A Crime to Remember (2013–…): Season 3, Episode 1 - The Gaffney Strangler - full transcript
THE SOUTH IS FULL OF
LEGENDS OF THE EVILS
THAT LURK AT TWILIGHT
ON THE BACK ROADS:
SPOOKS AND SPECTERS
THAT HAUNT THE HALLOWS,
BLACK CATS
WHO STEAL YOUR BREATH,
AND THE DEMON WHO HIDES
IN THE HONEYSUCKLE LOOKIN'
TO STEAL YOUR SOUL.
BUT AS A YOUNG GIRL,
I LEARNED THAT
WHAT WE TRULY NEED TO FEAR
ARE NOT THE MONSTERS
FROM THE MOONLIT WOODS...
BUT THE DEVIL
WHO LIVES NEXT DOOR.
GAFFNEY, SOUTH CAROLINA,
WAS KIND OF A SMALL TOWN
WHERE EVERYBODY KNEW EVERYBODY,
IF NOT BY NAME, THEN BY SIGHT.
OF COURSE IN 1968,
WE WERE HAUNTED
BY THE SAME TROUBLES
AS ANYWHERE ELSE SOUTH
OF THE MASON-DIXON LINE.
AND I CAN'T SAY IT WAS EASY.
SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA,
THE WHOLE BIBLE BELT:
THE INTEGRATION ARGUMENT
WAS HAPPENING.
GAFFNEY SCHOOLS WERE JUST
GOIN' THROUGH
INTEGRATION FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I WAITED IN LINE FOR 4 HOURS
THAT MORNIN'
TO REGISTER FOR SCHOOL.
FOUR HOURS
ON THOSE TOWN HALL STEPS,
WHICH IS
WHY I REMEMBER SO CLEARLY...
HEY, BILL.
WHEN MR. BILL GIBBONS,
WHO EDITED THE PAPER, ARRIVED.
I ASSUMED HE WAS THERE
TO WRITE ABOUT US,
BUT I WAS DEAD WRONG.
HEY, BILL.
BILL GIBBONS DIDN'T HAVE
A STORY TO WRITE.
HE HAD A STORY TO TELL.
BILL GIBBONS WAS THE EDITOR
OF THE GAFFNEY LEDGER.
BILL'S IMMEDIATE DUTIES
WERE NOT TO HANG OUT
AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE,
BUT HE WAS NO STRANGER TO 'EM.
SHERIFF...
HEY, BILL, HOW ARE YA?
I GOT A STRANGE CALL
DOWN AT THE LEDGER JUST NOW.
NOW, THIS FELLA CALLS,
TELLS ME HE HAS THREE STORIES.
AND TO TAKE NOTES
ON 'EM ON THREE SHEETS OF PAPER.
DID YOU RECOGNIZE HIM?
NO, NO.
IT COULDA BEEN ANYONE, MALE,
MIGHT BE WHITE.
HE TOLD YOU TO NUMBER 'EM?
YES, SIR: ONE, TWO, THREE.
HE SAID, "NANCY CHRISTINE,"
AND THEN, SOME DIRECTIONS,
SOUNDS LIKE CHAIN GANG ROAD.
AND THEN...
PILE OF BRUSH?
NEXT ONE, HE TELLS ME
NANCY CAROL PARRIS DOWNSTREAM
FROM THE, FORD ROAD BRIDGE.
IN THE WATER,
ON THE DOWNHILL SIDE,
YOU'LL FIND THE BODY.
THE BODY?
YEAH.
THIS ONE IS DIFFERENT.
HE JUST TOLD ME
ANNIE LOUISE DEDMOND,
JERUSALEM ROAD, MARCH 1967.
JERUSALEM ROAD?
UNION COUNTY, YEAH.
I MEAN, IT JUST DOESN'T SOUND
LIKE A PRANK AFTER A WHILE.
HAS TO BE.
BUT HE TOLD YOU BODIES?
YES, SIR.
WE GET PRANK CALLS
IN NEWSPAPER ALL THE TIME,
BUT GIBBONS SAYS THE CALLER
TOLD HIM, "DON'T GO ALONE.
BE SURE AND GET THE SHERIFF."
THE SHERIFF AND BILL
AND A DEPUTY GET IN A PATROL CAR
AND HEAD OFF FOR THE BRIDGE
ON FORD ROAD.
THAT WAS THE MOST ACCESSIBLE
OF THE THREE PLACES.
THE WIFE SAYS SHE LIKES THE
BEACH BETTER IN THE OFF-SEASON.
OF COURSE, SHE AIN'T PRONE
TO GIRL WATCHIN'.
WELL, I'LL TAKE ANYWHERE WARM.
IN GAFFNEY,
LIKE IN MOST SMALL TOWNS,
MURDERS AREN'T THAT COMMON.
THE IDEA THAT IT WAS SOME KIND
OF A PRACTICAL JOKE
MADE MUCH MORE SENSE.
SHE'S NUDE,
AND HER HAIR IS IN HER FACE.
HER LEGS ARE SLIGHTLY SPLIT.
THERE IS A VERY DISTINCTIVE
BLUISH MARK AROUND HER NECK.
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER
LATER CONFIRMS THAT THE MARKS
ARE FROM STRANGULATION.
SHE'D BEEN DEAD
NO MORE THAN A DAY
BEFORE BILL GIBBONS
GOT THAT CALL.
THE BODY IS NANCY CAROL PARRIS.
THE SAME NAME
THAT THE CALLER HAD SAID TO HIM.
MISS PARRIS USED TO COME BY
MY DADDY'S SHOP NOW AND THEN.
YOU CAN GET TO KNOW PEOPLE
THAT WAY,
SEEIN' IF THEY HAVE TIME
FOR A SMILE AND A KIND WAVE,
EVEN WHEN SHE WAS
WITH HER HUSBAND MONROE.
SHERIFF!
LOOK I --
I -- I'M JUST AS SHOCKED
AS YOU ARE ABOUT THIS.
I -- I THOUGHT
THIS WAS SOME KINDA PRANK,
AND CLEARLY IT'S NOT.
IT'S A... WELL...
I HOPE THAT'S THE ONLY BODY
WE FIND,
'CAUSE IF THERE'RE TWO
OTHER WOMEN OUT THERE...
THEY'RE CALLING
YOU TO TELL US ABOUT IT?
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS.
THE ZODIAC KILLER WAS STILL 10,
11 MONTHS IN THE FUTURE,
WHICH WAS THE MOST FAMOUS CASE,
IN AMERICAN HISTORY,
OF A KILLER CONTACTING THE MEDIA
SAYING,
"HEY, THIS IS WHERE
THE BODIES ARE.
THIS IS WHERE YOU'LL FIND THEM."
SO THEY GO TO THE NEXT LOCATION,
CHAIN GANG ROAD.
THE CHAIN GANG ROAD WAS A FEW
MILES OUTSIDE OF TOWN,
FULL UP WITH KUDZU
AND SPANISH MOSS.
KIDS USED TO GO OUT THERE TO
PARK WITH THEIR STEADIES.
THE MAN ON THE PHONE SAID THIS
IS WHERE THEY'D FIND
THE GIRL CALLED
NANCY CHRISTINE.
REMEMBER NOW,
WE'RE LOOKING FOR A BRUSH PILE,
NO MORE THAN A QUARTER MILE
FROM THE CARS.
IT IS THICK UNDERBRUSH,
DENSE FOREST,
SO THEY SPREAD OUT 20,
30 FEET APART.
MORE PEOPLE HAVE ARRIVED,
MORE SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES.
MORE PEOPLE FROM THE NEWSPAPER
HAVE SHOWED UP.
BILL GIBBONS CALLED ME
TO BRING MY CAMERA.
YOU JUST HEAR YOUR FOOTSTEPS
ON THE FLOOR OF THE FOREST.
ALL OF US GOT A LITTLE
EERIE FEELING.
I FOUND HER, OVER HERE!
A WOMAN'S FOOT
IS STICKING OUT
FROM THE UNDERGROWTH.
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A CAMERA.
SO I WAS TAKING PICTURES.
MY GOD.
LIKE THE FIRST BODY, THE MARKS
ARE FROM STRANGULATION.
SHE'D BEEN DEAD AT LEAST A WEEK
AND HIDDEN IN THE BRUSH
LIKE SHE WAS SOMEONE
OR SOMETHING'S SECRET.
THE OTHER GIRL HAD BEEN KILLED
JUST YESTERDAY
AND WAS LEFT OUT
FOR THE WORLD TO SEE.
IT SEEMED LIKE THE DEVIL
WAS MOVING CLOSER TO GAFFNEY
AND GETTING BOLDER.
SHE'S JUST A TEENAGER.
THE RHINEHART GIRL?
YEAH, I THINK SO.
DAMN IT.
THE VICTIM
IS NANCY CHRISTINA RHINEHART.
TINA, SHE'S 14.
THE RHINEHART GIRL
WAS TINA RHINEHART.
HER MOTHER HAD REPORTED
HER MISSING A WEEK AGO,
BUT THE SHERIFF JUST THOUGHT
SHE WAS A RUNAWAY.
WHAT THE SHERIFF DIDN'T KNOW
WAS THAT HER CHRISTIAN NAME
WAS NANCY CHRISTINE.
SO WHEN THEY SAW BILL GIBBON'S
NOTE WITH THAT NAME ON IT,
THEY NEVER PUT IT TOGETHER.
BILL AND TOMMY
DOWN AT THE LEDGER.
THE CALLER SAID
THE THIRD VICTIM
WAS OUT NEAR JERUSALEM ROAD,
WHICH IS A ROAD IN UNION COUNTY,
WHICH IS A NEIGHBORING COUNTY.
ANN DEDMOND.
SO THEY CALLED,
THE SHERIFF IN THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT OVER THERE.
AND HE SAYS, "WELL, THAT'S
WHERE MISS DEDMOND WAS FOUND."
A LADY NAMED ANNIE DEDMOND
WAS FOUND OVER IN UNION COUNTY
6 MONTHS EARLIER.
THEY FOUND HER JUST LIKE OUR
TWO GIRLS,
UNDRESSED AND STRANGLED.
WE GOT A PAIR OF LOCAL GIRLS
WITH THE SAME THING...
NO, NOT LAST YEAR, TODAY.
YOU KNOW THAT SINKING FEELING
YOU GET
IN THE PIT OF YOUR STOMACH
WHEN YOU GET BAD NEWS?
THANKS, TOM.
WELL, I IMAGINE THAT'S
WHAT THE POLICE
FELT WHEN THEY HEARD SOMEONE
WAS ALREADY SITTING IN JAIL
FOR ANNIE DEDMOND'S MURDER.
HER HUSBAND IS SERVING TIME
FOR THAT NOW.
HE'S BEEN CONVICTED
FOR 9 MONTHS.
IS THE WRONG MAN IN JAIL
FOR THIS MURDER?
DID WE ARREST THE WRONG GUY,
AND LEAVE THE MURDERER
OUT TO KILL THESE TWO WOMEN
WE JUST FOUND?
IN VIETNAM, KHE SANH
CONTINUES TO BE UNDER SIEGE.
THERE, THE FIRST...
IT SEEMED LIKE
BILL GIBBONS HAD FOUND HIMSELF
SMACK IN THE MIDDLE
OF A REAL-LIVE NEWS EVENT.
A MONSTER WAS LEAVING A TRAIL
OF WOMEN
AS HE MARCHED FROM UNION COUNTY
INTO THE HEART OF GAFFNEY.
AND HE WANTED US TO KNOW
HE WAS COMIN'.
WHO IS THIS CALLER?
IS HE TOYING WITH THE POLICE?
ARE THERE MORE VICTIMS
OUT THERE?
IS THERE GOIN' TO BE MORE?
IN A SMALL SOUTHERN TOWN,
FOLKS CAN FOOL THEMSELVES
INTO THINKING THAT THEY KNOW
THEIR NEIGHBORS.
BUT WHO ARE THEY, REALLY,
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
OR ALONE IN THE WOODS?
WE WOULD ALL COME TO LEARN
THAT PUTTING YOUR TRUST
IN THE WRONG PERSON
MIGHT JUST BE THE LAST THING
YOU EVER DO.
...IT GIVES COMFORT
TO ALL WHO MOURN...
THREE GIRLS MURDERED --
IT WAS
THE MOST TERRIFYING THING
ANYONE GAFFNEY
COULD REMEMBER.
FOLKS FROM ALL OVER TURNED UP
FOR TINA'S FUNERAL.
SHE WAS JUST 14, AFTER ALL.
IT WAS A BONDING
FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
LOOK NOT ON IT
AS GOING TO ASHES,
BUT INSTEAD TO A FREEDOM.
SORRY FOR THIS.
MY CONDOLENCES.
SHE WAS SUCH A PRETTY
LITTLE GIRL.
WE'RE HERE FOR YOU.
PEOPLE SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW,
NEVER MET IN HER LIFE,
SAID HOW BEAUTIFUL TINA WAS.
AND, "WE'RE SO SORRY.
ANYTHING WE CAN DO FOR YOU,
JUST LET US KNOW."
SHE'S IN GOD'S HANDS NOW.
GAFFNEY POLICE.
UP UNTIL THEN,
THE MOST THE SHERIFF
WAS USED TO DEALING WITH
WAS EXPIRED FISHIN' PERMITS.
BUT NOW THE POND HAD GOTTEN
A WHOLE LOT BIGGER.
IT WAS TIME TO CALL IN
THE BIG FISH, STATE POLICE.
I TRULY APPRECIATE YOU COMIN'
DOWN HERE AGAIN, MRS. RHINEHART.
I KNOW YOU BEEN THROUGH A LOT.
EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMED AWFUL
TO MAKE TINA'S MOTHER
GO THROUGH HER STORY
AGAIN AND AGAIN,
THE STATE POLICE
HAD A JOB TO DO.
THEY BELIEVED THAT IT WOULD BE
SOMEONE THAT THE VICTIM KNEW.
MRS. RHINEHART, DOES SHE HAVE
A -- A BOYFRIEND, OR SOMETHIN',
SOMEBODY SHE'S SEEIN'?
NO.
SHE TOLD HER SISTER
SHE WAS COMING OVER
TO SEE ME AT WORK,
LEFT AROUND 5:30 IN THE MORNING,
AND THEN SHE JUST NEVER
SHOWED UP.
EACH OF THESE WOMEN
WERE KILLED FROM
LIGATURE STRANGULATION.
SOME KIND OF A INSTRUMENT WAS
USED, NOT THE OFFENDER'S HANDS.
ALSO, BOTH VICTIMS,
BOTH TINA RHINEHART
AND MISS PARRIS, HAD BEEN RAPED.
YOU TALK TO HER HUSBAND YET?
MONROE? NO.
WE,
WE AIN'T TALKED TO HIM YET.
NANCY PARRIS,
THE LADY THEY FOUND IN
THE WATER BELOW FORD BRIDGE,
WAS A YOUNG HOUSEWIFE.
AND YOU KNOW HOW PEOPLE
GET TO GOSSIPIN'.
WORD WAS THAT SHE
AND HER HUSBAND, MONROE,
WERE KNOWN TO GET INTO IT
FROM TIME TO TIME.
MONROE PARRIS?
DETECTIVE JAMES,
DETECTIVE RILEY.
NEED TO ASK YOU A FEW QUESTIONS
ABOUT NANCY.
WHAT Y'ALL WANNA KNOW?
WELL...
I NEED YOU TO WALK ME THROUGH
THE DAY NANCY DISAPPEARED.
WELL...
YOU KNOW, WE -- WE FOUGHT
LIKE A NORMAL MARRIED COUPLE.
WHAT'D Y'ALL QUARREL ABOUT?
NANCE, HONEY,
WHY DON'T YOU COME BACK INSIDE?
WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT.
NO, MONROE, I'M TAKING JUNIPER
FOR A WALK, A LONG ONE.
OUR MARRIAGE
HAS ITS PROBLEMS.
SHE TOOK JUNIPER
AND WENT ON DOWN THE STREET.
AND...
THAT WAS THE LAST TIME
THAT I SAW HER.
THEN I SAW HER ON THE --
ON THAT TABLE.
THEY TALKED TO THEIR
NEIGHBORS.
AND THEY GAVE HIM
A PRETTY GOOD ALIBI,
SO HE WAS DISCOUNTED
PRETTY QUICK.
CAN YOU THINK OF ANYBODY ELSE
WHO WOULD WANNA HARM NANCY?
NO.
LIFE WAS SIMPLE IN GAFFNEY,
SO I THINK WE ALL WERE HOPING
IT'D BE A SIMPLE ANSWER --
JEALOUS HUSBAND,
MAYBE THE JILTED BOYFRIEND.
BUT THE ONLY THING
THESE GIRLS HAD IN COMMON
WAS THAT THEY HAD ALL GONE OUT
FOR A WALK AND NEVER COME HOME.
CHANCES ARE BETTER THAN EVEN
THAT YOU'VE NEVER HEARD
OF GAFFNEY, SOUTH CAROLINA.
BUT A BIZARRE MURDER CASE
IS IN THE PROCESS
OF CHANGING ALL THAT.
YOU'VE LIVED HERE 65 YEARS,
YOU PROBABLY KNOW EVERYONE
IN TOWN ABOUT AS WELL AS ANYONE.
YOU THINK THE TOWN'S
RUNNING SCARED?
YEAH, THEY'RE SCARED.
THEY'RE SCARED.
THEY DON'T KNOW
WHERE HE GONNA STRIKE NEXT,
AND, Y'KNOW, HE SAID HE WOULD.
GAFFNEY POLICE.
HELLO, MRS. WATERSON.
YOU SAW SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS?
AFTER THAT,
YOU COULDN'T TIE YOUR LACES
TWICE WITHOUT SOMEONE
REPORTING IT TO THE SHERIFF.
POLICE BEGIN FIELDING CALLS --
GIRLFRIENDS SUSPECTING
THEIR BOYFRIENDS,
NEIGHBORS CASTING SUSPICION
ON THEIR NEIGHBORS.
- JAMES.
- YEAH, HELLO.
UM, I THINK
I SAW THE STRANGLER.
COUPLE OF DAYS
AFTER THE BODIES WERE FOUND,
THE POLICE GET CONTACTED
BY A LOCAL MAN.
THE OTHER NIGHT OUT ON
THE BRIDGE ON FORD ROAD.
HE WAS PARKED NEAR THE BRIDGE
WHERE MISS PARRIS
WAS THROWN OFF.
HIS DESCRIPTION WAS
A TALL, SKINNY, WHITE MAN.
W -- WHAT ABOUT THE CAR?
HE WAS PRETTY SURE
IT WAS A SEDAN
BUT COULDN'T TELL THE COLOR,
OR THE MAKE, OR THE YEAR.
THE POLICE ARE GOIN',
"WHY'S IT TAKE 2 DAYS
FOR YOU TO COME FORWARD?"
IS THIS ACTUALLY THE KILLER
CALLIN' THEM UP?
THE MAN HEMMED AND HAWED
AND FINALLY SAID,
"WELL, I'M MARRIED.
AND I WAS PARKED OUT THERE
WITH A MARRIED WOMAN."
SO HE WAS PROTECTING HIMSELF,
BUT HIS CONSCIENCE MADE HIM
TELL THE POLICE WHAT HE KNEW.
THE LAST FEW YEARS THINGS
BETWEEN FOLKS IN GAFFNEY
HAD BEEN STRAINED.
BUT ADD A KILLER INTO THE MIX,
AND IT WAS LIKE THROWING
HOT SAUCE ON A FRYING PAN.
EVERYONE WAS ON EDGE,
BUT THERE WAS ONE MAN
IN PARTICULAR
WHO WAS FEELING THE HEAT
MORE THAN ANY OTHER...
MR. BILL GIBBONS.
WITHOUT BILL GIBBONS
TELLING THE POLICE ABOUT
THIS PHONE CALL,
THERE WAS NO STORY.
THE BODIES MAY BE THERE,
BUT NOBODY HAD FOUND 'EM YET.
MR. GIBBONS,
SHERIFF CALL YOU UP?
YEAH, HE DID.
HE DID.
YOU'LL BE LISTENIN'
IN FROM HERE?
YOU GET ANOTHER ONE
OF THESE CALLS,
WE'LL BE RECORDING IT
ON THIS THING RIGHT HERE.
INVESTIGATORS DECIDE
THAT THEY'LL PUT A TRAP
ON BILL GIBBON'S,
OFFICE PHONE.
IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT YOU KEEP HIM ON THE LINE
AS LONG AS YOU CAN, THOUGH.
FOR THE TRACE TO WORK?
AND FOR US TO HEAR
WHO'S TALKIN' 'BOUT WHAT.
DETECTIVES INFER EITHER HE HAD
THIS CONNECTION TO THE KILLER,
OR HE HAD INFORMATION
THAT ONLY THE KILLER WOULD KNOW.
I'D BE PERFECTLY HAPPY
IF HE,
IF HE NEVER CALLED AGAIN.
I'M NOT SURE THAT WOULD BE
THE BEST THING FOR YOU,
MR. GIBBONS.
EXCUSE ME.
THEY'RE WAITING.
THEY'RE WAITING.
GIBBONS GOT THE CALL.
WELL, IT CAN'T BE.
WE HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING
HERE FOR HOURS.
NO, NOT THAT PHONE,
HIS PHONE AT HOME.
AT HIS HOME?
GIBBONS CALLS THE SHERIFF
AND SAYS, "I HEARD
FROM THE KILLER AGAIN.
HE CALLED ME AT HOME."
IT -- IT WAS
DEFINITELY HIM.
THERE'S NO MISTAKING HIS VOICE.
HE SAID, "WE HAVE TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT THE MAN
DOWN THERE SERVING MY SENTENCE."
I TOOK NOTES ON A PAPER BAG.
BILL GIBBONS SAYS,
"THE UNIDENTIFIED CALLER
SAID THERE'S BEEN A WRONGFULLY
CONVICTED MAN IN PRISON
FOR THE MURDER OF ANNIE DEDMOND,
AND I DID IT."
WHY WOULD ROGER DEDMOND
MATTER TO HIM?
I DON'T KNOW, BALANCIN'
THE SCALES OF JUSTICE MAYBE?
AND HE GAVE ME A WHOLE SLEW
OF PHYSICAL DETAILS.
BLUE SHOES, RED FORD FALCON
WITH THE LEFT TAILLIGHT OUT.
HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE HE KNOWS
TO CALL YOU HERE AT HOME?
WE'RE IN THE BOOK,
SAME AS ANYBODY.
BUT HOW WOULD HE KNOW?
HOW WOULD HE KNOW THAT WE'RE
LISTENIN' ON THE PHONE
HE ALREADY CALLED?
IT WAS DEFINITELY HIM.
THERE'S NO MISTAKIN' HIS VOICE.
BILL GIBBONS WAS
THE MOST TRUSTED MAN IN TOWN
UNTIL HE STARTED CLAIMING
THAT A MURDERER WAS CALLING HIM
ON THE PHONE
TO TELL HIM WHERE BODIES
COULD BE FOUND.
THING WAS, NO ONE
BUT BILL GIBBONS
HAD ACTUALLY SPOKEN TO HIM.
HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE HE KNOWS
TO CALL YOU HERE AT HOME?
HOW WOULD HE KNOW THAT WE'RE
LISTENIN' ON THE PHONE
HE ALREADY CALLED?
JOHN, YOU REALLY
BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?
YOU THINK I COULD DO THIS?
HELLO?
THERE'S SOMETHING
I FORGOT TO TELL YOU
ABOUT THAT DEDMOND GAL.
SHE HAD TRADIN' STAMPS
IN HER POCKET BOOK.
SHE WORE A -- AN OPEN-BOTTOM
DRESS WITH FRILLS, NO COAT.
OKAY, I -- I -- I GOT THAT.
SIR...
WHY DON'T WE MEET,
FACE-TO-FACE?
YOU COULD --
YOU COULD GIVE YOURSELF UP TO --
TO ME OR TO --
TO ANYONE YOU LIKE.
I'M PSYCHO, MR. GIBBONS.
IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
NO, YOU --
YOU NEED HELP.
NOW, PLEASE,
LET ME HELP YOU.
I'LL GET YOU HELP --
LISTEN...
THE POLICE JUST AREN'T SMART
ENOUGH TO CATCH ME.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT,
IF THEY DON'T,
THERE'S GONNA BE
MORE AND MORE DEATHS.
COUNT ON IT.
A KILLER REACHING OUT
THROUGH A REPORTER,
TAUNTING THE POLICE.
THEY HAVE NO POINT
OF REFERENCE FOR THIS.
THEY'RE OUTSIDE OF THEIR AREA
OF EXPERTISE.
BILL,
THE NEXT LEDGER COMES OUT...
TOMORROW.
YOU NEED TO KEEP THESE CALLS
TODAY OUT OF IT.
I CAN'T DO THAT, JOHN.
WE NEED HIM TO KEEP
CALLIN' BACK.
I RECOGNIZE, BILL, THAT I'M
ASKING FOR A HELL OF A LOT HERE.
YOU KNOW,
MY FAMILY COULD BE IN DANGER?
IF HE CALLS AGAIN,
WE'LL BE READY ON BOTH PHONES.
YOU'LL HAVE YOUR STORY
ONCE WE CATCH HIM.
IT WASN'T ABOUT THE STORY.
SCHOOLYARD BULLIES
AND CRANK CALLERS
WERE TORMENTIN' GIBBONS
AND HIS FAMILY.
BUT HE SHOOK HIS SHOULDERS
STRAIGHT,
AND PROMISED TO KEEP THE CALLS
SECRET IF IT WOULD HELP.
IF ONLY IT HAD.
THE VERY NEXT MORNING,
THE STRANGLER KEPT HIS PROMISE.
MR. BUCKSON.
SIR.
CAN YOU TELL ME SOMETHIN'
ABOUT WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE?
HE WAS WHITE.
OPAL BUCKSON'S SISTER, GRACIE,
TELLS THE POLICE THE STORY.
OPAL WAS ON HER WAY TO SCHOOL.
SHE AND HER SIBLINGS HAVE A HALF
A MILE WALK TO THE MAIN ROAD
WHERE THE BUS STOP WAS.
HER SISTER IS ABOUT
50 YARDS BEHIND.
HER SISTER SEES A MAN GRAB OPAL,
TOSS HER INTO THE TRUNK
OF THE CAR,
SLAM THE TRUNK AND SPEED OFF.
GRACIE, TELL ME 'BOUT THE CAR.
DARK -- DARK-COLORED...
CHEVROLET, I THINK.
WHEN I SAID GAFFNEY
WAS A SMALL TOWN,
I SHOULD'VE SAID GAFFNEY
WAS TWO SMALL TOWNS --
BLACKS AND WHITES
LIVED IN SEPARATE WORLDS.
AND I HATE TO SAY IT NOW,
BUT SINCE HE ONLY
PREYED ON WHITE GIRLS,
HE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE MUCH OF
A THREAT TO ME.
BUT WHEN OPAL WAS KIDNAPPED?
WE KNEW WE WERE ALL
IN DANGER.
BUT THE FEAR THAT COULD'VE TORN
THE COMMUNITY APART
LED TO SOMETHING
ALMOST UNIMAGINABLE.
I WANNA REMIND EVERY CITIZEN
THAT WHOEVER TOOK OPAL BUCKSON
IS STILL HOLDING HER
AGAINST HER WILL.
THIS HAD JUST HAPPENED.
SO THE URGENCY
IS SHE MAY STILL BE ALIVE.
THIS MAN IS A MALE CAUCASIAN,
EARLY 30s,
SLENDER BUILD, MEDIUM HEIGHT.
HE IS BELIEVED
TO BE DRIVING A LATE-'50s
FOUR-DOOR CHEVROLET SEDAN,
DARK IN COLOR.
IT WASN'T BLACK AND WHITE THING
IN ANY WAY.
WE WERE ALL IN THAT TOGETHER
IN GAFFNEY.
WE APPRECIATE THE COOPERATION
OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
TOGETHER, WE'RE GONNA FIND OPAL.
LET'S GO GET HIM.
I REMEMBER MY MAMA SAYIN'
SHE'D NEVER SEEN THE LIKE --
ALL OF GAFFNEY
WORKING TOGETHER,
AND TO SAVE THE LIFE
OF A LITTLE BLACK GIRL?
EVERYBODY WHO LIVES
IN TOWN VOLUNTEERS TO HELP.
SO THEY HAVE MEN
IN CARS DRIVING THE BACK ROADS.
POLICEMEN DRIVING THE BACK
ROADS, LOOKING FOR THAT SEDAN.
IT'S A TICKING CLOCK,
AND THEY WANT TO SEE IF THEY
CAN CATCH HIM AND SAVE HER LIFE.
I'M GONNA JUST KEEP ON
A WHILE LONGER, OKAY?
LESTER SKINNER
AND HENRY TRANSOU
WERE LOCAL GUYS,
ONE'S A GAME WARDEN,
ONE WAS A GOLF PRO.
THEY TURN RIGHT OFF A DIRT ROAD,
AND, UM, AS THEY GET DOWN
INTO THE WOODS...
JESUS, IS THAT HIM?!
HE FITS THE PHYSICAL
DESCRIPTION.
AND HIS CAR
FITS THE DESCRIPTION.
THEY GET TO A POINT
WHERE THEY CAN TURN AROUND,
AND AS THEY TURN AROUND...
HE PULLS OUT.
THE HELL WAS HE DOING
IN THE WOODS LIKE THAT?
SEE IF YOU CAN WRITE DOWN
HIS LICENSE PLATE.
YEP.
HE'S GOING FASTER.
THINK HE KNOWS WE'RE FOLLOWING?
IT'S 1968.
THEY'RE IN THE WOODS.
THERE'S NO PAY PHONE AROUND.
"WHAT'RE WE GONNA DO?"
DO WE TRY TO RUN HIM
OFF THE ROAD TO BE HEROES?
IF HE'S THE KILLER,
HE'S KILLED THREE WOMEN
AND ABDUCTED A GIRL.
HE MIGHT DO ANYTHING.
THEY TAKE DOWN
HIS LICENSE PLATE.
SKINNER AND TRANSOU
GO TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
AND TELL HIM, "THIS IS THE CAR.
THIS IS WHERE HE LIVES."
AND THE POLICE GO BACK
TO THAT HOUSE IMMEDIATELY.
RIGHT HERE,
COULDN'T HAVE BEEN 15 MINUTES.
ALL RIGHT.
STAY BACK, STAY BACK.
GAFFNEY POLICE,
COME OUT OF THAT DOOR!
WHAT?
OKAY.
THAT THE MAN YOU SAW?
DON'T THINK SO, NO.
THERE A MAN PULLED IN THIS
DRIVEWAY ABOUT 15 MINUTES AGO?
YES, SIR.
NEVER SEEN HIM BEFORE.
CAN YOU GET US TO THE PLACE
WHERE YOU FIRST SPOTTED THE CAR?
YEAH, BUT YOU'RE GONNA
NEED TO FOLLOW US.
YEAH.
SKINNER AND TRANSOU
SHOWED WHERE THEY SAW THE CAR
BACKED INTO THE WOODS.
OPAL, ARE YOU HERE?
IT WAS ALWAYS SO SPOOKY
BACK IN THOSE WOODS
WHERE THE CAR WAS SPOTTED.
IT WAS VERY HEAVY BRUSH,
ISOLATED.
OPAL!
THERE'S NO SIGN OF OPAL BUCKSON.
THEY DON'T FIND ANYTHING.
SO THE POLICE
RAN THE TAG NUMBER.
ALL RIGHT.
E G SIX NINE ONE ONE.
LEE ROY MARTIN.
I KNOW LEE ROY.
LEE ROY MARTIN WAS HIS NAME.
GO, GO, GO, GO, GO, GO, GO.
WORKS IN THE MILL,
LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW HIM.
HE HAD BEEN ARRESTED
FOR ASSAULTING A TEENAGE GIRL,
BUT THAT WAS 10 YEARS AGO.
HE FINISHED THAT SENTENCE,
CAME BACK HOME,
MARRIED, HAD CHILDREN.
IF HE STILL HAD OPAL ALIVE, HE
WAS NOT HIDING HER AT THE HOUSE.
THERE'S NO HIDING PLACE
IN A HOUSE THAT SMALL,
PARTICULARLY WITH A WIFE
AND THREE CHILDREN IN THE HOUSE
WITH HIM.
LEE ROY MARTIN WAS
A REGULAR PERSON, A FAMILY MAN.
SHOOT, HE EVEN USED TO DRIVE US
TO THE TRAIN STATION BACK
WHEN HE WAS DRIVING TAXIS.
IT SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE.
COULD LEE ROY REALLY HOLD
THE KEY TO IT ALL?
DID HE KNOW WHERE OUR OPAL WAS?
THE GAFFNEY STRANGLER
CLAIMED THREE VICTIMS SO FAR,
AND PROMISED A FOURTH.
OPAL BUCKSON HAD BEEN
SNATCHED JUST YESTERDAY.
POLICE IN GAFFNEY WERE HOPIN'
SHE WAS STILL ALIVE,
AND THAT LEE ROY MARTIN
MIGHT LEAD THEM TO HER.
HE HAD A NUMBER
OF LAW ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE
THAT WERE WATCHING HIM
AND THAT WERE FOCUSED EXACTLY
ON HIM
AND WATCHING EVERY MOVE
HE MADE.
ONE CAR WOULD GO
ABOUT TWO BLOCKS AND TURN OFF.
AND ANOTHER CAR
WOULD PICK HIM UP
AND GO ABOUT TWO
OR THREE BLOCKS.
THERE IS THIS CAREFULLY
CHOREOGRAPHED
BALLET OF SURVEILLANCE.
HEY, LEE ROY.
MORNIN'.
HOW YOU DOIN'?
HE STOPS IN THE CAFE.
LEE ROY PICKS UP THE PAPER.
'COURSE, THE PAPER IS THE
GAFFNEY NEWSPAPER TALKIN' 'BOUT
THE MURDERS,
TALKIN' 'BOUT THE STRANGLER.
AND LEE ROY SAYS...
SO WHAT'S NEW, LEROY?
WELL, SOMETIMES
THERE AIN'T NO NEWS,
AND THEN SOMETIMES PEOPLE
GO AND DO THINGS TO MAKE NEWS.
THAT SURE IS
SOME DEAL?
LOOKS LIKE HE
WAS UNACCOUNTED FOR.
WHEN?
EVERY TIME.
EVERY TIME
ONE OF THEM WENT MISSING,
LEE ROY MARTIN WAS NOT AT WORK:
SICK CALLS, SHIFT CHANGES,
NO-SHOWS.
LEE ROY WAS LOOKING
MORE AND MORE SUSPICIOUS.
BUT WHAT COULD THE POLICE DO?
IF THEY ARRESTED HIM NOW,
HE MIGHT NEVER LEAD THEM
TO OPAL.
ALL THEY COULD DO WAS WAIT.
AND NOW, HE DOES A VERY ODD
THING FOR A FEBRUARY
IN GAFFNEY, SOUTH CAROLINA.
HE WASHES HIS CAR.
WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOIN'?
GETTIN' RID OF
EVIDENCE.
HE'S WASHIN'
FINGERPRINTS,
HANDPRINTS, OFF HIS WINDOWS.
AND THEY'RE THINKING,
"DID HE HAVE HER IN THE BACK
OF THE CAR?
IS THAT WHERE THE HANDPRINTS
COME FROM?"
IT HAD BEEN 5 DAYS.
THEY HAD TO ADMIT
THAT OPAL
WAS ALMOST CERTAINLY DEAD.
AND NOW WHAT MIGHT BE EVIDENCE
WAS VANISHING
BEFORE THEIR EYES.
SO POLICE GO OUT THERE
WHERE SKINNER AND TRANSOU
SAW LEE ROY MARTIN STANDING OUT
BY THE CAR IN THE WOODS
'CAUSE THAT'S AT LEAST ONE SPOT
WE KNOW HE WAS.
IF POOR OPAL WAS OUT THERE,
IT WOULD STAND TO REASON
THAT LEE ROY MARTIN
HAD PUT HER THERE.
THE STRANGLER
SOUGHT TO TERRORIZE
THE WHITE AND BLACK FOLKS
OF GAFFNEY,
TO MAKE US HUDDLE IN OUR HOMES
IN FEAR.
BUT WHAT HE DID WAS
UNITE US,
EVEN IF JUST FOR A MOMENT.
WE START DOWN THROUGH
THE WOODS.
IT'S A PRETTY VAST AREA.
I FOUND HER!
THEY FIND THE BODY OF OPAL.
NO! NO!
NO!
WE FOUND HER.
IT'S HIM.
LET'S GO GET HIM.
THERE WAS NO REASON
TO WAIT ANY LONGER.
IT'S NO PROBLEM AT ALL.
I'M HEADIN' OUT THAT WAY,
ANYWAY.
AREN'T YOU SWEET, LEE ROY?
NOW, IT'S NO TROUBLE AT ALL.
JUST WANT YOU TO BE SAFE.
NOW, THEY JUST HAD TO HOPE
THEY COULD GET HIM
BEFORE HE KILLED AGAIN.
FOLKS WHO WERE
DOWN AT THE MILL
THAT DAY SAID IT WAS
THE STRANGEST THING,
THEM COMIN' TO ARREST
LEE ROY MARTIN
FOR THE STRANGLINGS.
AND ONE OF THE POOR GIRLS
WHO WORKED THERE
JUST ABOUT FELL OVER DEAD WHEN
SHE REMEMBERED HER CONVERSATION
WITH LEE ROY THE NIGHT BEFORE.
I'M HEADIN' OUT THAT WAY,
ANYWAY.
AREN'T YOU SWEET, LEE ROY?
NOW, IT'S NO TROUBLE AT ALL.
JUST WANT YOU TO BE SAFE.
YOU SURE IT'S NO TROUBLE?
OF COURSE, YEAH.
COME ON.
YOU KNOW,
THAT'S ALL RIGHT, LEE ROY.
MY BROTHER-IN-LAW SAID
HE'D BE HERE ANY SECOND NOW.
YOU SURE?
YES, THANK YOU. I'M FINE.
ONE OF HIS COWORKERS
TELLS THEM THAT HE HAD TRIED
TO GET HER TO TAKE A RIDE
WITH HIM AFTER WORK YESTERDAY.
SO, SHE WAS PROBABLY
HIS NEXT VICTIM.
I'M TELLIN' YOU BOYS,
YOU GOT THE WRONG MAN HERE.
I AIN'T KILLED NOBODY,
YOU HEAR ME?
NOW, REMEMBER, THE POLICE
BELIEVED MARTIN
WAS THE STRANGLER.
BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE
ANY ACTUAL PROOF.
IF THEY WERE GOING
TO PUT HIM AWAY FOR GOOD,
THEY WANTED A CONFESSION.
AND IF THERE'S ONE THING
THEY'D LEARNED
FROM THOSE PHONE CALLS...
IT'S THAT THE STRANGLER
WANTED ATTENTION.
HEY, WHERE'RE WE GOIN'?
THIS AIN'T THE WAY
TO THE COURT HOUSE.
AND THE THING ABOUT SOMEONE
WHO WANTS ATTENTION
IS IF YOU REFUSED
TO GIVE IT TO HIM,
HE'LL DO ANYTHING TO GET IT.
YOU'RE TAKING ME
TO STATE CAPITAL, AIN'T YOU?
Y'ALL MUST'VE THOUGHT
I DID SOME AWFUL THINGS
TO THOSE WOMEN.
SOME AWFUL THINGS.
WHATCHA THINK HAPPENED
TO THOSE WOMEN?
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT,
THAT FIRST ONE
WAS THE EASIEST...
AND THE HARDEST.
THEN HE SEEMED KINDA PROUD.
I'VE DONE 'EM ALL THE SAME WAY,
WITH MY BELT.
HE JUST OPENED UP
AND STARTED FREELY
TALKING ABOUT THE MURDERS.
WHAT ABOUT THAT DOG?
THAT DOG RAN AWAY.
I TOLD HER, I SAID,
"DON'T WORRY, DON'T WORRY.
I'LL GO GET HIM."
I FOUND HIM.
I CHOKED HIM.
I CAME BACK
AND TOLD HER HE GOT AWAY.
MARTIN LOVES ATTENTION.
HE WANTED TO TAKE CREDIT
FOR THESE MURDERS.
I JUST GO DRIVING AROUND LOOKIN'
FOR WOMEN
WHO'S OFF BY THEMSELVES,
LIKE THAT RHINEHART GIRL.
KILLIN' THOSE GIRLS
WAS BAD ENOUGH.
BUT WHAT HE TOLD THE POLICE
ABOUT WHAT HE DID
AFTER HE STRANGLED THEM
MADE ME WONDER
IF HE WASN'T JUST SOME KIND
OF A DEMON AFTER ALL.
MARTIN, BY HIS OWN ADMISSION,
HAD GONE BACK TO THE BODY
OF TINA RHINEHART.
AND OVER THE COURSE
OF 7 OR 8 DAYS
HE HAD SEXUALLY MOLESTED
THE CORPSE.
THE OTHER VICTIMS
HAD BEEN VISITED FOR SEX, ALSO.
AND IT'S LIKELY
THE STRANGULATION PART
OF HIS CRIME
WAS WHEN HE WAS
SEXUALLY AROUSED.
WITH ITS SUFFERINGS...
HIS DEPRAVITY KNEW NO BOUNDS.
I THINK HE WOULD'VE DRUNK OUR
TEARS IF HE COULD HAVE.
LEE ROY MARTIN HAD ACTUALLY COME
TO TINA'S FUNERAL.
SHE WAS SUCH A PRETTY
LITTLE GIRL.
THAT'S SO KIND OF YOU TO SAY.
TINA'S SISTER TOLD ME
THAT LEE ROY MARTIN
HAD COME BY
AND STAYED A LENGTHY PERIOD
OF TIME.
ANYTHING YOU NEED,
ANYTHING AT ALL, PLEASE
DON'T HESITATE TO ASK,
ALL RIGHT?
THANK YOU, LEROY.
FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE,
THIS WAS EXHILARATING.
"LOOK HOW SMART I AM
BECAUSE NONE OF YOU
KNOW THAT I'M THE ONE
THAT PUT HER THERE."
BEFORE HIS ONE BRUSH WITH
THE LAW 10 YEARS EARLIER,
THERE AIN'T MUCH TO KNOW
ABOUT LEE ROY MARTIN.
BORN AND RAISED IN GAFFNEY,
HIS TROUBLES WEREN'T WORSE THAN
ANYONE ELSE FROM AROUND HERE.
HIS DADDY DIED YOUNG,
AND HIS STEP-DADDY
HAD A TEMPER.
BUT HE CLOCKED IN ON TIME
AND ALWAYS PAID HIS DEBT.
HOW COULD ANYONE HAVE KNOWN?
O'Toole; LEE ROY MARTIN
HAS THESE EXTERIOR, UM,
TRAPPINGS OF NORMALCY.
HE'S A NICE GUY,
HE'S QUIET, DOESN'T DRINK.
BUT UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE,
THIS WAS AN INDIVIDUAL
WHO WAS DEVELOPING
INTO A VERY DANGEROUS,
SEXUALLY DEVIANT SERIAL KILLER.
BUT HIS DEVELOPMENT
WAS SUBTLE,
AND IT OCCURRED OVER A PERIOD
OF TIME.
JUST LIKE THE BOGEYMAN
FROM THE STORIES
MY BROTHER USED TO TELL,
LEE ROY MARTIN HAD STARTED TAP,
TAP, TAPPIN' ON THE WINDOWPANE.
AND AS HIS BLOODLUST GREW,
THE TAPPING GOT LOUDER,
CLOSER TO OUR HOMES.
AND THAT MIGHT BE THE SCARIEST
THING ABOUT LEE ROY MARTIN.
HE WAS SO ORDINARY
THAT EVEN WHEN THE MONSTER
WAS BANGIN' ON OUR FRONT DOOR,
DEMANDIN' TO BE HEARD,
NO ONE COULD EVER'VE IMAGINED
IT WAS HIM.
LEE ROY MARTIN WAS
CONVICTED OF FOUR MURDERS,
FOUR LIFE SENTENCES
WITHOUT PAROLE.
THE ULTIMATE LEGACY
IS THE STORIES THAT STILL
PERMEATE THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA.
THE BRIDGE IS A SPOT
THAT PEOPLE GO TO A LOT.
THERE'S ALWAYS THESE STORIES
THAT THERE'S SCREAMS OF GIRLS.
IT'S REALLY STRANGE.
I CAN JUST BE WALKIN'
AROUND TREES OR NEAR A WOOD,
AND I -- I THINK ABOUT IT.
IT WON'T EVER LEAVE ME,
AND I'M -- I'M SURE THERE'S
A LOT OF PEOPLE IN GAFFNEY.
ALL THE FAMILIES,
EVEN LEE ROY'S FAMILIES HAVE
BEEN VICTIMS
AND THAT TOUCHES
A LOT OF PEOPLE.
THOSE TYPES OF THINGS
IN SMALL TOWNS
TAKE A LONG TIME
TO DISAPPEAR.
* WENT OUT ONE NIGHT
TO MAKE A LITTLE ROUND *
* MET LITTLE SADIE
AND I SHOT HER DOWN *
* WENT BACK HOME
GOT INTO BED *
* FORTY-FOUR PISTOL
UNDER MY HEAD *
* JURY SAYS "MURDER IN
THE FIRST DEGREE" *
* I SAYS, LORD,
HAVE MERCY ON ME *
* OLD JUDGE BLACK
PICKS UP HIS PEN *
* SAYS YOU'LL NEVER KILL
NO WOMAN AGAIN *
LEGENDS OF THE EVILS
THAT LURK AT TWILIGHT
ON THE BACK ROADS:
SPOOKS AND SPECTERS
THAT HAUNT THE HALLOWS,
BLACK CATS
WHO STEAL YOUR BREATH,
AND THE DEMON WHO HIDES
IN THE HONEYSUCKLE LOOKIN'
TO STEAL YOUR SOUL.
BUT AS A YOUNG GIRL,
I LEARNED THAT
WHAT WE TRULY NEED TO FEAR
ARE NOT THE MONSTERS
FROM THE MOONLIT WOODS...
BUT THE DEVIL
WHO LIVES NEXT DOOR.
GAFFNEY, SOUTH CAROLINA,
WAS KIND OF A SMALL TOWN
WHERE EVERYBODY KNEW EVERYBODY,
IF NOT BY NAME, THEN BY SIGHT.
OF COURSE IN 1968,
WE WERE HAUNTED
BY THE SAME TROUBLES
AS ANYWHERE ELSE SOUTH
OF THE MASON-DIXON LINE.
AND I CAN'T SAY IT WAS EASY.
SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA,
THE WHOLE BIBLE BELT:
THE INTEGRATION ARGUMENT
WAS HAPPENING.
GAFFNEY SCHOOLS WERE JUST
GOIN' THROUGH
INTEGRATION FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I WAITED IN LINE FOR 4 HOURS
THAT MORNIN'
TO REGISTER FOR SCHOOL.
FOUR HOURS
ON THOSE TOWN HALL STEPS,
WHICH IS
WHY I REMEMBER SO CLEARLY...
HEY, BILL.
WHEN MR. BILL GIBBONS,
WHO EDITED THE PAPER, ARRIVED.
I ASSUMED HE WAS THERE
TO WRITE ABOUT US,
BUT I WAS DEAD WRONG.
HEY, BILL.
BILL GIBBONS DIDN'T HAVE
A STORY TO WRITE.
HE HAD A STORY TO TELL.
BILL GIBBONS WAS THE EDITOR
OF THE GAFFNEY LEDGER.
BILL'S IMMEDIATE DUTIES
WERE NOT TO HANG OUT
AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE,
BUT HE WAS NO STRANGER TO 'EM.
SHERIFF...
HEY, BILL, HOW ARE YA?
I GOT A STRANGE CALL
DOWN AT THE LEDGER JUST NOW.
NOW, THIS FELLA CALLS,
TELLS ME HE HAS THREE STORIES.
AND TO TAKE NOTES
ON 'EM ON THREE SHEETS OF PAPER.
DID YOU RECOGNIZE HIM?
NO, NO.
IT COULDA BEEN ANYONE, MALE,
MIGHT BE WHITE.
HE TOLD YOU TO NUMBER 'EM?
YES, SIR: ONE, TWO, THREE.
HE SAID, "NANCY CHRISTINE,"
AND THEN, SOME DIRECTIONS,
SOUNDS LIKE CHAIN GANG ROAD.
AND THEN...
PILE OF BRUSH?
NEXT ONE, HE TELLS ME
NANCY CAROL PARRIS DOWNSTREAM
FROM THE, FORD ROAD BRIDGE.
IN THE WATER,
ON THE DOWNHILL SIDE,
YOU'LL FIND THE BODY.
THE BODY?
YEAH.
THIS ONE IS DIFFERENT.
HE JUST TOLD ME
ANNIE LOUISE DEDMOND,
JERUSALEM ROAD, MARCH 1967.
JERUSALEM ROAD?
UNION COUNTY, YEAH.
I MEAN, IT JUST DOESN'T SOUND
LIKE A PRANK AFTER A WHILE.
HAS TO BE.
BUT HE TOLD YOU BODIES?
YES, SIR.
WE GET PRANK CALLS
IN NEWSPAPER ALL THE TIME,
BUT GIBBONS SAYS THE CALLER
TOLD HIM, "DON'T GO ALONE.
BE SURE AND GET THE SHERIFF."
THE SHERIFF AND BILL
AND A DEPUTY GET IN A PATROL CAR
AND HEAD OFF FOR THE BRIDGE
ON FORD ROAD.
THAT WAS THE MOST ACCESSIBLE
OF THE THREE PLACES.
THE WIFE SAYS SHE LIKES THE
BEACH BETTER IN THE OFF-SEASON.
OF COURSE, SHE AIN'T PRONE
TO GIRL WATCHIN'.
WELL, I'LL TAKE ANYWHERE WARM.
IN GAFFNEY,
LIKE IN MOST SMALL TOWNS,
MURDERS AREN'T THAT COMMON.
THE IDEA THAT IT WAS SOME KIND
OF A PRACTICAL JOKE
MADE MUCH MORE SENSE.
SHE'S NUDE,
AND HER HAIR IS IN HER FACE.
HER LEGS ARE SLIGHTLY SPLIT.
THERE IS A VERY DISTINCTIVE
BLUISH MARK AROUND HER NECK.
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER
LATER CONFIRMS THAT THE MARKS
ARE FROM STRANGULATION.
SHE'D BEEN DEAD
NO MORE THAN A DAY
BEFORE BILL GIBBONS
GOT THAT CALL.
THE BODY IS NANCY CAROL PARRIS.
THE SAME NAME
THAT THE CALLER HAD SAID TO HIM.
MISS PARRIS USED TO COME BY
MY DADDY'S SHOP NOW AND THEN.
YOU CAN GET TO KNOW PEOPLE
THAT WAY,
SEEIN' IF THEY HAVE TIME
FOR A SMILE AND A KIND WAVE,
EVEN WHEN SHE WAS
WITH HER HUSBAND MONROE.
SHERIFF!
LOOK I --
I -- I'M JUST AS SHOCKED
AS YOU ARE ABOUT THIS.
I -- I THOUGHT
THIS WAS SOME KINDA PRANK,
AND CLEARLY IT'S NOT.
IT'S A... WELL...
I HOPE THAT'S THE ONLY BODY
WE FIND,
'CAUSE IF THERE'RE TWO
OTHER WOMEN OUT THERE...
THEY'RE CALLING
YOU TO TELL US ABOUT IT?
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS.
THE ZODIAC KILLER WAS STILL 10,
11 MONTHS IN THE FUTURE,
WHICH WAS THE MOST FAMOUS CASE,
IN AMERICAN HISTORY,
OF A KILLER CONTACTING THE MEDIA
SAYING,
"HEY, THIS IS WHERE
THE BODIES ARE.
THIS IS WHERE YOU'LL FIND THEM."
SO THEY GO TO THE NEXT LOCATION,
CHAIN GANG ROAD.
THE CHAIN GANG ROAD WAS A FEW
MILES OUTSIDE OF TOWN,
FULL UP WITH KUDZU
AND SPANISH MOSS.
KIDS USED TO GO OUT THERE TO
PARK WITH THEIR STEADIES.
THE MAN ON THE PHONE SAID THIS
IS WHERE THEY'D FIND
THE GIRL CALLED
NANCY CHRISTINE.
REMEMBER NOW,
WE'RE LOOKING FOR A BRUSH PILE,
NO MORE THAN A QUARTER MILE
FROM THE CARS.
IT IS THICK UNDERBRUSH,
DENSE FOREST,
SO THEY SPREAD OUT 20,
30 FEET APART.
MORE PEOPLE HAVE ARRIVED,
MORE SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES.
MORE PEOPLE FROM THE NEWSPAPER
HAVE SHOWED UP.
BILL GIBBONS CALLED ME
TO BRING MY CAMERA.
YOU JUST HEAR YOUR FOOTSTEPS
ON THE FLOOR OF THE FOREST.
ALL OF US GOT A LITTLE
EERIE FEELING.
I FOUND HER, OVER HERE!
A WOMAN'S FOOT
IS STICKING OUT
FROM THE UNDERGROWTH.
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A CAMERA.
SO I WAS TAKING PICTURES.
MY GOD.
LIKE THE FIRST BODY, THE MARKS
ARE FROM STRANGULATION.
SHE'D BEEN DEAD AT LEAST A WEEK
AND HIDDEN IN THE BRUSH
LIKE SHE WAS SOMEONE
OR SOMETHING'S SECRET.
THE OTHER GIRL HAD BEEN KILLED
JUST YESTERDAY
AND WAS LEFT OUT
FOR THE WORLD TO SEE.
IT SEEMED LIKE THE DEVIL
WAS MOVING CLOSER TO GAFFNEY
AND GETTING BOLDER.
SHE'S JUST A TEENAGER.
THE RHINEHART GIRL?
YEAH, I THINK SO.
DAMN IT.
THE VICTIM
IS NANCY CHRISTINA RHINEHART.
TINA, SHE'S 14.
THE RHINEHART GIRL
WAS TINA RHINEHART.
HER MOTHER HAD REPORTED
HER MISSING A WEEK AGO,
BUT THE SHERIFF JUST THOUGHT
SHE WAS A RUNAWAY.
WHAT THE SHERIFF DIDN'T KNOW
WAS THAT HER CHRISTIAN NAME
WAS NANCY CHRISTINE.
SO WHEN THEY SAW BILL GIBBON'S
NOTE WITH THAT NAME ON IT,
THEY NEVER PUT IT TOGETHER.
BILL AND TOMMY
DOWN AT THE LEDGER.
THE CALLER SAID
THE THIRD VICTIM
WAS OUT NEAR JERUSALEM ROAD,
WHICH IS A ROAD IN UNION COUNTY,
WHICH IS A NEIGHBORING COUNTY.
ANN DEDMOND.
SO THEY CALLED,
THE SHERIFF IN THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT OVER THERE.
AND HE SAYS, "WELL, THAT'S
WHERE MISS DEDMOND WAS FOUND."
A LADY NAMED ANNIE DEDMOND
WAS FOUND OVER IN UNION COUNTY
6 MONTHS EARLIER.
THEY FOUND HER JUST LIKE OUR
TWO GIRLS,
UNDRESSED AND STRANGLED.
WE GOT A PAIR OF LOCAL GIRLS
WITH THE SAME THING...
NO, NOT LAST YEAR, TODAY.
YOU KNOW THAT SINKING FEELING
YOU GET
IN THE PIT OF YOUR STOMACH
WHEN YOU GET BAD NEWS?
THANKS, TOM.
WELL, I IMAGINE THAT'S
WHAT THE POLICE
FELT WHEN THEY HEARD SOMEONE
WAS ALREADY SITTING IN JAIL
FOR ANNIE DEDMOND'S MURDER.
HER HUSBAND IS SERVING TIME
FOR THAT NOW.
HE'S BEEN CONVICTED
FOR 9 MONTHS.
IS THE WRONG MAN IN JAIL
FOR THIS MURDER?
DID WE ARREST THE WRONG GUY,
AND LEAVE THE MURDERER
OUT TO KILL THESE TWO WOMEN
WE JUST FOUND?
IN VIETNAM, KHE SANH
CONTINUES TO BE UNDER SIEGE.
THERE, THE FIRST...
IT SEEMED LIKE
BILL GIBBONS HAD FOUND HIMSELF
SMACK IN THE MIDDLE
OF A REAL-LIVE NEWS EVENT.
A MONSTER WAS LEAVING A TRAIL
OF WOMEN
AS HE MARCHED FROM UNION COUNTY
INTO THE HEART OF GAFFNEY.
AND HE WANTED US TO KNOW
HE WAS COMIN'.
WHO IS THIS CALLER?
IS HE TOYING WITH THE POLICE?
ARE THERE MORE VICTIMS
OUT THERE?
IS THERE GOIN' TO BE MORE?
IN A SMALL SOUTHERN TOWN,
FOLKS CAN FOOL THEMSELVES
INTO THINKING THAT THEY KNOW
THEIR NEIGHBORS.
BUT WHO ARE THEY, REALLY,
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
OR ALONE IN THE WOODS?
WE WOULD ALL COME TO LEARN
THAT PUTTING YOUR TRUST
IN THE WRONG PERSON
MIGHT JUST BE THE LAST THING
YOU EVER DO.
...IT GIVES COMFORT
TO ALL WHO MOURN...
THREE GIRLS MURDERED --
IT WAS
THE MOST TERRIFYING THING
ANYONE GAFFNEY
COULD REMEMBER.
FOLKS FROM ALL OVER TURNED UP
FOR TINA'S FUNERAL.
SHE WAS JUST 14, AFTER ALL.
IT WAS A BONDING
FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
LOOK NOT ON IT
AS GOING TO ASHES,
BUT INSTEAD TO A FREEDOM.
SORRY FOR THIS.
MY CONDOLENCES.
SHE WAS SUCH A PRETTY
LITTLE GIRL.
WE'RE HERE FOR YOU.
PEOPLE SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW,
NEVER MET IN HER LIFE,
SAID HOW BEAUTIFUL TINA WAS.
AND, "WE'RE SO SORRY.
ANYTHING WE CAN DO FOR YOU,
JUST LET US KNOW."
SHE'S IN GOD'S HANDS NOW.
GAFFNEY POLICE.
UP UNTIL THEN,
THE MOST THE SHERIFF
WAS USED TO DEALING WITH
WAS EXPIRED FISHIN' PERMITS.
BUT NOW THE POND HAD GOTTEN
A WHOLE LOT BIGGER.
IT WAS TIME TO CALL IN
THE BIG FISH, STATE POLICE.
I TRULY APPRECIATE YOU COMIN'
DOWN HERE AGAIN, MRS. RHINEHART.
I KNOW YOU BEEN THROUGH A LOT.
EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMED AWFUL
TO MAKE TINA'S MOTHER
GO THROUGH HER STORY
AGAIN AND AGAIN,
THE STATE POLICE
HAD A JOB TO DO.
THEY BELIEVED THAT IT WOULD BE
SOMEONE THAT THE VICTIM KNEW.
MRS. RHINEHART, DOES SHE HAVE
A -- A BOYFRIEND, OR SOMETHIN',
SOMEBODY SHE'S SEEIN'?
NO.
SHE TOLD HER SISTER
SHE WAS COMING OVER
TO SEE ME AT WORK,
LEFT AROUND 5:30 IN THE MORNING,
AND THEN SHE JUST NEVER
SHOWED UP.
EACH OF THESE WOMEN
WERE KILLED FROM
LIGATURE STRANGULATION.
SOME KIND OF A INSTRUMENT WAS
USED, NOT THE OFFENDER'S HANDS.
ALSO, BOTH VICTIMS,
BOTH TINA RHINEHART
AND MISS PARRIS, HAD BEEN RAPED.
YOU TALK TO HER HUSBAND YET?
MONROE? NO.
WE,
WE AIN'T TALKED TO HIM YET.
NANCY PARRIS,
THE LADY THEY FOUND IN
THE WATER BELOW FORD BRIDGE,
WAS A YOUNG HOUSEWIFE.
AND YOU KNOW HOW PEOPLE
GET TO GOSSIPIN'.
WORD WAS THAT SHE
AND HER HUSBAND, MONROE,
WERE KNOWN TO GET INTO IT
FROM TIME TO TIME.
MONROE PARRIS?
DETECTIVE JAMES,
DETECTIVE RILEY.
NEED TO ASK YOU A FEW QUESTIONS
ABOUT NANCY.
WHAT Y'ALL WANNA KNOW?
WELL...
I NEED YOU TO WALK ME THROUGH
THE DAY NANCY DISAPPEARED.
WELL...
YOU KNOW, WE -- WE FOUGHT
LIKE A NORMAL MARRIED COUPLE.
WHAT'D Y'ALL QUARREL ABOUT?
NANCE, HONEY,
WHY DON'T YOU COME BACK INSIDE?
WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT.
NO, MONROE, I'M TAKING JUNIPER
FOR A WALK, A LONG ONE.
OUR MARRIAGE
HAS ITS PROBLEMS.
SHE TOOK JUNIPER
AND WENT ON DOWN THE STREET.
AND...
THAT WAS THE LAST TIME
THAT I SAW HER.
THEN I SAW HER ON THE --
ON THAT TABLE.
THEY TALKED TO THEIR
NEIGHBORS.
AND THEY GAVE HIM
A PRETTY GOOD ALIBI,
SO HE WAS DISCOUNTED
PRETTY QUICK.
CAN YOU THINK OF ANYBODY ELSE
WHO WOULD WANNA HARM NANCY?
NO.
LIFE WAS SIMPLE IN GAFFNEY,
SO I THINK WE ALL WERE HOPING
IT'D BE A SIMPLE ANSWER --
JEALOUS HUSBAND,
MAYBE THE JILTED BOYFRIEND.
BUT THE ONLY THING
THESE GIRLS HAD IN COMMON
WAS THAT THEY HAD ALL GONE OUT
FOR A WALK AND NEVER COME HOME.
CHANCES ARE BETTER THAN EVEN
THAT YOU'VE NEVER HEARD
OF GAFFNEY, SOUTH CAROLINA.
BUT A BIZARRE MURDER CASE
IS IN THE PROCESS
OF CHANGING ALL THAT.
YOU'VE LIVED HERE 65 YEARS,
YOU PROBABLY KNOW EVERYONE
IN TOWN ABOUT AS WELL AS ANYONE.
YOU THINK THE TOWN'S
RUNNING SCARED?
YEAH, THEY'RE SCARED.
THEY'RE SCARED.
THEY DON'T KNOW
WHERE HE GONNA STRIKE NEXT,
AND, Y'KNOW, HE SAID HE WOULD.
GAFFNEY POLICE.
HELLO, MRS. WATERSON.
YOU SAW SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS?
AFTER THAT,
YOU COULDN'T TIE YOUR LACES
TWICE WITHOUT SOMEONE
REPORTING IT TO THE SHERIFF.
POLICE BEGIN FIELDING CALLS --
GIRLFRIENDS SUSPECTING
THEIR BOYFRIENDS,
NEIGHBORS CASTING SUSPICION
ON THEIR NEIGHBORS.
- JAMES.
- YEAH, HELLO.
UM, I THINK
I SAW THE STRANGLER.
COUPLE OF DAYS
AFTER THE BODIES WERE FOUND,
THE POLICE GET CONTACTED
BY A LOCAL MAN.
THE OTHER NIGHT OUT ON
THE BRIDGE ON FORD ROAD.
HE WAS PARKED NEAR THE BRIDGE
WHERE MISS PARRIS
WAS THROWN OFF.
HIS DESCRIPTION WAS
A TALL, SKINNY, WHITE MAN.
W -- WHAT ABOUT THE CAR?
HE WAS PRETTY SURE
IT WAS A SEDAN
BUT COULDN'T TELL THE COLOR,
OR THE MAKE, OR THE YEAR.
THE POLICE ARE GOIN',
"WHY'S IT TAKE 2 DAYS
FOR YOU TO COME FORWARD?"
IS THIS ACTUALLY THE KILLER
CALLIN' THEM UP?
THE MAN HEMMED AND HAWED
AND FINALLY SAID,
"WELL, I'M MARRIED.
AND I WAS PARKED OUT THERE
WITH A MARRIED WOMAN."
SO HE WAS PROTECTING HIMSELF,
BUT HIS CONSCIENCE MADE HIM
TELL THE POLICE WHAT HE KNEW.
THE LAST FEW YEARS THINGS
BETWEEN FOLKS IN GAFFNEY
HAD BEEN STRAINED.
BUT ADD A KILLER INTO THE MIX,
AND IT WAS LIKE THROWING
HOT SAUCE ON A FRYING PAN.
EVERYONE WAS ON EDGE,
BUT THERE WAS ONE MAN
IN PARTICULAR
WHO WAS FEELING THE HEAT
MORE THAN ANY OTHER...
MR. BILL GIBBONS.
WITHOUT BILL GIBBONS
TELLING THE POLICE ABOUT
THIS PHONE CALL,
THERE WAS NO STORY.
THE BODIES MAY BE THERE,
BUT NOBODY HAD FOUND 'EM YET.
MR. GIBBONS,
SHERIFF CALL YOU UP?
YEAH, HE DID.
HE DID.
YOU'LL BE LISTENIN'
IN FROM HERE?
YOU GET ANOTHER ONE
OF THESE CALLS,
WE'LL BE RECORDING IT
ON THIS THING RIGHT HERE.
INVESTIGATORS DECIDE
THAT THEY'LL PUT A TRAP
ON BILL GIBBON'S,
OFFICE PHONE.
IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT YOU KEEP HIM ON THE LINE
AS LONG AS YOU CAN, THOUGH.
FOR THE TRACE TO WORK?
AND FOR US TO HEAR
WHO'S TALKIN' 'BOUT WHAT.
DETECTIVES INFER EITHER HE HAD
THIS CONNECTION TO THE KILLER,
OR HE HAD INFORMATION
THAT ONLY THE KILLER WOULD KNOW.
I'D BE PERFECTLY HAPPY
IF HE,
IF HE NEVER CALLED AGAIN.
I'M NOT SURE THAT WOULD BE
THE BEST THING FOR YOU,
MR. GIBBONS.
EXCUSE ME.
THEY'RE WAITING.
THEY'RE WAITING.
GIBBONS GOT THE CALL.
WELL, IT CAN'T BE.
WE HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING
HERE FOR HOURS.
NO, NOT THAT PHONE,
HIS PHONE AT HOME.
AT HIS HOME?
GIBBONS CALLS THE SHERIFF
AND SAYS, "I HEARD
FROM THE KILLER AGAIN.
HE CALLED ME AT HOME."
IT -- IT WAS
DEFINITELY HIM.
THERE'S NO MISTAKING HIS VOICE.
HE SAID, "WE HAVE TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT THE MAN
DOWN THERE SERVING MY SENTENCE."
I TOOK NOTES ON A PAPER BAG.
BILL GIBBONS SAYS,
"THE UNIDENTIFIED CALLER
SAID THERE'S BEEN A WRONGFULLY
CONVICTED MAN IN PRISON
FOR THE MURDER OF ANNIE DEDMOND,
AND I DID IT."
WHY WOULD ROGER DEDMOND
MATTER TO HIM?
I DON'T KNOW, BALANCIN'
THE SCALES OF JUSTICE MAYBE?
AND HE GAVE ME A WHOLE SLEW
OF PHYSICAL DETAILS.
BLUE SHOES, RED FORD FALCON
WITH THE LEFT TAILLIGHT OUT.
HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE HE KNOWS
TO CALL YOU HERE AT HOME?
WE'RE IN THE BOOK,
SAME AS ANYBODY.
BUT HOW WOULD HE KNOW?
HOW WOULD HE KNOW THAT WE'RE
LISTENIN' ON THE PHONE
HE ALREADY CALLED?
IT WAS DEFINITELY HIM.
THERE'S NO MISTAKIN' HIS VOICE.
BILL GIBBONS WAS
THE MOST TRUSTED MAN IN TOWN
UNTIL HE STARTED CLAIMING
THAT A MURDERER WAS CALLING HIM
ON THE PHONE
TO TELL HIM WHERE BODIES
COULD BE FOUND.
THING WAS, NO ONE
BUT BILL GIBBONS
HAD ACTUALLY SPOKEN TO HIM.
HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE HE KNOWS
TO CALL YOU HERE AT HOME?
HOW WOULD HE KNOW THAT WE'RE
LISTENIN' ON THE PHONE
HE ALREADY CALLED?
JOHN, YOU REALLY
BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?
YOU THINK I COULD DO THIS?
HELLO?
THERE'S SOMETHING
I FORGOT TO TELL YOU
ABOUT THAT DEDMOND GAL.
SHE HAD TRADIN' STAMPS
IN HER POCKET BOOK.
SHE WORE A -- AN OPEN-BOTTOM
DRESS WITH FRILLS, NO COAT.
OKAY, I -- I -- I GOT THAT.
SIR...
WHY DON'T WE MEET,
FACE-TO-FACE?
YOU COULD --
YOU COULD GIVE YOURSELF UP TO --
TO ME OR TO --
TO ANYONE YOU LIKE.
I'M PSYCHO, MR. GIBBONS.
IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
NO, YOU --
YOU NEED HELP.
NOW, PLEASE,
LET ME HELP YOU.
I'LL GET YOU HELP --
LISTEN...
THE POLICE JUST AREN'T SMART
ENOUGH TO CATCH ME.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT,
IF THEY DON'T,
THERE'S GONNA BE
MORE AND MORE DEATHS.
COUNT ON IT.
A KILLER REACHING OUT
THROUGH A REPORTER,
TAUNTING THE POLICE.
THEY HAVE NO POINT
OF REFERENCE FOR THIS.
THEY'RE OUTSIDE OF THEIR AREA
OF EXPERTISE.
BILL,
THE NEXT LEDGER COMES OUT...
TOMORROW.
YOU NEED TO KEEP THESE CALLS
TODAY OUT OF IT.
I CAN'T DO THAT, JOHN.
WE NEED HIM TO KEEP
CALLIN' BACK.
I RECOGNIZE, BILL, THAT I'M
ASKING FOR A HELL OF A LOT HERE.
YOU KNOW,
MY FAMILY COULD BE IN DANGER?
IF HE CALLS AGAIN,
WE'LL BE READY ON BOTH PHONES.
YOU'LL HAVE YOUR STORY
ONCE WE CATCH HIM.
IT WASN'T ABOUT THE STORY.
SCHOOLYARD BULLIES
AND CRANK CALLERS
WERE TORMENTIN' GIBBONS
AND HIS FAMILY.
BUT HE SHOOK HIS SHOULDERS
STRAIGHT,
AND PROMISED TO KEEP THE CALLS
SECRET IF IT WOULD HELP.
IF ONLY IT HAD.
THE VERY NEXT MORNING,
THE STRANGLER KEPT HIS PROMISE.
MR. BUCKSON.
SIR.
CAN YOU TELL ME SOMETHIN'
ABOUT WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE?
HE WAS WHITE.
OPAL BUCKSON'S SISTER, GRACIE,
TELLS THE POLICE THE STORY.
OPAL WAS ON HER WAY TO SCHOOL.
SHE AND HER SIBLINGS HAVE A HALF
A MILE WALK TO THE MAIN ROAD
WHERE THE BUS STOP WAS.
HER SISTER IS ABOUT
50 YARDS BEHIND.
HER SISTER SEES A MAN GRAB OPAL,
TOSS HER INTO THE TRUNK
OF THE CAR,
SLAM THE TRUNK AND SPEED OFF.
GRACIE, TELL ME 'BOUT THE CAR.
DARK -- DARK-COLORED...
CHEVROLET, I THINK.
WHEN I SAID GAFFNEY
WAS A SMALL TOWN,
I SHOULD'VE SAID GAFFNEY
WAS TWO SMALL TOWNS --
BLACKS AND WHITES
LIVED IN SEPARATE WORLDS.
AND I HATE TO SAY IT NOW,
BUT SINCE HE ONLY
PREYED ON WHITE GIRLS,
HE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE MUCH OF
A THREAT TO ME.
BUT WHEN OPAL WAS KIDNAPPED?
WE KNEW WE WERE ALL
IN DANGER.
BUT THE FEAR THAT COULD'VE TORN
THE COMMUNITY APART
LED TO SOMETHING
ALMOST UNIMAGINABLE.
I WANNA REMIND EVERY CITIZEN
THAT WHOEVER TOOK OPAL BUCKSON
IS STILL HOLDING HER
AGAINST HER WILL.
THIS HAD JUST HAPPENED.
SO THE URGENCY
IS SHE MAY STILL BE ALIVE.
THIS MAN IS A MALE CAUCASIAN,
EARLY 30s,
SLENDER BUILD, MEDIUM HEIGHT.
HE IS BELIEVED
TO BE DRIVING A LATE-'50s
FOUR-DOOR CHEVROLET SEDAN,
DARK IN COLOR.
IT WASN'T BLACK AND WHITE THING
IN ANY WAY.
WE WERE ALL IN THAT TOGETHER
IN GAFFNEY.
WE APPRECIATE THE COOPERATION
OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
TOGETHER, WE'RE GONNA FIND OPAL.
LET'S GO GET HIM.
I REMEMBER MY MAMA SAYIN'
SHE'D NEVER SEEN THE LIKE --
ALL OF GAFFNEY
WORKING TOGETHER,
AND TO SAVE THE LIFE
OF A LITTLE BLACK GIRL?
EVERYBODY WHO LIVES
IN TOWN VOLUNTEERS TO HELP.
SO THEY HAVE MEN
IN CARS DRIVING THE BACK ROADS.
POLICEMEN DRIVING THE BACK
ROADS, LOOKING FOR THAT SEDAN.
IT'S A TICKING CLOCK,
AND THEY WANT TO SEE IF THEY
CAN CATCH HIM AND SAVE HER LIFE.
I'M GONNA JUST KEEP ON
A WHILE LONGER, OKAY?
LESTER SKINNER
AND HENRY TRANSOU
WERE LOCAL GUYS,
ONE'S A GAME WARDEN,
ONE WAS A GOLF PRO.
THEY TURN RIGHT OFF A DIRT ROAD,
AND, UM, AS THEY GET DOWN
INTO THE WOODS...
JESUS, IS THAT HIM?!
HE FITS THE PHYSICAL
DESCRIPTION.
AND HIS CAR
FITS THE DESCRIPTION.
THEY GET TO A POINT
WHERE THEY CAN TURN AROUND,
AND AS THEY TURN AROUND...
HE PULLS OUT.
THE HELL WAS HE DOING
IN THE WOODS LIKE THAT?
SEE IF YOU CAN WRITE DOWN
HIS LICENSE PLATE.
YEP.
HE'S GOING FASTER.
THINK HE KNOWS WE'RE FOLLOWING?
IT'S 1968.
THEY'RE IN THE WOODS.
THERE'S NO PAY PHONE AROUND.
"WHAT'RE WE GONNA DO?"
DO WE TRY TO RUN HIM
OFF THE ROAD TO BE HEROES?
IF HE'S THE KILLER,
HE'S KILLED THREE WOMEN
AND ABDUCTED A GIRL.
HE MIGHT DO ANYTHING.
THEY TAKE DOWN
HIS LICENSE PLATE.
SKINNER AND TRANSOU
GO TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
AND TELL HIM, "THIS IS THE CAR.
THIS IS WHERE HE LIVES."
AND THE POLICE GO BACK
TO THAT HOUSE IMMEDIATELY.
RIGHT HERE,
COULDN'T HAVE BEEN 15 MINUTES.
ALL RIGHT.
STAY BACK, STAY BACK.
GAFFNEY POLICE,
COME OUT OF THAT DOOR!
WHAT?
OKAY.
THAT THE MAN YOU SAW?
DON'T THINK SO, NO.
THERE A MAN PULLED IN THIS
DRIVEWAY ABOUT 15 MINUTES AGO?
YES, SIR.
NEVER SEEN HIM BEFORE.
CAN YOU GET US TO THE PLACE
WHERE YOU FIRST SPOTTED THE CAR?
YEAH, BUT YOU'RE GONNA
NEED TO FOLLOW US.
YEAH.
SKINNER AND TRANSOU
SHOWED WHERE THEY SAW THE CAR
BACKED INTO THE WOODS.
OPAL, ARE YOU HERE?
IT WAS ALWAYS SO SPOOKY
BACK IN THOSE WOODS
WHERE THE CAR WAS SPOTTED.
IT WAS VERY HEAVY BRUSH,
ISOLATED.
OPAL!
THERE'S NO SIGN OF OPAL BUCKSON.
THEY DON'T FIND ANYTHING.
SO THE POLICE
RAN THE TAG NUMBER.
ALL RIGHT.
E G SIX NINE ONE ONE.
LEE ROY MARTIN.
I KNOW LEE ROY.
LEE ROY MARTIN WAS HIS NAME.
GO, GO, GO, GO, GO, GO, GO.
WORKS IN THE MILL,
LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW HIM.
HE HAD BEEN ARRESTED
FOR ASSAULTING A TEENAGE GIRL,
BUT THAT WAS 10 YEARS AGO.
HE FINISHED THAT SENTENCE,
CAME BACK HOME,
MARRIED, HAD CHILDREN.
IF HE STILL HAD OPAL ALIVE, HE
WAS NOT HIDING HER AT THE HOUSE.
THERE'S NO HIDING PLACE
IN A HOUSE THAT SMALL,
PARTICULARLY WITH A WIFE
AND THREE CHILDREN IN THE HOUSE
WITH HIM.
LEE ROY MARTIN WAS
A REGULAR PERSON, A FAMILY MAN.
SHOOT, HE EVEN USED TO DRIVE US
TO THE TRAIN STATION BACK
WHEN HE WAS DRIVING TAXIS.
IT SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE.
COULD LEE ROY REALLY HOLD
THE KEY TO IT ALL?
DID HE KNOW WHERE OUR OPAL WAS?
THE GAFFNEY STRANGLER
CLAIMED THREE VICTIMS SO FAR,
AND PROMISED A FOURTH.
OPAL BUCKSON HAD BEEN
SNATCHED JUST YESTERDAY.
POLICE IN GAFFNEY WERE HOPIN'
SHE WAS STILL ALIVE,
AND THAT LEE ROY MARTIN
MIGHT LEAD THEM TO HER.
HE HAD A NUMBER
OF LAW ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE
THAT WERE WATCHING HIM
AND THAT WERE FOCUSED EXACTLY
ON HIM
AND WATCHING EVERY MOVE
HE MADE.
ONE CAR WOULD GO
ABOUT TWO BLOCKS AND TURN OFF.
AND ANOTHER CAR
WOULD PICK HIM UP
AND GO ABOUT TWO
OR THREE BLOCKS.
THERE IS THIS CAREFULLY
CHOREOGRAPHED
BALLET OF SURVEILLANCE.
HEY, LEE ROY.
MORNIN'.
HOW YOU DOIN'?
HE STOPS IN THE CAFE.
LEE ROY PICKS UP THE PAPER.
'COURSE, THE PAPER IS THE
GAFFNEY NEWSPAPER TALKIN' 'BOUT
THE MURDERS,
TALKIN' 'BOUT THE STRANGLER.
AND LEE ROY SAYS...
SO WHAT'S NEW, LEROY?
WELL, SOMETIMES
THERE AIN'T NO NEWS,
AND THEN SOMETIMES PEOPLE
GO AND DO THINGS TO MAKE NEWS.
THAT SURE IS
SOME DEAL?
LOOKS LIKE HE
WAS UNACCOUNTED FOR.
WHEN?
EVERY TIME.
EVERY TIME
ONE OF THEM WENT MISSING,
LEE ROY MARTIN WAS NOT AT WORK:
SICK CALLS, SHIFT CHANGES,
NO-SHOWS.
LEE ROY WAS LOOKING
MORE AND MORE SUSPICIOUS.
BUT WHAT COULD THE POLICE DO?
IF THEY ARRESTED HIM NOW,
HE MIGHT NEVER LEAD THEM
TO OPAL.
ALL THEY COULD DO WAS WAIT.
AND NOW, HE DOES A VERY ODD
THING FOR A FEBRUARY
IN GAFFNEY, SOUTH CAROLINA.
HE WASHES HIS CAR.
WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOIN'?
GETTIN' RID OF
EVIDENCE.
HE'S WASHIN'
FINGERPRINTS,
HANDPRINTS, OFF HIS WINDOWS.
AND THEY'RE THINKING,
"DID HE HAVE HER IN THE BACK
OF THE CAR?
IS THAT WHERE THE HANDPRINTS
COME FROM?"
IT HAD BEEN 5 DAYS.
THEY HAD TO ADMIT
THAT OPAL
WAS ALMOST CERTAINLY DEAD.
AND NOW WHAT MIGHT BE EVIDENCE
WAS VANISHING
BEFORE THEIR EYES.
SO POLICE GO OUT THERE
WHERE SKINNER AND TRANSOU
SAW LEE ROY MARTIN STANDING OUT
BY THE CAR IN THE WOODS
'CAUSE THAT'S AT LEAST ONE SPOT
WE KNOW HE WAS.
IF POOR OPAL WAS OUT THERE,
IT WOULD STAND TO REASON
THAT LEE ROY MARTIN
HAD PUT HER THERE.
THE STRANGLER
SOUGHT TO TERRORIZE
THE WHITE AND BLACK FOLKS
OF GAFFNEY,
TO MAKE US HUDDLE IN OUR HOMES
IN FEAR.
BUT WHAT HE DID WAS
UNITE US,
EVEN IF JUST FOR A MOMENT.
WE START DOWN THROUGH
THE WOODS.
IT'S A PRETTY VAST AREA.
I FOUND HER!
THEY FIND THE BODY OF OPAL.
NO! NO!
NO!
WE FOUND HER.
IT'S HIM.
LET'S GO GET HIM.
THERE WAS NO REASON
TO WAIT ANY LONGER.
IT'S NO PROBLEM AT ALL.
I'M HEADIN' OUT THAT WAY,
ANYWAY.
AREN'T YOU SWEET, LEE ROY?
NOW, IT'S NO TROUBLE AT ALL.
JUST WANT YOU TO BE SAFE.
NOW, THEY JUST HAD TO HOPE
THEY COULD GET HIM
BEFORE HE KILLED AGAIN.
FOLKS WHO WERE
DOWN AT THE MILL
THAT DAY SAID IT WAS
THE STRANGEST THING,
THEM COMIN' TO ARREST
LEE ROY MARTIN
FOR THE STRANGLINGS.
AND ONE OF THE POOR GIRLS
WHO WORKED THERE
JUST ABOUT FELL OVER DEAD WHEN
SHE REMEMBERED HER CONVERSATION
WITH LEE ROY THE NIGHT BEFORE.
I'M HEADIN' OUT THAT WAY,
ANYWAY.
AREN'T YOU SWEET, LEE ROY?
NOW, IT'S NO TROUBLE AT ALL.
JUST WANT YOU TO BE SAFE.
YOU SURE IT'S NO TROUBLE?
OF COURSE, YEAH.
COME ON.
YOU KNOW,
THAT'S ALL RIGHT, LEE ROY.
MY BROTHER-IN-LAW SAID
HE'D BE HERE ANY SECOND NOW.
YOU SURE?
YES, THANK YOU. I'M FINE.
ONE OF HIS COWORKERS
TELLS THEM THAT HE HAD TRIED
TO GET HER TO TAKE A RIDE
WITH HIM AFTER WORK YESTERDAY.
SO, SHE WAS PROBABLY
HIS NEXT VICTIM.
I'M TELLIN' YOU BOYS,
YOU GOT THE WRONG MAN HERE.
I AIN'T KILLED NOBODY,
YOU HEAR ME?
NOW, REMEMBER, THE POLICE
BELIEVED MARTIN
WAS THE STRANGLER.
BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE
ANY ACTUAL PROOF.
IF THEY WERE GOING
TO PUT HIM AWAY FOR GOOD,
THEY WANTED A CONFESSION.
AND IF THERE'S ONE THING
THEY'D LEARNED
FROM THOSE PHONE CALLS...
IT'S THAT THE STRANGLER
WANTED ATTENTION.
HEY, WHERE'RE WE GOIN'?
THIS AIN'T THE WAY
TO THE COURT HOUSE.
AND THE THING ABOUT SOMEONE
WHO WANTS ATTENTION
IS IF YOU REFUSED
TO GIVE IT TO HIM,
HE'LL DO ANYTHING TO GET IT.
YOU'RE TAKING ME
TO STATE CAPITAL, AIN'T YOU?
Y'ALL MUST'VE THOUGHT
I DID SOME AWFUL THINGS
TO THOSE WOMEN.
SOME AWFUL THINGS.
WHATCHA THINK HAPPENED
TO THOSE WOMEN?
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT,
THAT FIRST ONE
WAS THE EASIEST...
AND THE HARDEST.
THEN HE SEEMED KINDA PROUD.
I'VE DONE 'EM ALL THE SAME WAY,
WITH MY BELT.
HE JUST OPENED UP
AND STARTED FREELY
TALKING ABOUT THE MURDERS.
WHAT ABOUT THAT DOG?
THAT DOG RAN AWAY.
I TOLD HER, I SAID,
"DON'T WORRY, DON'T WORRY.
I'LL GO GET HIM."
I FOUND HIM.
I CHOKED HIM.
I CAME BACK
AND TOLD HER HE GOT AWAY.
MARTIN LOVES ATTENTION.
HE WANTED TO TAKE CREDIT
FOR THESE MURDERS.
I JUST GO DRIVING AROUND LOOKIN'
FOR WOMEN
WHO'S OFF BY THEMSELVES,
LIKE THAT RHINEHART GIRL.
KILLIN' THOSE GIRLS
WAS BAD ENOUGH.
BUT WHAT HE TOLD THE POLICE
ABOUT WHAT HE DID
AFTER HE STRANGLED THEM
MADE ME WONDER
IF HE WASN'T JUST SOME KIND
OF A DEMON AFTER ALL.
MARTIN, BY HIS OWN ADMISSION,
HAD GONE BACK TO THE BODY
OF TINA RHINEHART.
AND OVER THE COURSE
OF 7 OR 8 DAYS
HE HAD SEXUALLY MOLESTED
THE CORPSE.
THE OTHER VICTIMS
HAD BEEN VISITED FOR SEX, ALSO.
AND IT'S LIKELY
THE STRANGULATION PART
OF HIS CRIME
WAS WHEN HE WAS
SEXUALLY AROUSED.
WITH ITS SUFFERINGS...
HIS DEPRAVITY KNEW NO BOUNDS.
I THINK HE WOULD'VE DRUNK OUR
TEARS IF HE COULD HAVE.
LEE ROY MARTIN HAD ACTUALLY COME
TO TINA'S FUNERAL.
SHE WAS SUCH A PRETTY
LITTLE GIRL.
THAT'S SO KIND OF YOU TO SAY.
TINA'S SISTER TOLD ME
THAT LEE ROY MARTIN
HAD COME BY
AND STAYED A LENGTHY PERIOD
OF TIME.
ANYTHING YOU NEED,
ANYTHING AT ALL, PLEASE
DON'T HESITATE TO ASK,
ALL RIGHT?
THANK YOU, LEROY.
FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE,
THIS WAS EXHILARATING.
"LOOK HOW SMART I AM
BECAUSE NONE OF YOU
KNOW THAT I'M THE ONE
THAT PUT HER THERE."
BEFORE HIS ONE BRUSH WITH
THE LAW 10 YEARS EARLIER,
THERE AIN'T MUCH TO KNOW
ABOUT LEE ROY MARTIN.
BORN AND RAISED IN GAFFNEY,
HIS TROUBLES WEREN'T WORSE THAN
ANYONE ELSE FROM AROUND HERE.
HIS DADDY DIED YOUNG,
AND HIS STEP-DADDY
HAD A TEMPER.
BUT HE CLOCKED IN ON TIME
AND ALWAYS PAID HIS DEBT.
HOW COULD ANYONE HAVE KNOWN?
O'Toole; LEE ROY MARTIN
HAS THESE EXTERIOR, UM,
TRAPPINGS OF NORMALCY.
HE'S A NICE GUY,
HE'S QUIET, DOESN'T DRINK.
BUT UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE,
THIS WAS AN INDIVIDUAL
WHO WAS DEVELOPING
INTO A VERY DANGEROUS,
SEXUALLY DEVIANT SERIAL KILLER.
BUT HIS DEVELOPMENT
WAS SUBTLE,
AND IT OCCURRED OVER A PERIOD
OF TIME.
JUST LIKE THE BOGEYMAN
FROM THE STORIES
MY BROTHER USED TO TELL,
LEE ROY MARTIN HAD STARTED TAP,
TAP, TAPPIN' ON THE WINDOWPANE.
AND AS HIS BLOODLUST GREW,
THE TAPPING GOT LOUDER,
CLOSER TO OUR HOMES.
AND THAT MIGHT BE THE SCARIEST
THING ABOUT LEE ROY MARTIN.
HE WAS SO ORDINARY
THAT EVEN WHEN THE MONSTER
WAS BANGIN' ON OUR FRONT DOOR,
DEMANDIN' TO BE HEARD,
NO ONE COULD EVER'VE IMAGINED
IT WAS HIM.
LEE ROY MARTIN WAS
CONVICTED OF FOUR MURDERS,
FOUR LIFE SENTENCES
WITHOUT PAROLE.
THE ULTIMATE LEGACY
IS THE STORIES THAT STILL
PERMEATE THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA.
THE BRIDGE IS A SPOT
THAT PEOPLE GO TO A LOT.
THERE'S ALWAYS THESE STORIES
THAT THERE'S SCREAMS OF GIRLS.
IT'S REALLY STRANGE.
I CAN JUST BE WALKIN'
AROUND TREES OR NEAR A WOOD,
AND I -- I THINK ABOUT IT.
IT WON'T EVER LEAVE ME,
AND I'M -- I'M SURE THERE'S
A LOT OF PEOPLE IN GAFFNEY.
ALL THE FAMILIES,
EVEN LEE ROY'S FAMILIES HAVE
BEEN VICTIMS
AND THAT TOUCHES
A LOT OF PEOPLE.
THOSE TYPES OF THINGS
IN SMALL TOWNS
TAKE A LONG TIME
TO DISAPPEAR.
* WENT OUT ONE NIGHT
TO MAKE A LITTLE ROUND *
* MET LITTLE SADIE
AND I SHOT HER DOWN *
* WENT BACK HOME
GOT INTO BED *
* FORTY-FOUR PISTOL
UNDER MY HEAD *
* JURY SAYS "MURDER IN
THE FIRST DEGREE" *
* I SAYS, LORD,
HAVE MERCY ON ME *
* OLD JUDGE BLACK
PICKS UP HIS PEN *
* SAYS YOU'LL NEVER KILL
NO WOMAN AGAIN *