Original subtitles

NARRATOR: This program is about unsolved mysteries.

Whenever possible, the actual family members

and police officials have participated

in recreating the events.

What you are about to see is not a news broadcast.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Tonight, on a special edition

of Unsolved Mysteries.

Meet Todd Mueller, an accused con man

with a twisted sense of humor.

His escapades have bewildered and frustrated police

investigators in Honolulu and Chicago.

Not content just to break the law,

Mueller has mercilessly taunted authorities with a series

of practical jokes.

Chad Mower of Madison, Wisconsin,

was an active popular teenager, the All-American boy.

Then in 1990, he was found asphyxiated in an abandoned

garage in Chicago.

What could have taken Chad Mower,

to Chicago's seamy South Side, and ultimately

led to his death?

As a young single mother, Noreen Roberts was so destitute,

she felt compelled to put her three children up for adoption.

Now, she is one of the heirs to a $1 million estate

and doesn't even know it.

In 1974, the violent murder of their mother

ripped apart the nine children of the Vess family.

17 years later, one of them is still missing.

Join me for this intriguing addition of Unsolved Mysteries.

Perhaps you can help solve a mystery.

[theme music]

OK, I've got this great bike I want to show you.

It's just-- it's perfect for what you're looking for.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): 19-Year-old Chad Mower

worked in a bike shop in the Midwest college

town of Madison, Wisconsin.

He was a typical boy next door, a popular, well-rounded athlete

who hoped to save up enough money

to attend college in Colorado.

So Chad, how were things at the bike shop today?

Packed, you wouldn't believe it.

Oh, really, have you sold anything yet?

Yeah, I sold my first bike.

Oh, great.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): On the afternoon of May 19th, 1990,

Chad returned home to grab a quick lunch.

You know, it's packed over there.

So I got to going.

See ya.

OK, see you, Chad.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): It would be the last time Chad's

parents would ever see him.

Dad, can I borrow some money for gas?

DAD: Be right out.

OK, thanks.

DOLLY (VOICE OVER): There was nothing

about him that was different.

I mean, he wasn't on edge.

Chad, do you want me to get a jacked to take with you?

No, that's all right.

Thanks, bye bye.

DOLLY (VOICE OVER): You know, he was just

so excited about the job and he had a big smile on his face,

as usual.

[engine starts]

All I've got's a twenty, Chad, OK?

Fill it up.

Have a good day, OK.

Thanks, dad. Bye.

Catch you later. Bye.

JOHN (VOICEOVER): I'm standing right

outside, saying goodbye to him and have a good one, you know.

I didn't notice anything different either about--

or anything in the car.

It was kind of cool out that day and stuff.

I just don't think he had any intentions

of going anywhere or else he would

have had a jacket with him.

About an hour, an hour and a half later,

John needed something at the hardware store

that's near the bike shop.

As a matter of fact, it's two doors down from it.

So we headed up to the hardware store

and we noticed the car, Chad's car,

was not in the parking lot.

So we decided instead of going to the hardware store,

to stop there and see where Chad was.

It's been an hour and a half since he left the house.

Thank you.

George, do you know where Chad is?

He's car's not out front.

Well, he better be here.

He may have a customer in the back.

DOLLY (VOICE OVER): I knew there was something wrong,

but I just couldn't imagine.

So we just thought Chad will show up.

I hardly slept at all that night.

I probably got about five hours sleep, and I got up at 6:00,

and I knew it was too early to start calling the kids,

but I started calling kids about 7:30, and nobody knew anything.

The last time anybody saw Chad was

Friday night at a party for a couple of hours,

and that was it.

[train going by]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): The South Side

of Chicago was one of the roughest neighborhoods

in the country.

It is just a three hour drive from Chad's

home in Madison, Wisconsin.

[garage door clanking open]

Two days after Chad was last seen,

a maintenance worker found Chad's car

abandoned in the garage of a South Side housing complex.

Oh my God.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Inside the car

was Chad Mower, dead from carbon monoxide poisoning.

The Chicago police contacted the Mowers with the tragic news

that their son had committed suicide.

My system went into shock.

My brain went into shock and I was not thinking

until the kids started calling.

I don't even know how the kids found out,

but the kids started calling, and they

were screaming over the phone.

Did Chad commit suicide?

Well, he died of Carbon-- no, no, not Chad, not Chad.

DOLLY (VOICE OVER): Chad had too much going for him.

Chad had all his friends and Chad loved life.

Chad was not depressed.

Chad was not down.

He had all these goals.

John, look at Chad's knuckles. It looks like--

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): John and Dolly

viewed Chad's body for the first time just prior to the funeral.

Look at his face too, it looks all--

They were startled by his appearance.

But the Chicago police had said there

was no evidence of foul play.

The knuckles on both hands had been skinned to the bone

and there were bruises on his face.

Is there anything else we should be aware of here?

Well, we did receive his clothing, and that was soiled.

Soiled?

Yes, would you like to see it?

Most definitely.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Moments later, Chad's father

got his first look at the clothes

Chad was wearing when he died.

Oh no, Chad.

MAN: Front and back.

Oh, what happened?

What happened?

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): He could

not understand why there were blood stains on the t-shirt.

Now convinced that Chad's death was not a suicide,

the Mowers contacted the local authorities.

I'll show you the uh, crime scene

photographs that were sent up by the Chicago authorities.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Together with Detective David

Bongiovanni, they studied the police report filed in Chicago.

John and Dolly immediately noticed

yet another suspicious clue.

DETECTIVE DAVID: --surrounding Chad in the car.

Speaking of Chad, what the heck is that next to him there?

The jacket?

JOHN: Yeah.

Chad didn't take a jacket with him

and he didn't own a jacket like that.

And you're positive of that?

Yes, I'm positive.

DETECTIVE DAVID (VOICEOVER): The parents

noted the jacket on the front seat

was not a jacket they knew Chad to own.

It would be interesting to know the size of the jacket,

if it's consistent with Chad's size,

or it may give us an idea of the basic

build of somebody that may have been in the car with him.

It may have given us an idea of where in fact the jacket was

purchased, which would give us possibly a location, assuming

it's not a real common brand.

But the parents had pointed out that article in the photograph,

and when I checked with Chicago, they

had noted the jacket as well, but were

not sure where the jacket was.

They were going to check into that.

The best thing I can determine was that the jacket remained

in the car, and before the car was towed,

somebody took the jacket from the vehicle

because we couldn't secure it with the window being locked.

So now I wish we had the jacket, but we have no jacket.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): The autopsy report

also suggested that Chad had not taken his own life.

The level of carbon monoxide in his body

was 74%, a figure much higher than usually

found in a suicide.

It's my understanding that levels where they're

conscious at the time they succumb to carbon monoxide

is about 50% to 60%.

Levels that get up to about 74% to 80%

are more consistent with a person being unconscious

or sleeping at the time they succumb

to carbon monoxide poisoning.

And that's because people naturally have a tendency

to breathe deeper and more methodically

when they're sleeping then possibly when they're awake.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): The cause

of Chad's death was changed from suicide to undetermined.

Authorities began a full blown investigation.

Do you have an opinion as to what happened that day?

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): The bike

shop owner was quoted in a local newspaper

regarding Chad's case.

And something or someone spooked him.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Nine days

later, the shop was vandalized.

[gun shots]

[glass breaking]

[car tires screeching]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): No other stores

in the area was hit.

It now appeared that someone was sending a message.

MAN (ON TV): The following is a message from the Madison

area Crime Stoppers.

On October 22nd, 1990, Chad's story

was aired on a local Crime Stoppers program in Madison

and a disturbing scenario emerged.

--teenager last spring.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): After the broadcast,

an anonymous tip alleged that Chad was involved in a drug

deal with people who lived in his apartment complex

in Madison.

These same people had previously lived

on the south side of Chicago.

We know through our intelligence sources

that there is a pipeline of narcotics trafficking

from Chicago to Madison.

Now, there's nothing in Chad's background

that would really suggest that he's involved with narcotics.

His toxicological analysis came back pure of any narcotics, not

even any alcohol.

But because of this conduit, there's a possibility

that he might have been tricked or enticed in some way

to be involved in narcotics and narcotics trafficking.

DETECTIVE DAVID (VOICEOVER): Is it possible that somebody else

offered him money?

Chad was looking for money.

He wanted to move to Colorado.

He was hoping to get a couple of thousand dollars

to go to Colorado for snowboarding and BMX, a future.

Is it possible that somebody offered him $500

to make the trip and then when they got to Chicago,

reneged on that and an altercation occurred,

and Chad obviously being the loser of that altercation.

[punch thuds]

[grunts]

[grunting in pain]

THUG: Get him!

Get him, get him!

[fist fight]

Just leave him there.

Let's go!

[scuffling]

Shut off the lights!

Most all of our homicides in Chicago

have a common denominator of drugs in it

somewhere, whether they're selling it, whether they're

fighting over the territory, whether they're using it,

drugs seems to come up in a great majority of our cases.

JOHN RIDGES: So this is also a reason

that we're inclined to lean towards this drug angle

a little bit more because we see so often here.

We feel that there are people, probably in the Madison area,

that probably know more than they're coming forward with.

And I think probably that's who we're trying to reach out

to now because we're not going to know what happened

inside that garage unless we know the circumstances

surrounding how he got there, and that's what we're really

after, I think, at this point.

All we know in Chad's case is Chad is dead

and he ended up in Chicago.

That's all we know in this case and we know he was beaten up.

But why was he beaten up?

How did he end up in Chicago?

There are so many questions and every day we wake up

and we think a different thing that

could have happened to Chad.

I know it won't bring Chad back, but we cannot rest,

and we cannot put Chad to rest until we really

have the answers to this case.

[theme music]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): In 1971, Big Brothers of America

opened a chapter in Elkhart, Indiana.

Their first little brother was 7-year-old Jeff Fisher.

Jeff's big brother was John Novotny,

a local salesman and father of a two-year-old daughter.

I play shortstop on it.

You do? Well that's nice

John gave me the companionship that I

really needed at that time.

Just the fact that this was an older guy that I could

hang around with, and not have him to tell me to go away,

and come back later, and stuff.

A guy that wanted to spend some time with me.

It made me feel really good.

Yeah.

So I can get this tied up and then we're just about ready--

LINDA: After Jeff and John started seeing each other,

I noticed that Jeff had a lot more confidence in himself,

and he was very proud of the fact that he had a big brother,

and he would tell the other kids well,

John and I are going to go this.

Or my big brother and I are going to do this.

He was very proud of the fact that he had a man in his life.

I think it's ready to light.

Yeah.

OK.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): A year and a half later,

John and his family moved away.

Although Jeff never saw John again,

he never forgot the warmth and kindness that changed his life.

JEFF (VOICEOVER): He just introduced me to a world

that I had never seen before and if I finally see him again,

I just want to thank him.

He made a lasting impression.

It's been 20 years and he's still a really

vivid part of my memory.

Thanks to our viewers, Jeff Fisher's search

for his big brother ended the night of our broadcast.

Nine days later, Jeff and his mother

traveled to John Novotny's home in Tacoma, Washington

for an emotional reunion.

There they are!

[laughter]

There they are!

Hi, guys.

[laughter and talking]

You look just like your picture, man.

How are you doing?

Great, great.

JOHN NOVOTNY: It's unbelievable.

I was absolutely stunned.

I had absolutely no idea that Jeff was looking for me

and then as the show aired, people from Elkhart

and from Michigan started calling me on the phone,

telling me that I was on television,

and that Jeff Fisher was looking for me.

We must have got 35 calls that night

and at least that many the next night.

I've been wanting to say thanks to this guy for 18 years

and whatever it took to come out and say that,

I was willing to do.

This is when we were down in Lexington, Kentucky

for a John Mellencamp show.

JOHN NOVOTNY: When I first started being a Big Brother

the question was would I really have

enough time to do it right?

And then 20 years later, to find out that I really

did make a difference, I mean, it brings

the whole thing to reality.

[laughter]

[theme music]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): The homeless,

estimates of their numbers go as high as $7 million

in the United States alone.

Sadly, many of us tend not to see the individuals

in the faceless mass.

We forget that for each man, woman,

and child on the streets, there's an untold story.

There ain't no apartments.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): This is a story of a woman named

Lorene Roberts, who maybe lost among the homeless.

Her family has not seen or heard from her in more than 30 years.

Lorene has no way of knowing that she is one of the heirs

to a million dollar estate.

Lorene grew up in Dripping Springs, Texas.

She was on the high school basketball team

and a member of the pep club.

But at 16, Lorene inexplicably dropped out of school.

Her family believes this may have

been the beginning of a slow descent into mental illness.

VIRGINIA: Lorene was very quiet.

She would just be yourself with her own thoughts

and her own world.

It's as if she wasn't there with you most of the time.

Hey, Hey, little lady.

Can we get some coffee over here?

Yeah, you, the pretty one.

You want to take our order?

Uh, I'll be with you in just a minute.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): In 1949,

just after she dropped out of high school,

Lorene moved to Austin and soon found work as a waitress.

She also found love.

Write that down, coffee, pie, and how

about I take you for a whirl.

I don't know what you mean.

Let me show you.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Just 10 days after they met,

Lorene and the young serviceman were married.

[romantic music playing]

Lorene and her husband had three children in quick succession.

In 1956, they moved to his hometown in New Jersey.

That decision would prove to be the undoing

of the young couple.

[children yelling]

RUBY: And Lorene told me that she wasn't happy there,

his family didn't accept her, and that his mother bought her

and the children a train ticket, and put

them on the train to come back to Austin,

sent her back to Austin.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Lorene's husband

filed for divorce.

With no money and no means of support,

Lorene and her three young children

returned to Texas and an uncertain future.

I'm tired, when are we going to go home?

Soon.

Michael, sweetheart would you put this on for me?

That other one's dirty.

Come here, put this on for mommy.

OK?

I'm hungry, who's--

who's going to feed us?

There's bread in the kitchen, OK?

I need you-- I need you to help me out.

Mother!

Can you do that?

But who's going to take care of us?

You.

I need you to be the man while I'm gone.

Is that OK? Can you do that?

Will you be in charge for mommy?

Will you do that for me?

I got to go now.

I got to go.

Will you watch after them for me, OK?

OK? - OK.

Bye.

RUBY: Lorene tried.

She worked and she tried to handle her situations.

And she loved her children very much,

but that was just something she couldn't handle

and she seen she couldn't handle it,

and she tried to get help from her husband, but no help.

She got no help.

She decided the best thing to do was to just give them

up and let them be adopted out where

they would be taken care of.

Come along.

Now, just get into the car.

Now don't-- now don't fuss.

I'll-- we'll get-- we'll get you some food.

Now, don't fuss.

I want you to sit there quietly.

Yes, yes you.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): After the children were adopted,

Lorene's emotional state grew increasingly fragile.

RUBY (VOICEOVER): She came to me and she admitted that she

was sick to me, and said she needed help,

said she needed a doctor.

And my dad said we would take her to the psychiatrist,

and I did, and he gave her admittance

to the state hospital.

So I took her out there and she cried and everything when she

hugged my neck, and loved me, and everything,

and it was so hard to see-- to have to leave her there.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Between 1957 and 1961,

Lorene was admitted to the state mental hospital

on five separate occasions.

Each time she was released, she found work as a waitress,

but each time when the pressure became too great,

Lorene would check herself back into the hospital.

In 1959, on one of her furloughs in the state hospital,

Lorene showed up at Ruby's house unannounced.

Lorene.

Hi, it's so good to see you.

Get up here and let me give you a big old hug.

Oh.

How are you doing?

Oh, I'm just fine, Ruby.

Well, you look thin.

Can I fix you something to eat?

Oh, no, no, no, nothing.

I can only stay a few minutes.

Well, then sit down here and tell me what's been going on.

Well, I'm getting married.

Married?

Uh-huh.

That's great.

Who to?

College professor.

A college professor.

Well that's great.

I came to show you my ring.

Well, that's mighty pretty, honey.

Where'd you meet a college professor?

It's pretty, isn't it?

Lorene.

Hm?

Where'd you meet a college professor?

The college.

RUBY (VOICEOVER): At that time I was

just hoping the best for her.

So I didn't question too much or anything.

I just hoped the best, you know?

And that's the last time I saw Lorene,

and I haven't heard from her or anything since.

Well, I've got to get going.

Well, can I take you somewhere?

Oh no, no.

I came in a cab and I'm going to leave in a cab.

Take care now.

OK, you too.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Two weeks

later, Ruby received a bill for Lorene's engagement ring.

Lorene had bought the ring herself,

then failed to make the payments.

ERIC TUCKER: We have searched everything looking for Lorene.

All the public records have been searched.

No one has any records of Lorene being

alive for the last 25 years.

Her mother died in 1988 and her will provided it

for the distribution of her estate, which was valued

at about $1 million, to her children

and Lorene was one of the children.

And so since no one knew where she was,

the court appointed me to represent her

and to try to locate her.

I don't think it's going to be easy to find Lorene,

but I also don't think she's disappeared

off the face of the earth.

I think she's out there somewhere.

She's either on the street, or in a hospital,

or under some new identity, but I think she's out there.

There's a big void in our life without her,

and not knowing whether she's alive or dead,

and we want that filled.

I would share her children that have

found us and her grandchildren.

That would be the first thing I'd want her to know about.

She would be so happy.

When we aired this story, we never

imagined that Lorene would call our telecenter

and solve her own mystery.

Lorene's family was overjoyed to learn

that she was alive and well.

Her sister, Ruby, immediately flew to Little Rock, Arkansas,

where Lorene had been working as a housekeeper

for just room and board.

[people conversing]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): A few days later, Ruby brought Lorene

back home to Austin, Texas for a poignant reunion

with the rest of her family.

[happy crying]

Oh, Lorene!

It was unbelievable.

I could hardly believe it because I guess for so long we

have searched and searched for her,

and we couldn't find a lead.

I was so enthused, I cried, I laughed, I did everything.

[cheering and crying]

[applause]

Yes, it's nice to be back.

They're Real nice.

They've always been.

They're original people that are very darling people.

Well, you know better than we do.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): After we filmed this reunion,

Lorene remained in Austin for three months.

She received her $105,000 inheritance

and has since returned to her home in Arkansas.

This is the wonderful person we looked for for 30 years.

We're going to be happy and just do all the things we can

to be together, and love each other,

and include her children and her grandchildren.

[laughter]

And which I think will be real good for Lorene and all of us.

[theme music]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): August 29th, 1990,

the Hawaiian island of Maui.

A man arrived at a local bank and introduced

himself as Pepito D'Bayan.

I've been named representative to my aunt's estate,

and what I'd like to do is take the funds from her account,

and open up a new account.

In addition to the $52,000 from her account,

I'd like to deposit this check also.

Do you have some identification?

And also, I'd like to transfer $20,000 to my associate

in Honolulu, Julian Bellemont.

I see.

That's $20,000 to--

Julian Bellemont.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Although the documents appeared

in order, something about the smooth talking customer

put the bank manager on guard.

I tell you what, all this is going to take some time.

If you could come back in an hour,

we'll be all ready for you to go when you come back.

OK, great.

Then I guess I'll see you in around an hour.

Yes, thank you Mr. D'Bayan.

Thank you.

So long.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): An hour later, Pepito

D'Bayan returned to schedule.

Hi.

Are you Pepito D'Bayan?

Yeah, that's me.

We believe this check is a forgery.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): D'Bayan

was arrested on the spot for suspicion of forgery.

[hand cuff clicks]

[photo snapshot]

MAN: Turn to your right.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): At first, Maui police had no idea

who they had in custody.

The suspect carried 15 identification cards,

each with a different alias.

Eventually, authorities identify the prisoner as an elusive

conman named Todd Mueller.

Todd Muller is not your run of the mill criminal.

He specializes in forging court documents, which

give him free reign to plunder the estates

of the recently deceased.

His many escapades have confused and frustrated

authorities, often leaving them shaking

their heads in disbelief.

As it turns out, Todd Mueller is something of a practical joker

who delights in taunting those who are

trying to keep him behind bars.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): December

3rd 1991, Honolulu, Hawaii.

- Hello, my name is Clara. - Hi, Clara.

How are you? I'm Arthur Iona.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Three months

after his arrest in Maui, Todd Mueller

was out on bail and back on the scam,

calling himself Arthur Iona.

What may I do for you today?

Well, Clara, I've been a personal representative

to the estate of George McLaughlin,

and what I'd like to do is take the funds from this account,

and open a checking account in my name.

May I see some ID?

Absolutely.

We think Todd Mueller looked in a newspaper

in the obituary section.

From there, he would get names of deceased persons,

their accounts being in probate court.

HENRY NOBRIGA (VOICEOVER): He would then go over

to the copying machines, located right in Circuit Court,

take these photocopies home, and he

would make of letters of administration,

naming him a trustee for the account.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): The fictitious documents

and phony checks enabled Mueller to steal thousands of dollars

from banks throughout Hawaii.

He had created a lucrative cottage industry right

in his own apartment, but his work was

sometimes less than perfect.

HENRY NOBRIGA: One particular check,

the bank listed on the check was a bank of Iowa, Boise, Iowa.

There is no Boise Iowa.

Instead, it should be Boise, Idaho,

and we thought that was pretty hilarious with him.

You know, just making up any name.

I guess he didn't realize it was Boise, Idaho.

[car whirring by]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Todd Mueller was not only

a bit sloppy, he was greedy.

During the next three days, he returned to the bank

in Honolulu and withdrew more than $31,000,

arousing the suspicions of yet another bank manager.

HENRY NOBRIGA (VOICEOVER): She called

me to tell me that she thought these probate

documents were false.

She described the individual to me.

I immediately thought Todd Mueller.

Mr. Mueller?

Todd Mueller, Detective Nobriga.

We finally meet.

Hi.

You're under arrest for forgery.

Put your hands behind your back.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): After the arrest,

Detective Nobriga proceeded to an address

given to him by Mueller.

Once he determined that Mueller did live there,

Nobriga left to obtain a search warrant.

OK, this is it.

Meanwhile, Todd Mueller posted bail and was released.

Todd Mueller calls me in my office.

He invites me over to his house.

He tells me, you don't have to make any search warrants.

Just come over to my house and I'll let you look around.

Hello?

[dog barking in distance]

HENRY NOBRIGA (VOICEOVER): I just

kind of smiled and thought he's leading

me on a wild goose chase.

I walked over and checked with some of the neighbors,

and they told me just about an hour before I arrived

there, there was a flurry of activity where guys were moving

stuff out of the house, throwing it onto a truck,

and they took off and left.

[typing]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): One week later,

at the Oahu Correctional Facility,

a former cell mate of Todd Mueller's, Roy Hartsock,

received a welcomed surprise.

MAN: Pack your stuff up, man.

Today's your lucky day.

You're being paroled.

What?

MAN: You're being paroled.

Pack your stuff up.

Nah, I don't get paroled until February.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): A court

order had been issued for Hartsock's immediate release.

Roy Hartsock left the island for parts unknown.

Three weeks later, authorities discovered

that Hardtsock's release documents had been forged.

Todd Mueller had apparently struck again.

At about the time we were looking for Todd Mueller,

I got a phone call from a New York police

Sergeant saying that they had arrested

Todd Mueller in New York.

When I tried to call this New York Sergeant back,

we learned that there was no such person, no such department

there in New York.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): And where it was Todd Mueller?

Living it up at an exclusive hotel in Chicago, Illinois.

Hi.

Give it 1720.

I want to pay for tonight and tomorrow.

I'm not sure when I'll be checking out.

Mr. Mueller?

We became suspicious of Mr. Mueller because of the activity

that was taking place in the lobby.

He had very suspicious looking people coming to the hotel

and he was giving large sums of money to them.

And I informed the front office manager that we

should not extend hi stay.

The hotel's booked?

That's correct.

Are you sure there isn't some mistake?

I've been here all week.

I'm afraid not.

We have a convention coming in.

The entire floor is booked.

I see.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Mueller, however,

wasn't quite ready to leave.

I guess in that case, I'll be checking out.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): He simply called the hotel's toll

free reservation service and booked

another room across the hall.

That irked me, to say the least.

And at that point, that's when I felt that we should take

some sort of action as to at least check

on his identity of who Mr. Mueller actually was.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Pat Ammiano searched

Mueller's vacated room.

He found several discarded checks, which

later proved to be forgeries.

Ammiano also discovered that Mueller

had placed several calls to Honolulu, Hawaii.

HENRY NOBRIGA (VOICEOVER): On the off chance,

he called one of the phone numbers,

and it happened to be my office.

I think he just has this penchant for making

everyone chase him around.

I guess he's sort of like a cops and robbers kind of thing.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): When Chicago police arrived

to arrest Mueller, they were met by his former cellmate

from Hawaii, Roy Hartsock.

Chicago PD.

We're looking for Todd Mueller.

He's not here.

And you are?

Roy Hartsock.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Hartsock

was surprised to learn that his early release from prison

had been secured with forged documents.

You have any identification?

Yeah.

Todd Mueller?

Chicago PD.

You're under arrest.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Once again,

Todd Mueller was in custody.

But this time, there would be no bail.

You have the right to remain silent.

Anything you say or do can be used

against you in a court of law.

Do you understand that? - Yes, I do.

Todd was parading around town prior to his arrest,

pretending to be someone other than what he was.

He committed several burglaries, stole mail, federal mail theft

charges, opened bank accounts, and attempted to withdraw a sum

of $204,000 from one account.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Roy Hartsock was returned to Hawaii

to complete his sentence.

Todd Mueller was booked on charges

of forgery, fraud, and robbery.

He was held in the Cook County jail, pending trial.

[gurney wheels rolling]

But Mueller had one more trick up his sleeve.

After six months behind bars, he was rushed to a hospital

emergency room after telling guards

he had swallowed a razor blade.

Mueller was handcuffed to his hospital bed.

A guard was posted outside the door.

It didn't do a bit of good.

Authorities still cannot explain how Todd Mueller got away.

WOMAN (ON SPEAKER): Doctor Kravitz,

a visitor in the main lobby.

HENRY NOBRIGA (VOICEOVER): Since Todd Mueller escaped,

he would call me just to say that he

wanted to turn himself into me.

Some all of his phone calls claimed to be on the plane

itself, coming into Hawaii.

Saying I'm on my way in.

I'm on so and so flight.

Why don't you meet me at the airport?

You go down there.

He's never there.

I don't think my sense of humor is any worse for it.

I don't particularly enjoy what he's doing

but I just think what he's doing is silly.

Eventually, he's going to get caught.

[theme music]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Next, a woman's

poignant search for her brothers and sisters,

torn apart by tragedy.

[theme music]

James and Wanda Vess were married in 1956.

17 years later, they had nine children;

six sons and three daughters.

The oldest child was 16, the youngest just 10 months.

James worked in the construction business,

and for the Vess children, life at home seemed safe and secure.

OK, everyone got their spaghetti?

OK, let's say grace, folks.

Russell, get your elbows off the table.

Bless us, oh Lord--

SHARENE (VOICEOVER): We would eat dinner every night

together at the table.

My mother would have everything done

before my father got off work.

--Christ our lord, amen.

Good.

SHARENE (VOICEOVER): My mother set at one end,

my father sat at the other end, and the kids sat on the sides.

And I think that was something that was really

important to my father, you know that the family

be together at dinner time, and sit there and eat.

Yeah.

OK, again.

Get We had an ideal life.

We would go to church on Sundays.

We would get up on the stage of the church

and sing with my mother because she played the accordion.

We would sing at home together.

We would have fun.

It was a typical American family life that you

see on "Leave it to Beaver."

[church organ playing]

The Lord is my shepherd.

I shall not want.

He maketh thee to lie down in green pastures.

In

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): May of 1974, the Vess family

was ripped apart by tragedy.

He restored my soul.

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness, for his name's--

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Wanda Vess

had died on her 34th birthday.

-- Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil.

For though art with me.

Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

I think I felt more cheated than anything.

I remember my little sister tried to touch my mother

and I pulled her hand back.

And then she went up there, and I

guess she touched her because she came back

and she goes, sissy, why is mama so cold?

And I couldn't answer her.

I didn't know what to say so I just set her down on my lap

and just held her there.

Now prepare us the table before me--

James Vess did not attend the funeral.

He was in jail, charged with the murder of his wife.

My cup overflowed.

What could bring a man to kill his own wife

and leave his children as orphans?

The answer in this isolated case may be hauntingly simple.

James Vess was an alcoholic.

The nine Vess children not only lost both of their parents

to this devastating disease, they also

lost each other for 17 years.

This is a story of one woman's determination

to find her brothers and sisters,

and one family's resilience in the face

of overwhelming tragedy.

[car whirring by]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): By 1973, years of drinking binges

had steadily eroded James and Wanda Vess's marriage.

[car door slams shut]

James is often too drunk to work.

He also became increasingly violent towards his wife.

[plastic bouncing on counter]

Wanda!

WANDA: Yeah?

Hey, Wanda, where's that bottle?

SHARENE (VOICEOVER): I remember on one

occasion, my father coming home, looking for his bottle

of liquor.

And my mother had hid it so he couldn't find it.

No I didn't.

- You hid that bottle, Wanda. - You probably drank it.

(ANGRILY): I didn't drink the bottle.

It was a full bottle this morning.

Where the hell is it?

SHARENE (VOICEOVER): And he got really upset

and wanted his liquor, and my mother wouldn't give it to him,

he was beating her up.

[screams]

And he was hitting her and choking her.

[yelling]

And so my brothers would go over there

and try to get him off of her.

Just leave her alone!

SHARENE (VOICEOVER): I was always more quiet and afraid.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Wanda Vess had finally had enough.

James soon moved out of the house

and Wanda filed for divorce.

She was determined to make a new life for herself and the nine

children, but with no formal training and little work

experience, Wanda was forced two wait tables

and tend bar at a local tavern.

May 27th, 1974.

At around 1:00 AM, James Vess wandered into the tavern

where his wife worked.

It was Wanda's 34th birthday.

Oh, I just came to buy you a drink for your birthday, babe.

I don't want anything from you.

Get out.

Come on, we do this every year.

Get out.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): According to witnesses,

James had been drinking heavily.

OK.

[shotgun loads]

Get out of here.

(YELLING): Get out of here!

What are you doing?

Put that thing down.

Put the gun down, James Put it down!

(SCREAMING): Put the gun down!

[gunshot]

[shotgun reloaded]

I love you, Wanda.

[gunshot]

[POLICE CHATTER ON WALKIE TALKIE]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Approximately an hour

later, James Vess was arrested at a nearby tavern.

Minutes after killing Wanda, James

had swaggered into the bar and openly boasted

that he had just shot his wife.

He said he needed a drink.

Vess later plead guilty to first degree murder

and was sentenced to life in prison, where he died in 1983.

In one senseless and violent moment,

James Vess had shattered his entire family.

Within days of their mother's funeral,

the Vess children were sent to live in separate homes.

SHARENE (VOICEOVER): I think for some reason,

I felt we had enough family that some kind of way

we would all be kept together, but I was wrong.

It was like nobody wanted us.

We were taboo.

To be around us would be to remember

what happened, to have to accept it, and they didn't want that.

So to me, we were punished for what

my father did because we weren't even

allowed to have each other.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): The oldest boy, James Jr,

Was taken in by his grandmother.

Sharene and three brothers, Russell, Kenneth, and Wayne,

were placed in foster homes.

Her sister, Kendra, and the three youngest children

Heath, Dawn, and Kevin, were put up for adoption.

Excuse me, do you have any spare change?

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): For 14-year-old Sharene,

the tragic loss of an entire family

marked the beginning of a cycle of despair.

Just three months after her mother was murdered,

Sharene ran away from her foster home and took to the streets.

SHARENE (VOICEOVER): In the very beginning,

sometimes I would sleep in the apartment building hallway,

and a couple of times I slept outside.

It was cold.

I was scared.

I had a backpack that had some clothes in it.

I used that for a pillow.

You lay there and half way sleep,

and hope that no one comes around.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Remarkably, Sharene

managed to escape the streets.

Eventually, she enrolled in business school

and later got a job as an office manager.

Today, Sharene lives in San Diego,

California with her husband and two daughters.

Four years ago, with the love and encouragement

of her new family, Sharene began searching

for her missing brothers and sisters,

whom she had not seen in 11 years.

Incredibly, it took Sharene less than two months

to find four of her brothers.

Two years later, she was reunited with her oldest sister

and just last Christmas, Sharene finally

made contact with her youngest sister and brother.

But one of the Vess children still remains unaccounted for.

Sharene's brother, Heath, who was 6 years

old when they were separated.

I actually had a dream one night

that there was all nine of us in a room,

and I was actually counting them all down the line,

and I couldn't believe it.

It's like something that you want,

but it's just out of reach.

You'll never get it.

But I believe enough in that because I will not

take no for an answer because I just know that I'm

going to get them all together.

The night of our broadcast, Sharene's dream

of finding her brother, Heath, came true

when he called our telecenter.

Heath, who is now married and living in Ohio,

was shocked to learn he been featured

on national television.

The next day, he spoke with his sister

for the first time in more than 17 years.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Four weeks later, Heath, accompanied

by his wife Robin, arrived in Los

Angeles for a special reunion with five

of his brothers and sisters.

[door closes]

[happy screaming]

HEATH (VOICEOVER): I was really excited.

I just wanted to get out of the car.

I just think, who am I going to hug first?

And I didn't want anybody to start bawling or anything.

I just wanted to get out and hug everybody at once, basically.

SHARENE (VOICEOVER): When I heard Heath was found,

I was actually kind of numb.

I thought it would take months.

I didn't know that people would just call in

and it would be that easy.

I'm glad it was because it's been a long wait.

[chuckling]

I was born with it.

HEATH (VOICEOVER): Meeting everybody,

it's changed my attitude a lot. it's

picked up my attitude because I've had a lot of feelings.

I had that unwanted feeling and I never really knew

why, but now since they found me, I have that

wanted feeling now.

It's a good feeling because I never really knew.

Finding Heath and this reunion is the first day

of a new beginning.

I know when we all leave here that we're all going

to leave here differently.

It's going to be better for all of us.

Cheese.

[photograph snaps]

[theme music]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): On our next Unsolved Mysteries,

the final appeal of Larry Race.

In 1982, Race took his wife for a moonlight boat ride

on Lake Superior.

The next morning, Debbie Race's lifeless body washed ashore.

Larry Race was convicted of murder and sent to prison.

To this day, Race maintains his innocence,

and the family of his dead wife believes

he is telling the truth.

At the outbreak of World War II, a young woman of the Ojibwe

Indian nation was banished by her father

when she joined the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Her brothers and sisters have not

seen her in nearly 50 years.

Join me next time for another intriguing addition

Unsolved Mysteries.

[music playing]