Dateline: Unforgettable: Where is Tori Vienneau's murderer Dennis Potts now? 

Dennis Potts
Where is Dennis Potts now? (Image via Pexels/@Isabella Mendes)

The 2006 double murder of Tori Vienneau and her 10-month-old son, Dean Springstube, at the hands of the biological father, Dennis Potts, made its way to the headlines of national newspapers.

Potts had reportedly strangled both mother and son over child support and pressure to take a court-ordered paternity test to prove any blood relation to the child, per CBS8 News.

Dennis and Tori had been pursuing a s*xual relationship in 2004, despite her dating Neil Springstube. While Neil left Tori over the affair, she struggled to support Dean.

The investigators accumulated cell phone records, a positive DNA test, and a corrupt alibi to convict Dennis of the crimes. He was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences with no possibility of parole and is incarcerated at the California State Prison.

The Dateline: Unforgettable episode Complicated showcases the cold-blooded murder of Tori Vienneau and her son, Dean Springtube, as it airs on Feb. 29, 2024, at 8 p.m. EST on Oxygen. The synopsis reads:

"When Josh Mankiewicz gets asked about his most memorable stories, the name Dayna Herroz comes to mind. After her daughter and 10-month-old grandson were murdered, her quest for justice ends with a twist in a San Diego Courtroom."

Why was Dennis Potts arrested? Details explored

Dennis Potts and Tori Vienneau had dated briefly in their senior year in high school and had pursued a physical relationship while Tori had been dating Neil Springstube.

As Neil left Tori over the illicit affair, she was left to fend for her son by herself and thereafter moved into the Southcrest home of her friend, Autumn Castellones.

Tori informed Dennis Potts about their child and convinced him to take a paternity test to prove that he was Dean's biological father. However, she suspected him of meddling with test results and wanted to talk to him about a court-ordered paternity test.

Tori was scheduled to meet Dennis on July 26, 2006, according to her friend, Tara Cardoso's statement.

Both Tori and her son, Dean Springstube, were found strangled to death the same day by Autumn's sister Tricia Castellones. The cord from a hair-straightening iron was wrapped tightly around Tori's neck - deep enough to cut through the skin.

Meanwhile, a phone charging cord was tied around Dean's neck and fastened to his playpen's rail. Additionally, Tori Vienneau suffered from internal bleeding owing to blunt force trauma to her left ear and front of the head, per court documents.

The detectives found no evidence of struggle or forced entry. The crime scene was reportedly staged to make the incident look like s*xual assault and a double homicide, per CBS8 News.


Where is Dennis Potts now?

The investigators found out about Tori and Dennis's affair and learned about the negative paternity tests. Dennis was interviewed on July 27 wherein he denied having dinner plans with her for the night.

He claimed to have been with a friend, Maxwell Corn, till 8 p.m. local time before he returned home.

The investigators confirmed Dennis Potts to be Dean Springstube's biological father with his DNA sample and failed to corroborate his alibi as his cellphone pinged to a tower near the Southcrest residence of the Castellones, per court documents.

Furthermore, forensics found searches such as “getting out of child support,” “performing a chokehold,” and “getting away with murder” on his computer. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of obstruction to justice.

Dennis Potts was sentenced to life without parole and is presently incarcerated at the California State Prison, Corcoran.

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Edited by Kanav Seth
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