Dead of Winter (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - 40 Years Winter - full transcript
When college student Linda Velzy disappears into the brutal New York winter, her parents undertake a desperate search to find out what happened.
[ WIND BLOWING, BIRDS CAWING ]
Carol:
TODAY, I'M FEELING NERVES,
AND I HAVE FOR A WEEK OR TWO.
IT'S JUST A VERY HARD THING
FOR ME TO THINK ABOUT.
THOSE ARE THINGS
YOU DON'T LIKE TO EVEN REMEMBER.
IT WAS WICKED, REALLY.
??
??
Howard:
IT'S BEEN OVER 40 YEARS
SINCE WE WENT THROUGH
THIS EPISODE,
BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS
YOU JUST DON'T FORGET.
IT WAS A PAINFUL,
IT WAS A DESTRUCTIVE,
IT WAS AN EVIL EXPERIENCE.
IT'S AS IF
SOMEBODY CAME DOWN
AND PICKED HER OFF
THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
SHE JUST DISAPPEARED.
??
Carol: IT'S JUST LIKE YOU'RE
BEING RIPPED APART, REALLY.
I- I COULDN'T BELIEVE
THIS WAS HAPPENING TO US.
Tighe: A BODY COULD BE
JUST COVERED WITH SNOW.
WE HAD NO IDEA WHERE SHE WAS --
ALIVE OR DEAD.
??
[ BIRDS CAWING ]
??
I SEE HER BLOND HAIR FIRST,
YOU KNOW, DOWN A WAYS,
AND HER SMILE.
PEOPLE WANTED TO BE
WITH LINDA.
SHE WAS SO EXCITED
ABOUT SCHOOL.
IT WAS NICE TO SEE.
??
I DROVE HER TO HER FIRST ROOM
AT COLLEGE.
??
??
MOM, ARE YOU OKAY?
I DON'T KNOW.
I GUESS...
UNPACKING
ALL THESE THINGS
JUST BRINGS BACK
A LOT OF MEMORIES.
I HAD TEARS IN MY EYES.
[ GASPS ] OH, LOOK!
[ GASPS ]
IT'S MR. WHISKERS.
[ CHUCKLES ]
I'VE HAD THIS
SINCE FOREVER.
I WAS ONE WHO ALWAYS SAID,
"LET YOUR CHILDREN GO."
AND I WAS GLAD SHE COULD.
MOM, STOP.
I'M GONNA BE HOME
FOR THANKSGIVING...
AND CHRISTMAS.
[ CHUCKLES ]
I KNOW. I KNOW.
BESIDES, I WILL HAVE
MR. WHISKERS TO PROTECT ME.
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
[ WIND BLOWING ]
??
Woman: SMELLS SO GOOD.
THANK YOU, REVEREND.
Howard:
PLEASE, CALL ME HOWARD.
AND YOU CAN
THANK CAROL.
SHE'S THE QUEEN
OF THE CASSEROLE.
WE WERE HAVING DINNER
IN OUR HOME
WITH SOME
VERY CLOSE FRIENDS.
MM, BETTER TASTE IT
BEFORE WE START
HANDING OUT
THE ROYAL TITLES.
[ LAUGHING ]
I REMEMBER GETTING
THE PHONE CALL.
[ TELEPHONE RINGING ]
OH, GEE.
I BETTER GRAB THAT.
HELLO. HOWARD VELZY.
WE WERE NOTIFIED
BY CAMPUS SECURITY
THAT LINDA WAS MISSING.
SHE HAD BEEN
ON A STUDY DATE
WITH HER BOYFRIEND
IN THE AFTERNOON,
AND SHE HAD EXCUSED HERSELF
TO GO DOWN TO TOWN
TO BUY A CHRISTMAS PRESENT
FOR HER MOTHER,
AND SHE DIDN'T
RETURN TO CAMPUS.
AND HER ROOMMATE
REPORTED HER MISSING.
THAT DOESN'T
MAKE ANY SENSE.
IT'S NOT LIKE LINDA
TO JUST LEAVE.
THE FEELINGS I HAD --
PROBABLY THE FIRST WAS DENIAL.
"YOU HAVEN'T GOT
THE FACTS STRAIGHT.
THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING.
YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG GIRL"
OR "YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG
INFORMATION" OR WHATEVER.
WHEN THEY INFORMED ME
THAT SHE HAD BEEN MISSING
SINCE FRIDAY NIGHT --
AND THIS WAS SATURDAY NIGHT --
LIKE, "WHAT ARE YOU
CALLING ME NOW FOR?"
THAT WAS LIKE
24 HOURS AGO.
WHY WOULD YOU WAIT SO LONG
TO LET US KNOW?
NO, SOMETHING'S WRONG.
SHE -- SHE --
IF SHE WAS GOING SOMEWHERE,
SHE WOULD TELL SOMEONE.
THE UNIVERSITY'S POLICY
WAS TO WAIT 24 HOURS
IF SOMEBODY
WAS REPORTED MISSING,
SO THEY DIDN'T CALL US
UNTIL SATURDAY NIGHT.
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO REACT?
WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO
ABOUT THIS?
AND THEN, HOW DO I
EXPLAIN THIS TO CAROL?
I GOT TO TELL HER SOMETHING.
WHAT DO I TELL HER?
??
??
Jim: LINDA TALKED TO PEOPLE.
SHE -- SHE WASN'T, LIKE,
SECRETIVE OR, YOU KNOW,
DOING THINGS ON THE SLY.
I JUST KNEW THERE WAS
SOMETHING WRONG.
Rick:
YEAH, WE -- WE --
THAT'S THE WAY
IT HIT ME, TOO, IS,
THIS WAS VERY
UNCHARACTERISTIC OF HER.
YOU KNOW, THAT MADE
NO SENSE AT ALL.
??
[ WIND BLOWING ]
Carol: I CRIED ALL NIGHT.
I HAD A SENSE THEN,
EVEN THOUGH I DON'T THINK
I'VE EVEN SAID IT TO ANYBODY,
THAT THIS WAS NOT GOOD.
THIS WAS REALLY NOT GOOD.
Howard: SOMETHING'S WRONG.
WE'VE GOT TO GET UP THERE
AND START ASKING QUESTIONS.
??
??
Narrator: THE NEXT MORNING,
HOWARD AND CAROL DRIVE
200 MILES NORTH TO ONEONTA.
Howard: LISTEN.
WE'RE GONNA FIND HER.
OKAY? LET'S TRY
NOT TO PANIC.
I- I-I KNOW.
I- I JUST WISH I WAS
PAYING MORE ATTENTION.
I REALLY DON'T KNOW
WHERE SHE COULD HAVE GONE.
FOR HER BOYFRIEND
NOT TO KNOW WHERE SHE WAS
MADE NO SENSE AT ALL.
HAVE YOU TALKED
TO HER FRIENDS?
YES, MRS. VELZY --
ALL THE ONES I KNOW, AT LEAST.
HOW ABOUT HER ROOMMATE?
WHEN DID SHE GET
IN TOUCH WITH YOU?
UM, SHE GOT IN TOUCH --
UM, I-I DON'T REMEMBER,
HONESTLY.
UM, UH, SOON AFTER...
[ CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY ]
Carol: IT WAS A FEELING
OF ABSOLUTE DISTRESS.
I- I CAN'T DESCRIBE IT.
[ INDISTINCT TALKING ]
??
EVERYBODY AGREED THAT
SHE WOULD HAVE TOLD SOMEONE
IF SHE WERE GOING AWAY.
HOWARD.
HER CONTACTS.
WE FOUND OUT THAT SHE'D LEFT
HER CONTACT LENSES THERE.
AND IT JUST WASN'T LIKE LINDA
TO LEAVE THINGS.
IT JUST SEEMED SINISTER TO ME.
AND IT --
I DIDN'T LOSE THAT FEELING.
OH, WE SHOULD TELL
THE STATE TROOPERS ABOUT THAT.
YOU SHOULD COME WITH US.
THE -- THE TROOPERS?
YEAH.
THEY --
THEY ALREADY CAME.
THEY ASKED
A LOT OF QUESTIONS
SINCE I WAS THE LAST
TO SEE HER ON CAMPUS.
Howard:
HE WAS CONSIDERED A SUSPECT
BECAUSE HE WAS
THE LAST PERSON TO SEE HER.
BUT HE SAID, YOU KNOW,
"I LIKED HER.
WHY WOULD I DO ANYTHING?
I MEAN, WE WERE
GETTING ALONG FINE."
Tighe:
EARLY IN THE INVESTIGATION,
WE HAD TO INTERVIEW
HER BOYFRIEND
BECAUSE HE WAS GONNA MEET HER
THAT EVENING,
AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT
WAS GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES.
EVERY LEAD YOU GET,
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT.
[ DOG BARKS, BIRD CAWS ]
??
"MISSING PERSON --
LINDA VELZY, 5'5",
LONG BLOND HAIR,
BLUE EYES, 18 YEARS OF AGE,
LAST SEEN WEARING A BLACK COAT
WITH A HOOD, BLUE JEANS,
STRING BRACELET WITH LIGHT BLUE
BEADS ON RIGHT WRIST."
SHE HAD LEFT
THE AFTERNOON OF THE 9th
TO GO DOWNTOWN TO ONEONTA
TO BUY A CHRISTMAS PRESENT
FOR HER MOTHER.
AND THEN SHE WAS GONNA
GO OVER TO CHESTNUT STREET
TO LOOK AT A ROOM
THAT SHE WAS THINKING ABOUT
RENTING FOR THE NEXT SEMESTER.
WHEN LINDA WAS HERE,
DID SHE SEEM ANXIOUS
OR MAYBE IN A HURRY?
NO.
I WOULDN'T SAY
SHE SEEMED ANXIOUS.
DO YOU REMEMBER
WHAT TIME SHE LEFT?
YEAH. IT WAS --
IT WAS JUST BEFORE 6:00.
I THINK SHE MENTIONED
WALKING BACK TO CAMPUS
OR HITCHING A RIDE.
SHE SAID THAT?
Tighe: THE ROAD TO THE CAMPUS
GOES UP A RATHER STEEP HILL.
IT WAS SNOWING
THAT AFTERNOON,
SO PROBABLY WAS
A LITTLE SLIPPERY IN SPOTS.
AND SO, SHE MIGHT HAVE JUST
FELT SAFER IN CATCHING A RIDE
THAN WALKING UP THE HILL.
I DON'T KNOW.
DO YOU THINK
SHE'S OKAY?
YEAH, I'M SURE
SHE'S FINE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
AND KEEP AN EYE OUT, OKAY?
??
AS A MATTER OF FACT,
WE HAD GOTTEN TOGETHER
AT CAMP ON THANKSGIVING,
AND I REMEMBER HAVING
A DISCUSSION WITH HER.
I THINK SHE BROUGHT UP
THE SUBJECT ABOUT HITCHHIKING,
AND I REMEMBER TELLING HER,
"LINDA, I DON'T THINK IT'S A
GOOD IDEA FOR YOU TO HITCHHIKE."
LINDA...
YOU SHOULDN'T BE DOING THAT.
THAT'S DANGEROUS.
NO, DAD. IT'S NOT --
IT'S NOT THAT DANGEROUS.
I MEAN, LIKE,
IT'S LESS THAN A MILE.
I TOLD HER
I DIDN'T LIKE THE IDEA.
DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE
I COULD HAVE DONE AS A PARENT.
AT THIS POINT
IN THE INVESTIGATION,
WE WEREN'T CERTAIN
THAT SHE WAS HITCHHIKING.
WE DECIDED WE WOULD USE DOGS
TO TRY TO FIND HER.
WE WENT TO CHESTNUT STREET
AND MET THE BLOODHOUND HANDLER.
HE HAD SOME SCENT MATERIAL
THAT HAD BEEN PROVIDED
BY A ROOMMATE
FROM HER DORM ROOM.
AND HE LET THE DOG
SMELL THE SCENT MATERIAL,
AND THEN HE WENT OUT
THE FRONT DOOR
AND DOWN THE STAIRS.
THEN THE DOG LOST THE SCENT,
WHICH IS INDICATIVE
THAT A VEHICLE
PROBABLY PICKED HER UP THERE.
Howard:
SHE COULD HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED.
SHE COULD HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED,
MOVED SOMEWHERE.
SHE HADN'T GONE AWAY
VOLUNTARILY.
Narrator:
IF LINDA IS ALIVE,
THE BRUTAL WEATHER
MEANS HER LIFE MAY BE IN DANGER.
Tighe: THE ONEONTA AREA
GETS HARSH WINTERS --
A LOT OF SNOW,
COLD TEMPERATURES.
SHE'D HAVE TO BE
INSIDE SOMEPLACE,
BECAUSE IT WAS
BELOW ZERO SOMETIMES.
SHE WOULDN'T HAVE
SUSTAINED LIFE TOO LONG
IN THE TEMPERATURES
AT THE TIME.
IN ANY CASE LIKE THIS,
YOU WANT TO FIND THEM
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE,
AND SO, THE QUICKER
YOU CAN MOVE, THE BETTER.
WE'VE THOUGHT OF EVERY
POSSIBLE THING AT THIS POINT.
WE'RE VERY REALISTIC.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
WE ARE VERY HOPEFUL.
I HAD NO IDEA, YOU KNOW,
HOW THINGS WOULD TURN OUT.
WHO KNEW?
MAYBE A MIRACLE'D HAPPEN.
[ WIND BLOWING ]
??
FOR A LONG TIME,
I WOULD WAKE UP
AND THINK IT WAS A DREAM
THAT I WAS HAVING.
YOU'RE LIVING,
YOU'RE WALKING AROUND,
BUT YOU'RE REALLY HALF DEAD.
YOU CAN'T THINK
ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE.
NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.
Tighe: REVEREND VELZY
WAS A GOOD FATHER,
AND HE WANTED TO DO
ANYTHING HE COULD
TO HELP FIND HIS DAUGHTER,
BECAUSE SHE'D BEEN MISSING
FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS
AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW
WHERE SHE WAS.
NOBODY DID.
H- HOWARD, WHAT ARE YOU --
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
THINKING.
WHEN I'M FACED
WITH A PROBLEM,
I DON'T REST
UNTIL I FIND A SOLUTION.
SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE.
WHAT IF WE GOT
THE NEWS INVOLVED?
LIKE, USE THE MEDIA TO --
TO HELP SPREAD THE WORD.
YOU THINK
THAT COULD WORK?
WE THOUGHT MAYBE THAT WOULD
GET SOME ATTENTION,
BECAUSE WE WEREN'T
GETTING ANY ATTENTION.
I THINK I KNOW SOMEONE
WHO CAN HELP.
NOBODY CARED.
WASN'T EVEN NEWSWORTHY.
[ TALKING INDISTINCTLY ]
SO, WHAT HAPPENED WAS,
ONE OF MY PARISHIONER'S FATHER
HAD BEEN A CAMERAMAN
FOR "60 MINUTES."
AND HE SAYS,
"CAN I BE OF ANY HELP?"
WELL, THAT'S WHEN THINGS
BEGAN TO HAPPEN.
LINDA VELZY WAS LAST SEEN HERE
ON WEST STREET IN ONEONTA
ABOUT 6:00
ON THE NIGHT OF DECEMBER 9th.
SHE WAS CARRYING
A LARGE PACKAGE --
A CHRISTMAS GIFT
FOR HER MOTHER.
THIS WAS NATIONAL NEWS
AT THIS POINT.
WE HAD 26 BCI DETECTIVES
ALL OVER THE STATE OF NEW YORK
DESCEND ON ONEONTA WITHIN
A MATTER OF, LITERALLY, HOURS,
AND THEY HAD THOUSANDS
OF LEADS COMING
'CAUSE NOW WE WERE NOW
A MEDIA BLITZ.
Tighe: IF SOMEBODY SAID
THEY THOUGHT THEY SAW HER
DOWN IN BINGHAMTON,
SOMEBODY WENT TO BINGHAMTON.
NO MATTER HOW FARFETCHED --
I MEAN, EVERYTHING
FROM THE PSYCHICS
TO THE TRACKING DOGS
THAT PEOPLE VOLUNTEERED,
THEY WERE ALL ADDRESSED.
[ STATIC CRACKLES ]
Man: ANYONE WITH INFORMATION
ON LINDA VELZY'S WHEREABOUTS
IS URGED TO CALL
NEW YORK STATE TROOPERS
IN THE ONEONTA OFFICE.
Narrator:
THE SEARCH FOR LINDA SPREADS,
BUT THE TERRAIN
MAKES THE JOB DIFFICULT.
ONEONTA IS IN OTSEGO COUNTY
IN UPSTATE NEW YORK.
IT'S A VALLEY
BETWEEN ROLLING HILLS,
AND, IN FACT,
THE CITY OF THE MOUNTAINS --
THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL IT.
Howard: THEY'RE BACK ROADS,
DEAD-END ROADS.
IN UPSTATE NEW YORK,
YOU CAN DUMP SOMEBODY,
AND THERE'S NOBODY AROUND
FOR MILES.
SO, I MEAN,
TRYING TO HIDE A BODY,
[CHUCKLES]
THAT'S NO TRICK AT ALL.
Tighe: WE HAD NO IDEA
WHERE SHE WAS -- ALIVE OR DEAD.
A BODY COULD BE
JUST COVERED WITH SNOW.
IT COULD HAVE JUST BEEN
THROWN OUT OF THE CAR
AND COVERED WITH SNOW,
AND YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T
FIND IT TILL SPRING
UNLESS YOU HAD A TIP
WHERE IT WAS.
??
[ RINGING ]
DETECTIVE TIGHE,
STATE POLICE.
Tighe: WE GOT A CALL FROM THE
WATER SUPERINTENDENT FOR ONEONTA
AND SAID THAT THE BACTERIA COUNT
WAS UP IN THE RESERVOIR,
AND THAT WOULD BE INDICATIVE
OF A DECOMPOSING BODY.
TO US, IT WAS A GOOD POSSIBILITY
THAT HER BODY WAS THERE.
OKAY.
WE'LL PUT
SOMETHING TOGETHER.
SO THE DIVING DETAIL
WAS BROUGHT UP,
AND THEY DOVE UNDER THE ICE,
WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS...
[ TELEPHONE RECEIVER CLICKS ]
...BECAUSE THEY'RE
UNDER THE ICE,
AND IF THEY DON'T FIND THE HOLE,
THEY'RE NOT COMING UP.
IT WASN'T A JOB
THAT I'D WANT TO DO.
THEY SEARCHED FOR TWO DAYS,
AND NOTHING WAS FOUND.
IT'S DISAPPOINTING WHEN IT
TURNS OUT THERE'S NOTHING,
BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT IS.
THERE'S A LOT OF DISAPPOINTMENTS
IN INVESTIGATIONS.
HER BOYFRIEND WAS INTERVIEWED,
AND HIS STATEMENTS
WERE CHECKED OUT.
Howard: THERE WAS NOTHING,
NOTHING THAT WOULD HAVE
INDICATED AT ALL
HIS INVOLVEMENT.
IT WAS A GOOD LEAD AT THE TIME
UNTIL HE WAS RULED OUT.
Narrator: FRUSTRATED,
DETECTIVES TRY A NEW APPROACH.
Man: LOOK, NOBODY'S
POINTING ANY FINGERS.
WE JUST HAVE TO ASK
THE QUESTIONS.
I'M NOT SURE
WHAT YOU WANT FROM ME.
Tighe: PAROLE OFFICERS
CONTACTED FOR THAT AREA
AND GET A LIST OF PAROLEES
THAT WERE INCARCERATED
FOR SEX-RELATED INCIDENTS,
AND THERE WERE A LARGE NUMBER
OF PREVIOUS OFFENDERS
THAT HAD TO BE INTERVIEWED.
OKAY,
YOU'RE FREE TO GO.
??
??
MR. KNAPP,
HAVE A SEAT.
??
ONE OF THE SUBJECTS
THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT
WAS 26-YEAR-OLD RICKY KNAPP.
WE'RE WORKING ON
A MISSING-PERSONS CASE
INVOLVING A YOUNG WOMAN.
RICKY KNAPP WAS OUT ON BAIL
FOR AN INCIDENT
INVOLVING ANOTHER CO-ED.
AND SHE WAS WALKING UP
WHAT THEY CALL A COW PATH,
WHICH IS A TRAIL UP THE HILL
UP TO THE CAMPUS.
IT'S A SHORTCUT.
AND SHE WAS WALKING UP THAT
AND HE WAS HIDING IN THE BUSHES
AND HE JUMPED OUT
AND GRABBED HER.
YOU WANT TO TAKE
A LOOK AT THIS?
WHAT ABOUT IT?
WELL, YOU RAPED THIS GIRL.
TERRORIZED HER.
NOW, TWO WEEKS LATER,
ANOTHER CO-ED, LINDA VELZY,
HAS GONE MISSING.
YOU WOULDN'T HAPPEN TO KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, WOULD YOU?
WHY WOULD I DO ANYTHING
WHEN YOU GUYS ARE
ALREADY WATCHING ME?
IT WAS ONLY, LIKE,
THREE OR FOUR WEEKS
BEFORE THIS INCIDENT
OCCURRED.
HE WAS OUT ON BAIL, AND, UH...
THE M.O. WOULD FIT
THIS PICTURE, TOO.
ON THE 9th, WERE YOU ANYWHERE
NEAR CHESTNUT STREET?
CHESTNUT?
ACTUALLY, YES.
I WAS DRIVING UP CHESTNUT,
AND I SAW THIS GIRL
WALKING OUT THERE.
IT WAS FREEZING.
SO, I FIGURED
I'D HELP HER OUT.
HE WAS GOING UP WEST STREET,
AND HE SAID HE SAW A HITCHHIKER,
BUT SHE WAS WEARING A WHITE COAT
AND SHE HAD DARK HAIR.
IT WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE
OF WHAT DESCRIBED LINDA.
AND HE SAID HE STOPPED AND
ASKED HER IF SHE WANTED A RIDE,
AND SHE SAID NO.
AND HE SAID,
"I WENT ON MY WAY."
WOULD YOU MIND
COMING BACK TOMORROW
AND TAKING
A LIE-DETECTOR TEST?
WHATEVER YOU NEED,
DETECTIVE.
I GOT NOTHING TO HIDE.
WE DONE HERE?
FOR NOW.
BUT THEN, THE NEXT NIGHT,
HE DIDN'T CALL.
ANOTHER INVESTIGATOR
GOT AHOLD OF HIM,
AND HE SAID, "AH, MY ATTORNEY
TOLD ME NOT TO TAKE IT,
NOT TO TALK TO YOU GUYS,
SO I'M NOT GONNA."
AFTER HIS ATTORNEY
MADE THE CALLS
TO THE STATE POLICE
AND THE ONEONTA POLICE,
HE WAS BASICALLY OFF-LIMITS,
SO WE WEREN'T ABLE
TO INTERVIEW HIM
OR DO A POLYGRAPH OR ANYTHING.
WE HAD NO EVIDENCE THAT HE WAS
INVOLVED WITH LINDA VELZY,
AND WE, IN FACT, DIDN'T KNOW
IF SHE WAS EVEN DECEASED.
WE HAD NO BODY, SO WE REALLY
DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TO GO ON.
WE WERE PRETTY MUCH
OUT OF OPTIONS.
SO, I HAD NO REASON
TO SUSPECT ANYBODY ELSE --
EVEN CONSIDER ANYBODY ELSE.
HE WAS OBVIOUSLY SICK.
HE WAS OBVIOUSLY
SEXUALLY PERVERTED.
BUT THE QUESTION WAS,
WOULD I EVER SEE HER AGAIN?
AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING?
WHAT WAS SHE GOING THROUGH?
[ ANIMAL HOWLING ]
HE WAS NOT A NAIVE TEENAGER.
HE'S AN EX-CON.
HE KNOWS HIS WAY AROUND.
SO, WHAT'S A DETECTIVE
GOING TO DO?
??
??
DETECTIVE.
MIND IF I COME IN?
OKAY.
??
??
WHAT'S GOING ON?
WE, UH, TALKED TO RICKY.
WHAT'D HE SAY?
HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING.
UNFORTUNATELY, HE'S...
HE'S LAWYERED UP.
??
[ SLAPS BED,
EXHALES SHARPLY ]
SO, WHAT DO WE DO NEXT?
WE KEEP LOOKING.
BUT AS FAR AS RICKY GOES...
OUR HANDS ARE TIED.
WE'D COME TO THE POINT
WHERE WE WERE LOSING CONFIDENCE
THAT WE WOULD EVER
HAVE A SOLUTION --
KNOW EXACTLY
WHAT HAD HAPPENED --
AND WE MAY NEVER FIND OUT.
??
[ MUSIC STOPS ]
I THINK I HAVE AN IDEA.
??
Howard:
I'M A PERSON OF FAITH,
AND SO, I HELD ON TO THE BELIEF
THAT MAYBE SHE'D SHOW UP.
BUT I DIDN'T
REALLY BELIEVE IT.
WE KNEW -- WE KNEW
OUR LIVES HAD CHANGED.
WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW HOW.
I THINK OUR FAITH GROUNDED US
ENOUGH TO KNOW
THAT GOD WAS THERE WITH US
AND THAT GOD
WAS CRYING WITH US.
I NEVER GAVE UP HOPE,
BUT IT WAS JUST TOO MANY SIGNS
THAT THINGS WERE NOT RIGHT.
Narrator:
LINDA'S BROTHERS ARRIVE IN TOWN
TO JOIN THE SEARCH.
Rick: WE DROVE UP
TO ONEONTA, TOO.
MY PARENTS WERE
ALREADY UP THERE.
WE THOUGHT MAYBE,
YOU KNOW, WE COULD --
FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.
RIGHT.
WE WENT THROUGH
THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE ACTUALLY KNOCKED
ON THE DOORS OF THE HOUSES,
ASKING THE PEOPLE
IF THEY KNEW ANYTHING.
YOU KNOW, YOU JUST --
YOU WANTED TO DO SOMETHING.
YOU WANTED TO KNOW,
AND THERE WAS JUST
NO INFORMATION AT ALL.
AND AFTER
TWO OR THREE DAYS,
I THINK WE JUST KIND OF
FIGURED THERE WASN'T --
WE WEREN'T REALLY
ACCOMPLISHING ANYTHING.
??
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
HAVE BEGUN TO FOCUS
ON 26-YEAR-OLD TREE SURGEON
RICKY KNAPP.
Tighe:
WE HAD NO EVIDENCE THAT HE WAS
INVOLVED WITH LINDA VELZY.
WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE
MUCH TO GO ON.
ALTHOUGH WE SUSPECTED
AND HE WAS OUR PRIMARY SUSPECT
BY THIS POINT,
THERE'S NOTHING WE COULD DO
OTHER THAN JUST
KEEP FOLLOWING LEADS
AND KEEPING AN EYE ON HIM.
YOU THINK RICKY KNOWS
WE'RE WATCHING HIM?
HE'S CERTAINLY STAYING
OUT OF TROUBLE.
SO EITHER HE KNOWS
WE'RE ONTO HIM...
OR ELSE HE'S TURNED OVER
A NEW LEAF.
[ LAUGHS ]
I DOUBT IT.
IS THAT ARTHUR HITT?
WHAT THE HELL
IS HE DOING HERE?
THINK WE'RE ABOUT
TO FIND OUT.
Tighe: ARTHUR HITT
WAS A SELF-EMPLOYED LOGGER.
HE WORKED ON OCCASION
WITH RICKY KNAPP.
AND HE HAD SOME BRUSHES
WITH THE LAW --
IN FACT, HAD A ROBBERY PENDING
AT THE TIME.
WELL, YOU'RE ABOUT
THE LAST PERSON
I EXPECT TO SEE
IN HERE, ARTHUR.
YOU KNOW THE COLLEGE GIRL
THAT'S GONE MISSING?
I MIGHT HAVE
SOME INFORMATION ON HER.
THINK...
MAYBE YOU'D BE INTERESTED
IN...MAKING A TRADE.
LET ME SEE WHAT I CAN DO.
THEY WERE GONNA REDUCE
HIS CHARGES TO MISDEMEANORS --
PUNISHABLE BY A MAXIMUM
OF ONE YEAR IN JAIL,
IN THE COUNTY JAIL,
SO IT'S GREAT REDUCTION
FROM A FELONY
AND GOING TO ATTICA
OR SOMEPLACE.
OKAY, ARTHUR,
THIS BETTER BE GOOD.
WHY DON'T YOU TELL ME
WHAT YOU KNOW?
OKAY.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN
LOOKING INTO RICKY.
ONE OF THE IMPORTANT
PIECES OF INFORMATION
THAT HITT PROVIDED WAS THAT
RICKY KNAPP HAD ASKED HIM
TO SAY HE WAS WITH HIM
ON THE NIGHT OF DECEMBER 9th
UNTIL 8:00 P.M.
BUT HE DIDN'T SAY WHY.
HAS HE SAID ANYTHING
ABOUT LINDA VELZY?
COME ON, ARTHUR.
I'M GONNA NEED MORE THAN THIS.
I'VE GIVING YOU
ALL THAT I GOT.
LOOK, THIS IS
A TWO-WAY STREET.
IF I'M GONNA HELP YOU,
I NEED MORE.
OUR HOPE WAS THAT ARTHUR HITT
COULD GET RICKY TO CONFESS,
BUT ANY INFORMATION
THAT HE COULD PROVIDE US WITH
WOULD BE MORE
THAN WHAT WE HAD,
BECAUSE WE COULDN'T EVEN
TALK TO RICKY KNAPP.
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?
I NEED SOMETHING
ON TAPE.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO
BUILD HIS TRUST.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE
TO WEAR A WIRE.
WE WIRED HIM
WITH A BODY WIRE,
AND HE MET RICKY
IN A BAR IN WEST ONEONTA,
NOT TOO FAR
FROM RICKY'S HOUSE.
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]
SO, YOU REALLY THINK THE COPS
ARE WATCHING YOU, HUH?
I KNOW MARKED CARS.
ONE WILL FOLLOW ME
FOR A FEW BLOCKS AND TURN.
A MINUTE LATER,
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE FOLLOWING.
PROBABLY OUTSIDE
RIGHT NOW.
YOU'RE NOT WORRIED AT ALL?
[ CHUCKLES ]
WHAT DO I GOT
TO BE WORRIED ABOUT?
I DON'T KNOW. I-I GUESS
THAT'S WHAT I'M, UM --
I'M ASKING YOU.
WHY ARE YOU
SO INTERESTED?
I'M JUST SAYING, IF, UH --
IF THEY START FOLLOWING ME,
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE
ON THE SAME PAGE, RIGHT?
??
??
AND THEY HAD A CONVERSATION,
BUT THAT PARTICULAR NIGHT,
NOTHING MUCH WAS ENLIGHTENING.
The coolest way to improve your English
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WE ASSUMED THAT HE WOULD
GET AWAY WITH IT
UNLESS WE COULD SOMEHOW
[CHUCKLES] I GUESS
PULL OFF A MIRACLE.
CAROL, THIS GUY'S NEVER GONNA
GET RICKY TO SAY ANYTHING,
NOT WHILE HE HAS
HIS GUARD UP.
WHAT ARE YOU SUGGESTING?
WE GO HOME
FOR CHRISTMAS.
NOT THIS AGAIN, HOWARD.
WE CAN'T.
HE WAS BEHAVING HIMSELF.
WELL, WE KNEW NOTHING
WAS GONNA HAPPEN WITH HIM
IF HE'S BEING CAUTIOUS.
HE HAS TO THINK
THAT THE PRESSURE'S OFF.
BUT SHE'S OUT THERE
SOMEWHERE, HOWARD.
IN THE COLD.
THE IDEA WAS
TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION
THAT WE WERE GIVING UP,
THAT THERE WAS NO SOLUTION --
IN OTHER WORDS,
HE'D GOTTEN AWAY WITH IT.
CAROL...
WE'RE RUNNING OUT
OF OPTIONS.
Carol: WE HAD NO CHOICE.
WE WENT BACK
FOR CHRISTMAS, AND...
IT WAS VERY HARD TO LEAVE
AND WONDERING STILL
WHAT HAD HAPPENED.
[ CHOIR SINGING "SILENT NIGHT" ]
WE WENT OUT TO CHURCH THEN,
AND WE SANG CHRISTMAS CAROLS.
AND I'M THINKING,
"HERE I AM IN CHURCH
SINGING CHRISTMAS CAROLS,
AND MY LIFE IS RUINED,"
YOU KNOW?
IT WAS A VERY HARD TIME.
??
I DO REMEMBER
A FEW THINGS I BOUGHT HER.
I HAD THOSE GIFTS
WRAPPED FOR HER,
AND I DON'T KNOW
HOW I GOT THROUGH THAT.
I HONESTLY DO NOT KNOW HOW I
GOT THROUGH WITHOUT GOING NUTS,
AND I WAS CLOSE TO IT,
PROBABLY.
Howard: AT LEAST
WHEN WE WERE IN ONEONTA,
I FELT THAT I WAS
AT LEAST THERE --
NOT THAT I WAS DOING ANYTHING
OR HELPING,
BUT AT LEAST I WAS PRESENT.
NOW I'M 150 MILES AWAY
AND DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHAT'S HAPPENING
AND CAN'T DO ANYTHING
TO BE HELPFUL.
Narrator:
HOWARD HAS NO IDEA THAT HIS PLAN
TO LIE LOW IS ABOUT TO PAY OFF.
OKAY, JOE,
WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?
Tighe:
THIS IS THE CULMINATION.
SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE
THE FINAL LAP OF A RACE,
YOU KNOW?
[ CHUCKLES ] YOU WIN
OR YOU LOSE.
TURNS OUT ARTHUR HITT
MIGHT BE GOOD FOR SOMETHING
AFTER ALL.
??
Carol:
THREE WEEKS IS A LONG TIME.
AND IT'S AN AWFUL LONG TIME
NOT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
IT HAD TO BE DONE.
IT HAD TO BE FIGURED OUT
SOMEHOW,
BECAUSE NOT KNOWING WOULD HAVE
BEEN MORE HELL IN OUR BOOK.
??
Tighe:
I GOT A CALL ON NEW YEAR'S EVE.
THERE HAD BEEN A BREAK
IN THE CASE.
OKAY, JOE,
WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?
GET READY FOR THIS.
HE SAYS RICKY DID IT.
HE CONFESSED
TO THE WHOLE THING.
WE WERE INFORMED
THAT RICKY KNAPP
HAD TOLD ARTHUR HITT
THAT HE HAD KILLED HER
AND THAT RICKY KNAPP
HAD LINDA'S BODY
AT SOMEPLACE OVER IN THE
MOUNTAINS IN DELAWARE COUNTY.
HE PUT IT IN
A LIGHTLY WOODED AREA
AND COVERED IT WITH SNOW
AND LEFT IT THERE.
DO HER PARENTS KNOW?
NOT YET.
ARTHUR HAD EXPLAINED
TO HIM THAT, YOU KNOW,
IT'S NOT WELL-HIDDEN.
THEY'RE GONNA FIND IT.
SO, THEN HE SAYS,
"BUT I CAN DIG YOU A GRAVE,
AND THEY'LL NEVER FIND IT."
AND SO, THEY WERE
GONNA MOVE THE BODY
AND PUT IT IN A GRAVE THAT
ARTHUR DUG WITH HIS BULLDOZER
UP ON THE LOG SITE
ON WINNEY HILL ROAD.
ARTHUR CONVINCED HIM
TO MOVE THE BODY.
WHEN?
TONIGHT AFTER DARK.
OKAY, THIS IS OUR LAST CHANCE
TO GET HIM.
NOTHING CAN GO WRONG.
I WANT TO BE IN PLACE
BEFORE SUNSET.
??
[ EXHALES SHARPLY ]
[ WIND BLOWING ]
ANOTHER INVESTIGATOR AND I
WENT UP.
IT WAS EERIE 'CAUSE IT WAS
REAL QUIET UP THERE.
[ BIRDS CHIRPING, SQUAWKING ]
WE'RE BACK IN THE WOODS.
AND WE JUST WAITED THERE,
AND IT FELT LIKE IT WAS CUTTING
RIGHT TO THE BONE.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS SO COLD.
[ OWL HOOTS ]
??
RICKY PULLS IN THE LOT.
WE WERE AFRAID HE WAS GONNA
HIT US WITH THE LIGHTS.
BUT THEN HE TURNED AND STOPPED,
AND THEY GOT OUT OF THE CAR.
AND THEY OPENED THE TRUNK.
HEY.
[ CHUCKLES ]
ALL RIGHT,
YOU GET HER LEGS.
NO WAY.
SO, THEN RICKY TRIES
GETTING HER OUT OF THE TRUNK.
[ GRUNTING ]
HE FINALLY GOT HER OUT.
OHH!
[ THUD ]
DROPPED HER OUT ON THE GROUND.
A BIG THUD.
YOU COULD HEAR THIS ECHO 'CAUSE
SHE WAS FROZEN STIFF, YOU KNOW.
[ LAUGHING ]
YEAH. OH, THAT'S
GONNA HURT, GIRL.
[ LAUGHING ]
HE WAS LAUGHING AND MAKING
OBSCENE REMARKS ABOUT IT.
??
??
[ RICKY GRUNTING ]
HERE HE IS CARRYING A BODY,
AND JOE MOORE WALKS UP.
AND OF COURSE
JOE'S A BIG GUY, YOU KNOW,
AND TAPS HIM ON THE SHOULDER.
BUT HE --
HE DEFINITELY WAS SURPRISED.
[ HANDCUFFS CLICK, JANGLE ]
??
Tighe:
THAT'S LINDA'S BODY
WRAPPED IN A...SHEET OR...
SORT OF LOOKS LIKE A SHEET.
YOU CAN SEE HER BLUE JEANS
ON THE LEG THERE.
WOW.
IF THIS BODY WAS IN THE WOODS
AND IF YOU DIDN'T NOTICE
THE BLUE JEANS,
YOU COULD WALK RIGHT BY IT
AND NOT NOTICE IT.
LOOK LIKE A PILE OF SNOW.
THAT'S ABOUT THE EPITOME
OF CRIMES.
THEY DON'T GET MUCH WORSE
THAN THAT.
??
[ TELEPHONE RINGING ]
HELLO. HOWARD VELZY.
??
ARE YOU SURE?
ARE -- ARE YOU POSITIVE?
OH, GOD.
HOWARD, WHAT IS IT?
IT'S LINDA.
[ TELEPHONE THUDS LIGHTLY ]
NO.
NO, IT'S NOT TRUE.
IT-- IT-- IT'S NOT TRUE.
[ SOBS ]
[ SOBBING ]
??
??
??
IT WAS JUST COMPLETE DEVASTATION
THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO
HAVE HER AROUND ANYMORE...
AND WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH.
[ CAR DOOR CLOSES ]
[ SIGHS ]
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I WOULD THINK SHE WAS
PROBABLY SCARED TO DEATH,
AND RIGHTLY SO.
??
??
GENERALLY, WHEN WE
DO GET TOGETHER,
WE DON'T REALLY GO --
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T REALLY
TALK MUCH ABOUT LINDA
BECAUSE IT'S SO PAINFUL.
WHEREAS, YOU KNOW,
NOW WE HAVE A VENUE
TO TALK TO YOU GUYS,
AND SO...
IT'S NOT AS HURTFUL.
IT'S NOT AS PAI--
THERE'S NOT AS MUCH PAIN THERE.
IT'S RUBBING A RAW NERVE.
YOU KNOW, SHE WAS
THE ONE SISTER THAT I HAD,
AND I COULD TALK TO HER
ABOUT ANYTHING.
Carol:
AH, FOR A LONG TIME,
ONE OF THE WORST THINGS TO DO
WAS TO WAKE UP.
AND IT WOULD HIT ME WITH --
AND YOU JUST --
I JUST WOULD FEEL...
AGONIZED.
NOW, THIS WAS NOT A DREAM.
THIS WAS FOR REAL.
IT WAS JUST, HOW COULD WE
EVER GET THROUGH THIS?
Narrator:
IN A TYPED CONFESSION,
RICKY KNAPP
REVEALS WHAT HAPPENED
THE NIGHT
HE MURDERED LINDA VELZY.
Tighe: HE SAID THAT HE HAD BEEN
TO THE BLACK CAT BAR.
THEN HE LEFT, AND HE WAS GOING
UP WEST STREET, I THINK,
AND SAW THIS GIRL
HITCH-HIKING,
SO HE STOPPED
AND PICKED HER UP.
??
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[ SIGHS ]
I WAS NOT LOOKING FORWARD
TO THAT HIKE IN THE COLD.
[ CHUCKLES ]
AS YOU PROCEED UP WEST STREET
TOWARDS THE CAMPUS,
IF YOU DON'T TURN -- MAKE
A RIGHT TURN INTO THE CAMPUS
AND PROCEED ON UP WEST STREET,
IT'S VERY RURAL.
A LOT OF A WOODED AREA
AND THAT.
AND SO,
IF SOMEONE WAS IN A CAR
AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GO
TO CAMPUS AND THE CAR GOES BY,
THEY'RE GONNA GET
VERY NERVOUS.
??
HEY, YOU --
YOU MISSED THE TURN.
??
PIECING TOGETHER
KNAPP'S STATEMENT
AND WHAT WE CAN ASCERTAIN,
IT LOOKS LIKE
THAT LINDA MUST HAVE PANICKED
AND OPENED THE DOOR AND --
AND TRIED TO JUMP FROM THE CAR.
[ TIRES SCREECH ]
AND THEN RICKY
GOT OUT OF THE CAR.
HE PUNCHED HER IN THE THROAT
AND KILLED HER.
LINDA PROBABLY WAS DEAD
WITHIN FIVE, TEN MINUTES
AT THE MOST
FROM THE TIME
SHE WAS PICKED UP
TILL THE TIME
SHE WAS DECEASED -- MURDERED.
WE RELIVE HOW
HE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HER
AND WHAT SHE MUST
HAVE GONE THROUGH.
THAT WAS THE HARD PART,
IS KNOWING WHAT SHE HAD TO FACE
BEFORE HE KILLED HER.
??
[ SOBS SOFTLY ]
??
THAT WAS HARD.
??
AH, YES.
THIS IS A CLASSIC.
THERE'S A CAT.
IT WAS MITTENS.
AND THIS WAS HER FAVORITE.
AND MITTENS FAVORED LINDA.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THE STORY.
DURING THE PERIOD
BEFORE THE FUNERAL,
WE RECEIVED PEOPLE AT OUR HOME
RATHER THAN
THROUGH THE FUNERAL HOME.
UM...
AND WE HAD THIS PICTURE
ON AN END TABLE
AT THE END OF THE LIVING ROOM.
SHE WAS TRULY A GIFT.
I'VE KNOWN HER
SINCE THE FIFTH GRADE.
THE PERSON WOULD COME
IN THE ROOM.
THAT CAT WOULD --
WHEREVER SHE WAS,
WOULD GET UP,
WALK OVER TO THE TABLE,
SIT DOWN,
AND WOULDN'T MOVE
UNTIL THE LAST PERSON LEFT,
DAY AFTER DAY.
STRANGE.
[ TALKING INDISTINCTLY ]
I'M SO SORRY
FOR YOUR LOSS.
IT WAS...
IT WAS AS IF SHE WAS SAYING...
"THIS IS MY LINDA."
[ PICTURE RUSTLES ]
??
??
THIS IS HIM?
HOLY COW.
AGE DIDN'T DO MUCH
FOR HIM.
HE WAS JUST SICK.
HE WAS, UH...
JUST A SICK MAN, YOU KNOW.
AND...HE DIDN'T
DRAW ATTENTION TO HIMSELF,
BUT IF YOU LOOKED
AT HIS EYES, THEY'RE --
I CALL THEM EVIL EYES.
CAN'T EXPLAIN IT.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING
THAT YOU CAN SEE.
AND HE HAD IT.
THEY SENT US A NOTICE,
AND IT WAS A FORMAL LETTER
INDICATING THAT
HE HAD DIED IN PRISON.
THEY TALK ABOUT CLOSURE
IN A CASE LIKE THIS, AND...
...I DON'T THINK
YOU HAVE CLOSURE.
I'M NOT EVEN SURE
YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE CLOSURE.
Carol:
WE'D BE WALKING AROUND,
AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE,
I'D SEE SOMEONE WITH BLOND HAIR
FROM THE BACK.
??
Howard:
PART OF MY LIFE WAS DESTROYED.
SHE LIVED A FULL LIFE,
AS LONG AS IT LASTED.
JUST A NORMAL
TEENAGE, HEALTHY GIRL
THAT WAS JUST
INTERESTED IN LIFE --
EXPERIENCE AS MUCH IN LIFE
AS SHE COULD.
AND SHE DID.
OH, YEAH. IT'S IN BEHIND
OUR LOCAL CHURCH.
WE WENT BY THE OTHER DAY
JUST TO --
WELL, WE KEEP THE GRAVESTONES
CLEANED AND SO FORTH
AND MAINTAINED.
PROBABLY WHERE CAROL AND I
WILL BE BURIED.
WE HAVE GRAVESTONES THERE.
AND AT HER GRAVE,
I REMEMBER SHE WAS MY DAUGHTER.
I'M PAYING RESPECTS...
BUT...
IT'S A GRAVESTONE.
SHE'S NOT THERE.
??
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?0?4\_(??)_/?0?4 skeebdo.com ?0?4\_(??)_/?0?4
Carol:
TODAY, I'M FEELING NERVES,
AND I HAVE FOR A WEEK OR TWO.
IT'S JUST A VERY HARD THING
FOR ME TO THINK ABOUT.
THOSE ARE THINGS
YOU DON'T LIKE TO EVEN REMEMBER.
IT WAS WICKED, REALLY.
??
??
Howard:
IT'S BEEN OVER 40 YEARS
SINCE WE WENT THROUGH
THIS EPISODE,
BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS
YOU JUST DON'T FORGET.
IT WAS A PAINFUL,
IT WAS A DESTRUCTIVE,
IT WAS AN EVIL EXPERIENCE.
IT'S AS IF
SOMEBODY CAME DOWN
AND PICKED HER OFF
THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
SHE JUST DISAPPEARED.
??
Carol: IT'S JUST LIKE YOU'RE
BEING RIPPED APART, REALLY.
I- I COULDN'T BELIEVE
THIS WAS HAPPENING TO US.
Tighe: A BODY COULD BE
JUST COVERED WITH SNOW.
WE HAD NO IDEA WHERE SHE WAS --
ALIVE OR DEAD.
??
[ BIRDS CAWING ]
??
I SEE HER BLOND HAIR FIRST,
YOU KNOW, DOWN A WAYS,
AND HER SMILE.
PEOPLE WANTED TO BE
WITH LINDA.
SHE WAS SO EXCITED
ABOUT SCHOOL.
IT WAS NICE TO SEE.
??
I DROVE HER TO HER FIRST ROOM
AT COLLEGE.
??
??
MOM, ARE YOU OKAY?
I DON'T KNOW.
I GUESS...
UNPACKING
ALL THESE THINGS
JUST BRINGS BACK
A LOT OF MEMORIES.
I HAD TEARS IN MY EYES.
[ GASPS ] OH, LOOK!
[ GASPS ]
IT'S MR. WHISKERS.
[ CHUCKLES ]
I'VE HAD THIS
SINCE FOREVER.
I WAS ONE WHO ALWAYS SAID,
"LET YOUR CHILDREN GO."
AND I WAS GLAD SHE COULD.
MOM, STOP.
I'M GONNA BE HOME
FOR THANKSGIVING...
AND CHRISTMAS.
[ CHUCKLES ]
I KNOW. I KNOW.
BESIDES, I WILL HAVE
MR. WHISKERS TO PROTECT ME.
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
[ WIND BLOWING ]
??
Woman: SMELLS SO GOOD.
THANK YOU, REVEREND.
Howard:
PLEASE, CALL ME HOWARD.
AND YOU CAN
THANK CAROL.
SHE'S THE QUEEN
OF THE CASSEROLE.
WE WERE HAVING DINNER
IN OUR HOME
WITH SOME
VERY CLOSE FRIENDS.
MM, BETTER TASTE IT
BEFORE WE START
HANDING OUT
THE ROYAL TITLES.
[ LAUGHING ]
I REMEMBER GETTING
THE PHONE CALL.
[ TELEPHONE RINGING ]
OH, GEE.
I BETTER GRAB THAT.
HELLO. HOWARD VELZY.
WE WERE NOTIFIED
BY CAMPUS SECURITY
THAT LINDA WAS MISSING.
SHE HAD BEEN
ON A STUDY DATE
WITH HER BOYFRIEND
IN THE AFTERNOON,
AND SHE HAD EXCUSED HERSELF
TO GO DOWN TO TOWN
TO BUY A CHRISTMAS PRESENT
FOR HER MOTHER,
AND SHE DIDN'T
RETURN TO CAMPUS.
AND HER ROOMMATE
REPORTED HER MISSING.
THAT DOESN'T
MAKE ANY SENSE.
IT'S NOT LIKE LINDA
TO JUST LEAVE.
THE FEELINGS I HAD --
PROBABLY THE FIRST WAS DENIAL.
"YOU HAVEN'T GOT
THE FACTS STRAIGHT.
THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING.
YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG GIRL"
OR "YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG
INFORMATION" OR WHATEVER.
WHEN THEY INFORMED ME
THAT SHE HAD BEEN MISSING
SINCE FRIDAY NIGHT --
AND THIS WAS SATURDAY NIGHT --
LIKE, "WHAT ARE YOU
CALLING ME NOW FOR?"
THAT WAS LIKE
24 HOURS AGO.
WHY WOULD YOU WAIT SO LONG
TO LET US KNOW?
NO, SOMETHING'S WRONG.
SHE -- SHE --
IF SHE WAS GOING SOMEWHERE,
SHE WOULD TELL SOMEONE.
THE UNIVERSITY'S POLICY
WAS TO WAIT 24 HOURS
IF SOMEBODY
WAS REPORTED MISSING,
SO THEY DIDN'T CALL US
UNTIL SATURDAY NIGHT.
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO REACT?
WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO
ABOUT THIS?
AND THEN, HOW DO I
EXPLAIN THIS TO CAROL?
I GOT TO TELL HER SOMETHING.
WHAT DO I TELL HER?
??
??
Jim: LINDA TALKED TO PEOPLE.
SHE -- SHE WASN'T, LIKE,
SECRETIVE OR, YOU KNOW,
DOING THINGS ON THE SLY.
I JUST KNEW THERE WAS
SOMETHING WRONG.
Rick:
YEAH, WE -- WE --
THAT'S THE WAY
IT HIT ME, TOO, IS,
THIS WAS VERY
UNCHARACTERISTIC OF HER.
YOU KNOW, THAT MADE
NO SENSE AT ALL.
??
[ WIND BLOWING ]
Carol: I CRIED ALL NIGHT.
I HAD A SENSE THEN,
EVEN THOUGH I DON'T THINK
I'VE EVEN SAID IT TO ANYBODY,
THAT THIS WAS NOT GOOD.
THIS WAS REALLY NOT GOOD.
Howard: SOMETHING'S WRONG.
WE'VE GOT TO GET UP THERE
AND START ASKING QUESTIONS.
??
??
Narrator: THE NEXT MORNING,
HOWARD AND CAROL DRIVE
200 MILES NORTH TO ONEONTA.
Howard: LISTEN.
WE'RE GONNA FIND HER.
OKAY? LET'S TRY
NOT TO PANIC.
I- I-I KNOW.
I- I JUST WISH I WAS
PAYING MORE ATTENTION.
I REALLY DON'T KNOW
WHERE SHE COULD HAVE GONE.
FOR HER BOYFRIEND
NOT TO KNOW WHERE SHE WAS
MADE NO SENSE AT ALL.
HAVE YOU TALKED
TO HER FRIENDS?
YES, MRS. VELZY --
ALL THE ONES I KNOW, AT LEAST.
HOW ABOUT HER ROOMMATE?
WHEN DID SHE GET
IN TOUCH WITH YOU?
UM, SHE GOT IN TOUCH --
UM, I-I DON'T REMEMBER,
HONESTLY.
UM, UH, SOON AFTER...
[ CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY ]
Carol: IT WAS A FEELING
OF ABSOLUTE DISTRESS.
I- I CAN'T DESCRIBE IT.
[ INDISTINCT TALKING ]
??
EVERYBODY AGREED THAT
SHE WOULD HAVE TOLD SOMEONE
IF SHE WERE GOING AWAY.
HOWARD.
HER CONTACTS.
WE FOUND OUT THAT SHE'D LEFT
HER CONTACT LENSES THERE.
AND IT JUST WASN'T LIKE LINDA
TO LEAVE THINGS.
IT JUST SEEMED SINISTER TO ME.
AND IT --
I DIDN'T LOSE THAT FEELING.
OH, WE SHOULD TELL
THE STATE TROOPERS ABOUT THAT.
YOU SHOULD COME WITH US.
THE -- THE TROOPERS?
YEAH.
THEY --
THEY ALREADY CAME.
THEY ASKED
A LOT OF QUESTIONS
SINCE I WAS THE LAST
TO SEE HER ON CAMPUS.
Howard:
HE WAS CONSIDERED A SUSPECT
BECAUSE HE WAS
THE LAST PERSON TO SEE HER.
BUT HE SAID, YOU KNOW,
"I LIKED HER.
WHY WOULD I DO ANYTHING?
I MEAN, WE WERE
GETTING ALONG FINE."
Tighe:
EARLY IN THE INVESTIGATION,
WE HAD TO INTERVIEW
HER BOYFRIEND
BECAUSE HE WAS GONNA MEET HER
THAT EVENING,
AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT
WAS GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES.
EVERY LEAD YOU GET,
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT.
[ DOG BARKS, BIRD CAWS ]
??
"MISSING PERSON --
LINDA VELZY, 5'5",
LONG BLOND HAIR,
BLUE EYES, 18 YEARS OF AGE,
LAST SEEN WEARING A BLACK COAT
WITH A HOOD, BLUE JEANS,
STRING BRACELET WITH LIGHT BLUE
BEADS ON RIGHT WRIST."
SHE HAD LEFT
THE AFTERNOON OF THE 9th
TO GO DOWNTOWN TO ONEONTA
TO BUY A CHRISTMAS PRESENT
FOR HER MOTHER.
AND THEN SHE WAS GONNA
GO OVER TO CHESTNUT STREET
TO LOOK AT A ROOM
THAT SHE WAS THINKING ABOUT
RENTING FOR THE NEXT SEMESTER.
WHEN LINDA WAS HERE,
DID SHE SEEM ANXIOUS
OR MAYBE IN A HURRY?
NO.
I WOULDN'T SAY
SHE SEEMED ANXIOUS.
DO YOU REMEMBER
WHAT TIME SHE LEFT?
YEAH. IT WAS --
IT WAS JUST BEFORE 6:00.
I THINK SHE MENTIONED
WALKING BACK TO CAMPUS
OR HITCHING A RIDE.
SHE SAID THAT?
Tighe: THE ROAD TO THE CAMPUS
GOES UP A RATHER STEEP HILL.
IT WAS SNOWING
THAT AFTERNOON,
SO PROBABLY WAS
A LITTLE SLIPPERY IN SPOTS.
AND SO, SHE MIGHT HAVE JUST
FELT SAFER IN CATCHING A RIDE
THAN WALKING UP THE HILL.
I DON'T KNOW.
DO YOU THINK
SHE'S OKAY?
YEAH, I'M SURE
SHE'S FINE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
AND KEEP AN EYE OUT, OKAY?
??
AS A MATTER OF FACT,
WE HAD GOTTEN TOGETHER
AT CAMP ON THANKSGIVING,
AND I REMEMBER HAVING
A DISCUSSION WITH HER.
I THINK SHE BROUGHT UP
THE SUBJECT ABOUT HITCHHIKING,
AND I REMEMBER TELLING HER,
"LINDA, I DON'T THINK IT'S A
GOOD IDEA FOR YOU TO HITCHHIKE."
LINDA...
YOU SHOULDN'T BE DOING THAT.
THAT'S DANGEROUS.
NO, DAD. IT'S NOT --
IT'S NOT THAT DANGEROUS.
I MEAN, LIKE,
IT'S LESS THAN A MILE.
I TOLD HER
I DIDN'T LIKE THE IDEA.
DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE
I COULD HAVE DONE AS A PARENT.
AT THIS POINT
IN THE INVESTIGATION,
WE WEREN'T CERTAIN
THAT SHE WAS HITCHHIKING.
WE DECIDED WE WOULD USE DOGS
TO TRY TO FIND HER.
WE WENT TO CHESTNUT STREET
AND MET THE BLOODHOUND HANDLER.
HE HAD SOME SCENT MATERIAL
THAT HAD BEEN PROVIDED
BY A ROOMMATE
FROM HER DORM ROOM.
AND HE LET THE DOG
SMELL THE SCENT MATERIAL,
AND THEN HE WENT OUT
THE FRONT DOOR
AND DOWN THE STAIRS.
THEN THE DOG LOST THE SCENT,
WHICH IS INDICATIVE
THAT A VEHICLE
PROBABLY PICKED HER UP THERE.
Howard:
SHE COULD HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED.
SHE COULD HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED,
MOVED SOMEWHERE.
SHE HADN'T GONE AWAY
VOLUNTARILY.
Narrator:
IF LINDA IS ALIVE,
THE BRUTAL WEATHER
MEANS HER LIFE MAY BE IN DANGER.
Tighe: THE ONEONTA AREA
GETS HARSH WINTERS --
A LOT OF SNOW,
COLD TEMPERATURES.
SHE'D HAVE TO BE
INSIDE SOMEPLACE,
BECAUSE IT WAS
BELOW ZERO SOMETIMES.
SHE WOULDN'T HAVE
SUSTAINED LIFE TOO LONG
IN THE TEMPERATURES
AT THE TIME.
IN ANY CASE LIKE THIS,
YOU WANT TO FIND THEM
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE,
AND SO, THE QUICKER
YOU CAN MOVE, THE BETTER.
WE'VE THOUGHT OF EVERY
POSSIBLE THING AT THIS POINT.
WE'RE VERY REALISTIC.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
WE ARE VERY HOPEFUL.
I HAD NO IDEA, YOU KNOW,
HOW THINGS WOULD TURN OUT.
WHO KNEW?
MAYBE A MIRACLE'D HAPPEN.
[ WIND BLOWING ]
??
FOR A LONG TIME,
I WOULD WAKE UP
AND THINK IT WAS A DREAM
THAT I WAS HAVING.
YOU'RE LIVING,
YOU'RE WALKING AROUND,
BUT YOU'RE REALLY HALF DEAD.
YOU CAN'T THINK
ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE.
NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.
Tighe: REVEREND VELZY
WAS A GOOD FATHER,
AND HE WANTED TO DO
ANYTHING HE COULD
TO HELP FIND HIS DAUGHTER,
BECAUSE SHE'D BEEN MISSING
FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS
AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW
WHERE SHE WAS.
NOBODY DID.
H- HOWARD, WHAT ARE YOU --
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
THINKING.
WHEN I'M FACED
WITH A PROBLEM,
I DON'T REST
UNTIL I FIND A SOLUTION.
SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE.
WHAT IF WE GOT
THE NEWS INVOLVED?
LIKE, USE THE MEDIA TO --
TO HELP SPREAD THE WORD.
YOU THINK
THAT COULD WORK?
WE THOUGHT MAYBE THAT WOULD
GET SOME ATTENTION,
BECAUSE WE WEREN'T
GETTING ANY ATTENTION.
I THINK I KNOW SOMEONE
WHO CAN HELP.
NOBODY CARED.
WASN'T EVEN NEWSWORTHY.
[ TALKING INDISTINCTLY ]
SO, WHAT HAPPENED WAS,
ONE OF MY PARISHIONER'S FATHER
HAD BEEN A CAMERAMAN
FOR "60 MINUTES."
AND HE SAYS,
"CAN I BE OF ANY HELP?"
WELL, THAT'S WHEN THINGS
BEGAN TO HAPPEN.
LINDA VELZY WAS LAST SEEN HERE
ON WEST STREET IN ONEONTA
ABOUT 6:00
ON THE NIGHT OF DECEMBER 9th.
SHE WAS CARRYING
A LARGE PACKAGE --
A CHRISTMAS GIFT
FOR HER MOTHER.
THIS WAS NATIONAL NEWS
AT THIS POINT.
WE HAD 26 BCI DETECTIVES
ALL OVER THE STATE OF NEW YORK
DESCEND ON ONEONTA WITHIN
A MATTER OF, LITERALLY, HOURS,
AND THEY HAD THOUSANDS
OF LEADS COMING
'CAUSE NOW WE WERE NOW
A MEDIA BLITZ.
Tighe: IF SOMEBODY SAID
THEY THOUGHT THEY SAW HER
DOWN IN BINGHAMTON,
SOMEBODY WENT TO BINGHAMTON.
NO MATTER HOW FARFETCHED --
I MEAN, EVERYTHING
FROM THE PSYCHICS
TO THE TRACKING DOGS
THAT PEOPLE VOLUNTEERED,
THEY WERE ALL ADDRESSED.
[ STATIC CRACKLES ]
Man: ANYONE WITH INFORMATION
ON LINDA VELZY'S WHEREABOUTS
IS URGED TO CALL
NEW YORK STATE TROOPERS
IN THE ONEONTA OFFICE.
Narrator:
THE SEARCH FOR LINDA SPREADS,
BUT THE TERRAIN
MAKES THE JOB DIFFICULT.
ONEONTA IS IN OTSEGO COUNTY
IN UPSTATE NEW YORK.
IT'S A VALLEY
BETWEEN ROLLING HILLS,
AND, IN FACT,
THE CITY OF THE MOUNTAINS --
THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL IT.
Howard: THEY'RE BACK ROADS,
DEAD-END ROADS.
IN UPSTATE NEW YORK,
YOU CAN DUMP SOMEBODY,
AND THERE'S NOBODY AROUND
FOR MILES.
SO, I MEAN,
TRYING TO HIDE A BODY,
[CHUCKLES]
THAT'S NO TRICK AT ALL.
Tighe: WE HAD NO IDEA
WHERE SHE WAS -- ALIVE OR DEAD.
A BODY COULD BE
JUST COVERED WITH SNOW.
IT COULD HAVE JUST BEEN
THROWN OUT OF THE CAR
AND COVERED WITH SNOW,
AND YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T
FIND IT TILL SPRING
UNLESS YOU HAD A TIP
WHERE IT WAS.
??
[ RINGING ]
DETECTIVE TIGHE,
STATE POLICE.
Tighe: WE GOT A CALL FROM THE
WATER SUPERINTENDENT FOR ONEONTA
AND SAID THAT THE BACTERIA COUNT
WAS UP IN THE RESERVOIR,
AND THAT WOULD BE INDICATIVE
OF A DECOMPOSING BODY.
TO US, IT WAS A GOOD POSSIBILITY
THAT HER BODY WAS THERE.
OKAY.
WE'LL PUT
SOMETHING TOGETHER.
SO THE DIVING DETAIL
WAS BROUGHT UP,
AND THEY DOVE UNDER THE ICE,
WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS...
[ TELEPHONE RECEIVER CLICKS ]
...BECAUSE THEY'RE
UNDER THE ICE,
AND IF THEY DON'T FIND THE HOLE,
THEY'RE NOT COMING UP.
IT WASN'T A JOB
THAT I'D WANT TO DO.
THEY SEARCHED FOR TWO DAYS,
AND NOTHING WAS FOUND.
IT'S DISAPPOINTING WHEN IT
TURNS OUT THERE'S NOTHING,
BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT IS.
THERE'S A LOT OF DISAPPOINTMENTS
IN INVESTIGATIONS.
HER BOYFRIEND WAS INTERVIEWED,
AND HIS STATEMENTS
WERE CHECKED OUT.
Howard: THERE WAS NOTHING,
NOTHING THAT WOULD HAVE
INDICATED AT ALL
HIS INVOLVEMENT.
IT WAS A GOOD LEAD AT THE TIME
UNTIL HE WAS RULED OUT.
Narrator: FRUSTRATED,
DETECTIVES TRY A NEW APPROACH.
Man: LOOK, NOBODY'S
POINTING ANY FINGERS.
WE JUST HAVE TO ASK
THE QUESTIONS.
I'M NOT SURE
WHAT YOU WANT FROM ME.
Tighe: PAROLE OFFICERS
CONTACTED FOR THAT AREA
AND GET A LIST OF PAROLEES
THAT WERE INCARCERATED
FOR SEX-RELATED INCIDENTS,
AND THERE WERE A LARGE NUMBER
OF PREVIOUS OFFENDERS
THAT HAD TO BE INTERVIEWED.
OKAY,
YOU'RE FREE TO GO.
??
??
MR. KNAPP,
HAVE A SEAT.
??
ONE OF THE SUBJECTS
THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT
WAS 26-YEAR-OLD RICKY KNAPP.
WE'RE WORKING ON
A MISSING-PERSONS CASE
INVOLVING A YOUNG WOMAN.
RICKY KNAPP WAS OUT ON BAIL
FOR AN INCIDENT
INVOLVING ANOTHER CO-ED.
AND SHE WAS WALKING UP
WHAT THEY CALL A COW PATH,
WHICH IS A TRAIL UP THE HILL
UP TO THE CAMPUS.
IT'S A SHORTCUT.
AND SHE WAS WALKING UP THAT
AND HE WAS HIDING IN THE BUSHES
AND HE JUMPED OUT
AND GRABBED HER.
YOU WANT TO TAKE
A LOOK AT THIS?
WHAT ABOUT IT?
WELL, YOU RAPED THIS GIRL.
TERRORIZED HER.
NOW, TWO WEEKS LATER,
ANOTHER CO-ED, LINDA VELZY,
HAS GONE MISSING.
YOU WOULDN'T HAPPEN TO KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, WOULD YOU?
WHY WOULD I DO ANYTHING
WHEN YOU GUYS ARE
ALREADY WATCHING ME?
IT WAS ONLY, LIKE,
THREE OR FOUR WEEKS
BEFORE THIS INCIDENT
OCCURRED.
HE WAS OUT ON BAIL, AND, UH...
THE M.O. WOULD FIT
THIS PICTURE, TOO.
ON THE 9th, WERE YOU ANYWHERE
NEAR CHESTNUT STREET?
CHESTNUT?
ACTUALLY, YES.
I WAS DRIVING UP CHESTNUT,
AND I SAW THIS GIRL
WALKING OUT THERE.
IT WAS FREEZING.
SO, I FIGURED
I'D HELP HER OUT.
HE WAS GOING UP WEST STREET,
AND HE SAID HE SAW A HITCHHIKER,
BUT SHE WAS WEARING A WHITE COAT
AND SHE HAD DARK HAIR.
IT WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE
OF WHAT DESCRIBED LINDA.
AND HE SAID HE STOPPED AND
ASKED HER IF SHE WANTED A RIDE,
AND SHE SAID NO.
AND HE SAID,
"I WENT ON MY WAY."
WOULD YOU MIND
COMING BACK TOMORROW
AND TAKING
A LIE-DETECTOR TEST?
WHATEVER YOU NEED,
DETECTIVE.
I GOT NOTHING TO HIDE.
WE DONE HERE?
FOR NOW.
BUT THEN, THE NEXT NIGHT,
HE DIDN'T CALL.
ANOTHER INVESTIGATOR
GOT AHOLD OF HIM,
AND HE SAID, "AH, MY ATTORNEY
TOLD ME NOT TO TAKE IT,
NOT TO TALK TO YOU GUYS,
SO I'M NOT GONNA."
AFTER HIS ATTORNEY
MADE THE CALLS
TO THE STATE POLICE
AND THE ONEONTA POLICE,
HE WAS BASICALLY OFF-LIMITS,
SO WE WEREN'T ABLE
TO INTERVIEW HIM
OR DO A POLYGRAPH OR ANYTHING.
WE HAD NO EVIDENCE THAT HE WAS
INVOLVED WITH LINDA VELZY,
AND WE, IN FACT, DIDN'T KNOW
IF SHE WAS EVEN DECEASED.
WE HAD NO BODY, SO WE REALLY
DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TO GO ON.
WE WERE PRETTY MUCH
OUT OF OPTIONS.
SO, I HAD NO REASON
TO SUSPECT ANYBODY ELSE --
EVEN CONSIDER ANYBODY ELSE.
HE WAS OBVIOUSLY SICK.
HE WAS OBVIOUSLY
SEXUALLY PERVERTED.
BUT THE QUESTION WAS,
WOULD I EVER SEE HER AGAIN?
AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING?
WHAT WAS SHE GOING THROUGH?
[ ANIMAL HOWLING ]
HE WAS NOT A NAIVE TEENAGER.
HE'S AN EX-CON.
HE KNOWS HIS WAY AROUND.
SO, WHAT'S A DETECTIVE
GOING TO DO?
??
??
DETECTIVE.
MIND IF I COME IN?
OKAY.
??
??
WHAT'S GOING ON?
WE, UH, TALKED TO RICKY.
WHAT'D HE SAY?
HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING.
UNFORTUNATELY, HE'S...
HE'S LAWYERED UP.
??
[ SLAPS BED,
EXHALES SHARPLY ]
SO, WHAT DO WE DO NEXT?
WE KEEP LOOKING.
BUT AS FAR AS RICKY GOES...
OUR HANDS ARE TIED.
WE'D COME TO THE POINT
WHERE WE WERE LOSING CONFIDENCE
THAT WE WOULD EVER
HAVE A SOLUTION --
KNOW EXACTLY
WHAT HAD HAPPENED --
AND WE MAY NEVER FIND OUT.
??
[ MUSIC STOPS ]
I THINK I HAVE AN IDEA.
??
Howard:
I'M A PERSON OF FAITH,
AND SO, I HELD ON TO THE BELIEF
THAT MAYBE SHE'D SHOW UP.
BUT I DIDN'T
REALLY BELIEVE IT.
WE KNEW -- WE KNEW
OUR LIVES HAD CHANGED.
WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW HOW.
I THINK OUR FAITH GROUNDED US
ENOUGH TO KNOW
THAT GOD WAS THERE WITH US
AND THAT GOD
WAS CRYING WITH US.
I NEVER GAVE UP HOPE,
BUT IT WAS JUST TOO MANY SIGNS
THAT THINGS WERE NOT RIGHT.
Narrator:
LINDA'S BROTHERS ARRIVE IN TOWN
TO JOIN THE SEARCH.
Rick: WE DROVE UP
TO ONEONTA, TOO.
MY PARENTS WERE
ALREADY UP THERE.
WE THOUGHT MAYBE,
YOU KNOW, WE COULD --
FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.
RIGHT.
WE WENT THROUGH
THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE ACTUALLY KNOCKED
ON THE DOORS OF THE HOUSES,
ASKING THE PEOPLE
IF THEY KNEW ANYTHING.
YOU KNOW, YOU JUST --
YOU WANTED TO DO SOMETHING.
YOU WANTED TO KNOW,
AND THERE WAS JUST
NO INFORMATION AT ALL.
AND AFTER
TWO OR THREE DAYS,
I THINK WE JUST KIND OF
FIGURED THERE WASN'T --
WE WEREN'T REALLY
ACCOMPLISHING ANYTHING.
??
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
HAVE BEGUN TO FOCUS
ON 26-YEAR-OLD TREE SURGEON
RICKY KNAPP.
Tighe:
WE HAD NO EVIDENCE THAT HE WAS
INVOLVED WITH LINDA VELZY.
WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE
MUCH TO GO ON.
ALTHOUGH WE SUSPECTED
AND HE WAS OUR PRIMARY SUSPECT
BY THIS POINT,
THERE'S NOTHING WE COULD DO
OTHER THAN JUST
KEEP FOLLOWING LEADS
AND KEEPING AN EYE ON HIM.
YOU THINK RICKY KNOWS
WE'RE WATCHING HIM?
HE'S CERTAINLY STAYING
OUT OF TROUBLE.
SO EITHER HE KNOWS
WE'RE ONTO HIM...
OR ELSE HE'S TURNED OVER
A NEW LEAF.
[ LAUGHS ]
I DOUBT IT.
IS THAT ARTHUR HITT?
WHAT THE HELL
IS HE DOING HERE?
THINK WE'RE ABOUT
TO FIND OUT.
Tighe: ARTHUR HITT
WAS A SELF-EMPLOYED LOGGER.
HE WORKED ON OCCASION
WITH RICKY KNAPP.
AND HE HAD SOME BRUSHES
WITH THE LAW --
IN FACT, HAD A ROBBERY PENDING
AT THE TIME.
WELL, YOU'RE ABOUT
THE LAST PERSON
I EXPECT TO SEE
IN HERE, ARTHUR.
YOU KNOW THE COLLEGE GIRL
THAT'S GONE MISSING?
I MIGHT HAVE
SOME INFORMATION ON HER.
THINK...
MAYBE YOU'D BE INTERESTED
IN...MAKING A TRADE.
LET ME SEE WHAT I CAN DO.
THEY WERE GONNA REDUCE
HIS CHARGES TO MISDEMEANORS --
PUNISHABLE BY A MAXIMUM
OF ONE YEAR IN JAIL,
IN THE COUNTY JAIL,
SO IT'S GREAT REDUCTION
FROM A FELONY
AND GOING TO ATTICA
OR SOMEPLACE.
OKAY, ARTHUR,
THIS BETTER BE GOOD.
WHY DON'T YOU TELL ME
WHAT YOU KNOW?
OKAY.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN
LOOKING INTO RICKY.
ONE OF THE IMPORTANT
PIECES OF INFORMATION
THAT HITT PROVIDED WAS THAT
RICKY KNAPP HAD ASKED HIM
TO SAY HE WAS WITH HIM
ON THE NIGHT OF DECEMBER 9th
UNTIL 8:00 P.M.
BUT HE DIDN'T SAY WHY.
HAS HE SAID ANYTHING
ABOUT LINDA VELZY?
COME ON, ARTHUR.
I'M GONNA NEED MORE THAN THIS.
I'VE GIVING YOU
ALL THAT I GOT.
LOOK, THIS IS
A TWO-WAY STREET.
IF I'M GONNA HELP YOU,
I NEED MORE.
OUR HOPE WAS THAT ARTHUR HITT
COULD GET RICKY TO CONFESS,
BUT ANY INFORMATION
THAT HE COULD PROVIDE US WITH
WOULD BE MORE
THAN WHAT WE HAD,
BECAUSE WE COULDN'T EVEN
TALK TO RICKY KNAPP.
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?
I NEED SOMETHING
ON TAPE.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO
BUILD HIS TRUST.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE
TO WEAR A WIRE.
WE WIRED HIM
WITH A BODY WIRE,
AND HE MET RICKY
IN A BAR IN WEST ONEONTA,
NOT TOO FAR
FROM RICKY'S HOUSE.
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]
SO, YOU REALLY THINK THE COPS
ARE WATCHING YOU, HUH?
I KNOW MARKED CARS.
ONE WILL FOLLOW ME
FOR A FEW BLOCKS AND TURN.
A MINUTE LATER,
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE FOLLOWING.
PROBABLY OUTSIDE
RIGHT NOW.
YOU'RE NOT WORRIED AT ALL?
[ CHUCKLES ]
WHAT DO I GOT
TO BE WORRIED ABOUT?
I DON'T KNOW. I-I GUESS
THAT'S WHAT I'M, UM --
I'M ASKING YOU.
WHY ARE YOU
SO INTERESTED?
I'M JUST SAYING, IF, UH --
IF THEY START FOLLOWING ME,
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE
ON THE SAME PAGE, RIGHT?
??
??
AND THEY HAD A CONVERSATION,
BUT THAT PARTICULAR NIGHT,
NOTHING MUCH WAS ENLIGHTENING.
The coolest way to improve your English
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WE ASSUMED THAT HE WOULD
GET AWAY WITH IT
UNLESS WE COULD SOMEHOW
[CHUCKLES] I GUESS
PULL OFF A MIRACLE.
CAROL, THIS GUY'S NEVER GONNA
GET RICKY TO SAY ANYTHING,
NOT WHILE HE HAS
HIS GUARD UP.
WHAT ARE YOU SUGGESTING?
WE GO HOME
FOR CHRISTMAS.
NOT THIS AGAIN, HOWARD.
WE CAN'T.
HE WAS BEHAVING HIMSELF.
WELL, WE KNEW NOTHING
WAS GONNA HAPPEN WITH HIM
IF HE'S BEING CAUTIOUS.
HE HAS TO THINK
THAT THE PRESSURE'S OFF.
BUT SHE'S OUT THERE
SOMEWHERE, HOWARD.
IN THE COLD.
THE IDEA WAS
TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION
THAT WE WERE GIVING UP,
THAT THERE WAS NO SOLUTION --
IN OTHER WORDS,
HE'D GOTTEN AWAY WITH IT.
CAROL...
WE'RE RUNNING OUT
OF OPTIONS.
Carol: WE HAD NO CHOICE.
WE WENT BACK
FOR CHRISTMAS, AND...
IT WAS VERY HARD TO LEAVE
AND WONDERING STILL
WHAT HAD HAPPENED.
[ CHOIR SINGING "SILENT NIGHT" ]
WE WENT OUT TO CHURCH THEN,
AND WE SANG CHRISTMAS CAROLS.
AND I'M THINKING,
"HERE I AM IN CHURCH
SINGING CHRISTMAS CAROLS,
AND MY LIFE IS RUINED,"
YOU KNOW?
IT WAS A VERY HARD TIME.
??
I DO REMEMBER
A FEW THINGS I BOUGHT HER.
I HAD THOSE GIFTS
WRAPPED FOR HER,
AND I DON'T KNOW
HOW I GOT THROUGH THAT.
I HONESTLY DO NOT KNOW HOW I
GOT THROUGH WITHOUT GOING NUTS,
AND I WAS CLOSE TO IT,
PROBABLY.
Howard: AT LEAST
WHEN WE WERE IN ONEONTA,
I FELT THAT I WAS
AT LEAST THERE --
NOT THAT I WAS DOING ANYTHING
OR HELPING,
BUT AT LEAST I WAS PRESENT.
NOW I'M 150 MILES AWAY
AND DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHAT'S HAPPENING
AND CAN'T DO ANYTHING
TO BE HELPFUL.
Narrator:
HOWARD HAS NO IDEA THAT HIS PLAN
TO LIE LOW IS ABOUT TO PAY OFF.
OKAY, JOE,
WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?
Tighe:
THIS IS THE CULMINATION.
SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE
THE FINAL LAP OF A RACE,
YOU KNOW?
[ CHUCKLES ] YOU WIN
OR YOU LOSE.
TURNS OUT ARTHUR HITT
MIGHT BE GOOD FOR SOMETHING
AFTER ALL.
??
Carol:
THREE WEEKS IS A LONG TIME.
AND IT'S AN AWFUL LONG TIME
NOT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
IT HAD TO BE DONE.
IT HAD TO BE FIGURED OUT
SOMEHOW,
BECAUSE NOT KNOWING WOULD HAVE
BEEN MORE HELL IN OUR BOOK.
??
Tighe:
I GOT A CALL ON NEW YEAR'S EVE.
THERE HAD BEEN A BREAK
IN THE CASE.
OKAY, JOE,
WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?
GET READY FOR THIS.
HE SAYS RICKY DID IT.
HE CONFESSED
TO THE WHOLE THING.
WE WERE INFORMED
THAT RICKY KNAPP
HAD TOLD ARTHUR HITT
THAT HE HAD KILLED HER
AND THAT RICKY KNAPP
HAD LINDA'S BODY
AT SOMEPLACE OVER IN THE
MOUNTAINS IN DELAWARE COUNTY.
HE PUT IT IN
A LIGHTLY WOODED AREA
AND COVERED IT WITH SNOW
AND LEFT IT THERE.
DO HER PARENTS KNOW?
NOT YET.
ARTHUR HAD EXPLAINED
TO HIM THAT, YOU KNOW,
IT'S NOT WELL-HIDDEN.
THEY'RE GONNA FIND IT.
SO, THEN HE SAYS,
"BUT I CAN DIG YOU A GRAVE,
AND THEY'LL NEVER FIND IT."
AND SO, THEY WERE
GONNA MOVE THE BODY
AND PUT IT IN A GRAVE THAT
ARTHUR DUG WITH HIS BULLDOZER
UP ON THE LOG SITE
ON WINNEY HILL ROAD.
ARTHUR CONVINCED HIM
TO MOVE THE BODY.
WHEN?
TONIGHT AFTER DARK.
OKAY, THIS IS OUR LAST CHANCE
TO GET HIM.
NOTHING CAN GO WRONG.
I WANT TO BE IN PLACE
BEFORE SUNSET.
??
[ EXHALES SHARPLY ]
[ WIND BLOWING ]
ANOTHER INVESTIGATOR AND I
WENT UP.
IT WAS EERIE 'CAUSE IT WAS
REAL QUIET UP THERE.
[ BIRDS CHIRPING, SQUAWKING ]
WE'RE BACK IN THE WOODS.
AND WE JUST WAITED THERE,
AND IT FELT LIKE IT WAS CUTTING
RIGHT TO THE BONE.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS SO COLD.
[ OWL HOOTS ]
??
RICKY PULLS IN THE LOT.
WE WERE AFRAID HE WAS GONNA
HIT US WITH THE LIGHTS.
BUT THEN HE TURNED AND STOPPED,
AND THEY GOT OUT OF THE CAR.
AND THEY OPENED THE TRUNK.
HEY.
[ CHUCKLES ]
ALL RIGHT,
YOU GET HER LEGS.
NO WAY.
SO, THEN RICKY TRIES
GETTING HER OUT OF THE TRUNK.
[ GRUNTING ]
HE FINALLY GOT HER OUT.
OHH!
[ THUD ]
DROPPED HER OUT ON THE GROUND.
A BIG THUD.
YOU COULD HEAR THIS ECHO 'CAUSE
SHE WAS FROZEN STIFF, YOU KNOW.
[ LAUGHING ]
YEAH. OH, THAT'S
GONNA HURT, GIRL.
[ LAUGHING ]
HE WAS LAUGHING AND MAKING
OBSCENE REMARKS ABOUT IT.
??
??
[ RICKY GRUNTING ]
HERE HE IS CARRYING A BODY,
AND JOE MOORE WALKS UP.
AND OF COURSE
JOE'S A BIG GUY, YOU KNOW,
AND TAPS HIM ON THE SHOULDER.
BUT HE --
HE DEFINITELY WAS SURPRISED.
[ HANDCUFFS CLICK, JANGLE ]
??
Tighe:
THAT'S LINDA'S BODY
WRAPPED IN A...SHEET OR...
SORT OF LOOKS LIKE A SHEET.
YOU CAN SEE HER BLUE JEANS
ON THE LEG THERE.
WOW.
IF THIS BODY WAS IN THE WOODS
AND IF YOU DIDN'T NOTICE
THE BLUE JEANS,
YOU COULD WALK RIGHT BY IT
AND NOT NOTICE IT.
LOOK LIKE A PILE OF SNOW.
THAT'S ABOUT THE EPITOME
OF CRIMES.
THEY DON'T GET MUCH WORSE
THAN THAT.
??
[ TELEPHONE RINGING ]
HELLO. HOWARD VELZY.
??
ARE YOU SURE?
ARE -- ARE YOU POSITIVE?
OH, GOD.
HOWARD, WHAT IS IT?
IT'S LINDA.
[ TELEPHONE THUDS LIGHTLY ]
NO.
NO, IT'S NOT TRUE.
IT-- IT-- IT'S NOT TRUE.
[ SOBS ]
[ SOBBING ]
??
??
??
IT WAS JUST COMPLETE DEVASTATION
THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO
HAVE HER AROUND ANYMORE...
AND WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH.
[ CAR DOOR CLOSES ]
[ SIGHS ]
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I WOULD THINK SHE WAS
PROBABLY SCARED TO DEATH,
AND RIGHTLY SO.
??
??
GENERALLY, WHEN WE
DO GET TOGETHER,
WE DON'T REALLY GO --
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T REALLY
TALK MUCH ABOUT LINDA
BECAUSE IT'S SO PAINFUL.
WHEREAS, YOU KNOW,
NOW WE HAVE A VENUE
TO TALK TO YOU GUYS,
AND SO...
IT'S NOT AS HURTFUL.
IT'S NOT AS PAI--
THERE'S NOT AS MUCH PAIN THERE.
IT'S RUBBING A RAW NERVE.
YOU KNOW, SHE WAS
THE ONE SISTER THAT I HAD,
AND I COULD TALK TO HER
ABOUT ANYTHING.
Carol:
AH, FOR A LONG TIME,
ONE OF THE WORST THINGS TO DO
WAS TO WAKE UP.
AND IT WOULD HIT ME WITH --
AND YOU JUST --
I JUST WOULD FEEL...
AGONIZED.
NOW, THIS WAS NOT A DREAM.
THIS WAS FOR REAL.
IT WAS JUST, HOW COULD WE
EVER GET THROUGH THIS?
Narrator:
IN A TYPED CONFESSION,
RICKY KNAPP
REVEALS WHAT HAPPENED
THE NIGHT
HE MURDERED LINDA VELZY.
Tighe: HE SAID THAT HE HAD BEEN
TO THE BLACK CAT BAR.
THEN HE LEFT, AND HE WAS GOING
UP WEST STREET, I THINK,
AND SAW THIS GIRL
HITCH-HIKING,
SO HE STOPPED
AND PICKED HER UP.
??
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[ SIGHS ]
I WAS NOT LOOKING FORWARD
TO THAT HIKE IN THE COLD.
[ CHUCKLES ]
AS YOU PROCEED UP WEST STREET
TOWARDS THE CAMPUS,
IF YOU DON'T TURN -- MAKE
A RIGHT TURN INTO THE CAMPUS
AND PROCEED ON UP WEST STREET,
IT'S VERY RURAL.
A LOT OF A WOODED AREA
AND THAT.
AND SO,
IF SOMEONE WAS IN A CAR
AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GO
TO CAMPUS AND THE CAR GOES BY,
THEY'RE GONNA GET
VERY NERVOUS.
??
HEY, YOU --
YOU MISSED THE TURN.
??
PIECING TOGETHER
KNAPP'S STATEMENT
AND WHAT WE CAN ASCERTAIN,
IT LOOKS LIKE
THAT LINDA MUST HAVE PANICKED
AND OPENED THE DOOR AND --
AND TRIED TO JUMP FROM THE CAR.
[ TIRES SCREECH ]
AND THEN RICKY
GOT OUT OF THE CAR.
HE PUNCHED HER IN THE THROAT
AND KILLED HER.
LINDA PROBABLY WAS DEAD
WITHIN FIVE, TEN MINUTES
AT THE MOST
FROM THE TIME
SHE WAS PICKED UP
TILL THE TIME
SHE WAS DECEASED -- MURDERED.
WE RELIVE HOW
HE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HER
AND WHAT SHE MUST
HAVE GONE THROUGH.
THAT WAS THE HARD PART,
IS KNOWING WHAT SHE HAD TO FACE
BEFORE HE KILLED HER.
??
[ SOBS SOFTLY ]
??
THAT WAS HARD.
??
AH, YES.
THIS IS A CLASSIC.
THERE'S A CAT.
IT WAS MITTENS.
AND THIS WAS HER FAVORITE.
AND MITTENS FAVORED LINDA.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THE STORY.
DURING THE PERIOD
BEFORE THE FUNERAL,
WE RECEIVED PEOPLE AT OUR HOME
RATHER THAN
THROUGH THE FUNERAL HOME.
UM...
AND WE HAD THIS PICTURE
ON AN END TABLE
AT THE END OF THE LIVING ROOM.
SHE WAS TRULY A GIFT.
I'VE KNOWN HER
SINCE THE FIFTH GRADE.
THE PERSON WOULD COME
IN THE ROOM.
THAT CAT WOULD --
WHEREVER SHE WAS,
WOULD GET UP,
WALK OVER TO THE TABLE,
SIT DOWN,
AND WOULDN'T MOVE
UNTIL THE LAST PERSON LEFT,
DAY AFTER DAY.
STRANGE.
[ TALKING INDISTINCTLY ]
I'M SO SORRY
FOR YOUR LOSS.
IT WAS...
IT WAS AS IF SHE WAS SAYING...
"THIS IS MY LINDA."
[ PICTURE RUSTLES ]
??
??
THIS IS HIM?
HOLY COW.
AGE DIDN'T DO MUCH
FOR HIM.
HE WAS JUST SICK.
HE WAS, UH...
JUST A SICK MAN, YOU KNOW.
AND...HE DIDN'T
DRAW ATTENTION TO HIMSELF,
BUT IF YOU LOOKED
AT HIS EYES, THEY'RE --
I CALL THEM EVIL EYES.
CAN'T EXPLAIN IT.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING
THAT YOU CAN SEE.
AND HE HAD IT.
THEY SENT US A NOTICE,
AND IT WAS A FORMAL LETTER
INDICATING THAT
HE HAD DIED IN PRISON.
THEY TALK ABOUT CLOSURE
IN A CASE LIKE THIS, AND...
...I DON'T THINK
YOU HAVE CLOSURE.
I'M NOT EVEN SURE
YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE CLOSURE.
Carol:
WE'D BE WALKING AROUND,
AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE,
I'D SEE SOMEONE WITH BLOND HAIR
FROM THE BACK.
??
Howard:
PART OF MY LIFE WAS DESTROYED.
SHE LIVED A FULL LIFE,
AS LONG AS IT LASTED.
JUST A NORMAL
TEENAGE, HEALTHY GIRL
THAT WAS JUST
INTERESTED IN LIFE --
EXPERIENCE AS MUCH IN LIFE
AS SHE COULD.
AND SHE DID.
OH, YEAH. IT'S IN BEHIND
OUR LOCAL CHURCH.
WE WENT BY THE OTHER DAY
JUST TO --
WELL, WE KEEP THE GRAVESTONES
CLEANED AND SO FORTH
AND MAINTAINED.
PROBABLY WHERE CAROL AND I
WILL BE BURIED.
WE HAVE GRAVESTONES THERE.
AND AT HER GRAVE,
I REMEMBER SHE WAS MY DAUGHTER.
I'M PAYING RESPECTS...
BUT...
IT'S A GRAVESTONE.
SHE'S NOT THERE.
??
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