00:00:00
[music playing]
00:00:04
NARRATOR: Next on "Unsolved
Mysteries," Sonny Liston,
00:00:08
controversial former
heavyweight boxing
00:00:11
champion, when he died suddenly,
some say that it was drugs.
00:00:15
Others say it was murder.
00:00:18
In Belgium, strange objects
have been sighted in the skies.
00:00:22
Thousands have seen them,
including the air force.
00:00:27
Mickey Thompson, he
was a car-racing legend
00:00:29
until he and his
wife were gunned
00:00:31
down in their own front yard.
00:00:36
And a young newlywed dies while
on a romantic horseback ride.
00:00:40
He claims that it was
a tragic accident.
00:00:43
But was it?
00:00:46
You might have the
one vital clue to help
00:00:48
us solve one of our cases.
00:00:51
I'm Dennis Farina, and this
is "Unsolved Mysteries."
00:00:54
Join us.
00:00:55
[theme music]
00:01:31
ANNOUNCER: Patterson
is a proud champion.
00:01:33
Liston, you will know,
has a good left hand.
00:01:36
NARRATOR: September
25, 1962, the title
00:01:39
bout for the heavyweight
boxing championship of world.
00:01:43
The current title
holder, Floyd Patterson,
00:01:46
battles a 30-year-old
former convict
00:01:48
named Charles Sonny Liston.
00:01:53
ANNOUNCER: Sharp right
to the body, Lipton
00:01:55
has Patterson down.
00:01:56
NARRATOR: In two
minutes and six seconds,
00:01:58
Patterson is knocked out.
00:02:00
Sonny Liston is the
new world champion.
00:02:04
ANNOUNCER: Sonny Liston
knocks out Floyd Patterson
00:02:06
in one round to become
the 21st Heavyweight
00:02:08
Champion of the World.
00:02:16
NARRATOR: Nine years
later, Las Vegas,
00:02:18
Nevada-- Liston's wife,
Geraldine, arrives
00:02:25
home from a trip out of town.
00:02:27
She's worried because
she hasn't heard
00:02:29
from Sonny for several days.
00:02:33
As she walks
towards the bedroom,
00:02:35
she sees Sonny lying on the bed.
00:02:37
Charles?
00:02:39
NARRATOR: Sonny Liston is
dead from what police say was
00:02:43
an accidental drug overdose.
00:02:46
But his family and
friends believe that
00:02:48
the official verdict is wrong.
00:02:50
Sonny never used no drugs.
00:02:52
If he did, I didn't know
anything about the drugs,
00:02:55
and I'm sure I know a
dope head when I see one.
00:02:58
And Sonny never used drugs.
00:03:00
I'm sure in Mr. Liston's
life, he had enemies.
00:03:05
and I somehow believe
one of them killed him.
00:03:09
And I don't think one
man could have done it.
00:03:13
I'm sure it took several.
00:03:18
There is compelling evidence
that Sonny Liston was murdered,
00:03:21
a victor who became a victim.
00:03:24
His story begins with a
lonely bus ride in 1944.
00:03:33
Sonny Liston was
one of 25 children
00:03:36
of a sharecropper in Arkansas.
00:03:38
At age 12, after selling a
bag of pecans for bus fare,
00:03:42
Sonny left for Saint Louis,
hoping for a better future.
00:03:47
But once there, this
path led to prison.
00:03:50
Most of his prison
records were strong arming.
00:03:53
[inaudible] would turn on the
streets and strong arm people
00:03:55
to get money to make a living.
00:03:57
Somebody had to support
him, so he done what
00:03:59
he had to do to make a living.
00:04:03
NARRATOR: Liston received two
concurrent five-year terms
00:04:05
for the armed robbery
of a gas station.
00:04:08
In prison, Sonny put
his strength and energy
00:04:11
into boxing.
00:04:12
He was paroled after 29 months.
00:04:16
Sonny went pro, winning 32
of his first 33 fights, 22
00:04:22
by knockouts.
00:04:24
When he got in the
ring, he was mean.
00:04:27
He'd come to fight.
00:04:29
And he had only one thing
in mind when he went out,
00:04:31
and that was to win.
00:04:35
NARRATOR: Sonny
Liston was finally
00:04:36
ready to challenge
Floyd Patterson
00:04:38
for the heavyweight title.
00:04:40
[bell ringing]
00:04:41
ANNOUNCER: Liston with
a left, a sharp right
00:04:42
to the body, a left hook,
and Patterson is down.
00:04:47
NARRATOR: After his
victory over Patterson,
00:04:50
Sonny remained
champion for 17 months.
00:04:57
And then he fought a young
man named Cassius Clay,
00:05:00
later known as Muhammad Ali.
00:05:03
Ali's superior agility
simply overwhelmed Sonny.
00:05:08
He gave up after six rounds.
00:05:13
Mohammad Ali had taken the
title from Sonny Liston.
00:05:20
Sonny stayed in Las
Vegas after his loss,
00:05:23
and rumors circulated that
he was drinking heavily.
00:05:28
Sonny was really on the
downside with his career,
00:05:31
and people beat him out
of millions of dollars.
00:05:35
He didn't trust very many
people, and I didn't blame him.
00:05:39
It was a shame that most
people didn't realize how nice
00:05:43
a guy he really was.
00:05:47
NARRATOR: Sonny
decided to resume
00:05:49
training when Ali lost his title
after he refused to be drafted.
00:05:54
Back in the ring, Sonny
won 14 consecutive fights.
00:05:59
Davey Pearl became
his unofficial manager
00:06:01
and signed Sonny to
fight Chuck Wepner,
00:06:04
an up-and-coming
heavyweight from New Jersey.
00:06:07
Both fighters had an eye on
Ali's vacant heavyweight title.
00:06:12
Day after day, Liston prepared
to meet and beat Wepner.
00:06:17
Rumors circulated that
some gamblers were betting
00:06:20
heavily on Liston to lose.
00:06:26
Johnny Tocco believes that two
days before the fight, Liston
00:06:30
met with two of these gamblers.
00:06:33
JOHNNY TOCCO: I
believe that Sonny was
00:06:34
approached to drop the fight.
00:06:35
Are you sure you're
gonna be all right?
00:06:37
Don't worry about it.
It's [inaudible].
00:06:40
JOHNNY TOCCO: He had to be
approached because the talk
00:06:42
that was around, it
seemed to me like they
00:06:44
wanted a Chuck Wepner win.
00:06:46
And the only way they
can do that, Sonny
00:06:48
would have to be involved.
00:06:50
ANNOUNCER: This is the
main event this evening,
00:06:52
10 rounds of boxing,
heavyweight division.
00:06:55
NARRATOR: Sonny Liston was
ready to be back on top.
00:06:58
Only Chuck Wepner
blocked his way.
00:07:05
JOHNNY TOCCO: Sonny,
everything is OK.
00:07:06
Go to work on the guy.
00:07:10
Fifth or sixth round, Sonny told
me-- and it's the first time
00:07:14
in my life that I
ever thought I would
00:07:15
hear this from
him-- he says, I'm
00:07:18
afraid to hit this guy anymore.
00:07:20
He had hit him so many
times in the face.
00:07:25
NARRATOR: By the
ninth round, Liston
00:07:26
had beaten Wepner so badly that
the fight had to be stopped.
00:07:33
Wepner needed 54 stitches
in his face alone.
00:07:37
Sonny Liston had won the
fight, but the victory
00:07:41
may have cost him his life.
00:07:46
Just six months after the Wepner
fight, Sonny Liston was dead.
00:07:53
In his kitchen in plain
view, investigators found
00:07:55
three small bags of heroin.
00:08:01
A small amount of
marijuana was also
00:08:04
discovered in Sonny's
pocket, and a syringe
00:08:07
was found near his body.
00:08:08
In my opinion, it was either
a natural or self-induced drug
00:08:13
overdose, and the
only reason I dwell
00:08:16
on the drug is
simply because there
00:08:17
was this found in the kitchen.
00:08:20
NARRATOR: An autopsy
discovered needle
00:08:22
marks on Liston's right arm.
00:08:25
The official report
stated that Liston
00:08:27
had died of a cardiac
arrest after injecting
00:08:29
himself with heroin.
00:08:32
But actually only small
traces of heroin byproducts
00:08:35
were found in his body.
00:08:39
There were some traces of
morphine and codeine found
00:08:41
in the kidney
tissue, but the level
00:08:44
of drugs in his own tissues
did not indicate that it was
00:08:48
an overdose type of drug death.
00:08:53
NARRATOR: Only a month
before his death,
00:08:55
Liston was briefly hospitalized.
00:08:57
Davey Pearl believes that the
needle marks came from the IV
00:09:01
he received at that time.
00:09:03
Man, I hate these
needles, Dave.
00:09:04
[beeping]
00:09:07
He hated needles
with a passion.
00:09:09
A few times, you
know, he'd start
00:09:11
to get a runny nose or something
like that, a little cold.
00:09:14
And I'd say, come on, Sonny.
00:09:15
I'll take you to the doctor.
00:09:16
He wouldn't go to the doctor.
00:09:18
Mr. Liston would not go for
common shots, for colds or flu,
00:09:22
because he hated the
needle to that extent.
00:09:25
He was a strong, healthy man.
00:09:27
He was not depressed.
00:09:28
He was not prone to
suicide certainly.
00:09:31
I think Mr. Liston was killed.
00:09:34
I think Sonny
Liston was murdered.
00:09:36
I think that somebody promised
him some sort of a deal.
00:09:40
At that time, Sonny
had no income.
00:09:42
He was hanging around
with the wrong crowd.
00:09:45
And I told Sonny, I says,
keep away from these people.
00:09:48
NARRATOR: But if Sonny
Liston was murdered,
00:09:50
why were there no
signs of violence?
00:09:53
Some believe that his
drink was drugged,
00:09:55
that he was taken home and
then given the fatal injection.
00:09:59
But if this theory is true,
why were such minute traces
00:10:03
of chemicals found in his body?
00:10:05
And even if he had
committed suicide, why would
00:10:08
he have injected himself with
such a small dose of heroin?
00:10:13
To this day, Sonny
Liston's death
00:10:15
remains shrouded in mystery.
00:10:19
I often wonder what
actually happened,
00:10:22
but I-- I doubt I'll know.
00:10:26
He did come from nowhere
to get where he was.
00:10:30
And I'd like the world to know
that he was a good husband.
00:10:33
He was a good man.
00:10:35
That's the way I'd like
the world to remember him.
00:10:41
NARRATOR: Coming up, the
perfect husband turns
00:10:44
out to be a killer in disguise.
00:10:47
[music playing]
00:10:57
Pittsford, Michigan, in this
small farming community,
00:11:02
newlyweds Dave and Shannon
Davis prepare to go
00:11:06
for a sunset horseback ride.
00:11:08
Within an hour, Shannon is dead.
00:11:13
According to Dave, Shannon
was not an experienced rider.
00:11:18
When they reached the
edge of the woods,
00:11:20
she lost control and
fell off her horse.
00:11:23
Her head smashed to the ground,
and she was killed instantly.
00:11:30
Dave's explanation was
simple, and it was believable.
00:11:33
Shannon's parents had no
reason to doubt his story.
00:11:41
I felt that Shannon's
marriage was made in heaven.
00:11:45
I really felt this.
00:11:46
I had began to love David.
00:11:48
I described him probably to
a lot of people as a man's man.
00:11:52
He was an outdoor
person, hunting, fishing.
00:11:56
He just, uh, was very likable.
00:11:59
And she'd say,
isn't he neat, Mom?
00:12:01
And I thought he was neat.
00:12:05
I thought he would
protect her from anything.
00:12:11
I had no idea of what
he was really like.
00:12:17
NARRATOR: After Shannon's
death, Bob and Lucille Mohr
00:12:19
began to discover
that Dave Davis was
00:12:22
not the man he seemed to be.
00:12:25
They suspected that
their daughter's
00:12:26
death was not an accident.
00:12:34
Shannon was pronounced
dead at the hospital.
00:12:39
Minutes later, her parents
were stunned and upset
00:12:42
when Dave insisted that their
daughter's body be cremated.
00:12:46
Please, let's talk
her back to Toledo.
00:12:48
Let's take her home.
00:12:49
That's not what she wanted.
00:12:51
BOB MOHR: I suppose
our voices were
00:12:52
getting a little
bit loud because I
00:12:54
don't believe in cremation.
00:12:56
I knew Shannon didn't want that.
00:12:59
This is what she wanted.
00:13:01
I felt so strongly that if
he was going to insist on it,
00:13:04
I was going to go
try and find a judge
00:13:06
and get a temporary
restraining order
00:13:09
to stop him from doing it.
00:13:12
NARRATOR: That night,
Lucille couldn't sleep.
00:13:15
She remembered that her husband,
Bob, caught Dave in A lie
00:13:18
about life insurance.
00:13:20
LUCILLE MOHR: Bob
says, David, do
00:13:21
you have insurance on Shannon?
00:13:23
He said, no, and it just
shot right through me.
00:13:26
I remembered Shannon coming
home from her honeymoon
00:13:28
the very next day,
saying, David took out
00:13:31
a large life insurance on me.
00:13:33
That was the first
lie I picked up.
00:13:40
NARRATOR: At Shannon's
burial, Bob and Lucille
00:13:42
noticed that Dave
seemed cold and removed.
00:13:45
I bless the body of
Shannon with the holy water.
00:13:48
NARRATOR: After the
funeral, Shannon's parents
00:13:51
found out that Dave
lived a life of deceit.
00:13:53
He had bragged that he'd
been wounded in Vietnam,
00:13:56
but his own parents said that
he was never in the military.
00:14:01
All this was
crowding in on me.
00:14:03
And all I could think
inside is, David,
00:14:05
did you kill my daughter?
00:14:08
And it just was there.
00:14:10
I knew that he had
murdered my daughter.
00:14:13
I didn't know what
to do with it.
00:14:17
NARRATOR: Two days after the
burial, six different insurance
00:14:20
companies contacted the
funeral home, requesting copies
00:14:24
of Shannon's death certificate.
00:14:26
Her death left
Dave with $330,000.
00:14:33
And then Bob Mohr
discovered that Dave
00:14:35
may have been involved
in other insurance scams.
00:14:39
He'd burnt the farm
down across the road,
00:14:42
and he had other fires
and the fake injury
00:14:45
from when he worked for
the automotive company.
00:14:48
I think he was just out to
live on insurance money.
00:14:51
It started out
with a simple fire,
00:14:53
and now he was up to
the point where he was
00:14:55
gonna collect big insurance.
00:15:00
NARRATOR: Bob and
Lucille insisted
00:15:02
that Shannon's body be exhumed.
00:15:05
The medical examiner
found that her injuries
00:15:07
were consistent with
a fall from a horse.
00:15:10
However, indications
of an unknown drug
00:15:13
were found in Shannon's body.
00:15:15
But the medical
report still ruled
00:15:17
Shannon's death an accident.
00:15:21
Three months later, an article
in "The Detroit Free Press"
00:15:25
exposed Dave's alleged
insurance swindles.
00:15:27
The case was reopened.
00:15:29
By then, Dave had
moved to Florida.
00:15:31
Detective Don Brooks was
assigned to investigate.
00:15:35
The information that was
contained in that newspaper
00:15:37
article was phenomenal.
00:15:39
I thought, if this
is even 50% accurate,
00:15:41
we're onto something here.
00:15:43
NARRATOR: Brooks spoke
with the toxicologist
00:15:45
who had found the traces of
a drug in Shannon's body.
00:15:49
I explained to him
that we had a very
00:15:51
large number of chemicals
that we were looking at.
00:15:53
There's over 250,000
chemicals in common use,
00:15:57
and we had searched for
and ruled out maybe 1,000.
00:16:02
And I said that what
I need is some help.
00:16:05
Look at the
medigraph right here.
00:16:06
This is it.
00:16:07
You see the peak is right here.
00:16:09
DON BROOKS: He asked
me for information
00:16:10
about Davis's background.
00:16:12
And one of the things I told him
was that he was a dirt farmer,
00:16:14
and he had some large
animals on the farm.
00:16:18
Dr. Forney and I then
discussed the idea
00:16:20
of contacting veterinarians
in the area that
00:16:22
may have serviced Dave Davis.
00:16:24
I'm Don Brooks with
the State Police.
00:16:25
I talked with you a
little bit earlier.
00:16:27
That's right, Don.
00:16:28
I happened to ask two or
three different vets in the area
00:16:31
if they know of any drugs that
may affect the muscular system
00:16:34
or the nervous system
that they would
00:16:36
use on large farm animals.
00:16:38
And when I did so, one of
the veterinarians I talked to
00:16:41
provided me the name of a drug.
00:16:43
NARRATOR: Dr. Forney tested that
drug, an animal tranquilizer.
00:16:49
It was a perfect
match to the sample
00:16:51
taken from Shannon's body.
00:16:53
And now Brooks needed to
connect that drug to Dave Davis.
00:16:57
We were able to determine that
several years ago Dave Davis
00:17:01
took part in a deer hunting camp
at which members of the camp
00:17:06
used this drug to hunt deer
with, with bow and arrows.
00:17:11
NARRATOR: Shannon's was
exhumed a second time.
00:17:15
Two injection marks were
found-- one on Shannon's
00:17:17
shoulder and one on her wrist.
00:17:22
Detective Brooks
theorized that Davis
00:17:24
pushed Shannon off the horse.
00:17:27
He then wrestled
her to the ground
00:17:30
and paralyzed her with
a lethal tranquilizer.
00:17:36
He then struck
Shannon's head on a rock
00:17:38
so that the injuries
would appear accidental.
00:17:42
Don Brooks called.
00:17:43
And he said they found Shannon
was injected with something.
00:17:49
And we're going to move now.
00:17:51
We're going to get him.
00:17:53
NARRATOR: The grand jury
issued a first-degree murder
00:17:56
warrant for his arrest,
but Dave Davis disappeared.
00:18:00
I don't think there's
any question that this
00:18:03
is premeditated murder.
00:18:05
I believe he married
Shannon Davis to kill her
00:18:09
and to profit.
00:18:11
I want to get him, and I
want him sealed and locked up.
00:18:16
And I want him to
feel at all times
00:18:17
that we're breathing
right down his back.
00:18:20
I will not let go.
00:18:23
They can't bring
her back, but put
00:18:26
him-- put him away before he
does it to some other girl.
00:18:30
And he will.
00:18:32
He will.
00:18:36
NARRATOR: Update--
after our broadcast,
00:18:40
a viewer recognized Dave Davis
as an acquaintance living
00:18:44
in American Samoa, a small
island in the South Pacific.
00:18:48
Davis was arrested nine
days later by FBI agents.
00:18:52
At the time of his arrest,
Davis lived in this house
00:18:55
with his 20-year-old
Samoan wife.
00:18:58
He told her that his first wife
had died in a tragic accident.
00:19:02
3 And 1/2 weeks later, Davis
was returned to Michigan
00:19:05
to stand trial for murder.
00:19:07
Any comment on the charges
against you, Mr. Davis?
00:19:09
I didn't do it.
00:19:13
NARRATOR: After only 2 and
1/2 hours of deliberation,
00:19:16
a Michigan jury convicted Dave
Davis of first-degree murder.
00:19:20
For Shannon's
parents, the verdict
00:19:22
brought an end to their
nine-year struggle for justice.
00:19:27
This This is what we waited
for, and we got what we wanted.
00:19:31
He's gonna be locked up
the rest of his life.
00:19:33
That's what we wanted.
00:19:34
We'll go on the rest
of our life missing her.
00:19:36
That's why I said he gave
us the death penalty.
00:19:39
Now we're giving it to him.
00:19:42
NARRATOR: Dave Davis is
currently serving a life
00:19:44
sentence without the possibility
of parole in a maximum security
00:19:48
prison in Michigan.
00:19:52
Next, a wave of UFO
sightings in Belgium,
00:19:56
are they mass hysteria
or the real thing?
00:20:00
And later, a young man on
his way to see his girlfriend
00:20:03
tries to stop a car
thief and is shot.
00:20:06
[music playing]
00:20:16
Brussels, Belgium, since
1989, thousands of people
00:20:23
have reported mysterious
lights and shapes
00:20:25
in the skies above Belgium.
00:20:29
Basically, what he saw
was this big triangle
00:20:31
object with three bright white
lightnings in the corners.
00:20:36
[non-english speech]
00:20:37
INTERPRETER: In the middle
was a flashing red light.
00:20:39
It passed by,
approaching the roofs,
00:20:42
since it was flying so low.
00:20:46
INTERPRETER: I got out of
the car, and hovering over us
00:20:48
was a big black triangle.
00:20:50
It was very dark.
00:20:52
The triangle had a large
light on top of it,
00:20:54
and the light circled
around while the triangle
00:20:56
remained suspended in the air.
00:21:00
INTERPRETER: You could
see three white lights,
00:21:03
which formed an equal triangle.
00:21:08
NARRATOR: These drawings
are based on the testimony
00:21:11
of credible eyewitnesses.
00:21:13
Almost all describe a
huge, triangle object
00:21:16
with bright lights
at the corners
00:21:18
and one light in the center.
00:21:23
Two years later, high-ranking
members of the Belgian military
00:21:26
announced that their air
force jets had attempted
00:21:29
to chase down the UFO
and recorded the incident
00:21:32
on their radar screens.
00:21:34
This is the footage that was
presented at that conference.
00:21:40
Most government and
military officials
00:21:42
deny the existence of UFOs.
00:21:45
What you are about
to see is a first.
00:21:47
This story was filmed with
the complete cooperation
00:21:50
of the Belgian Air
Force and Belgian law
00:21:53
enforcement agencies.
00:21:56
The mystery of the
Belgian UFOs began
00:21:58
near the small town
of Eupen, less than 7
00:22:01
miles from the German border.
00:22:05
Gendarmes Heinrich Nicoll
and Euber Von Montige
00:22:09
were on a routine patrol.
00:22:12
[non-english speech]
00:22:15
INTERPRETER: As we
approached the crossroads
00:22:17
at [inaudible]
road, our attention
00:22:20
was drawn to an unusual sight.
00:22:24
We saw a field near the
road that was all lit up.
00:22:27
It was like lights on
a huge football field.
00:22:32
We thought it was strange,
and we wanted to know
00:22:34
what was causing those lights.
00:22:40
There was a huge, triangular
platform, and underneath
00:22:43
it strong headlights.
00:22:46
And in the middle
was this blinking,
00:22:48
pulsating orange light.
00:22:50
The whole thing was
floating in the air.
00:22:55
NARRATOR: The
gendarmes immediately
00:22:57
called Albert Creutz,
the dispatcher in Eupen.
00:23:00
[non-english speech]
00:23:02
INTERPRETER: Suddenly, they
told me they were seeing
00:23:04
a strange object in the sky.
00:23:07
It made no noise.
00:23:09
We joked about it
and said it might
00:23:11
be Santa Claus, trying to land.
00:23:24
NARRATOR: Creutz noted the
unusual report in his log,
00:23:27
but was skeptical.
00:23:33
The gendarmes
followed the object
00:23:36
as it flew across the Belgian
countryside toward Eupen.
00:23:41
[non-english speech]
00:23:43
INTERPRETER: We could see it
clearly because the headlights
00:23:45
were very strong.
00:23:47
We could also see the flickering
orange ball underneath.
00:23:52
We were driving very slowly
because it seemed like there
00:23:56
was someone in that
object and that someone
00:24:01
was trying to observe what
was happening on Earth.
00:24:10
NARRATOR: A strange light
flashed across the window
00:24:13
of Creutz's office.
00:24:15
[non-english speech]
00:24:16
DON BROOKS: Off in the distance,
I could see something bright,
00:24:19
but I didn't know what it was.
00:24:21
Suddenly, I saw something
that looked like a laser
00:24:24
beam shooting out of
the light and then
00:24:27
come back to the light.
00:24:32
[music playing]
00:24:38
[non-english speech]
00:24:40
INTERPRETER: We continued
to observe the object as it
00:24:43
circled over the city of Eupen.
00:24:45
It appeared to be heading
toward the forest.
00:24:54
On each side of the object,
there was a kind of laser beam
00:24:57
and a ball that was
leaving the object
00:24:59
and coming back,
as if the ball were
00:25:01
trying to measure something.
00:25:03
So it was easy for us to
keep track of it in the sky.
00:25:08
NARRATOR: Creutz contacted
four local airports.
00:25:11
Each reported no
unusual activity.
00:25:18
For at least 30 minutes, the
gendarmes watched as the object
00:25:22
hovered in the distance.
00:25:24
And then--
00:25:25
[non-english speech]
00:25:29
INTERPRETER: All of
a sudden, it came out
00:25:31
of nowhere, another spacecraft.
00:25:34
We were a little frightened.
00:25:36
The one we'd been following
was still over there,
00:25:39
and now a second one was
rising up into the sky.
00:25:44
At a given moment,
it tilted slightly.
00:25:47
We could see again the
shape of a triangle
00:25:49
with bright headlights.
00:25:51
We could see some kind of
dome on the top with two
00:25:53
or three small
windows, and there
00:25:54
was a light inside the object.
00:25:57
By the time we realized what
it was, the object flew away.
00:26:01
NARRATOR: Moments later, Albert
Creutz became a believer.
00:26:06
[non-english speech]
00:26:08
INTERPRETER: Through
the open window,
00:26:10
I saw a strange machine floating
about 500 feet away from me.
00:26:15
It looked like a large
ship, floating in the air.
00:26:19
It drifted in front of
me for a few seconds,
00:26:21
then flew away in the
direction of La Calamin.
00:26:24
It was a beautiful thing to see.
00:26:29
NARRATOR: Within minutes,
two others gendarmes
00:26:31
reported a similar object
over the village of La
00:26:34
Calamin, 8 miles to the north.
00:26:38
INTERPRETER: We had heard
our colleagues talking
00:26:40
about this flying object.
00:26:42
We thought it was
some sort of joke,
00:26:46
but then we saw something.
00:26:48
It wasn't fun anymore.
00:26:52
INTERPRETER: So both of
us had a strange feeling.
00:26:55
It was impossible to
explain what the object was.
00:26:59
We thought it was an America
airplane or something.
00:27:04
We had no other explanation
for what it might be,
00:27:08
but it was real.
00:27:10
And it was above us.
00:27:14
NARRATOR: All four of
these incredible sightings
00:27:16
occurred in one hour and
within 20 miles of each other.
00:27:20
That same day, 11 other
gendarmes and more than 100
00:27:23
private citizens came
forward with similar reports
00:27:26
about the Belgian UFOs.
00:27:34
When we return, a video radar
recording from the Belgian Air
00:27:38
Force that tracked the UFO.
00:27:40
[music playing]
00:27:49
On November 29, 1989,
gendarmes in Belgium
00:27:53
reported sightings of a UFO.
00:27:56
Over the next two months,
hundreds of witnesses
00:27:59
came forward, all describing
a similar triangular object.
00:28:03
And then in April of 1990, this
amazing photograph was taken.
00:28:11
It shows the same ray of lights
described by the eyewitnesses.
00:28:16
By using a computer to
enhance the film's contrast,
00:28:19
this triangular shape
is clearly visible.
00:28:23
This amazing image is the first
photographic evidence that UFOs
00:28:29
invaded the skies over Belgium.
00:28:33
Overwhelmed by the
number of sightings,
00:28:35
Belgian authorities brought in
an organization called SOBEPS
00:28:39
to coordinate reports and
set up procedures for dealing
00:28:42
with future close encounters.
00:28:46
They didn't have
to wait very long.
00:28:49
Captain Jacques Pinson
of the Gendarmerie
00:28:52
was called to a home
outside of Brussels
00:28:55
when dinner guests
reported seeing
00:28:58
strange lights in the sky.
00:29:01
INTERPRETER: These
points of light
00:29:03
were very different
than the other stars.
00:29:07
They were much bigger
and much brighter
00:29:10
and not the color of stars.
00:29:12
The main colors were
reddish or yellow,
00:29:15
and the others were green.
00:29:16
Later, they began to
travel short distances
00:29:19
in an erratic manner.
00:29:22
NARRATOR: At that same
time, radar at a NATO
00:29:24
tracking station detected
an unknown object
00:29:28
in the exact location.
00:29:32
It showed up as a small
circle with a tail
00:29:35
in the lower-left quadrant
of the radar screen.
00:29:40
We phoned to other civilian
and military radar sites
00:29:44
like Semozag,
Virton, Saint Hubert,
00:29:47
and they had precisely the
same echo at the same place.
00:29:52
We were unable to identify this
echo as being either an enemy,
00:29:57
either friendly.
00:30:01
It looked very clear for
us that it was an aircraft.
00:30:03
Juliet, golf, 2, 4, 3.
00:30:06
[klaxon sounding]
00:30:10
NARRATOR: With conformations
from four radar stations,
00:30:12
two F-16s from the
Belgian Air Force
00:30:15
were immediately deployed,
their mission-- to locate
00:30:18
and identify the object.
00:30:22
The pilots soon locked on to
the object with onboard radar.
00:30:28
But after just five seconds,
the object bolted out of range
00:30:32
at an incredible speed.
00:30:36
We measured some
exceptional accelerations
00:30:40
which can not be related
to conventional aircraft.
00:30:43
That is clear.
00:30:47
NARRATOR: For the
next hour, the object
00:30:49
seemed to play a high-tech
game of cat and mouse.
00:30:52
Every time the pilots
achieved lock on,
00:30:55
the object darted out of range.
00:30:59
The pilots
confirmed that it was
00:31:00
impossible for them
to accelerate as quick
00:31:04
as the target was.
00:31:11
NARRATOR: This is a portion
of the actual onboard radar
00:31:14
footage recorded that night.
00:31:15
The UFO appears in the center of
the screen as a diamond shape.
00:31:19
The figure in the
upper-right-hand corner
00:31:21
indicates the altitude of the
object in thousands of feet.
00:31:24
When the pilots first locked on,
the object was at 7,000 feet.
00:31:28
But within seconds, it had
climbed to 10,000 feet.
00:31:32
Then incredibly, the object
plummeted to just 500 feet
00:31:37
in only 5 seconds and
accelerated to more
00:31:40
than 1,000 miles per hour.
00:31:42
That's 1 and 1/2 times
the speed of sound.
00:31:45
This extraordinary combination
of acceleration and descent
00:31:49
would be fatal to a human pilot.
00:31:54
And another peculiar fact--
even though the craft exceeded
00:31:58
the speed of sound,
no one on the ground
00:32:00
reported hearing a sonic boom.
00:32:04
The data, then, of
all these performances
00:32:08
which were registered during
the lock on of the radar,
00:32:12
it was totally outside
of the normal performance
00:32:16
envelope of any airplane.
00:32:21
NARRATOR: The UFOs
have been observed
00:32:23
by thousands of eyewitnesses.
00:32:25
They've been recorded
on military radar,
00:32:28
and one unknown object evaded
sophisticated fighter jets.
00:32:32
Yet skeptics dismiss the
sightings as nothing more
00:32:35
than UFO hysteria.
00:32:38
They believe that
the radar reports
00:32:40
are the result of
false echoes or changes
00:32:43
in atmospheric conditions.
00:32:46
INTERPRETER: Some
people don't believe
00:32:47
us and the things we have seen.
00:32:49
Well, they are free
not to believe us.
00:32:52
It doesn't matter to me.
00:32:54
But I have seen something,
and what else can I say?
00:32:57
It was not some
invention of my mind.
00:33:00
I saw it, and I it very real.
00:33:02
It happened just as I have said.
00:33:04
There have seen thousands
of observations in Belgium.
00:33:09
And I think it's our job to try
to find out if there is really
00:33:13
something in the air, where it
comes from, what the origin is,
00:33:19
and what the intentions are.
00:33:22
Indeed, there is something
going on in Belgium
00:33:26
which is beyond our control.
00:33:30
NARRATOR: Despite thousands
of sightings in Belgium,
00:33:32
there have been
just a few reported
00:33:34
in the neighboring
countries France,
00:33:36
Germany, and the Netherlands.
00:33:38
For skeptics, this is more
proof that the sightings
00:33:41
are the result of
overactive imaginations.
00:33:44
Some people, however, speculate
that the UFOs may be attracted
00:33:48
to Belgium's highway system.
00:33:50
It is so brightly
lit at night that it
00:33:52
was even visible to the
astronauts on the moon.
00:33:58
Coming up, 19 years after
Mickey and Trudy Thompson
00:34:02
were murdered, justice
has been served.
00:34:06
[music playing]
00:34:14
Bradbury, California,
on a previous broadcast
00:34:19
we told you the tragic
story of the murders
00:34:21
of race car legend Mickey
Thompson and his wife, Trudy.
00:34:26
Mickey Thompson was an innovator
in the world of car racing.
00:34:29
He was the first American to
break a 400 mile per hour land
00:34:32
speed record.
00:34:35
His innovative designs
changed the face of racing.
00:34:39
Mickey developed an
extremely profitable
00:34:41
stadium racing venture.
00:34:44
He and his wife, Trudy,
worked hand in hand to promote
00:34:46
their many business ventures.
00:34:50
But one of those ventures
turned into a dispute
00:34:53
with his former partner,
Michael Goodwin.
00:34:56
He called me on the phone.
00:34:58
And he said, Sis,
I'm really concerned.
00:35:00
Mickey had never said to me he
was concerned about anything.
00:35:04
And I says, what's
the matter, Mick?
00:35:06
And he said, I'm afraid
Goodwin's gonna hurt my baby,
00:35:09
meaning his wife, Trudy.
00:35:10
And I responded, oh, Mick, you
don't really think so, do you?
00:35:14
And he says, I'm telling you.
00:35:15
He's absolutely capable of it.
00:35:19
NARRATOR: Just days
after that conversation,
00:35:21
Mickey and Trudy
were brutally gunned
00:35:23
down as they left their home.
00:35:25
When Mickey came out
through the garage,
00:35:27
he was suddenly confronted
by two armed gunmen.
00:35:30
One of the gunmen
immediately shot
00:35:32
and immobilized Mickey,
while the second gunman
00:35:38
approached Trudy.
00:35:40
And as Mickey laid
helplessly on the driveway,
00:35:43
he was forced to watch as a
second gunman shot his wife.
00:35:46
And essentially, he
witnessed her execution.
00:35:48
Both gunmen then turned their
attention back towards Mickey
00:35:52
and executed him as well.
00:35:55
NARRATOR: Detectives knew
immediately that robbery
00:35:57
was not the motive.
00:35:58
Trudy Thompson was wearing
$70,000 worth of jewelry.
00:36:03
They believed that it
was a contract hit,
00:36:05
put out by Michael Goodwin.
00:36:09
Update-- after years
of investigation,
00:36:13
Goodwin was finally arrested.
00:36:16
Well, we do believe
that Mr. Goodwin
00:36:17
orchestrated the murders.
00:36:18
We believe he
planned the murders,
00:36:19
and we believe
that his motive was
00:36:21
based on a personal vendetta
along with financial gain.
00:36:26
There is simply
no evidence, nor has
00:36:28
there ever been, that implicates
Mike Goodwin in the murders.
00:36:30
The key innuendo or
motive has always
00:36:32
been the alleged civil
dispute between Mike
00:36:35
Goodwin and Mickey Thompson.
00:36:36
Mike negotiated a settlement
with Mickey Thompson.
00:36:39
There are third-party
witnesses that confirm that.
00:36:41
There was no motive to
kill Mickey Thompson.
00:36:45
NARRATOR: Sheriff's
investigators
00:36:47
claim that an eyewitness
saw Michael Goodwin sitting
00:36:50
in a station wagon in
Thompson's neighborhood
00:36:53
several days before the murders.
00:36:55
He appeared to be spying
on them with binoculars.
00:36:59
We've taken his
exact description
00:37:01
of where he says he saw the
vehicle and Mr. Goodwin.
00:37:06
And we basically re-enacted
it, and it's almost hilarious.
00:37:09
You would not be able
to see Mickey and Trudy
00:37:10
Thompson's home from there.
00:37:12
The charges against Mike
Goodwin are entirely meritless.
00:37:16
There's no evidence.
00:37:19
No charges were filed for
13 years in this case,
00:37:22
and there's a reason for that.
00:37:26
NARRATOR: The jury disagreed.
00:37:28
Michael Goodwin was
tried and sentenced
00:37:31
to serve two consecutive life
terms without the possibility
00:37:35
of parole.
00:37:37
Investigators, however, are
still looking for the men who
00:37:40
actually carried out the hit.
00:37:47
Several neighbors
told investigators
00:37:49
that they saw two
men they believe
00:37:51
to be the shooters riding
bicycles down a nearby road.
00:37:55
They described the men
as African American,
00:37:58
approximately 6 feet tall,
between the ages of 20 and 30.
00:38:04
This is a composite
sketch of what the gunmen
00:38:06
might look like today.
00:38:08
A $1 million reward is
being offered in this case.
00:38:12
If you have any information,
please long on to our website,
00:38:16
unsolved.com.
00:38:24
Orange, California, a
peaceful neighborhood
00:38:28
in this quiet community
is about to be
00:38:30
rocked by a violent crime.
00:38:33
I was in my living
room watching television,
00:38:36
and I heard an engine revving
on the street, which is
00:38:39
unusual at that time of night.
00:38:41
And I got up to
look out the window,
00:38:43
and there were shots fired.
00:38:49
I immediately went out
to the front of my house,
00:38:52
and almost instantly a
car sped by with what
00:38:55
turned out to be the suspects.
00:38:59
And as he hit the end of
the street, I saw him turn,
00:39:02
and then they were gone.
00:39:07
This crime was just
one of many that day,
00:39:10
less than a minute
on the evening news.
00:39:12
But a young man was
shot and left paralyzed,
00:39:15
his life changed forever.
00:39:18
And now the police need your
help to find his assailant.
00:39:25
Rohrey Wychgel was
25 and all set to ask
00:39:28
his girlfriend to marry him.
00:39:30
He had just graduated from
a technical training school,
00:39:33
and he planned to open
his own auto repair shop.
00:39:38
That night, Rohrey was on his
way to see his girlfriend,
00:39:41
and then he made a quick stop
at his house about 9:30 PM.
00:39:46
ROHREY WYCHGEL: I
parked my car, turned
00:39:48
the headlights off, left
the parking lights on,
00:39:50
and left the car running.
00:39:52
It wasn't uncommon
for me to do that.
00:39:54
People know when I'm
there and when I'm not,
00:39:57
just by the sound of the car.
00:40:02
NARRATOR: On his way out,
Rohrey went into the garage
00:40:04
to find an extra set
of stereo speakers
00:40:07
for his girlfriend's sister.
00:40:11
ROHREY WYCHGEL: I'm
looking underneath a bench
00:40:12
for some boxes
for those speakers
00:40:14
because I knew I'd
just saw it recently.
00:40:17
And I wasn't in there for more
than a minute at the longest,
00:40:20
and I heard my car rev up.
00:40:22
[revving]
00:40:29
[non-english speech]
00:40:30
- Hey, what are you doing?
- [non-english speech]
00:40:32
Get out of my car.
00:40:33
NARRATOR: As Rohrey
approached his car,
00:40:35
the intruder pulled out
a gun and opened fire.
00:40:40
All I remember is that
I'm falling backwards,
00:40:43
and for some reason
I know I'm not going
00:40:44
to be able to get back up.
00:40:45
I have no idea.
I don't feel anything.
00:40:47
I don't hear anything.
00:40:49
All I do is just see
him running away,
00:40:51
and then I lost my memory.
00:40:53
I don't remember
what happened then.
00:40:58
NARRATOR: As the
suspect sped away,
00:41:00
Rohrey's neighbors
rushed to help.
00:41:02
We just lost him.
00:41:03
He just passed out.
00:41:04
Is he conscious?
00:41:05
I got a pulse, no breathing.
00:41:07
NARRATOR: He was shot
twice, once in the leg
00:41:10
and once in the neck.
00:41:13
ROHREY WYCHGEL:
I should be dead.
00:41:14
I lost at least twice
going to the hospital.
00:41:18
They didn't think I was gonna
make it through the surgery,
00:41:20
but I did.
00:41:22
Now I have a lot of gratitude,
more than I can really express.
00:41:26
[gunfire]
00:41:30
NARRATOR: Years have
passed since the shooting.
00:41:32
Rohrey Wychgel cannot move
his legs or hands and has
00:41:35
limited use of his arms.
00:41:39
The man suspected of shooting
Rohrey is between 5 feet
00:41:42
8 and 5 feet 10 inches tall
and weighs about 165 pounds.
00:41:47
He has dark hair,
parted on the right.
00:41:50
Rohrey believes he was Hispanic.
00:41:53
The getaway car was
described as a dark GM
00:41:56
car, possibly a Monte Carlo, a
late '70s or early '80s model.
00:42:00
It has chrome wheels
and a vinyl roof.
00:42:04
If you have any information
about the shooting
00:42:06
of Rohrey Wychgel, please log on
to our website at unsolved.com.
00:42:15
[theme music]
