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Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 11, Episode 9 - Full Episode

May 23, 2019 / 46:01

This episode of Unsolved Mysteries covers the 1975 Crocker National Bank heist by the Symbionese Liberation Army, the mysterious disappearances of Mike and Laura Tellus, and the haunting experiences at the Myrtles Plantation.

The episode begins with the infamous bank robbery in Carmichael, California, where Myrna Opsahl was murdered. The SLA members involved included Patty Hearst, who was kidnapped and later participated in the robbery. The episode discusses the aftermath of the crime and the long pursuit of Jim Kilgore, who remains at large.

Next, the focus shifts to the case of Mike and Laura Tellus, who disappeared under suspicious circumstances after Mike left for a supposed trip. Investigators later discovered Mike's body hidden in a shed, leading to the belief that Laura may have been involved in his murder.

The episode also highlights the Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana, known for its ghost sightings. Guests recount eerie experiences, including encounters with the spirits of those who died violently on the property.

Lastly, the episode features Pam Curran, whose son Damien was murdered in a gang shooting. Pam's journey to combat gang violence in her community is documented, showcasing her efforts to raise awareness and prevent further tragedies.

TL;DR

This episode covers a bank heist murder, mysterious disappearances, haunted plantation stories, and a mother's fight against gang violence.

Episode

46:01
00:00:05
tonight on unsolved mysteries in 1975 a
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notorious bandit radical is known as the
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SLA allegedly gunned down an innocent
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woman during a bank heist
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finally some 27 years later but being
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brought to trial on murder China all
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except this man incredibly Jim Kilgore
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is still on the loose
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Mike two lusty and Laura law were
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together 11 years then according to
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Laura Mike abruptly packed his bags and
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left but after police questioned her
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about Mike's whereabouts Laura also
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vanished but investigators found on the
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property would shock everyone the
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beautiful restored southern mansion is
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now a bed-and-breakfast but many guests
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report experiences that can only be
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described as supernatural at least eight
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ghosts are said to haunt the property
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spirits of adults and children who died
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of foul play
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AM current his son was viciously
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murdered by a street gang despite her
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tragic loss
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Pam refuses to be overwhelmed by grief
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she is pursuing the killers and fighting
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to rid her neighborhood of gangs once
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and for all
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perhaps someone watching holds a key
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that will unlock the secrets of a
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mystery perhaps as you
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join me run solve mysteries
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[Applause]
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[Music]
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April 21st 1975 on the cool spring
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morning three volunteers from a local
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church in Carmichael California a suburb
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of Sacramento entered the crocker
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National Bank the women had come to
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deposit the collection from weekend
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services when suddenly they were
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surrounded authorities contend the four
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armed robbers were members of the
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notorious Symbionese Liberation Army or
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SLA a ragtag group of power-hungry
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radicals who advocated the violent
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overthrow of the US government
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the shotgun Tooting bank robber was
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especially menacing her manner as
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chilling as her words just 10 feet away
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42 year old Myrna Opsahl froze then the
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unimaginable happened she was gunned
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down in cold blood
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my mother evidently didn't move fast
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enough the bank employees pleaded with
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the robbers to come to her assistance
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and they shouted more obscenities and
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threatened more injury and wouldn't let
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anyone come to her assistance the bank
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robbers appeared to be following a
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script every word and movement precise
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it was very well coordinated
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everybody had a role and at all times
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they were very conscious of the time
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ticking at some point some of the the
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tellers were grabbed one woman was
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kicked so all of them actually had
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weapons and it was very very violent and
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all the timer knob saw was not dead yet
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she laid on the ground and she literally
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bled to death on the ground all the bank
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robbers ran out of the bank to a car
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that was waiting for them the driver of
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the getaway car was 20-year old
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newspaper heiress Patty Hearst she had
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been kidnapped by the Symbionese
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Liberation Army some 14 months earlier
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however within weeks of her abduction
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Hearst assumed the name Tanya and
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declared herself a revolutionary the SLA
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had a marquee name but the search for
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Patty Hearst also unleashed the biggest
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FBI manhunt sis John Dillinger a massive
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effort paid off in September 1975 the
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SLA 22 month reign of terror came to an
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end with several arrests including Patty
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Hearst however the story was far from
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over
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eyewitnesses to the crocker bank heist
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and the murder of Myrna opsahl could not
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positively identify the assailants 24
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long years have passed before a stunning
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twist in the case led to murder
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indictments all of the suspects involved
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in the crime have been arrested and are
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awaiting trial
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except one the FBI needs your help to
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bring him in his name Jim Kilgore Jim
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Kilgore's Odyssey began nearly a year
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before the shooting at Crocker National
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Bank in the spring of 1974 to San
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Francisco drive-in theater Kilgore's
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girlfriend Cathy Solia introduced him to
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SLA kingpins bill and Emily Harris
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that's my boyfriend
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Jim Kilgore and he's a great guy Kilgore
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agreed to join the group smart in tough
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he was a prize catch he was born in
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Portland Oregon he was vice president of
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the senior class he participated in
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varsity golf he was on the high school
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basketball team he was very athletic he
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attended the University of California
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Santa Barbara graduating in 1969 during
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that time period he became acquainted
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with Kathy so Lina
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[Music]
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so Lia and Jim Kilgore were welcomed
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into the group small inner circle
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Herr Kilgore reportedly proved
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especially adept at creating false IDs
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with the SLA on everyone's most-wanted
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list he was kept plenty busy
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we know that members of this group would
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steal credit cards and driver's licenses
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for example at local gymnasiums and
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other health clubs we know that they
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engaged in in special missions to steal
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existing identification in the fall of
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1974 the SLA convened at a safe house on
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a quiet neighborhood of Sacramento and
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we come up with a new structure for this
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group with a small but faithful army
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gathered around him Bill Harris
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allegedly laid out his plan to escalate
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the SLA violent revolution against the
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US government I need money but anarchy
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came with a price and robbing banks
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offered the quick cash needed to further
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the group's agenda
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[Music]
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according to police and late February
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1975 SLA members held up the guild
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Savings and Loan in Sacramento allegedly
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the point man in the heist was Jim
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Kilgore he was a central member of the
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group he was not peripheral he was
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actively involved in the violence he
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embraced it yeah that bank robbery was
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was a violent act he was right there
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inside the bank two months later on
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April 21st 1975 Emily Harris Michael
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Borton Kathy solía and Jim Kilgore
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reportedly executed the daring holed up
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at Crocker National Bank killing
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customer Myrna opsahl a mother of four
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allegedly Emily Harris fired the fatal
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blast they all stormed the bank knowing
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someone could get hurt what was their
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back-up plan at that point they all
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chose to let my mother lie on the floor
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and bleed to death and didn't let people
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come to her assistance
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the robbers netted more than $15,000
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according to police bill Harris was a
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mastermind behind the heist the SLA
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changed modes essentially after killing
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were tops all and taking the money that
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they got from robbing the bank and
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killing her they now were looking to
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place bombs in locations that were
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targeted to kill people they seemed to
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be more hungry to take other human lives
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and that's what they set out to do by
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the summer of 1975 investigators say the
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operation has shifted to San Francisco
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aracely members worked odd jobs painting
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houses in their spare time
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the allegedly planted pipe bombs then in
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late August kathy Solia bill Harris and
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Jim Kilgore made the 375 mile trek south
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to Los Angeles reportedly to create more
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carnage authorities believe they were
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hauling an arsenal of deadly explosives
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in the back of the car
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most of them were pipe bombs using
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either 2 inch or three inch pipe which
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is big the pipe bombs used in Los
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Angeles were three inch pipe and those
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are very substantial bonds they filled
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those pipe bombs with concrete nails and
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with gunpowder
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fun in Los Angeles
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Jim Kilgore and the other SLA members
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allegedly planted a pipe bomb beneath an
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LAPD patrol car but the triggering
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mechanism malfunctioned and the officer
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narrowly escaped serious injury or death
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authorities say it was not an isolated
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incident a call then went out to all the
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other police cars in the county check
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under your vehicles and sure enough an
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officer with Hollenbeck division went
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out and checked underneath all the
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vehicles and found an identical device
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under one of the cars there
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over the next few days Paris solely and
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Kilgore returned to San Francisco to
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rejoin their comrades but the heat was
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on
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FBI agents acting on a tip finally got a
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break the owner of several apartment
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buildings recognized some house painters
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he had recently hired as SLA members
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within hours Jim Kilgore and the others
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are under surveillance
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the next morning September 18 1975
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agents followed one of the suspects to a
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safe house on procedure Avenue so they
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started to watch proceeded address and
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from watching the procedure address they
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see Bill Harris and Emily Harris coming
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out of the house
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[Music]
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when the Harris has returned from
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jogging they were confronted by FBI
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agents correa guns and handcuffs about
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an hour after that having identified a
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second safe house in San Francisco
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agents and members of the San Francisco
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Police Department raided a second
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location in San Francisco and during
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that raid they apprehended Patty Hearst
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592 days after being abducted at
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gunpoint Patty Hearst days on the lam
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ended the high-profile arrests of Hearst
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and Bill and Emily Harris instantly hit
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radio and television broadcast
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nationwide meanwhile the dragnet closed
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in on Kathy Solia and Jim Kilgore who
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authorities now believe were painting a
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home in nearby Pacifica they raided that
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house later that afternoon
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and when they showed up the house all
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the remnants of the painting the buckets
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of paint in the paintbrushes were just
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left drying in the room and radio was on
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with a all-new station
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Kathy so Leigh and Jim Kilgore had
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simply vanished on agents search
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Kilgore's apartment that afternoon they
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found boxes of bomb-making materials the
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evidence FBI lab technicians later
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determined positively linked Kilgore to
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the SLA crime spree at that location
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they found a fully manufactured bomb
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similar to the bombs that were placed
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under the police cars in Los Angeles and
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also up in San Francisco when they
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inspected that bomb
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they found his fingerprint it was a very
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good break for law enforcement because
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it allowed us to charged James Kilgore
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with with a serious offense still no
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charges had been filed in the murder of
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Myrna opsahl however some twenty four
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years later in June 1999 Kathy solía was
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arrested in upscale Minnesota suburb
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where she had been living as a homemaker
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and community activists under the alias
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Sarah Jane Olsen Olsen was brought to
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Los Angeles to stand trial for planting
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explosives under a police car 1975 her
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testimony and new advances in forensic
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science led Sacramento District Attorney
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Jan Scully to re-examine the opsahl
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murder case the state of the evidence
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today has convinced me now is the time
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to seek justice from her absol still
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miss my mother intensely and she's
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missing out on the best years of her
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life and her grandkids and all but this
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isn't about revenge or paybacks it's
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just a matter of justice that they chose
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to do this and
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they need to be held accountable SLA
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members bill Harris
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Emily Harris Michael Burton Cathy so Lia
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and Jim Kilgore have all been indicted
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in the case under the felony murder rule
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they're all potentially responsible for
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the death of Myrna Opsahl Patty Hearst
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who'd been granted immunity in exchange
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for her testimony about the shooting is
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expected to be the prosecution's star
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witness no date has been set for the
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trial now the only missing suspect is
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Jim Kilgore he's still on the loose the
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heat has definitely been turned up more
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and more throughout the course of the
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last two and a half years for mr.
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Kilgore so I'm sure he's probably
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looking over his shoulder a little bit
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more every day
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this is a picture of Jim Kilgore in 1975
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at age 27
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Kilgore is now in his mid-50s
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authorities believe he has used as many
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as 13 different aliases and he may have
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altered his appearance
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[Music]
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Laurel and her boyfriend of 11 years
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Mike tell us t enjoyed entertaining in
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their art Dale Wisconsin home the nice P
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Coney and her husband were often guests
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nice was Mike's cousin and Laura's best
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friend Laura was just a wonderful person
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she had wonderful family dinners and she
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was good to Mike I saw Mike very happy I
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never saw them argue or fight and there
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were a lot of fun to be with however one
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night in March 2001 Mike + T was ready
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to argue that when he trapped Laura down
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at a nearby casino where she'd gone to
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gamble with Denise and her mother I
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gotta go
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what's wrong Mike showed up he's in the
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truck he's so upset he wants me to go
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Lauren goodnight
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she was just trembling she was shaking
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and I said well what's wrong and she
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said I don't know he's depressed
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something's wrong with him we gotta go
00:16:43
you guys stay and have a good time you
00:16:45
call me yeah tomorrow I'll call you
00:16:48
tomorrow and I said you know my
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something's just not right here because
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he doesn't get me and he doesn't have a
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temper he boy he has a temper but he
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usually says what he needs to say and
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it's over after that night Mike tell us
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T would never be seen again according to
00:17:08
friends and family Mike's behavior in
00:17:11
the casino may indeed have been out of
00:17:12
character but for him to completely
00:17:14
avoid contact with them was
00:17:16
incomprehensible strangely however one
00:17:19
person who claimed a know where Mike
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went his longtime girlfriend Laura
00:17:23
lobbed ultimately she too would
00:17:26
disappear when they returned from the
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casino Laura said Mike pack some clothes
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and 73 thousand dollars in cash which
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she said came from the graphics business
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they owned he then set out on foot from
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their rural hole in the middle
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the night I said that's so strange he
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left on foot and she said yeah nice and
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Lauren why would he leave off his
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vehicles he said this doesn't make any
00:17:52
sense and she said well I think he had a
00:17:55
trucker pick him up he's my cousin he's
00:17:58
like the sweetest guy in the world why
00:17:59
would he just disappear that's what I
00:18:01
want to know I thought she was lying but
00:18:05
I thought she was trying to cover her
00:18:06
embarrassment maybe he said I'm leaving
00:18:08
you for another woman well we had that
00:18:10
big fight the first night like that I
00:18:12
need to give her the benefit of the
00:18:14
doubt
00:18:15
because we truly loved her as a family
00:18:18
member also I didn't wanted to actually
00:18:21
take sides with either one of them and
00:18:24
then two weeks after Mike disappeared
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she called me and she was well he just
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called and he's out west and I said well
00:18:33
when's he coming home and she goes why I
00:18:35
asked him are you ready to come home yet
00:18:36
and he said no four months passed and
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there was still no sign of Mike to Asti
00:18:43
but because Mike and Laura ran their own
00:18:46
business few knew Mike was gone by
00:18:51
mid-summer though Denise insisted Laura
00:18:53
talked to Mike's family they had still
00:18:55
not been told about his strange
00:18:57
disappearance I'm gonna tell him that
00:19:00
he's on an extended fishing trip and
00:19:02
Winnipeg
00:19:04
what they said this is going on
00:19:08
too long if this was my son I'd be
00:19:09
furious if somebody didn't tell me that
00:19:11
he's been missing I don't want to worry
00:19:12
that I don't care you've got to tell
00:19:14
them all right oh all right okay I've
00:19:19
found the truth to Denise's shock Laura
00:19:24
lied to Mike's mother anyway and told
00:19:26
her that Mike had gone to Canada it was
00:19:29
so bizarre that scared me
00:19:32
it scared me that she would be so
00:19:34
underhanded to platt and say this is
00:19:39
what we're gonna say whether suspicions
00:19:43
now aroused
00:19:44
Denise recalled other instances of
00:19:46
Laura's increasingly bizarre behavior
00:19:48
hello hi this is nice oh hi Denise I'm
00:19:53
gonna come today and get my snowmobiles
00:19:55
okay well sure but I don't have the keys
00:20:00
Denise's snowmobiles were stored in a
00:20:03
shed in Mike and Laura's backyard and
00:20:05
Laura seemed determined to prevent
00:20:07
anyone from entering the padlocked shed
00:20:09
I don't know what's going on with you
00:20:11
but the past three weeks
00:20:13
every time I call about the snowmobiles
00:20:14
I say Laura if you don't hand the
00:20:18
snowmobiles I that should I'm coming
00:20:20
with a locksmith and I'll replace the
00:20:22
wax and pay for it and give you a new
00:20:24
keys and new locks I said but I need my
00:20:26
snowmobiles I don't know what you're
00:20:29
making such a big deal about this for
00:20:31
because you put me through the wringer
00:20:32
trying to get these snowmobiles I'm
00:20:33
telling you something if that [ __ ] isn't
00:20:35
open I'm gonna break it open Denise
00:20:37
Laura had removed the snowmobiles by
00:20:39
herself but she was still preventing
00:20:42
anyone else from entering the shed the
00:20:44
thought now crossed Denise's mind could
00:20:47
something to do with Mike's
00:20:48
disappearance be hidden in the shed it
00:20:51
was the straw that broke the camel's
00:20:53
back
00:20:53
I called Mike's brother and I said mark
00:20:57
we have to talk I said something's wrong
00:21:00
something's terrible wrong
00:21:03
four months after Mike tell us he
00:21:05
disappeared mark tell us T filed a
00:21:07
missing-persons report with the local
00:21:09
authorities because of the way the
00:21:12
stories weren't jiving and things didn't
00:21:14
add up and no one's heard from I didn't
00:21:17
hesitate at all and he left everything
00:21:21
and that also made me very suspicious
00:21:24
that something happened to him
00:21:26
the case was ultimately assigned to
00:21:29
investigator Gary silca Laura seemed to
00:21:33
be very cooperative the day that we were
00:21:35
there she also invited me to look around
00:21:38
on the property if I desired what do you
00:21:40
normally keep in the shed Oh Laura threw
00:21:44
a roadblock in front of me when I asked
00:21:46
to go into that building can we take a
00:21:48
look
00:21:49
well actually I cleared all of that
00:21:52
stuff out a couple months ago so that I
00:21:53
could rent it do you have a key
00:21:56
oh no the man I rented it to has the key
00:21:59
you don't have a spare oh no but I
00:22:01
couldn't let you in there anyway what's
00:22:03
his name George George
00:22:07
Giuliani Laura agreed to make
00:22:09
arrangements for mr. Giuliani to drive
00:22:12
up to the arc tale property and then
00:22:13
meet law enforcement so we could
00:22:15
couldn't it'll continue the search
00:22:16
inside the shed authorities now believe
00:22:20
that within hours of being questioned by
00:22:22
investigators
00:22:23
Laura law hastily fled her home her
00:22:26
whereabouts are still not known
00:22:31
it would take several more months of
00:22:33
investigation before Gary silca was
00:22:35
granted a search warrant for the
00:22:36
property January 22nd 2002 investigators
00:22:41
finally entered the mystery shed in the
00:22:45
minute that we stepped inside I could
00:22:47
smell the strong punch and order of what
00:22:49
I believed to be that of a decomposing
00:22:51
human body in the near empty shed under
00:22:56
several pieces of wood and covered in a
00:22:58
blanket and plastic wrapping police
00:23:00
found the decomposed body of Mike tell
00:23:03
us team he had been dead between nine
00:23:06
and ten months the autopsy showed cause
00:23:10
of death was attributed to a single
00:23:14
gunshot wound to the back of the
00:23:15
victim's head several years before the
00:23:20
incident
00:23:20
Laura law had purchased a 9-millimeter
00:23:23
handgun we believe that that is the
00:23:26
weapon that was used in the homicide of
00:23:30
Michael two lusty despite the evidence
00:23:33
those who knew them were stunned to
00:23:36
conclude Laura had murdered Mike I was
00:23:39
with her for 11 years and I thought she
00:23:41
was a wonderful person did I know her at
00:23:44
all it's Laura the one that we had so
00:23:47
much fun with and did things with Aunt
00:23:49
Laura or is this more of the one I did
00:23:51
shot him who is Laura it's unbelievable
00:23:56
what happened it's bottom line what
00:24:00
happened I'm almost sure that she had a
00:24:03
has a gambling problem and I think
00:24:07
that's probably what triggered all this
00:24:12
Michael may have told her that enough
00:24:14
was enough and that she needed to
00:24:17
consider leaving and Laura you didn't
00:24:20
want to leave that relationship and
00:24:21
didn't want to leave the life as she
00:24:23
knew it
00:24:25
[Music]
00:24:33
[Music]
00:24:39
[Music]
00:24:51
a summer lightning storm thunders over
00:24:54
st. Francisville Louisiana illuminating
00:24:57
the myrtles plantation the myrtles is an
00:25:00
infamous 200 year old antebellum mansion
00:25:03
converted to a bed-and-breakfast decades
00:25:06
ago it claims to be one of America's
00:25:08
most haunted houses shooting poisoning
00:25:23
lynching are just a few of the deadly
00:25:26
means by which the ghosts of the myrtles
00:25:28
met their mortal demise at least eight
00:25:31
people died violent deaths here and
00:25:34
legend has it their spirits remain on
00:25:36
the premises appearing regularly to
00:25:39
guess and staff alike I've had enough
00:25:43
happen to let me know that other people
00:25:45
live here that we can't always see
00:25:49
perhaps the myrtles plantation was
00:25:51
destined to be haunted legend has it
00:25:54
that a 1796 the original owner General
00:25:57
David Bradford built the house directly
00:25:59
on top of an ancient Indian burial
00:26:01
ground
00:26:02
since that time literally hundreds of
00:26:04
sightings of the unexplained have
00:26:06
occurred could spare us be haunting the
00:26:08
plantation thousands believe they are
00:26:16
this mysterious mansion is said to be a
00:26:19
window into the supernatural guests here
00:26:22
are well aware of the possibility of
00:26:24
having a ghostly encounter I guess I
00:26:27
have to say I really didn't believe that
00:26:29
there were actually ghosts or spirits
00:26:32
there that it was just folklore and
00:26:35
legend and it wasn't until I was already
00:26:37
in that things began to happen that
00:26:40
convinced me that yes they are here but
00:26:43
by then it was too late financially I
00:26:45
couldn't afford to be scared when Amy
00:26:51
Campbell and her friend Michelle came to
00:26:53
stay at the B&B last October 30th they
00:26:56
were well informed of its ghostly past
00:26:58
we were very hesitant if we were gonna
00:27:02
stay all night
00:27:02
because we had heard that the place was
00:27:04
haunted we had heard that there were
00:27:06
ghosts that visit people at night that
00:27:08
tuck you in fix your clothes we weren't
00:27:12
sure we wanted to experience any of that
00:27:13
I obviously was sleeping for a little
00:27:18
while and I woke up feeling bouncing on
00:27:22
the end of my bed and I saw a little
00:27:25
girl jumping on the end of my bed and I
00:27:27
thought surely I'm dreaming and I stuck
00:27:28
my head back under the covers
00:27:30
it kept bouncing and bouncing and
00:27:31
bouncing it felt like forever and all of
00:27:34
a sudden it stopped and I looked back up
00:27:36
at the little girl that was jumping on
00:27:37
the bed was gone
00:27:40
[Music]
00:27:42
the child ghosts is thought to be
00:27:44
Cornelia Woodruff one of four people who
00:27:47
died in a tragic set of events 175 years
00:27:50
ago Cornelia was a daughter of judge
00:27:54
Woodruff whose family lived at the
00:27:55
myrtles in the early 1800s on the
00:27:58
Woodruff's house slave Chloe was caught
00:28:00
eavesdropping on the judge he was
00:28:02
compelled to punish her this is the
00:28:05
third time the judge at Khloe's ear cut
00:28:16
off fearful of also being sent to the
00:28:20
fields to do hard labor Chloe made a
00:28:22
plan she decided to grind poisonous
00:28:26
oleander leaves into a birthday cake
00:28:28
hoping to make the family ill then she
00:28:31
would endear herself by nursing them
00:28:33
back to health
00:28:36
she may have thought she was boiling
00:28:38
just enough only ender to make the
00:28:40
family sick already knowing what was
00:28:42
wrong she would take care of them be the
00:28:45
hero and be left in the household to
00:28:47
take care of him but Chloe scheme
00:28:50
backfired young Cornelia her mother and
00:28:54
sister all died from the poison
00:28:57
a lot of guests want to know what
00:28:59
happened to Chloe after the poisoning
00:29:01
it's believed that she was killed by a
00:29:04
mixed mob black and whites were probably
00:29:06
together of course the other slaves were
00:29:08
probably afraid of what was going to
00:29:10
happen to them she was supposedly beaten
00:29:13
hung and then thrown into the river it
00:29:18
is said that Cornelia along with her
00:29:20
mother and sister have joined Chloe in
00:29:22
eternally haunting the house I think
00:29:30
I've been frightened more in the day
00:29:32
than at night
00:29:34
Arland Dee's owned and restored myrtles
00:29:37
plantation over 30 years ago he
00:29:40
remembers his first ethereal encounter
00:29:42
very well it was 1970 and he was mowing
00:29:45
the North Lawn first of all I never
00:29:48
thought that I would see any type of
00:29:51
ghost it was in the afternoon
00:29:53
approximately four or five o'clock and
00:29:56
as I was mowing I simply looked up and
00:30:02
there was this vision and then with a
00:30:06
blink of an eye it was gone
00:30:09
well needless to say there's a chill
00:30:13
factor that comes over one when when
00:30:15
that occurs the vision Arlen's saw is
00:30:20
said to be the ghost of the elderly
00:30:22
caretaker who was robbed and killed on
00:30:24
the estate in 1927
00:30:31
three years ago mark and Holly Peretti
00:30:33
spent a frightening night at the myrtles
00:30:35
back then Mark had been reluctant to
00:30:38
visit but knew his wife would be
00:30:40
intrigued by the hotel's history it's
00:30:43
known as one of the most haunted
00:30:44
plantations in America and I wasn't
00:30:47
looking forward to finding out why a
00:30:53
Hester the tour guy came out and she
00:30:55
says you know welcome to the myrtles it
00:31:05
was scary the thought of being in this
00:31:07
haunted house by ourselves no one else
00:31:10
in here was was very scary more probably
00:31:13
tomorrow than me but I was scared too
00:31:16
perhaps the Peretti's had reason to be
00:31:18
nervous a former myrtles owner is said
00:31:21
to haunt that very staircase mark and
00:31:24
Holly's room was just beyond that same
00:31:26
flight of stairs my mind had gotten to
00:31:31
me a little bit because I wouldn't let
00:31:33
her turn the lights off so we're laying
00:31:35
in bed and she's sort of having a
00:31:37
nervous tic Chad and what I heard was a
00:31:40
very deep sounding bang as soon as I
00:31:47
heard that noise you know the adrenaline
00:31:49
rush how you stay here oh come on oh if
00:31:57
I had to venture a guess it sounded like
00:32:00
footsteps the reason for the murder of
00:32:03
the prominent homeowner remains a
00:32:05
mystery
00:32:08
why young wintered it was late one night
00:32:12
in 1871 on a mysterious Horseman
00:32:15
appeared on the myrtles front lawn
00:32:30
whoever was there shot him in the chest
00:32:34
he made it back through the double doors
00:32:36
trying to reach his wife Sarah she was
00:32:39
upstairs he only made it to the 17th
00:32:47
step he died there in her arms I wish
00:32:58
someone would be able to explain it
00:33:00
other than the story that I heard but I
00:33:03
can't tell you for sure what it was all
00:33:06
I know was that it was enough for me you
00:33:09
know it was enough for me to make me
00:33:11
want to leave in a way I think we were
00:33:13
both hoping it might have been our
00:33:14
imagination but it definitely wasn't
00:33:18
[Music]
00:33:21
for all who ventured a Myrtle's
00:33:24
plantation for a glimpse of the
00:33:25
hereafter perhaps they should take
00:33:28
advice from those who have actually
00:33:29
braved the halls of this haunted house
00:33:32
there are certain times that I'm
00:33:35
uncomfortable here certain times that
00:33:37
you could say I get the creeps I can't
00:33:41
explain it it's no certain hour it's
00:33:44
just times you can walk in and as I said
00:33:47
before you can feel a sadness or you can
00:33:49
walk in and you hear especially up
00:33:52
stairs footsteps you know you hear them
00:33:54
someone is right behind you you can stop
00:33:56
the footstep stop once you have the
00:34:00
encounter and you feel the sensation you
00:34:04
will know that their intention is not to
00:34:08
harm you they are truly here to protect
00:34:12
you they protect this home this is their
00:34:15
station this is their life this is where
00:34:18
they live if a myrtles plantation truly
00:34:24
haunted we can't say for sure but our
00:34:26
production crew certainly had more than
00:34:28
their share of unexplained technical
00:34:30
difficulties electrical equipment
00:34:32
including cameras cellphones and
00:34:34
walkie-talkies constantly malfunction
00:34:36
well these just mysterious mishaps were
00:34:39
ghostly intervention
00:34:41
[Music]
00:34:46
a tetanus shots those are what hurt for
00:34:52
Pam karate it was just another day of
00:34:55
running errands in her quiet
00:34:56
working-class neighborhood of Freeport
00:34:58
New York as Pam was driving her teenage
00:35:03
son to the doctor she saw what appeared
00:35:05
to be a terrible car accident
00:35:11
I said to myself look over there and see
00:35:13
what's going on so he just looked over
00:35:15
and said I don't see anything you can't
00:35:17
see anything there's just ambulances all
00:35:18
over so I passed it I took him to the
00:35:21
doctor's office we came back home it was
00:35:26
then that Pam received an unusual phone
00:35:28
call about her eldest son 21 year old
00:35:31
Damien currenty and I got a phone call
00:35:37
from one of his friends asking me is
00:35:39
Damien there I said no he's not he was
00:35:42
gonna go out to see his friends aren't
00:35:44
you with him no okay nevermind and they
00:35:48
hung up hello and that was just the
00:35:51
whole thing was odd after paging Damien
00:35:53
to no avail and with the accident still
00:35:55
fresh in her mind
00:35:56
Pam decided to check local hospitals I
00:35:59
called himself Nassau hospital and said
00:36:03
to have a Jamie in current-day there yes
00:36:05
who is this I said this is his mom she I
00:36:08
said is he there is he okay why didn't
00:36:11
anybody call me why aren't you why
00:36:13
aren't I been informed you die what's
00:36:15
going on just tell me what's going on
00:36:16
and she said didn't the detective come
00:36:19
to your house yet within minutes Pam was
00:36:23
at the hospital her son Damien had been
00:36:25
involved in the incident she saw earlier
00:36:27
but it was no traffic accident my son
00:36:33
was there on the bed and he was in a
00:36:36
hospital cam and he looked like a
00:36:40
complete angel and I went to hug him and
00:36:46
there was blood on my hand
00:36:51
when they told me he was shot five times
00:36:53
in the head it was I couldn't comprehend
00:36:57
it everything went crazy at that point
00:37:04
there are a saw my wife crying on the
00:37:08
other side of the door with there wasn't
00:37:09
a nurse then I said to her I was sorry
00:37:13
he's dead just like that
00:37:18
[Music]
00:37:20
something died in me that day too
00:37:26
Pam karate and her husband Damiano soon
00:37:29
learned that their son had died in a
00:37:31
gang shooting
00:37:32
now the grieving parents had to deal
00:37:34
with insinuations that Damien was
00:37:36
himself a gang member and it somehow
00:37:38
played a role in his own murder
00:37:39
but the Pam karate that just didn't make
00:37:42
any sense Damien was a pre-med student
00:37:48
at Stony Brook University and he had an
00:37:52
ambition and that was to go to college
00:37:55
and get his degree and become an
00:37:56
anesthesiologist my son had absolutely
00:38:00
no gang affiliation that was proven over
00:38:04
and over it was written in every
00:38:07
newspaper he was absolutely not a part
00:38:10
of a gang and had no gang affiliation
00:38:12
yeah that's like why don't you go ahead
00:38:14
and fax well I'm taking off could you
00:38:16
hold on was it honey could you do
00:38:18
something for me can you run this by the
00:38:20
bank okay okay what time you do back
00:38:22
before dinner there's a six eight all
00:38:24
right okay thanks honey I appreciate it
00:38:25
okay in the weeks leading up to his
00:38:27
death Damien had returned home for
00:38:29
winter break and had rekindled
00:38:31
friendships he formed in high school one
00:38:35
of those friends was a man by the name
00:38:38
of Harold Sam Brannan Harold was a 19
00:38:44
year old member of a local gang called
00:38:48
Mientus
00:38:50
can you go by the school or biovolt
00:38:52
romantic stuff I was just looking for
00:38:54
these punks these puns why what's up
00:38:58
peril tones maybe in the two days
00:38:59
earlier he was jumped by members of
00:39:01
ms-13 a violent El Salvadorian street
00:39:05
gang originally from Los Angeles they
00:39:08
jumped you man look at that they cracked
00:39:09
me over the head with a bottle
00:39:11
no Harold asked Damien for help David
00:39:17
had the biggest heart in the world that
00:39:19
was part of his projects anybody asked
00:39:22
him for anything he would do it and he
00:39:24
would be there even if he had his own
00:39:26
plans that's not right I know yo that's
00:39:29
why you got my back son yeah yeah I got
00:39:33
your back
00:39:35
Damien currently on the day that he died
00:39:38
I'm sure had no idea as to what he was
00:39:40
getting involved in Harold Zambrano
00:39:43
being a gang member probably never
00:39:45
publicized that fact to Damien
00:39:48
but a local strip mall Harold found what
00:39:51
he was looking for that's one of them
00:39:53
that's one of them right there stop the
00:39:55
car stop the car 19 year old Herman Daly
00:39:58
own Herman Daly own is a known ms-13
00:40:01
member and was wearing the colors so
00:40:04
there was no question in their mind that
00:40:05
they had found somebody
00:40:08
no please now son they approached her on
00:40:11
de Lyonne so did you do this like they
00:40:15
confronted him with the injury to
00:40:17
Harold's umbrella he was there at the
00:40:23
Wonder Man with his girlfriend de Lyonne
00:40:25
admitted that he was named as their team
00:40:27
member in tall men he had nothing to do
00:40:29
with that particular incident ambriano
00:40:34
when those guys indicated that they
00:40:36
respected the fact that he was with his
00:40:37
girlfriend and it wouldn't cause him any
00:40:39
trouble
00:40:40
while he was with his girlfriend Damien
00:40:43
Harold and the others returned to their
00:40:44
car and the incident would have ended
00:40:47
right there if it weren't for a tragic
00:40:49
coincidence two more members of the
00:40:53
ms-13 stumbled out of the scene the
00:40:58
confrontation then exploded into
00:41:00
violence
00:41:02
Harold Zambrano was shot in the neck and
00:41:05
critically injured Damien corrente was
00:41:09
fatally shot five times in the head a
00:41:12
police investigation quickly revealed
00:41:15
the identity of the alleged shooters
00:41:18
herman de Lyonne mario Portillo
00:41:22
and one heel ferro Fino but the suspects
00:41:26
could not be found the whole family was
00:41:30
absolutely devastated and detectives
00:41:33
started coming to my house and police
00:41:35
started coming to my house and all my
00:41:36
children's friends started coming to my
00:41:38
house and they would sit the kids down
00:41:40
and say to them tell me about gangs and
00:41:42
the kids started telling about gangs and
00:41:45
I was shocked I said why didn't you tell
00:41:48
me about gangs
00:41:50
Oh then I began driving around to look
00:41:52
for myself and I saw exactly what they
00:41:55
said I went up to the junior high school
00:41:57
and the high school and I saw them and
00:41:59
you can tell by their colors and you can
00:42:00
tell where they'd get bandanas I was
00:42:04
totally unaware totally unaware and I
00:42:08
saw kids hanging out and different it
00:42:10
never occurred to me I just thought it
00:42:12
was just groups and groups these groups
00:42:14
are extremely violent males between the
00:42:17
ages of 18 and 25 sometimes younger
00:42:19
later that week pam attended a police
00:42:22
forum on gangs held in reaction to her
00:42:24
son's murder when someone asked a
00:42:27
question point-blank
00:42:29
are there gangs here in Freeport the
00:42:32
answer was I would have to say at this
00:42:34
moment not really and that's when I went
00:42:36
berserk how dare you tell these people
00:42:39
there's no gang activity here my son did
00:42:41
I stood up in front of everyone and I
00:42:44
started screaming how do you even say
00:42:46
that when my son was murdered on your
00:42:48
doorstep I think my gang saying you're
00:42:51
gonna tell them there's no gangs in
00:42:52
Freeport there's graffiti all over the
00:42:54
town all the repetitive patterns we've
00:42:56
been seeing it was at that moment of Pam
00:42:58
corriente had an epiphany she would lead
00:43:01
the charge to rid her neighborhood of
00:43:03
gangs perhaps you would like to join me
00:43:06
for a closed meeting with the mayor
00:43:07
tomorrow night on this very topic I
00:43:09
would love to yes thank you I had no
00:43:14
choice all I had to fight it was either
00:43:16
that or go to rage and the anger and the
00:43:19
hate so I can't do that but I can fight
00:43:22
back by trying to educate our children
00:43:23
and trying to find a way for them and to
00:43:26
educate the parents to educate the
00:43:27
children Pam and the Freeport Police
00:43:30
Department formed gasp the gang
00:43:33
awareness suppression program I have a
00:43:39
gang problem this neighborhood we're
00:43:42
opening their eyes to a very big problem
00:43:44
that maybe didn't exist when we were
00:43:46
kids and it was such a good healthy
00:43:50
outlet instead of the hate and the anger
00:43:52
and the rage and the frustration that I
00:43:54
was feeling living only blocks from the
00:43:57
mother and father of the kids who killed
00:44:00
my son thanks a lot
00:44:01
I appreciate
00:44:02
help thank you bye I hope I can make a
00:44:06
difference I don't know that I am but I
00:44:08
hope I can says Pam founded gasp not one
00:44:12
person has died from gang violence in
00:44:14
the Freeport area but even though Pam
00:44:21
finds our new work rewarding it will
00:44:23
never take away the pain of losing her
00:44:25
son there is only one thing that would
00:44:29
help catching the alleged killers of
00:44:31
Damien corrente although police trace
00:44:38
her mendelian Maria Portillo and one
00:44:41
heal Farrow Fino to El Salvador they now
00:44:44
believe the suspects may have returned
00:44:46
to the United States
00:44:49
all three are young Hispanic males and
00:44:52
may be hiding in Los Angeles or Miami
00:45:00
[Music]
00:45:05
with every mystery one critical clue may
00:45:08
lead to a solution join us again for
00:45:11
unsolved mysteries
00:45:13
[Music]
00:45:18
[Music]
00:45:25
[Music]
00:45:48
[Applause]
00:45:48
[Music]
00:45:49
[Applause]
00:45:51
[Music]

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Episode Highlights

  • A Mother's Fight for Justice
    Pam battles grief and seeks justice for her son, murdered by a street gang.
    “Perhaps someone watching holds a key that will unlock the secrets of a mystery.”
    @ 01m 25s
    May 23, 2019
  • The SLA's Reign of Terror
    The Symbionese Liberation Army's violent actions culminated in a bank heist and murder.
    “The SLA had a marquee name but the search for Patty Hearst unleashed the biggest FBI manhunt since John Dillinger.”
    @ 04m 31s
    May 23, 2019
  • The Disappearance of Mike Tellis
    Mike's sudden disappearance sparks concern and suspicion among friends and family.
    “Two weeks after Mike disappeared, Laura claimed he was out west.”
    @ 18m 27s
    May 23, 2019
  • The Haunted History of Myrtles Plantation
    Myrtles Plantation is known as one of America's most haunted houses, with a dark history of violence and death.
    “Legend has it their spirits remain on the premises appearing regularly to guests and staff alike.”
    @ 25m 34s
    May 23, 2019
  • A Mother's Fight Against Gang Violence
    After losing her son to gang violence, Pam Corriente takes action to educate her community about gangs.
    “I would love to yes thank you, I had no choice all I had to fight it was either that or go to rage.”
    @ 43m 09s
    May 23, 2019

Episode Quotes

  • Pam refuses to be overwhelmed by grief.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 11, Episode 9 - Full Episode
  • This isn't about revenge or paybacks, it's just a matter of justice.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 11, Episode 9 - Full Episode
  • I thought she was a wonderful person. Did I know her at all?
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 11, Episode 9 - Full Episode
  • I guess I have to say I really didn’t believe that there were actually ghosts.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 11, Episode 9 - Full Episode
  • Something died in me that day too.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 11, Episode 9 - Full Episode

Key Moments

  • Haunted Mansion00:54
  • Murder Trial14:19
  • Disappearance Mystery17:03
  • Shocking Revelation23:36
  • Haunted Encounters26:24
  • Tragic Loss37:31
  • Community Action43:33

Words per Minute Over Time

Vibes Breakdown

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