considered a suspect since usually a spouse is the first one questioned? There are alot of questions that I have that need to be answered before I would able to convict Thomas Fast if I were a juror.

Fast has poor representation in use of this defense attorney. He seems confused, sometimes totally lost and is totally boring. He wastes a lot of time thinking about what he is going to say next and I have not heard him develop anything from the witnesses so far that help with the reasonable doubt theory.

Yes Bruce called his wife directly after landing......he called her girlfriend wondering where she was because he didn't have a key to the house and didn't want to be forced to break in. I'd be very worried under the same circumstances. This is not a movie....so many of you are acting like it's a story on law and order...thinking the husband had this enormous plot going on. It'd be a great episode....but the son did it.

I may have missed something, but I've been wondering about Bruce Fast's house key. Why did he not have it with him? Did he give it to someone else?

I actually found his so-called story about the girl on the beach to be somewhat believable. He couldn't find the girl, but wrote what actually transpired. The pros says he was trying to concoct an alibi, which proves guilt. I think he actually had an alibi, just can't find the girl.

the father of the defendant looks suspicious. Why did he drive from Bradenton to Ft. Lauderdale, which is 230 miles, to board a plane to the Bahamas. and why did he took his wife's car. He does not look innocent at all. Maybe both father and son killed Susan Fast.

Debby Tempon's testimony is VERY inconsistent. First she says she "saw" the Lexus and the vanity plates – BUT isn't there some "evidence"that Tom Fast was seen "switching" plates? Then told no one she saw it??? Right! She said "the house was freezing cold and couldn't go in BUT later she makes a statement regarding what she saw when going inn with Bruce. Then then there are the inconsistent statements about the jewelry and the dinner arrangements she made with Susan Fast.
ALSO – I think the Jailhouse snitch's testimony coaborates TOM's alibi – can't wait to hear the cross!!
As for the "unknown" fingerprints in the house – I think it was a "hit man's" hired by Bruce Fast. Could be be the one having the affair???

Why would you not have a key to your own house???? I think cousin Brucey wants Susans girlfriend,Deborah, what do you think about that???

I have never seen a defendent so busy at the table as Fast seems to be. He constantly shuffles papers, files sheets of paper in a folder or binder and takes notes. He seems to me to be trying to put on some kind of show for the jury.

The defense attorney seems unprepared and inept, I would not want him defending me. So many areas left unchallenged!! So far, I feel that Thomas did the crime. I had a stepmother from hell, and she did take everything from us four kids after my dad passed away.

I believe this defense attorney is probably the worst that I have ever seen! He is wasting a lot of the court's time and not really getting to any significant point. I had hoped that the judge had admonished him at one of those side bars to move things along a little better than he has up to this point. His questioning of the deputy who search Fast's car is totally useless, at least up to this point.

Except Conspiracykook Bruce Fast wouldn't have known for sure if his son would have been around to blame. The son could have taken off anywhere for his own personal reasons. Then who does he blame for the murder?

You have to be kidding.The jailhouse snitch gets out of jail for agreeing to setup the son.I'm not saying he didn't do it ,but their is just to much doubt and to many unanswered questions.The defense lawyer is doing a good job with his cross examination

I have watched this trial daily and the one thing that makes me wonder is that it is apparent that Thomas Fast is not in complete touch with reality but I am amazed that with this fact, the crime scene, etc. was very well cleaned. There is minimal evidence i.e. blood, etc. It seems to me, that Thomas would not have been this careful and it would have been a time race. I watch him shuffle his papers, etc. and it seems that with this type of violence he would have fumbled.
I never really thought about the father until I read this blog and even though I would like to think it is not so, I am starting to wonder.
The key, the longer drive back from a distant airport allowing for extra time. I would also imagine that Thomas could have bled onto the SUV at a prior job site that he shared with his father.
I am curious as to what Monday will bring now more so than before.

debbie timpone is a realitve of mine. her testimony is all fact. but she is really shaken up now. susan has been her best friend for 30 years. and on the fact the bruce wants her is strange. she is a happily married woman. but if bruce did do it some way she might have saved her own life by not going in to far into the house. my thoughts are with her and am glad she even has the strgenth to testify.

It looks to me like old Brucey boy pulled this whole thing off!!! Susans best friend was caught telling two different stories and with holding evidence. The defense attorney is about to do a number on the jailhouse snitch.Like Becky said, Debby couldn`t go in the house because it was too cold but then went in with Bruce. Maybe Bruce was keeping her warm ya think ?? I think this whole thing is pointing to Bruce.

Maybe the father blamers can explain how he got his wife's jewelry into Tom's deodorant can.....

I find Bruce Fast's story very questionable. First of all, he has the keys to the car but not a key to the house? Don't most people keep a house key on their keyring? Also, the first Police on the scene was shown the knives in the dishwasher BY Bruce. How did Bruce know that Susan was killed by a knife? It was almost like he knew something the Police didn't. And WHY didn't they take any fingerprints from Bruce Fast since the husband is mostly always the first suspect? I don't believe they found any fingerprints of Thomas Fast in the house, and none on the Lexus. Also, if he didn't talk to his wife since she left the Bahama's to return home, how did he know about dinner plans with her friend which were made the day she went missing? Too many questions leading to Bruce and I would have a very hard time finding Thomas Fast guilty!

For all of you wondering why Bruce didn't have a key to his own house:
My husband does not have a key to our house because he has a severe case of the "where'd I leave my keys". After countless replacement sets, I finally decided it wasn't worth it and just make sure he has a way in if I'm not going to be home. Who's to say that isn't what happened in this case??
I'm more convinced of his son's involvement than I am of his. Let's see how the evidence unfolds when the case wraps up before passing judgment on anyone, because at least one of these men is innocent and the other one's life is ruined because of this horrible crime.

I wonder if there are any tapes from the grocery store to prove whether she was really there or not.

Bruce fast seems very uncomfortable hearing the audible interrogation. He tends to make much facial expressions as though he does not want to be in the courtroom.

If there was a girl on the beach one must wonder why she has not come forth. I am waiting for all of this to play out . . . Curiouser and curiouser!!

When I started watching the trial, I had no doubt that Thomas committed the murder. Everything seemed to fit into place.
But now, I am beginning to think he was framed by his dad. How did he clean up all the blood if she was stabbed in the neck? I don't think he had enough time to do a thorough cleanup. Plus, because of his mental capacity being affected, it is easy to put the blame on him.

The only think I question is, how the wife's jewelry get into Thomas' deodorant can? Any suggestions?

I just don't understand why the defendant doesn't want to testify, how on earth I am not going to testify on my own trial case omg well , that's giving the fact that am not quilty because if the opposite is true then I wouldn't want to open my mouth haha, I have always wonnder why if u plea not quilty u don't want to b on the stand, that doesn't help the defence

On a bit of a tangent . . .

I'm sure in the minority here, but . . . shuld it really be legal for the prosecution to show crime scene photos to the jury? Such photos are not really evidence - their sole purpose is to shock and enflame, to make the jury want to vent its anger on the nearest handy target.

What, exactly, is the "information" imparted to the jury by such photos? They don't prove anything (ni and of themselves) . . . that their intorduction is commonplace seems a holdover from a bygone era, when the rights of the accused were routinely trampled and when technology was not what it is today and people needed to actually see the dead body to believe there was an actual victim.

Judges should begin considering whether the routine admission of crime scene photos really serves the interests of justice.

Keep crime scene photos out of the courtroom. The defense can stipulate that the victim was once alive and is now dead.

Just wanted to say that I do not have my house key on the same ring as my truck key. I usually keep the house key tethered inside my purse. My husband also does not carry a house key, he does however use one that is hidden outside. (We do live in the country making the hide-a-key a more viable option.)

I think you need to hear all of the testimony from everyone but I can tell you that if I was innocent and charged with a crime you would NEVER be able to keep me from testifying. I'd be shouting my innocence from the rooftops.

Fast Daddy was a little to "helpful" to the police. He marked blood spatter evidence for them??? He manipulated them into suspecting the son who apparently has been a personal embarrassment for him. He thought his son would be unable to credibly defend himself and a slam dunk prosecutor would remove the son lifting him of the responsibility and allowing him to start a new life. I pray the prosecution team truly wants justice here and that the mastermind of the crime will be prosecuted. If the son helped him, he was only doing what he was told and trying to gain a father's love and approval. Based on his mental challenges, he will hopefully garner some sympathy from the jury. I trust Fast Daddy won't make a mockery of the jury system.

The idea of the jewelry getting there has bothered me too but Thomas never denied going to the house. Maybe it was on the counter and he stole it and has never admitted this because she became first missing and then found dead. If he took it and then stated that he did, he would have thought this would appear he had involvement.
My own thoughts are that he stumbled onto the jewels, took them with the intent to maybe make a few bucks and was then afraid to say this.
Then on the other hand, maybe the jewels where set out for him to find by the father. I think that the girl may have been a set up as well. Bump into him at Publix, make him leave then leave him at the beach or wherever and he would have to return to get his truck and look who is here! I just have a very hard time seeing this man pull of this type of crime so cleanly. I am thankful not to be a juror as this is too twisted.

Testimony stated that Thomas Fast's bag was checked three times.When the police found the jewelry it was the third time.Why didn't they find it on the previous search?

I have been a curious denizen to this case,having been in the Fl. judicial ringer and the obvious bungling of much of the respected Law Enforcement officials there,ask how much does the father know and that the otherwise never get much love son really a lone wolf in this?
Apparently the son is so nervous by his own testimony and the fact that dad is still watching over him.There seems to be many skeletons in the family tree that the public is dying to learn about.A most interesting case,better than the Sandra Levy case.

I hope thomas wins an appeal. The father was there each time any evidence was found. And he was much too eager to point the finger at his mentally unstable son.

This story or tragedy will make a great movie down the lane, and so sad the legal system again will have egg on its face for putting the wrong person away, because during all the investigation, not one cop could see the forest for the trees. And are all caught up in wanting to just get it done...No matter how its done, and who gets hung!

Once again the cops supposedly did the best they could and came up with lack of evidence due to successful laziness. i had only watch some of this trial and investigation and i most defiantly agree, they legal system will not fail us and will put the wrong person away again.

i have been following the story too. i am still trying to figure out how he ws convicted when his father showed no emotion really during the investigation. and how ws he able to mark all of the blood staines for CSI. now usually when a person knows that they are wrong and that they actually committed the crime. most of the time they show no emotion. and think about it. why would his father take a plane from ft lauderdale when he coul dhave flown from tampa. and why didnt he call his wife since they were so inseprable idk. in a few years once this goes back to trial or when it gets appealed florida is going to make mr thomas fast a very wealthy man

Just a note to say what a breath of fresh air on the Nancy Grace Show.
Jean Casarez should take this show, She is beautiful and has a very good delivery of the topics at hand..Thanks Jean!
Dave

Regarding Thomas Fast, I felt there was some reasonable doubt surrounding the murder of his stepmother. I think this case should be investigated a little more throughly, as the father of Thomas Fast and the girlfriend of his stepmother both appeared to me, to be person's of interest....

After reading the recorded comments, it appears to me I'm not the only person with reasonable doubt.