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[Music] [Music] % [Music] this is true crime garage and this is part one of When a Killer
00:01:46
[Music] calls [Music] June 1st 1985 3:10 a.m. I love you all last will and testament I love you mommy daddy
00:02:37
Robert Dawn and Richard and everyone else and all the other friends and relatives I'll be with my father now so
00:02:47
please please don't worry just remember my witty personality and great special times we all shared
00:02:54
together please don't ever let this ruin your lives just keep living one day at a
00:03:00
time for Jesus some good will come out of this my thoughts will always be with and in you casket
00:03:10
closed I love you all so damn much sorry Dad I had to cuss for once Jesus forgive
00:03:19
me Richard sweetie I really did and always will love you and treasure our special moments I ask one thing though
00:03:29
except Jesus as your personal savior my family has been the greatest influence on my life sorry about the Cru
00:03:37
money someday please go in my place I am sorry if I ever disappointed you in any way I only wanted to make you
00:03:47
proud of me because I have always been proud of my family mom dad Robert and Dawn there's
00:03:56
so much I want to say that I should should have said before now I love you I know you all love me and will miss me
00:04:06
very much but if you all stick together like we always did you all can do it please do not become hard or upset
00:04:16
everything works out for the good for those that love the Lord all of my love always I love you all with all my heart
00:04:26
Sharon Sherry Smith p yes Nana I love you so much I kind of always felt like your favorite you were mine I love you a
00:04:41
[Music] lot Friday May 31st 1985 at 3:38 p.m. Bob Smith discovered his daughter Sherry's car unattended
00:05:08
with the driver's door open and the motor running at the end of the long driveway leading to the family's home he
00:05:16
called out her name several times and got no response he checked the vehicle and found Sherry's purse on the seat but
00:05:23
where was his daughter Cherry's father started searching for her when his efforts failed Mr Smith contacted the
00:05:31
police this is just 2 days before 17-year-old Sherry F Smith was scheduled to sing the national anthem at her high
00:05:40
school graduation so while most of her friends and classmates were packing for their High School graduation trip Sherry
00:05:47
was abducted from the driveway of her Lexington County South Carolina home what followed was the largest search in
00:05:55
South Carolina history the investigation was bleak they had no Witnesses and no leads Sherry is what law enforcement
00:06:04
would consider to be an extremely lowrisk victim therefore it was important to clear the family as fast as
00:06:12
possible and move on to other possibilities police very quickly ruled out any involvement by the immediate
00:06:19
family or any of the members of the immediate family they're hoping for a ransom demand so police put a trace on
00:06:27
the Smith's home phone the next day the Smiths received a phone call on the line
00:06:33
a strangely distorted voice of a man who claims he has Sherry captive he tells Sherry's mother Hilda who answered the
00:06:43
phone so you'll know this is not a hoax Sherry had on a black and yellow bathing
00:06:49
suit beneath her shirt and shorts then the caller says you'll get a letter from Sherry later State officials intercepted
00:06:58
her letter this was entitled last will in Testament from the mail the letter we read during the trailer was that exact
00:07:07
letter apparently her abductor had Sherry drafted shortly before her death this was a two-page handwritten letter
00:07:15
and while it clearly displayed an amazing amount of strength and courage on Sherry's behalf after reading the
00:07:22
letter no one was optimistic the papers were sent for fingerprint analysis local law enforcement was all
00:07:30
over this one the FBI was very quickly sent in and the FBI feared the worst their theory is that the abductor most
00:07:39
likely killed Sher by the time that they arrived to assist in the case and the killer would now be ready to search for
00:07:46
another victim they believe the kidnapper saw Sherry and her boyfriend Richard kissing
00:07:52
at the local shopping mall and from there he followed her home she stopped at the mailbox and that's where he
00:07:59
snatched her seems like a lot of creeps are hanging out at the local malls so that was their working Theory and after
00:08:05
this first call was received they decided to set up recording equipment at the Smith home because now they're
00:08:11
anticipating another phone call on June 3rd they received a call asking if they had received the letter and the caller
00:08:19
asked do you believe me now to which Hilda this is Sherry's mother replied no I have not heard from Sherry and I need
00:08:27
to know if she is alive and well so basically if I'm following you correctly this dirt bag calls the family and he
00:08:35
says I have her mhm and then he says you're going to receive a letter right but the letter is the last will in
00:08:41
Testament so it's almost implying that she's dead and then he calls them back and says do you believe me now right
00:08:49
right he wants to know if they've received the letter they as said it was intercepted by law
00:08:56
enforcement and this is actually a really good move by Sherry's mother Hilda to not kind of cower to this
00:09:04
distorted voice on the other end of the phone yeah she's saying look I've not heard from my daughter I need to know if
00:09:09
she's alive and well I don't believe anything you're saying you say you have her captive well let me talk to my
00:09:15
daughter right and so in a sense she's kind of calling his bluff right or hoping so yeah he says that when she ask
00:09:25
him I need to know if sher's alive and well he then resp responds that you will know in 2 or 3 days and he hangs up the
00:09:32
phone well hold on to your horses because we have exclusive audio that we received to play these phone calls on
00:09:39
the show and what you are about to hear is the first recorded phone calls from the killer to the
00:09:51
family hello is this meth no this is D I need to speak to your mother could ask his call
00:09:59
no okay okay hold on just a second [Applause] please hello have you received a mail
00:10:16
today uh yes I have do you believe me now well I'm not really sure I believe you because I
00:10:24
haven't had any word from Sherry and I need to know that Sherry is well you'll know in two or three days
00:10:35
why two or three days call the search off tell me if she is well because of her disease are you taking care of
00:10:47
her on yes did you come down from Charlotte uh yes I did who's calling please I need to speak to your mother
00:11:00
okay get my mother um she's coming tell her to hurry she's hurrying tell Sherry I love
00:11:09
her did y'all receive her letter today yes we did here's mother did you receive her letter today
00:11:17
uh this is Hilda did you receive Sherry Ray's letter pardon I can't hear you that it's not very clear speak louder
00:11:27
did you receive the letter to day H yes I did tell me one thing it said tell you one thing it
00:11:37
said anything uh sh Richard what there was a little heart on the side sh Richard written on the side
00:11:51
oh it says how many pages two pages okay it yellow legal pad yeah and on one side
00:11:58
on the front p that said Jesus is Love no God is love well God is love right okay so you know now that this is not a
00:12:08
hoax call yes I know that okay well we missed Sheriff mitt this morning I don't know what happened to that they couldn't
00:12:17
get him on okay um I'm trying to do everything possible to answer some of your prayers so please in the name of
00:12:25
God work with us here and can you answer me one question please you you are very
00:12:31
kind and and you seem to be a compassionate person and and I think you know how I feel being sher's mother and
00:12:38
how much I love her can you tell me is she all right physically without her medicine Sherry is
00:12:47
drinking a little over two gallons of water per hour and using the bathroom right afterwards all right is she able
00:12:56
to eat because she doesn't usually eat that that's what concerns me uh listen I got to hurry now I know that okay now
00:13:04
what I'm going to do is um have an ambulance now this is very important have this has gone too far um please
00:13:13
forgive me um I have an ambulance ready at any time at your house have an ambulance ready on
00:13:21
Sherry's request she requests that only immediate family come and Sheriff Mets and the ambulance attendance you don't
00:13:29
want to make a circus out of this right okay okay and where she said cast it closed in parentheses right if anything
00:13:39
happens to me she said her one of her requests she did not put in there to put her hands on her stomach like she was
00:13:46
praying in the casket what now cross her hands why would anything happen to you we don't want any harm to you I I I
00:13:59
promise we just won Sherry well and all right okay okay now the sheriff mits realized that this is not the hoax call
00:14:08
yes he he knows this is not a hoax okay well tell him to just forget about all of su and the only thing didn't when I
00:14:16
talk to you Monday morning 2:30 in the morning the first time yes I did not realize I thought you were a police
00:14:24
officer okay listen listen real carefully I got to hurry um I know these are being traced correct I do not know
00:14:31
there you are okay now listen um I'm listening yeah hold on a sec are you still there yes okay hold on
00:14:51
just a sec uh is sure with you you or can you tell me that I will not say um uh I I can tell you up there oh yes
00:15:11
okay hold on before I forget it I told you that morning you were looking at a wrong place right yes you did I wish you
00:15:18
would have remembered that I don't know why I did remember that okay well listen
00:15:22
to us please okay forget Lexington County look and salute County do you understand looking Saluda County exactly
00:15:34
uh the closest to lexon County within a 15 mile radius right over the line is that
00:15:43
understood please and very very soon get please now sher's request Sher say a request please uh no strangers hardly
00:15:55
and when yall when we give the location no strangers absolutely now did you understand about the folding of the
00:16:04
hands like she was in prayer in case something happens to us yes if something happens to y'all but nothing listen
00:16:12
nobody is going to harm you I Ms that I don't know what the problem is I told you to for good about looking
00:16:21
around your house Saluda County listen there are you believe me now I believe you there are so many people that love
00:16:28
Sherry and they just won't give up I want to tell you one other thing Sherry is now part of me physically
00:16:37
mentally emotionally spiritually our souls are one now your souls are one now with Sherry yes and we're trying to work
00:16:44
this out so please do what we are you haven't been doing it I don't understand and she doesn't we sit here
00:16:52
and watch Stevie we see no Sheriff we why doesn't Sher Sherry talk to me she she knows me me so well that's why she
00:17:00
asked me to communicate with you not your husband aren't you aware of that yes I know that I I know that she would
00:17:07
ask you to talk with me said she does love y'all and like she said do not let this ruin your lives we're not going to
00:17:13
let it ruin our but you tell listen you tell Sherry one thing what is wrong there's no way my life could ever be
00:17:20
have any happiness in it again if if Sherry left this world with me bearing a guilt that I I had felt in such a bad
00:17:29
way because I love her and I I want to make her happy I'll do anything to work it out she doesn't have to come home
00:17:36
okay I'm serious she does not have to come home anything well time's up and uh please now uh have the ambulance ready
00:17:45
at any time this will not go any further and I'll it will be soon the ambulance you're not telling me that something's
00:17:53
going to happen to her and I'm going to have to have an ambulance I'm telling you her condition he getting
00:17:59
bad is that you know more about it than I do I know I do and that's why I am so worried about and I'll give you the
00:18:07
location and tell Sheriff M to get all his damn men and salute a county okay well God bless all will you call me soon
00:18:15
will you call me back tonight I I just need reassurance to know that she's still okay to be careful I got to go now
00:18:22
and listen uh please please please forgive me for this it just out her hand I know listen do me one thing what is
00:18:31
that hurry just tell Sherry I know she knows how much I love her tell her her Daddy loves her and her
00:18:38
daddy will work anything out with her Under the Sun and and he admits we've got a lot of problems and we we'll work
00:18:45
them out and her brother and sister love her and God bless you for taking care of
00:18:49
my baby Sherry is protected and like you said she is a part of me now and God look after all of us good
00:18:57
night good luck to you too first off we want to apologize for the audio we know it's not of the
00:19:04
highest quality but the content is incredibly intriguing and we wanted to make sure that we included that on these
00:19:11
episodes now what you're hearing here captain and everybody out there in listener land is part of the reason for
00:19:18
the poor quality of the audio is it's almost 40 years old by this point this case took place in
00:19:24
1985 and we have our perpetrator who is using a voice modulator at times and then to add to the confusion this is
00:19:32
actually several calls that you heard here where he's hanging up the call because he is aware that they likely
00:19:39
will be tracing this and if they can trace him well they're going to catch him and that's not what he's looking to
00:19:46
do but when we discuss signatures this is the definition of a signature of a killer this is something these phone
00:19:55
calls the communication with the victim's family are not necessary to the crimes that he's committing these are
00:20:02
only necessary to him for reasons that we probably will not be able to answer we cannot comprehend why somebody would
00:20:10
want to call the family and further torture them emotionally about their missing daughter now what we can say
00:20:18
here one thing that I believe he was doing is I think he got a little pissed off and that is one of the reasons for
00:20:27
the initial phone call to the family because he keeps saying now do you see what I mean do you know that this is not
00:20:33
a hoax he's not talking about it being a hoax that their daughter was kidnapped right he's talking about his phone calls
00:20:41
the legitimacy of him and his phone calls do you now know that this is not a hoax because he's able to tell the
00:20:48
family information that only they would know the reason for this I'm guessing here Captain is he wanted the credit he
00:20:57
wanted the notoriety he wanted credit for his crimes that he risked himself put himself In Harm's Way to commit
00:21:06
these crimes he now wants the credit because I found that a James Edward Robertson called the family with a
00:21:13
ransome demand and this is what he I believe he is referring to as the hoax right because that was very quickly
00:21:22
deemed to be a hoax I believe he was asking the family for like $40,000 and he would return their daughter but of
00:21:30
course the police very quickly figured out that that was just an extortion plan by this James Edward Robinson had
00:21:37
nothing to do with with the case itself he's not the perpetrator of the abduction was not holding their daughter
00:21:45
captive he had no ability to release her to them he was just simply saw an opportunity and try to score big off of
00:21:54
it well guess what score one for the good guys because James Edward Robertson ends up in prison makes you wonder too
00:22:02
if he's talking to her mother because if he talks to her father there's more likely a chance of
00:22:08
Confrontation I don't know if I would be able to contain myself if my daughter went missing and some scumbag called me
00:22:18
and and was trying to control the conversation a couple times they reference something sha Richard in their
00:22:25
conversation and I want to bring up what that means so the letters that the family received as you heard were two
00:22:34
pages and on the first page there was a heart drawing along with the word sha Richard well Sherry spelled her name s h
00:22:43
a r i and her boyfriend's name was Richard so they had this kind of cute way of making one name out of both of
00:22:53
their names and that's what sh Richard means unfortunately page two two of the letter that they're referencing is the
00:23:01
last will and testament of Sher [Music] Smith this show is sponsored by better help do you look forward to the holidays
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offered by T-Mobile in Verizon May [Music] 2023 [Music] all right we're back to the windows to the walls cheers
00:25:37
everybody cheers to you captain now later that same day he did call again this time saying Sherry was alive and he
00:25:45
would release her soon and that he wanted to tell her one thing that Sherry is now a part of him physically mentally
00:25:56
emotionally and spiritually he says our souls are now one Hilda asked again if her daughter was alive and well the man
00:26:05
said Sherry is protected and she is a part of me now and God looks after all of us okay so this guy is
00:26:14
a wacka do weirdo well these are not clear and simple answers to very clear and simple questions from Hilda and the
00:26:24
other thing too Captain using those words Sherry's now a part of me physically mentally emotionally and
00:26:31
spiritually our souls are now one I can't feel like anybody's got any good feelings in the Smith home hearing that
00:26:39
that sounds very Bleak sounds very bad I mean it just sounds sounds bad well on top of that you have you know her car is
00:26:49
found on mhm the fact that this individual was able to just pull up behind her grab her take her captive and
00:26:57
now this this come back is going to bring the Lord Jesus Christ and our savior into this so because of the first
00:27:03
call that was received they were anticipating these two phone calls and attempting to trace the location of
00:27:11
these two phone calls now they did they did have some luck with that they were able to determine that these two phone
00:27:18
calls did come from the general area you know they were they local let's say but
00:27:24
there are some issues there were some issues with the phone tra right according to the FBI in 1985 it took
00:27:31
about 15 minutes to get a Pinpoint location of the exact phone from which the calls were placed even with the
00:27:38
strength and courage shown by Hilda Smith the caller never stayed on the phone for that length of time now the
00:27:45
man called again this time it was 4 days after the abduction and this time Sherry's 21-year-old sister Dawn
00:27:53
answered the phone the man gave her details about the kidnapping saying he stopped his car when he saw her at the
00:28:00
mailbox he said he took a few photos of her then approached her acting friendly and when he got close enough he forced
00:28:08
her into his vehicle at gunpoint mhm he told Dawn he was regretful that the whole thing got way out of hand he then
00:28:16
went on to tell her that at 3:10 a.m. Saturday the 1st of June Sherry wrote the letter you received and then at 4:58
00:28:24
Saturday the 1st of June we became one Soul he said don't there he goes with the weird talk again right and he says
00:28:32
don't ask me any questions he told Don Sherry would be returned the following evening and that they should have an
00:28:39
ambulance on standby adding you'll receive instructions on where to find us well and this makes you wonder because
00:28:46
you take somebody like dmer for example and he would talk about possessing his victim by eating his victim and that
00:28:54
they would become a part of him by doing so so that's where my head goes with these comments my head actually goes in
00:29:01
two directions one what you just said there Talent one right there is is is the possessing um you know we even hear
00:29:08
zodiac uh wrote in his letters that they will become slaves my slaves in the afterlife yeah but the weird thing that
00:29:15
I find here is a bit of the opposite that we've seen with like when we talked about keer we talked about BTK where
00:29:23
both of them said you know after I killed somebody I just immediately went into pure paranoia where I felt the
00:29:30
whole world knew what I just did right and at any second they're going to come and get me you know they're going to
00:29:35
come and apprehend me and here you know we have the FBI who's stating well we believed by receiving
00:29:45
this letter that she was probably already dead before we arrived on the scene to help and this dude's probably
00:29:51
out looking for another victim he might be but he's also busy spending his time communicating with the family I wonder
00:29:57
what happened to give them that impression that he already killed her I think the letter you know the letter is
00:30:04
weird enough that it might steer you in that direction the same way that it steered us to The Possession possessing
00:30:10
the victim mhm okay they have become one all of that Kookie talk right Ro could do but here's one thing I do want to
00:30:19
point out and I I read a lot of books by retired FBI agents humble brag what what
00:30:26
what what kind of brag is that that that I can read I read a lot of books no that
00:30:31
just means I have nothing else to do this this is after uh did you start reading a lot after you studied computer
00:30:38
well the thing that I want to point out here that I see Time and Time Again by these retired FBI agents and don't get
00:30:46
me wrong I I enjoy them very much that's why I purchased their books so I can read them however they're always kind of
00:30:54
the smartest guy in the room and I wonder a lot of times s like after the fact they're telling these stories 20 30
00:31:00
years later and they're like ah we knew already that uh this is what was going on and it's you kind of I question it
00:31:08
sometimes you couldn't have been right every single time you know what I mean it just doesn't work out that way maybe
00:31:14
this is why you identify with the books right remember he's now telling them that they will receive instructions on
00:31:21
where to find us more of the cookie talk and letting them know that hey I'm going
00:31:26
to let Sher go she will be returned the following evening make sure you have an ambulance on standby so to me I go in a
00:31:33
different route thinking why is so much communication going on if you haven't kept her alive maybe because of the
00:31:39
Kookie talk but let's let the audience think for themselves and here's the recording of that call uh D yes uh this
00:31:50
is Sher face request have your mother to get on the other phone quickly to get on
00:31:56
the other phone get on the other other phone mother get a pencil and piece of paper
00:32:01
get a pencil and paper ready okay okay I she's not on the phone yet well I'll tell you this okay uh
00:32:10
you're aware that that was in Sherry's own handwriting yes I am all right okay now this is sher's own word okay so
00:32:20
listen carefully say nothing unless you're asked okay okay and it's not necessary I know
00:32:29
these calls are taped mhm and traced but that's irrelevant now there's no money demanded so here's Sherry F's last
00:32:40
request on the fifth day to put the family at rest Sherry F being freed remember we are one Soul now when
00:32:52
you locate when located you locate both of us together we are one God has chosen
00:33:01
us respect all past and present request actual events and times jop this down hurry all right I'm doing it
00:33:13
3:28 afternoon Friday 31st of May too fast 3:28 afternoon Sher F was kidnapped from your
00:33:25
mailbox with a gun she had the fear of God in there and she was at the mailbox that's why she
00:33:32
did not return back to her car she had to fear What Fear God fear God okay 4:58 a.m. no I'm sorry hold on 310 a.m.
00:33:44
Saturday the 1st of June uh she handw wrote what you received 4:58 a.m. Saturday the 1st of
00:33:55
June okay Saturday the 1st of June 4:58 a.m. became one Soul became one Soul what does that mean no questions now all
00:34:06
right last between 4: and 7 Wednesday tomorrow have ambulance ready remember no circus wait 4 and 7 a.m. 4 and 7 in the
00:34:19
afternoon afternoon tomorrow okay the health ambulance ready remember her request no circus okay prayers and
00:34:29
relief coming soon please learn to enjoy life for give God protects the chosen Sherry pH important
00:34:40
request rest t nor and tomor good shall come out of this and please till Sheriff Mets search no more
00:34:51
blessings are near remember tomorrow Wednesday 4 4: in the afternoon to 7 in the evening
00:35:01
ambulance ready no circus okay no circus what does that mean you will receive last instructions for to find us please
00:35:10
forgive do not kill my daughter please I mean please we love and miss y'all get good rest tonight
00:35:19
goodbye wait a minute he's gone mom I think at that point I me you can almost hear in her voice because he's
00:35:26
not responding to her that maybe she's starting to understand that her daughter might be gone I think that's always the
00:35:35
fear I think where their hope comes from is that maybe this guy's just completely
00:35:42
right off of his rocker and we can't take anything that he says as fact or as truth because we don't know what kind of
00:35:51
maniac we're dealing with here I mean he's claiming to have to abducted her and that they've become one again those
00:35:59
words are scary to me as a parent that's not what you want to hear because I usually know what where that ends up
00:36:05
right and he's proven that he is the one that has abducted their daughter I love
00:36:11
the psychology of this though and I and I really wonder if there's a way to kind
00:36:18
of dissect this because we have some killers that communicate after their crimes and we've seen some that
00:36:27
communicate with law enforcement some choose to communicate with the media and here we have somebody communicating with
00:36:34
the victims with the families and I've always wondered what is the psychology of why one killer will pick whomever
00:36:43
they end up communicating with I would lean towards the idea of that you're communicating with their family members
00:36:50
that it's a in a way you're trying to get forgiveness you're going to try to get them to understand and you're going
00:37:01
to try to get them to you know pray for you or forgive you well maybe that's the case here because
00:37:08
we do hear him he's saying that he's passing along direct request from Sher Smith to the family this is how Sherry
00:37:16
Smith wants you to handle this situation going forward these are her requests so
00:37:22
that seems important to him and maybe that's some weird form of remorse I don't know but other times that we've
00:37:30
had perpetrators communicate with the victims it's been more of a taunting nature where you know we seen BTK he
00:37:38
communicated with the primarily the the media and somewhat law enforcement here we have a direct connection direct
00:37:46
communication via phone and letters to the victim's families from the Killer and this is similar ilar to we've seen
00:37:57
this in previous cases with before we were calling him the Golden State killer back when he was ons or the original
00:38:05
nightstalker he would call and taunt some of their victims you know the heavy breathing into the phone the the threat
00:38:13
of of killing additional victims and also with David Gail meyerhofer was one that called the family of the mother
00:38:22
that he kidnapped he called her I believe it was for for weeks and she was convinced that the person calling them
00:38:31
was the actual killer the person responsible for whatever happened to their daughter it seems like when these
00:38:37
killers are contacting media it's it's leans more towards the idea that they're taunting uh Society they're taunting the
00:38:45
police they're taunting their next victims also what I find a little strange in this call and I don't know if
00:38:51
it's because of the tape or it's because of whatever voice manipulation he's trying to use but there's a couple times
00:39:00
where it like slows down and and sounds very demonic well and for the longtime listeners out there some of you are
00:39:07
probably scratching your head a bit and going I feel like I've heard you guys cover this case before and well you are
00:39:13
right we always say that we have the the best and brightest audience out there well you are right we did cover this
00:39:20
case before entitled that show the last will in Testament the reason that we are
00:39:25
going through through this again and while you are hearing old audio from yours truly and the captain is because
00:39:33
we were asked by John Douglas he said I'd like to come on and talk about this case that we worked and oh by the way
00:39:39
here's some of the audio we have some of the phone calls that you guys can use and present to your audience at noon the
00:39:46
next day the man called again and said follow these instructions listen carefully he said take Highway 378 West
00:39:54
to traffic circle take Prosperity exit and go one and a half miles turn right at the Moose Lodge sign go one quarter
00:40:04
mile and then turn left at the white building go to the backyard there we will be waiting God chose us and then he
00:40:13
hung up the phone listen carefully take Highway 378 West to Traffic Circle take Prosperity exit go 1
00:40:22
and 1 12 miles turn right at sign moose Number 103 go 1/4 mile turn left have white frame building go to Backyard 6 ft
00:40:34
Beyond we're waiting God chose us yeah this God speak is just creepy well it's South Carolina and it's
00:40:46
I I think you know it's part of that no I don't mind God talk I don't mind that at all you know I'm a spiritual person
00:40:54
what I do mind is when you kidnap a person possibly have already murdered her you made her write her last will in
00:41:01
Testament and now you're saying that you have became one and then you keep bringing God into this MH so that's uh
00:41:09
don't like that much well and given all these instructions pretty detailed instructions it's good for law
00:41:17
enforcement that this call like the others was recorded So the sheriff's department followed the directions and
00:41:22
this led them to the body of Sherry F Smith the decomposition of the body suggested that she had been dead for
00:41:30
some time likely since 458 on June 1st like was noted in the letter right they were pretty sure of this so she was
00:41:40
clothed and they could tell she was once bound with duct tape but the the tape had been removed so we have the residue
00:41:48
left over from the duct tape and they believed that sher's body was likely in this location since shortly after her
00:41:55
death unfortunately by the time sher's body was located due to the advanced decomp
00:42:01
the pathologist could not assertain either the cause of death or whether or not she had been sexually assaulted the
00:42:09
pathologist believed however that Sherry either suffocated or died from dehydration this resulting from a rare
00:42:17
form of diabetes from which Sherry suffered evidence suggested she was killed elsewhere investigators believed
00:42:25
her killer place her there and returned to visit with the corpse and it was only
00:42:30
until the body was too far decomposed for his liking or decomposed enough to hide SL destroy evidence that he told
00:42:39
the family where to find her and strange for me with the FBI involved you'd think
00:42:43
that they would be able to determine the cause of death well using the information that they had the FBI unit
00:42:49
put together a profile of the offender they believed that the offender was in his late 20s to early 30s probably
00:42:57
divorced living alone or with his parents white he has uh yeah the they actually will update this profile later
00:43:08
and they didn't include white as part of the first profile uh but probably divorced living
00:43:15
alone or with his parents he has some kind of criminal record this would include assaults on women or at least
00:43:21
obscene phone calls if he has previously murdered anyone the victims would be children or young girls they believed
00:43:30
when he was on the phone with Sherry's family he was reading from a script they believed the killer was rigid orderly
00:43:37
and obsessively neat he would take notes obsessively and keep many lists did they
00:43:42
say anything about possible military background uh they did not but usually they will include that if they believe
00:43:49
that he does have some type of military background and the reason why I bring that up is because the neat and orderly
00:43:55
possibly wants to create list yeah You' think that would be somebody that you know had some regiment schedule at some
00:44:00
point in their existence they believe that he owned a vehicle likely 3 years old or newer and the vehicle is clean
00:44:08
well-maintained and cared for outwardly he is arrogant and displays contempt for
00:44:13
the world but on the inside he is insecure and harbors strong feelings of inadequacy he possibly goes around
00:44:19
telling people he reads a lot of books yes and then and then uh doesn't speak too highly of the authors
00:44:26
they said that the man is local having lived in the area for most of his life he had access to a secluded
00:44:33
area where he knew he would have time to spend with Sher and her body they figured that the reason that the
00:44:40
caller's voice sounded distorted is because he was using some type of device to achieve this they determined the
00:44:47
caller was using something called a variable speed device they were now in the process of tracking down
00:44:54
manufacturers of these typ types of devices and retailers this suggested that the
00:44:59
suspect had a background in electronics so it's it's always interesting to me Captain how they come
00:45:05
up with this some of it more detailed than other profiles that we've reviewed in the past the stuff about the books is
00:45:13
fascinating right no what gets me is when they say we believe that he has a car that's 3 years old or newer MH like
00:45:21
that's so random and and it's like you don't know do they have any eyewitnesses that would make them lean that way or or
00:45:31
is this just kind of a random guess according to the information I could find there was no eyewitnesses mhm right
00:45:40
that's that's why it's so Random to me we believe that he has a newer three-year-old car or newer that's so
00:45:48
pinpoint I think they come up with this for a couple of reasons one I think they're working off of the idea that
00:45:56
this guy is driving a lot that he's spending a lot of time driving and they may also believe him to be careful if
00:46:04
they believe him to be careful and driving all the time they're probably going off of the thought that he would
00:46:10
prefer to drive a newer vehicle something that's well maintained and well cared for because it would be too
00:46:15
risky to spend all that time driving and he wouldn't do that because he's careful
00:46:19
or possibly the idea that this guy was married divorced so he possibly has a career is living with somebody or living
00:46:27
with his parents so therefore he has the money where he would have a nicer vehicle because that would be his only
00:46:34
opportunity to maybe impress a female also that's interesting that you picked up on that because with having a
00:46:40
background in electronics they're almost suggesting that they believe this individual has a job and like you said
00:46:47
if they believe he's living with his parents he has more money than somebody not living with their parents M but the
00:46:54
obvious thing here is usually when they base off of uh the situation is this individual local or not and that seems
00:47:02
to be pretty quick to come to that assumption and I think here really exemplifies that to Perfection you know
00:47:10
we have a situation where he gives very detailed directions to find her body and
00:47:16
I have to believe that law enforcement's working off of the thought that that's not just a place that this guy stumbled
00:47:22
upon that this is an area that he knew and knew well and therefore he's a local guy he didn't just drive in and happen
00:47:29
to see her at the mailbox and take her away this next call is by far the most detailed call from the killer hello for
00:47:39
Don uh don is not taking any calls could I have a name please uh please put Don on the
00:47:47
line Don can't come to the phone right now this is um her aunt derly well I speak to uh Mrs me this is
00:47:56
emergency well I'm sorry she is um being sedated and cannot come to the phone she's
00:48:03
asleep okay may I speak to Bob Smith um Bob has gone um up to the funeral home you realize the situation with their
00:48:13
daughter wait one moment you you asked to speak to Mrs Smith or Don I'd rather speak to Don to Don
00:48:21
uh-huh uh well let me see if we can find her okay hurry up all right they're looking right now thank you ma'am okay
00:48:29
thank you I'll speak to anybody comes the phone now this is her aunt uh Bly Joe Wilson we accept the charge yes will
00:48:38
accept the charge this is sher's Aunt Beverly I'll be happy to speak to you who am I speaking to
00:48:44
please I want to speak to Don U we're trying to locate her in the meantime I'll be happy to help you no thank you I
00:48:51
have to go then if I can't talk to her she's coming they're looking for her immediately
00:49:01
just one moment they they're trying to find her okay operator here wait one moment please she had walked outside to
00:49:07
walk the dog they are looking for her operator is operator on the line here is Don right now hello Don yes
00:49:19
I'm calling for shering Fai and are you aware I'm turning myself in tomorrow morning no where you talk to sheriff me
00:49:26
or Charlie K oh no well talk to them and listen carefully okay I have to tell you
00:49:32
this C Sherry asked me to uh turn myself in on after the fifth day after they found her wait okay I'm trying to write
00:49:42
this down write it down don't write it down don't write it down okay and uh or get myself straight with God and turn
00:49:50
myself completely over to him so I have to turn myself over to him okay and uh so uh Charlie K he'll know what I'm
00:49:58
talking about when you talk to him he will not be able to get a personal interview from me in the morning I'm
00:50:04
uh there'll be a letter that's already been mailed an exi copy to you and to him and it's with pictures a copy to me
00:50:16
yes and him at his home of pictures of Sher say from the time even I made her stand at their car and took two pictures
00:50:26
now all through the thing and the letter would describe exactly what happened from the time I picked her up till the
00:50:31
time uh I called and told yall where to find her and I'll be doing the same in the morning at 6:00 a.m. and tell the
00:50:39
sheriff and Charlie K Charlie car is I used him as a medium today I talk to him okay at 6:00 a.m. what will you be doing
00:50:48
in the morning well he'll know oh he already know he'll know okay and also that um um
00:50:56
I'm will be armed but by the time they find me I won't be dangerous do you understand that you will be armed but by
00:51:05
the time they find me I won't be dangerous what does that mean well uh Sherry B said if I couldn't live with
00:51:13
myself and she wouldn't forgive me if I didn't turn myself over or turn myself in or turn myself over to God so I'm
00:51:21
going to have to I just this thing got out of hand and all I wanted to do was make love to Don I've been watching her
00:51:28
for a couple of weeks to I'm sorry to Sherry and I watched her a couple of weeks and uh it just got out of hand and
00:51:36
y' Don I hope you and your family forgive me for this you're not going to kill yourself are you I don't I can't
00:51:42
live in prison and go to lecor chair I can't do that this is the only way I can get myself straight I'm very sick and
00:51:50
but I I can't go through we don't want you to die we want to help you don't kill yourself I just you can't take
00:51:57
someone's life and this is the way it's going to have to be Sherry said but see listen to me okay well listen I have to
00:52:04
go no I got to tell you something okay this is important God are being traced well that's okay but God can forgive you
00:52:11
and eras all of that I I can't live with my the rest of my life or go to electric
00:52:17
chair listen sher's at peace with God she's better off than any of us well I want to say something to you that she
00:52:22
told me okay sh oh Bo Sher F said that um she did not cry the entire time she was very strong
00:52:32
wielded and she said that um she did not want uh y'all to run your lives and go on with your lives like the letter said
00:52:41
and I've never lied to y'all before right everything I told you came true right yes okay so this is going to have
00:52:48
to be it the way it is and she said that um she wasn't scared that she knew that
00:52:53
she was going to be an angel and and if I took the latter choice that she suggested to me that she would forgive
00:53:01
me but our God's going to be the major judgment and she'll probably end up seeing me in heaven not in hell and that
00:53:09
uh she request and please remember this now she request that y'all be sure to take her hands and fold them in her on
00:53:17
her stomach like she's praying okay and that Clos casket yes they already made those plans yes okay and please uh have
00:53:25
Charlie K with Sheriff Mets and Charlie knows what to do in the morning and have
00:53:30
an ambulance and probably before they get their might well have a HS also and I'll
00:53:38
be at the traffic circle and I'm not in I'll be I'm just going to allow myself enough time to get in the area and get
00:53:45
set up I'm not in the area now and uh it'll be 6:00 in the morning that I'll call his office and by the time they
00:53:52
reach me I'll be straight with God didn't not Sher said please take the gold necklace that she had on and the
00:54:00
she had one earring and her left ear and save those things and treasure them save
00:54:07
them yes she doesn't want um Richard to have that necklace uh she said something
00:54:13
there was something special jury in her room that she said I forgot what it might have been that necklace but uh
00:54:20
yeah well go ahead but the rest of her stuff is it's irrelevant okay she felt sure y'all would do this and what about
00:54:27
her High School ring oh that's she said everything else would be decided by the family but Cherry was was not afraid and
00:54:35
she didn't cry or anything no she didn't do anything and I can you handle if I tell you how she died yes okay now be
00:54:42
strong man okay she said you were she told me all about the family and everything we talked and oh God and I am
00:54:51
a family friend that's the sad part you are a family friend yeah yeah and that's
00:54:56
why I can't face y'all you'll find out in the morning or tomorrow but um forg me and uh Don uh Sherry I don't know
00:55:06
whether you should tell your mother this or not but uh Sherry F was not a virgin
00:55:11
she started uh with the guy in January were you aware we know that now yes okay and I did make love to her and we had
00:55:21
oral sex for uh three different times and uh she di can you hand this now yes okay
00:55:29
I tied her up to the bed post and uh with electric uh cord and uh she didn't struggle crying
00:55:39
or anything she let me voluntarily from her chin to her head oh yeah and be sure
00:55:45
to tell okay I'll go ahead and take and I took duct tape and wrapped it all the way around her head and suffocated her
00:55:53
and tell the coroner or get the information that's how she died and um I was unaware she had this disease I
00:56:00
probably wouldn't ever taken her and uh I shouldn't took her anyway it just got out of hand and I had asked her out
00:56:08
before and she said she would if she wasn't going with anybody and uh she said also that oh yeah make sure Charlie
00:56:17
K you know him the reporter on I can't think of who he is right now okay they'll know who he is he's the one that
00:56:23
wears the bow tie on channel 10 he's the head uh news fellow on this case for Channel 10 tell him to be sure to get in
00:56:30
touch with an Davis cuz an Davis yeah she probably already told him some information you had to use them for
00:56:36
mediums because they were capping your house and stuff and another ironic part I had to see what was going on at the H
00:56:44
at your house I was there Saturday morning for the search you were at the search Saturday yes I was and
00:56:53
if um oh God Don I wish I wish y'all could help me but it's just too late let me tell you something okay God can
00:57:02
forgive you well I have to go now Don I know that and through God we can forgive
00:57:06
you also well Don we you forgive me then your family but I I just if I'll have to
00:57:16
take the other choice that that Sherry P said to me I just can't live with myself
00:57:22
like this I'm not I think you just need to just think about that little hard going to be caged up like a dog okay now
00:57:27
is there any other questions short I got to go now time for um when when you killed Cherry was she at peace she
00:57:33
wasn't afraid or anything she was not she was at peace she knew that God was with her and she was going to become an
00:57:39
angel and and she wrote that letter to us of her own free will and all that was did everything I told you has been the
00:57:45
truth hadn't everything came true yes it has okay and now I'll be in the area uh
00:57:51
from just a long enough time to set this up for myself like I said I also Charlie
00:57:58
and everything requested I mean I told you that I requested Cherry I asked Sherry F if I could do this and she said
00:58:05
it was fine with her to have the minister the preacher from Leon Baptist be in the ambulance me in the ambulance
00:58:13
Louis Abbott huh Louis Abbott uh yeah I forgot she she told me name I forgot who
00:58:18
it was the one that's going to y's regular Ministry with the going to do the funeral Saturday yes
00:58:25
okay can can I ask you one more question one more and that's it when when you um
00:58:29
you told us that you Sher was kidnapped at gunpoint yeah but she knew you yeah at first see I pulled up and U I'm
00:58:38
telling you the truth I have no reason to lie to y'all okay I've always told you the truth right right okay and I had
00:58:45
her ask her to stand there and I took two instant pictures you asked her to stand where that's a mailbox with her
00:58:51
car in the background those pictures detailed pictures will be with the letters that you receive probably since
00:58:58
I'm out of town probably not until Saturday and Charlie K will get a coffee and your family will get a coffee and
00:59:07
it's addressed to you unless the mail HS it up so she didn't realize that you were fixing to kidnap her that's exactly
00:59:13
right okay and uh she's uh she uh what else she does so I'll just be in there long enough to get set up for tomorrow
00:59:24
morning morning and tell the sheriff met that it's no use in uh uh trying to trace these cars or catch me it's too
00:59:31
late and I won't be taking aive and also Dawn that uh uh he can just call off the down
00:59:38
search it's it's over now and are you talk I want the people out there wasting their time everything I told you true
00:59:46
and this is coming true also I just can't live with I can't take it anymore Sher fav's right we I feel like I I got
00:59:54
close cl to her and we she showed me things she was very okay okay any other questions uh
01:00:01
why are you talking to me instead of mom she felt like you were strong wielded more oh did you start talking to her who
01:00:08
mother at first yeah that was your mother oh I was outside I didn't know she said it was your aunt but it was
01:00:14
your mother correct uh no that was my aunt no she said something about your mother being on her medication Sherry
01:00:21
told me Sherry F told me remember I told you on the fifth day to let them know where
01:00:27
she was so her blessings of the body could be blessed right why on the fifth day did she want us to find a why not I
01:00:33
don't know she just she just said that I don't know I don't have any idea and she
01:00:39
was into her third day on her period and uh I'm telling you exactly how she died
01:00:45
so she died Suffocation and so you know okay anything else why did you why did you do that
01:00:55
she I gave her a choice to shoot her or give her a drug overdose or suffocate her why did you have to kill her it got
01:01:04
out of hand I got scared because I I only God knows Don I don't know why God forgives me for this I hope and I got to
01:01:13
straighten it out or he'll send me to hell and I'll be there rest of my life but I'm not going to be in prison and
01:01:19
but I don't think taking your life is the answer to this go to forgiveness well Don I got to go now it's been too
01:01:27
long and I tell them to just forget about the search I'll be in the area long enough in the morning for them to
01:01:33
uh find me and by the time I call uh Charlie Ka know exactly the set up they I hope now so I know why I'm standing on
01:01:42
the phone they are taping this I don't want anything messed up okay okay they are taping it right uhhuh okay good okay
01:01:50
and anything else um um I I just um oh yeah let me tell you the other night they almost caught me the ignorant son
01:01:59
of a guns I wanted them to catch me I felt that way at that time when when was it when I called at 9:45 when you were
01:02:07
over near Jake's Landing yeah I was at that fast I pulled out 20 yard in front of
01:02:15
two what color of car did you have they hit it dead on it red and they didn't even dawn I can't get over this
01:02:23
and ignorant son of so and so didn't even turn around and follow me and I cut right at that blinking light down there
01:02:30
to go to back way on o Cherokee Road and there was a highway patrolman in or somebody in front of me and pulled a car
01:02:37
in front of me and he let me turn right on Old Cherokee Road can you believe that so you really wanted to be caught
01:02:45
at that time but it's too late now what kind of car was it well they Mighty damn close Don
01:02:53
they're not going to catch me I I can't give you much information cuz I got to make it back in time and they'll stop me
01:02:58
before I get back if I tell you but they they're right it was a red one and I almost got caught three or four times
01:03:04
was it a red Jetta Don that's irrelevant now if I die now or if I die at 6:00 in the morning
01:03:11
is irrelevant well listen uh don I really I wish you else you would just think about not killing she told me to
01:03:19
tell you please go back to Carol W I know you live in Charlotte and I I know a lot about your family and uh go back
01:03:27
and start singing and give it your best and that she knows that she'll be singing like crazy she was when she said
01:03:34
that she was smiling she'd be singing like crazy SM she was smiling and well so she wasn't afraid the whole time no
01:03:42
never because she knew that she was going to be with God that's exactly right the whole time the whole time
01:03:48
she's so damn strong welded and and but I just really I wish you would think about not killing yourself I will Don
01:03:55
you need to think about that a lot because okay well put it this way if if I decide between now and I call Sheriff
01:04:02
he'll know with Charlie 6 in the morning all oh Lord listen our prayers will be for you okay I'll call you collect did
01:04:11
you hear what I home tonight we we are home tonight can I ask you listen our prayers will be with you okay God can do
01:04:19
anything and he could forgive you for this yeah but you know what's going to happen to me Don I'm gonna be
01:04:25
fried you don't know that God can work miracles you don't know that that'll happen to you God is merciful no matter
01:04:32
what we do it's time now it's time I got to go now and I'll just I'll think about
01:04:38
a lot lot of things on my mind now I know you know that right right and uh uh you answer the phone every time it rings
01:04:45
tonight me answer the phone tonight every time it rings that's right and it's collect and I'll save from uh the
01:04:50
break of day okay now if we're as sleep you let it keep ringing okay will I will
01:04:55
okay well God bless all of us God bless you too and wait a mother wants to say something to you listen mom wants to say
01:05:03
something to you all right just one thing and then I'm gone [Music] okay join us back here in the garage for
01:05:24
part two of WI a killer calls until then be good be kind and don't [Music] litter
01:06:06
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