The Promise Land - Someone They Knew... with Tamron Hall 

Watch #SomeoneTheyKnew with #TamronHall | A #CourtTV Original Series - New Episodes Sunday 9/8c court.tv/FindUs

If you hurt/killed someone in self defense, go to police. Don’t bury the body.

It seems to me Rodney was looking for a confrontation. It wasn't enough to own the land, he had to make it impossible for Tom to use the land by cutting off the water. Plain greed not self defence

Rodney was the instigator of this conflict, he wasn't prepared to wait by the law for the lease to finish, his actions of cutting off the water in selfishness and greed started this, and he finished it by cold blooded murder. This is tragic for both families and the entire community.

Mrs Lyon didn't mince any words in her impact statement, such a strong woman, what a terrible loss she suffered.

8 years for a man's life. Shameful...Thankfully Mrs. Lyons sued the heck out of him successfully!

I don't believe in his self defense theory because if it was self defense why not call police right after the murder so that's bs he murdered that man in cold blood.

How can you claim self defense when you try to hide evidence? The second sentence he got is an insult and a slap in the face to Tom and his family 🤬

When he didn't even attempt to offer some sort of apology to Mr. Lyons family, it spoke volumes about his character and who he cared about...it was his own hide he was concerned with. His tears were for himself, his motive was about himself and his excuse was LUDICROUS. He, in my opinion, got away with murder. The length of his prison sentence was insulting.

His recorded confession. That fake crying and bullshit story. He wanted the land that's it.

Why not just call the cops? Rather dragging a dead man to dump him in a hole? Like animal carcass?? He never cried for the dead man family it’s just himself his family? Sad

This is by far the saddest story. Haunted me for days, I can only imagine how his loved ones felt. Even worse justice was not served.🙏

I like how he's concerned with swearing in the courtroom but is actually there for a murder he committed. 🤣😂

What is the purpose of being a juror when all the time you spend listening to the evidence is thrown away. This is happening more often with our crooked judicial system.

He definitely got away with murder. He was not scared for his life. He was ANGRY & decided to show a “DEFENSELESS MAN” that he did have the balls to shoot. Every tear he shed was for himself & HIS OWN FAMILY. Another fail for our warped justice system. RIP Tom Lyons

This is so sad you killed a man because of your ego and walked away with a slap On the wrist??? Prayers to Tom’s family, he showed no remorse he didn’t even apologize to the Lyons family

His poor wife! I am so sad for her but I love her statement to him. She's absolutely right, he shot him from his truck window. It absolutely was premeditated, he knew were the was a hole to HIDE him in!!!!!! It's BS that he got such a short sentence!! That poor woman, I hope he gets what's coming to him. Hopefully the widow can go after his wealth for a civil suit.

Very rarely and I mean rarely do you have a case of self-defense and somebody hides the body like that give me a break

It should be like this in other places too, if someone goes missing you go look for them damn it.

This sounds like road rage but now that he’s on the stand, he’s pulling the classic “I was scared” routine🙄🙄🙄 Side note, if it was truly self defense, why cover it up and get rid of the murder weapon!?? 🤔🤔🤔

Love this series!! Clicked right away

Privilege at its finest that he would even utter a self-defense claim AND take the stand to bolster his lies. Deserving of prison.

That wasn't self defense. That was flat out murder.

Nice self defense shot. Right between the eyes. Seems unlikely

That podcaster adds a lot to the story: "You can tell there are so many emotions going through his head. He's scared. He's frightened." Thank you for that distinction.

@ 25:17 Here he said Tom stepped back a bit. He didn’t lunge at him, he stepped back away. There it is right there. Tom had a lease and the prick turned off the water for his cattle. @ 28:56 He came around the back of the pickup and Tom stepped back away.

I looove this series, keep them coming

I love how this liar is coming up with all these curse words Tom supposedly said to him. Really trying to dramatize the situation and of course, the good ole “ I was in fear for my life “. I tell u this, if someone is egging me on, on the street, looking for a fight, and I can drive my ass outta that situation, I’d drive away. That’s what I would do if I was in fear for my life. I wouldn’t get out of my car, confront the person, then escalate the situation by walking over to the passenger side of my car and get a gun, in his words“ to neutralize the situation”. Complete horses#$t! And IF I escalated as such and killed a person, that is still not self defense because I had another choice. Taking a life should only occur if absolutely necessary to spare yours. That is self defense

This happened in the small town my Dad was raised in. I still don’t believe it happened, it’s shocking. The reason was ridiculous. I feel horrible for the victims family. He didn’t deserve to die.

Wow I agreed with the first judgement, can’t understand or agree with the second. If he had of called 911 after the shot I could understand self defence but to drag body to the well, to hide the weapon & burn clothes that suggests something different from self defence. RIP Tom 🙏

This is a great true crime series. It's done so different than all others. Thx. A great find!

Rodney was definitely looking for a confrontation....he kept doing all he could to aggravate the situation...he got away with murder....but I doubt if the fact he murdered an unarmed man will bother him at all...if he had truly been in fear of his life he would have driven away...in almost any other county he would have been found guilty of murder...

Putting a neighbour you just murdered head first into a well is a sign of utter contempt. He was the aggressor from the outset. No thought for the animals suffering. No thought to wait for the lease to end. No thought for a husband, father and a hard working farmer. Nasty piece of work.

A man that age should know, you don't fight with guns you fist fight. He most certainly got away with murder. Great video well done and good luck 👍 👏

I’ve only been to court twice, but when I realized people lie under oath, I was truly shocked. I was sure the woman with the scales would rap me upside the head if I lied. I was so, so naïve.🙈

Watching him on the stand.. Totally fake crocodile tears

That was absolute murder.If it was in self defense, he could have shot him on the leg to incapacitate him.

Move it to Iowa and you can get away with murder. If he wasn’t carrying a gun, why he shot him? He wasn’t intimidated, he is a coward. If the guy was a bully, you don’t just shoot them, c’mon.

His account on the night is what happened... If it was self defense ANYONE would've mentioned it in the first conversation with police, stress or not, he explained what happened pretty damn good and not only did he not mention self defense but clearly stated that the victim was defenseless. Stress make him throw that tidbit in there?

He’s been out since ‘08. The law is an ass. Tom’s widow sued for $5.6 million in civil court.

I was personally offended that Rodney had the gall to thank those who prayed for him and give them God's blessing for doing so when he couldn't even express an ounce of remorse to the widow of the man he killed/murdered. He gives Christianity a real bad name.

I love this ME I watched him on another trial and he talks in terms a lay person can understand. I have 20 years in the medical field and would love to work with this guy.

If you’re afraid of someone or what they will do, you don’t turn your back to them at any point. You keep them in your sight so you can see what they’re doing and if they’re going to attack you. It’s basic instinct to keep yourself alive.

Rodney is trying his best to remember the made up story he told police. Remember this guy is a go getter, a shrewd business man and really tuff. He is used to getting what he goes for no matter the cost. Only here, the sticks and stones didn’t break is bones, but the words certainly did. He has only himself to blame, and the very fact he covered it up instead of calling an ambulance just shows his true nature. And for someone who said he didn’t know how to really shoot, his shot to Tom right between the eyes was certainly a well played shot to kill, just like shooting a deer! I’m sure his family and friends under oath would say he was an excellent shooter and hunter……

He wanted to degrade him after he killed him. That’s why he drugged his body like that. Made him unrecognizeable

Thanks for sharing, Tamron.

The defense attorney was a complete IDIOT for putting this guy on the stand. He sat up there and dug his own grave with every word he said.

This wasn't self defense. This was EGO

This is truly sad I'm glad she sued him but that's not enough for the loss of her husband

That’s BS! 8 years 😡

First of all Rodney’s story is not self defense. If someone challenges you to a fight and you can easily turn your car and drive off, but instead you proceed to fight, then up the ante and pull out a gun and shoot the other person, that is not the definition of self defense. He said the victim pretty much dared him to shoot and he did….what??! Men have a way of escalating issues, then killing the person, acting as if that was their only recourse, BS! He had motive. And those alligator tears to the police, were only for himself and were not because of remorse or regret. Cut the s#$t!

We say in the Caribbean "its not what you know it's who". This man missed a warm plate of food and had a search party in 3 hours , another human is missing for a day, missed collecting their children, missed work, a victim of domestic violence and nothing is done. The reason this earth will come to an end,1) life is hard, 2) fairness is not equal.

He got away with murder imo.

There is always a chance to walk away. I suffered a miscarriage, after recuperating at my Sister's home; I can home and walked in to find another woman in my bed in her lingerie. The room turned red.....red mist. My instant thought was to attack my then-husband by going downstairs to get a weapon. I just said to myself it's done. No one world have faulted me, but I realised there was nothing to fight for, I proceeded with the divorce. There is always a choice. If I had attended him and he had been injured I would have spent the rest of my life wishing I could take it back. I decided not to act and to keep my dignity and to keep a grip of myself.

I lived in a small town in Iowa. Farmers are a stubborn bunch. You have to be to farm. This doesn’t surprise me at all. All the farmers I knew were judgmental and short-tempered and once they made up their mind there was no reasoning with them.

Sometimes being a Bully has deadly consequences

Great show ! Tamron Hall is so classy! Dressed to the Ts

Still need this episode to be uploaded more frequently.

Glad she got him where it really hurts...his pockets!

Tam is just the best.

Bruh this judge is looking like here we go again with this bullshit , his facial expressions has me dying 🤣🤣🤣

Great job Tam Tam. Love you girl! 💗

Even Rodney Hemstras wife looking at her reactions in Court doesn’t seem to believe him🤷🏽‍♀️

So after he shot lyon in the face he dragged him with a rope using his truck while drink Coors wow. 😳

Haven’t watched the ending yet but it’s not self defense that’s for sure

Indeed. There are NEVER any "winners" in these circumstances.

It wasn’t self defense at all. You can hear him lying over and over. What a nut. If it was self defense he wouldn’t have needed a reason to lie initially and then disparage the victim. Rodney is disgusting.

That guy provoked him. At least his Not a Coward ! He confess 😳 God will have mercy 🥺 on him.. most peeps don't admit to their horrible situation.

Thank you

These thugs need to b held accountable

His testimony was totally unbelievable.

Rodney Hemstra was not a good little Dutch boy 😕. I live in Iowa & remember this murder. He came across as phoney and 'sorry' for getting caught. Otherwise, he would have contacted authorities right after he "defended" himself. He did not. In fact, he lied to the officer when asked.

Love this series 🖒

You gotta be kidding me! You kill somebody, drag them with your truck AND, try to hide the body and get 10 years?!

2003- Iowa- A 53 year old farmer, named Tom Lyon was missing for four hours and his pickup truck was found and the sherif was informed and a search party was formed to find the missing farmer. Tom’s body was formed in a large well like hole in a land leased by a man named Rodney Heemstra and there was bad blood between the two men.

People are saying why not call the cops after shooting him,I say why in hods name did he shoot him to start with? ?He said himself that the man was defenseless, he was no threat to this man's life,this was straight up murder in my opinion.

he dragged the victim behind his car for a mile-- that says it all

Cut the supply of water, because you can? That's mean, plain evil.

Love this series

Shameful, every bit of his testimony was hearsay. GUILTY!!

I like this one with a twist at the end.

The widow of Tom made a very powerful victim impact statement. She knows Heemstra, and probably got it deadright, that he was a coldblooded murderer. Anyway, Heemstra must be a shadow of himself, creeping around town, with people scared of him, and having no friends. Unless he moved far away, he can't exactly have a happy life, and even then the nightmares will forever haunt him, and the shame of having lied infront of the whole town, and everybody now knowing that he's nothing but a lousy liar, and a killer.

Why don’t more defendants make use of their own God-given right to remain SILENT? People please, you have no obligation whatsoever to sing like a canary to police.

The host's fashion choices are so often WOW. Maybe it's because I haven't watched TV or entertainment for years, but she often surprises me with how unusual and gorgeous her clothing is. So stylish and distinct!

Most of the time defense lawyers make me so mad. Why try to defend a murderer? He’s guilty full stop

He didn't get away with murder; he'll answer to his Maker!

This was my great uncle and when it happened all I heard about was how good of a guy Tom was

I seriously question our legal system. The jury decided he was guilty so the law was changed to lessen the penalty of a murderer.

I wonder if Mrs. Lyon will see any of the money awarded her. I hope at least for the sake of the family,that the killer will have to sell some of his land or hand it over to her.

I knew when Heamsta confessed on the night of the murder that he would be coached by his lawyers, and change his story to self-defense. Pretty predictable.

“Gosh darn it! Oh, dang - I’m sorry for my language, your honor.”

No self respecting farmer cuts off the water for the stock. Just like no decent man drags a human being behind a truck. Those actions alone are spineless, but shooting an unarmed man is outright cowardice.

I thought the failure of Rodney Steemsra to respect and honour Tom Lyon's legal right to graze his cattle on that piece of land until the following March and the spiteful and petty way he shut off the water supply to that land was unreasonable and unjust and a nasty act of deliberate sabotage. Tom was allowed to be upset and offended. He did not deserve to be slaughtered like the rabbits Rodney had previously shot and apparently knew on sight were dead. Did no-one teach him about checking for faint signs of life and CPR and dialling 911. That might have been at least some sign of remorse. Instead, he disposed of Tom's body in a contemptible way that must have been unbelievably distressing to his widow and family and then set about disposing of all the other evidence of his crime in a cold and heartless manner. The only person Rodney was sorry for was himself. I think he should should have had a much longer sentence.

It’s super sad to hear him feel that remorse but it’s nice to hear someone take accountability for their actions

The flipping lawyer could only come up with self defense when it's obvious that this jerk who murdered a defenseless man should be totally accountable! R.I.P to the defenseless man & rot in hadeas to the MURDERER! Talk about snapped, this murderer shot out of pure hate & pure evil, right between the 👀 's

Premeditation can occur seconds before a murder.He grabbed his gun ,not to scare him but to shoot him.His on statement of "He backed away" proves he was not in immediate danger and abuse of a corpse should have been added.There is no justice here and this killer is free to enjoy many holidays with his family

They denigrate the victim, yet Tom didn't pull a gun on Rodney! This was murder in a moment of extreme anger.

He also said Tom was backing away. Self defense? Never.

He murdered Tom. Period.

Being shoved around is taunting, but then the words "You don't have the balls to pull the trigger" could induce most men to do such an act ... murder in affect!