00:00:03
[music playing]
00:00:04
DENNIS FARINA: Next,
on Unsolved Mysteries,
00:00:08
an army pilot vanishes
without a trace.
00:00:11
His family believes
he may have died
00:00:13
going on a top secret
mission for the CIA.
00:00:19
Thieves tunnel into a
bank vault in Hollywood,
00:00:22
and walk away with
more than $2 million.
00:00:27
At a local park, a
young woman is killed
00:00:30
in a drive-by gang shooting.
00:00:31
[gun shots]
00:00:34
And police need your
help to find her killer.
00:00:39
When a retired couple
is brutally gunned down
00:00:43
in their own home,
police turn to a psychic
00:00:47
to help solve the case.
00:00:50
Some hot case, some cold
cases, and some cases
00:00:54
that will even shock you.
00:00:56
I'm Dennis Farina.
00:00:57
And this is Unsolved Mysteries.
00:01:00
[theme music]
00:01:37
Death Valley, California,
August 17th, 1958,
00:01:46
42 miles from the nearest
town, a fish and game warden
00:01:49
finds a car abandoned
in the desert.
00:01:53
The keys are still
in the ignition.
00:01:56
There is no sign of foul play.
00:01:58
The car is registered
to Lt. Paul
00:02:02
Whipkey of Ford Ord, California,
almost 500 miles away.
00:02:07
The Army reports
that Whipkey has
00:02:09
been missing for five weeks.
00:02:11
And in fact, he's
wanted as a deserter.
00:02:14
But there's a problem.
00:02:16
By all accounts, Paul Whipkey
is the perfect soldier.
00:02:20
No one who knows him believes
that he could be a deserter.
00:02:25
I don't think Paul deserted.
00:02:27
It was completely out
of character for Paul
00:02:29
to do such a thing.
00:02:30
He was a loyal American
soldier devoted to his work.
00:02:34
I think the Army knew
exactly what happened to him.
00:02:36
I think it was part of a
big smokescreen cover up.
00:02:40
DENNIS FARINA: Paul Whipkey
was an ROTC honor graduate.
00:02:44
After basic training,
he won a spot
00:02:47
in the Army aviation school.
00:02:50
[explosion]
00:02:52
In 1957, at Camp
Desert Rock in Nevada,
00:02:56
Paul flew an observation
plane during the testing
00:02:59
of the atomic bomb.
00:03:02
He was exposed to
radioactive fallout.
00:03:05
And it wasn't long
before unusual blotches
00:03:07
appeared on his skin.
00:03:10
Several months later,
Paul, now stationed
00:03:13
at Fort Ord, California, had
to have all his teeth removed.
00:03:19
July 10th, 1958, late in the
afternoon, Paul left Fort Ord.
00:03:25
He told friends that he was
headed for the town of Monterey
00:03:29
less than a mile away.
00:03:33
Paul never returned.
00:03:36
The next morning, he
was reported AWOL.
00:03:39
30 days later, he was
declared a deserter.
00:03:43
The following week, his car
was discovered in Death Valley.
00:03:49
The Army says that
on the day Paul left,
00:03:51
he apparently ended
up at White's Motel
00:03:54
in Mojave, California, some
350 miles from the base.
00:03:59
Paul had signed the
motel's guest register.
00:04:03
Army investigators say
they found a gasoline
00:04:05
receipt in Paul's car.
00:04:07
It showed that he had
bought gas in Mojave.
00:04:10
Paul's car then ended up in
Death Valley 145 miles away.
00:04:20
On the very morning
Paul turned up missing,
00:04:23
two soldiers stripped
his room at Fort Ord.
00:04:27
Everything was
removed, including
00:04:29
Paul's personal belongings.
00:04:32
CARL WHIPKEY: Regulations
state to the next of kin
00:04:35
or legal representative
must be notified
00:04:37
before packing belongings.
00:04:39
And they didn't notify
us at that time.
00:04:42
I was very suspicious
of this action
00:04:45
as soon as I discovered
this had taken place.
00:04:48
DENNIS FARINA: Carl
Whipkey's suspicions
00:04:50
led him to investigate his
brother's disappearance.
00:04:53
The discrepancies he found
only increased his doubts
00:04:56
about the official army story.
00:05:01
Four weeks after Paul
was reported AWOL,
00:05:04
a witness driving through
Death Valley saw his car.
00:05:08
He said that it was driven by
a man in a military uniform.
00:05:13
However, when Paul
left Fort Ord,
00:05:15
he was wearing civilian clothes.
00:05:19
When the car was found,
a pile of cigarette butts
00:05:22
was on the ground next to it.
00:05:24
But Paul did not smoke.
00:05:27
Also troubling to
Paul's family was
00:05:29
the fact that the Army waited
nine months, and only then,
00:05:33
began looking for his body.
00:05:35
And it was only by accident
that Carl Whipkey heard
00:05:39
anything about the car at all.
00:05:42
CARL WHIPKEY: The only way
that I learned about it
00:05:44
was due to a unofficial
call to an enlisted man
00:05:47
out at Fort Ord.
00:05:48
A half an hour, he
called back very excited.
00:05:50
And he said, this is
classified information.
00:05:53
Requested that I did
not tell anyone where I
00:05:55
had received this information.
00:05:58
DENNIS FARINA: The investigation
into Paul's disappearance also
00:06:01
troubled his commanding
officer, Lieutenant
00:06:05
Colonel Charles Lewis.
00:06:08
I found it almost
unbelievable that he would
00:06:11
be classified as a deserter.
00:06:14
And I was curious, what
was the basis for it?
00:06:17
And I was quickly
and promptly advised
00:06:19
that, Charlie, forget this.
00:06:22
The case has been closed.
00:06:24
And I would recommend that you
don't carry it any further.
00:06:27
And in essence, I
was told to shut
00:06:30
up, to dry up, and blow away.
00:06:34
DENNIS FARINA: Charles
Lewis and Paul Whipkey
00:06:35
were both stationed
in Nevada during 1957.
00:06:40
Lewis recalls the day he saw
two men in plain clothes talking
00:06:44
to Paul.
00:06:46
CHARLES LEWIS: I noticed
that they had gone directly
00:06:48
to the air field
instead of reporting
00:06:50
to operations,
which was required
00:06:51
for a purpose of security.
00:06:54
So I asked them for
their identification.
00:06:56
Excuse me, gentlemen.
00:06:57
Did you see that
sign over there?
00:06:58
Yes, sir.
00:06:59
This is a restricted area.
00:07:02
Do you have any identification?
00:07:03
Yes, we do.
00:07:06
CHARLES LEWIS: They show their
military identification cards.
00:07:09
And the picture did
verify who the two were.
00:07:12
It looks OK.
00:07:14
Is everything all right here?
00:07:15
Yes, sir.
00:07:18
Carry on.
00:07:23
DENNIS FARINA: Over
the next few weeks,
00:07:24
Lewis often saw Paul
talking to the same two men.
00:07:29
CHARLES LEWIS: When Lt. Whipkey
would come in after they had
00:07:32
departed, you could
feel and sense
00:07:35
a rigidity in his personality
traits and his mannerisms.
00:07:42
Whipkey, is everything OK?
00:07:44
Everything's fine, sir.
00:07:47
DENNIS FARINA: In hindsight,
Lewis now believes
00:07:50
that Paul may have met
with the same two men
00:07:52
for one simple reason.
00:07:54
CHARLES LEWIS: During
that era, there
00:07:55
was a tremendous amount
of nationwide recruiting
00:07:58
conducted by the CIA.
00:08:00
And with Paul's qualification--
00:08:01
Lt. Whipkey's
qualifications, he would
00:08:03
have been an
exceptional candidate
00:08:05
for such an assignment.
00:08:08
CARL WHIPKEY: January of the
year disappeared, he told me
00:08:11
during a telephone conversation
that he was going to be going
00:08:14
on an assignment,
that he was going
00:08:15
to make a name for himself.
00:08:17
Before he could
tell me what it was,
00:08:19
he was interrupted by
some officers moving
00:08:22
in the proximity of his desk.
00:08:24
And he could no longer talk
to me about that subject.
00:08:26
[music playing]
00:08:32
I theorized that
Paul was recruited
00:08:35
into an army CIA joint program
that was going on at that time.
00:08:43
I'm going into town.
00:08:46
CARL WHIPKEY: When
Paul left Fort Ord,
00:08:47
he drove to the town of
Mojave, California, and checked
00:08:50
into White's Motel.
00:08:53
It's a possibility that he was
met there by Army Intelligence
00:08:57
Agents or the CIA and
transported to Southeast Asia,
00:09:01
possibly from Edwards Air
Force Base, which is nearby.
00:09:03
- Lieutenant.
- Good morning, Mr. General.
00:09:05
DENNIS FARINA: Carl now
believes that his brother
00:09:06
was assigned to a secret mission
and left his car with the Army.
00:09:12
He thinks they kept it four
weeks before driving it
00:09:16
into the desert.
00:09:21
CARL WHIPKEY: I think the Army
took his car to the desert
00:09:24
to get rid of it.
00:09:26
Out of sight, out of mind.
00:09:29
If they would just say, yes,
he died on a secret assignment,
00:09:33
we could live with that.
00:09:35
We're all loyal American
citizens in our family.
00:09:37
And we would buy that.
00:09:40
Until the Army tell
us what happened,
00:09:41
there will be no
peace in our family.
00:09:44
In 1982, the Army reviewed
Paul Whipkey's case
00:09:48
and found no basis to support
his status as a deserter.
00:09:53
Two months later,
his final status
00:09:55
was officially
changed from deserter
00:09:58
to died in the line of duty.
00:10:01
His brother, Carl, hopes
that someone watching
00:10:03
might be able to shed
some light on Paul's
00:10:06
mysterious disappearance.
00:10:10
If you have information,
please log on to our website
00:10:13
at unsolved.com.
00:10:21
Next, thieves tunnel
into a bank vault
00:10:23
and walk away with $2 million.
00:10:26
The perfect crime?
00:10:29
Almost.
00:10:30
[music playing]
00:10:40
Hollywood, California,
[police radio chatter] 8:00 PM
00:10:49
Friday night, [beeping]
the alarm goes
00:10:54
off at First Interstate Bank.
00:10:57
Police arrive to
investigate, but find
00:11:00
no evidence of a break-in.
00:11:02
[beeping]
00:11:08
Good morning.
00:11:08
Hi, [inaudible].
00:11:10
DENNIS FARINA: Monday morning,
bank employees arrive for work.
00:11:13
It's business as usual until
they open the vault. $2 million
00:11:22
in cash, jewelry, and
rare coins is gone,
00:11:27
safety deposit boxes
opened like tin cans.
00:11:30
A gaping hole in the floor
leads to a tunnel that runs more
00:11:34
than 30 yards to a storm drain.
00:11:38
These guys were not your
run-of-the-mill bank burglars.
00:11:42
They were master criminals.
00:11:48
SGT. DENNIS PEGANKOPP:
My initial feelings
00:11:49
that morning, when we
first arrived at the scene,
00:11:53
was one of awe.
00:11:56
I realized the fact
that these suspects
00:11:59
were excellent burglars.
00:12:02
They would be extremely
difficult to catch.
00:12:04
They'd gone to a lot of work.
00:12:07
And it was awesome.
00:12:10
We view this
burglary in the city
00:12:11
as the crime of the century,
as far as burglaries go.
00:12:15
The method of
attack, and the fact
00:12:17
they get $2 million
plus, their ingenuity.
00:12:22
I had never seen a burglary
like this in 27 years.
00:12:26
Let's work this one
about 100 yards out.
00:12:28
DENNIS FARINA: The
burglars used the storm
00:12:29
drain running under LA city
streets to access the bank.
00:12:35
From the drain, they
tunneled 95 feet
00:12:38
to the vault, a remarkable
feat of precision engineering.
00:12:43
SGT. DENNIS
PEGANKOPP: The experts
00:12:44
tell us that the type
of tunnels they dug
00:12:47
were very safe tunnels.
00:12:48
The size of the tunnels,
the shapes of the tunnels
00:12:51
were extremely expertly done.
00:12:53
And the contour the
tunnels were done
00:12:55
as such to add extra
strength and protection
00:12:58
to those digging.
00:13:00
I don't see any dirt, yeah?
00:13:01
DENNIS FARINA: Police
searched storm drains
00:13:02
within a three mile
radius of the bank looking
00:13:05
for any signs of the burglars.
00:13:08
SGT. DENNIS PEGANKOPP: When
we concluded our investigation
00:13:10
at First Interstate
Bank, basically we
00:13:12
were left with no clues at all.
00:13:15
There was no physical
evidence left.
00:13:17
The suspects left us
nothing to work with.
00:13:20
And we were
basically handcuffed.
00:13:23
DENNIS FARINA: It appeared
to be the perfect crime.
00:13:26
And then, 14 months later, the
tunneling bandits struck again.
00:13:31
This time they
weren't so perfect.
00:13:34
Saturday morning, another
alarm goes off, a Bank
00:13:38
of America in West Los Angeles.
00:13:42
When police arrived, a bank
manager opens the vault.
00:13:46
[music playing]
00:13:49
A gaping 18-inch hole
perforates the steel-reinforced
00:13:54
concrete floor.
00:13:56
The burglars have long
since disappeared.
00:13:59
DENNIS FARINA: When I got the
phone call from the officer
00:14:01
at the bank, and he explained
to me the hole in the floor,
00:14:05
all I could think of
was, they're back.
00:14:07
They've done it again.
00:14:09
And how much money did
they get this time?
00:14:12
DENNIS FARINA: The thieves
only got away with $90,000.
00:14:16
Tools and work clothes
were left behind,
00:14:18
indicating that the burglars
fled before they were done.
00:14:23
Chisel?
00:14:25
DENNIS FARINA: Also abandoned
was this 18 inch drill bit,
00:14:29
a diamond tip cutting tool
used by construction crews
00:14:33
to bore through solid concrete.
00:14:36
SGT. DENNIS PEGANKOPP: This was
purchased in the San Francisco
00:14:38
Bay Area by a construction
company using a fictitious name
00:14:42
and address in San Diego.
00:14:44
And they paid cash.
00:14:46
So basically, we
knew that it was
00:14:47
probably a white
male that purchased
00:14:49
it, but no other information.
00:14:51
There's a build up
of dirt on this side.
00:14:53
- Yeah.
- See it?
00:14:54
DENNIS FARINA: When
police searched
00:14:55
the storm drains within
a few miles of the bank,
00:14:57
they found something else.
00:14:58
There's nothing on the walls.
00:15:01
DENNIS FARINA: A small
all-terrain vehicle
00:15:02
called a quad runner.
00:15:06
Detectives believe
that the tunnels
00:15:08
were dug by just two men.
00:15:10
They used the quad runners
to move their heavy equipment
00:15:13
underground.
00:15:14
The drill alone weighed
more than 100 pounds.
00:15:19
SGT. DENNIS PEGANKOPP:
We came to a conclusion
00:15:20
that the suspects were very
close friends, possibly army
00:15:24
buddies, able to work together
for long periods of time
00:15:29
in very confined areas,
taking up three to six weeks,
00:15:33
probably, to dig
that one tunnel.
00:15:36
DENNIS FARINA:
Police also believe
00:15:37
that there must have
been a third man working
00:15:40
outside the bank as a scout.
00:15:42
MAN OVER RADIO:
It's time to move.
00:15:43
MAN IN ROOM: Cops?
00:15:44
I don't know.
00:15:47
MAN IN ROOM: Got to go.
00:15:49
DENNIS FARINA: Police found
two pairs of footprints
00:15:50
in the tunnel, indicating
that one burglar was barefoot,
00:15:54
one in stocking feet.
00:15:57
They abandoned one of the quads,
and apparently escaped on foot.
00:16:01
But they left behind
an important clue.
00:16:05
The only fingerprint
we developed
00:16:07
was on the quad runner itself.
00:16:10
We got one latent print
from that vehicle.
00:16:14
That print has been run
through and compared
00:16:16
with all arrestees.
00:16:19
And it's our opinion
that this individual
00:16:21
has never been arrested.
00:16:23
Look at this.
00:16:25
DENNIS FARINA: Police continued
searching for more evidence.
00:16:28
[knocking]
- That's hollow.
00:16:29
DENNIS FARINA: About
a mile and a half
00:16:30
from the Bank of America,
they found another tunnel
00:16:34
completely finished.
00:16:36
This one was 102
feet long and ended
00:16:38
beneath a Beverly Hills bank.
00:16:41
The mounting bolts for
the drill were already
00:16:44
in place under the vault.
00:16:47
SGT. DENNIS PEGANKOPP: If they'd
have been able to accomplish
00:16:49
both burglaries
that weekend, it's
00:16:52
told to me by the people in the
banks in the banking industry
00:16:56
that they probably would have
gotten away with between $10
00:16:59
and $20 million.
00:17:02
DENNIS FARINA: Police
learn the quad runner
00:17:03
was purchased by a man using
the name David Spaulding.
00:17:07
His only known address, a
post office box in Hollywood.
00:17:12
Someone using this same
name apparently bought five
00:17:16
of the all-terrain vehicles.
00:17:19
Because the tunnels were
so well constructed,
00:17:22
authorities believe the
suspects had worked as miners,
00:17:24
or may be in the
building trades.
00:17:26
So in order to stop others from
digging their way to fortune,
00:17:30
police now patrol LA storm
drains on a regular basis.
00:17:36
Next, police in
Houston need your help
00:17:38
to find two gunmen who
[gun shots] brutally shot and
00:17:41
killed an innocent young woman.
00:17:45
[music playing]
00:17:54
Houston, Texas.
00:17:56
You know, everyone
knows that you're going
00:17:57
to die sometime in your life.
00:17:59
But you expect to
die when you're old,
00:18:00
not when you're 19 years old.
00:18:03
I think if Kristi would have
died from sickness or in a car
00:18:06
wreck, it would just be a lot
easier to accept than the fact
00:18:10
that she was actually murdered.
00:18:11
Because it was just senseless.
00:18:13
And there was no
reason for it at all.
00:18:17
DENNIS FARINA: Kristi
Martin was a college
00:18:18
honor roll student and former
high school cheerleader.
00:18:22
On a Friday night,
she had a friend
00:18:24
named Wendy Wright were
hanging out with two
00:18:27
brothers, Joe and Sal Barrera.
00:18:31
Good question.
00:18:31
I got you a good
present, though.
00:18:33
DENNIS FARINA: They all knew
each other from high school.
00:18:35
And winter break
from college was
00:18:37
the perfect time to reconnect.
00:18:43
Just 15 miles, but
worlds away, members
00:18:46
of a Houston street gang were
cranking up their Friday night.
00:18:50
Flaco.
00:18:51
What's up, homes?
00:18:51
What's up, Flaco?
00:18:53
Come on over here, man.
00:18:54
DEP.
00:18:55
MICHAEL SIMPSON: On the
night of the homicide,
00:18:58
Jose Luis Rios, whose gang
name is Flaco, and Jorge Mendez
00:19:03
were out that night
right around drinking
00:19:05
looking for some kind
of problems to get into,
00:19:09
looking to do something wild.
00:19:12
Where's the party at?
00:19:13
DEP.
00:19:14
MICHAEL SIMPSON: I've
dealt with Flaco before.
00:19:16
He's told people
in the past that it
00:19:17
was the ultimate rush,
the ultimate high,
00:19:21
to shoot somebody.
00:19:26
DENNIS FARINA: Kristi
and her friends
00:19:28
finished dinner, and then
drove to River Terrace Park,
00:19:31
a popular hang out.
00:19:36
When we were kids, we
fished there, crabbed there.
00:19:39
We picnicked there.
00:19:42
You never had to
worry about anybody
00:19:43
bothering you for any reason.
00:19:46
It was just a nice place
to take your family.
00:19:49
That might be why one of the
reasons the kids went there.
00:19:51
They felt safe there.
00:19:53
Man, I'm cold.
I'm going to get inside.
00:19:54
Want to go inside?
- Yeah.
00:19:56
Kris, do you want
to go for a walk?
00:19:57
I'll go for a walk, yeah.
00:19:59
DENNIS FARINA: But the park was
no longer neutral territory.
00:20:02
Flaco's gang liked to believe
that it belonged to them.
00:20:06
[inaudible].
00:20:07
I don't know.
00:20:09
Let's go check it out.
00:20:10
You want to?
00:20:11
Yeah.
00:20:12
Let's go.
00:20:13
[speaking spanish]
00:20:15
Hurry.
00:20:15
Let's--
00:20:16
[inaudible].
00:20:19
SAL BARRERA: We were just
sitting there talking.
00:20:21
When that truck drove up, I
couldn't see it because my back
00:20:25
was towards them.
00:20:27
I thought it was just somebody
else was going to park
00:20:30
next to us, you
know, so they could
00:20:31
do whatever they wanted to do.
00:20:34
Come here!
00:20:35
Oh, great.
00:20:36
Who are these guys?
00:20:37
Hey, my homie wants
to hook up with you.
00:20:40
We probably go, OK?
00:20:41
- No, look, just ignore them.
- Can we just go?
00:20:43
- They're probably drunk.
- Come on!
00:20:44
Come on!
00:20:45
Let's go.
[men yelling]
00:20:46
OK, I got it.
I got it.
00:20:47
I got it.
00:20:53
[gun shots]
00:20:56
[kristi screaming]
00:21:02
SAL BARRERA: I
crawled as fast as I
00:21:03
could to the front of my car.
00:21:05
By the time I got to the
front, they took off.
00:21:09
I just see Kristi, you know,
on the floor just laying there.
00:21:18
I just ran right over
there towards her.
00:21:21
And I was talking to her,
yelling, please don't go.
00:21:23
Don't leave us.
00:21:25
Oh, god.
00:21:26
Kris-- Kristi!
00:21:28
JOE BARRERA: She's just
there and breathing
00:21:31
slowly and just staring at you.
00:21:34
You knew she was
already going to die.
00:21:36
I mean, she had the
glare in her eye
00:21:38
like she's trying to look at
you, but looking past you,
00:21:41
you know?
00:21:44
DENNIS FARINA: Wendy Wright
and the Barrera brothers
00:21:46
escaped without serious injury.
00:21:48
But Kristi Martin took a direct
hit from the assault rifle
00:21:52
and died at the scene.
00:21:54
[sirens blaring]
00:21:57
[police radio chatter]
00:21:58
JUDY MARTIN: When
Kristi didn't come home,
00:22:00
my concern was maybe
she had a car accident.
00:22:03
I never dreamed
in a million years
00:22:05
it would be something such
as a drive-by shooting.
00:22:07
Because I guess I just
assumed that only happened
00:22:10
to other people, that it
didn't happen to somebody that
00:22:12
was a good person, and
that wasn't involved
00:22:14
in gangs in any way at all.
00:22:19
DENNIS FARINA: Within six
days, the shooter, Jose Rios,
00:22:22
alias Flaco, and the
driver, Jorge Mendez,
00:22:26
were formerly charged
with Kristi's murder.
00:22:29
They both had long records
of gang-related crimes.
00:22:33
Four weeks before
the attack, Mendez
00:22:35
had legally purchased
the assault rifle
00:22:38
used by Flaco in the killing.
00:22:41
It's hard to swallow that
these kids are able to get out
00:22:45
there and buy
assault-type weapons,
00:22:47
and then to come back
and just fire them
00:22:49
at will at anybody they want.
00:22:51
What type of gun
that this man bought--
00:22:54
I won't even call him a man.
00:22:55
This animal bought--
is sold to kill people.
00:23:00
[gun shots]
00:23:01
He bragged to some
of his gang members
00:23:04
that he was going kill somebody.
00:23:06
He bought this gun to
kill somebody with.
00:23:09
Just so happened it
was our daughter.
00:23:11
[tires screech]
00:23:15
DENNIS FARINA:
Jose Rios has been
00:23:17
linked to a second killing.
00:23:19
An uncle of Jorge Mendez was
gunned down in an intersection.
00:23:23
And Rios is a suspect.
00:23:26
The uncle had told
Jorge, along with Flaco,
00:23:31
that if they didn't turn
themselves in that he would
00:23:34
call the police on him himself.
00:23:37
And within two days of that
reported meeting between them,
00:23:41
he ends up being shot.
00:23:42
The information we're
picking up off the street
00:23:44
is that Jose Luis Rios,
Flaco, is also taking
00:23:49
credit for that homicide.
00:23:53
DENNIS FARINA: While
Rios and Mendez run free,
00:23:56
Brian and Judy Martin
dread every Christmas.
00:23:59
It's the anniversary of
their daughter's funeral.
00:24:05
JUDY MARTIN: Christmas will
be really hard from now on.
00:24:07
It just will never be the same.
00:24:10
So it's really a sad time.
00:24:12
And I know Christmas
should be a happy time.
00:24:14
But I can't imagine it being any
sadder than Christmas Eve will
00:24:18
be this year without Kristi.
00:24:20
Losing your mother or
brother, I mean, that's rough.
00:24:23
I've lost them both.
00:24:24
My dad, both my
parents have died.
00:24:26
My brother has died.
00:24:28
All I have left is my
family, my immediate family.
00:24:32
And, uh, when you
lose a child, it takes
00:24:35
a big hunk out of your heart.
00:24:40
DENNIS FARINA:
Update, Jorge Mendez
00:24:42
fled to Mexico, where he was
arrested on unrelated charges
00:24:46
some five years later.
00:24:48
American authorities
had requested
00:24:50
that he be brought back to stand
trial for the murder of Kristi
00:24:54
Martin.
00:24:56
Jose Rios remains at large.
00:24:59
Rios is 5 feet 7, and
weighs 140 pounds.
00:25:03
He has numerous tattoos,
including a skull and dagger
00:25:07
on his right forearm, two
tear drops below his left eye,
00:25:11
and on his neck, the
cartoon character
00:25:14
Casper the Friendly Ghost.
00:25:21
Next, police turn to
a psychic to help them
00:25:24
solve a brutal double homicide.
00:25:27
[music playing]
00:25:38
We are in the LAPD
Evidence Warehouse.
00:25:42
An actual murder
investigation is in progress.
00:25:46
But you will find this
procedure in any textbook.
00:25:49
Relax.
00:25:50
Breathe.
00:25:52
Take a breath.
00:25:54
He hurt me.
00:25:55
[sniffling]
00:25:56
In the argument he hurt you?
00:25:58
[coughing]
00:26:01
Earlier.
00:26:03
Noreen Renier is a psychic
from Orlando, Florida
00:26:06
who works with the police.
00:26:07
He hit me.
00:26:08
Did he use his hand?
00:26:09
Yes. his fist.
00:26:10
DENNIS FARINA: Among the
psychics that we have profiled,
00:26:13
she is unique, a true
unsolved mystery.
00:26:16
This is earlier.
00:26:20
DENNIS FARINA: Noreen Renier
has worked with the police
00:26:22
on nearly 400 different crimes.
00:26:25
In one of her most
remarkable cases,
00:26:27
she provided crucial
information that
00:26:30
helped solve the double
homicide of Jake and Dora Cohn.
00:26:36
Colonie, New York,
a suburb of Albany.
00:26:40
Well, I'm glad to hear that.
00:26:42
DENNIS FARINA: Dora Cohn is
chatting with her daughter,
00:26:45
who we'll call Julie.
00:26:46
In an instant, tragedy strikes.
00:26:49
Yeah, well, any time's fine.
00:26:50
How about--
00:26:50
Jake!
00:26:51
Mom?
00:26:53
DENNIS FARINA: Dora screams
out her husband's name twice.
00:26:55
Mom, have you
dropped the phone?
00:26:56
DENNIS FARINA: Julie
immediately calls 9-1-1.
00:26:59
And then Julie calls
her son, James Mariani,
00:27:03
and rushes to meet him
at her parents' home.
00:27:05
- Mom.
- James, what's going on?
00:27:07
They're not telling anything.
00:27:08
And they're not letting me in.
00:27:09
Mom!
- Ma'am.
00:27:10
Ma'am, I'm sorry, you can't--
00:27:11
What's going on in there?
00:27:12
What's going on?
00:27:13
[panting] My-- my
parents are in there.
00:27:15
- Ma'am, listen to me.
- Something's wrong.
00:27:17
Listen to me!
00:27:18
I hate to tell you this,
but they've been killed.
00:27:20
[gasping]
I'm sorry.
00:27:21
I'm very sorry.
00:27:23
LT. RAY KROKLAK:
The elderly female
00:27:24
was just lying on the floor with
the phone still in her hand.
00:27:27
It appeared that she had fallen
over while on the telephone.
00:27:37
The male victim was on
the floor of the hallway.
00:27:40
He appeared to be
shot in the nose.
00:27:43
The only evidence that
we found was the entrance
00:27:45
way door had been kicked in.
00:27:47
And part of the door stopper
was laying on the kitchen floor.
00:27:51
And there was two empty shells
also laying on the floor.
00:27:56
DENNIS FARINA: When James
Mariani knew at a glance
00:27:58
that the shells were 25 caliber,
he instantly became a suspect
00:28:03
in his grandparents' murder.
00:28:06
The police asked him to
take a lie detector test,
00:28:08
even though they knew that
he had been at his house
00:28:11
when the murders occurred.
00:28:13
Did you shoot Jake and Dora?
00:28:17
No.
00:28:18
DENNIS FARINA: The
results were inconclusive.
00:28:20
But police remained suspicious.
00:28:23
Mariani had a criminal record.
00:28:25
And he had friends
with criminal records.
00:28:28
Couple friends, Larry--
00:28:30
Police interviewed
two men that Mariani
00:28:32
had done jail time with, Keith
Snare and Robert Skinner.
00:28:37
Both had alibis.
00:28:38
No.
00:28:39
I was with my girlfriend.
00:28:40
What's her name?
00:28:41
Sandy.
00:28:42
DENNIS FARINA: Two years
went by with no leads.
00:28:45
And then Jake and
Dora's daughter
00:28:47
heard about Noreen Renier and
asked police to contact her.
00:28:52
Noreen, I sent you
some articles that were
00:28:55
present at the crime scene.
00:28:56
DENNIS FARINA: Noreen worked
the case long distance by phone.
00:29:00
She knew nothing except the
names and ages of the victims.
00:29:05
I'm going to start
with the glasses.
00:29:07
I'm gong to start with Dora.
00:29:09
I'm going to try to
tune in and see what she
00:29:12
saw just before she was killed.
00:29:16
[breaths deeply]
00:29:20
Well, Jake doesn't
have to bowl that night.
00:29:22
We'd love to come.
00:29:23
LT. RAY KROKLAK:
When she was Dora,
00:29:25
she described how she was on
the telephone with a female.
00:29:29
She hears a crashing sound.
00:29:30
I think it's a recipe for--
00:29:31
[crash]
00:29:33
Oh, Jake!
00:29:35
Jake!
00:29:37
Shooting me.
00:29:40
I'm being shot.
00:29:42
DENNIS FARINA: Noreen called out
Jake's name twice, just as Dora
00:29:45
had done before she was shot.
00:29:53
LT. RAY KROKLAK:
Now as she's Jake,
00:29:55
she describes how she
gets up off the couch,
00:29:59
goes down a narrow hallway,
and she's confronted
00:30:03
with someone with a gun.
00:30:06
I know you.
00:30:08
What the hell are
you doing here?
00:30:13
DENNIS FARINA: Noreen
remembers that she felt
00:30:14
pain in the center
of her face, exactly
00:30:18
where Jake had been shot.
00:30:20
My face.
00:30:21
I'm shot in my face.
00:30:25
LT. RAY KROKLAK: She had given
a pretty accurate description
00:30:27
of both Jake and Dora,
and a fairly accurate
00:30:31
description of the crime scene.
00:30:34
This made me take notice,
and feel that she was
00:30:39
credible in what she was doing.
00:30:41
I'm going to count
from five to zero.
00:30:43
As I count, your eyes will
become heavier and heavier--
00:30:45
DENNIS FARINA:
The police started
00:30:46
to feel that Noreen
might be able to help
00:30:49
them crack the case.
00:30:50
They asked her to
work with a hypnotist.
00:30:52
HYPNOTIST: One and zero.
00:30:54
Now going back.
00:30:57
Dora, tell me
about the intruder.
00:31:04
We knew him.
00:31:06
He was a younger man.
DORA: What are you doing?
00:31:10
NOREEN: With brown hair.
00:31:12
So And he came to
our house for dinner.
00:31:18
[gun shot]
00:31:21
He did some work for my husband.
00:31:24
JAKE: I know you.
00:31:26
What are you doing in here?
00:31:27
I'm not playing, old man!
Where's the money?
00:31:29
JAKE: What do you want?
00:31:30
Where's the money?
00:31:31
JAKE: What are
you talking about?
00:31:32
Where is the money?
00:31:39
HYPNOTIST: I want you
to tell me his name.
00:31:43
Focus.
00:31:44
Perhaps we'll take
a letter at a time.
00:31:45
Do you see a letter?
00:31:49
S.
00:31:51
HYPNOTIST: Do you
see another letter?
00:31:57
Following the
hypnosis session,
00:31:59
we presented Noreen with a
series of 10 photographs.
00:32:02
We had put three of them
in there who we felt
00:32:04
were the suspects at this time.
00:32:07
So, I'd like to
show you these--
00:32:08
I don't want to see them.
00:32:09
Why don't you just
lay them face down
00:32:11
and let me pick up the
energies from them?
00:32:13
OK.
00:32:17
Noreen took the photographs--
as a matter of fact,
00:32:19
her eyes were closed--
00:32:20
and shuffled through
the photographs,
00:32:23
held them for a while, held
each one, and then kept placing
00:32:27
one, two, three
photographs down.
00:32:31
I feel the strongest energy
from these three photographs.
00:32:37
And this one in particular,
he might have been the one
00:32:41
that killed Jake and Dora.
00:32:44
DENNIS FARINA: The man
in the first photo had
00:32:46
nothing to do with this case.
00:32:48
But the second photo was Robert
Skinner, a friend of Jake
00:32:52
and Dora's grandson,
James Mariani.
00:32:55
A third photo was
Mariani himself.
00:32:58
The police also noted
that Robert Skinner's
00:33:01
last name began with an
S, the one letter Noreen
00:33:06
had visualized.
00:33:08
This is my girlfriend.
00:33:10
- What's her name?
- Sandy.
00:33:11
DENNIS FARINA: When police
double checked Robert
00:33:13
Skinner's alibi, it fell apart.
00:33:16
In the end, James Mariani,
Robert Skinner, and Keith Snare
00:33:21
were charged and
convicted for the murders
00:33:23
of Jake and Dora Cohn.
00:33:26
Mariani will not be eligible
for parole until 2029.
00:33:31
Snare will serve time
until at least 2031.
00:33:35
And Skinner will
likely die in prison,
00:33:39
serving 87 years to life.
00:33:43
So what psychic
power did Noreen draw
00:33:46
upon to help solve this case?
00:33:48
NOREEN: When the skeptics
ask me, how does it work?
00:33:52
My answer usually
is, you've been
00:33:55
using your logical, rational
mind for many years.
00:33:59
Explain to me how it works.
00:34:01
How does your memory?
00:34:02
How do you learn math?
00:34:04
How does the brain
work when you spell?
00:34:06
You don't know.
00:34:08
And neither do I. But you can
use your mind, and so can I.
00:34:15
DENNIS FARINA: Next,
a man needs your help
00:34:17
to find the truth about his
father's mysterious past.
00:34:21
[music playing]
00:34:30
For any child, the death
of a parent is traumatic.
00:34:34
For a boy named Bob
Coleman, it became
00:34:37
a time to reflect
on everything he had
00:34:39
ever known about his father--
00:34:41
or at least, everything his
father had wanted him to know.
00:34:49
Washington, DC,
everyone said Richard
00:34:53
Coleman was an ordinary man who
lived a fairly uneventful life.
00:34:58
He worked as a vending
machine mechanic.
00:35:01
He had served in the
military and married in 1947.
00:35:06
His son, Bob, was
born two years later.
00:35:09
Today, Bob's strongest
memory of childhood
00:35:12
is the love of baseball that
he shared with his father.
00:35:17
BOB COLEMAN: He had a
passion to play ball.
00:35:19
And we'd go out to
the yard, to the side
00:35:22
yard and the front yard.
00:35:23
And he'd pitch the ball to me.
00:35:25
And I'd hit it.
00:35:26
And it was something that
I enjoyed a awful lot.
00:35:29
And I loved being
outside with him,
00:35:32
and playing ball
whenever we could.
00:35:38
DENNIS FARINA:
Richard died in 1961.
00:35:40
A short time later, Bob
stumbled on the first hint
00:35:43
that his father had been
a man with many secrets.
00:35:49
Bob was drawn to an old trunk
that belonged to his father.
00:35:53
Inside, he found a
collection of souvenirs
00:35:57
from his father's
military service.
00:36:02
What are you doing, Bobby?
00:36:03
Just looking at
dad's old stuff.
00:36:06
Was dad in the Army?
00:36:07
Yes, he was, but--
00:36:09
BOB COLEMAN: I remember
on many, many times
00:36:11
to asking my mom about
my dad, and specifically,
00:36:14
honing in on the items
in the foot locker.
00:36:16
And she didn't have
too many explanations,
00:36:18
other than that she believed
that my dad had done something
00:36:21
he wasn't real proud of, and
that his words were, it's over
00:36:26
and done with.
00:36:28
DENNIS FARINA: 14 years later,
Bob's own military service drew
00:36:32
him back to his father's trunk.
00:36:36
Once again, he held
this father's uniform.
00:36:41
BOB COLEMAN: It had the silver
bars of a First Lieutenant
00:36:43
still on it.
00:36:44
It had the insignia,
interestingly enough,
00:36:47
of a Medical Corps, a plain
caduceus, which would indicate
00:36:51
that the person who
wore that uniform
00:36:54
was a medical
doctor in the Army.
00:36:57
DENNIS FARINA: Was it
possible that Richard
00:36:59
Coleman, the vending
machine mechanic,
00:37:02
had been a doctor in the Army?
00:37:04
For Bob, it was a
possibility that triggered
00:37:07
a vivid childhood memory.
00:37:09
Ow, ooh!
00:37:10
Oh, my god.
00:37:11
I'm bleeding!
Richard!
00:37:12
Richard!
00:37:13
Oh!
00:37:15
BOB COLEMAN: My mom had cut
her hand open very, very badly.
00:37:17
And there was a lot of blood.
00:37:18
She was bleeding profusely.
00:37:19
Bobby, Sharon,
come in here please.
00:37:22
BOB COLEMAN: And
I remember my dad
00:37:23
taking control of the situation,
sizing up the emergency.
00:37:27
Everything will be
OK, honey, don't worry.
00:37:28
BOB COLEMAN: He applied
the pressure to the cut,
00:37:32
and actually knew
about pressure points,
00:37:33
and did something-- that I don't
remember because I was small--
00:37:37
but he did something that
he actually was able to stop
00:37:40
the bleeding pretty quickly.
00:37:42
And he took control
of the situation
00:37:43
in a way that would lead
me to believe that he
00:37:45
knew more about
the medical field
00:37:48
than somebody who
was not trained.
00:37:51
Atta boy.
00:37:52
You see, everything is fine.
00:37:54
DENNIS FARINA: Why
would Richard Coleman
00:37:55
abandon his career in medicine?
00:37:58
For Bob, it meant that
his father was not the man
00:38:01
that he thought he knew.
00:38:04
His father's trunk provided
Bob with other clues
00:38:06
that raised even more questions.
00:38:10
Although his father's uniform
was from World War II,
00:38:14
Bob found several medals from
World War I. Discharge papers
00:38:20
from World War I raised
still more questions.
00:38:24
BOB COLEMAN: It was a
World War I certificate.
00:38:27
And as I looked at it, I
remember noticing the items
00:38:31
had been written over.
00:38:33
Someone had gone back after it
was issued and put my father's
00:38:38
name, Richard Coleman.
00:38:39
And a service number
and other information
00:38:43
were written over the
original inscriptions.
00:38:48
DENNIS FARINA: It appeared that
the document had been forged.
00:38:51
When Bob checked with the VA,
his suspicions were confirmed.
00:38:56
The discharge papers had been
issued to another soldier.
00:39:00
Finally, Bob found no
record of a Richard
00:39:03
Coleman ever serving
in the Army Medical
00:39:05
Corps in either world war.
00:39:14
Room right there.
00:39:16
DENNIS FARINA: These
strange revelations
00:39:18
about his father brought
back another painful memory.
00:39:23
Has anybody came
and visit you?
00:39:25
No, you're the first one.
00:39:27
What about your brothers,
and sisters, and your family?
00:39:30
Sh, sh, sh.
00:39:31
We're daddy's family, honey.
00:39:33
You sure are.
00:39:34
BOB COLEMAN: I remember
asking several times,
00:39:36
well, my dad's sick.
00:39:39
He's probably
going to pass away.
00:39:40
Where is his family?
00:39:42
And why isn't anyone
up here to see how he
00:39:45
is, or, you know, to visit him?
00:39:47
What a beautiful
dress you have.
00:39:48
BOB COLEMAN: And my mom
really wouldn't answer it.
00:39:50
She didn't have an
answer, I guess.
00:39:53
And I never, never got any
satisfactory explanation
00:39:57
for that.
00:40:00
DENNIS FARINA:
The trunk held one
00:40:02
final clue, a membership
roster from the New
00:40:05
York City gun club.
00:40:07
Richard Coleman was listed
as a member in 1944.
00:40:12
When Bob researched
his father's address,
00:40:15
he uncovered another
surprising detail.
00:40:19
BOB COLEMAN: My father may have
lived with an Alice Coleman.
00:40:22
And I don't know what
her maiden name was.
00:40:25
But voting records indicate
that they were married,
00:40:28
and that she was a
housewife, and that she
00:40:31
lived with Richard Coleman.
00:40:32
I've never been able to
confirm their marriage,
00:40:35
because there's no
record that I can find.
00:40:38
And indeed, I don't know
where Alice Coleman went to.
00:40:42
Because after 1967,
she does not appear
00:40:46
in the Manhattan phone books.
00:40:50
DENNIS FARINA: Did Richard
Coleman change his identity
00:40:54
to hide something in his past?
00:40:56
Why did he keep his
apparent marriage
00:40:58
to Alice Coleman secret?
00:41:01
And despite a trunk
full of war mementos,
00:41:04
why did the military show
no record of his service
00:41:07
in either world war?
00:41:09
Bob Coleman remains determined
to find the answers.
00:41:14
BOB COLEMAN: I'm not
trying to judge my father.
00:41:17
I'm trying to learn about him.
00:41:18
And I'm perfectly
aware that there
00:41:21
may be something that
he did 50, 60 years ago
00:41:24
that was pretty bad, perhaps.
00:41:27
And it would have prompted
him to change his identity,
00:41:29
and to obscure his past.
00:41:31
But it's also something
that's very important to me,
00:41:33
because it's my father.
00:41:35
And it may be the
only way that I,
00:41:37
ultimately, end up
really knowing who he was
00:41:39
and what he did.
00:41:41
And I'm very passionate, and
very committed to doing that.
00:41:46
DENNIS FARINA:
Update, Bob Coleman
00:41:49
has found the real
identity of his father,
00:41:52
Coleman Joe DeKorte.
00:41:55
Bob discovered that his father
had been previously married,
00:41:59
but abandoned his family.
00:42:02
Armed with his dad's
real name and real birth
00:42:05
date, Bob and his sister were
welcomed by a new-found family.
00:42:15
[music playing]
