Intended victim speaks out after triple murder

CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY, MO - John Lawrence, the intended murder victim in the triple murders in Cape Girardeau, broke his silence for the first time on Thursday. The same day police released information about a third arrest in the brutal murders of Lawrence's girlfriend, her son, and their unborn child.
Prosecutors filed three counts of second-degree murder against 25-year-old Samuel Ray Hughes, known as Ray-Ray.
Hughes is accused of going with shooting suspect Ryan Patterson to the Lawrence home oat 1224 North Missouri Avenue early Tuesday morning.
Court documents show Hughes admits to acting as a lookout, but claims he didn't know about a murder plan.
Hughes also faces a single count of felony burglary.
In the meantime, John Lawrence says he's just trying to take it one day at a time. That's quite a change for the man who says he had his future planned out and was looking forward to spending it with his loved ones. Now he says he has a million questions he wants answered.
When Lawrence moved into his house five years ago, he says getting an insurance policy on his home seemed like a normal thing to do.
"I got it to protect my family in case something happened," he said. "I never would have thought it would have come to this."
Court papers allege the combined $350,000 home and life insurance policies proved to be key pieces of the puzzle in the triple murder.
According to court documents, John's estranged wife, Michelle Lawrence admitted she and her boyfriend, Ryan Patterson had been talking about killing John for over a week so she could collect the insurance money.
But John says Michelle knew he was at work that night, because he spoke to his daughter at her mother's apartment the night before the shootings.
"I talked to my children at 10 o'clock on Monday night and Michelle was there. I don't know why if the plan was to get me, why did they go in my house knowing I was not there and she knew Jamie's boys were there. She knew it."
Lawrence showed up to watch the arraignment on Thursday.
He watched silently as Ryan Patterson joked around with another inmate as he waited to appear in front of the judge.
He kept on watching as his soon-to-be-ex stalked in and out with her arms folded in front of her chest.
Lawrence remembers talking to Michelle the day of the murders.
"Brianna called me and said 'Dad why is the house on the news?' I told her let me talk to your mom. She gave the phone to Michelle, and I don't know if Michelle started crying because she heard my voice or if she started crying because I told her Jamie and Derrick were both deceased but she was emotional."
The words John Lawrence says he will never forget are the ones he spoke to his fiancee the night before she was shot to death in her bed.
"I said 'I love you baby and I'll see you in the morning.'"
John Lawrence says his marriage to Michelle lasted 18 years, but now he feels like he never really knew her.
He also hopes after hearing his story, people give him and his family some privacy and leave them to try and come to terms with their loss.
Final arragements for the three victims will be held this weekend.
Visitation for Jamie and Derrick Orman and Joseph Lawrence (the unborn baby) will be held Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Miller Family Funeral Home in Perryville.
A funeral will be held Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Miller Family Funeral as well.