In Toms River, New Jersey, the Marshalls — Rob (Urich) and Maria (Kerns), and their three sons, 18-year-old Roby (David Barry Gray), 17-year-old Chris (Jay Underwood) and 12-year-old John (Johnny Galecki) — are a seemingly happy family living the American Dream.

When the police commence their investigation, however, they discover unsettling truths about the Marshalls: Rob has secretly accumulated an enormous debt and secured a second mortgage of $100,000 in Maria's name, and is having an affair with a married neighbor, Felice Richmond (Robin Strasser).

But they begin to notice that he does not seem to be in mourning over Maria's death, and Rob's best friend Sal (Joe Spano) is angry that he is more interested in building a future with Felice.

Meanwhile, the police have expanded their list of suspects to include Andrew Meyers (Jake Dengel), a Louisiana shop clerk who had contact with Rob concerning his financial problems, and Arnie Eggers, a rumored hitman.

The police find an audiotape Rob recorded shortly before his suicide attempt in which he talks about L'Hereux, who in turn claims that Ricky Dunlap (David Andrews) was the man hired to murder Maria.

The entire blame goes to Rob, disparaged by prosecuting attorney Kelly (Dennis Farina) as "a legend in his own mind" whom he considers many times worse than Dunlap, even if he was not the one who performed the actual murder.

The narration reveals that, as of 1990, Rob is on death row waiting for appeal; Roby finished college; Chris became a varsity swim coach; and John, who married at age 17, never stopped believing in his father's innocence.