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[music playing]
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ANNOUNCER: This program is
about unsolved mysteries.
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Whenever possible, the
actual family members
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and police officials
have participated
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in recreating the events.
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What you are about to see
is not a news broadcast.
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[music playing]
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NARRATOR: 11:00
AM, May 11, 1987.
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The police were called
to a deserted service
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station near Pontiac, Michigan.
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They force the office door open
and discovered an empty safe.
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Two people are missing.
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Elmer DeBoer, the
service station courier
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who was carrying $10,000.
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And Missy Munday,
the Assistant Manager
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who was just 16 years old.
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[music playing]
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[birds chirping]
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MALE: Where?
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This way?
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[leaves rustling]
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MALE: --to the car--
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MALE: All right, all right.
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MALE: Right there.
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Hold it, Elmer.
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[gunshots]
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NARRATOR: The following
day, the police found a body
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of 38-year-old Elmer DeBoer.
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He had been handcuffed and shot
twice in the back of the head.
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The police called it a
cold blooded execution.
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And wondered what connection
this pretty teenage girl could
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have had with a brutal slaying.
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What happened to Missy Munday
is a bizarre story of love
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and violence in rural America.
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No one has heard from
Missy since last May,
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the day of the killing.
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The police and her parents
need to talk to her.
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Perhaps someone in our audience
tonight has seen Missy.
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Perhaps Missy
herself is watching.
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In the next hour we'll tell
you her story, and three
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other unsolved
mysteries, all needing
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one last piece of information
before they can be solved.
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Join me.
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You may be able to
help solve a mystery.
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[unsolved mysteries theme music]
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[unsolved mysteries theme music]
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HOST: Elmer DeBoer was
killed on May 11, 1987
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and his body left in the woods
outside Pontiac, Michigan.
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The mystery of who
killed Elmer and why
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is a story of the
fatal attraction
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between an innocent 15-year-old
school girl and a criminal
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who had served time
for assault and rape.
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According to the police,
their ill fated love
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affair eventually
ended in a robbery,
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kidnapping, and murder.
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NARRATOR: The mystery
of Melissa Munday
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begins in 1985 in the small
Maryland town of Hancock.
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Melissa was known as
Missy to her friends
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and attended the
local high school.
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She was an honor student and a
member of the Future Homemakers
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of America.
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HARLAN KERNS: Missy's
academic records
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show that she was in probably
the top 10% of her class.
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She enjoyed what she was doing.
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She got along well.
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And if I could have
gauged it, I will
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have gauged it that
everything was satisfactory.
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Because that's the way she
seemed to be here school.
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Missy was a very shy person.
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She either go to her basketball
games or choir practice
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or maybe go to ballgames.
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But we always knew
where she was that.
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When she got done,
she'd call us.
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We'd go pick her up and
bring her back home.
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NARRATOR: In 1985, a
stranger arrived in the area.
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His name was Jerry
Strickland and he
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said he was looking
for a property
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to convert into an orphanage.
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He called on Missy's family
asking about the ownership
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of a nearby house.
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[knocking]
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MALE: Hi, how are you today?
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FEMALE: When I first met Jerry,
I thought, well, you know,
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he's a smooth talker.
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I mean, it was his actions.
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The way he talked.
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He was so demanding.
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I didn't care for his attitude.
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NARRATOR: Missy was
intrigued by Jerry.
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This first glimpse
was the beginning
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of a relationship that was
to change her life forever.
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SUSIE WALLS: She
really liked him a lot.
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Every time he came out
he brought her a gift.
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And he gave her a
lot of attention
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that she didn't get at home.
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She went out with him in the
evening after her mom got home
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and she said that
she got home late.
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But her mom didn't know who she
was with and she lied to her.
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Told her she was with a friend.
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[music playing]
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NARRATOR: Missy sneaked
out of her house
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regularly to see Jerry.
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He told her he had a
tragic past and said
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his first wife
and child had died
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in a terrible car accident.
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Missy was swept off
her feet by Jerry.
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PHYLLIS MUNDAY:
She had boy crushes
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at school, you know, like
childhood sweetheart,
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stuff like that.
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But as far as going
out with a boy,
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she never said anything
to me about it.
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She never paid that much
of an interest in them.
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That's what I don't understand
about this and Jerry.
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MALE: I got something for you.
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FEMALE: Oh, it's beautiful.
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MALE: You like it?
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FEMALE: Yeah.
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PHYLLIS MUNDAY: She had bought a
ring, she said, for a souvenir.
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I come to find out later,
Jerry had gave her the ring.
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And I took her at her
word because Missy never
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did lie to me.
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That's why I never dreamt
what's going to happen next.
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FEMALE: Bye, mom.
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The bus is here.
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NARRATOR: On the morning
of April 17, 1986,
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Missy left home to catch
the school bus as usual.
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PHYLLIS MUNDAY: I
never forget that day.
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It was on Thursday.
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She said, I'm going
to school now.
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I'll see you this evening.
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I said, all right.
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That was it.
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That was the last
words she spoke to me.
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NARRATOR: In fact, she got in
Jerry's car and left the state.
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PHYLLIS MUNDAY: I
didn't believe it.
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Missy wasn't that
kind of a person.
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Because I know Missy.
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I raised her.
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It was just a big change in
that one day when she just left.
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[music playing]
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NARRATOR: Even as
Missy was driving away
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from her home and her family,
she still didn't know the truth
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about Jerry Strickland.
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His first wife and child had
not been killed in a car wreck.
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They were still alive.
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He had been passing bad
checks around Hancock
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and he had a prison record.
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He had been convicted
of malicious assault.
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He had raped his
sister-in-law, cut her throat,
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and left her for dead.
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This unlikely couple
settled in Springfield,
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Michigan, just outside Detroit.
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Even though Missy gave
birth to a son, Jamie,
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she never told her family
where she was living.
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SHERI NIX: She told me that
she was very unhappy at home.
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And that she didn't care about
anybody at home but her older
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brother and her grandfather.
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And that that's why
she was with Jerry
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was because he took
her away from home.
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MALE: Look, I'm
working, all right?
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SHERI NIX: I had
never seen them kiss.
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Never held hands.
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I never seen them touch at all.
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I thought that was so strange.
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I remember asking
her about it once.
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And she said that he
wasn't very affectionate.
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NARRATOR: To help
make ends meet,
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Missy took a job as Assistant
Manager at a gas station.
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There she met Elmer DeBoer, a
courier for the oil company.
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He picked up the cash receipts
from the local gas stations.
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Missy and Elmer
became close friends.
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MALE: How's Jer?
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FEMALE: Oh, he's kind
of distant lately.
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SHERI NIX: He understood that
she was going through a really
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rough time being
married to this guy
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and they didn't have
anything for the baby
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and stuff like that.
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He was a very understanding man.
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Very loving.
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NARRATOR: On the
morning of May 11, 1987,
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Elmer DeBoer came by,
as usual, to pick up
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the cash from the station
where Missy worked.
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He was near the
end of his route.
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One hour later, customers
find the station deserted.
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[car horn]
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NARRATOR: When the
police arrived,
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they found Elmer's car
in the parking lot.
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The office was locked.
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DET/SGT DONALD G. BAILEY:
We checked the interior
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of the station and found
that there was nobody inside,
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but the safe had been opened.
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And there was in excess
of $10,000 stolen.
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MALE: It looks like
there's just nothing
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but change in here, David.
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DET/SGT DONALD G. BAILEY:
Melissa new Elmer's routine
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because of her position
as assistant manager
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to that particular station.
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She knew when he was going
to pick up and where.
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NARRATOR: The police
have developed the theory
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of what happened that morning.
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They believe that
Jerry planned the crime
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and was waiting with
Melissa for Elmer.
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When Elmer opened the safe,
Gary Jerry made his move.
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MALE: Don't move, Elmer.
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Don't move!
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All right.
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All right.
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MALE: Put your arms up.
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Put them up.
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Put the cuffs on him, Missy.
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Move, move!
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00:10:02,068 --> 00:10:03,036
Hurry up!
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On yourself, too.
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00:10:03,970 --> 00:10:05,772
Now!
On yourself, too, Missy.
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00:10:05,772 --> 00:10:07,073
Let's go!
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00:10:07,073 --> 00:10:08,975
NARRATOR: The police think
that Jerry hand-cuffed Missy
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and Elmer together to
convince Elmer that Missy
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was also a hold up victim.
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00:10:13,580 --> 00:10:14,848
And that her life was in danger.
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DET/SGT DONALD G.
BAILEY: We feel
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that Elmer was
handcuffed to Missy,
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on the pretext that she
was going to be hurt.
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And Elmer went along with it.
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Reluctantly, but
to protect Melissa.
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MALE: Now what's going to happen
is I'm taking Missy with me.
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00:10:39,005 --> 00:10:40,607
You're just going to
wait here, all right?
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00:10:40,607 --> 00:10:42,108
So I want you to sit
down here and just wait.
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DET/SGT DONALD G. BAILEY: Then
he unlocked the hand-cuffs
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to show Elmer that he wasn't
really going to hurt Melissa,
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but he just wanted the money.
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And then he shot Elmer, twice
in the back of the head.
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[gunshots]
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At first, I couldn't
believe that it
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00:11:02,896 --> 00:11:04,197
could have happened that way.
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00:11:04,197 --> 00:11:06,432
But then, I found out
the rest of the story
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00:11:06,432 --> 00:11:11,104
and how it had happened,
and it was unbelievable.
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It was something that you'd
never expect out of Melissa.
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MALE: Well, what do you think?
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You want to take her home?
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NARRATOR: The morning
after the murder,
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Jerry and Missy were seen in
Pontiac buying a blue pickup
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00:11:22,916 --> 00:11:25,518
truck with cash in small bills.
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00:11:25,518 --> 00:11:26,419
MALE: 24.
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00:11:26,419 --> 00:11:27,320
MALE: Thanks a lot.
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00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:28,454
Yeah, I appreciate it.
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00:11:28,454 --> 00:11:30,890
NARRATOR: While Jerry
went to get insurance,
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00:11:30,890 --> 00:11:33,059
Missy sat with
the truck salesman
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and chatted for over two hours.
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DET/SGT DONALD G. BAILEY: Now
you've got this two and a half
250
00:11:38,898 --> 00:11:42,101
hours that she was alone.
251
00:11:42,101 --> 00:11:45,538
She could have told the
salesmen of Lucky Auto Sales.
252
00:11:45,538 --> 00:11:46,873
She could have
picked the phone up
253
00:11:46,873 --> 00:11:49,742
and called the police herself
to say let me out of this.
254
00:11:49,742 --> 00:11:50,643
I'm in trouble.
255
00:11:50,643 --> 00:11:52,478
I need help.
256
00:11:52,478 --> 00:11:53,446
She's guilty.
257
00:11:53,446 --> 00:11:57,050
She's just as
guilty as he has is.
258
00:11:57,050 --> 00:12:00,486
She had the opportunity
and she didn't do it.
259
00:12:00,486 --> 00:12:02,255
It's unbelievable.
260
00:12:02,255 --> 00:12:05,558
Somebody that sweet could
do something like that.
261
00:12:05,558 --> 00:12:08,728
And it wasn't just me that
thought she was sweet.
262
00:12:08,728 --> 00:12:10,196
Everybody did.
263
00:12:10,196 --> 00:12:14,133
I just don't think from
what I saw of her, that she
264
00:12:14,133 --> 00:12:15,535
could be involved in that.
265
00:12:15,535 --> 00:12:22,108
Again, I guess we change, but
to what I remember of this girl,
266
00:12:22,108 --> 00:12:24,177
I just don't think she
could be part of it.
267
00:12:24,177 --> 00:12:27,146
She's as guilty as Jerry
Strickland is even though she
268
00:12:27,146 --> 00:12:28,181
did not pull the trigger.
269
00:12:28,181 --> 00:12:31,084
She is guilty of
first degree murder.
270
00:12:31,084 --> 00:12:33,186
They obviously aren't
the people that they
271
00:12:33,186 --> 00:12:36,255
made everybody believe.
272
00:12:36,255 --> 00:12:39,092
They're liars.
And phonies.
273
00:12:41,928 --> 00:12:45,131
There wasn't any
reason for him to die.
274
00:12:45,131 --> 00:12:46,733
And they could do
that to somebody
275
00:12:46,733 --> 00:12:49,902
like that, who knows
what they've done
276
00:12:49,902 --> 00:12:50,870
or what they could do now.
277
00:12:55,008 --> 00:12:57,443
DET/SGT DONALD G. BAILEY: We
were fearful that somebody
278
00:12:57,443 --> 00:12:59,679
may get hurt again.
279
00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:02,982
They're dangerous people.
280
00:13:02,982 --> 00:13:06,219
And anybody that comes in
contact with them, better
281
00:13:06,219 --> 00:13:09,656
understand the fact that they
can be very, very dangerous.
282
00:13:12,625 --> 00:13:15,028
PHYLLIS MUNDAY: I never
noticed a change in her.
283
00:13:15,028 --> 00:13:17,497
I didn't notice a split
in her personality.
284
00:13:17,497 --> 00:13:21,034
Unless I didn't want to.
285
00:13:21,034 --> 00:13:23,236
But Missy's gone.
286
00:13:23,236 --> 00:13:25,705
I don't know if I'll ever
see her again or not.
287
00:13:25,705 --> 00:13:27,940
[music playing]
288
00:13:29,909 --> 00:13:32,912
PHYLLIS MUNDAY: When she
left, we found this letter.
289
00:13:32,912 --> 00:13:38,117
And in that letter is stated,
not let nobody put her down.
290
00:13:38,117 --> 00:13:40,386
She wasn't no whore.
291
00:13:40,386 --> 00:13:41,821
She loved us all.
292
00:13:41,821 --> 00:13:44,157
Take care of ourselves.
293
00:13:44,157 --> 00:13:45,024
Signed, Missy.
294
00:13:49,328 --> 00:13:52,665
NARRATOR: Missy
is 5'6" tall, 135
295
00:13:52,665 --> 00:13:56,102
pounds and is now 17 years old.
296
00:13:56,102 --> 00:14:00,573
She's traveling with her
one-year-old baby, Jamie.
297
00:14:00,573 --> 00:14:05,645
Jerry Strickland is 26
years old, 5'11", 250 pounds
298
00:14:05,645 --> 00:14:08,815
and has a scar on his forehead.
299
00:14:08,815 --> 00:14:11,918
I want them both real bad.
300
00:14:11,918 --> 00:14:16,489
They are dangerous people to
any community that they're in.
301
00:14:16,489 --> 00:14:19,459
They will do this again.
302
00:14:19,459 --> 00:14:20,326
NARRATOR: Update.
303
00:14:20,326 --> 00:14:22,161
Moses Lake, Washington.
304
00:14:22,161 --> 00:14:24,931
Within minutes of our
broadcast, 20 viewers
305
00:14:24,931 --> 00:14:26,999
in this small rural
community called
306
00:14:26,999 --> 00:14:29,268
the police to say
they recognized Jerry
307
00:14:29,268 --> 00:14:31,237
Strickland and Missy Munday.
308
00:14:31,237 --> 00:14:34,507
Seven hours later, police
arrested the fugitive couple
309
00:14:34,507 --> 00:14:35,975
at a friend's house.
310
00:14:35,975 --> 00:14:37,744
They discovered that
Jerry and Missy had
311
00:14:37,744 --> 00:14:40,213
themselves watched
the broadcast and were
312
00:14:40,213 --> 00:14:42,048
waiting for the police.
313
00:14:42,048 --> 00:14:45,985
All he says is I'm the
guy you're looking for.
314
00:14:45,985 --> 00:14:51,057
And he was just real
calm and collect.
315
00:14:51,057 --> 00:14:53,126
No violence at all.
316
00:14:53,126 --> 00:14:55,828
I figured the time was about
seven hours and 15 minutes
317
00:14:55,828 --> 00:15:01,134
from the time Unsolved Mysteries
aired and he was in custody.
318
00:15:01,134 --> 00:15:04,103
I just felt sick about it.
319
00:15:04,103 --> 00:15:06,506
NARRATOR: On February
12th, Jerry and Missy
320
00:15:06,506 --> 00:15:08,674
were extradited back
to Michigan to stand
321
00:15:08,674 --> 00:15:12,311
trial for armed robbery,
kidnapping, and murder.
322
00:15:12,311 --> 00:15:15,047
Jerry insists they are innocent.
323
00:15:15,047 --> 00:15:17,116
They got
circumstantial evidence.
324
00:15:17,116 --> 00:15:18,918
All hearsay.
325
00:15:18,918 --> 00:15:25,591
If people talking, but no
witnesses-- I mean, OK.
326
00:15:25,591 --> 00:15:27,994
That's why I say
they're going to learn
327
00:15:27,994 --> 00:15:29,729
that we didn't do this.
328
00:15:29,729 --> 00:15:32,865
We have enough evidence,
circumstantial evidence
329
00:15:32,865 --> 00:15:37,036
and physical evidence,
that we feel he's guilty.
330
00:15:37,036 --> 00:15:39,205
All they want is a
conviction and they don't
331
00:15:39,205 --> 00:15:42,074
care if they burn me or not.
332
00:15:42,074 --> 00:15:45,244
Thanks to our viewers, Jerry
Strickland and Missy Munday
333
00:15:45,244 --> 00:15:47,613
will have their day in court.
334
00:15:47,613 --> 00:15:49,849
They're being tried
separately and if convicted,
335
00:15:49,849 --> 00:15:53,052
could face life imprisonment,
without the possibility
336
00:15:53,052 --> 00:15:55,188
of parole.
337
00:15:55,188 --> 00:15:57,590
[music playing]
338
00:16:14,173 --> 00:16:16,342
In a moment,
the story of a man
339
00:16:16,342 --> 00:16:20,012
who was serving a life sentence
for robbing a gas station.
340
00:16:20,012 --> 00:16:22,782
Five eyewitnesses
claim he is innocent.
341
00:16:26,819 --> 00:16:29,689
[unsolved mysteries theme music]
342
00:16:39,198 --> 00:16:42,602
NARRATOR: July 14,
1979, the Dallas
343
00:16:42,602 --> 00:16:44,871
suburb of Garland, Texas.
344
00:16:44,871 --> 00:16:48,174
At 7:00 PM, a man entered
a gas station office
345
00:16:48,174 --> 00:16:50,710
and drew a gun on
Doyle, the attendant,
346
00:16:50,710 --> 00:16:51,978
who was closing up for the day.
347
00:16:56,115 --> 00:16:57,583
DOYLE: When he first
come in the door
348
00:16:57,583 --> 00:16:59,518
and he was shaking
the gun at me.
349
00:16:59,518 --> 00:17:03,055
Telling me he'd kill
me, damn he'd kill me.
350
00:17:03,055 --> 00:17:05,124
Then I realized it
was all for real.
351
00:17:08,928 --> 00:17:10,963
NARRATOR: The incident
took 10 minutes
352
00:17:10,963 --> 00:17:14,032
but Doyle's key eyewitness
testimony would eventually
353
00:17:14,032 --> 00:17:15,600
put a man in prison for life.
354
00:17:18,537 --> 00:17:21,207
DOYLE: I don't think that you
ever really get over something
355
00:17:21,207 --> 00:17:23,175
like that, that happens to you.
356
00:17:23,175 --> 00:17:26,378
And if you had a .45
stuck in your face
357
00:17:26,378 --> 00:17:29,949
and somebody was telling you
they was going to kill you,
358
00:17:29,949 --> 00:17:32,318
it's something that sticks
with you the rest of your life.
359
00:17:32,318 --> 00:17:34,453
And you never forget
the person that does it.
360
00:17:37,557 --> 00:17:40,259
NARRATOR: Doyle identified
his attacker as Michael Scott
361
00:17:40,259 --> 00:17:44,297
Martin, a 26-year-old welder.
362
00:17:44,297 --> 00:17:46,599
Five other witnesses,
however, swore
363
00:17:46,599 --> 00:17:48,434
that Michael Scott
Martin could not
364
00:17:48,434 --> 00:17:50,503
have robbed the gas station.
365
00:17:50,503 --> 00:17:56,275
They claim he spent the whole
day at his home, 70 miles away.
366
00:17:56,275 --> 00:17:58,244
I mean, this is ridiculous.
367
00:17:58,244 --> 00:18:02,348
I'm at my house in Fort
Worth working on a motorcycle
368
00:18:02,348 --> 00:18:05,184
and they're saying I'm robbing
a gas station in Garland.
369
00:18:05,184 --> 00:18:09,055
And I've never robbed anything
in my life and I never will.
370
00:18:09,055 --> 00:18:10,256
Michael Martin?
371
00:18:10,256 --> 00:18:11,557
Detective Dennis Wheatley.
372
00:18:11,557 --> 00:18:14,126
NARRATOR: Michel Martin
was arrested, tried,
373
00:18:14,126 --> 00:18:15,928
and convicted of armed robbery.
374
00:18:15,928 --> 00:18:18,197
I need you to place
your hands on that for me.
375
00:18:18,197 --> 00:18:20,099
NARRATOR: Because of
a previous arrest,
376
00:18:20,099 --> 00:18:21,767
he was sentenced to
life imprisonment
377
00:18:21,767 --> 00:18:27,306
with no possibility
of parole until 1999.
378
00:18:27,306 --> 00:18:29,909
Martin has already
served eight years
379
00:18:29,909 --> 00:18:32,478
and still maintains
he's innocent.
380
00:18:32,478 --> 00:18:37,083
Tonight, he makes
a final appeal.
381
00:18:37,083 --> 00:18:41,354
I'm about to the
point of giving up.
382
00:18:41,354 --> 00:18:43,389
I am innocent.
383
00:18:43,389 --> 00:18:48,561
I've gone all the way to the
Supreme Court fighting this.
384
00:18:48,561 --> 00:18:51,664
And I just keep hoping and
praying that there's a way
385
00:18:51,664 --> 00:18:53,065
and I'll find it.
386
00:18:53,065 --> 00:18:58,671
And one day, I'll prove that
I didn't rob that gas station.
387
00:18:58,671 --> 00:19:00,139
The case against
Michael Martin
388
00:19:00,139 --> 00:19:03,576
was based entirely on eyewitness
identification that placed
389
00:19:03,576 --> 00:19:05,711
him at the scene of the crime.
390
00:19:05,711 --> 00:19:07,913
There was never any
physical evidence connecting
391
00:19:07,913 --> 00:19:09,615
Martin to the robbery.
392
00:19:09,615 --> 00:19:11,417
No fingerprints were found.
393
00:19:11,417 --> 00:19:13,119
The money was never recovered.
394
00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:16,122
And the gun still
hasn't been located.
395
00:19:16,122 --> 00:19:19,759
Martin insists that he has
been wrongly imprisoned.
396
00:19:19,759 --> 00:19:21,894
[music playing]
397
00:19:23,329 --> 00:19:25,064
NARRATOR: Michel Martin
had a clean record
398
00:19:25,064 --> 00:19:27,500
until he was 26 years old.
399
00:19:27,500 --> 00:19:31,837
In 1979, seven months before
the gas station robbery,
400
00:19:31,837 --> 00:19:36,409
he was arrested after an
altercation in a supermarket.
401
00:19:36,409 --> 00:19:38,411
Michael and a friend
had been drinking
402
00:19:38,411 --> 00:19:41,147
and were seen eating polish
sausage and potato chips
403
00:19:41,147 --> 00:19:43,616
from a supermarket's shelves.
404
00:19:43,616 --> 00:19:45,751
When the manager threatened
to call the police,
405
00:19:45,751 --> 00:19:47,720
Michael panicked.
406
00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:49,922
The incident escalated
into violence.
407
00:19:49,922 --> 00:19:51,924
Stay right here and
we'll contact the police.
408
00:19:51,924 --> 00:19:52,992
We're not staying anywhere.
409
00:19:52,992 --> 00:19:55,327
I tell you what, here's
your lousy money.
410
00:19:55,327 --> 00:19:56,562
We paid for everything.
411
00:19:56,562 --> 00:19:58,330
I don't think so.
I want you to wait right here.
412
00:19:58,330 --> 00:19:59,298
I'm going to contact the police.
- You want some of this?
413
00:19:59,298 --> 00:20:00,199
You want some of this?
414
00:20:00,199 --> 00:20:01,133
You want some?
415
00:20:01,133 --> 00:20:02,568
MALE: Come on man!
416
00:20:02,568 --> 00:20:05,104
MICHAEL MARTIN: I don't really
know why I pulled a knife.
417
00:20:05,104 --> 00:20:08,007
I guess it was just a desire
to get out of the door.
418
00:20:08,007 --> 00:20:09,075
Let's get out of here.
419
00:20:09,075 --> 00:20:09,975
MICHAEL MARTIN: I'm drunk.
420
00:20:09,975 --> 00:20:12,078
I'm feeling a little crazy.
421
00:20:12,078 --> 00:20:19,118
I'd been hassling with this
manager and I was tired of it.
422
00:20:19,118 --> 00:20:21,420
[gun shots]
423
00:20:22,721 --> 00:20:24,123
MICHAEL MARTIN: I fired
it well over their heads.
424
00:20:24,123 --> 00:20:26,692
I wasn't meaning
to hurt anybody.
425
00:20:26,692 --> 00:20:30,830
It was just an adolescent stunt
that I never should have-- you
426
00:20:30,830 --> 00:20:32,832
know, I was 26 years old then.
427
00:20:32,832 --> 00:20:36,402
I shouldn't have been out
shooting up the town like that.
428
00:20:36,402 --> 00:20:39,371
It just didn't make any sense.
429
00:20:39,371 --> 00:20:44,777
I wouldn't call placing knives
or shooting at people a prank.
430
00:20:44,777 --> 00:20:47,012
That's a pretty serious offense.
431
00:20:47,012 --> 00:20:50,216
You don't expect somebody
to get outrageously angry when
432
00:20:50,216 --> 00:20:52,351
they're asked to pay for
something that they're
433
00:20:52,351 --> 00:20:53,652
eating inside a store.
434
00:20:53,652 --> 00:20:55,054
I don't think that
should lead to the kind
435
00:20:55,054 --> 00:20:58,924
of reaction on Michael's
part that he obviously had.
436
00:20:58,924 --> 00:21:01,927
There was testimony that he
was intoxicated at the time.
437
00:21:01,927 --> 00:21:04,296
But still, an intoxicated person
who would go to that lengths
438
00:21:04,296 --> 00:21:06,532
to avoid paying for
some Polish sausage,
439
00:21:06,532 --> 00:21:07,333
you have to wonder about.
440
00:21:10,035 --> 00:21:11,637
NARRATOR: Martin pleaded
guilty to assault
441
00:21:11,637 --> 00:21:13,139
with a deadly weapon.
442
00:21:13,139 --> 00:21:16,142
He was fined and given
four years probation.
443
00:21:16,142 --> 00:21:17,843
[music playing]
444
00:21:21,180 --> 00:21:25,684
NARRATOR: At 7:00 PM on
July 14, 1979, just two
445
00:21:25,684 --> 00:21:28,454
weeks after Martin's
probation began,
446
00:21:28,454 --> 00:21:31,423
the gas station was robbed.
447
00:21:31,423 --> 00:21:34,460
The gunman stole
over $400 and fled
448
00:21:34,460 --> 00:21:36,595
the scene of the crime
in a car he'd stolen
449
00:21:36,595 --> 00:21:38,430
from Doyle, the attendant.
450
00:21:42,535 --> 00:21:46,906
15 Minutes later, at
7:15 PM, the police unit
451
00:21:46,906 --> 00:21:49,875
spotted the stolen car
outside a nearby apartment
452
00:21:49,875 --> 00:21:53,946
building, where Martin had
lived until only a month before.
453
00:21:57,883 --> 00:22:01,921
At approximately 7:25
PM, Detective Wheatley
454
00:22:01,921 --> 00:22:04,623
who'd investigated the
supermarket incident,
455
00:22:04,623 --> 00:22:08,727
claims he saw Michael Scott
Martin in his blue Camaro
456
00:22:08,727 --> 00:22:10,229
three blocks from
the gas station.
457
00:22:13,232 --> 00:22:16,502
As he came through the
intersection, he looked at me
458
00:22:16,502 --> 00:22:19,805
and I looked at him, and knew
him from the previous phase.
459
00:22:19,805 --> 00:22:21,006
offense.
460
00:22:21,006 --> 00:22:24,143
And said to myself, that's
Michael Scott Martin.
461
00:22:24,143 --> 00:22:25,744
He came close
enough to me that I
462
00:22:25,744 --> 00:22:27,713
could have reached over
the top of my motorcycle
463
00:22:27,713 --> 00:22:30,816
and slapped him.
464
00:22:30,816 --> 00:22:32,785
Doyle, I'm going to show you
a stack of photographs here.
465
00:22:32,785 --> 00:22:34,486
What I'd like for you to
do is look through them
466
00:22:34,486 --> 00:22:37,723
and see if you see any of these
in here that you recognize.
467
00:22:37,723 --> 00:22:40,759
NARRATOR: Wheatley asked to be
assigned to the robbery case.
468
00:22:40,759 --> 00:22:43,095
The following day,
he showed the victim,
469
00:22:43,095 --> 00:22:45,965
Doyle, a series of mugshots.
470
00:22:45,965 --> 00:22:47,066
DET.
471
00:22:47,066 --> 00:22:48,300
DENNIS WHEATLEY: He
is the type of witness
472
00:22:48,300 --> 00:22:51,370
that you wish you had on
every case that you worked.
473
00:22:51,370 --> 00:22:52,605
His intensity.
474
00:22:52,605 --> 00:22:56,542
His quick reaction to
picking Michael Scott Martin
475
00:22:56,542 --> 00:22:58,877
made him a good witness.
476
00:22:58,877 --> 00:23:00,813
DOYLE: I think this is
the guy who robbed me.
477
00:23:00,813 --> 00:23:05,284
You think that's the man or
are you sure that's the man?
478
00:23:05,284 --> 00:23:06,619
DOYLE: I'm sure.
479
00:23:06,619 --> 00:23:08,887
[speaker announcement]
480
00:23:10,856 --> 00:23:12,758
NARRATOR: Michel
Martin was arrested,
481
00:23:12,758 --> 00:23:14,660
charged with aggravated
armed robbery ,
482
00:23:14,660 --> 00:23:17,596
and held without bail.
483
00:23:17,596 --> 00:23:21,734
It's a depressing
experience, but I felt like I
484
00:23:21,734 --> 00:23:23,235
would prove my innocence.
485
00:23:23,235 --> 00:23:25,371
I mean, I didn't rob
this gas station.
486
00:23:25,371 --> 00:23:27,306
I knew I didn't rob
this gas station.
487
00:23:27,306 --> 00:23:32,678
I thought I had sufficient
proof in just having people
488
00:23:32,678 --> 00:23:33,779
that knew where I was at.
489
00:23:36,815 --> 00:23:39,084
NARRATOR: Martin claimed
he was at Lake Worth,
490
00:23:39,084 --> 00:23:43,122
70 miles away from Garland
at the time of the robbery.
491
00:23:43,122 --> 00:23:46,925
Five separate witnesses, three
of whom hardly knew Martin,
492
00:23:46,925 --> 00:23:49,094
substantiated his claim.
493
00:23:49,094 --> 00:23:52,998
Their testimony was the
crux of Martin's defense.
494
00:23:52,998 --> 00:23:54,199
GEORGE MACFARLANE:
The day that they
495
00:23:54,199 --> 00:23:56,568
say the robbery happened,
I worked on my car
496
00:23:56,568 --> 00:23:58,671
and he worked on his motorcycle.
497
00:23:58,671 --> 00:24:02,741
And other than about two
hours that afternoon, between,
498
00:24:02,741 --> 00:24:05,544
I don't know, I think it was
around 2:0o-- 2:00 to 4:00 when
499
00:24:05,544 --> 00:24:07,212
he ran for parts, he was here.
500
00:24:07,212 --> 00:24:08,414
At all times.
501
00:24:08,414 --> 00:24:09,782
From the time he got up
in the morning to the time
502
00:24:09,782 --> 00:24:11,350
he went to bed at night.
503
00:24:11,350 --> 00:24:12,785
He was here.
504
00:24:12,785 --> 00:24:16,021
He was there with me and
with George at the time
505
00:24:16,021 --> 00:24:18,857
he was accused of
robbing this gas station.
506
00:24:18,857 --> 00:24:20,125
He just couldn't have done it.
507
00:24:20,125 --> 00:24:21,961
He just didn't do it.
508
00:24:21,961 --> 00:24:25,197
When I left my house, it
was after 6:00, before 6:30,
509
00:24:25,197 --> 00:24:26,865
and I saw Mike out in
front of his house.
510
00:24:30,436 --> 00:24:31,603
I don't remember
what he was doing.
511
00:24:31,603 --> 00:24:33,405
It seems like he's working
on his motorcycles.
512
00:24:33,405 --> 00:24:36,508
I don't know but he was here.
513
00:24:36,508 --> 00:24:38,610
After finding out what
the circumstances were
514
00:24:38,610 --> 00:24:41,513
and what day it was, I was
surprised to see that Mike was
515
00:24:41,513 --> 00:24:44,383
arrested because I knew I'd
seen him so close to the time
516
00:24:44,383 --> 00:24:47,853
that the crime was
supposed to be committed.
517
00:24:47,853 --> 00:24:49,355
MICHAEL PETTIGREW: It
takes well over an hour
518
00:24:49,355 --> 00:24:52,124
to drive from here to Garland.
519
00:24:52,124 --> 00:24:54,026
I saw him around
6:00 and there's
520
00:24:54,026 --> 00:24:56,462
no way he would have
had time to leave
521
00:24:56,462 --> 00:24:59,765
and commit this crime by 7:00.
522
00:24:59,765 --> 00:25:02,468
It's 7:00 Saturday
night, I remember it
523
00:25:02,468 --> 00:25:05,304
real well because
there was a television
524
00:25:05,304 --> 00:25:06,705
show that I wanted to catch.
525
00:25:06,705 --> 00:25:08,507
It was "Battlestar Galactica."
526
00:25:08,507 --> 00:25:10,776
So I made sure that
at 7:00 I was there
527
00:25:10,776 --> 00:25:12,077
in front of the television.
528
00:25:12,077 --> 00:25:13,512
Mike, show's starting.
529
00:25:13,512 --> 00:25:15,547
MICHAEL PETTIGREW:
And Mike came in
530
00:25:15,547 --> 00:25:17,950
and watched the show with me.
531
00:25:17,950 --> 00:25:20,853
How could he have been
at my house at 7:00 PM,
532
00:25:20,853 --> 00:25:24,723
if he was in Garland at
7:00 PM, 75-80 miles away?
533
00:25:28,026 --> 00:25:30,362
Michael Martin's trial
hinged on the issue
534
00:25:30,362 --> 00:25:32,598
of who the jury would believe.
535
00:25:32,598 --> 00:25:35,701
The two prosecution
eyewitnesses or the five defense
536
00:25:35,701 --> 00:25:36,602
eyewitnesses.
537
00:25:36,602 --> 00:25:38,804
[music playing]
538
00:25:41,807 --> 00:25:44,143
NARRATOR: The trial was held
in the same courtroom where
539
00:25:44,143 --> 00:25:46,245
two months previously,
Michael Martin
540
00:25:46,245 --> 00:25:49,448
had received his probation.
541
00:25:49,448 --> 00:25:52,518
The turning point came when
his supermarket conviction
542
00:25:52,518 --> 00:25:54,720
was admitted into
the court record,
543
00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:57,322
possibly prejudicing
the jury against Martin.
544
00:26:01,627 --> 00:26:03,695
BRAD LAWLER: I don't know
if we could have gotten
545
00:26:03,695 --> 00:26:06,565
a guilty conviction
in the second offense
546
00:26:06,565 --> 00:26:11,403
if the jury had not known
about the first offense.
547
00:26:11,403 --> 00:26:15,441
I think that works great
psychological influence
548
00:26:15,441 --> 00:26:17,976
on the jury.
549
00:26:17,976 --> 00:26:21,413
I know that my
witnesses were positive.
550
00:26:21,413 --> 00:26:24,716
I also know that the defense
witnesses were positive.
551
00:26:24,716 --> 00:26:27,986
And it was one of
those cases back then,
552
00:26:27,986 --> 00:26:29,688
when I simply had
to put on the case
553
00:26:29,688 --> 00:26:31,757
and let the jury
make their decision.
554
00:26:31,757 --> 00:26:32,825
That's what our
system's all about.
555
00:26:35,661 --> 00:26:38,697
NARRATOR: It took the jury
only 15 minutes to find Michael
556
00:26:38,697 --> 00:26:40,165
Martin guilty of armed robbery.
557
00:26:42,868 --> 00:26:44,436
They gave him the
maximum sentence
558
00:26:44,436 --> 00:26:45,838
possible under the law.
559
00:26:48,574 --> 00:26:52,444
I have to do 20 flat years,
which means I can't come up
560
00:26:52,444 --> 00:26:58,450
for parole until 1999
because I supposedly took
561
00:26:58,450 --> 00:27:01,587
$400 from this gas station.
562
00:27:01,587 --> 00:27:04,389
I don't think I
got a fair trial.
563
00:27:04,389 --> 00:27:09,862
BRAD LAWLER: If a person is on
probation for a felony offense
564
00:27:09,862 --> 00:27:14,399
and went out and committed this
type of aggravated robbery,
565
00:27:14,399 --> 00:27:16,568
no, I don't have any
problem with him serving
566
00:27:16,568 --> 00:27:17,536
a life sentence for that.
567
00:27:17,536 --> 00:27:18,337
If he's guilty.
568
00:27:21,707 --> 00:27:23,942
NARRATOR: If he's guilty.
569
00:27:23,942 --> 00:27:27,746
Those words of troubled
Brad Lawler for nine years.
570
00:27:27,746 --> 00:27:30,449
Could the jury have put a man
behind bars who was innocent?
571
00:27:33,619 --> 00:27:34,820
BRAD LAWLER: It
always bothered me
572
00:27:34,820 --> 00:27:39,157
that we were not able to
come up with the clincher.
573
00:27:39,157 --> 00:27:42,294
There were no fingerprints found
at the scene or on the get away
574
00:27:42,294 --> 00:27:43,228
car.
575
00:27:43,228 --> 00:27:48,300
No recovery of the stolen items.
576
00:27:48,300 --> 00:27:50,636
There was nothing that
conclusively tied Michael
577
00:27:50,636 --> 00:27:53,539
Martin to the commission
of the offense,
578
00:27:53,539 --> 00:27:56,108
besides the
eyewitness testimony.
579
00:27:56,108 --> 00:27:57,776
And it's for that
reason that I think
580
00:27:57,776 --> 00:28:02,114
I always had a little doubt
left to my mind about this case.
581
00:28:02,114 --> 00:28:07,219
I'm still sure that I
put the right man in jail.
582
00:28:07,219 --> 00:28:09,888
No doubt in my mind then and
there is no doubt in my mind
583
00:28:09,888 --> 00:28:11,523
now.
584
00:28:11,523 --> 00:28:16,028
Why would five people,
four of whom or three of whom
585
00:28:16,028 --> 00:28:19,898
barely knew him, why would
they lie in the court of law
586
00:28:19,898 --> 00:28:22,267
to protect him?
587
00:28:22,267 --> 00:28:24,469
[music playing]
588
00:28:24,469 --> 00:28:28,373
BRAD LAWLER: Back at the
time, I leaned toward thinking
589
00:28:28,373 --> 00:28:31,777
that Michael Martin was guilty.
590
00:28:31,777 --> 00:28:34,780
And today in retrospect,
I simply don't know.
591
00:28:38,050 --> 00:28:43,255
I thought my 18-year-old
witness was positive.
592
00:28:43,255 --> 00:28:47,125
But also, the witnesses who
testified for Michael Martin
593
00:28:47,125 --> 00:28:49,227
were positive that they
were with him at the time
594
00:28:49,227 --> 00:28:52,197
of the offense 70 miles away.
595
00:28:52,197 --> 00:28:53,498
So it's one of those
that I guess we'll
596
00:28:53,498 --> 00:28:54,566
never know the true answer to.
597
00:29:00,872 --> 00:29:05,177
NARRATOR: Michael still has 11
more years to serve in prison.
598
00:29:05,177 --> 00:29:08,080
The groundswell of doubt about
his guilt has had no effect.
599
00:29:11,116 --> 00:29:12,517
MICHAEL MARTIN:
I've never stopped
600
00:29:12,517 --> 00:29:16,388
trying to prove my innocence
because I don't know
601
00:29:16,388 --> 00:29:18,056
what else I have right now.
602
00:29:20,892 --> 00:29:25,764
It's prove my innocence or just
sit here for 11 more years.
603
00:29:31,870 --> 00:29:37,643
I can really appreciate
what freedom is.
604
00:29:37,643 --> 00:29:40,679
Before I came here, it was
a big abstract, you know.
605
00:29:40,679 --> 00:29:42,714
It was always there.
606
00:29:42,714 --> 00:29:47,219
When it's taken away,
you really appreciate it.
607
00:29:47,219 --> 00:29:50,222
I want what I lost.
608
00:29:50,222 --> 00:29:52,924
What I feel I had taken from me.
609
00:29:52,924 --> 00:29:55,260
[music playing]
610
00:30:06,104 --> 00:30:08,407
NARRATOR: Next, a San
Francisco teenager
611
00:30:08,407 --> 00:30:10,208
who strayed into a
world of witchcraft,
612
00:30:10,208 --> 00:30:11,743
magic, and mysticism.
613
00:30:11,743 --> 00:30:13,545
His father believes
he was murdered.
614
00:30:19,084 --> 00:30:21,453
[unsolved mysteries theme music]
615
00:30:30,896 --> 00:30:34,232
NARRATOR: On Saturday,
September 8, 1984,
616
00:30:34,232 --> 00:30:37,903
a teenage boy drove from his
home in Concord, California
617
00:30:37,903 --> 00:30:40,939
across the Bay Bridge
into San Francisco.
618
00:30:40,939 --> 00:30:42,507
He had planned to
spend the night
619
00:30:42,507 --> 00:30:46,111
and return home Sunday evening.
620
00:30:46,111 --> 00:30:49,214
Monday, September
10th, three days later.
621
00:30:49,214 --> 00:30:51,316
On some rugged cliffs
in a remote area
622
00:30:51,316 --> 00:30:55,487
of San Francisco Bay, two
men were bird watching.
623
00:30:55,487 --> 00:30:57,589
On the isolated
beach below, they
624
00:30:57,589 --> 00:30:59,925
discovered the bruised,
half naked body
625
00:30:59,925 --> 00:31:02,761
of 17-year-old Kurt McFall.
626
00:31:02,761 --> 00:31:06,198
His father suspects foul play.
627
00:31:06,198 --> 00:31:09,034
TOM MCFALL: Kurt told
this friend of his that he
628
00:31:09,034 --> 00:31:11,770
was involved in
some kind of satanic
629
00:31:11,770 --> 00:31:14,773
cult and that he wanted out .
630
00:31:14,773 --> 00:31:17,876
But thought that they
might try to kill him.
631
00:31:17,876 --> 00:31:20,545
And he really
feared for his life.
632
00:31:20,545 --> 00:31:22,180
It was a murder.
633
00:31:22,180 --> 00:31:24,349
It needs to be investigated.
634
00:31:24,349 --> 00:31:28,553
There's no doubt in my mind that
Kurt could have handled himself
635
00:31:28,553 --> 00:31:31,189
in that cliff area because he
was an experienced mountain
636
00:31:31,189 --> 00:31:32,090
climber.
637
00:31:32,090 --> 00:31:33,558
And he was a diver.
638
00:31:33,558 --> 00:31:36,328
So he would not have
drowned in the water
639
00:31:36,328 --> 00:31:38,530
or fallen down the hill.
640
00:31:38,530 --> 00:31:41,700
NARRATOR: Kurt
McFall, dead at 17.
641
00:31:41,700 --> 00:31:44,569
To outward appearances, Kurt
was a handsome and popular
642
00:31:44,569 --> 00:31:46,004
high school student.
643
00:31:46,004 --> 00:31:50,275
A confident young man
who made friends easily.
644
00:31:50,275 --> 00:31:52,377
Tom McFall has learned
there was another side
645
00:31:52,377 --> 00:31:54,546
to his teenage son.
646
00:31:54,546 --> 00:31:56,782
The day after Kurt
disappeared, Tom
647
00:31:56,782 --> 00:31:59,751
received an anonymous
telephone call telling him
648
00:31:59,751 --> 00:32:02,754
that his son had wanted
to escape from a cult.
649
00:32:02,754 --> 00:32:05,423
And that he feared for his life.
650
00:32:05,423 --> 00:32:07,025
Tom now believes
that Kurt strayed
651
00:32:07,025 --> 00:32:09,594
from a suburban middle
class background
652
00:32:09,594 --> 00:32:16,768
into a world of witchcraft,
mysticism, and possibly murder.
653
00:32:16,768 --> 00:32:19,104
[music playing]
654
00:32:22,140 --> 00:32:24,276
NARRATOR: Alarmed by
the strange phone call,
655
00:32:24,276 --> 00:32:25,777
Tom searched his son's bedroom.
656
00:32:28,780 --> 00:32:31,716
TOM MCFALL: After I had
received the telephone call,
657
00:32:31,716 --> 00:32:34,686
I thought a lot
about this individual
658
00:32:34,686 --> 00:32:38,290
as to what he knew about
Kurt's disappearance.
659
00:32:38,290 --> 00:32:41,760
I wanted to gain all the
information I could as to what
660
00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:42,561
happened.
661
00:32:45,797 --> 00:32:48,133
NARRATOR: In Kurt's
room, Tom discovered
662
00:32:48,133 --> 00:32:51,036
a knife made from a
dear's hoof, a necklace
663
00:32:51,036 --> 00:32:54,372
of stone and feathers,
and drawings of witchcraft
664
00:32:54,372 --> 00:32:56,575
and violent fantasies.
665
00:32:56,575 --> 00:32:58,376
These seemed to be
further proof that Kurt
666
00:32:58,376 --> 00:33:00,712
was leading a double life.
667
00:33:00,712 --> 00:33:03,281
At 10, he had become interested
in a medieval fantasy
668
00:33:03,281 --> 00:33:05,650
game, Dungeons and Dragons.
669
00:33:05,650 --> 00:33:08,086
It was the beginning of a
voyage into a subculture
670
00:33:08,086 --> 00:33:09,221
that would dominate Kurt.
671
00:33:19,464 --> 00:33:21,333
NARRATOR: A year
before he died, Kurt
672
00:33:21,333 --> 00:33:26,338
joined the Society for
Creative Anachronism or SCA.
673
00:33:26,338 --> 00:33:28,974
Its members enjoy
reliving medieval customs
674
00:33:28,974 --> 00:33:31,676
in the actual costumes
of the period.
675
00:33:31,676 --> 00:33:33,411
Once a week, they
practice jousting
676
00:33:33,411 --> 00:33:35,113
and sword fighting
in the parking lot
677
00:33:35,113 --> 00:33:36,381
of an Oakland subway station.
678
00:33:39,317 --> 00:33:41,186
HILARY POWERS: Kurt
was here about twice
679
00:33:41,186 --> 00:33:45,290
a week through February
and into March on '84.
680
00:33:45,290 --> 00:33:47,125
Learned how to fight.
681
00:33:47,125 --> 00:33:50,295
He was good, quick, talented.
682
00:33:50,295 --> 00:33:52,330
Really going to be
very good at the game.
683
00:33:52,330 --> 00:33:54,099
We were real pleased with him.
684
00:33:54,099 --> 00:33:56,067
And his death
certainly had nothing
685
00:33:56,067 --> 00:33:58,770
to do with any part of his
participation in the SCA
686
00:33:58,770 --> 00:34:01,907
that I knew anything about.
687
00:34:01,907 --> 00:34:04,075
NARRATOR: As Kurt became
increasingly interested
688
00:34:04,075 --> 00:34:07,646
in medieval rituals, he joined
a separate group who initiated
689
00:34:07,646 --> 00:34:09,947
him into pagan religion.
690
00:34:09,947 --> 00:34:12,950
One of Kurt's old high school
friends feared this new group
691
00:34:12,951 --> 00:34:15,253
and contacted Tom McFall.
692
00:34:15,253 --> 00:34:18,389
He'd become concerned
for Kurt and now fears
693
00:34:18,389 --> 00:34:20,157
for his own safety.
694
00:34:20,158 --> 00:34:24,262
MALE: Gradually, over a
period of perhaps six months,
695
00:34:24,262 --> 00:34:28,800
his attitude towards other
people changed drastically.
696
00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:31,703
He kind of moved
from just studying
697
00:34:31,703 --> 00:34:34,172
with an interest in
medieval religion
698
00:34:34,172 --> 00:34:38,576
to actually adopting
that religion as his.
699
00:34:38,576 --> 00:34:41,846
He lost a lot of his friends
through that process.
700
00:34:47,786 --> 00:34:50,155
[singing]
701
00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:57,262
NARRATOR: Kurt
studied pagan religion
702
00:34:57,262 --> 00:35:00,031
with Gabriel Carrillo who
uses the ancient Welsh
703
00:35:00,031 --> 00:35:00,832
name, Caradoc.
704
00:35:04,235 --> 00:35:06,605
GARBIEL CARRILLO: This is
a religion which is also
705
00:35:06,605 --> 00:35:11,943
an art, a craft, which
has techniques which
706
00:35:11,943 --> 00:35:15,380
are at their essence, magical.
707
00:35:15,380 --> 00:35:22,320
I met Kurt because he had
evinced an interest in magic.
708
00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:25,657
Kurt was real bright
and real curious
709
00:35:25,657 --> 00:35:28,059
about just about everything.
710
00:35:28,059 --> 00:35:31,196
MALE: His involvement
with this group
711
00:35:31,196 --> 00:35:34,699
can be compared to a drug
addiction, where you begin
712
00:35:34,699 --> 00:35:36,801
thinking that you've
got it, in control,
713
00:35:36,801 --> 00:35:39,604
and you can take
it when you want.
714
00:35:39,604 --> 00:35:43,108
But gradually, losing
that sense of knowing when
715
00:35:43,108 --> 00:35:46,544
to stop until you're a junkie.
716
00:35:46,544 --> 00:35:49,381
MALE: We regard evil
as a human phenomenon.
717
00:35:49,381 --> 00:35:51,216
GARBIEL CARRILLO: I do
not make any attempt
718
00:35:51,216 --> 00:35:54,652
to control people's lives.
719
00:35:54,652 --> 00:35:58,356
People are free to come and
go at their own discretion,
720
00:35:58,356 --> 00:35:59,891
just as Kurt did.
721
00:35:59,891 --> 00:36:03,228
If anything, the
emphasis that we have
722
00:36:03,228 --> 00:36:08,366
is on individuals taking
control of their own lives.
723
00:36:08,366 --> 00:36:09,567
[music playing]
724
00:36:09,567 --> 00:36:12,370
NARRATOR: Saturday,
September 10th, Kurt
725
00:36:12,370 --> 00:36:15,373
had planned to spend the
night at Caradoc's apartment.
726
00:36:15,373 --> 00:36:18,176
They had dinner,
went to a movie.
727
00:36:18,176 --> 00:36:19,944
Around midnight,
Kurt went swimming
728
00:36:19,944 --> 00:36:22,547
at Ocean Beach, a few
blocks from Caradoc's home.
729
00:36:26,618 --> 00:36:30,722
Later, Kurt was restless
and couldn't sleep.
730
00:36:30,722 --> 00:36:33,958
According to Caradoc, Kurt
knocked on his door about 3:00
731
00:36:33,958 --> 00:36:34,859
in the morning.
732
00:36:34,859 --> 00:36:35,960
[knocking]
733
00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:36,861
It's too hot in here.
734
00:36:36,861 --> 00:36:38,696
I'm going to the beach.
735
00:36:38,696 --> 00:36:41,399
NARRATOR: Kurt was
never seen again.
736
00:36:41,399 --> 00:36:46,671
My best guess is simply that
he took one too many chances.
737
00:36:46,671 --> 00:36:48,239
He might have gone
swimming in the ocean
738
00:36:48,239 --> 00:36:50,575
and been pulled out
by the undertow.
739
00:36:50,575 --> 00:36:53,278
He might have gone climbing
on the cliffs and Lands End
740
00:36:53,278 --> 00:36:55,447
and slipped and fallen.
741
00:36:55,447 --> 00:36:59,884
Or any one of a number
of other things.
742
00:36:59,884 --> 00:37:01,653
NARRATOR: The following
evening, Kurt's car
743
00:37:01,653 --> 00:37:06,224
was found abandoned on a golf
course overlooking the ocean.
744
00:37:06,224 --> 00:37:08,827
There were a number
of puzzling clues.
745
00:37:08,827 --> 00:37:11,730
Kurt's driver's license
was on the floor.
746
00:37:11,730 --> 00:37:14,132
His car keys were on the seat.
747
00:37:14,132 --> 00:37:17,802
A $20 bill was in the
glove compartment.
748
00:37:17,802 --> 00:37:19,437
The prized suit of
armor, which Kurt
749
00:37:19,437 --> 00:37:21,506
had made for his
SCA sword fighting,
750
00:37:21,506 --> 00:37:22,774
was missing from the trunk.
751
00:37:28,346 --> 00:37:31,116
Most curious of all, there
were beer bottles scattered
752
00:37:31,116 --> 00:37:34,919
in and around the car.
753
00:37:34,919 --> 00:37:37,388
TOM MCFALL: The car has
to be a phony scene.
754
00:37:37,388 --> 00:37:42,160
To me, that was set up because
Kurt did not drink beer.
755
00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:44,929
That's also inconsistent
with the autopsy report that
756
00:37:44,929 --> 00:37:49,134
shows that there was no signs
of alcohol or drugs on the body
757
00:37:49,134 --> 00:37:51,936
when it was recovered.
758
00:37:51,936 --> 00:37:54,205
So that looks very suspicious.
759
00:38:04,549 --> 00:38:06,718
NARRATOR: At 10:15
the following morning,
760
00:38:06,718 --> 00:38:08,987
National Park Service
lifeguard's recovered
761
00:38:08,987 --> 00:38:12,190
the body of Kurt McFall.
762
00:38:12,190 --> 00:38:15,226
It was lying in a cove less
than two miles from Caradoc's
763
00:38:15,226 --> 00:38:18,530
apartment, just below the
cliffs at the golf course
764
00:38:18,530 --> 00:38:22,567
where Kurt's car was found.
765
00:38:22,567 --> 00:38:24,302
BRIAN CAMERON: When
we came upon the body,
766
00:38:24,302 --> 00:38:26,571
we noticed it was in
fairly good condition.
767
00:38:26,571 --> 00:38:29,073
Fairly pale, usually a
sign of being in the water
768
00:38:29,073 --> 00:38:31,075
for an extended period of time.
769
00:38:31,075 --> 00:38:34,112
No obvious external trauma.
770
00:38:34,112 --> 00:38:36,881
He looked pretty clean other
than a few small abrasions on
771
00:38:36,881 --> 00:38:40,785
the body, but nothing obvious.
772
00:38:40,785 --> 00:38:44,789
NARRATOR: Kurt's body had
no shoes, socks, or shirt.
773
00:38:44,789 --> 00:38:48,693
His back and shoulders were
scored with cuts and abrasions.
774
00:38:48,693 --> 00:38:53,031
And strangely, the belt he
wore was missing its buckle.
775
00:38:53,031 --> 00:38:54,799
RON WILTON: With the facts
that we have in this case,
776
00:38:54,799 --> 00:38:56,801
it's really anybody's guess as
to where he actually entered
777
00:38:56,801 --> 00:38:59,504
the water, where he came from.
778
00:38:59,504 --> 00:39:00,672
My guess would
be-- and that's all
779
00:39:00,672 --> 00:39:02,207
it is, is an educated
guess-- that he
780
00:39:02,207 --> 00:39:03,708
simply fell off a cliff.
781
00:39:03,708 --> 00:39:04,709
And that's what
it appears to me.
782
00:39:07,779 --> 00:39:09,314
NARRATOR: The coroner's
report determined
783
00:39:09,314 --> 00:39:12,150
that Kurt died from
multiple traumatic injuries
784
00:39:12,150 --> 00:39:14,018
and severe blood loss.
785
00:39:14,018 --> 00:39:17,155
But no one knows what
caused those injuries.
786
00:39:17,155 --> 00:39:19,457
Kurt may have drowned,
but that would not
787
00:39:19,457 --> 00:39:21,159
explain his cuts and abrasions.
788
00:39:21,159 --> 00:39:23,294
Or the acute loss of blood.
789
00:39:23,294 --> 00:39:26,331
It appears that Kurt felt
from the treacherous cliffs.
790
00:39:26,331 --> 00:39:29,234
But it is not known if
he fell accidentally
791
00:39:29,234 --> 00:39:32,537
or if he was beaten and pushed.
792
00:39:32,537 --> 00:39:34,739
TOM MCFALL: I went to
the San Francisco coroner
793
00:39:34,739 --> 00:39:38,977
and I said, what do you
think happened to Kurt?
794
00:39:38,977 --> 00:39:41,980
And he said I think the most
probable cause of Kurt's death
795
00:39:41,980 --> 00:39:44,182
is homicide.
796
00:39:44,182 --> 00:39:47,485
But he said, he didn't
have enough to testify
797
00:39:47,485 --> 00:39:49,354
to that in a court of law.
798
00:39:49,354 --> 00:39:54,025
So he sent it up to homicide
classified as unknown.
799
00:39:54,025 --> 00:39:58,496
And I can't accept that.
800
00:39:58,496 --> 00:39:59,731
NARRATOR: The San
Francisco Police
801
00:39:59,731 --> 00:40:01,566
declined to be interviewed.
802
00:40:01,566 --> 00:40:04,335
They investigated Kurt's
death but found no evidence
803
00:40:04,335 --> 00:40:07,605
to classify it as a homicide.
804
00:40:07,605 --> 00:40:11,209
The case remains open,
but there are no suspects.
805
00:40:11,209 --> 00:40:14,178
Although he has no
proof, Tom McFall still
806
00:40:14,178 --> 00:40:18,082
believes his son was murdered.
807
00:40:18,082 --> 00:40:19,751
TOM MCFALL: Kurt may
have uncovered something
808
00:40:19,751 --> 00:40:24,222
in the organization and may
have indicated to people that he
809
00:40:24,222 --> 00:40:26,024
was going to expose this.
810
00:40:26,024 --> 00:40:29,427
And I feel that
all of these things
811
00:40:29,427 --> 00:40:33,364
probably contributed to them
wanting to do away with Kurt.
812
00:40:33,364 --> 00:40:35,633
MALE: My personal
theory is that Kurt
813
00:40:35,633 --> 00:40:37,368
stumbled onto some
information that he
814
00:40:37,368 --> 00:40:39,671
wasn't supposed to know about.
815
00:40:39,671 --> 00:40:43,574
These types of organizations
don't make threats,
816
00:40:43,574 --> 00:40:45,143
they make actions.
817
00:40:45,143 --> 00:40:46,778
GARBIEL CARRILLO: If I
wanted to murder somebody,
818
00:40:46,778 --> 00:40:49,614
the last person I would
murder would be somebody
819
00:40:49,614 --> 00:40:51,316
who was staying at my house.
820
00:40:51,316 --> 00:40:53,651
And whose father knew that
he was staying at my house.
821
00:40:53,651 --> 00:40:56,654
I mean, the whole
thing is stupid.
822
00:40:56,654 --> 00:41:01,025
I understand that
Kurt's father went
823
00:41:01,025 --> 00:41:03,661
through a great deal
of pain about his death
824
00:41:03,661 --> 00:41:06,431
and needed to find
somebody to blame.
825
00:41:06,431 --> 00:41:09,233
And I understand that
I was a very convenient
826
00:41:09,233 --> 00:41:12,337
person for him to blame.
827
00:41:12,337 --> 00:41:17,575
But I had absolutely
no responsibility
828
00:41:17,575 --> 00:41:20,011
for Kurt's death.
829
00:41:20,011 --> 00:41:22,413
[music playing]
830
00:41:32,957 --> 00:41:36,928
TOM MCFALL: I am so frustrated
to have the information that
831
00:41:36,928 --> 00:41:40,365
would indicate that your
son has been murdered
832
00:41:40,365 --> 00:41:43,534
and to date, they have
virtually closed the case.
833
00:41:46,604 --> 00:41:51,275
I am bound and determined
to get an investigation.
834
00:41:51,275 --> 00:41:54,245
I think Kurt deserved
because he did not deserve
835
00:41:54,245 --> 00:41:55,446
to be taken in that manner.
836
00:41:58,549 --> 00:42:00,818
NARRATOR: Currently, Tom
McFall is the only person
837
00:42:00,818 --> 00:42:03,321
investigating his son's death.
838
00:42:03,321 --> 00:42:06,124
If Kurt was murdered,
he hopes that even now,
839
00:42:06,124 --> 00:42:08,025
three years later,
someone will come
840
00:42:08,025 --> 00:42:09,827
forward with new information.
841
00:42:09,827 --> 00:42:12,997
New evidence that could
reopen the investigation.
842
00:42:12,997 --> 00:42:15,767
And provide peace
of mind for himself
843
00:42:15,767 --> 00:42:17,535
and justice for his son.
844
00:42:21,205 --> 00:42:23,674
Next, the story
of a mysterious bag
845
00:42:23,674 --> 00:42:26,544
of unopened letters
dating back 40 years.
846
00:42:26,544 --> 00:42:28,212
They were written
by GI's sailing
847
00:42:28,212 --> 00:42:30,314
off to battle in World War II.
848
00:42:30,314 --> 00:42:33,217
And have yet to reach
their lost loved ones.
849
00:42:33,217 --> 00:42:35,586
[unsolved mysteries theme music]
850
00:42:44,562 --> 00:42:46,197
ANNOUNCER: Letters from home.
851
00:42:46,197 --> 00:42:47,698
Each day, millions
of them are sent
852
00:42:47,698 --> 00:42:51,002
to American servicemen fighting
on distant battle fronts.
853
00:42:51,002 --> 00:42:53,938
Because of a war postal
system, called V-Mail,
854
00:42:53,938 --> 00:42:56,974
they can be flown throughout the
world reaching distant points
855
00:42:56,974 --> 00:42:58,976
safely and with amazing speed.
856
00:42:58,976 --> 00:43:01,646
NARRATOR: During World War
II, thousands of soldiers
857
00:43:01,646 --> 00:43:03,781
said goodbye to
their loved ones.
858
00:43:03,781 --> 00:43:07,285
And almost every GI made a
parting promise, to write
859
00:43:07,285 --> 00:43:09,654
home as often as possible.
860
00:43:09,654 --> 00:43:13,124
Their letters, carried by
the military V-Mail service,
861
00:43:13,124 --> 00:43:16,861
were the only link between
them and their families.
862
00:43:16,861 --> 00:43:20,531
Some would return,
others would not.
863
00:43:20,531 --> 00:43:23,734
For the relatives of
those GI;s lost in battle,
864
00:43:23,734 --> 00:43:26,771
the last letter home
became a precious keepsake.
865
00:43:26,771 --> 00:43:28,706
A memory of lost love.
866
00:43:37,582 --> 00:43:42,220
NARRATOR: 41 Years after the
war ended, on February 4, 1986,
867
00:43:42,220 --> 00:43:44,455
Mike Minguez, a
pest exterminator,
868
00:43:44,455 --> 00:43:46,724
was spraying the attic in
an elderly woman's house
869
00:43:46,724 --> 00:43:49,127
in Raleigh, North Carolina.
870
00:43:49,127 --> 00:43:51,062
In the corner, he
saw some letters
871
00:43:51,062 --> 00:43:53,731
spilling out of a laundry bag.
872
00:43:53,731 --> 00:43:55,766
Mike Minguez had
in fact discovered
873
00:43:55,766 --> 00:43:57,768
a military duffel bag.
874
00:43:57,768 --> 00:44:00,071
Filled with hundreds
of unopened letters
875
00:44:00,071 --> 00:44:02,473
written by soldiers
during World War II.
876
00:44:05,643 --> 00:44:07,979
MICHAEL MINGUEZ: The longer I
looked, the more incredulous
877
00:44:07,979 --> 00:44:10,047
I became.
878
00:44:10,047 --> 00:44:13,584
There was just something about
the insignia across them.
879
00:44:13,584 --> 00:44:16,554
I've never seen V-Mail before.
880
00:44:16,554 --> 00:44:20,024
I had heard the term and
knew that, generally,
881
00:44:20,024 --> 00:44:22,827
anything with V in it
was World War II vintage.
882
00:44:22,827 --> 00:44:25,663
And it was really apparent
from the very beginning
883
00:44:25,663 --> 00:44:29,500
that there was something here
that was just really strange.
884
00:44:29,500 --> 00:44:31,402
MALE: I really think it'd
be best if I took this mail
885
00:44:31,402 --> 00:44:32,970
to the proper authorities.
886
00:44:32,970 --> 00:44:35,573
NARRATOR: Mike learned that the
elderly woman had a nephew who
887
00:44:35,573 --> 00:44:38,309
had been a crew member
aboard the SS Caleb Strong
888
00:44:38,309 --> 00:44:40,678
when it was bound for
North Africa in May 1944.
889
00:44:40,678 --> 00:44:43,147
[music playing]
890
00:44:43,147 --> 00:44:46,651
NARRATOR: The troops on board
had written 235 letters home
891
00:44:46,651 --> 00:44:49,554
and stuffed them
into the duffel bag.
892
00:44:49,554 --> 00:44:52,056
The woman's nephew had vowed
to mail them when he returned
893
00:44:52,056 --> 00:44:54,859
to the USA, but he'd forgotten.
894
00:44:54,859 --> 00:44:57,929
He died about 1980 and
the woman had been too
895
00:44:57,929 --> 00:45:01,299
embarrassed to say anything.
896
00:45:01,299 --> 00:45:04,201
After promising never
to reveal her name,
897
00:45:04,201 --> 00:45:09,006
Mike convinced this woman to
release the letters to him.
898
00:45:09,006 --> 00:45:12,810
The letters were sent to Meg
Harris of the postal service.
899
00:45:12,810 --> 00:45:16,180
92 GI's on board the Caleb
Strong had written letters
900
00:45:16,180 --> 00:45:19,617
to over 150 friends and family.
901
00:45:19,617 --> 00:45:22,787
One by one, the US Postal
Service delivered the letters
902
00:45:22,787 --> 00:45:24,889
from 89 of the soldiers.
903
00:45:24,889 --> 00:45:27,758
Only three could
not be tracked down.
904
00:45:27,758 --> 00:45:30,528
We're trying to locate
former Private John Jay Thomas.
905
00:45:30,528 --> 00:45:32,330
MEG HARRIS: You have to be
real careful when you start
906
00:45:32,330 --> 00:45:33,464
telling them about this mail.
907
00:45:33,464 --> 00:45:34,999
You kind of lead into it
slowly because you don't
908
00:45:34,999 --> 00:45:37,501
want anybody to go in to shock.
909
00:45:37,501 --> 00:45:42,139
And you feel a lot of the
closeness of family ties.
910
00:45:42,139 --> 00:45:45,509
The whole experience has been
one where you realize how much
911
00:45:45,509 --> 00:45:47,478
people care for each other.
912
00:45:47,478 --> 00:45:50,081
And how much they continue
caring even after 40 years.
913
00:45:50,081 --> 00:45:52,316
[music playing]
914
00:45:54,318 --> 00:45:58,456
FEMALE: Still at sea, May 1944.
915
00:45:58,456 --> 00:46:00,558
My precious wife.
916
00:46:00,558 --> 00:46:03,127
Darling, I sure miss you.
917
00:46:03,127 --> 00:46:05,630
I wish I were back
with you right now.
918
00:46:05,630 --> 00:46:08,366
It seems so hard to write
you as all I can think of
919
00:46:08,366 --> 00:46:11,235
is how love you and
long to be with you.
920
00:46:11,235 --> 00:46:14,639
The boat is rocking so I
can't write too neatly.
921
00:46:14,639 --> 00:46:17,174
Meryl, darling, I love you.
922
00:46:17,174 --> 00:46:19,910
And hope that we are soon
to be together for good.
923
00:46:19,910 --> 00:46:22,313
From what information
we can gather,
924
00:46:22,313 --> 00:46:24,548
I believe the big
invasion is on.
925
00:46:24,548 --> 00:46:27,818
So I'll be stuck overseas
until the war is over.
926
00:46:27,818 --> 00:46:29,820
I love you, my darling.
927
00:46:29,820 --> 00:46:31,255
Your husband, Frank.
928
00:46:34,525 --> 00:46:37,294
NARRATOR: Meryl Page
Rapley, is a retired teacher
929
00:46:37,294 --> 00:46:41,899
who was married to Frank
Rapley, B17 turret gunner.
930
00:46:41,899 --> 00:46:46,404
His plane was shot down
over Austria in 1944.
931
00:46:46,404 --> 00:46:49,073
Meryl Rapley never remarried.
932
00:46:49,073 --> 00:46:52,043
She's been a widow for 44 years.
933
00:46:52,043 --> 00:46:55,146
Receiving Frank's last letter
was a surprising and poignant
934
00:46:55,146 --> 00:46:55,946
moment.
935
00:46:58,582 --> 00:47:01,485
MERYL: I was shocked.
936
00:47:01,485 --> 00:47:03,954
It tore me all to pieces.
937
00:47:03,954 --> 00:47:07,925
And it was just as though we
were there together and just as
938
00:47:07,925 --> 00:47:11,195
though he was talking with me.
939
00:47:11,195 --> 00:47:13,531
And, of course, I
guess I was more
940
00:47:13,531 --> 00:47:15,866
or less in a state of shock.
941
00:47:15,866 --> 00:47:19,303
But it was the most wonderful
letter I have ever received
942
00:47:19,303 --> 00:47:21,906
from Frank, even though
all of his letters
943
00:47:21,906 --> 00:47:23,908
were very dear to me.
944
00:47:23,908 --> 00:47:28,679
But after waiting that long
and still being able, after 42
945
00:47:28,679 --> 00:47:35,086
years, to get another letter
from a man that I still love,
946
00:47:35,086 --> 00:47:39,623
that was just something that
only the Lord can understand
947
00:47:39,623 --> 00:47:43,060
the depth of meaning.
948
00:47:43,060 --> 00:47:45,396
[music playing]
949
00:47:50,434 --> 00:47:55,239
MERYL: The short two and a half
years I had with him was just
950
00:47:55,239 --> 00:47:57,208
equal to a lifetime for me.
951
00:47:57,208 --> 00:47:58,476
That's why I never did remarry.
952
00:47:58,476 --> 00:48:01,145
Nobody else could
ever replace him.
953
00:48:01,145 --> 00:48:03,881
And I have every letter
he's ever written me.
954
00:48:03,881 --> 00:48:06,517
But this, was always
the most special one.
955
00:48:15,693 --> 00:48:18,629
PEGGY: Sweet, just
another line today,
956
00:48:18,629 --> 00:48:21,565
as I'm always thinking
about you and may not be
957
00:48:21,565 --> 00:48:23,801
able to write for a few days.
958
00:48:23,801 --> 00:48:27,905
We haven't seen land
yet, but expect to soon.
959
00:48:27,905 --> 00:48:31,108
There is about six hours
difference in time here.
960
00:48:31,108 --> 00:48:33,744
So I often try to
think of where you are
961
00:48:33,744 --> 00:48:35,846
and what you might be doing.
962
00:48:35,846 --> 00:48:37,515
I guess that is natural.
963
00:48:37,515 --> 00:48:39,116
Your ever loving and
faithful husband.
964
00:48:43,220 --> 00:48:44,021
It's always touching.
965
00:48:50,561 --> 00:48:52,663
Can't help think back
all the time, you know.
966
00:48:56,634 --> 00:48:59,737
NARRATOR: Your ever loving
and faithful husband,
967
00:48:59,737 --> 00:49:01,806
those were Staff
Sergeant Sumter Grubb's
968
00:49:01,806 --> 00:49:04,542
last words to his wife Peggy.
969
00:49:04,542 --> 00:49:08,679
Written on May 19, 1944.
970
00:49:08,679 --> 00:49:12,283
Within months, Sumter
was killed in combat,
971
00:49:12,283 --> 00:49:13,517
but his words would not die.
972
00:49:16,620 --> 00:49:19,023
[unsolved mysteries theme music]
973
00:49:32,570 --> 00:49:34,939
Tonight, we've
seen four mysteries.
974
00:49:34,939 --> 00:49:37,107
Four true stories of
people caught in the most
975
00:49:37,107 --> 00:49:39,877
extraordinary circumstances.
976
00:49:39,877 --> 00:49:45,049
For each mystery, someone
somewhere knows the truth.
977
00:49:45,049 --> 00:49:46,984
Perhaps it's you?
71994
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