Convicted Murderer of Ex-Bear's Girlfriend Breaks Silence

DEERFIELD, IL — It has been nearly 13 years since Rhoni Reuter was shot and killed outside her Deerfield home, along with her unborn baby. Marni Yang, the woman convicted of first-degree murder for the crime in 2011, has maintained her innocence. Yang, who is serving two life sentences, will break her silence in her first television interview tonight on ABC's "20/20" (airing 8-10 p.m. on ABC7 locally).

Reuter was the girlfriend of former Chicago Bears player Shaun Gayle at the time of her death.

In April, Yang's lawyer, Jed Stone, filed a clemency petition for his client over coronavirus concerns, asking for her release. The petition, which maintains Yang's innocence, is scheduled to be heard in July. According to the petition, Yang has asthma, Type 2 diabetes and a compromised immune system.

Yang, a single mother of three children, had been romantically involved with Gayle at the time of the murders. For tonight's interview, "Nightline” anchor Juju Chang sat down with Yang who claims she made up a false confession and was wrongly convicted.

According to a press release from "20/20," Yang opens up about what she says was the motivation behind her false confession as well as her current petition for a new trial. The program also features the first national network interview with Yang’s children, Andrew, Emily and Brandon Yang. They discuss the terror they felt as police searched their home, questioned them and allegedly coerced them into making false statements, an allegation the prosecution denies.

The two-hour program reports on what Yang’s team sees as new evidence that questions if the right person is in prison and includes interviews with Stone and forensic reconstruction experts who firmly believe in Yang’s innocence.

https://abcnews.go.com/2020/video/marni-yang-confession-rhoni-reuters-murder-lie-70579830