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Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 4, Episode 12 - Full Episode

May 22, 2019 / 45:17

This episode of Unsolved Mysteries covers three main stories: the search for Annie Curry by her son Jim, the murder spree of Michael St. Clair and Dennis Reese, and the betrayal of Ellen McClung Berry by Dan Tandevold.

In the first segment, Jim Curry reflects on his mother Annie's disappearance after losing custody of him and his brother in 1949. Despite his efforts to find her, Jim has not seen her in over 40 years and shares his emotional struggle with the unresolved questions about her life.

The second story focuses on Michael St. Clair, a convicted killer who escaped from jail in Oklahoma and went on a violent crime spree across multiple states. Authorities are desperate to capture him and his accomplice Dennis Reese, who have left several victims in their wake.

The final segment tells the tale of Ellen McClung Berry, who was swindled by Dan Tandevold, a man who ingratiated himself into her life and finances. After taking control of her estate, Tandevold vanished, leaving Berry in financial ruin and raising questions about his true identity.

Throughout the episode, viewers are encouraged to assist in solving these mysteries, highlighting the ongoing impact of these unresolved cases on the families involved.

TL;DR

Jim Curry searches for his long-lost mother, while Michael St. Clair and Dennis Reese commit a murder spree, and Ellen Berry is betrayed by Dan Tandevold.

Episode

45:17
00:00:03
this program is about unsolved mysteries
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whenever possible the actual family
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members and police officials have
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participated in recreating the events
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what you were about to see is not a news
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broadcast in 1949
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Annie Curie lost custody of her two
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young boys in a bitter divorce case and
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vanished from their lives her son Jim
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has never forgotten his mother even
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though he hasn't seen her for more than
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40 years recently two inmates escaped
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from an Oklahoma Jail and embarked on a
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vicious murder spree in which four
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people have lost their lives these
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dangerous fugitives must be captured
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before they kill again a discussant her
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sprawling mansion ellen mclain berry was
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a classic southern lady imperious
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well-bred and proud in 1978 an elegant
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mysterious visitor charm mrs. Barry we
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did of her estate became her most
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trusted confidant and robbed her blind
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join me for another edition unsolved
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mysteries
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[Music]
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[Applause]
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[Applause]
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[Music]
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a September 19th 1991 two-time convicted
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killer Michael st. Claire orchestrated a
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daring escape from Bryan County Jail in
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Durant Oklahoma st. Claire released
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fellow inmate Denis Reese who is
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awaiting trial robbery and murder that
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[Music]
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night Michael st. Clair and Dennis Reis
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ignited a murderous crime spree that has
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stretched across eight states and left
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at least four dead in its wake
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authorities urgently need your help to
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capture Michael Sinclair and Dennis Reis
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with each passing day the odds increase
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that another innocent person will fall
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victim to their brutal rampage please
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watch carefully you may help save
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someone's life less than three months
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ago Michael st. Clair was convicted on
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two counts of first degree murder and
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was sentenced to three consecutive life
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prison terms the Michael st. Clair has
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been involved with various drug
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trafficking organizations in southern
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Oklahoma as well as northern Texas his
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uncle was was moving in on his drug
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operations and he felt that his profits
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were being threatened so he contracted
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out to have his uncle killed after his
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uncle was killed
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he then assassinated the hitman two days
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after the fugitives escaped newspaper
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reporter Tom Mullins received a chilling
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phone call from Michael st. Clair almost
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20 months now I've been covering Michael
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st. Claire I've gotten to know him
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fairly well I've always tried to give
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his side of the story in all fairness
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when he got out I was the obvious choice
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for him to get his message out that
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message being that he wouldn't be taken
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alive and that when the time came if if
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any law enforcement came around his
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quote was anyone wearing a badge I'll
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kill
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three weeks later near Elizabethtown
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Kentucky a state trooper pulled over a
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pickup tree which was seen fleeing from
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a burning vehicle as the pickup truck
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came to a halt the man on the passenger
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side who we now believe was st. Claire
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instantly got out of the out of the
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truck
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the man fired at troopers parked two
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times
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trooper fortunately was not injured at
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all within just a matter of minutes the
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maroon truck was actually found disabled
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and abandoned along the interstate
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apparently had crossed the interstate
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and in doing so had blown both front
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tires
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the truck belong to 56 year-old Francis
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Brady retired distillery worker and
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father of three Brady had disappeared 12
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hours earlier after cashing a check at a
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convenience store
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Brady's body was found approximately 12
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miles north of Elizabethtown Kentucky he
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had been shot execution-style
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he'd been handcuffed and had been shot
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in the head what is remarkable about
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this type of execution is that it's
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almost identical to the way st. Clare's
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uncle Ronnie st. Clair had been executed
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a few years before the other truck the
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st. Clair and recent set fire to was
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registered to a Denver Colorado
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paramedic named Tim Keeling like Francis
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Brady Keeling also vanished after
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patronizing a convenience store his body
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was found on a roadside ditch outside of
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Clayton New Mexico
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five days after firing on the state
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trooper Michaels st. Claire and Dennis
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Reese apparently struck again this time
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in Tennessee two men matching their
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descriptions robbed a video store in
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Milan Tennessee they brutally executed
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the clerk a 20 year old mother of two 30
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minutes later the same two men robbed
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another video store just eight miles
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away again the young female clerk was
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gunned down in cold blood individuals
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who would kill for a hundred and 150 or
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200 dollars are extremely desperate
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individuals it indicates that they do
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not have any type of support apparatus
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going for them so these are people who
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are constantly moving they're very
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concerned about staying in one location
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for any period of time they're very
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paranoid they're very dangerous and will
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take any actions to prevent their
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apprehension these individuals seem to
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be leaving no witnesses in their crimes
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that they're committing and so the
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public needs to be very much aware of
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that and if they see them absolutely do
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not approach them because they are
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extremely violent
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next a gothic tale of murder betrayal
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and greed set against the fading
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background the state of Tennessee like
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much of the American South is dotted
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with majestic antebellum estates a type
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of aristocracy still thrives here and
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Ellen McClung Berry is typical of that
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upper crust group by 1978 when she was
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85 years old mrs. berry lived in
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solitary splendor on a mountaintop
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outside the city of Knoxville which had
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been founded by her
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great-great-grandfather gorgeous morning
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oh I think she would have been
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considered definitely one of the local
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grande downs of the old school and
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probably there were not many that means
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that you can live on the mountain like
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she did and have everybody come to you
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like Muhammad it's just that simple one
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of the people who came to the mountain
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back in 1978 was Dan Honda bald a
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vaguely mysterious man who claimed to be
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from Denmark for more than 15 years yet
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corresponded with mrs. berry but the
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true nature of their relationship was
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unclear sometimes mrs. Barry said Tunde
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bald was her godson sometimes that he
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was a friend of her late son Hugh and
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how is your health
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oh are you sure I'm sure drained
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emotionally but otherwise I'm fat look I
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had the strangest gut feeling that this
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kid was bad news but he was making Ellen
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happy she was happy that he was there
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and if he was in fact a friend of her
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late son Hugh for lots of reasons I was
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happy that she was happy and at least
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somebody was on the mountain with her at
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night in case she fell or got sick and
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could get help
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[Music]
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he was taking the place of her son he
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looked like her son apparently and I
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know that was the attraction mrs.
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Barry's attraction to Dan is that he was
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playing that role mrs. Barry's only
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child Hugh had left a dark stain on the
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family tree in 1951 at the age of 18 you
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berry flew into a rage over his
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inheritance turned a shotgun on his
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grandmother and killed her a judge ruled
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who very mentally incompetent to stand
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trial rumor had it that Hugh is
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lobotomized and sent to live in Mexico a
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New Year's Eve 1963 mr. and mrs. Barry
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received word that he would died of
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pneumonia later mrs. Barry hinted that
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he had in fact committed suicide
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according to his friends whose body was
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never returned to the United States when
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her husband died in February of 1978
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Ellen Barry was left all alone almost
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too conveniently the mysterious stranger
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from Denmark stepped in to fill the void
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in mrs. Barry's life dan Tom DeVoe moved
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into her guest house and quickly took
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over the day-to-day operation of her
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estate very month before long he had
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made himself indispensable to mrs. Barry
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not only was Tom Duvall running Barry
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mount he was running her I have some
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checks for you to sign if you don't mind
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I'm so glad you're taking care of this
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for me I didn't know this place was in
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such disrepair mrs. Barry signed
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anything
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Tom Duvall put in front of her she also
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began to cater to his predilection for
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expensive show horses by 1983 dan
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tandava would owned a stable of seven
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Tennessee walkers financed by mrs. Barry
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he named all the horses Barry mount
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heading only the numbers one through
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seven to individualize them mrs. Barry
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seemed delighted to finance what was
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fast becoming a million dollar hobby
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miss Barry words to me was mr. Thanh
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Davos hobby did not make a dent in my
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fortune that was a hobby I wanted him to
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have yes I would look at you go ahead
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and close the deal on that stallion for
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$20,000 It was as if Dan turned of old
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had cast a spell over mrs. Barry in
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April of 1982 she granted him power of
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attorney she was a willing pigeon so to
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speak other people I think have tried to
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tell her that there was something wrong
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that he just didn't make sense possibly
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was a con artist I don't know
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and she ignored it in 1984 Honda vole
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talked mrs. Barry into taking a winter
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vacation in Charleston South Carolina
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before they left he composed a
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classified ad for a chauffeur requesting
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men who were single and asking that
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applicants submit a photograph secretly
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turned of old placed the ad in the
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Charleston papers
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at the end of the four months in
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Charleston mrs. berry and Tonga both
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made plans to return home
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she and her hired companion would fly to
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Tennessee Tandav old would drive the
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Mercedes back to berry mount Susan I
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thought we left lights out when we left
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mrs. berry we did mrs. berry and her
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companion arrived at berry Mount on
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March 31st 1985 there was no sign of the
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Mercedes or of dant honorable the
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telephone at berry much as well as all
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the utilities had been inexplicably cut
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off the bank is going to foreclose on
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the house your checking accounts and
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saving accounts are completely depleted
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mrs. Barry was virtually bankrupt tunned
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of old had even borrowed money against
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Barry mount to the tune of $85,000 for
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the first time in her life mrs. Barry
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had a mortgage to pay for the first time
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in her life and she had no way to pay it
00:14:06
her money was gone her checking account
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was empty
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he just gooded her took away her wealth
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and her pride and everything meanwhile
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damn countable turned up 100 miles south
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of Charleston an exclusive resort on
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Fripp Island South Carolina unaware that
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his secret is out tante of old continued
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to live in high style fine thank you I
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would like to speak to you about
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possibly upgrading my accommodations to
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something more suitable
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Tandav old had been running up massive
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bills and mrs. Barry's credit cards but
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now the jig was up all the cards were
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over their limit is substantial I'm
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going to have to request some sort of
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payment well let me go back to my villa
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I shall get you a check and pay you
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immediately I'll be right back yes Thank
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You mr.
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dan toned of old never returned the next
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day a hastily scroll suicide note and a
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last will and testament were found in
00:15:08
his suite two weeks later in a swampy
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deserted area of Fripp Island a man's
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body was found he had apparently shot
00:15:19
himself in the left temple an antique
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gun was a few inches away
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it belonged to Helen Barrie a dog also
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shot through the head lay nearby the
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dead man carried no identification but
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he did carry Ellen Berry's credit cards
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the security guard last body was
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partially decomposed nevertheless the
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coroner brought in a resort security
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guard to identify it it's gonna be tough
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cause he's been dead for a while
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according to what the security guard
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said he is a person who came to football
00:15:57
and and said I am Dan thunderbolt it
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looks like and the best I can tell sir
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that's mister Tonto who possibly may be
00:16:03
considered more circumstantial than
00:16:04
anything else investigation revealed
00:16:07
that he allegedly did not have a social
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security card nor driver's license and
00:16:15
had supposedly never had either of these
00:16:21
the body was immediately cremated as
00:16:23
Tunde volt had requested in his
00:16:25
handwritten will his death was ruled a
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suicide
00:16:28
but not everyone believed the man found
00:16:30
in the swamp was Dan tons of old I'm not
00:16:35
sure he's dead nobody that knew him
00:16:37
identified him you know the coroner
00:16:41
found him a police officer Canada
00:16:42
security guard said yeah that's him and
00:16:44
he hadn't seen him but just driving by
00:16:46
and a little security Shane
00:16:48
well you can't negate the possibility
00:16:51
that he did indeed kill himself that's
00:16:53
possible I just don't believe it it
00:16:56
doesn't make sense to me that somebody
00:16:58
who went to all that trouble to get all
00:17:01
that money and to be as nefarious about
00:17:03
the whole thing from beginning to end as
00:17:05
he was was out to kill himself a month
00:17:09
after the cremation Pete Ballard found a
00:17:12
copy of Tonto voles classified ad for a
00:17:14
chauffeur in the Barry Mount guest
00:17:16
cottage now I would find it ridiculous
00:17:20
that he would need to put an ad in the
00:17:23
Charleston paper for a chauffeur for
00:17:25
Barry Mont you can get them in the area
00:17:29
I'm sure just as easily and I suddenly
00:17:33
realized that maybe he was looking for a
00:17:34
look-alike Ballard is convinced a ton of
00:17:40
old remain in South Carolina not to hire
00:17:42
a chauffeur but to find a victim
00:17:47
look-alike I feel would have been the
00:17:50
person he ultimately killed and then he
00:17:53
just sort of scooted off to wherever he
00:17:56
had planned to go
00:17:58
it was never reported that he was ever
00:18:01
seen in the company of anybody male or
00:18:03
female so there is no reason that for me
00:18:07
to believe that it was anybody but then
00:18:10
Tunder fold I'm not going to say that
00:18:12
that it's not a possibility but I
00:18:14
certainly do not believe it to be one
00:18:17
the authorities remain convinced that
00:18:20
downtown-2 volt had committed suicide
00:18:21
yet a shadow of doubt lingered giving
00:18:24
rise to a piece about Regis gossip the
00:18:28
idea is is that then Thunderbolt is in
00:18:33
fact mr. and mrs. Barry's son who was
00:18:36
supposed to have died in Mexico a very
00:18:38
easy way to bring somebody back under an
00:18:43
assumed name to get off the hook after
00:18:46
having shot and killed his grandmother
00:18:48
[Music]
00:18:52
adding fuel to the rumor that Tandav old
00:18:54
and Hugh Barry with the same person was
00:18:56
a complete lack of any official record
00:18:58
of Dan tandem old but finally Tandy Vols
00:19:02
resume was found among his letters to
00:19:04
mrs. Barry which had been stored away
00:19:06
the resume listed his hometown is Las
00:19:09
Vegas Nevada a nun saw mr. E's
00:19:14
researcher turned up this 1951 yearbook
00:19:17
from Las Vegas high school dan turned of
00:19:20
old was a member of the senior class and
00:19:22
not surprisingly president of the
00:19:24
thespian Club
00:19:25
many people in Knoxville considered tan
00:19:28
Devils Danish accent an affectation
00:19:30
perhaps it was simply bad acting in any
00:19:34
case the rumor that Dan town of old and
00:19:36
Hugh Barry are the same person has
00:19:38
finally been put to rest I think he was
00:19:43
her son's replacement and here is this
00:19:47
lovely little old lady left left without
00:19:53
any money I mean she is poor but also
00:19:58
left without any love I mean what does
00:20:02
she have at this point nothing today
00:20:06
Ellen McClung Barry is 97 years old has
00:20:09
lost much of her ability to communicate
00:20:11
she lives in an apartment financed by
00:20:14
the interest on an endowment she made to
00:20:16
the University of Tennessee no one knows
00:20:19
exactly how much money mrs. Barry lost
00:20:21
to Dan Tonto but estimates run into the
00:20:24
millions authorities believe he
00:20:26
transferred mrs. Barry's funds to
00:20:28
European accounts possibly in France or
00:20:30
Denmark
00:20:32
[Music]
00:20:48
on a recent broadcast we featured the
00:20:51
compelling story of John Nellis a man
00:20:53
whose life has been torn apart by two
00:20:55
wars during one conflict John lost his
00:20:58
father an American GI and the other he
00:21:02
lost his son still wish you'd come with
00:21:05
me
00:21:07
when John was 5 years old his father
00:21:09
Melvin Ellis was ordered back to the
00:21:11
United States miss duty and war ravaged
00:21:13
China because his parents weren't
00:21:15
legally married John and his mother uh
00:21:18
Vietnamese national were forced to stay
00:21:20
behind John never saw his father again
00:21:24
[Music]
00:21:26
27 years later John was among the last
00:21:29
group of people to flee South Vietnam
00:21:31
after the u.s. withdrew its troops
00:21:34
[Music]
00:21:35
tragically amid the confusion and chaos
00:21:38
John's five-year-old son Daniel was left
00:21:40
behind if my father and my son watching
00:21:46
me right now I would like to tell him
00:21:49
how much I missed them
00:21:50
and I loved him
00:21:54
and I like to reunite it and see them
00:21:59
again thanks to our broadcast
00:22:04
John Ellis learned that his father's now
00:22:06
retired and living in Tokyo Japan
00:22:09
incredibly just three weeks later John
00:22:11
search for his son Daniel also came to
00:22:13
an end when they were reunited after
00:22:15
more than 17 years or so many years I
00:22:37
miss him a thing of him all the time and
00:22:39
I'm so happy to see this is a real dream
00:22:43
come true
00:22:46
it's a miracle you're laughing and I saw
00:22:51
my dad I was so excited and very happy
00:22:56
when I looked into his eyes and saw his
00:22:58
family that I found happiness Daniels
00:23:03
first day in America was overwhelming
00:23:05
not only did he reunite with his father
00:23:08
he also met his stepmother and a
00:23:10
half-sister for the first time now he's
00:23:14
with me I want to do my best you know
00:23:17
give him a good chance in life and a
00:23:20
better future for young make up for what
00:23:24
he has lost
00:23:28
[Music]
00:23:48
March 1949 Vancouver British Columbia
00:23:51
Canada
00:23:53
Annie curry an English war bride says
00:23:56
goodbye to her husband Donald and her
00:23:57
two little boys
00:24:00
[Music]
00:24:04
after only five years of marriage and
00:24:07
Ian Donald had divorced he has received
00:24:10
custody of both sons Darrell three years
00:24:13
old and Jim five they haven't seen their
00:24:17
mother for more than 40 years I was
00:24:22
never given the sense that I could say
00:24:24
how much I missed her that I could ask
00:24:26
questions about where's my mom
00:24:28
she's a big question mark and I would
00:24:31
like to hear her voice I would like to
00:24:32
hear what she has to say about her life
00:24:35
I'd like her to know me in most ways Jim
00:24:39
curry is no different from anybody else
00:24:40
searching for a lost parent but there is
00:24:43
one odd twist of his story Jemma spent
00:24:47
most of his life looking for other
00:24:49
people's parents Jim curry is senior
00:24:52
investigator for a California public
00:24:54
defender's office an advocate for
00:24:56
defendants who may be facing the death
00:24:58
sentence I've had adopted defendants
00:25:04
before and had to find their mothers and
00:25:06
I've been very successful in doing that
00:25:09
it just is very ironic to me that I can
00:25:14
find so much about these people's
00:25:16
history then I can't complete my own
00:25:19
it's very frustrating
00:25:23
[Music]
00:25:26
gyms Paris met in 1943 during the
00:25:29
darkest days of World War two Donnell
00:25:33
Currie was 23 a Canadian sergeant
00:25:35
serving in England annie fry was a 19
00:25:38
year old country girl from wales the two
00:25:42
fell in love and were married that same
00:25:44
year my mother was described to me as
00:25:50
being an outgoing socially oriented kind
00:25:53
of upbeat person with a lot of vitality
00:25:55
this is a young girl really
00:25:59
in 1944 London was still being bombed by
00:26:03
the Nazis
00:26:04
Annie was pregnant when the impact of
00:26:07
one of the bombs knocked her to the
00:26:08
ground she miscarried Annie became
00:26:13
pregnant again and Donald sent her to
00:26:15
live with his parents in Vancouver on
00:26:18
December 20th 1944 Jim was born
00:26:23
Annie's delight was tempered by the
00:26:25
absence of Donald still stationed in
00:26:27
England
00:26:29
[Music]
00:26:33
she's in a foreign country she doesn't
00:26:35
know anybody except for my dad's
00:26:37
immediate family she makes the best
00:26:40
adjustment she can but it's a lonely
00:26:42
kind of existence for things fraught
00:26:45
with a lot of fear you know that whether
00:26:47
or not my dad was gonna make it home
00:26:50
[Music]
00:27:00
in June of 1945 Penny's prayers were
00:27:04
answered the war in Europe was finally
00:27:07
over and after more than a year of
00:27:09
separation from his wife
00:27:11
Donald Currie was home
00:27:12
[Music]
00:27:39
Donald was overjoyed to meet his son for
00:27:41
the first time but the happiness of his
00:27:44
homecoming was short-lived the war had
00:27:48
changed him forever it was a very
00:27:51
traumatic experience for my father he
00:27:56
thought war was wrong he told me once
00:28:00
that you'll never know how much it can
00:28:03
change you when you see your closest
00:28:05
friends blown into a thousand pieces in
00:28:08
front of your eyes and you can do
00:28:09
nothing about it I think he lost a lot
00:28:12
of faith he closed down emotionally to
00:28:16
protect himself
00:28:19
in 1945 a second son Darrell was born
00:28:22
and Donald Curie found a position as a
00:28:25
customs official his job took him out of
00:28:28
the house every night Annie was left
00:28:31
alone and began spending time with one
00:28:33
of her neighbors a much older married
00:28:35
man
00:28:40
soon the relationship turned into a
00:28:42
full-fledged affair a relative broke the
00:28:45
news to Donald and he sued Annie for
00:28:47
divorce and for custody of the boys I
00:28:50
believe the petitioner mr. curry
00:28:52
implicitly he's a clean wholesome
00:28:55
individual with a fine war record I
00:28:58
hereby grant a decree in his favor
00:29:01
against an Alan Curry and the custody of
00:29:04
his two children my understanding of the
00:29:09
judgment against my mother was that my
00:29:11
dad was to have sole custody of both
00:29:13
children and she was to have no
00:29:16
visitation rights it would be up to my
00:29:18
father whether or not she would be
00:29:21
allowed to see the children
00:29:23
mr. curry you must realize that there is
00:29:26
more good than evil in this girl so do
00:29:29
not burn your bridges she has been a
00:29:32
clean and decent girl until she met the
00:29:34
correspondent the judges decree doesn't
00:29:36
indicate hostility toward her it
00:29:38
indicates that even there may be
00:29:39
something worth salvaging that she was
00:29:42
under the blandishments of an older more
00:29:44
sophisticated man in spite of all the
00:29:47
negatives I've heard and on the surface
00:29:49
at being a very nasty divorce there was
00:29:51
still something that came through for
00:29:53
the judge this was basically a good
00:29:55
person well you think you need to long
00:29:57
johns yeah
00:30:00
Donnell curry elected to send his
00:30:03
younger son Darrel to live with a couple
00:30:04
he knew in Vancouver any powerless tried
00:30:09
to put on a brave face you want your
00:30:13
favorite shirt yes I think so and do I
00:30:17
want you to know just because I'm not
00:30:20
there doesn't mean I don't love you
00:30:23
[Music]
00:30:28
just after the divorce was final Donald
00:30:31
curry broke his family apart
00:30:34
darrel would eventually be adopted Jim
00:30:37
would see his mother one final time
00:30:41
[Music]
00:30:47
several months after the divorce
00:30:49
Donald curry decided to move to Los
00:30:51
Angeles with Jim just before the
00:30:54
departure
00:30:54
Donald led any tell Jim goodbye he needs
00:30:59
his mother
00:31:00
I don't think so he needs his brother he
00:31:06
meets me look at him I don't have to I
00:31:10
know what he feels
00:31:12
despite Inez please Donald remained
00:31:15
unmoved there was a sense in me at the
00:31:21
time that it was the last time I would
00:31:23
see her I don't remember any hugging I
00:31:28
don't remember any arguing but I do
00:31:32
remember it being sad I remember my
00:31:35
feeling sad and confused and sort of
00:31:42
like just not very powerful in this
00:31:45
situation whatever was happening was out
00:31:47
of my control in Los Angeles Donald
00:31:54
curry married twice both stepmothers
00:31:57
were kind to Jim still he yearned for
00:32:00
the mother he barely remembered
00:32:01
[Music]
00:32:05
my dad was always very reticent to talk
00:32:08
about his early life and my mother in
00:32:10
particular anything that would lead my
00:32:12
dad to believe that I wanted to find her
00:32:14
was very upsetting to him Donald Curie
00:32:20
died in 1989 after his father's death
00:32:23
Jim curry began to search for his mother
00:32:26
in earnest although Jim is on earth no
00:32:30
new clues to aunty Curry's whereabouts
00:32:32
he has found his brother Darryl is
00:32:35
married and still living in Vancouver he
00:32:38
and Jim have been reunited but Darryl's
00:32:41
loyalty is to his adoptive mother and
00:32:43
father he has no memory of Annie or
00:32:45
Donald
00:32:50
despite Darryl's reaction Jim is more
00:32:53
committed than ever to finding his
00:32:55
mother there's an unconditional love
00:32:59
that a mother has for her son and I feel
00:33:02
like I was pulled away from me I don't
00:33:05
think I'd have to say a word to her for
00:33:07
four hours
00:33:10
I don't think I'd have to say anything
00:33:11
[Music]
00:33:14
Annie Ellen curry married again in 1951
00:33:17
but that marriage too ended in divorce
00:33:20
she may be using the last name from her
00:33:22
second marriage MacDonald or her maiden
00:33:24
name Frey Jim Boley she could be living
00:33:27
in the United States Canada or England
00:33:30
[Music]
00:33:45
the 1930s the Great Depression
00:33:49
breadlines hobos and shanty towns were
00:33:53
an all too visible part of the American
00:33:55
landscape millions lost their jobs their
00:33:58
homes their savings and finally their
00:34:01
pride
00:34:03
many times a destitute relied upon
00:34:05
strangers to help them in their time of
00:34:07
need
00:34:10
one such stranger was an ordinary farmer
00:34:13
named Charlie best Charlie lived with
00:34:16
his wife Alma and three children
00:34:18
Zella Mae Carl and vermin in rolling
00:34:21
hills of eastern Tennessee they managed
00:34:25
to stave off the hardships of the
00:34:27
depression by growing watermelons and
00:34:29
tobacco
00:34:30
[Music]
00:34:33
as darkness fell on a warm spring
00:34:35
evening in 1939 an unknown traveler and
00:34:39
two young girls sought refuge at
00:34:40
Charlie's farmhouse Charlie's daughters
00:34:52
Ella Mae then a teenager remembers that
00:34:55
evening vividly actually I was trying to
00:34:58
find a place where the girls could pass
00:35:00
the night under a roof for a change
00:35:02
Hades come up the porch and asked daddy
00:35:05
if he would give the two little girls
00:35:08
the bed to sleep in and said he would
00:35:11
sleep in the barn and they don't know
00:35:14
that they could stay and he could stand
00:35:16
you know house - where's home I'll be
00:35:21
honest we tea we don't have one moving
00:35:22
on the move for so long when we come
00:35:24
down from Knoxville Tom under him was a
00:35:27
man who had fallen upon hard times his
00:35:31
daughter's Madol of nine and eight is
00:35:33
seven had travelled the backroads of
00:35:35
them for months as he searched in vain
00:35:36
for work their mother had died years
00:35:40
before
00:35:47
they spent the night I cook breakfast
00:35:50
for him and well up in the morning I
00:35:54
probably said Marie de pau he they have
00:35:57
to walk them with the little girl's game
00:36:07
Tom told Charlie that he was taking the
00:36:10
two girls to live with friends in
00:36:12
another part of Tennessee while he
00:36:13
continued his search for a job I wish
00:36:18
they could've stayed with us I'll be
00:36:20
alright thanks they left I said daddy
00:36:24
why didn't we just keep those full girls
00:36:26
I just didn't figure I would ever see
00:36:29
him anymore
00:36:30
[Music]
00:36:34
but a few days later Tom and the girls
00:36:36
passed through the area again by pure
00:36:39
coincidence
00:36:40
Salameh best happened upon well my
00:36:55
kinfolk couldn't take care of the girls
00:36:57
so you come stay with us
00:37:03
oh can we have please I don't know Ellie
00:37:06
I don't think that's a good idea why
00:37:08
don't you please come talk to him please
00:37:10
[Music]
00:37:13
I just sharted Tom would later agree to
00:37:18
leave the girls in Charlie's care until
00:37:20
he could get back on his feet again
00:37:22
times were hard and it was hard for us
00:37:26
to survive but he was willing to take
00:37:29
them and and give my home and give him
00:37:31
what we had to eat it might not been
00:37:33
everything but we never did go hungry
00:37:36
Madeline and ADA were immediately
00:37:38
accepted as part of the family
00:37:40
Charlie treated them as if they were his
00:37:43
own children
00:37:44
the two girls shared in everything was
00:37:47
Ella Mae Berlin and Carl
00:37:51
we went school together we went to
00:37:53
church together we worked in the field
00:37:55
they went the field with us and we had
00:37:58
mules and we had cows and we'd have
00:38:00
shucked corn feed them twice today full
00:38:03
of us the shuck often but don't often
00:38:06
feed them they've worked hard me in
00:38:09
Berlin did you know they'd ship corn
00:38:10
just like we did in his name they just
00:38:19
didn't seem like no strangers it's like
00:38:21
I'd always knew him I always wanted a
00:38:25
sister and I knew I never would have one
00:38:27
so that they took the place all the
00:38:30
system
00:38:34
Madeline became especially close to her
00:38:36
surrogate mother Charlie's wife Alma
00:38:39
Elvis suffered from a rare nerve
00:38:41
disorder which left her unable to care
00:38:43
for herself
00:38:47
[Music]
00:38:50
but I think daddy was as happy as the
00:38:53
girls was and I think the girls was
00:38:55
happiest anymore they would skip and har
00:38:59
if you know and he'd hold her hands
00:39:01
maybe they were just happy you know
00:39:05
there's never nothing said about you
00:39:07
know them being a stranger or anything
00:39:09
like that they just sort of like one of
00:39:11
us and we really enjoyed you know and
00:39:14
being with us Zella may remembers a time
00:39:19
underwood visited his girls at least
00:39:20
twice then after Madeline and ADA had
00:39:24
been with the best for 26 months Tom
00:39:27
returned to the farmhouse for the final
00:39:29
time yeah Zella may I come for the
00:39:35
children could you wait till that guitar
00:39:41
I really can't tell a man it's coming on
00:39:43
nightfall and need to be on the road for
00:39:45
dark if you'll just pack some things for
00:39:46
me and you'll never see the girls either
00:39:49
said that his health was bad and that he
00:39:53
had married and he warns the children to
00:39:57
be with the children the girls got
00:40:05
everything
00:40:06
okay
00:40:10
[Music]
00:40:14
let's go come on I think it it reason he
00:40:21
wouldn't wait till daddy come in he was
00:40:23
afraid that daddy would buck on him that
00:40:25
day might say hey you you're not going
00:40:26
to take the children told you pay me
00:40:28
some money now it's what I thought that
00:40:30
was that's true I don't know that's why
00:40:32
I felt dear mr. and mrs. best three
00:40:36
months later Charlie received a curious
00:40:38
letter from Madeline Anita where daddy
00:40:41
left us their father had placed them in
00:40:43
an orphanage in Nashville Charlie
00:40:47
immediately contacted the orphanage and
00:40:49
asked if he could adopt the girls but by
00:40:53
the time the letter arrived
00:40:55
Tom Underwood had once again retrieved
00:40:57
his children it was a last time the best
00:41:00
family heard from Madeline and ADA
00:41:03
[Music]
00:41:07
today more than 50 years later Charlie
00:41:10
and Salome still lived within 10 miles
00:41:13
of the Old Farmer's Zell ma is 66
00:41:18
Charlie is 91 years old
00:41:21
[Music]
00:41:30
well if daddy could see her again it
00:41:33
would make him make him cry and of
00:41:35
course I know he tell her he loved her
00:41:36
he calls him the little girls now he
00:41:38
don't comb he don't look at him as being
00:41:40
women he calls him two little girls the
00:41:43
other day he said have you heard any
00:41:45
more about the little girls and I said
00:41:48
no daddy but there are common they're up
00:41:51
common the night this story aired ADA
00:41:56
Underwood now 59 years old was watching
00:41:59
our broadcast at her home in Indiana ADA
00:42:02
was shocked to see herself and her older
00:42:04
sister Madeleine profiled sadly
00:42:07
Madeleine passed away several years ago
00:42:09
but for ADA Charlie and Zell amaze
00:42:12
stories their distant childhood memories
00:42:16
ten days after our broadcast ADA under
00:42:20
traveled Madisonville Tennessee for a
00:42:23
very special reunion charlie best and
00:42:25
his two children Salome and a car well I
00:42:31
was anxious to see her it was exciting
00:42:33
to know she was coming where you feel
00:42:37
like you say
00:42:39
[Music]
00:42:40
welcome idiot today I have been waiting
00:42:44
for her up ready for 51 years how was
00:42:51
your father well getting that Gotti old
00:42:55
I was very excited when I heard that
00:42:58
they were looking for me because
00:43:00
somebody cared enough about me to hunt
00:43:02
for me that long
00:43:06
although only eight years old when she
00:43:09
last saw Charlie payda never forgot the
00:43:12
warmth and kindness he and his family
00:43:14
brought into her life this year's ADA
00:43:19
that is you remember Charlie had to be
00:43:23
very good to him my sister and I for him
00:43:26
to take us in and take care of us when
00:43:27
we had a buddy else to take care of us
00:43:29
so I think he was had to be a really
00:43:32
great man you breathe thank you it nice
00:43:41
meant a lot to Daddy
00:43:42
and I feel this in his own mind dream
00:43:47
has come true
00:43:48
[Music]
00:44:00
sadly eight weeks after we filmed this
00:44:02
update charlie best passed away
00:44:05
according to his family the reunion with
00:44:07
Ada brought Charlie great comfort in his
00:44:10
final days join me next time for an all
00:44:22
new edition unsolved mystery
00:44:25
[Music]
00:45:05
you
00:45:06
[Music]

Badges

This episode stands out for the following:

  • 75
    Most heartbreaking
  • 70
    Most emotional
  • 70
    Most intense
  • 65
    Most shocking

Episode Highlights

  • The Mystery of Ellen McClung Berry
    Ellen McClung Berry's life is turned upside down by a mysterious stranger.
    “He just gooded her, took away her wealth and her pride.”
    @ 14m 15s
    May 22, 2019
  • A Miraculous Reunion
    John Ellis reunites with his father and son after decades of separation.
    “It's a miracle you're laughing and I saw my dad!”
    @ 22m 46s
    May 22, 2019
  • A Mother's Longing
    Jim Curry searches for his mother after 40 years apart, feeling a deep void.
    “I would like to hear her voice.”
    @ 24m 31s
    May 22, 2019
  • Donald Currie's Homecoming
    After a year of separation, Donald returns home but is forever changed by war.
    “The happiness of his homecoming was short-lived.”
    @ 27m 44s
    May 22, 2019
  • A Painful Divorce
    Donald sues Annie for divorce and custody of their children after discovering her affair.
    “He sued Annie for divorce and for custody of the boys.”
    @ 28m 47s
    May 22, 2019
  • A Heartfelt Reunion
    Ada reunites with Charlie Best, who cared for her as a child, after 51 years.
    “It was exciting to know she was coming.”
    @ 42m 33s
    May 22, 2019

Episode Quotes

  • I would like to reunite and see them again.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 4, Episode 12 - Full Episode
  • It's a miracle you're laughing and I saw my dad!
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 4, Episode 12 - Full Episode
  • She’s a big question mark and I would like to hear her voice.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 4, Episode 12 - Full Episode
  • You'll never know how much it can change you.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 4, Episode 12 - Full Episode
  • I remember feeling sad and confused.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 4, Episode 12 - Full Episode
  • Somebody cared enough about me to hunt for me that long.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 4, Episode 12 - Full Episode

Key Moments

  • Unsolved Mysteries00:03
  • Murder Spree02:44
  • Desperate Criminals06:44
  • Gothic Betrayal07:47
  • Miraculous Reunion22:46
  • Family Separation24:17
  • Homecoming27:11
  • Reunion42:20

Words per Minute Over Time

Vibes Breakdown

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