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[MUSIC PLAYING]
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DENNIS FARINA: Next on "Unsolved Mysteries."
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Give me some back-up now!
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DENNIS FARINA: A young deputy nearly
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loses his life when a routine traffic stop
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turns into a violent shootout.
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Can a miracle save a Minnesota woman nearly frozen to death?
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In a series of daring armored car heists, a gang of thieves
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steals nearly $2 million.
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And a suspected crime boss vanishes in the waters
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of the Colorado River.
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Was it an accident or a hoax?
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These are stories you won't want to miss.
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I'm Dennis Farina, and this is "Unsolved Mysteries."
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[THEME MUSIC]
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Our next story is about a man who
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claims he's part of a paramilitary group devoted
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to protecting the US constitution.
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Now, all of this would be well and good,
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except he uses it to justify his terrorist campaign.
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Bell County, Kentucky.
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On a quiet Sunday evening in October,
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Sheriff's Deputy Scott Elder was taking a break
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during a routine patrol.
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And then a pickup truck sped by with no tail lights on.
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Deputy Elder was about to have a night on the job
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that he would never forget.
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SCOTT ELDER: When I came up behind him,
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he was driving fine.
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The only thing that I directed my attention to
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was the no tail lights.
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I caught up with him.
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It was a camouflaged truck, Kentucky militia on the back.
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I had no idea what that was.
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That's when I made a traffic stop.
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- Good evening, sir. - Evening.
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I'm Deputy Elder with the Bell County Sheriff's Office.
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Hey, Deputy Elder.
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DENNIS FARINA: It all seemed routine.
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The driver was friendly, and he agreed to take
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care of the problem right away.
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I'll just go down the road here and get that fixed.
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Thank you for telling me about that.
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Sir, I'm willing to give you a warning.
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DENNIS FARINA: But then, everything changed.
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However, I do need to see your driver's license
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to make sure it's valid.
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No, you don't need to see my license.
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Yes, sir. I do.
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And the reason you don't need to see it
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is because I'm a member of the Kentucky State Militia.
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SCOTT ELDER: He started getting very agitated.
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He started turning real red.
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He started yelling.
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As a matter of fact, I get my powers derived--
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SCOTT ELDER: That's when I caught the glimpse of a pistol
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magazine to the window. - --weapons in the vehicle?
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Yes. I have weapons in vehicle.
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Do you have weapons in your vehicle?
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Sir, for my safety.
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Do you have any weapons in your vehicle?
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Sir, put your hands-- for my safety
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put your hands where I can--
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I don't need to put my hands anywhere!
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Sir, put your hands where I can see them!
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Don't take that gun out!
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SCOTT ELDER: I kept screaming at him.
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Step out of the truck.
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Step out of the truck.
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And that's when he threw it in drive, and he took off.
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I just couldn't believe this was going on, you know.
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It's a Sunday.
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It's supposed to be dead shift, you know.
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Not anymore.
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[SIRENS BLARING]
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DENNIS FARINA: The two vehicles were locked
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in a dangerous high speed chase, and the predator
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suddenly became the prey.
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SCOTT ELDER: He turned a U-turn and came back at the cruiser.
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When he stops, I back my cruiser up.
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I swerved and missed him, and he whipped it back around.
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And he was chasing me at that point in time.
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And I was on the radio, and I was telling dispatch, I said,
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he's chasing me.
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Give me some back-up now!
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I said I don't know what he's trying to do.
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I said this guy's crazy, but he's chasing me.
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DENNIS FARINA: The pursuit escalated
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from dangerous to violent.
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[GUNFIRE]
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Dispatch, I need back-up now!
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DENNIS FARINA: And then with the bullets flying
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and his life on the line, Deputy Elder turned
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the tables on his pursuer.
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[GUNFIRE]
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[SIRENS BLARING]
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The deputy was now bearing down on the truck
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when the driver suddenly slammed on his brakes and jumps
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from the vehicle.
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Come on! Come on.
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You want some of this!
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Get your hands up now!
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Don't you mess with me, boy!
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[GUNFIRE]
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DENNIS FARINA: The gunman fired more than 30 rounds
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and then peeled off down the highway.
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Elder fired back, but the truck disappeared into the night.
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SCOTT ELDER: I was shaking.
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I didn't know whether to cry or scream, get mad.
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I didn't know what to do.
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I just didn't know what to think, you know.
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What the hell happened?
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DENNIS FARINA: The next morning authorities
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discovered the gunman's abandoned vehicle
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and traced it to 55-year-old Steven Howard Anderson.
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In the back of the truck, deputies found enough weapons
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and ammo to equip a small army.
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KARL STANKOVIC: There were six pipe bombs we found
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in the cab of the vehicle.
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There was a semiautomatic rifle, over 9,000 rounds of ammunition
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of various calibers found in the back
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of the vehicle in a camper.
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And there were other survival gear and clothing and some food
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as well.
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[GUNFIRE]
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Dispatch, I need back-up now!
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He's shooting at me.
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KARL STANKOVIC: Given the mindset that we believe
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Steven Anderson has, when you see that type of weaponry,
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it poses a serious threat to property and people.
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[GUNFIRE]
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DENNIS FARINA: Police confirm that Steven Anderson was
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connected to a civilian paramilitary organization
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called the Kentucky State Militia.
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According to law enforcement officials,
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some members can be fanatical and dangerous.
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Even when compared to the group's more extreme members,
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Steven Anderson was considered too radical.
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In fact, a short time before the shootout,
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Anderson was actually booted out of the militia.
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His agenda would be to do the second revolution now.
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In our opinion, it's not time.
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Legislative process in Kentucky still works.
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When that system cease to function,
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then it's time for a revolution.
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[GUNFIRE]
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DENNIS FARINA: Was Steven Anderson preparing
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to launch his own private war?
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It certainly appeared that way, especially when
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a search of Anderson's property turned up
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another huge stockpile of weapons--
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more pipe bombs, grenades, machine guns, and approximately
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12,000 rounds of ammunition.
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Agents also found a low-powered ham radio transmitter
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used by Anderson to broadcast hate-filled rants
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against the government.
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Just five days before the shootout,
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authorities say that Anderson had
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play-acted a scene that seemed like a rehearsal
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for the actual encounter.
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[GUNFIRE]
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SCOTT ELDER: I had no idea that he had done that, you know?
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[SIRES BLARING]
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There's no doubt in my mind now that he had it planned.
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Do you have any weapons in the vehicle?
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Yes, I have weapons in the--
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SCOTT ELDER: Any police officer that
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come in contact with him, that's what was going to happen.
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[GUNFIRE]
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There was going to be a shootout no matter what.
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DENNIS FARINA: Authorities filed charges
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against Steven Anderson, including
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attempted murder and violation of federal laws
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regarding explosives.
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KARL STANKOVIC: It's quite possible
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that when Steven Anderson abandoned his vehicle,
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he may have hid in the woods for a period of time
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and either sought out or received
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help from people in the area.
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DENNIS FARINA: Update.
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Steven Anderson has been captured.
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Agents received the tip that he was living in the mountains
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in North Carolina.
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Anderson was arrested and pled guilty to seven
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counts of possessing firearms.
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As part of his plea, he agreed to turn
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over his entire stockpile of weapons to the government.
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A judge sentenced Anderson to 15 years in prison.
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He served his time and has been released.
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Next, a Minnesota woman frozen alive is moments from death
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unless a miracle can save her.
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And later, a rapist who terrorized a small college town
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is finally behind bars.
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Previously, we told you the story
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of a serial rapist on the loose at Texas A&M University.
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The rapist looked just like any other student out
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for an evening jog, but as he approached these victims,
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his casual demeanor--
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Hi.
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DENNIS FARINA: --turned violent.
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Let go of me.
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This is a knife. DET.
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SGT. JIM LINDHOLM: The suspect kept that knife
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within her sight, and she had every indication at that point
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that he would use that knife on her.
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DENNIS FARINA: University police released a composite sketch
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and a character profile of the suspect,
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but the rapist remained at large.
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Several months later, another Texas A&M student was raped.
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As in the first, the attacker used a knife.
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Hey, no.
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DET.
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SGT. DAVID VILLARREAL: From nowhere,
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she said, a knife appeared and was placed against her throat.
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He threatened her.
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He told her that if she screamed he was going to kill her,
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and then took her to the location
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that he had already prepared.
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DENNIS FARINA: This composite was
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based on the second victim's description.
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A comparison with the first drawing
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increased investigators' concerns that a serial rapist
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was stalking female students.
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The critical break in the case came
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from the first victim herself when she stopped for groceries
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at a local market.
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Howdy.
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How you doing?
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Hey.
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Let go of me.
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This is a knife.
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Do what I say, and I won't hurt you.
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Can I see your driver's license please?
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We're going to go for a little walk.
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DENNIS FARINA: The young woman was
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convinced that she was face to face
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with the man who had raped her.
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Hey.
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You forgot something.
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I'm Detective Villarreal.
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This is Detective Lindholm.
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We're with the Texas A&M University Police Department.
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DENNIS FARINA: The clerk was named Don Richard Davis, Jr.,
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a student at Texas A&M University,
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scheduled to graduate in three weeks.
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We'd like to get your photo for a photo line-up.
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Sure.
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When this photograph of Davis was shown to the second victim,
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she too identified him as the rapist.
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DET.
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SGT. DAVID VILLARREAL: His demeanor was very timid, very
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sheepish, but we started to really study that picture
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and look at him.
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The eyes ended up reflecting a very thoughtful,
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aware, focused individual.
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DENNIS FARINA: DNA tests confirmed with 90% certainty
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that Davis was the attacker.
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Out of all the white males in the world,
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he was a one in five million on one incident
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and one in five billion in the other.
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DENNIS FARINA: Don Richard Davis, Jr.
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was charged with aggravated sexual assault
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and released on bail.
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Six days later, Davis disappeared.
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Update.
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Cleveland, Ohio.
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A routine traffic violation would mark the end of the road
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for Don Richard Davis.
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DET.
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SGT. DAVID VILLARREAL: Don Davis got stopped on a traffic stop
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one day.
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And when they rolled his fingerprints at that point
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in time, that's when they connected
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up as a hit with Don Davis.
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And then that information just kind of mushroomed from there.
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DENNIS FARINA: Don Richard Davis, Jr.
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was brought back to Texas to stand trial
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for the rapes of the two women.
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He pleaded guilty and was sentenced
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to 99 years in prison.
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DET.
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SGT. JIM LINDHOLM: With the conviction of Mr. Davis
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justice has been served, and I know for a fact
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that the two victims that we had are extremely relieved.
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They feel better, and I think they probably sleeping
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a lot better now because Mr. Davis will no
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longer be out on the streets.
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DENNIS FARINA: Lengby, Minnesota.
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One bitterly cold morning, a man opened his back door
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to a horrible sight.
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His 19-year-old neighbor, Jean Hilliard, lay in the snow,
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literally frozen solid.
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The night before, Jean's car ran off the road
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and got stuck in the snow.
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Jean was desperately trying to reach her neighbor's house.
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The temperature was 25 below zero.
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[WIND HOWLING]
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At the small local hospital, the nursing staff was stunned.
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They'd seen hundreds of frostbite cases,
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but they'd never seen anything like this.
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DOROTHY KILLIAN: She was so cold,
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it was like reaching into a freezer,
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like picking out a frozen stick of wood.
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Her face was absolutely white.
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It was just this ashen death look.
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RYAN KELLY: She was severely frostbitten.
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None of her limbs would bend or move.
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And really things looked very grim.
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She's got a respiration of 3.
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Heart rate 10.
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- 10? - 10 minutes ago--
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DOROTHY KILLIAN: I did hook her up to the monitor,
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and we got this agonal rhythm, like one beat.
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It was just like one and nothing.
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So then two.
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We knew that we had something, but you know,
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that's a death rhythm.
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Get this over her.
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RYAN KELLY: When a person gets frostbite,
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what we're basically talking about is freezing of the limbs.
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That actually means ice crystals forming in the cells,
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and in so doing, they destroy many of the cells of the body.
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After the hands and feet maybe start the initial stages
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of frostbite and the core temperature of the body drops,
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the heart, the lungs, the internal organs of the abdomen,
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the brain-- when those started to cool,
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it becomes more and more difficult for them
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to perform their functions until finally they stop.
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At that point, the patient would more than likely die.
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DENNIS FARINA: The hospital staff was
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doing everything that it could.
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But Rosie Erickson, a hospital office worker,
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worried that it wouldn't be enough.
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Rosie knew that Jean needed a miracle.
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ROSIE ERICKSON: I called the pastor of our church,
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and I stated simply that Jean Hilliard from the Lengby area
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was brought into the hospital in a frozen condition,
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very critical, and that she needed prayer.
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PASTOR: Hello, Patty.
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DENNIS FARINA: With the blessings of the family
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the word went out.
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A prayer chain started at about 9:00 that morning.
00:17:07
And within 10 minutes, more than 30 people
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were praying for Jean.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, I have a prayer request that we
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need to pass on right away.
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DENNIS FARINA: The odds against Jean were enormous.
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But two hours later, Jean suddenly
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went into violent convulsions.
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It was a good sign, but the danger was far from over.
00:17:30
Doctors worried that even if Jean regained consciousness,
00:17:33
she might have serious brain damage.
00:17:37
And the frostbite was so severe that amputating Jean's legs
00:17:41
seemed inevitable.
00:17:43
She just didn't look real.
00:17:46
It was like this can't be.
00:17:52
Jean.
00:17:54
Jeannie.
00:17:56
Jeannie, I'm sorry.
00:17:57
I've got to ask you a couple questions.
00:17:59
JEAN HILLIARD VIG: I woke up in the hospital about noon.
00:18:01
Things were kind of hazy, and people
00:18:04
were asking me questions as to who I am and things like that.
00:18:09
And I couldn't figure out why they
00:18:11
were talking to me that way, or why
00:18:13
they were treating me that way.
00:18:14
And it was, of course, I know these people.
00:18:16
Of course, I knew who I was.
00:18:18
I mean, what's the big deal?
00:18:20
JEAN'S DAD: Hi, honey.
00:18:20
Dad.
00:18:21
SANDRA KLICKER: When Jeannie first came to
00:18:24
and we knew that she was going to live,
00:18:27
it was an extreme relief.
00:18:29
But what was more miraculous to me was her legs recovering.
00:18:35
Every time we lifted the sheet, we could
00:18:37
see the white just moving down.
00:18:39
The black was disappearing little by little, and to me
00:18:43
I just--
00:18:44
I still think that was just unbelievable.
00:18:50
DENNIS FARINA: Jean spent 49 days in the hospital.
00:18:54
In defiance of everything her doctors knew about frostbite,
00:18:57
she recovered completely.
00:19:00
RYAN KELLY: It was enough that she survived.
00:19:02
That was a wonderful enough thing,
00:19:04
but to have this added gain of not losing any fingers or toes,
00:19:10
and in fact just having what I guess would be minor scars,
00:19:14
this is remarkable.
00:19:17
DENNIS FARINA: 15 years later, Jean still lives in Minnesota
00:19:21
and is the mother of three children.
00:19:26
Jean credits her survival and astonishing recovery
00:19:30
not only to the doctors and nurses who cared for her
00:19:34
but also to the friends and neighbors who prayed for her.
00:19:39
JEAN HILLIARD VIG: There are other people across the nation
00:19:41
that same night that were found in the same condition I was in,
00:19:47
and they died.
00:19:49
I just think without all those people
00:19:51
that I might not have survived.
00:19:57
DENNIS FARINA: Coming up.
00:19:58
A suspected crime boss disappears
00:20:00
during a fishing trip, a tragic accident or a scam
00:20:04
to avoid arrest.
00:20:06
And next, a 60-second robbery that nets
00:20:10
the thieves nearly $1 million.
00:20:21
Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
00:20:25
An ordinary afternoon pick-up by an armored car company
00:20:29
is about to become anything but.
00:20:32
At 1:00 PM, the guards suddenly find themselves under siege
00:20:37
by a band of thieves, thieves with a plan to get
00:20:42
rich in less than 60 seconds.
00:20:45
Don't move, or I'll shoot.
00:20:48
The guard grabbed one of the robber's guns
00:20:50
but was quickly overpowered.
00:20:54
RAM SECURITY MESSENGER: These guys
00:20:55
seemed to move very smoothly, and they
00:20:57
didn't seem to be in a hurry or panicky or nothing.
00:21:00
They-- very smooth.
00:21:03
DENNIS FARINA: Immediately, another vehicle
00:21:04
pulled up in front of the armored car
00:21:06
blocking its escape.
00:21:09
A fourth robber then placed what looked like a bomb
00:21:12
on the truck's hood.
00:21:16
It's hot!
00:21:17
DENNIS FARINA: In just under a minute,
00:21:19
the robbers had stolen close to $1 million
00:21:21
and then vanished without a trace.
00:21:26
ROBERT F. ROMAN : It seemed like kind of a commando type thing,
00:21:28
like these people had been well-trained.
00:21:30
These robbers come very heavily armed and ready to shoot.
00:21:36
DENNIS FARINA: Using a rope and a pulley rig,
00:21:38
the bomb squad carefully removed the device from the hood.
00:21:44
X-rays reveal that the bomb was a fake, a clever tactic
00:21:49
to buy even more time.
00:21:51
The FBI linked the fake bomb to an identical device
00:21:55
used in a Baltimore, Maryland robbery three years earlier.
00:22:01
In that operation the same gang of thieves
00:22:04
made off with over $600,000.
00:22:09
Many thought the gang would quit while they were
00:22:11
more than a million dollars ahead,
00:22:13
but one year later, they struck again.
00:22:18
Just miles from the scene of the last robbery in the town
00:22:22
of Burnsville, Minnesota, a Brinks guard
00:22:25
was waiting in the truck, while his partner made
00:22:27
a cash pick-up at a local bank.
00:22:35
On the ground. On the ground.
00:22:36
On the ground right now. - OK.
00:22:38
On the ground.
00:22:39
OK.
00:22:41
As I turned around, I see this van that
00:22:43
was coming up in front of me.
00:22:45
[GUNSHOTS]
00:22:53
BRINKS DRIVER: I hit the van real hard, I knew that.
00:22:55
I turned my siren on.
00:22:57
Shots went off.
00:22:58
Scared the living daylights out of me.
00:23:02
I made a circle.
00:23:03
They come around so I could see what's going on.
00:23:07
I could see my partner on the ground
00:23:08
all those shots that were going on I thought they killed him.
00:23:12
DENNIS FARINA: Fortunately, the guard was not injured.
00:23:16
BRINKS DRIVER: At the time, I thought, I got these guys right
00:23:18
where I want them.
00:23:21
I just rammed it as hard as I could.
00:23:23
[CRASH]
00:23:26
[SIREN BLARING]
00:23:31
ROBERT F. ROMAN : It's a real lucky situation that some
00:23:34
innocent bystander wasn't killed,
00:23:36
because there were a number of shots fired and there were
00:23:38
a number of shoppers passing, and bank customers
00:23:41
passing right by the area.
00:23:44
DENNIS FARINA: The robbers abandoned
00:23:45
their car behind a nearby shopping center
00:23:48
and fled on foot.
00:23:51
The FBI believes they may have had
00:23:53
another vehicle parked nearby.
00:23:59
Authorities brought in tracking dogs and set up roadblocks,
00:24:02
but the gang had once again made a clean getaway.
00:24:09
The following morning, police found
00:24:11
one of the stolen getaway cars less than a mile from the bank.
00:24:16
It contained no evidence that could identify the robbers.
00:24:23
There are at least four members of the gang,
00:24:25
and authorities have created composites of three of the men.
00:24:31
The first suspect is about six feet tall.
00:24:33
He has gray or white hair and may wear
00:24:35
a false beard the same color.
00:24:40
Suspect number two is white, about six feet,
00:24:44
and weighs between 170 and 180 pounds.
00:24:50
The third suspect is a white male
00:24:52
about 5 feet 9 with dark hair and a dark mustache.
00:25:01
ROBERT F. ROMAN : These individuals could be living
00:25:03
anywhere in the United States, and we would like to get
00:25:05
information from anybody who has any indication that people that
00:25:10
may be able to perpetrate this type of crime have come
00:25:13
into a lot of money or that they had
00:25:15
the capability to commit these robberies in any
00:25:18
one of these three cities.
00:25:22
DENNIS FARINA: If you have any information
00:25:24
that might help solve this case, log on to unsolved.com.
00:25:31
Coming up, an alleged crime boss is accused
00:25:34
of faking his own death.
00:25:37
And later, police suspect that a workplace dispute may have
00:25:41
led to cold-blooded murder.
00:25:53
In and around Phoenix, Arizona, Bob Arcieri
00:25:57
was known as a fun-loving family man, who made friends easily.
00:26:02
He was also known as an ambitious businessman
00:26:06
who can get you almost anything for a price.
00:26:09
It would absolutely suit you to a T.
00:26:10
BILL REDDICK: The first time I met
00:26:11
Bob Arcieri was when I went down and bought
00:26:12
a camper shell from him.
00:26:14
And then he needed some work done, I needed things done.
00:26:17
And we just traded on and off, and our relationship
00:26:20
just kind of rolled from there.
00:26:23
DENNIS FARINA: Bill Reddick and his wife Janet
00:26:25
hit it off with Bob and his wife right from the start.
00:26:29
Hey, check out these little guys.
00:26:30
Oh, aren't those nice?
00:26:32
That's our Kachina collection. We got some more--
00:26:34
DENNIS FARINA: Bob was fascinated
00:26:35
by Bill's collection of rare Native American Kachina dolls
00:26:38
worth $75,000.
00:26:41
Hey, you know I also collect guns.
00:26:42
I've got an 1881 Smith and Wesson.
00:26:44
Would you like to see it?
00:26:45
Oh, I'd love to see that.
00:26:46
I'll go get it.
00:26:47
Great.
00:26:48
Bill also showed off his priceless antique guns,
00:26:51
which he kept in a safe in his bedroom.
00:26:54
BILL REDDICK: I opened my safe where they were at.
00:26:56
And then I turned around and looked,
00:26:57
and he's right behind me.
00:26:59
Oh-- oh hey.
00:27:01
BILL REDDICK: It seemed unordinary to me because I
00:27:03
was going to get them out.
00:27:05
He was very calm and very cool about the whole issue.
00:27:08
He didn't seem to be interested in anything.
00:27:11
He just seemed to be sort of like nonchalant.
00:27:16
DENNIS FARINA: On a night when Bill Reddick was out of town
00:27:18
on business, his wife Janet came home from work to find
00:27:21
the house had been ransacked.
00:27:30
JANET REDDICK: I went to leave to get out of the house.
00:27:42
From that point on, my memory is kind of black
00:27:45
until I woke up in the hospital a couple days later.
00:27:50
DENNIS FARINA: With Janet unconscious
00:27:52
the thieves made off with the Reddicks' entire collection
00:27:55
of Kachina dolls, all of Bill's antique guns,
00:27:58
and Janet's jewelry.
00:28:00
Total value more than $200,000.
00:28:05
The burglars had struck Janet five times in the head
00:28:08
with a ball peen hammer.
00:28:11
She recovered but only after major surgery
00:28:15
and months of rehabilitation.
00:28:17
Honey, would you--
00:28:18
DENNIS FARINA: A concerned Bob Arcieri stopped
00:28:20
by to see how Janet was doing.
00:28:23
You didn't get a chance to see anybody, huh?
00:28:24
I didn't see anything.
00:28:25
I don't remember much of anything.
00:28:26
BILL REDDICK: He said to us that wishing he
00:28:28
could help us find the guy, and if he did,
00:28:31
he'd be glad to kill him for us.
00:28:34
DENNIS FARINA: Almost two years later, a contract killer
00:28:36
reported to police that Bob Arcieri
00:28:39
was the mastermind behind a series of local robberies.
00:28:45
POLICE INFORMANT: There's three things that Bob was involved
00:28:47
in, he was involved drugs.
00:28:48
He was involved in murder, and he was involved in robbery.
00:28:54
DENNIS FARINA: The informant said
00:28:55
that the targets were Arcieri's own friends
00:28:59
and business associates.
00:29:01
POLICE INFORMANT: We'd have dinner with these guys,
00:29:03
have them over to the house, play golf with them.
00:29:05
And then maybe two or three years down the road,
00:29:08
he'd set them up. DET.
00:29:09
LARRY FLICK: We were initially a little
00:29:10
skeptical of this information.
00:29:12
However, as we began to investigate the crimes,
00:29:16
the subject's story seemed very credible.
00:29:21
DENNIS FARINA: The Phoenix police
00:29:22
arranged for the informant to secretly tape record
00:29:25
a conversation with Arcieri.
00:29:28
DET.
00:29:29
LARRY FLICK: The meeting took place in a parking lot.
00:29:32
I was able to view the meeting through binoculars
00:29:35
from some distance away.
00:29:36
Let's talk about the job.
00:29:38
DENNIS FARINA: In the exchange, Arcieri
00:29:40
canceled an alleged hit he had hired
00:29:43
the informant to carry out.
00:29:44
Come on, Bob. It's on.
00:29:45
It's off.
00:29:46
I've been spending a lot of time on this thing.
00:29:47
Let's get it rolling.
00:29:48
DET.
00:29:49
LARRY FLICK: After we retrieved the recording device from him
00:29:51
and listened to what was being said,
00:29:54
it left little doubt that Arcieri was, in fact,
00:29:57
involved in the crimes.
00:29:58
I brought some property with me.
00:30:00
I'd like you to take a look at it.
00:30:00
DENNIS FARINA: The informant gave
00:30:01
Detective Flick several items he said were
00:30:04
stolen by the Arcieri gang.
00:30:07
I never thought I'd see these again.
00:30:08
DENNIS FARINA: Some of the valuables
00:30:10
belonged to Janet Riddick.
00:30:15
Robert Arcieri was charged with seven felony counts,
00:30:19
including conspiracy to commit murder.
00:30:22
But those charges were eventually dropped.
00:30:25
Authorities gambled that they can build an even
00:30:27
bigger case against Arcieri.
00:30:34
Bob Arcieri was set free, and he went on a fishing trip
00:30:38
with his nephew and two friends.
00:30:42
They chose a spot on the Colorado
00:30:43
River known as Lee's Ferry.
00:30:47
RAY BROWN: Bob called me, and he said he'd been exonerated.
00:30:50
And he wanted to celebrate.
00:30:53
And that's why we went to Lee's Ferry
00:30:55
was to kind of celebrate that being all over and done with.
00:30:59
DENNIS FARINA: Ray Brown says that as darkness fell
00:31:02
on the first day of the trip, Arcieri began
00:31:05
to complain about chest pains.
00:31:07
Yeah.
00:31:08
I will be fine.
00:31:09
DENNIS FARINA: At the dock, Brown claims Arcieri
00:31:12
was the last man to disembark.
00:31:14
His nephew had to help him from the boat.
00:31:17
Bob, your hand.
00:31:19
DENNIS FARINA: The other man on the fishing trip
00:31:21
has asked not to be identified.
00:31:24
EYEWITNESS: I walked up the dock and left
00:31:26
the nephew and Bob standing there,
00:31:30
and I went to the bathroom.
00:31:32
And when I was leaving, I heard a--
00:31:35
[SPLASH]
00:31:36
--a splash down by the dock.
00:31:39
What happened?
00:31:40
What's wrong? What's wrong?
00:31:41
- He fell in the water. - Who did?
00:31:42
Uncle Bob.
00:31:43
DENNIS FARINA: Apparently, Arcieri
00:31:45
had fallen into the dark water and vanished.
00:31:48
- I don't know. - Where?
00:31:49
In the water somewhere.
00:31:50
RAY BROWN: The water was over a man's head at the boat dock,
00:31:54
and I backed the truck up and shined
00:31:56
the lights out on the river, and we could see nothing.
00:32:01
I knew he must be drowned.
00:32:04
DENNIS FARINA: In the area where Arcieri disappeared,
00:32:07
the river broadens out almost into a lake.
00:32:10
Rescuers were concerned that he may
00:32:12
have floated one half mile downstream
00:32:15
towards a set of rapids.
00:32:18
But an intense four-day search turned up
00:32:21
no trace of Bob Arcieri.
00:32:24
LT. REX STERMER: I feel that if he were in that upper section
00:32:27
of the river in the clear water there is a very high likelihood
00:32:30
that we would have seen him in that area,
00:32:32
and he would have been found.
00:32:36
DENNIS FARINA: Did Bob Arcieri really suffer
00:32:38
a heart attack and drown?
00:32:41
Or was the entire episode a hoax to avoid future prosecution?
00:32:46
POLICE INFORMANT: Bob probably didn't even get his feet wet.
00:32:48
For all I know, the guys who were with him
00:32:50
threw a rock overboard.
00:32:52
No, he's not dead.
00:32:53
DET.
00:32:54
LARRY FLICK: It's my belief that knowing that he was looking
00:32:57
at spending the rest of his life behind bars resulted in him
00:33:00
making some hard choices, and that was either facing them
00:33:03
or feigning his death.
00:33:05
I believe he took the latter.
00:33:07
Every indication I have is that he did not drown
00:33:11
and he is alive today.
00:33:15
DENNIS FARINA: Update.
00:33:17
There are new developments in this case.
00:33:19
Here's one of our staff with details.
00:33:24
STAFF MEMBER: After 24 years on the lam,
00:33:26
Robert Arcieri has been captured.
00:33:29
Arcieri was spotted by a tipster living
00:33:31
in Palm Springs, California.
00:33:33
And on June 1, 2011, he was arrested at his home there.
00:33:37
According to authorities, Arcieri
00:33:39
had started a new life under the name Frank Reynolds
00:33:42
and worked in the construction industry in Washington state
00:33:45
until retiring in Palm Springs.
00:33:48
He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
00:33:51
He served his time and has been released.
00:33:56
DENNIS FARINA: Coming up, a quiet night at home
00:33:59
is turned into an ordeal of survival for a married couple.
00:34:14
Powhattan, Kansas.
00:34:18
In a small farmhouse on the edge of the Kickapoo Indian
00:34:20
reservation, Jodie Bordeaux and her husband Shawn
00:34:24
had been receiving disturbing anonymous phone
00:34:27
calls for weeks.
00:34:28
Hello.
00:34:32
Hello?
00:34:34
DENNIS FARINA: Jodie was also sure someone
00:34:36
was lurking in their yard.
00:34:41
SHAWN BORDEAUX: One night, she had heard noises outside
00:34:43
of the house, and I tried to convince her
00:34:45
that it was probably a raccoon or a coyote or something,
00:34:49
and that she really didn't have nothing to be afraid of.
00:34:53
DENNIS FARINA: But the danger Jodie sensed was not only real,
00:34:57
it would ultimately lead to her murder.
00:35:04
As yet, no charges have been filed in the killing
00:35:07
of Jodie Bordeaux.
00:35:08
Authorities are hoping that someone
00:35:10
watching can help bring a cold-blooded murderer
00:35:13
to justice.
00:35:18
Shawn and Jodie were part of a management team hired
00:35:21
to run the Golden Eagle, the first Indian-owned casino
00:35:25
in the area.
00:35:26
This casino had huge potential for the tribe
00:35:29
with annual earnings in the millions and job opportunities
00:35:33
for the local tribespeople.
00:35:36
Shawn and Jodie were also looking forward to the birth
00:35:39
of their first child, a girl.
00:35:42
NANCY BEAR: She was absolutely ecstatic over this pregnancy,
00:35:46
and her happiness was something that
00:35:48
spilled over into her friends and her acquaintances.
00:35:52
And everybody just pretty much felt
00:35:54
happy for her and with her.
00:35:58
DENNIS FARINA: Everything seemed to be going
00:35:59
Jodie's way, even at work.
00:36:02
She had been promoted to staff supervisor
00:36:04
of the slot machine department.
00:36:07
SHAWN BORDEAUX: Jodie was a little fireball.
00:36:08
She put a lot of energy, a lot of effort into everything
00:36:11
she did.
00:36:13
To see her in the casino you would think
00:36:16
she was running most things.
00:36:18
And even that perception, it can draw jealousy and envy
00:36:22
from some of the people, who may be in the same position
00:36:25
saying how does she get all the attention?
00:36:29
DENNIS FARINA: Jodie believed that some of the staff
00:36:31
were resentful of her new position.
00:36:32
Good morning.
00:36:34
Heard your grandmother died.
00:36:36
DENNIS FARINA: One employee even accused her of making up
00:36:38
excuses to get extra time off.
00:36:41
What is that supposed to mean?
00:36:42
Our busiest weekend?
00:36:45
Good time to have to go off to a funeral.
00:36:49
MARY PIERPOINT: There's some competitiveness
00:36:51
when it comes to these jobs.
00:36:53
And having two people coming from other--
00:36:55
one from another tribe and one from no tribe
00:36:57
at all and going into high positions in the casino,
00:37:00
I'm sure, rubbed a lot of people on the Kickapoo
00:37:03
reservation the wrong way.
00:37:07
DENNIS FARINA: According to Shawn,
00:37:09
Jodie frequently reported the same employee for
00:37:12
his bad attitude and tardiness.
00:37:16
SHAWN BORDEAUX: He kept coming back
00:37:17
with more problems for her.
00:37:20
And eventually, she had to take a little bit more
00:37:24
of a hard line on him and start writing him up and holding him
00:37:28
to the letter of the law as our policies
00:37:30
and procedures mandated.
00:37:32
We're here to talk about some reports
00:37:34
we have about you being--
00:37:35
DENNIS FARINA: The employee was brought before the casino
00:37:38
management board for review.
00:37:40
He was reprimanded and put on probation.
00:37:43
I don't even know why some of those reports
00:37:44
were even written.
00:37:45
It's like everybody else gets away with everything
00:37:47
when it comes to her, but--
00:37:48
DENNIS FARINA: But the problems continued, and the employee
00:37:51
was eventually fired.
00:37:56
A few weeks later, the employee brought a grievance
00:37:59
against Jodie to the tribal council.
00:38:02
There's a meeting this afternoon.
00:38:03
You need to attend.
00:38:06
DENNIS FARINA: Shawn saw it as an act of vengeance.
00:38:10
Due to the great cost and time of these procedures--
00:38:13
DENNIS FARINA: The complaint cost Jodie her job.
00:38:15
She spent the next month petitioning the tribal council
00:38:19
to rehire her.
00:38:20
Can you think of anything else I can add?
00:38:21
NANCY BEAR: Jodie was hoping that she would be rehired
00:38:26
at the Golden Eagle, and that was a discussion that her and I
00:38:31
had participated in and there was
00:38:34
a possibility that she would have come back
00:38:37
to work at the Golden Eagle.
00:38:39
[PHONE RINGING]
00:38:41
DENNIS FARINA: Once news spread that Jodie
00:38:43
might return to the casino, the anonymous phone calls began.
00:38:49
Hello?
00:38:50
SHAWN BORDEAUX: Never in my wildest dreams
00:38:52
did I think they had anything to do with having
00:38:55
to worry for our lives.
00:38:57
I had no idea that we were being threatened.
00:39:02
Did you find a car seat?
00:39:04
DENNIS FARINA: Late on November 21st,
00:39:06
Shawn and Jodie were spending a quiet night
00:39:08
at home when a noise startled the Bordeaux's dog.
00:39:12
[DOG BARKING]
00:39:18
SHAWN BORDEAUX: The next thing I hear is a popping noise kind
00:39:21
of over and behind my head.
00:39:23
[GUNFIRE]
00:39:25
Jodie got to the bedroom, and she turned to see if I was OK.
00:39:30
[GUNFIRE]
00:39:36
And one bullet went into the bedroom,
00:39:39
and that one bullet struck her in the head.
00:39:43
Jodie?
00:39:45
Jodie?
00:39:52
DENNIS FARINA: Shawn had no doubt that Jodie was dead.
00:39:55
He quickly dialed 911, hoping to save his unborn baby.
00:40:04
It was too late.
00:40:07
SHAWN BORDEAUX: Jodie didn't suffer.
00:40:09
She died instantly, but my baby suffered.
00:40:13
She's relying on mom, and next thing you know, there's no mom.
00:40:17
And she dies a slow death.
00:40:19
That-- that really hurts.
00:40:21
[GUNFIRE]
00:40:25
DENNIS FARINA: Despite an exhaustive investigation,
00:40:27
Jodie Bordeaux's killer remains at large.
00:40:31
KEVIN HILL-BROWN: We've gone from a point where just about
00:40:34
everyone was a possible suspect to a point where we're focusing
00:40:37
on an individual or group of individuals that may
00:40:41
have been responsible for this.
00:40:43
These individuals were not strangers to Jodie Bordeaux.
00:40:46
The individuals knew her, and they
00:40:49
would have had an axe to grind with her due to employment
00:40:53
issues.
00:40:56
MARY PIERPOINT: I believe that part of the problem
00:40:58
is just that there is not a lot of trust
00:41:01
with Indian people and non-Indian law enforcement.
00:41:05
And that's probably part of the problem with the investigations
00:41:08
that are taking place.
00:41:10
There's been serious question about retribution
00:41:12
of anybody coming forward.
00:41:14
[GUNFIRE]
00:41:19
NANCY BEAR: If there are members of the Kickapoo tribe
00:41:23
that have any information that would help us solve this,
00:41:27
they have a responsibility to their fellow tribal members,
00:41:31
to their fellow community members to come forward.
00:41:35
This is an unsolved crime here on our lands.
00:41:37
Let's do something about it.
00:41:41
SHAWN BORDEAUX: I-- I go through each day thinking of my family,
00:41:45
thinking of what could be, thinking of my little girl.
00:41:51
And so the most difficult thing is just watching
00:41:54
my life go by without a family.
00:41:58
DENNIS FARINA: If you can help solve the murder of Jodie
00:42:01
Bordeaux or have information on any
00:42:04
of the other cases presented tonight log on to unsolved.com.
00:42:11
[THEME MUSIC]
