Original subtitles

(crowd shouting angrily) (Resync by Chuck)

This is a zoo.

Stand over there.

Alrighty.

Well, we're hot in four, three, two.

This is Tracy Ralston reporting to you live

outside the Texas state prison

where convicted killer Woodrow Wilton

is scheduled to be executed in three days

for the bizarre electrocution slayings five years ago,

dubbed the "night shift murders,"

in which women were abducted late at night

as they left their jobs as waitresses

at 24-hour fast-food restaurants.

Man, this guy's a sicko, huh?

Fifteen women fell victim to the night shift murderer...

That's what they say.

Against Wilton's wishes,

his lawyers have attempted a last-ditch stay of execution.

That stay has been denied.

In three days, Woodrow Wilton will be executed.

We're going to try and get a comment

from the woman who prosecuted Wilton:

Assistant District Attorney Alex Cahill.

Turn it off, Trivette.

She's expected to arrive here at Texas state prison

within the hour. All right.

What are you so uptight about? (clicks)

Nothing.

Stakeout doesn't make any sense, anyway.

I mean, Critter jumped bail.

He's not gonna come waltzing out here in broad daylight.

His uncle owns this nursery,

and it closes in a few minutes.

Critter has no money, and he has no place else to go.

He'll be here.

No, he won't.

Yes, he will.

No, he won't.

Well, speak of the devil.

I hate it when you gloat.

Critter.

WALKER: Texas Rangers.

( playful action theme playing)

(screams)

Whoa, whoa. Slow down, Trivette.

You wanna read him his rights?

Do I look like I want to read him his rights?

I just ran my legs off, so you could catch him...

Ah, Critter.

Attempted murder of a Ranger.

TRIVETTE: That will put you away for a long time, pal.

CRITTER: Wait, wait. Let's negotiate.

You got nothing to negotiate.

I got something.

Woodrow Wilton ain't Night Shift.

Killer's still out there.

You're fixin' to kill an innocent man.

(cuffs clink)

( ominous theme playing)

( light rock action theme playing)

Can I have a smoke?

No.

Now, I'm trying to be friendly.

Y'all could... meet me halfway.

You lyin', thievin', drug-dealing piece of trash.

You're already halfway to the deepest, darkest hole

in the state of Texas.

For life.

ALEX: Trivette!

He's getting to be as bad as you.

Hell, this is a waste of time.

Woodrow Wilton's the night shift killer,

how come you never found all the stuff?

Fifteen murders, only one bag of clothes.

He admitted he did it.

Why not tell you where the stuff is?

Why would he wanna do that, Critter?

He knows he's getting the death penalty anyway.

It's a form of psychological retribution.

Now, there's a mouthful.

Almost wrap your arms around words like that.

Make you sleep better at night.

You want a matching pair of eyes? Ugh.

Walker.

I take it back.

Nobody's as bad as you.

No deal.

Wait, wait, wait, wait.

There's a dried-up creek bed in Hamilton's gulch.

You go look there.

Just to the right of Simmons Bridge.

Buried by the creek.

( mysterious theme playing)

JUDGE: The closing arguments will begin with the prosecution.

Your Honor.

For the past four months,

you've heard things that no human being

should have ever been forced to hear.

You have listened to evidence

of the most grizzly nature

and seen pictures more horrible

than any of us could have ever imagined.

Ladies and gentlemen,

the evidence has shown

that Woodrow Jonathan Wilton

stalked our neighborhoods.

Fifteen women were tortured and brutally electrocuted,

and any one of them could've been...

your sister...

or your daughter.

Or yours.

And then he'd leave them

brazenly out in the open for us to find,

daring us to stop him.

After every killing,

he sent letters to the newspapers

mocking us, daring us to stop him.

You have heard how we found the clothing

of one of the victims buried in Wilton's backyard.

You have heard

how we matched the typewriter found in his home

to the letters that were sent to the newspaper.

And you have heard

the defendant's own confession.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Woodrow Wilton is still daring us to stop him.

You can stop him

with a guilty verdict of capital murder.

TRIVETTE: And then you know what I'm gonna do?

I'm gonna take the shovel back to the jail.

I'm gonna beat Critter over the head with it.

Of course, this is good exercise.

Maybe I ought to work this into my cross-training.

Maybe you should work some silence

into your cross-training.

It's good to talk, Walker.

Especially when you're doing something like this.

Helps relieve the tension.

That way the stress won't build up inside of you.

You feel good, if you learn to open up

and express your feelings, huh?

Hey, I got something here.

It's a damn beer can.

See? People don't know what they do.

They're ruining the outdoors.

We got nice, clean country.

Fresh air.

Walker, Critter's yanking our chain.

There's nothing here, all right?

Keep digging.

There's nothing here.

Dig another one.

Right. A job worth starting is a job worth finishing.

That's what I always say.

That's why, when I played football,

I ran out every play.

'Cause you never know when a little hustle

could make a difference.

Like a downfield block on a broken play

springs the back...

What do you got?

"Loretta Coleman."

It's one of the victims?

Yeah.

Let's keep digging.

Looks like we got 'em all now.

All 14 of 'em.

I guess Critter wasn't yanking our chain after all, huh?

Why didn't Wilton tell us about this after he confessed?

I got to admit, it's getting awful crazy.

Let's go.

Where to?

State prison.

(crowd shouting angrily)

Hey, there's Cordell Walker,

one of the Rangers who arrested Wilton.

Testified against him in court.

Hey, hey!

These people are nuts.

Like you said, Trivette, makes 'em feel good.

They're just opening up and expressing themselves.

Anybody ever tell you you got a mean sense of humor?

Mm-hm.

You got visitors.

Why are you here?

Come to see me sweat, Ranger?

Oh, where's the other guy?

Oh, that's right. He had some bad luck.

He got shot, and he had to retire.

Why are you so eager to die, Woodrow?

Because I did it.

I got caught, I die. That's it.

No use stretching it out with appeals.

Let's get it over with.

But I would think you at least would want to brag about it.

Tell your whole story.

I mean, there's people pay big bucks for that.

Couldn't your family use the money?

You leave my family out of this.

Got nothing to do with them.

I done what I done.

And you can just quit with all your questions,

'cause I'm taking my answers to the grave.

Well, give me one answer.

What did you do with those women's clothes?

I don't have to answer that, now do I?

No, you don't. Because we already know.

We found them out at Cedar Creek.

Oh.

Good for you.

Now you know.

( mysterious theme playing)

Guard.

He didn't know about the clothes, Walker.

I know.

It doesn't make sense

for Woodrow to want to be executed

for something that he didn't do, Walker.

Maybe not, Alex.

But he didn't know

where those women's clothes were buried.

His bust never did set right with you, did it?

No.

RAY: I remember when he was arrested, Washoe.

You couldn't sleep for a month,

and the spirits cried out your window every night.

Spirits?

Well, there's a storm out at the ranch,

and the wind was howling all night.

The wind carries the voice of the spirits.

Your head might tell you otherwise,

but if your heart is Cherokee, it knows.

Good night. I'll be at the ranch.

Good night, Uncle Ray.

Night, Ray.

Woodrow has to be protecting someone.

He got awful protective when I mentioned his family.

He has a wife and 9-year-old daughter.

Alex, contact the judge

and see if you can get a stay of execution.

(sighing): I'll speak to him,

but I'm sure that we don't have

enough new evidence to convince him.

C.D.: Cordell,

we didn't make a mistake here, did we?

I mean, we had the evidence.

I don't know, C.D.

Let's go.

Yeah, good night.

( ominous theme playing)

Walker. Walker, come back.

This is C.D.

(buzzing)

What's up, C.D.?

Yeah, I just got a hot tip on this night shift thing.

I think it's worth looking into.

Well, don't get too excited. Could be another crank.

You're just jealous 'cause you never get any tips.

You know why?

Why?

'Cause you been knocking people out

and expecting them to talk in their sleep.

That's why.

What's the address?

355 Wilmont.

(pencil scratching)

Yeah, meet you there.

Ten-four.

What you got, Jim? Hey, C.D.

This guy's not here. We're out back.

All right.

(digging and grunting)

How's the family doing, Jim?

Doing fine, C.D. How 'bout yourself?

C.D.: Good. No complaints.

Robert, let me have that shovel.

You city boys couldn't even dig worms.

(chuckles)

Hey, C.D., I got something here. Yeah?

You sure as hell do.

Now, C.D., hold on a minute.

Nah. We got probable cause.

"Dallas Evening Chronicle, I've done it again.

"She's not the first one I've fried,

and it will definitely not..."

JIM: It's him. He just drove up.

C.D.: Texas Ranger. Freeze, boy.

Get your butt up on that hood.

What's this about?

Put your butt up on that hood, I said.

It's about murder. That's what it's about.

You can remain silent.

If you give up your right to remain silent,

anything you say can be used against you in a court of law.

I didn't do anything.

If you can't afford an attorney, we'll provide...

C.D., ease up. Ease up, C.D.

No. No!

Please, help me.

I'm innocent.

I-I'm innocent.

COP: Come on.

I'm innocent!

I'm innocent!

Read him his rights.

You have the right to remain silent.

I'm innocent!

(crowd shouting angrily)

( mournful theme playing)

So I guess, uh... Well, you don't think

this is a waste of time after all.

Ten to 15.

What? Uh, no way.

This is too good. One to five.

You're looking at life.

So are you.

Woodrow Wilton's.

And it's all your fault.

You know, Critter,

I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't mixed up

in these murders.

What do you think, Trivette?

He knew about the clothes.

Works for me.

That's right.

You can't do this. You can't use that against me.

You were read your rights. You waived them.

Okay, ten to 15.

Now that we're all friends,

how 'bout a smoke?

Who did it?

Okay, I used to live in this little town

near Hamilton's gulch about five years ago.

Part of a club.

Well, some of my associates used to be pretty severe.

But there was this one guy.

He'd scare the devil.

Spooky. He had these eyes like...

Like, I don't know.

Manson or something.

Anyway, one day I was out partying by the creek,

and I saw him burying the stuff

day after one of them women disappeared.

What stuff?

Clothes.

I hightailed it out of there, so he couldn't see me.

Give me a name.

Leon.

Leon who?

That's all I know.

WALKER: That's all you know.

Guard, get him out of here!

Forget it. You get life.

Ah, well, um...

He had a tattoo on his forearm.

A scorpion? That's right.

CRITTER: A scorpion.

Uh, he used to hang out at Mac's Pool Hall on Main.

Ugh! You broke my damn wrist.

You know what they say.

Them's the breaks.

My money.

Your name Leon?

That's what my mama said.

Texas Rangers, Leon.

We want a word with ya. Come here.

Do you know a guy by the name of Woodrow Wilton?

I reckon anybody with a TV knows who he is.

He's the night shift killer.

That's it? You've just seen him on television?

Matter of fact, that damn wacko

used to be my electric man.

Sick puppy.

Good riddance.

Is that it?

Yeah.

Say, have you been to Hamilton's gulch lately?

Mister, I don't know what you're talking about.

I never heard of no Hamilton's gulch.

That's funny, 'cause a friend of yours

said he rode with you down there.

Well, I didn't.

TRIVETTE: You sure?

He described you pretty well.

Even your tattoo.

Fella goes by the name of Critter.

Critter?

(scoffs)

I rode with him in Fort Worth.

Ah, he's totally gone.

You know, drugs and such.

Lights are on. Nobody's home.

That's funny.

He said the same thing about you.

Mister, look. I'm a law-abiding citizen.

Ain't done nothing to be ashamed of.

So you leave me be.

We will... for now.

MAN: You ain't goin'? MAN 2: No way, man, I'm in.

MAN 2: I'm here to play.

MAN: Oh, that's good. MAN 2: Here comes five in a...

And Critter was right on the money

about Muncie's eyes. That is one bad hombre.

I guarantee you guys he's bent the law

more than a couple of times.

You told me it was too neat.

Good Lord, what have I done?

Come on, C.D.

Aren't you the one that said

never to worry about what's been done?

But to concentrate on what needs to be done.

TRIVETTE: Yeah, you saved my life with that advice.

Maybe it's time for you to take some of it, huh?

Yeah.

Thanks.

Hey, wait a minute.

There was always something that we left out of the papers

to keep the kooks away.

On all the bodies,

we found melted wax on the right foot.

That's right. I remember that.

Sort of a signature.

Hell, I don't have any idea what it meant.

Washoe, you gotta take time

to listen to the spirits.

If you listen to the wind, it will tell ya

if there's danger near.

It could save you.

I will, Uncle Ray.

The judge denied the stay.

The execution will proceed as scheduled.

GUARD: Lockdown.

( ominous theme playing)

Mrs. Wilton?

Yes.

I'm Ranger Walker.

Hi. I remember you from Woodrow's trial.

Yes, ma'am.

Could I talk to you for a few minutes?

Why? What's there to talk about?

I mean, it'll all be over soon anyway.

I'm trying to reopen your husband's case.

I have reason to believe he's innocent.

I never thought he was guilty,

even when he confessed.

Can you remember anything that your husband may have told you

that would help me with his case?

I mean, when they arrested him,

he swore he was innocent.

Held him in my arms. He cried.

I couldn't understand how anyone could believe

he would do something like that.

He hated being away from Chrissie.

Wanted to make sure that I told her

how much he loved her every night.

Then, a week later, he confessed.

Told me to stay away, that he never wanted

to see either one of us again.

He never answered any of my letters.

So finally I... I gave up.

But I still love him.

'Cause I know he could never do anything like that.

I just know it.

Okay, something must have happened after he was arrested

for him to change his plea.

He was in jail.

Let's find out who his visitors were that week.

(keyboard clicking)

Here it comes.

Let me guess.

His wife.

His lawyer.

And Leon Muncie.

I'll be damned.

See if he has a record.

(keyboard clicking)

One conviction for assault.

Six other arrests. No convictions.

Burglary.

He was in the Navy.

As what?

An electrician.

You got visitors again.

Hello, Woodrow.

Ranger.

Woodrow, why'd you burn their hands with wax

before you fried them?

That's my business, isn't it?

I did what I did.

Now I'm paying the price.

Ain't that enough for you?

Might be, except it wasn't their hands

that were burned with wax,

it was their feet.

Well.

Who's Leon Muncie?

Why don't you two leave me be.

Let me die in peace.

Guard!

Guard, get these guys out of here!

What's the problem, Woodrow?

You are!

I have to die.

But I don't have to talk to you anymore.

You're dying for something you didn't do, Woodrow.

And we don't know why.

(cell door closes)

( suspenseful theme playing)

How they treating you, Woodrow?

Stay away from me.

You ain't got many friends

right about now, sport.

You ought to be nice to me.

You'll never get away with this.

Of course, I will.

Or it's ♪ Bye-bye, wife ♪

♪ Bye-bye, Chrissie girl ♪

Where did you get this?

Your house.

You're lying.

I would never lie to you.

They'll arrest you.

You'll never get near my family.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

You gonna bet your family's life

on the cops?

Come on, Woodrow.

You already called them once anonymously,

didn't you?

Sure, you did.

I told you I would know.

You called and you said

you found the power box

diverting extra electricity into a house,

and there was a woman frying inside.

I tapped your phone, sport.

And they didn't find any power box

diverting electricity, did they?

All they found were her clothes

in your backyard.

Hey, I'll tell you what.

The name is Leon.

Leon Muncie.

Tell the cops, okay?

I bet I get your family,

and I fry them up real good.

You bet on the cops.

It's like Russian roulette.

(laughing): And I like Russian roulette.

You're crazy.

You're out of your mind.

You say that like that's a bad thing.

Now... (gasping)

Who's the night shift killer?

I am.

Good.

Now... have a nice life.

What you got left of it, anyway.

(laughing)

Guard!

( dramatic theme playing)

Where's Leon Muncie?

Watch out there, fellas!

Old Betsy here is hungry.

So am I.

Uh, you want some buffalo wings?

I got some right here.

They're hot off the roach coach.

You lied to us, Leon.

You told us Woodrow Wilton was just your electrician,

but we found out you went to visit him in jail.

Ah, he's a nice guy.

Look, I know how the law can be.

I did a little time myself for a fistfight.

Yeah, a year in county jail.

That's right. A whole year in stir

just for defending myself in a bar fight.

It's interesting, in defending yourself,

you broke a man's jaw,

tore his arm clear out of the socket,

and then you caved in his rib cage.

You're right.

That's mighty interesting, Ranger.

Anyhow, I know how it is

to get railroaded by the law,

so I figure I'll give old Woodrow a little moral support.

Woo-hoo.

That fella's a couple of bricks short of a load.

After I talked to him once alone,

I never went back again.

You're not as smart as you think are, Leon.

No?

No, you're not, Leon.

You tell a good story.

Let's see how much truth there is to it.

( defiant theme playing)

I got a line on where he's living.

Rents a place over in Lochinvar.

Let's get a warrant.

Ugh.

Look here, sport.

The only reason you're not dead right now

is cause I know you had to log on

with the power company where you are.

Now... you didn't see nothing.

You didn't hear nothing.

You don't know nothing, understand?

'Cause if you say anything, I'll know.

And you'll be sorry.

Real sorry.

I won't say nothing.

You can go.

That's to remember me by.

(crowd shouting angrily)

(sighs)

Oh, yeah. Almost forgot.

( mournful theme playing)

Are you sure I can't get you something to eat?

No.

Let's say Woodrow Wilton comes out here

to check the meter.

And he follows the power cable around the house.

He sees something that doesn't look right.

What in the world?

What's he need all this for?

There's a lot of power going to this house.

TRIVETTE: He checks the junction box.

Looks all right to me.

Well, something happened here.

( ominous theme playing)

Hey.

Skylight.

Let's take a look.

Here. Use this.

Do you see what I see, Trivette?

Oh, my God.

What is that?

(gasps)

(gags)

Ah!

Texas Rangers.

We have a warrant, open up.

Got the key?

Yeah.

( action theme playing)

TRIVETTE: What the hell is all this, man?

WALKER: Symbols of death.

This is what he did to those girls?

Yeah.

That son of a... Trivette.

Call Alex, tell her we have the evidence

and get out here right now.

District Attorney Cahill.

This is Ranger Trivette.

Well, where is she?

Wax.

Look, just tell her to get to Leon Muncie's.

Walker has the evidence.

Tell her the address is on the subpoena.

(hangs up)

I gotta get some air, man.

Makes two of us.

(motorcycle idling)

(gunshots) Trivette, get down!

( action theme playing)

I'm gonna flank him.

Trivette! Get away from that tank!

(female dispatcher speaking over radio)

Take it easy, Ranger.

It's all right.

Feels like everything's where it should be,

but we better not take any chances.

I'm okay. It's all right.

Now, you may have a concussion, okay?

Take it slow.

Trivette! It's all right.

Don't worry, your friend's going to be just fine.

Hey. Hold up, you guys.

You okay?

Yeah, I'm...

What was that that you said to me?

Run like hell.

Don't make me laugh.

You all right? Yeah, I'm fine.

How come you're always the one that never gets hurt?

Just lucky, I guess.

Yeah.

Just take it easy, okay?

I'll see you later.

All right.

ALEX: Walker, are you in here?

Back here.

Are you all right?

Yeah, I'm okay.

Trivette's on the way to the hospital,

but they said he'll... He'll be fine.

Oh, thank God. Alex,

I don't care what you have to do,

but you've got to stop the execution.

With what, Walker? Where's the evidence?

It was here, Alex. Trivette and I both saw it.

You know as well as I do,

as good as your word is, that's not gonna be enough.

He must've taken it.

Disposed of it somewhere.

He could've buried it anywhere in the county by now.

You're never gonna figure it out in time.

Buried.

Yeah, buried.

God rest your soul, my son.

Thank you, Father.

(engine starts)

Freeze, Muncie!

Raise your hands!

Come down slowly.

Okey-dokey.

You got me, Ranger.

"The Lord is my shepherd,

"I shall not want.

"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.

"He leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul."

How's the bottom of the pile there, Ranger?

Don't worry.

It'll all be over soon, hoss.

Where you at?

Don't you just love this fine justice system of ours?

Wilton's gonna burn today,

and then I can do my thing

and find some other sucker for you guys to fry.

"He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness

"for his name's sake.

"Yea, though I walk

"through the valley of the shadow of death,

"I will fear no evil.

"For thou art with me.

Thy rod and thy staff..."

Where you at, Ranger? You dead already?

(laughs)

Come out, come out wherever you are.

Ask and you shall receive, Leon.

You're under arrest.

No way. You ain't taking me back alive.

(grunting)

(groans)

Killing's too good for you, Leon.

PRIEST: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

"all the days of my life.

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

Hold it! Hold everything.

ALEX: I've got an order from the governor that states,

"Due to new evidence uncovered

"by Cordell Walker of the Texas Rangers,

I hereby order a stay of execution of Woodrow Wilton."

But... But I... We arrested Leon Muncie,

and we'll make it stick.

Your family's safe.

( joyous theme playing)

(crying happily)

(muffled): Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

C.D.: Isn't that just about the prettiest little girl

you ever seen in your life?

To think she almost lost her father forever

because of something I did.

I'll tell you one thing, Alex.

I'm not gonna be near so quick to judge anymore.

Uh-uh.

I'm gonna make sure I always look

for the signs of innocence as well as the guilt.

Come here, Cordell.

We done a real good thing here today.

Yeah, we sure did.

I'll tell you one thing, C.D.,

I'm gonna listen to my instincts from now on.

Well, we all learned a good lesson.

Yeah, like not to hide behind a propane tank

in the middle of a dang gunfight.

Or run like hell. Ow!

Oh, I'm sorry. (everyone laughs)

( harmonica theme playing) (Resync by Chuck)

( upbeat theme playing)