A Family Battles to Prove Their Son Died an American Hero in 48 HOURS: SPIES, LIES & SECRETS

By: Aug. 28, 2014
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Peter Van Sant and 48 Hours return to a family's quest to prove their son was murdered and did not commit suicide as officials in Singapore say, and they're determined to clear his name in an updated edition of "Spies, Lies & Secrets," to be rebroadcast Saturday, August 30 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Despite an investigation suggesting that Shane Todd was depressed and he killed himself in Singapore, his family maintains he was murdered because he refused to share high-tech secrets that could harm the United States. The family also alleges official wrongdoing with the investigation, which included key evidence being destroyed that may have led to a killer.

"After Shane's death, we've been thrown into a spy movie, an intriguing espionage story that would be fascinating if it wasn't about us," Shane Todd's mother, Mary Todd, told 48 HOURS. She has also written a book titled Hard Drive: A Family's Fight Against Three Countries, presenting the family's struggle to learn the truth.

In June 2012, Shane Todd, 31, then a research engineer at the Institute of Microelectronics, was found dead in his Singapore apartment. Police say he hanged himself on the bathroom door. Todd's parents believe he was killed because he was unwilling to go along with a plan to share cutting-edge American technology with China.

Singapore police said they found five typed suicide notes in his laptop. His family said they were not written by Shane Todd. Moreover, when Mary Todd visited Shane's apartment within days of the supposed suicide, she said the scene was nothing like that described by a Singapore detective. Instead, the Todds found the belongings of a man looking to head back to America.

The family argues the investigation was bungled. They wanted the noose and towel found around his neck returned for further investigation. However, in July 2014 the family was told that evidence, which contained DNA of unknown persons, was destroyed by police.

Will the family ever get the answers they seek? 48 HOURS: "Spies, Lies & Secrets" is produced by Paul LaRosa, Allen Alter and Ryan Smith. Linda Martin is the update producer. Suzanne Allen is the senior coordinating producer. Al Briganti is the executive editor. Susan Zirinsky is the senior executive producer.

Chat with members of the 48 Hours team during each broadcast on Twitter and Facebook.



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