Original subtitles

YES, YOU ARE.

YES, YOU ARE.

YES?

ARE YOU MRS. ALLEN?

- YES, I AM. - IS YOUR HUSBAND HOME?

NO, HE'S NOT HERE RIGHT NOW.

GEE, THAT'S TOO BAD.

I THOUGHT HE SAID HE'D BE OFF EARLY BECAUSE ON MONDAYS,

THE OFFICE DOES INVENTORY.

PERHAPS I'LL COME BACK LATER TONIGHT,

SEE IF I CAN CATCH HIM. - I'M SORRY.

HE SHOULD BE HOME LATER ON AFTER 5 P.M.

THE THING IS, HE -- HE HAD LENT ME

A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY AFTER MY SISTER'S CAR ACCIDENT.

HE WAS JUST GIVIN' ME A HELPIN' HAND.

I'VE BEEN MAKIN' MY WAY UP FROM BOYS TOWN.

THAT -- THAT -- THAT'S WHERE I GREW UP IN.

- I'M SO SORRY YOU MISSED HIM. - THAT'S A SHAME.

SAY, I COULDN'T TROUBLE

YOU FOR A GLASS OF WATER AND A COUPLE OF ASPIRIN?

I -- I GOT A DOOZY OF A HEADACHE.

OF COURSE.

JUST WAIT HERE A MOMENT.

- HERE YOU GO. - THANKS.

I'LL TELL MY HUSBAND TO EXPECT YOU.

NO!

THE BRONX IN 1941, PRE-WORLD WAR II,

JUST AS THE COUNTRY'S COMING OUT OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION,

WE HAD VERY STRONG NEIGHBORHOODS.

MOST PEOPLE GREW UP, MARRIED,

WORKED, AND REMAINED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THE PARKCHESTER APARTMENTS, IN THE BRONX,

IS A MIDDLE-CLASS COMMUNITY.

THIS IS THE NEW DEAL ERA.

AND THE GOVERNMENT IS BUILDING

HOUSING COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE CITY.

ON THE AFTERNOON OF JANUARY 13, 1941,

NEW YORK POLICE DETECTIVE ED BURNS

IS CALLED TO THE PARKCHESTER

TO THE HOME OF ELIZABETH AND TOM ALLEN.

WHEN I SAW ALL THAT COMMOTION ACROSS THE HALL,

I FIGURED I BETTER MAKE MYSELF USEFUL

AND KEEP AN EYE ON THE BABY.

NEIGHBORS BACK THEN, WE MUDDLED THROUGH TOGETHER, YOU KNOW?

WE HELPED WHEN WE COULD WITH A CUP OF SUGAR

OR A FEW BUCKS 'TIL PAYDAY.

BUT THERE WASN'T A THING WE COULD DO TO FIX

WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO BETTY ALLEN.

THE APARTMENT IS CLEARLY RANSACKED.

THINGS ARE OUT OF PLACE.

HE SEES ON THE TABLE A GLASS OF WATER AND AN ASPIRIN BOTTLE.

MR. ALLEN.

MRS. ALLEN, COULD YOU TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED?

IT WAS, MUST'VE BEEN ABOUT QUARTER TO 3.

AND, I -- I JUST FINISHED MY DUSTING.

AND THERE WAS A -- A MAN AT THE DOOR.

HE SAID HE KNEW MY HUSBAND

FROM THE BAKERY ROUTE UP IN CONNECTICUT.

AND I BELIEVED HIM. HE KNEW DETAILS.

THE MAN SAID HE WAS FROM BOYS TOWN.

BOYS TOWN, SPENCER TRACY BOYS TOWN?

THAT'S RIGHT.

SO I FELT SORRY FOR HIM.

BOYS TOWN IS A FAMOUS HOME

FOR BOYS STARTED BY FATHER FLANAGAN

IN NEBRASKA IN 1917.

IT WAS A PIONEER IN REHABILITATION.

HE SAID THAT MR. ALLEN HAD LENT HIM MONEY LAST WEEK

AND HE WANTED TO THANK HIM.

AND THEN, HE ASKED ME FOR WATER AND AN ASPIRIN.

AND I WENT TO GET IT FOR HIM.

AND THEN...

HE TAKES HER TO THE BACK BEDROOM.

HE TIES HER HANDS WITH A NECKTIE,

TIES HER FEET WITH TOWELS.

THE SUBJECT ASKED, "WHERE ARE ANY VALUABLES?"

HE STUFFS A HANDKERCHIEF IN HER MOUTH.

I COULD HEAR HIM GOING THROUGH THE HOUSE.

AND PENNY WAS CRYING.

HE CAME BACK INTO THE BEDROOM.

HE WAS TAKING OFF HIS CLOTHES.

HE'S ABOUT TO RAPE HER.

AND THEN THE PHONE RANG.

IT SEEMED TO SPOOK HIM.

AND THEN HE JUST LEFT.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE HIM TO ME?

HE WAS ABOUT 5'10" OR 5'11".

MRS. ALLEN WAS ABLE TO COME UP

WITH A FAIRLY COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THE ATTACKER --

OLIVE COMPLEXION, IN HIS 20S.

MAY I HAVE A WORD WITH YOU OUTSIDE?

BE RIGHT BACK.

THIS SOUND LIKE ANYONE YOU KNOW?

- NO. - YOU'RE SURE?

YEAH, I'M SURE.

ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF THEIR VALUABLES

AND THEIR CASH WAS ACTUALLY TAKEN.

THE GLASS DOES NOT HAVE A FINGERPRINT ON IT.

SO IT POSSIBLY COULD'VE BEEN WIPED.

THIS IS SOMEBODY WITH A PLAN.

THIS IS SOMEBODY WHO HAS COMMITTED A CRIME BEFORE.

DETECTIVES FIND ABOUT 50 PHOTOGRAPHS OF MEN

WHO WOULD MATCH ROUGHLY THE DESCRIPTION

AND HAVE A HISTORY OF SEXUAL ASSAULT OR ROBBERY.

THE NEXT DAY, MRS. ALLEN IS

BROUGHT IN TO LOOK AT THIS PHOTO ARRAY.

THAT'S HIM.

THAT'S THE MAN.

AND ANTHONY LITZY IS THE PERSON SHE IDENTIFIES.

AND SHE IS ADAMANT.

HE HAS A HISTORY OF ARMED ROBBERY.

HE'S DONE TIME.

OUT OF JAIL, ANTHONY LITZY WORKS CONSTRUCTION.

HE'S A PLASTERER'S APPRENTICE.

THEY REACH OUT TO THE EMPLOYER.

ANTHONY LITZY WAS ACTUALLY AT THE PARKCHESTER APARTMENTS

THE DAY BEFORE ON A JOB.

THAT IS QUITE THE COINCIDENCE.

ANTHONY LITZY IS BROUGHT INTO THE STATION

TO BE QUESTIONED BY DETECTIVE BURNS

AND ASSISTANT DA MARTIN FRANK.

YOU WERE AT THE PARKCHESTER 2 DAYS AGO.

IS THAT RIGHT?

ON THE JOB, YEAH.

A MAN WITH YOUR RECORD WORKIN' RIGHT WHERE

A WOMAN GETS ATTACKED.

I'M A MARRIED MAN, WORKING STEADY,

WHICH IS MORE THAN A LOT CAN SAY.

CAN ANYONE VOUCH FOR YOUR WHEREABOUTS AROUND 3 P.M.?

ASK THE PLASTERER. ASK THE FOREMAN.

THEY'LL BOTH TELL YOU.

- HAVE THEY ANY RELATION TO YOU? - YEAH.

THE PLASTERER, HE'S -- HE'S MY COUSIN.

AND THE FOREMAN?

YEAH, HE'S MY FATHER-IN-LAW.

BOOK HIM.

ASSISTANT DA FRANK ARRESTS ANTHONY LITZY.

THAT WOULD'VE BEEN A NICE, TIDY ENDING.

BUT WE HAD NO SUCH LUCK.

THREE WEEKS LATER,

THE COPS FOUND A DEAD WOMAN

IN AN APARTMENT ACROSS TOWN.

AND IN THE DINING ROOM WAS A FAMILIAR SIGHT.

FEBRUARY 4, 1941, 3 WEEKS AFTER THE ATTACK

ON MRS. ALLEN,

DETECTIVE ED BURNS ARRIVES

AT THE APARTMENT OF JOHN AND CATHERINE PAPPAS.

JOHN HAS MOVED OUT OF THE APARTMENT AT THIS POINT,

WHICH IS STANDARD.

AND IT'S DEJA VU. APARTMENT'S RANSACKED.

JOHN PAPPAS TOLD HIM THAT A NECKLACE,

A DIAMOND ENGAGEMENT RING

AND A LIMITED AMOUNT OF CASH HAD BEEN TAKEN.

ON THE COFFEE TABLE, THERE'S CUPS OF COFFEE,

CIGARETTES AND AN OPEN BOTTLE OF ASPIRIN.

THE VICTIM AND THE PERPETRATOR SPENT TIME TOGETHER.

SHE SERVED HIM COFFEE.

AND THEN THE STRUGGLE ENSUES.

CATHERINE PAPPAS IS A 29-YEAR-OLD BEAUTIFUL WOMAN.

THERE IS A NECKTIE WRAPPED AROUND HER HANDS.

HER BRA IS RIPPED.

AND HER CLOTHES HAVE BEEN HIKED UP A LITTLE BIT.

THERE ARE SCRATCHES ON HER FACE.

HE DIDN'T RAPE HER.

- BUT HER PANTIES ARE STILL ON. - SHE FOUGHT HIM.

THERE WAS SOME SORT OF DEFENSIVE STRUGGLE.

HE CHOKED HER TO DEATH.

AND SMALL BONES HAVE BROKEN IN HER NECK.

DETECTIVE BURNS ALSO NOTICES A HANDKERCHIEF ON THE BED.

ORIGINALLY FROM ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT,

SHE'S MARRIED LESS THAN 2 YEARS TO JOHN PAPPAS,

WHO IS A WELL-TO-DO COFFEE MERCHANT.

LIKE MANY WOMEN AT THE TIME, SHE DOESN'T WORK.

SHE IS 20 YEARS YOUNGER THAN HER HUSBAND.

HER LIFE REVOLVES AROUND THE CHURCH

WHERE SHE'S A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER AND HER HOUSE.

HE HAS SEEN THIS BEFORE.

THIS PERPETRATOR IS MOST LIKELY THE SAME ONE

WHO, 3 WEEKS EARLIER, ATTACKED MRS. ALLEN.

THE MEDICAL EXAMINER WOULD PLACE

THE TIME OF DEATH BETWEEN 11 A.M.

AND 3 P.M. THAT DAY.

THE DETECTIVES THEN START TO QUESTION THEIR NEIGHBORS.

WHAT TIME DID MR. PAPPAS RETURN THIS EVENING?

MR. PAPPAS GOT HOME AROUND 10 P.M.,

AS I RECALL, GIVE OR TAKE.

THAT TAKES JOHN PAPPAS

AS A POSSIBLE SUSPECT OUT OF THE MIX.

DID YOU NOTICE ANYTHING UNUSUAL, ANYBODY UNUSUAL?

- THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN, THOUGH. - A YOUNG MAN?

YEAH. HE WAS LEAVING JUST AS I CAME IN AROUND 2.

I NEVER SAW HIM BEFORE.

HE HAD DARK HAIR AND OLIVE SKIN,

JUST LIKE MR. PAPPAS.

HE WAS IN A HURRY.

- THANK YOU. - YEAH.

DETECTIVE BURNS GOES TO SPEAK WITH JOHN PAPPAS.

I -- I RANG THE BELL, AS I ALWAYS DO.

YOU RING YOUR OWN DOORBELL?

CATHERINE IS NEW TO AMERICA,

CONCERNED OF STRANGERS.

HE WILL ACTUALLY RING THE DOORBELL

JUST SO THAT SHE WILL NOT BECOME SCARED

WHEN HE STARTS TURNING THE KEY.

- BUT THE DOOR WAS NOT LOCKED. - SHE OPENED IT FOR SOMEONE?

NO.

SHE WOULD NEVER INVITE A STRANGER IN.

THIS IS NOT HER WAY.

THIS DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE TO HIM.

LOOK. YOUNGER WOMAN,

ONLY BEEN HERE A FEW YEARS AND YOU WORK LONG HOURS.

MAYBE SHE MADE A FRIEND. - SHE IS AN HONORABLE WOMAN.

HE VEHEMENTLY DENIES THAT THEY KNEW THE PERSON.

HE INSISTS THAT SHE WAS KILLED NOT

BECAUSE OF HER RELATIONSHIP

BUT THAT SHE WAS TRYING TO DEFEND HER HONOR.

SHE FOUGHT HIM.

HE BELIEVES THAT SOMEBODY WAS ATTEMPTING TO RAPE HER

AND THAT SHE FOUGHT BACK SO MUCH

THAT THE PERSON HAD TO KILL HER.

DETECTIVES ARE WORKING ALL NIGHT.

AT 4 A.M.,

THEY FINALLY CATCH A BREAK.

THERE'S A FINGERPRINT ON ONE OF THE WATER GLASSES.

EVEN THOUGH IT'S 1941,

THE NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT ALREADY HAS A PORTABLE LAB.

SO THEY IMMEDIATELY THEN START PRINTING EVERYONE.

THEY'RE CALLED ELIMINATION PRINTS.

ALL THE COPS, THE DETECTIVES...

THE PRINT DOES NOT MATCH ANYBODY ELSE

THAT COULD WELL BE THE KILLER.

THE DETECTIVES TAKE THAT PRINT AND THEY SHIP IT

TO THE NEW YORK POLICE HEADQUARTERS ON CENTER STREET.

THEY SEND IT UP TO ALBANY WHERE ALL THE RECORDS

ARE KEPT FOR EVERY PERSON

WHO HAS A GOOD FINGERPRINT ON FILE IN NEW YORK STATE.

AND THEY SENT IT TO THE FBI IN WASHINGTON.

THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE CASE

IS THE 42ND PRECINCT IN THE BRONX, THE 42.

WITH MR. LITZY IN JAIL,

THERE'S NO WAY HE COULD HAVE COMMITTED THE PAPPAS MURDER.

LITZY HAD TO BE RELEASED.

AS A DETECTIVE, YOU'RE ON A MISSION

BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO SAVE

THE NEXT WOMAN FROM BEIN' ATTACKED.

POLICE GO TO PAWN SHOPS,

ANYWHERE SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE TRIED TO FENCE

MRS. PAPPAS' JEWELRY FOR MONEY.

NO LUCK.

WITH AMAZING SPEED FOR 1941,

DETECTIVES DISCOVER THAT THE PRINT

DOES NOT MATCH ANY RECORD ON FILE.

DETECTIVES KNOW THEY NEED

TO GO BACK OVER THE ALLEN CASE.

IS THERE A CONNECTION THAT SOMEHOW WAS MISSED?

I'M LOOKING FOR A THREAD TO FOLLOW.

YOU SAID THE STRANGER KNEW YOUR ADDRESS,

SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR HUSBAND.

HAVE EITHER OF YOU DISCUSSED YOUR LIVES

WITH A STRANGER THE LAST FEW MONTHS?

I'VE BEEN TRYING TO RECALL, BUT...

I DID.

I KNOW WHO ATTACKED MY WIFE.

I KNOW WHO ATTACKED MY WIFE.

YOU KNOW WHO DID THIS?

IT WAS A FEW WEEKS AGO.

I WAS DRIVING MY ROUTE IN CONNECTICUT.

I SAW A YOUNG FELLA ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH HIS THUMB OUT.

MR. ALLEN SAID HE PICKED UP A HITCHHIKER

JUST A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE ATTACK

ON MRS. ALLEN.

HE WAS ON HIS WAY INTO NEW YORK

BECAUSE HE HAD TO GO HELP HIS SICK SISTER.

HE HAD A REAL HARD-KNOCK LIFE,

ORPHAN, RAISED IN BOYS TOWN.

HE SAID HIS NAME WAS JERRY MITCHELL.

I FELT SORRY FOR HIS TOUGH LUCK, SO I GAVE HIM A FEW BUCKS.

HE ASKED WHERE I LIVED, TO SEND US A CARD.

WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US THIS BEFORE?

MY WIFE PICKED OUT A DIFFERENT MAN.

A WOMAN'S DEAD BECAUSE I LOCKED UP THE WRONG MAN.

I WAS PRAYIN' IT WASN'T THIS FELLA.

I GAVE HIM OUR ADDRESS.

THIS WAS A BOLT OF LIGHTNING FOR DETECTIVE BURNS.

HE COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY

HELPED DETECTIVES SOLVE THIS CRIME

BEFORE KITTY PAPPAS GOT KILLED.

THEY SEND OUT A TELETYPE

TO EVERY NEW YORK CITY POLICE

PRECINCT IN THE FIVE BOROUGHS

TO SEE IF THERE MIGHT BE SIMILAR CASES.

IT'S NOT EVEN A FULL DAY LATER, FEBRUARY 6TH,

A DETECTIVE FROM MANHATTAN

BRINGS THIS COUPLE OVER TO THE 42 IN THE BRONX.

THIS CASE SOUNDS REMARKABLY SIMILAR.

AND THERE THEY MEET WITH THE ASSISTANT DA

AND WITH DETECTIVE BURNS.

I GAVE THE GUY A LIFT.

HE SAID HE WAS COMING ALL THE WAY UP FROM BOYS TOWN,

REALLY WORRIED ABOUT HIS SISTER WHO BROKE A LEG IN A CAR CRASH.

IT ALL SOUNDS LIKE IT'S THE SAME PERSON.

- HIS NAME WAS JERRY. - JERRY MITCHELL?

NO, SCHOFFNER, JERRY SCHOFFNER.

THIS GUY IS PRACTICED.

THIS IS SOMEBODY WHO'S DONE THIS BEFORE.

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN HE CAME OVER?

HE SAID HE WAS, UM, AN ACQUAINTANCE OF BOB'S.

HE KNEW DETAILS.

HE ASKED FOR A BITE TO EAT.

I DIDN'T WANT TO BE RUDE, SO I GAVE HIM A SANDWICH.

AND WE ATE AT THE TABLE IN THE KITCHEN.

HE HAD A HEADACHE.

I GOT HIM A GLASS OF WATER AND AN ASPIRIN.

AND HE CAME AT ME.

HE USED HIS NECKTIE TO TIE MY HANDS BEHIND MY BACK.

AND, HE FORCED HIMSELF UPON ME.

AFTER THIS, IT'S FLOODGATES

AT THE 42ND PRECINCT IN THE BRONX

FORTY-SECOND.

DETECTIVES EVERYWHERE IN THE CITY BRINGING IN CASES.

CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED?

I WAS IN CONNECTICUT FOR A JOB INTERVIEW.

AND I MET A YOUNG MAN.

HE WAS HITCHHIKING.

HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO SEE HIS -- HIS SISTER.

HE SAID HOW HE GREW UP IN BOYS TOWN AND

HOW HE'S ON HIS WAY UP TO NEW YORK.

I BEEN DOWN ON MY LUCK FOR A WHILE,

SO I FIGURED I'D HELP HIM OUT.

GAVE HIM A COUPLE BUCKS,

AND THAT'S WHEN HE ASKED ME FOR MY ADDRESS

TO SEND A THANK-YOU CARD.

ONE AFTER ANOTHER SEEMS TO TELL THE SAME STORY.

HE -- HE SHOWED UP AT MY DOOR UNANNOUNCED.

HE SAID HE HAD A -- A THANK YOU FOR DAVID.

AND HE SEEMED TO KNOW HIM.

HE'S INVITED IN. HE'LL HAVE SOMETHING TO EAT.

HE SAID HE HAD A HEADACHE AND HE WANTED ASPIRIN AND SOME WATER.

HE TIED MY HANDS BEHIND MY BACK WITH

CORBATA.

NECKTIE.

AND THEN, AFTER THE ASPIRIN, TIES HER HANDS WITH A NECKTIE.

AND THEN AFTER STEALING

WHAT HE CAN FROM AROUND THE HOUSE,

RAPES HER VIOLENTLY ON HER OWN BED.

DESCRIBE HIM TO ME.

HE WAS ABOUT 5'10".

- OLIVE SKIN. - DARK HAIR.

OFTEN WOULD WEAR A GREEN JACKET,

YELLOW SHOES AND BROWN PANTS.

COPS ALSO LEARN ABOUT HIS ALIASES --

- JERRY MITCHELL... - JERRY SCHOFFNER...

- GEORGE MUNDY... - GEORGE MITCHELL...

- BILL SHNY... - GEORGE BLAKE.

COPS IN THE FIVE BOROUGHS

HAVING NO IDEA THEY WERE LOOKING FOR THE SAME PERSON.

NO ONE WAS COMMUNICATING.

THEY DO AN EXHAUSTIVE INVESTIGATION

OF ALL THE CASE FILES

FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN NEW YORK CITY.

THEY KEPT FILES METICULOUSLY.

GREEN IS WHERE HE GOT PICKED UP HITCHHIKING.

BLUE IS WHERE HE ONLY ROBBED SOMEONE.

YELLOW -- ROBBERY AND RAPE.

AND RED IS MURDER.

THERE'S ONLY ONE OF THOSE SO FAR --

PAPPAS.

YOU GOT IT?

THEY CAN PINPOINT 31 SEPARATE CASES

THAT GO BACK 9 MONTHS

TO MAY OF 1940 WITH THE SAME MO.

THEY HAVE A PREDATOR WHO HAS BEEN MARCHING

THROUGH NEW YORK CITY, RAPING WOMEN.

DRIVERS HAVE REPORTED PICKING HIM UP ON THE ROADS IN

AND OUT OF NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY,

CONNECTICUT, MASSACHUSETTS.

THEY WERE STARTIN' TO SEE A PATTERN.

HE WOULD BE OUTSIDE THE STATE

AND THEN COME BACK INSIDE

AND COMMIT SEVERAL ATTACKS IN NEW YORK CITY.

SO WHAT DOES BURNS DO? HE SAYS, "YOU KNOW WHAT?

LET'S JUST KEEP EXPANDING THE NET."

HE SENDS OUT AN EIGHT-STATE

ALARM BROADCAST TO POLICE DEPARTMENTS

ALL UP AND DOWN THE EAST COAST.

FORTY-SECOND, PLEASE HOLD.

DETECTIVE GILLAN.

OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, POLICE DEPARTMENTS LARGE

AND SMALL FROM MAINE TO NEW ORLEANS

FIND 50 CASES,

81 TOTAL CASES,

OF RAPE OR ATTEMPTED RAPE IN 9 MONTHS.

THE DETECTIVES BELIEVE THAT THIS PERSON

HAS BEEN RAPING SOMEBODY ONCE EVERY 3 DAYS.

THEY WERE ALL DIFFERENT SORTS,

COMING FROM ALL DIFFERENT PLACES.

THE ATTACKS WERE ALL THE SAME.

BUT IT HAD TO HAVE HURT

DIFFERENTLY FOR EACH ONE OF THEM.

UM, HE'S -- HE GRABBED ME ALL OF A SUDDEN

AND TIED MY...

HE SAID IF I MOVE, HE'D KILL ME.

SO I LISTENED.

IT WAS HARD TO BREATHE.

HE RAPED ME MORE THAN ONCE.

AND THEN HE WAS GONE.

THE AFTEREFFECTS CAN BE

JUST AS CATASTROPHIC AS THE ACT ITSELF,

WHICH IS WHY SO MANY VICTIMS OF RAPE

ARE VULNERABLE TO DEVELOPING POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.

SOME OF THESE WOMEN, THEY'RE MONOTONE.

THEY'RE STARING OFF INTO SPACE.

IT SEEMS THAT ALL OF THESE HUSBANDS

GAVE THE ADDRESS TO THE ATTACKER.

THERE'S GONNA BE SOME SHAME IN THAT.

YOU KNOW, WHY LET HIM IN?

THAT'S WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

FIX HER HAIR, FIXING LUNCH,

IT SENDS THE WRONG SIGNAL.

MANY OF THE HUSBANDS WERE ANGRY AT THEMSELVES,

BUT THEY WERE PROJECTING IT ONTO THEIR WIVES.

IN THE 1940S, IF A WOMAN IS RAPED,

MANY PEOPLE THOUGHT

THAT SHE HAD LED SOMEBODY ON

OR THAT SHE DID NOT FIGHT BACK ENOUGH.

IT'S THE CATCH-22 FOR WOMEN.

IF YOU TRY TO FIGHT OFF THE ATTACK,

YOU COULD END UP STRANGLED AND MURDERED THE WAY

THAT MRS. PAPPAS WAS.

IF YOU DON'T FIGHT HARD ENOUGH,

THEN OFTENTIMES YOU'RE BLAMED AFTERWARDS,

EVEN THOUGH THEY JUST WANT TO SURVIVE THE ATTACK.

THAT'S A TYPE OF RETRAUMATIZING.

HE'S LIKE A GREAT WHITE SHARK.

HE LEAVES A PATH OF DESTRUCTION IN THESE LIVES.

AND THEY KNOW HE'S NOT GOING TO STOP TILL HE'S CAUGHT.

AND THAT'S IT.

I WAS TERRIFIED FOR THE WHOLE MONTH

AFTER BETTY ALLEN WAS ATTACKED.

AND THEN KITTY PAPPAS WAS KILLED.

IT WAS SO STRANGE WALKING THE CROWDED STREETS OF THE CITY

AND NONE OF THOSE PEOPLE KNEW

THAT A MONSTER WAS ON THE LOOSE.

THANK GOD THAT DIDN'T LAST LONG.

YOU SEEN THIS?

THERE'S AN EIGHT-STATE ALARM

THAT IS LITERALLY TOO LOUD TO KEEP OUT OF THE NEWS MEDIA.

AND SO A VETERAN REPORTER NAMED

MAURICE KASNER PRINTS THE STORY ABOUT THE ASPIRIN BANDIT.

HE PIECES TOGETHER THE ALLEN CASE

AND THE PAPPAS CASE.

IT'S GOOD FOR KASNER.

NOW MORE WOMEN WILL BE WISE TO HIS TRICKS.

AND HE LEFT THE RAPE OUT.

IF HE READS THIS, HE'LL HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH WE KNOW.

THE DETECTIVES AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY

ARE ALWAYS JUDICIOUS

IN WHAT INFORMATION THEY GIVE OUT.

LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE 1940S

IS NOT BUILT FOR A MULTI-STATE CRIME.

THE PROBLEM IS THE LACK OF TECHNOLOGY.

THE POLICE NEEDED TO CREATE A COMMUNICATION NETWORK.

BRONX POLICE CHIEF AT THE TIME --

JOHN J. O'CONNOR -- CANCELS LEAVES.

THERE'S NO DAYS OFF.

ALL THE POLICE OFFICERS IN THE BRONX

CALL IN EVERY NIGHT.

THE BEAT COP WOULD GO TO THE CALL BOX ON HIS POST

AND RING IN TO THE SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR.

AND THEY'VE GOT TO LET THE COMMAND POST KNOW

WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED ABOUT THIS CASE.

AND SO THAT STARTS MUCH MORE COMMUNICATION

BETWEEN THE PRECINCTS.

ALSO, POLICE DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE REGION,

THEY ARE TOLD TO LOOK FOR ANYONE

THAT MATCHES A DESCRIPTION

AND THEN CONTACT THE 42ND PRECINCT IN THE BRONX.

FEBRUARY 14TH, 10 DAYS AFTER CATHERINE PAPPAS IS KILLED,

DETECTIVES GET A BREAK IN THE CASE.

THEY GET A CALL FROM HIGHTSTOWN, NEW JERSEY.

SO HOW DID HE COME TO STAY WITH YOU?

WE LET HIM STAY HERE OVER THE HOLIDAYS.

AND HE ROBBED US.

THE IDES, A HUSBAND AND WIFE...

BUT HE DIDN'T FATHOM THE EYE OF AN ARTIST.

HER PORTRAITS ARE EXQUISITE.

...THE WOMAN IS AN ARTIST.

AND SHE SAYS, "YOU WANT ME TO MAKE A SKETCH OF THIS GUY?"

THIS SUBJECT DID TALK ABOUT BOYS TOWN WITH THEM.

YEAH, THAT'S THE DIRTY LITTLE SCAMP.

THEY THEN BRING THE PICTURE BACK TO THE BRONX.

AND SEVERAL OF THE FAMILIES LOOK AT THE PICTURE.

AND THEY SAY, "THAT IS HIM."

BURNS WORKS THE STREET.

HE SWEATS HIS SAUCES.

HE'S NOT KNOWN TO THE PROSTITUTES OF BORDELLOS.

HE'S NOT KNOWN TO THE SHAPE-UP GUYS ON THE DOCK.

THE GUY'S NOT A REGULAR NEW YORKER.

HOWEVER, FEBRUARY 19TH,

2 WEEKS AFTER THE PAPPAS HOMICIDE, THEY GET A LEAD.

THE POLICE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,

GET A CALL OF A SUSPICIOUS PERSON

IN AN APARTMENT BUILDING.

SOMEBODY TRIED TO GET INTO AN APARTMENT.

AND THE FEMALE, THINKING THIS DID NOT

SOUND RIGHT, STOPPED HIM.

THE SUPER IMMEDIATELY CALLS THE POLICE.

AND THE POLICE, BECAUSE OF ALL THE GREAT COMMUNICATION,

KNOWS THAT THIS COULD BE THE SAME PERSON

THAT HAS COMMITTED THE ACTS IN NEW YORK CITY.

SUPER SAYS THAT HE CHASED THE GUY UP TO THE ROOF.

BUT HE'S NOT THERE,

MUST'VE GOTTEN DOWN OFF THE FIRE ESCAPE.

HE WAS ABLE TO GET AWAY AT THAT POINT.

FIVE DAYS GO BY.

THEY DON'T HEAR ANYTHING.

HE MAY HAVE REALIZED

THEY'RE ON TO HIM NOW AND VANISHED.

DURANT.

WHERE? ALL RIGHT.

WE GOT ANOTHER ONE IN NEWARK.

FEBRUARY 25TH, THE PHONE RINGS -- NEWARK, NEW JERSEY,

A WOMAN HAS BEEN RAPED TWICE VIOLENTLY.

THEN THERE ARE REPORTS OF ATTACKS IN PASSAIC,

FORT LEE, ALL TOWNS IN NORTH JERSEY.

THEY'RE PLOTTING HIM OUT ALMOST IN REAL TIME.

HE'S GOT A PATTERN. HE HITCHHIKES.

EVENTUALLY, HE COMES BACK TO NEW YORK.

WE GET A HIT IN NEWARK

AND JUST NORTH OF PASSAIC AND FORT LEE.

HE'S COMING TO THE CITY RIGHT NOW.

WE NEED MEN ON THE BRIDGE AND EVERY TUNNEL CROSSING NOW.

I WANT EVERY CAR STOPPED COMING FROM NEW JERSEY.

ON MARCH 3, 1941,

THEY ARE AT EVERY CROSSING INTO NEW YORK.

THEY'RE STOPPING CARS. THEY'RE STOPPING PEOPLE.

DETECTIVE BURNS BELIEVES THAT HE'S LIVING ATTACK TO ATTACK.

COME HERE.

I NEED DETECTIVES AT EVERY CHEAP HOTEL ON THE WEST SIDE.

THEY FLOOD THE WEST SIDE OF MANHATTAN.

THE MILLS HOTEL IS 1,800 ROOMS

FOR DAY LABORERS WHO ARE IN NEW YORK

WHO NEEDED SOMEWHERE TO LIVE THAT WAS NICE ENOUGH.

BRONX DETECTIVES GILLAN, MAYHEN AND DURANT,

THEY'RE STATIONED THERE.

PEOPLE ARE COMING AND GOING.

DETECTIVE DURANT SEES OUT OF THE CORNER OF HIS EYE A GUY

IN A GREEN JACKET WALK IN.

THEY'VE GOT A SKETCH OF THIS GUY IN THEIR POCKET.

WELCOME BACK, SIR.

SAME ROOM? - YEAH, ONE NIGHT.

REMIND ME YOUR NAME AGAIN?

KOZLOWSKI, GEORGE KOZLOWSKI.

OF COURSE.

JUST A MOMENT.

YOU KNOW WHAT? I FORGOT SOMETHIN'. I...

IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL -- I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

PLEASE, GO AHEAD.

WELCOME TO THE MILLS HOTEL.

YEAH, WHAT DO YOU GET FOR A ROOM NOW?

WELL, SIR, FOR JUST A NIGHT...

GILLAN AND MAYHEN ARE ABLE TO GRAB HIM RIGHT

BEFORE HE MAKES IT OUT THE DOOR.

WHAT GIVES?

POLICE. WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

GEORGE JOSEPH CVEK.

NOT KOZLOWSKI?

YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

LET'S TAKE A RIDE, PAL.

HIS NAME IS GEORGE JOSEPH CVEK.

IN THE PRECINCT, THE LEADING

PRINT DETECTIVE FINGERPRINTS HIM.

HE COMPARES IT TO THE FINGERPRINT PHOTO REMOVED

FROM THE GLASS IN PAPPAS' APARTMENT.

WE HAVE A MATCH.

CVEK WAS BORN IN HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

HIS PARENTS WERE IMMIGRANTS.

FATHER FROM WHAT BECAME YUGOSLAVIA,

MOTHER IS FROM HUNGARY.

HE HAD A VERY TROUBLED YOUTH.

AGE 10 WAS HIS FIRST RUN-IN WITH THE LAW.

AT ONE POINT, GEORGE STARTED ROBBING THE HOUSE.

HIS MOTHER GOES TO STOP HIM AND HE BEATS HER.

HE WAS THEN SENT NOT TO BOYS TOWN,

BUT TO A REFORMATORY FOR 5 YEARS.

AND THEN HE'S ARRESTED FOR STEALING CARS.

DURING NONE OF THESE TIMES WAS HE EVER FINGERPRINTED.

WELL, CRY ME A RIVER.

PLENTY OF PEOPLE HAVE ROUGH CHILDHOODS

AND DON'T WIND UP KILLIN' PEOPLE.

ALL I CARED ABOUT WAS THAT THE POLICE

WERE GONNA LOCK HIM UP AND THROW AWAY THE KEY.

THAT WAS CALLED COMFORT

FOR ALL OF THOSE WOMEN THE POLICE BELIEVED HE RAPED.

WE GOT YOU FOR THE MURDER OF CATHERINE PAPPAS.

IT'S OVER, CVEK. YOU'RE GONNA PAY.

BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH, NOT BY A LONG SHOT, BOY.

- HOW'S THAT? - HOW'S ABOUT YOU TELL ME

ABOUT THOSE OTHER WOMEN.

- WHAT WOMEN? - YOU KNOW EXACTLY

WHO I'M TALKIN' ABOUT,

THE ONES YOU TIED UP AND VIOLATED IN THEIR OWN BEDS.

WELL, I DON'T CARE THAT

YOU'RE ALREADY GOIN' TO THE BIG HOUSE

FOR THE MURDER OF CATHERINE PAPPAS.

THOSE WOMEN, THEIR HUSBANDS, THEY DESERVE TO KNOW THE TRUTH.

I'M TELLING THE TRUTH.

YOU'RE A NO-GOOD, TWO-BIT CON ARTIST.

YOU'RE LIAR. AND YOU'RE A RAPIST.

BOY, I SURE DO HAVE A DOOZY OF A HEADACHE.

YOU COULDN'T SPARE ANY ASPIRIN, COULD YOU?

WE'LL SEE.

THEY'RE GOING TO CONDUCT A LINEUP.

CVEK IS SURROUNDED BY A BUNCH OF COPS

WHO LOOK SIMILAR TO HIM.

THEY'RE BRINGING ALL OF THESE VICTIMS

AND THEIR FAMILIES INTO THE PRECINCT.

JOHN PAPPAS IS EVEN THERE WITH HIS DOORMAN.

IN 1941, YOU DON'T HAVE TWO-WAY MIRRORS.

YOU DON'T HAVE ANY GLASS PARTITION.

CAN THIS MAN STEP FORWARD?

IT'S HIM.

THIS IS THE MAN.

ONE BY ONE, THEY'RE BROUGHT. AND THEY GO PAST THE LINEUP.

THIS IS THE MAN.

THEY IDENTIFY HIM.

SOME DON'T SAY ANYTHING.

AND HIS DEMEANOR STARTS TO CHANGE.

THAT MAN,

HE'S LOOKING DOWN.

THE COCKINESS HAS MELTED AWAY.

- HIM. - I'LL KILL YOU!

I'LL KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD!

I'LL KILL YOU!

ONE OF THE VICTIMS' HUSBANDS GOES AT HIM.

AND HE HAS TO BE HELD BACK.

CVEK IS NOW DEMORALIZED.

HE GAVE EVERYTHING UP AT THAT POINT.

AND HE IMMEDIATELY CONFESSES TO SEVERAL RAPES

AND TO THE MURDER OF CATHERINE PAPPAS.

HE INTRODUCED HIMSELF.

HE SAID HOW HE WANTED TO SAY,

"THANK YOU," TO JOHN PAPPAS.

CATHERINE PAPPAS IS POLITE.

AND SHE INVITES HIM IN.

SHE BRINGS OUT HER BEST CHINA.

AND THEN HE ATTACKS HER.

BECAUSE SHE'S STRUGGLING SO MUCH,

HE CLAMPS HIS HANDS AROUND HER THROAT,

TIGHTENING HARDER AND HARDER UNTIL SHE STOPS MOVING.

THE FACT THAT THERE HAD ONLY BEEN

ONE DOCUMENTED MURDER SUGGESTS

THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WENT WRONG.

HE QUICKLY GRABS A COUPLE OF ITEMS

AND HE RUNS OUT AS FAST AS HE CAN.

AND HE DOESN'T WIPE THE GLASS.

HE LATER SAYS THAT HE HAD NEVER MET JOHN PAPPAS.

HE JUST WAS DOWNSTAIRS. HE SAW THAT NAME.

AND HE DECIDED TO GIVE THAT A TRY.

ALL THESE VICTIMS, THESE WERE ALL GOOD PEOPLE.

THEY WERE KIND.

THEY TRUSTED HIM.

AND HE TOOK THEIR KINDNESS AND HE USED IT AGAINST THEM.

ULTIMATELY, THE ROOT OF RAPE IS NOT SEX-BASED.

IT'S POWER-BASED, OVERPOWERING OR CONTROLLING SOMEBODY ELSE.

CVEK, PERHAPS, FELT POWERLESS OR RESENTFUL TOWARDS WOMEN.

AND SO HE EXPRESSED THAT THROUGH VIOLATING THEM.

THE AMOUNT OF HARM THAT THIS PERSON

DID IS ALMOST UNIMAGINABLE.

RESEARCHERS PREDICT ANYWHERE FROM WITHIN 50

TO 70 PERCENT OF SEXUAL ASSAULTS

AND RAPES GO UNREPORTED.

BASED ON THAT FACT, THE NUMBER OF VICTIMS

OF GEORGE JOSEPH CVEK

COULD TOTAL WELL OVER 200.

GEORGE CVEK'S STRENGTH WAS THAT HE WAS A LONER.

HE WAS ABLE TO USE THE SEAMS,

THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOODS,

BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT.

ULTIMATELY, WHAT ENDS UP LEADING

TO HIS DEMISE IS COMMUNITY.

THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND HIM

WITHOUT THE COOPERATION OF THE VICTIMS.

IT'S HARD IN 2016 TO COME FORWARD.

I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE IN THE 1940S

HOW MUCH HARDER EVERY SINGLE PART OF YOU

IS GONNA TELL YOU TO BE SILENT.

AND YOU MIGHT EXPLICITLY BE

GETTING THOSE MESSAGES FROM YOUR SPOUSE.

TO OVERCOME THOSE BARRIERS AND TO SPEAK UP,

THAT'S AN ACT OF HEROISM.

I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD!

I'LL KILL YOU!

THE HURT THAT GEORGE CVEK INFLICTED KNEW NO BOUNDS.

HE DIDN'T JUST FORCE HIMSELF ON THEM.

HE FORCED HIS WAY INSIDE THEIR MARRIAGES.

HE FORCED HIS WAY INSIDE THEIR HEADS.

BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING

GOOD TO COME OUT OF THIS STORY,

AND SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO SEE IT AT ALL,

MAYBE IT'S THIS.

YOU MIGHT BE HURTING.

YOU MIGHT NEVER STOP HURTING.

BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HURT ALONE.

* WHISPERING HOPE *

* HOW WELCOME THY VOICE *

* MAKING MY HEART *

* IN ITS SORROW REJOICE *

* OOH *