00:00:05
DENNIS FARINA: Next on
"Unsolved Mysteries,"
00:00:08
a cold-blooded murderer
leads to a high-speed chase
00:00:11
and a dramatic shootout
with the police.
00:00:13
The killer is still on the run.
00:00:18
After 20 years of
marriage, John Burns
00:00:21
falls in love with another
woman, and then he kills her.
00:00:27
A woman who gave up her
children and checked
00:00:29
into a mental hospital
may not know that she's
00:00:32
an heir to a $1 million estate.
00:00:36
And many believe
that this young woman
00:00:38
has performed miracles while
confined to her bed in a coma.
00:00:46
Murder, missing, persons, wanted
fugitives, and the paranormal--
00:00:52
I'm Dennis Farina and this
is "Unsolved Mysteries."
00:00:57
[theme music playing]
00:01:32
I just got my check cashed.
00:01:34
I've got $200 in my wallet.
00:01:36
Just-- just reach in the back.
00:01:38
DENNIS FARINA: James Rouse,
Jr. was a teacher, a husband,
00:01:40
and a father of
two young children,
00:01:43
and he was abducted at gunpoint
by two fugitives, William
00:01:47
Jordan and Anthony Prevatte.
00:01:50
Both men were wanted
in North Carolina
00:01:52
for a series of robberies.
00:01:57
Turn around that way.
00:01:58
You've got my money.
00:01:59
DENNIS FARINA: The ride
ended on a remote back road
00:02:02
at the edge of a forest.
00:02:03
The kidnappers forced
James Rouse to march
00:02:06
barefoot into the woods.
00:02:09
When they reached the
shore of the deserted lake,
00:02:11
they stopped.
00:02:15
[gunshot]
00:02:17
James Rouse died instantly,
shot at point-blank range
00:02:21
with a sawn-off shotgun.
00:02:25
The next day, Wadesboro,
North Carolina,
00:02:28
240 miles from Suwanee--
00:02:30
That's it over there--
00:02:32
421.
00:02:34
DENNIS FARINA: Police
got a tip that Jordan
00:02:36
Prevatte had returned and were
hiding at the home of a friend.
00:02:40
OFFICER 1: Do you
recognize that car?
00:02:43
OFFICER 2: Nah, it doesn't
look familiar to me.
00:02:45
Prevatte and Jordan
had a reputation
00:02:47
of being predominantly into
property theft, housebreaking,
00:02:51
and those type of things.
00:02:53
We didn't really suspect that
they were involved in anything
00:02:57
serious other than that.
00:03:01
DENNIS FARINA: When deputies
approached the house,
00:03:03
Jordan and Prevatte were
already one step ahead of them.
00:03:08
[squealing tires]
00:03:10
[sirens]
00:03:12
Sheriff's office 107
in pursuit of suspects
00:03:14
travelling east on Highway 117.
00:03:20
[gunshot]
00:03:22
Suspects are firing upon us.
00:03:23
Requesting backup.
00:03:25
[gunshot]
00:03:27
TOMMY ALLEN: Everything
was happening so fast,
00:03:29
but it seemed extreme that
these guys were using this much
00:03:32
excessive force to
get away from us
00:03:34
just because we
wanted to talk to them
00:03:36
about some house break-ins.
00:03:38
OFFICER 2: Get a shot!
00:03:39
Get a shot at them!
00:03:40
[gunshot]
00:03:42
Suspects have brought out
what looks like to be a weapon.
00:03:46
[inaudible]
00:03:48
[gunshot]
00:03:49
I'm going to pull
alongside of them.
00:03:57
[sirens]
00:04:00
[crashing]
00:04:06
Freeze!
00:04:07
Get your hands up!
00:04:08
Let's go!
00:04:09
Get 'em up!
00:04:10
Get 'em up!
00:04:11
Let me see your hands!
Come on!
00:04:12
Come on!
Give me your hands.
00:04:13
Come on.
00:04:14
Turn around.
00:04:15
Turn around.
00:04:18
Anthony Prevatte
and William Jordan
00:04:20
were booked on
charges of breaking
00:04:22
and entering, larceny,
and assaulting
00:04:24
officers with a firearm.
00:04:26
But what the Sheriff
didn't know is
00:04:29
that the two men they
had just arrested
00:04:31
were also cold-blooded killers.
00:04:35
48 hours later, the
body of James Rouse
00:04:38
was discovered near
the lake in Georgia.
00:04:41
Jordan and Prevatte
had stolen his car
00:04:43
then wrecked it
during their attempted
00:04:45
getaway in North Carolina.
00:04:49
A shotgun shell found
near the murder scene
00:04:52
sealed the case against
Jordan and Prevatte.
00:04:55
Ballistics revealed that Rouse
had been killed in the blast
00:04:57
from the same shotgun the pair
had dumped during the chase.
00:05:03
Inside the wrecked car police
found trophies of the murder
00:05:07
in Georgia.
00:05:09
Photos-- Jordan and Prevatte
leaning against Rouse's car,
00:05:12
posing with that same
shotgun that killed him.
00:05:16
TOMMY ALLEN: They were
both eventually extradited
00:05:20
back to Georgia,
tried, both found
00:05:24
guilty of first-degree murder,
both given the death sentence.
00:05:29
DENNIS FARINA: But neither
Jordan nor Prevatte
00:05:30
stayed on death row.
00:05:32
The Georgia Supreme Court
reduced their sentences to life
00:05:35
in prison.
00:05:40
It wasn't long before
Prevatte was paroled.
00:05:43
Soon after, he
murdered his girlfriend
00:05:46
and was returned to prison.
00:05:48
Once again, he was
sentenced to death,
00:05:50
and this time the
sentence stood.
00:05:57
Jordan, you and Green take the
truck on back to the house, gas
00:06:00
it up, make yourself useful.
00:06:02
Yes, sir.
00:06:04
DENNIS FARINA: After
10 years in prison,
00:06:05
Jordan was assigned
to a minimum security
00:06:08
work farm for good behavior.
00:06:10
But his image as
a model prisoner
00:06:13
proved to be misleading.
00:06:19
One day, Jordan
just kept driving.
00:06:21
A month later, police caught
the inmate who escaped with him,
00:06:24
but Jordan remains at large.
00:06:28
He possibly works
in West Virginia
00:06:31
as a heavy equipment operator.
00:06:33
He also possibly has a
family in West Virginia.
00:06:36
He uses the name
William Bill Jordan
00:06:38
or William Junior Jordan.
00:06:43
DENNIS FARINA: Decades
have passed since Jordan
00:06:44
and Prevatte murdered
James Rouse, Jr.
00:06:47
But the Rouse family
still feels the pain.
00:06:52
[gunshot]
00:06:54
The hardest part has
been not only the way
00:06:58
it happened, but
certainly the fact
00:07:01
that he has not been
with us and been
00:07:05
able to enjoy his own family.
00:07:08
We have lived through
years of anger
00:07:11
for what Jordan did to
my brother-in-law, Jim,
00:07:16
and what it has
done to the children
00:07:19
as well as to his wife.
00:07:23
DENNIS FARINA:
This is how William
00:07:24
Jordan looked at the time
he murdered James Rouse.
00:07:27
And this is a computer-age
photo of Jordan.
00:07:30
He is 6' 2" tall, has
brown graying hair,
00:07:34
and probably wears glasses.
00:07:37
Jordan has several
distinctive tattoos, including
00:07:40
a spider on his right arm
and a cross with the name
00:07:44
Sybil on his left.
00:07:47
If you have any information
that could help put William
00:07:50
Jordan back in prison,
please log on to our website
00:07:54
at unsolved.com
00:08:00
Next, no one guessed
that they're quiet,
00:08:03
unassuming neighbor of 20 years
was filled with murderous rage.
00:08:17
South Lyon, Michigan--
00:08:21
John Burns was a
married man when he fell
00:08:23
in love with Eleanor Farber.
00:08:26
When she found out
that he was married,
00:08:28
Eleanor ended the relationship.
00:08:31
No one guessed that John
Burns would soon turn violent.
00:08:39
John Burns drifted
into town in 1947.
00:08:42
He had little more than his name
and the clothes on his back.
00:08:45
But Burns never revealed
much about his past
00:08:48
to his friends or his neighbors.
00:08:52
Well, I was neighbors with
him for probably several years.
00:08:55
I never spoke 200 words with the
man all the time I live by him.
00:08:59
He certainly was very careful
about what he would tell you
00:09:02
and then he would talk about.
00:09:03
So, yes, if he had something
to hide, I'm certainly sure
00:09:05
he did it very well.
00:09:07
I really don't know
where John Burns was from,
00:09:10
nor do I know when he was born.
00:09:12
As a matter of fact, I can't
be positive that John Burns
00:09:15
was born in the United States.
00:09:19
DENNIS FARINA: One year
after Burns arrived, a woman
00:09:22
named Ann McMurry
fell in love with him,
00:09:24
and soon they were married.
00:09:27
BILL ESKRIDGE: I don't
know why John married Anna.
00:09:30
John looked about 20
years younger than Anna.
00:09:34
Perhaps he legitimately
loved her at the time.
00:09:37
Perhaps John married this woman
to help cover his identity,
00:09:40
help cover his trail.
00:09:43
What time do you
have to be at work?
00:09:44
DENNIS FARINA: After
20 years of marriage,
00:09:46
Burns met and fell in
love with Eleanor Farber.
00:09:49
Eleanor had no idea that
John had a wife in South
00:09:52
Lyon only 15 miles away.
00:09:55
The affair between
John and Eleanor
00:09:57
was common knowledge
throughout the area.
00:09:59
It was no big secret.
00:10:01
Most anybody that knew John
knew that John and Eleanor
00:10:03
were having an affair.
00:10:04
Come on, Pokey.
00:10:04
Come on.
00:10:05
[laughter]
00:10:07
Well, at first, John Burns
treated her fairly well.
00:10:11
He was good to the kids--
00:10:12
brought them a pony.
00:10:14
He bought her things,
made her feel good.
00:10:18
She dreamed of having a
farm and raising animals.
00:10:23
She liked chickens.
00:10:25
What do you call these two?
00:10:27
Well, that one over there
is Betsy and then Lulu.
00:10:29
MELODY TAYLOR: It was nice
to see her happy again.
00:10:33
She felt like her dreams
were going to come true.
00:10:36
Oh, what a nice day!
00:10:39
He told her he was
going to marry her.
00:10:41
They made plans to get married.
00:10:43
They made plans to
buy a chicken ranch.
00:10:46
John Burns and Eleanor
Farber went to a local doctor
00:10:48
in Southland for blood
tests in anticipation
00:10:51
of getting a marriage
license and getting married.
00:10:56
DENNIS FARINA: Several
months into the affair,
00:10:58
Burns stopped by his house
with Eleanor in the car.
00:11:02
It was the first time that
Eleanor ever saw Anna.
00:11:05
ELEANOR FARBER: Who's that lady?
00:11:07
JOHN BURNS: That's my aunt.
00:11:08
ELEANOR FARBER: Your aunt?
00:11:09
JOHN BURNS: Uh-huh.
00:11:11
MELODY TAYLOR: She had no
reason really to doubt him.
00:11:14
And of course, looking
at her, she looked
00:11:15
old enough to be his aunt.
00:11:18
He told Eleanor that she was
a hard-to-get-along woman,
00:11:22
and that was his
reason for not taking
00:11:23
Eleanor in to introduce them.
00:11:26
He spent most of
his time with her.
00:11:29
Who would have thought
that he had a wife?
00:11:33
She decided one day
to go to his house
00:11:36
and take some
things that she was
00:11:37
actually borrowing from him.
00:11:39
And I think she was curious
about this woman in the house.
00:11:42
I'm Eleanor.
00:11:45
Are you John's aunt?
00:11:47
MELODY TAYLOR: She interrupted
her and told her who she was.
00:11:50
I'm his fiance.
00:11:53
[laughter]
00:11:55
I'm his wife.
00:11:59
[sobbing]
00:12:00
ELEANOR FARBER: Oh, no!
00:12:02
DENNIS FARINA: That day,
Eleanor swore that she would
00:12:03
never see John Burns again.
00:12:12
Eleanor, I know
you're in there!
00:12:14
MELODY TAYLOR: John
would come to the door
00:12:15
and bang on the door,
pleading with her to explain.
00:12:20
And Eleanor wouldn't.
00:12:21
She wound not see him.
00:12:23
Eleanor!
00:12:27
Over the course
of five months,
00:12:29
John Burns unleashed his
anger on Eleanor Farber.
00:12:33
He wrote threatening letters
and pushed them under her door
00:12:36
at night.
00:12:37
He tried to run
Eleanor off the road,
00:12:39
and he told her that he
planned to blow up her house.
00:12:45
Eleanor!
00:12:46
Eleanor!
00:12:48
I don't remember
what day of the week
00:12:49
it was because I'm
not exactly sure.
00:12:51
I don't remember the
exact time of the day,
00:12:53
but it was in the
middle of the day.
00:12:56
And John came in, and he wasn't
too familiar with shotguns.
00:13:00
Got a dog in the
neighborhood that's
00:13:01
been giving me some trouble.
00:13:02
GUN SELLER: He said he
had a German Shepherd
00:13:04
that was bothering him.
00:13:05
And he wanted something
to shoot him with.
00:13:08
What do you want to
do, just dust him off,
00:13:10
or do you want to kill him?
00:13:11
JOHN BURNS: Kill him.
00:13:14
GUN SELLER: I sell shells like
that every day of the week
00:13:16
to somebody.
00:13:18
DENNIS FARINA: On the
day of the murder,
00:13:20
Burns saw a car that
he did not recognize
00:13:22
in Eleanor's driveway.
00:13:24
The car actually belonged
to Eleanor's cousin.
00:13:27
But Burns just assumed that
it was owned by another lover.
00:13:31
[arguing]
00:13:32
Eleanor, listen, you've
been holding out on me.
00:13:33
I know you've got another man.
00:13:34
Eleanor!
00:13:35
MELODY TAYLOR: I was
sitting at the table,
00:13:36
and he was right
outside the window,
00:13:38
probably not more
than 10 feet away.
00:13:40
Put that away!
00:13:42
MELODY TAYLOR: And when I
seen him loading the gun
00:13:43
and talking, I could see
the anger in his face.
00:13:45
He was talking fast.
00:13:46
I knew.
00:13:47
That's why I ran for our gun.
00:13:50
[gunshots]
00:13:53
And by that time,
it was too late.
00:13:57
If he couldn't have
her, he didn't want
00:13:59
anyone else to have her either.
00:14:01
It wasn't too long after
that we heard that John
00:14:04
had done his girlfriend in.
00:14:07
And of course, boy,
everybody was shocked.
00:14:08
It was just absolutely--
you couldn't believe it.
00:14:12
DENNIS FARINA: After the murder,
Burns disappeared from sight,
00:14:16
but not from South Lyon.
00:14:18
The police couldn't find them.
00:14:19
But Burns was seen in town
on three separate occasions.
00:14:25
Police would later
learn that for 10 days
00:14:28
Burns had been hiding in a
barn that was less than 100
00:14:32
yards from the murder scene.
00:14:35
When police finally searched
the hay loft in the barn,
00:14:38
they found the remote area where
John Burns had been hiding.
00:14:42
They discovered dozens of empty
food cans and a confession
00:14:45
to the murder scrawled
on wooden slats.
00:14:48
But Burns had already vanished.
00:14:53
Ever since Eleanor
Farber was killed,
00:14:56
Detective Bill Eskridge
has been relentless
00:14:58
in his pursuit of John Burns.
00:15:01
He has sifted through
dozens of documents
00:15:03
from every state in the union.
00:15:05
Despite all this,
Detective Eskridge
00:15:08
has come up empty-handed.
00:15:10
He has found no
record of John Burns
00:15:12
who matches the
description of the man who
00:15:15
killed Eleanor Farber.
00:15:18
This is a photograph of
Burns with Eleanor Farber.
00:15:22
There is only one other
picture police have
00:15:25
been able to find of Burns.
00:15:28
In my opinion,
John Burns definitely
00:15:30
was trying to hide a past.
00:15:33
I believe that he was on
the run from authorities
00:15:36
in another state, possibly
even another country,
00:15:38
for a very serious crime.
00:15:41
In an effort to find additional
pictures of John Burns,
00:15:44
I went to the
Southland High School
00:15:45
where he had been
employed and looked
00:15:46
through all of the yearbooks.
00:15:48
For eight years in
a row, every day
00:15:50
the photographs
were to be taken,
00:15:52
John Burns called in sick.
00:15:54
He never let himself
be photographed.
00:15:57
I think it's very conceivable
that John Burns is still alive
00:16:01
and maybe even
watching this TV show.
00:16:04
He was a survivalist.
00:16:05
He was incredibly crafty.
00:16:08
And I think John Burns
is out there somewhere.
00:16:13
DENNIS FARINA: Update--
00:16:16
John Burns eluded
authorities for 17 years.
00:16:20
Shortly after this
story aired, Burns
00:16:22
was arrested in
Altoona, Pennsylvania
00:16:25
and charged with the
murder of Eleanor Farber.
00:16:29
The jury found him guilty.
00:16:31
But Burns died of a heart attack
before he could be sentenced.
00:16:38
Next, a deputy sheriff is
shot down in his own home.
00:16:42
Police are looking for the
caller who said that he
00:16:44
could identify the gunman.
00:16:58
Burbank, California-- Charlie
Anderson was a 14-year veteran
00:17:04
of the Los Angeles County
Sheriff's Department.
00:17:10
A highly skilled driver, Charlie
taught hundreds of deputies
00:17:14
how to handle their vehicles
in dangerous situations.
00:17:20
Charlie was probably one
of the most talented drivers
00:17:23
that I've ever met.
00:17:25
It was a natural talent for him.
00:17:28
Charlie was able to get
along with everybody.
00:17:30
He was serious on
the job, but he
00:17:34
had a good sense of
humor when he was
00:17:35
around the rest of the staff.
00:17:39
DENNIS FARINA: Charlie was
also a dedicated father,
00:17:42
never too busy to spend evenings
and weekends with his two sons.
00:17:46
To those who knew
him, Charlie didn't
00:17:47
seem to have an
enemy in the world,
00:17:50
until he was shot and
killed in his own home.
00:17:57
Beth, Charlie's
wife, told police
00:18:00
that on the night of the murder
the couple and their two sons
00:18:03
got home around midnight.
00:18:05
Oh, honey, he's
out like a light.
00:18:06
Well, I'll go ahead
and bring him upstairs,
00:18:08
and then I'll come back
for you and the baby.
00:18:10
OK, thanks.
00:18:11
They arrived home.
00:18:13
And because Mrs. Anderson was
suffering from a back injury,
00:18:16
her husband offered
to go inside the house
00:18:18
with their oldest boy first.
00:18:21
He asked her to wait in
the car, and she did so.
00:18:25
Charlie Anderson went in the
house with the oldest son
00:18:29
and, we believe,
took him upstairs.
00:18:32
A few moments
later, Mrs. Anderson
00:18:33
heard what sounded like
backfires from where
00:18:36
she was parked in the driveway.
00:18:37
She was still seated in the car.
00:18:39
[gunshots]
00:18:41
Because the sound was unusual,
she walked to the house
00:18:44
and called in to see if
there was anything wrong.
00:18:51
Honey, are you up here?
00:18:55
Charlie, can you hear me?
00:18:59
ROGER MASON: She ran downstairs,
picked up her younger son,
00:19:03
and ran to a next-door
neighbor's house.
00:19:10
DENNIS FARINA: Police at the
scene found the Anderson's
00:19:12
older son unharmed.
00:19:14
Their first impression was that
Charlie had surprised a burglar
00:19:17
and had been shot.
00:19:19
But there were other signs that
the burglary had been staged.
00:19:24
ROGER MASON: While they
had selected certain items
00:19:27
and placed them together
to be taken from the house,
00:19:30
they had overlooked other items
that were much more valuable
00:19:33
that were in plain sight.
00:19:35
This led to a second theory that
this might have been someone
00:19:38
that perhaps knew
Deputy Andersen that
00:19:40
confronted him and shot him.
00:19:43
DENNIS FARINA: Charlie's
sister believes
00:19:45
that's exactly what happened.
00:19:47
She was at the crime
scene that night,
00:19:49
called there by a neighbor.
00:19:52
But what really surprised
me was the look on his face.
00:19:55
He had a wide-eyed look, as if
he'd been shocked or betrayed.
00:20:01
It's something that
lingers with me today.
00:20:05
In the end, the evidence
collected at the crime scene
00:20:08
was ambiguous at best.
00:20:11
The only fingerprints were
from members of the family.
00:20:16
Police were left with a murder
victim and virtually no leads
00:20:20
until a mysterious
phone call s day later.
00:20:25
The following is a re-enactment
of that conversation
00:20:28
taken from the police
transcript of the call.
00:20:31
Irvine Police
Department, may I help you?
00:20:32
MALE SPEAKER (ON
PHONE): Uh, yes,
00:20:34
may I speak to the
officer in charge, please?
00:20:36
Uh, sure, regarding
what type of incident?
00:20:39
MALE SPEAKER (ON PHONE):
This is some information
00:20:41
that might lead to
the killer that, uh,
00:20:44
shot the deputy sheriff.
00:20:45
OK, wait a minute,
hang on just a second.
00:20:48
At that time, the
investigator handling the case
00:20:51
was in the station.
00:20:52
And he was called
to the dispatch area
00:20:55
so he could speak with the
person that had called in.
00:20:57
MALE SPEAKER (ON PHONE): I
know who did the shooting.
00:21:00
OK, the watch
commander's on his way
00:21:01
down here to answer
the phone, OK?
00:21:04
MALE SPEAKER (ON PHONE):
I can't wait too long.
00:21:05
OK, here's the detective
handling the case right now.
00:21:07
Hang on just a second.
00:21:09
Hi there.
00:21:11
What can I do for you?
00:21:12
MALE SPEAKER (ON PHONE):
Is this being recorded?
00:21:13
Yes, it is.
00:21:14
MALE SPEAKER (ON PHONE): I--
00:21:15
I can't speak to you
if this is recorded.
00:21:17
OK, why don't I give you
the number of my office
00:21:20
where it is not recorded?
00:21:21
I'm not going to lie to you, OK?
00:21:22
MALE SPEAKER (ON PHONE):
I don't like recordings.
00:21:24
The man on the line I
was very, very nervous.
00:21:25
He was very concerned about
his voice being taped,
00:21:28
about him being-- the call being
traced or in any way the police
00:21:32
identifying who he was.
00:21:34
MALE SPEAKER (ON PHONE):
I'm not playing around.
00:21:36
DENNIS FARINA: That
could not be connected
00:21:38
to an unrecorded line, so the
detective asked the witness
00:21:42
hang up and call back.
00:21:43
Well, as I said,
you're going to have
00:21:44
to give me about two minutes
to get back to my office.
00:21:46
MALE SPEAKER (ON
PHONE): All right.
00:21:47
OK.
00:21:49
DENNIS FARINA: The man agreed,
but the phone call never came.
00:21:54
Charlie Anderson
was laid to rest
00:21:56
with the full honors
reserved for officers
00:21:58
killed in the line of duty.
00:22:00
Lack of evidence has dragged the
investigation to a standstill,
00:22:04
and police are still searching
for the unidentified caller.
00:22:11
ROGER MASON: We feel is very,
very important to locate
00:22:12
this caller because he
was concerned enough
00:22:15
to call us right at the
beginning of the investigation.
00:22:18
He has never been identified.
00:22:20
And we're very, very
interested in speaking
00:22:22
to him to find out what he
does know about this case.
00:22:24
MALE SPEAKER (ON
PHONE): --information
00:22:25
that might lead to
the killer that, uh,
00:22:26
shot the deputy sheriff.
00:22:30
Burbank Police believe
the mysterious phone
00:22:32
call is their best
hope to close the case.
00:22:36
A $25,000 reward
is being offered,
00:22:39
and police have guaranteed
that the identity
00:22:41
of anyone coming
forward will be held
00:22:43
in the strictest confidence.
00:22:47
If you have any information
that can help solve
00:22:49
the murder of Deputy
Charlie Anderson,
00:22:52
please log on to our
website at unsolved.com.
00:23:01
Next, after an extraordinary
visit to her sister,
00:23:04
a young woman walks
away and disappears.
00:23:07
And now she's an heir
to a $1 million fortune.
00:23:20
Our next story profiles a
woman named Lorene Roberts.
00:23:24
Her family hasn't seen or heard
from her in more than 30 years.
00:23:28
Lorene has no way of knowing
that she is one of the heirs
00:23:32
to a $1 million estate.
00:23:35
Lorene Roberts grew up in
Dripping Springs, Texas.
00:23:39
She was on a high
school basketball team
00:23:41
and was a member
of the pep club.
00:23:43
But at the age of
16, Lorene suddenly
00:23:46
dropped out of high school.
00:23:48
Her family believes
that this was
00:23:50
the beginning of a slow
descent into mental illness.
00:23:54
Lorene was very quiet.
00:23:56
She would just be to herself
with her own thoughts
00:23:59
and her own world.
00:24:01
It's as if she wasn't there
with you most of the time.
00:24:08
Hey, little lady, can we
get some coffee over here?
00:24:11
Yeah, you, the pretty
one, come take our order.
00:24:14
DENNIS FARINA: In 1949, Lorene
dropped out of high school.
00:24:18
She moved to Austin and
found work as a waitress.
00:24:22
She also found [inaudible].
00:24:24
Coffee, pie, and how about
I take you for a whirl?
00:24:31
I don't know what you mean.
00:24:34
Let me show you.
00:24:39
DENNIS FARINA: Just 10
days after they met,
00:24:41
Lorene and the young
servicemen were married.
00:24:47
Lorene and her husband had
three children in seven years.
00:24:51
In 1956, her husband was
discharged from the service,
00:24:55
and they moved to his
hometown in New Jersey.
00:24:59
It wasn't long before Lorene's
life began to unravel.
00:25:03
Lorene told me that
she wasn't happy there.
00:25:07
His family didn't accept her
and that his mother bought her
00:25:11
and the children a train
ticket and put them on a train
00:25:15
and sent them back to Austin.
00:25:18
DENNIS FARINA: Lorene's
husband filed for divorce.
00:25:20
With no money and
no means of support,
00:25:23
Lorene and her
three young children
00:25:24
returned to Texas and
an uncertain future.
00:25:28
I'm tired.
00:25:29
When are we gonna go home?
00:25:34
Michael, sweetheart, would
you put this on for me?
00:25:35
That other one's dirty.
Come here.
00:25:36
Put this on for mommy.
00:25:38
Lorene tried.
00:25:40
She worked, and she tried
to handle her situations.
00:25:44
And she loved her
children very much.
00:25:46
But that was just something
she couldn't handle,
00:25:49
and she seen she
couldn't handle it.
00:25:51
And she tried to get help
from her husband, but no help.
00:25:56
She decided the best thing
to do was to just give them
00:25:58
up and let them be
adopted out where
00:26:01
they would be taken care of.
00:26:03
Now, don't fuss.
00:26:04
I will get-- we'll
get you some food.
00:26:05
Now, don't fuss.
00:26:06
I want you to sit there quietly.
00:26:09
DENNIS FARINA: After the
children were adopted,
00:26:11
Lorene's emotional state
became even more fragile.
00:26:16
RUBY BOHLS: She came to me, and
she admitted that she was sick
00:26:20
and said she needed help,
said she needed a doctor.
00:26:23
And my dad said, Ruby, take
her to the psychiatrist.
00:26:26
And I did, and he
gave her admittance
00:26:29
to the state hospital.
00:26:32
So I took her out
there, and she cried
00:26:35
and everything when
she hugged my neck
00:26:37
and loved me and everything.
00:26:40
And it was so hard to
have to leave her there.
00:26:44
DENNIS FARINA:
Between 1957 and 1961,
00:26:48
Lorene was admitted to
the state mental hospital
00:26:51
five different times.
00:26:55
And then one day, Lorene
showed up at her sister
00:26:58
Ruby's house unannounced.
00:27:01
Well, then, sit down here and
tell me what's been going on.
00:27:05
- I'm getting married.
- Married?
00:27:06
Uh-huh.
00:27:07
That's great!
00:27:08
Who to?
00:27:10
A college professor.
00:27:11
A college professor--
well, that's great!
00:27:15
I came to show you my ring.
00:27:17
Well, that's
mighty pretty, honey.
00:27:19
Where'd you meet a
college professor?
00:27:23
It's pretty, isn't it?
00:27:24
Lorene?
00:27:25
Hmm?
00:27:26
Where'd you meet
a college professor?
00:27:29
The college.
00:27:31
At that time, I was just
hoping the best for her.
00:27:34
So I didn't question
too much or anything.
00:27:36
I just hoped for
the best, you know.
00:27:38
And that's the last
time I saw Lorene,
00:27:40
and I haven't heard from
her or anything since,
00:27:43
Well, I gotta get going.
00:27:44
Well, can I take
you somewhere?
00:27:46
Oh, no, no.
00:27:47
I came in a cab, and I'm
going to leave in a cab.
00:27:50
Take care now.
00:27:51
OK, you too.
00:27:54
Bye-bye.
00:27:55
DENNIS FARINA: Two weeks
later, Ruby received the bill
00:27:58
for Lorene's engagement ring.
00:28:01
Lorene had bought the
ring herself and then
00:28:03
failed to make the payments.
00:28:06
We have searched everything
looking for Lorene.
00:28:08
All the public records
have been searched.
00:28:11
No one has any
records of Lorene been
00:28:13
alive for the last 25 years.
00:28:16
Her mother died in 1988,
and her will provided
00:28:20
for the distribution
of her estate,
00:28:22
which was valued at about
$1 million, to her children.
00:28:26
And Lorene was one
of the children.
00:28:27
And so since no one
knew where she was,
00:28:29
the court appointed
me to represent her
00:28:32
and to try to locate her.
00:28:34
I don't think it's going
to be easy to find Lorene.
00:28:36
But I also don't think
she's disappeared
00:28:38
off the face of the earth.
00:28:40
I think she's out
there somewhere.
00:28:42
There's a big void
in our life without her
00:28:47
and not knowing whether
she's alive or dead.
00:28:51
And we want that filled.
00:28:53
I would share her
children that have
00:28:56
found us and her grandchildren.
00:28:59
That would be the first thing
I'd want her to know about.
00:29:01
She would be so happy.
00:29:07
Update-- after we
broadcast this story,
00:29:12
operators at our telecenter were
surprised when Lorene called
00:29:16
in to solve her own mystery.
00:29:19
Lorene's family was
overjoyed to learn that she
00:29:22
was still alive and well.
00:29:24
Her sister Ruby immediately
flew to Little Rock, Arkansas
00:29:28
where Lorene had been
working as a housekeeper.
00:29:33
A few days later, Ruby brought
Lorene back to Austin, Texas
00:29:38
for a reunion with the
rest of her family.
00:29:49
It was unbelievable.
00:29:50
I could hardly believe
it because, I guess,
00:29:54
for so long we had searched
and searched for her,
00:29:57
and we couldn't find a lead.
00:30:00
I cried.
00:30:01
I laughed.
00:30:02
I did everything.
00:30:06
Yes, it's nice to be back.
00:30:09
They're real nice.
00:30:10
They've always been.
00:30:13
They're original
people, [inaudible],
00:30:15
that are very darling people.
00:30:21
DENNIS FARINA:
After the reunion,
00:30:22
Lorene received her
share of the inheritance.
00:30:25
She has since returned
to her home in Arkansas.
00:30:30
This is the wonderful person
we looked for for 30 years.
00:30:34
We're going to be happy and
just do all the things we can
00:30:37
to be together and love
each other, which, I think,
00:30:42
will be real good for
Lorene and all of us.
00:30:50
DENNIS FARINA:
Coming up, the story
00:30:51
of a young girl in
coma, who some believe
00:30:54
holds the miraculous
power to heal.
00:31:06
For Sharon Stephens of
La Puente California,
00:31:09
childhood was a never-ending
cycle of loneliness and abuse.
00:31:14
Her mother died when she
was just three months old,
00:31:17
and Sharon suffered severe
beatings at the hands
00:31:20
of her alcoholic father.
00:31:23
Sharon was finally taken
away from her father
00:31:26
and later sent to live
with foster parents, Bill
00:31:29
and Cynthia Zelinski.
00:31:32
At the Zelinskis' home, Sharon
experienced love and kindness
00:31:37
for the very first time.
00:31:39
They really knew
how to parent,
00:31:41
and they went all
out to make me happy.
00:31:44
I felt very special for
one of the first times
00:31:46
in my whole life.
00:31:48
So I started to change
in the right way.
00:31:50
They taught me respect.
00:31:52
They taught me how to respect
other people and myself,
00:31:55
and they brought my self-esteem
up, because I had a very
00:31:59
low self-esteem about myself.
00:32:02
DENNIS FARINA: But only
one year after she arrived,
00:32:05
Sharon's happy life with Bill
and Cynthia came to an end.
00:32:09
A court decided that she should
be returned to her father.
00:32:14
Sharon never saw Bill
and Cynthia again.
00:32:17
But she has not
forgotten how their love
00:32:20
and understanding inspired her.
00:32:24
I know that if it
hadn't been for them,
00:32:26
I probably would have
been a child abuser,
00:32:29
a drug addict, a prostitute.
00:32:33
I feel I would have
turned out very
00:32:36
bad if it hadn't been for them.
00:32:38
We think a lot of you.
00:32:39
SHARON STEVENS: I would like to
be reunited with the Zelinskis
00:32:42
to tell them how much I
appreciate what they've
00:32:45
done for me in the past.
00:32:46
And it's a dream, a hope, a
fantasy, whatever you want
00:32:51
to call it, but I've got
to find these people,
00:32:53
and I've got to say thank you.
00:32:59
DENNIS FARINA: Update-- just
minutes after her story aired,
00:33:04
Sharon's search came to an end.
00:33:06
Bill and Cynthia Zelinski
were watching the broadcast
00:33:10
and called our phone center.
00:33:14
After more than 30
years of being apart,
00:33:17
Sharon arrived at Bill
and Cynthia's house.
00:33:21
Hi.
00:33:24
Sharon.
00:33:26
Oh, Sharon.
00:33:31
Oh, it's good to see you.
00:33:33
DENNIS FARINA: Bill and
Cynthia were taken by surprise
00:33:36
when they saw this story.
00:33:38
Oh, nice to see you.
00:33:39
When you see a part
of your life history
00:33:41
unfolding on
national television,
00:33:43
your mind goes blank.
00:33:45
You don't hear anything
else that's going on.
00:33:49
But your mind goes
back to 30 years
00:33:51
ago and all of the memories
that it brings back.
00:33:54
[laughter]
00:33:56
I was very optimistic
that someone out there--
00:33:59
their friends, relatives,
neighbors, someone--
00:34:01
if not theirselves,
would see it.
00:34:04
And I was very surprised that
they themselves called in.
00:34:08
And I just got goosebumps
when I found out,
00:34:12
and I still get goosebumps.
00:34:14
OK, everybody smile
and give me a pretty--
00:34:16
DENNIS FARINA: For Sharon, the
reunion with Bill and Cynthia
00:34:19
was a long-awaited
chance to say thank you
00:34:22
for the inspiration
and the courage
00:34:25
they gave her as a young girl.
00:34:28
Making a difference in
sombody's life is nice.
00:34:32
You feel like there was a
reason for what happened.
00:34:35
At the time you don't know it.
00:34:37
But now you realized there was
a reason for what happened.
00:34:42
SHARON STEVENS: It's the
only dream that I've ever
00:34:44
had is to find the Zelinskis.
00:34:47
And it feels great, and
it's like a dream come true.
00:34:56
Accounts of
miraculous healings
00:34:58
have been around for as
long as faith itself.
00:35:01
But some have questions
about these reports.
00:35:04
Today, many still wonder
what to make of them.
00:35:07
The story of Audrey
Santo is a case in point.
00:35:13
Worcester, Massachusetts--
00:35:16
As you can see,
this as Audrey's room.
00:35:19
And the person sitting down on
her left is her grandmother.
00:35:23
And the person standing on your
right is one of the nurses.
00:35:27
DENNIS FARINA: This
is not a reenactment.
00:35:30
Audrey has been in a
coma-like state called
00:35:33
akinetic mutism for years.
00:35:36
Every week, people
line up at this window
00:35:38
to get a glimpse of her not
out of morbid curiosity,
00:35:42
but because they believe that
Audrey is a miracle worker.
00:35:47
Audrey's astonishing story
began when she was playing
00:35:50
near the family swimming pool.
00:35:52
She was just three years
old when tragedy struck.
00:35:57
[scream]
00:36:01
Audrey was under water
for several minutes
00:36:03
before she was rescued
by her brother.
00:36:05
On the way to the
emergency room,
00:36:07
she went into cardiac arrest.
00:36:10
[sirens]
00:36:14
Audrey's diagnosis after the
near-drowning was that she had
00:36:19
massive brain damage
from the drowning
00:36:22
and a very poor prognosis.
00:36:24
They didn't think she was
going to live very long.
00:36:27
We just started praying.
00:36:29
That's all, just prayed.
00:36:31
Because when things are
totally out of your control,
00:36:35
what else can you do?
00:36:36
It's God's control, and you've
got to give Him the ball
00:36:38
and let him run with it.
00:36:42
DENNIS FARINA: Audrey survived,
but she has remained bedridden.
00:36:46
She is aware of her surroundings
but is unable to move or talk.
00:36:51
She's not fully conscious by
any stretch of the imagination,
00:36:55
and yet she's not unconscious.
00:36:59
DENNIS FARINA: A year
after Audrey's accident,
00:37:01
her mother took her site
of the famous miracle
00:37:03
site of Medjugorje,
hoping for a cure.
00:37:07
The trip nearly killed Audrey.
00:37:09
But her family says
that from that time
00:37:11
on, a gradual progression
of unexplained phenomena
00:37:16
took place.
00:37:18
One of the most remarkable
occurred in their home
00:37:21
when Audrey was
just nine years old.
00:37:24
Hey, Mom.
00:37:26
DENNIS FARINA: They said that
a picture of the Virgin Mary
00:37:28
appeared to be crying not
tears, but drops of oil.
00:37:34
We're all looking
at this image.
00:37:37
And I said, please, if this is
for Audrey, let us know this.
00:37:41
Because all of a sudden, it
occurred just to the kids and I
00:37:45
that maybe this weeping
was for Audrey's healing.
00:37:49
There are many
meanings of oil,
00:37:51
for example, healing and so on.
00:37:53
And I conclude
quickly, then, that God
00:37:56
is saying this is a holy place
and this little girl is mine.
00:38:03
DENNIS FARINA: It
started with one picture.
00:38:05
Then as days went
by, the Santo family
00:38:07
reported that almost every
religious icon in Audrey's room
00:38:11
began to cry tears of oil.
00:38:16
Another image started
weeping, and then
00:38:18
another image started weeping.
00:38:20
We started thinking,
well, is there
00:38:21
a rhyme or reason to this?
00:38:24
DENNIS FARINA: Or could
this be just a hoax?
00:38:27
One person who thought it was
a sham was a newly hired nurse.
00:38:31
When I started
piecing everything
00:38:32
together, at first
I kept saying,
00:38:34
I've got to get out of here.
00:38:35
These guys are nuts.
00:38:37
I really tried to call
their bluff on this.
00:38:40
But as I stayed there, I just--
00:38:42
I believed it.
00:38:43
I couldn't find any reason why
these things are happening,
00:38:46
and I have checked.
00:38:48
I checked the statues.
00:38:49
I checked the cups.
00:38:51
I mean, I'm looking for
wires and anything that
00:38:53
would set off an oil reaction.
00:38:56
And there was
absolutely nothing--
00:38:58
nothing there that I can
explain why it's happening.
00:39:02
DENNIS FARINA:
News spread quickly
00:39:03
within the Catholic community.
00:39:05
Believers began to request
samples of the oil.
00:39:08
When some of them anointed
sick loved ones with it,
00:39:12
the mysterious events reportedly
took on a new dimension.
00:39:18
Caitlin McQuay was thought
to have cerebral palsy.
00:39:22
She no longer has
braces on her legs
00:39:24
and can now go rollerskating.
00:39:26
Victor Finucci says
that he recovered
00:39:30
from crippling neck pain.
00:39:32
A motorcycle accident
had left Joey Paralisi
00:39:36
with severely injured legs.
00:39:38
He can now walk
without crutches.
00:39:46
Pilgrims came to the Santo home
to ask Audrey to pray for them
00:39:49
and to receive
samples of the oil.
00:39:52
At first, they came by the
dozens, then by the hundreds,
00:39:56
until the numbers
reached the thousands.
00:40:00
Joanne and Stanley Pirog
were given a sample of oil
00:40:04
by a friend when their
17-year-old son Jim lapsed
00:40:08
into a coma after a car crash.
00:40:10
They told us that Jim's
condition was very, very grave.
00:40:15
And it would be a miracle
if he survived the night.
00:40:20
DENNIS FARINA: Jim
was still comatose
00:40:21
seven days later when they
placed the oil on his forehead.
00:40:26
According to Jim's
family, it didn't
00:40:29
take long for him to respond.
00:40:32
The hospital monitors
reportedly showed
00:40:34
Jim's sudden improvement.
00:40:37
I can still remember
the feeling of awe
00:40:42
because I didn't expect
that particular effect.
00:40:47
And it was just a few
hours later that he
00:40:50
did come out of his coma.
00:40:53
And the nurses used to
call him "Miracle Kid."
00:40:58
DENNIS FARINA: It
took Jim a year
00:40:59
to improve enough
from his injuries
00:41:02
to return to high
school and to graduate.
00:41:06
But one of the most surprising
aspects of this story
00:41:09
is Audrey herself.
00:41:11
After 11 years of
being bedridden,
00:41:14
she has few of the
expected ill effects.
00:41:19
The girl has
never had a bedsore.
00:41:20
And for someone who
doesn't move around
00:41:22
and have a trach and stuff.
00:41:23
She really has not had
any kind of pneumonia
00:41:26
or a cold or anything in
three years, which is really,
00:41:28
in itself, a remarkable thing.
00:41:35
DENNIS FARINA: Update-- after
surviving for two decades
00:41:39
in her comatose
state Audrey Santo
00:41:42
passed away in April of 2007.
00:41:45
She was 23 years old.
00:41:48
A chapel has been set up
in Audrey's former bedroom,
00:41:51
and pilgrims still come
from across the country
00:41:54
seeking cures.
00:41:59
Not all of our cases are solved.
00:42:02
If you have any information
about any of the other stories
00:42:05
we've profiled, please log on
to our website at unsolved.com.
00:42:11
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