>> Remember, you can watch our Carruth special programming anytime at home on Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV.
In some way, Van Brett Watkins saved Rae Carruth's life -- his testimony made him the bad guy in the situation instead of Carruth.
Reporter Glenn Counts covered the trial and has been writing with Watkins for several weeks.
LINK: Special WSOC-TV Rae Carruth Section
In his letters, Channel 9 learned about the anger he still holds for Rae Carruth.
"I detest liars," Watkins wrote. "Liars are destined for hell fires."
Watkins, now 44 years old, has at least another 20 or 30 years before he could ever have the chance to face Rae Carruth as a free man again.
Watch the video above as reporter Glenn Counts breaks down Van Brett Watkin's letters to Counts and the last time Watkins spoke to Channel 9 in 2003, where he mentioned the one thing he wished he could change.
Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/CPEHEMYETVGMXPGPMRCU32QFJM.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/SSADAFRW7JEYJMTUK5GOCB4AJE.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/SANODGXKIRDXBIFTOFJNLP4BHA.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/3D4J6ELIUBEYPCHFZDZ7NVIZGM.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/WJVERMTCKFHFPBF2LNONHSDB4M.jpg)