I (Almost) Got Away with It (2010–2016): Season 1, Episode 7 - Got Caught in the Shower - full transcript
Richard Garber thinks he has gotten away with murder, after he bludgeons a neighbor to death. But when he becomes the lead suspect in the case, Garber hits the road spending 8 months dodging the Feds and sneaking cash from his gir...
Narrator: A GRUESOME MURDER
IN FLORIDA WITH NO WITNESSES.
THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF
THE BLOODIEST SCENES I'VE SEEN.
[ SCREAMS ]
POLICE! OPEN UP!
Narrator: POLICE CHASE SUSPECTED
MURDERER RICHARD GARBER
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
MY ADRENALINE
IS ALWAYS PUMPING EVERY DAY.
Narrator: THIS FUGITIVE
STAYS ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE LAW.
NEED A RIDE?
WE WERE UP AGAINST A BRICK WALL.
Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS HOPE TO STOP HIM
BEFORE HE STRIKES AGAIN.
THEIR WORST FEAR IS THAT
HE'S GONNA FIGHT TO THE DEATH.
GO, GO.
MOVE, MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!
Narrator: CRIMINALS SOMETIMES
TRY TO ESCAPE FROM JUSTICE.
THIS IS THE STORY OF HOW ONE MAN
ALMOST GOT AWAY WITH IT.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
IT'S A FOGGY SUMMER NIGHT
IN LAUDERHILL, FLORIDA.
JANIO MORAES IS A CONSTRUCTION
WORKER ON DISABILITY LEAVE.
HE'S RETURNING TO HIS APARTMENT
AFTER A MEETING WITH HIS PASTOR.
IT'S LATE, AND THE BUILDING
IS DEADLY QUIET.
HIS NEIGHBOR RICHARD GARBER
IS LURKING IN THE SHADOWS.
MORAES IS UNAWARE THAT GARBER
IS STANDING IN THE HALLWAY.
MORAES TRIES TO DEFEND HIMSELF,
BUT THE BEATING IS RELENTLESS.
HAVING TAKEN
THE LIFE OF JANIO MORAES,
GARBER LEAVES THE SCENE.
LATER THAT EVENING,
GARBER SPENDS THE NIGHT GAMBLING
AT THE SEMINOLE CASINO,
10 MILES FROM HIS HOME.
A FEW DRINKS CALM HIS NERVES.
THEN HE LEAVES FOR HOME.
I DROVE
ACCORDING TO THE SPEED LIMIT.
I FOLLOWED ALL THE LAWS.
YOU KNOW, I WAS BELTED UP.
I KNOW THAT THAT'S
ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS TIMES,
WHEN YOU'RE IN THE CAR.
Narrator:
IT'S ONLY A SHORT DRIVE,
BUT GARBER DOESN'T MAKE IT FAR.
[ SIREN WAILS ]
AT 12:50 A.M., A POLICE OFFICER
PULLS GARBER OVER
FOR HAVING A FAULTY TAILLIGHT.
DRUGS...
ALCOHOL IN THE CAR?
NO, I DON'T.
NO?
I'VE GOT TO
CHECK THIS ONE IN.
ALL RIGHT.
Narrator: GARBER IS NERVOUS
AS THE OFFICER CALLS IN
HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE
AND LICENSE PLATE.
16748...
Garber: THE SIMPLEST,
LITTLEST, STUPIDEST THING
COULD COST YOU,
COULD GET YOU CAUGHT.
Narrator: GARBER'S
BACKGROUND CHECK COMES UP CLEAN.
IT SEEMS TO CHECK OUT.
THERE ARE NO OUTSTANDING
WARRANTS FOR HIS ARREST.
THE OFFICER HAS NO IDEA
THAT GARBER
HAS JUST COMMITTED MURDER.
THE NEXT MORNING,
MORAES' SISTER IS WORRIED.
HER BROTHER WENT OUT
THE NIGHT BEFORE,
AND SHE HASN'T SEEN HIM SINCE.
AS SHE LEAVES FOR WORK,
SHE DISCOVERS A HORRIFIC SCENE.
[ SCREAMS ]
Narrator:
IN A PANIC, SHE CALLS 911.
LEILA MORAES FOUND HER BROTHER
AROUND 7:30 A.M. THAT MORNING.
TO FIND HER BROTHER,
HER LOVED ONE,
BRUTALLY BEATEN TO DEATH,
SHE WAS DEVASTATED.
Narrator: SERGEANT
GLENN BUKATA IS A MEMBER
OF THE BROWARD COUNTY
SHERIFF'S HOMICIDE DIVISION
AND ONE OF THE LEAD
INVESTIGATORS ON THE CASE.
Bukata:
WHEN I ARRIVED ON SCENE,
I NOTICED
THAT THE ENTIRE HALLWAY
IN FRONT OF JANIO MORAES'
APARTMENT DOOR
WAS JUST COVERED IN BLOOD.
IT JUST SCREAMED VIOLENCE.
THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF
THE BLOODIEST SCENES I'VE SEEN
IN OVER 15 YEARS
WORKING HOMICIDES.
Narrator: POLICE BEGIN
THEIR FORENSICS WORK,
DOCUMENTING THE SCENE
AND COLLECTING EVIDENCE.
YOU HAVE TO PICK A WALL,
IF YOU WILL, AND YOU START.
AND THEN YOU METHODICALLY
EITHER GO CLOCKWISE
OR COUNTERCLOCKWISE,
AND YOU LITERALLY DOCUMENT
EVERY SQUARE FOOT OF THAT SCENE.
Narrator:
THEIR WORK WILL BE CRITICAL
IN DETERMINING THE IDENTITY
OF THE KILLER AND PROVING GUILT.
Mosher: WE'RE LOOKING FOR EVERY
TRACE FIBER, HAIR, FINGERPRINT,
FRICTION-RIDGE DETAIL PATTERN,
BLOODSTAIN.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR DNA EVIDENCE,
WE'RE LOOKING FOR SWEAT.
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING ]
Narrator:
THE FORENSICS TEAM DETERMINES
MORAES' CAUSE OF DEATH.
HE WAS BLUDGEONED
WITH A THREADED METAL PIPE.
THE INDIVIDUAL WHO DIED FOUGHT
FOR THEIR LIFE IN THIS HALLWAY.
HE WAS GOING INTO HIS APARTMENT.
HE HAS HIS KEYS IN HIS HAND.
NEXT THING YOU KNOW,
HE'S BEING WHACKED
WITH THIS PIPE ACROSS THE HEAD.
Narrator: SERGEANT
KEN KAMINSKY IS A MEMBER
OF THE BROWARD COUNTY
SHERIFF'S HOMICIDE DIVISION.
HE'S BUKATA'S PARTNER
AND THE OTHER LEAD INVESTIGATOR
ON THE CASE.
THERE WAS NO SCREAMING.
THERE WAS NO YELLING.
IT WAS JUST
A CONTINUAL, BRUTAL ONSLAUGHT
OF PIPE-SWINGING AT HIM.
HE HAD NEVER HAD A CHANCE.
SO, YOU SAID
YOU DIDN'T KNOW THE VICTIM.
I'D JUST SEEN HIM.
Narrator:
THE DAY AFTER THE MURDER,
INVESTIGATORS BEGIN TO QUESTION
APARTMENT RESIDENTS.
NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY
LAST NIGHT?
NOTHING, NOTHING.
DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW IF YOUR
BROTHER OWNS ANY WEAPONS?
THEY INTERVIEW THE SISTER
AND ASK IF SHE KNEW ANYONE
WHO WOULD WANT TO HURT MORAES.
RICHARD GARBER.
SHE TELLS THEM
THAT RICHARD GARBER
IS AN UPSTAIRS NEIGHBOR.
HE LIVES UPSTAIRS?
YEAH.
HE USED TO WORK AS A CAREGIVER
FOR HER DISABLED BROTHER.
OH, THAT'S
HOW THIS WORKS, HUH?
YOU'RE LUCKY FOR ME
YOU'RE ALIVE.
WHAT?!
Garber: HE HAD OWED ME
FOR THE LAST WEEK THAT I WORKED.
I DON'T REMEMBER
THE EXACT AMOUNT.
IT WAS LIKE $250,
SOMEWHERE IN THAT NATURE.
AND WHEN I WENT TO COLLECT,
HE GAVE ME A CHECK FOR $127.
AND I SAID, "WHAT IS THIS?"
HE SAID,
"WELL, THIS IS WHAT I OWE YOU."
I SAID, "WELL, NO, IT ISN'T."
HE SAID, "WELL, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S ALL I'M GONNA PAY."
[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]
MR. GARBER?
Garber:
HI. CAN I HELP YOU?
YES.
Narrator: THE DETECTIVES
ARE ANXIOUS TO LEARN
WHAT RICHARD GARBER KNOWS
ABOUT THE MURDER.
SURE. COME ON IN.
THEY INTERVIEW GARBER
IN HIS APARTMENT.
EVERYTHING
WAS FINE, YEAH.
HE WAS A COOL GUY
TO WORK FOR.
I HAD NO PROBLEMS.
Narrator:
GARBER TELLS THE INVESTIGATORS
THAT MORAES WAS RECOVERING
FROM A WORK INJURY.
Garber: ONE OF THE NAILS DIDN'T
GO IN, HIT HIM IN THE HEAD.
AND IT DID A LOT OF DAMAGE.
Narrator: GARBER SAYS
HE AND HIS LONGTIME GIRLFRIEND,
ANNA MARIA ALCANTERA,
MET MORAES THROUGH SOME FRIENDS.
THEY OFFERED TO HELP MORAES
BY FINDING
DISABILITY INSURANCE FOR HIM.
AT THE SAME TIME,
THEY BECAME HIS CAREGIVERS.
DURING THIS TIME, GARBER SAYS,
HE AND MORAES BECAME FRIENDS.
Garber: I USED TO TAKE HIM
TO THE BASEBALL GAMES.
WE WENT BOWLING, TO THE MOVIES.
I MEAN, HE WAS A FRIEND.
Narrator:
GARBER ALSO TELLS INVESTIGATORS
THAT MORAES WAS SUING
THE NAIL-GUN MANUFACTURER.
HE WAS HOPING TO RECEIVE
A BIG SETTLEMENT.
Bukata: RICHARD GARBER
WAS A VERY OUTGOING INDIVIDUAL.
HE WAS VERY ARTICULATE,
HIGHLY INTELLIGENT.
BUT ALSO YOU CAN TELL OVER TIME
THAT HE APPEARED TO BE
SOMEWHAT...MANIPULATIVE.
Narrator: GARBER TELLS POLICE
THE TWO HAD AN ARGUMENT
AND MORAES FIRED HIM.
IT WAS NO BIG THING,
YOU KNOW?
Narrator:
DESPITE THIS, GARBER SAYS HE HAD
NO HARD FEELINGS TOWARD MORAES.
I'M NOT REALLY STRESSED
FOR ANY MONEY OR ANYTHING,
BUT, YOU KNOW.
SO, WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?
Narrator: THE SERGEANTS BELIEVE
GARBER'S STORY
AND DON'T CONSIDER HIM
A SUSPECT.
RICHARD GARBER
CAME ACROSS VERY, VERY CALM,
COOL, COLLECTED, VERY CORDIAL.
THERE WAS NOTHING THAT JUMPED UP
AND SAID, "BE ALERT."
YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA BE
MOVING TO VEGAS.
Narrator: FREE TO GO,
GARBER TELLS THE OFFICERS
THAT HE'S MOVING TO LAS VEGAS
WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE I CAN
HELP YOU, ANY MORE QUESTIONS...
Garber:
ANNA MARIA GOT SICK.
SHE HAD BREAST CANCER
AND EMPHYSEMA.
SO SHE KNEW
THAT HER TIME WAS LIMITED,
AND SHE WANTED TO GO TO VEGAS,
SO WE DECIDED TO MOVE THERE.
APPRECIATE IT.
ABSOLUTELY.
SURE. ABSOLUTELY, YES.
Narrator: GARBER GIVES POLICE
HIS NEW PHONE NUMBER
AND STARTS DRIVING TO LAS VEGAS.
SO, HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED
IN THE BUILDING?
THE SERGEANTS
CONTINUE THEIR INVESTIGATION.
THEY SPEND THE NEXT FEW DAYS
CANVASSING THE NEIGHBORHOOD
AND LOOKING INTO ANYONE
WHO WOULD WANT MORAES DEAD.
THEY BELIEVE THAT THIS CRIME
WASN'T A RANDOM ACT OF VIOLENCE.
Mosher: IT CERTAINLY
DID NOT APPEAR TO BE
A HIT-AND-RUN-
ROBBERY-STYLE ISSUE,
AND THE PERSON
WHO COMMITTED THIS ACT
CLEARLY WAS NOT GONNA STOP UNTIL
THEY ACCOMPLISHED THEIR MISSION.
KAMINSKY.
Narrator: ON MONDAY, JULY 5th,
TWO DAYS AFTER THE MURDER,
THE BROWARD COUNTY
SHERIFF'S OFFICE
GETS A CALL FROM
THE LAS VEGAS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Officer:
WHAT CAN I HELP YOU WITH?
Narrator: AN UNLIKELY SOURCE
HAS GIVEN THEM AN IMPORTANT TIP.
I HAVE
SOME INFORMATION...
WE GET NOTIFIED FROM
THE LAS VEGAS POLICE DEPARTMENT
THAT THEY HAD A TIP.
OKAY. WHAT'S HIS NAME?
HIS NAME IS RICK GARBER.
THEY TOLD US THAT A FEMALE
NAMED ANNA MARIA ALCANTERA
WAS AT THEIR POLICE STATION
AND THAT SHE WAS REPORTING
TO THEM THAT RICK GARBER
WAS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE MURDER OF JANIO.
HE'S HERE IN TOWN
RIGHT NOW.
OKAY.
Narrator: ANNA MARIA TELLS
POLICE HOW RICK CONFIDED IN HER.
HE TOLD HER THAT HE KILLED
MORAES AND HOW HE DID IT.
ANNA HAD
VERY DETAILED INFORMATION --
INFORMATION ABOUT THE MURDER
THAT ONLY
THE MURDERER AND WE KNEW.
WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN?
HOPEFULLY,
I'M GONNA WIN.
HOPEFULLY?
YEAH.
Narrator:
APPARENTLY, THERE WAS MORE TO
THE STORY OF MORAES' LAWSUIT
THAN GARBER REVEALED TO POLICE.
JANIO MORAES
HAD PROMISED RICHARD GARBER
SOME OF THAT MONEY --
A LARGE SUM OF MONEY
IN THE TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF DOLLARS.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO
WITH THE MONEY?
I'M GONNA GET BETTER,
ENJOY MY LIFE.
GET BETTER?
ENJOY YOUR LIFE?
OH, REALLY?
WHAT ABOUT ME?
Bukata: WHEN THE RELATIONSHIP
BECAME SOUR,
JANIO MORAES TOLD RICHARD GARBER
NOT ONLY WAS HE NOT GOING TO
TAKE CARE OF HIM ANYMORE --
HE WAS FIRED --
BUT THAT HE WASN'T GONNA BE
A PARTY TO ANY MONIES
THAT RICHARD GARBER
WAS SUPPOSED TO GET.
YOU ARE A CHEAP BASTARD!
GO AHEAD.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!
YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT!
Narrator: ANNA MARIA TELLS THEM
WHERE GARBER IS STAYING.
A WARRANT IS ISSUED
FOR RICHARD GARBER'S ARREST.
THEN SERGEANTS
BUKATA AND KAMINSKY
TAKE THE FIRST FLIGHT
TO LAS VEGAS.
THE SERGEANTS
ARRIVE IN LAS VEGAS.
FOR A FUGITIVE ON THE RUN,
GARBER FEELS
THERE'S NO BETTER PLACE
TO LOSE YOURSELF
AND BECOME ANONYMOUS
THAN IN THE LIGHTS
AND EXCITEMENT OF LAS VEGAS.
THE SERGEANTS HEAD TO THE HOTEL
AND UP TO GARBER'S ROOM.
Kaminsky: ALL SORTS OF THINGS
START TO GO THROUGH YOUR MIND
AS YOU WALK STEP-BY-STEP
DOWN THE HALL.
YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT
THE BRUTALITY OF THE MURDER,
AND YOU'RE THINKING, OBVIOUSLY,
OF OUR SAFETY
AS HOMICIDE DETECTIVES.
[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]
POLICE! OPEN UP!
Narrator:
THERE'S NO REPLY.
THE OFFICERS
COULD BE WALKING INTO A TRAP.
WITH THEIR WEAPONS AT THE READY,
THEY SLIDE THE KEY INTO THE DOOR
AND CHARGE IN.
[ SIRENS WAILING ]
Narrator: IN JULY OF 1999,
FORT LAUDERDALE INVESTIGATORS
ARE ON A CROSS-COUNTRY MANHUNT
FOR RICHARD GARBER...
[ ELEVATOR BELL DINGS ]
...THE MAN THEY BELIEVE
VICIOUSLY MURDERED JANIO MORAES.
IT'S BEEN FIVE DAYS
SINCE THE MURDER,
AND THEY'VE TRACKED GARBER
TO A LAS VEGAS HOTEL ROOM.
Kaminsky:
WE COME INTO THE ROOM,
AND INSIDE THE ROOM,
WE SEE THAT THE BED'S UNMADE.
WE SEE THAT THERE'S A SUITCASE
THAT'S THERE -- IT'S OPEN.
THERE ARE CLOTHES
THAT ARE STREWN ABOUT THE ROOM.
WE FOUND THAT HE HAD TOILETRIES
THAT WERE STILL IN THE BATHROOM,
BUT NO RICK GARBER.
HE WAS GONE.
Bukata: HE DIDN'T TAKE ANYTHING.
LOOKS LIKE HE'S STILL HERE.
THIS IS RECENT.
THINK HE'S STILL
IN THE HOTEL?
LET'S GO.
LET'S GO.
Narrator: AFTER EARLIER TIPPING
OFF POLICE, GARBER'S GIRLFRIEND,
ANNA MARIA ALCANTERA,
HAD A CHANGE OF HEART.
[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
SHE CALLED GARBER AND WARNED HIM
THAT THE POLICE
WERE COMING FOR HIM.
WHAT?!
ACCORDING TO
FUGITIVE EXPERT STEVE FERDIN,
THIS CAN BE A COMMON OCCURRENCE
FOR THE LOVED ONES OF FUGITIVES.
ALCANTERA IS EXPERIENCING SOME
CONFLICTING EMOTIONS RIGHT NOW.
ON THE ONE HAND,
SHE'S IN LOVE WITH GARBER
AND SHE WANTS TO HELP HIM.
AND ON THE OTHER HAND,
SHE KNOWS THE RIGHT THING TO DO
IS TO TELL THE POLICE
WHERE HE'S AT.
AND SHE DOESN'T WANT TO
GO TO JAIL.
EXCUSE ME, THE GENTLEMAN
WE WERE LOOKING FOR EARLIER --
RICHARD GARBER --
HAVE YOU SEEN HIM IN THE LOBBY?
NO, I HAVEN'T SEEN HIM
AT ALL THIS MORNING.
Narrator: THE DETECTIVES
FAN OUT, SEARCHING THE LOBBY,
THE GAMING AREA,
AND OTHER PARTS OF THE HOTEL.
Bukata: WE KNEW THAT
WE JUST MISSED RICHARD GARBER,
PROBABLY WITHIN A FEW HOURS.
OKAY.
WE WERE ON THE TRAIL
OF A MURDERER.
[ ELEVATOR BELL DINGS ]
Narrator:
THEY POST AN ALL-POINTS BULLETIN
TO OTHER HOTELS AND CASINOS
TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT
FOR RICHARD GARBER.
Bukata: WE BELIEVED THAT
RICHARD GARBER WOULD SHOW UP
BACK AT EITHER THE MAXIM
OR ANOTHER HOTEL IN LAS VEGAS.
Narrator: AS POLICE
SEARCH FOR GARBER IN LAS VEGAS,
GARBER IS RACING
DOWN THE HIGHWAY.
BEFORE LEAVING, HE MEETS
WITH ANNA MARIA ONE LAST TIME.
HI.
HI. HOW ARE YOU DOING?
Garber: I SAID, REGARDLESS
OF WHAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW,
THIS IS, LIKE, THE END OF
MY LIFE AS I KNOW IT, YOU KNOW?
AND I DECIDED TO TAKE OFF.
I HAD SOME MONEY PUT AWAY,
YOU KNOW,
AND SHE HAD ON HER,
AT THAT POINT IN TIME,
ABOUT $14,000,
WHICH SHE GAVE ME.
AND I TOOK OFF.
Narrator: UNSURE OF WHERE TO GO,
HE HEADS WEST TO CALIFORNIA.
Garber:
I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A PLAN.
YOU KNOW, WHO EXPECTS
TO FIND THEMSELVES A FUGITIVE?
I REALLY HAD NO IDEA
WHAT I WAS DOING.
I JUST KNEW
THAT I WAS TAKING OFF.
THE REST OF IT
I WAS GONNA PLAY BY EAR.
Narrator: GARBER HAS NOTHING
BUT OPEN ROAD IN FRONT OF HIM.
HE GETS ABOUT 50 MILES
OUTSIDE OF LAS VEGAS
WHEN IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE HOT, DUSTY DESERT,
HIS CAR BREAKS DOWN.
GARBER IS STUCK IN THE DESERT
AND BAKING IN THE JULY HEAT.
HE KNOWS THAT DEATH
COMES QUICKLY OUT HERE.
GARBER DECIDES
TO ABANDON HIS CAR.
HE REMOVES THE LICENSE PLATE
BUT LEAVES HIS MAP BEHIND.
THEN ALL HE CAN DO IS WAIT.
HE DOESN'T HAVE TO WAIT LONG.
NEED A RIDE?
YEAH.
WHAT HAPPENED?
YOUR CAR OVERHEATED?
THE DRIVER OFFERS HIM
A RIDE TO BAKER, CALIFORNIA,
THE NEAREST TOWN FROM THERE.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING
OUT HERE?
HE HAS NO IDEA THAT GARBER
IS WANTED FOR MURDER.
IT'S VERY DANGEROUS
IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION
FOR THE MOTORIST
TO PICK UP GARBER.
HOW LONG
YOU BEEN IN NEVADA?
WE DON'T KNOW
HOW DESPERATE GARBER IS.
IF GARBER SLIPS UP AND SAYS
SOMETHING TO THE MOTORIST,
IS GARBER GONNA PANIC AND SAY,
"I NEED TO KILL THIS PERSON,
"BECAUSE HE'S GONNA TELL
THE POLICE WHO I AM,
WHERE I'M AT,
WHICH WAY I'M HEADED"?
Narrator: THEY ARRIVE
IN BAKER, CALIFORNIA,
WITHOUT INCIDENT.
WELL,
THERE YOU GO.
GARBER GETS A NEW CAR
AND HITS THE ROAD ONCE AGAIN.
HE HAS LOST VALUABLE TIME
AND FEARS POLICE ARE CLOSING IN.
Garber: I KNEW
THE WARRANT HAD KICKED IN.
MY ADRENALINE
WAS GOING FULL-BLAST.
FELT LIKE I WAS HAVING
A HEART ATTACK.
ALL MY SENSES
WERE HEIGHTENED.
I WAS ON FULL ALERT.
Narrator: AS GARBER
IS FLEEING TO THE DESERT,
BACK IN FLORIDA,
2,700 MILES AWAY,
THE BROWARD COUNTY FORENSICS
TEAM IS SEARCHING HIS APARTMENT.
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]
Mosher:
WE'RE LOOKING FOR BODY FLUIDS.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR ANY
AND EVERY CLUE ONE CAN IMAGINE.
Narrator: THEY DISCOVER
WHAT COULD BE IMPORTANT EVIDENCE
TYING GARBER TO THE MURDER.
WE LOCATED ITEMS
INSIDE THE APARTMENT
THAT CERTAINLY WERE
INVESTIGATIVE CLUES
LITERALLY
STARING ME IN THE FACE.
Narrator:
POLICE ARE SURPRISED TO DISCOVER
SO MUCH EVIDENCE LEFT BEHIND.
THEY FIND TRACES OF BLOOD
ON THE FRONT DOOR HANDLE,
THE THERMOSTAT, AND EVEN A PAPER
TOWEL IN THE KITCHEN TRASH.
INVESTIGATORS ALSO FIND
A BAG CONTAINING LATEX GLOVES
SIMILAR TO THE FRAGMENTS
FOUND AT THE CRIME SCENE.
BACK IN LAS VEGAS,
SERGEANTS BUKATA AND KAMINSKY
ARE STILL HOPING TO GET A LEAD
ON GARBER'S WHEREABOUTS.
CAN YOU LET ME KNOW
IF YOU'VE SEEN HIM
OR ANYONE WHO LOOKS LIKE HIM
IN THE PAST DAY OR TWO?
NEVER SEEN HIM.
THEY NARROWLY MISSED CAPTURING
GARBER IN HIS HOTEL ROOM,
AND NOW THEY'RE SEARCHING
OTHER HOTELS AND CASINOS.
POLICE SOON DISCOVER THAT
GARBER'S COUSIN, PERRY SACOWITZ,
LIVES IN LAS VEGAS.
Kaminsky:
MR. SACOWITZ?
YEAH.
WHAT'S GOING ON, GUYS?
YOU'RE THE COUSIN
OF, UH, RICHARD GARBER, YES?
Bukata:
WE ASKED PERRY SACOWITZ IF HE'D
SEEN HIS COUSIN RICHARD GARBER.
HE SAID HE DID BUT
THAT RICHARD GARBER TOOK OFF,
AND HE HAD NO IDEA
WHERE RICHARD GARBER WAS.
MAYBE DOWN TO THE STRIP,
YOU KNOW, GAMBLING A LITTLE,
TO LOOK FOR SOME LADIES?
I DON'T KNOW.
WE INFORMED PERRY SACOWITZ
THAT WE WERE LOOKING
FOR RICHARD GARBER
CONCERNING A MURDER THAT
HAPPENED IN LAUDERHILL, FLORIDA,
THAT IF HE WERE TO SEE
HIS COUSIN RICHARD GARBER,
THAT PERRY SACOWITZ
SHOULD CALL AUTHORITIES
TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
BUKATA.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS HAVE
RUN OUT OF LEADS IN LAS VEGAS.
WHAT? WHERE?
THEY ARE ABOUT TO RETURN
TO FLORIDA
WHEN THEY GET THE BREAK
THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.
WAS THERE
ANYTHING INSIDE?
I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM
THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL.
THE DISPATCHER TOLD ME
THAT RICHARD GARBER'S CAR
WAS LOCATED IN CALIFORNIA
WITHIN THE MOJAVE DESERT.
IT WAS UNOCCUPIED
AND APPEARED TO BE ABANDONED.
Narrator: DETECTIVES REQUEST
AN AERIAL SEARCH
WHERE THE CAR WAS DISCOVERED.
WE HAD A HELICOPTER COME OUT
AND CHECK THE AREA OF THE DESERT
TO SEE IF HE ACTUALLY
WAS SLEEPING SOMEWHERE,
CAMPING SOMEWHERE, FLED,
WALKING THROUGH THE DESERT
IN ORDER TO EVADE US.
Narrator: THE AERIAL POLICE UNIT
SCANS THE DESERT
LOOKING FOR A CAMPSITE,
DISCARDED LUGGAGE,
OR ANY OTHER SIGN
OF RICHARD GARBER.
MEANWHILE, BUKATA AND KAMINSKY
TRAVEL TO BARSTOW, CALIFORNIA,
AND TO WHERE THE HIGHWAY PATROL
HAS TOWED
GARBER'S ABANDONED CAR.
THEY EXAMINE THE CAR
AND FIND SOME IMPORTANT CLUES.
Kaminsky: WE FOUND BLOOD
ON THE STEERING WHEEL.
WE FOUND BLOOD, ALSO,
ON THE SEAT.
Narrator:
THE EVIDENCE IS COLLECTED
AND SENT BACK TO
THE FORENSICS TEAM FOR ANALYSIS.
THE SERGEANTS ALSO FIND
THE MAP GARBER LEFT BEHIND.
HE MAY HAVE MADE A MISTAKE
AND GIVEN AWAY HIS DESTINATION.
Narrator: IT'S BEEN TWO WEEKS
SINCE JANIO MORAES WAS MURDERED
IN HIS LAUDERHILL, FLORIDA,
APARTMENT.
FUGITIVE RICHARD GARBER
IS HEADING TO CALIFORNIA
AFTER NARROWLY ESCAPING
AUTHORITIES IN LAS VEGAS.
POLICE LOCATE HIS ABANDONED CAR
ALONG THE HIGHWAY.
IT HOLDS A CLUE THAT COULD
POINT TO GARBER'S WHEREABOUTS.
Bukata:
UPON SEARCHING THE CAR,
WE FOUND, IN PLAIN VIEW
ON THE PASSENGER SEAT, A MAP.
THE MAP WAS FACE-UP.
THE STATE WAS CALIFORNIA.
WE KNEW NOW THAT HE HAD A TARGET
AND HE WAS TRYING
TO GET OUT TO,
AND THAT WAS
SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA,
AND THAT HE WAS GONNA CONTINUE
TO TRY TO EVADE LAW ENFORCEMENT.
Narrator: THINKING
THEY HAVE AN IMPORTANT LEAD,
INVESTIGATORS FOCUS THEIR SEARCH
ON SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
THEY ALERT AUTHORITIES
ALONG INTERSTATE I-15
AND IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES.
LOS ANGELES POLICE
POST FLIERS AND ISSUE ALERTS.
FINDING ONE FUGITIVE IN A VAST
REGION OF OVER 24 MILLION PEOPLE
IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.
WHAT INVESTIGATORS DON'T KNOW
IS THAT GARBER HAS PURPOSELY
THROWN THEM OFF HIS TRAIL.
Garber: I HAD A MAP OUT
THAT I HAD BEEN LOOKING AT,
AND I KIND OF TRACED A LINE
TO SAN DIEGO,
EVEN THOUGH I WAS GOING NORTH.
SO IT WAS JUST A LITTLE RUSE
THAT ACTUALLY KIND OF WORKED.
IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE,
LEAVING THE MAP BEHIND
WITH THE LINE SHOWING
HE WAS HEADED TOWARDS SAN DIEGO
WAS PRETTY CREATIVE ON HIS PART.
MOST FUGITIVES
AREN'T THAT CREATIVE.
Narrator:
AS POLICE FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION
ON SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,
RICHARD GARBER IS HEADING NORTH
TO THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA.
HE HAS TRAVELED OVER 3,000 MILES
SINCE LEAVING HIS HOME,
NEAR FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA.
AS HE SEARCHES
FOR A PLACE TO SETTLE DOWN,
HE'S PARANOID AND CONSTANTLY
LOOKING OVER HIS SHOULDER.
Garber: YOU ARE ALWAYS AWARE
THAT YOU'RE ON THE RUN.
IT NEVER LEAVES YOU.
THERE'S NEVER A MOMENT
THAT, YOU KNOW,
YOU FEEL COMPLETELY AT EASE,
YOU KNOW?
ANY MINUTE,
THAT DOOR COULD BE BUSTED OPEN,
AND HERE THEY COME IN,
RUNNING FOR YOU.
Bukata: RICHARD GARBER
MAY HAVE BEEN FREE,
BUT IN HIS MIND,
HE WAS A CAUGHT MAN.
EVERY DAY, HE HAD TO WAKE UP
FEELING CONTAINED.
Narrator:
GARBER DRIVES SOUTH TO SAN JOSE,
HOPING TO SETTLE DOWN THERE.
AND AT THIS POINT IN TIME,
I REALIZED THAT I REALLY
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING.
I WENT OVER TO THE LIBRARY,
AND I GOT ON THE INTERNET
AND STARTED HUNTING AROUND,
TRYING TO FIND SOME CLUES.
AND I FOUND A COUPLE OF WEBSITES
THAT GAVE...NOT RULES BUT, LIKE,
GUIDELINES FOR FUGITIVES.
Narrator:
BACK IN FLORIDA, FORENSICS
TECHNICIANS BEGIN THEIR WORK.
THEY ANALYZE EVIDENCE
COLLECTED FROM THE CRIME SCENE,
GARBER'S APARTMENT,
AND GARBER'S ABANDONED CAR.
THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART CRIME LAB
IS SET UP TO ANALYZE
ALMOST ANY TYPE OF EVIDENCE.
THEIR RACK OF FIREARMS
ALLOWS THEM TO TEST BALLISTICS
ON A WIDE RANGE
OF PISTOLS AND RIFLES.
THEIR ARTISTS
CAN RE-CREATE VICTIM PROFILES
FROM A SMALL PIECE OF SKULL.
AND THEIR DRUG VAULT HOUSES
SOME OF COLOMBIA'S FINEST.
FOR THE GARBER CASE, TECHNICIANS
USE A DNA-ROBOTICS MACHINE
TO DETERMINE THE IDENTITY
OF EACH BLOOD SAMPLE.
THOSE SAMPLES,
ONCE THEY'RE ACTUALLY
RACKED, STACKED, AND PACKED
INTO SPECIALIZED CONTAINERS --
NOW A ROBOT CAN SAMPLE WHAT 10
YEARS AGO A HUMAN HAD TO SAMPLE.
Narrator: THEY USE
SPECIALIZED LIGHT SOURCES
TO EXAMINE THE FLOOR PANELS
OF HIS APARTMENT.
Mosher:
HAIRS, FIBERS, AND BLOOD
WILL FLUORESCE OR LUMINESCE.
WE THEN SEE CLUES THAT
WOULD NORMALLY GO UNDETECTED.
Narrator:
THEY ANALYZE THE GLOVE FRAGMENTS
FOUND AT THE CRIME SCENE.
Mosher: TO THE FORENSIC
SCIENTIST OR PRACTITIONER,
YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR THAT NEEDLE IN THE HAYSTACK
THAT VERY WELL MAY BE
THE CLUE THAT SOLVES THE CASE.
Narrator:
THE WORK BEING DONE IN THE LAB
WILL BE HELPFUL
DURING THE TRIAL,
BUT FIRST, THEY HAVE TO CATCH
THEIR FUGITIVE.
IT'S BEEN THREE MONTHS
SINCE GARBER BRUTALLY MURDERED
JANIO MORAES THEN SLIPPED AWAY.
THE TRAIL HAS GONE COLD,
AND INVESTIGATORS ARE WORRIED.
NOTHING ON THE HOTEL?
WE FELT THE LONGER
THAT RICK WAS ON THE RUN
THAT HE WAS
A DANGER TO OTHER PEOPLE.
WE WERE CONCERNED
THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN
IN CALIFORNIA OR LAS VEGAS
OR WHEREVER HE MAY END UP.
Narrator: USING A FALSE NAME
AND PAYING CASH,
GARBER RENTS A CHEAP APARTMENT
IN SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.
HE AVOIDS GETTING A JOB,
FEARING HE MIGHT GET CAUGHT.
AND NOW HIS SUPPLY OF CASH
HAS GOTTEN DANGEROUSLY LOW.
BUT HE KNOWS WHERE TO GET MORE.
Garber: I KNEW I HAD TO
GET IN TOUCH WITH ANNA,
AND I DIDN'T WANT TO CALL.
I WAS PRETTY SURE
THAT THEY HAD HER PHONE TAPPED,
AND MY COUSIN, TOO.
SO I DROVE TO VEGAS.
Narrator: GOING BACK
TO LAS VEGAS IS A RISKY MOVE.
THE POLICE ARE ACTIVELY
LOOKING FOR HIM THERE.
BUT GARBER IS DESPERATE.
HE ARRIVES IN TOWN
AND ARRANGES TO MEET ANNA MARIA.
Garber:
WE SET UP A LITTLE SYSTEM
WHERE I'D MEET HER ONCE A MONTH
AT A CERTAIN PLACE,
AND SHE WOULD GIVE ME
BETWEEN $3,000, $4,000, $5,000.
Narrator: ANNA MARIA'S SUPPORT
IS GARBER'S LIFELINE.
IT'S A SHORT-LIVED REUNION,
AS GARBER TAKES THE MONEY
AND IMMEDIATELY
HEADS BACK TO SAN JOSE.
DURING THE DRIVE,
GARBER REMAINS ON EDGE.
HE KNOWS THAT HIS GREATEST
CHANCE OF CONTACT WITH POLICE
IS DURING A TRAFFIC STOP.
Ferdin:
IN GARBER'S SITUATION,
THAT IS PROBABLY GONNA BE
THE WEAKEST LINK IN THE CHAIN,
BECAUSE HE COULD BE STOPPED
FOR A TAILLIGHT OUT.
HE COULD GET INVOLVED
IN AN ACCIDENT,
SOMETHING HE COULDN'T AVOID,
THAT'S GONNA BRING HIM
IN CONTACT WITH
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Narrator:
GARBER TRAVELS THE 600 MILES
BACK TO SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA,
WITHOUT INCIDENT.
HE MAKES IT TO WITHIN
A FEW MILES OF HIS NEW HOME...
WHEN HE HAS
AN ACCIDENT WITH A CYCLIST.
[ THUD ]
ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?
WHAT THE HELL
WERE YOU DOING?
I-I DIDN'T SEE YOU.
GARBER IS ANXIOUS
TO KEEP THINGS QUIET,
BUT THE MAN HE'S JUST HIT
IS AN OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICER.
THIS ONE MISTAKE COULD SPELL
THE END OF HIS FREEDOM.
Narrator:
FOR MORE THAN THREE MONTHS,
RICHARD GARBER HAS
BEEN HIDING OUT AS A FUGITIVE
IN SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.
HE'S EVADING POLICE,
WHO BELIEVE HE'S RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE MURDER OF A MAN
BACK IN FLORIDA.
WHILE PULLING
OUT OF A PARKING LOT,
GARBER HAS A DANGEROUS RUN-IN.
Garber: SO, I INCHED OUT MY CAR
VERY SLOWLY.
AND I MEAN VERY SLOWLY.
I JUST INCHED IT OUT.
AND HERE COMES THIS BICYCLE.
IT HIT MY FRONT FENDER,
AND THE GUY WENT FLYING.
[ THUD ]
Narrator:
THE BICYCLIST MAY BE INJURED,
BUT HELPING HIM
COULD PUT GARBER AT RISK.
ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?
WHAT THE HELL
WERE YOU DOING?
I-I DIDN'T SEE YOU.
HE JUMPS UP
AND STARTS YELLING AT ME.
YOU KNOW, I SAID,
"WHOA, WHOA, WHOA."
I SAID, "I CAME OUT REAL SLOW.
I JUST INCHED OUT."
YOU SHOULD BE WATCHING
WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
PEOPLE ARE UP AND DOWN
THE STREET ALL THE TIME.
OKAY?
[ SIGHS ]
SAN JOSE P.D.
HE SAYS, "WELL,
I'M A SAN JOSE POLICEMAN."
I SAID,
"OHH, JUST WHAT I NEEDED."
LOOK AT MY BIKE.
MY BIKE COULD BE
COMPLETELY DESTROYED.
LET ME SEE YOUR I.D.
MY I.D.?
LET ME SEE IT.
I SAID, "YOU'RE THE ONE THAT
SHOULDN'T BE ON THE SIDEWALK."
Narrator:
PUSHING BACK IS GARBER'S ONLY
HOPE FOR AVOIDING DETECTION.
I WAS DRIVING SLOW.
I MEAN, I WAS LOOKING
WHERE I WAS GOING.
I JUST DIDN'T SEE YOU.
ALL RIGHT, MAN.
I GUESS, JUST...
YEAH, I SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN
ON THE SIDEWALK, OKAY?
REALIZING HE'S PARTLY AT FAULT,
THE OFFICER BACKS OFF.
YOU KNOW, WATCH WHERE
YOU'RE GOING NEXT TIME, OKAY?
Garber: HE SAID, "OH, WELL. YOU
KNOW, YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THAT."
I SAID, "WELL, LOOK.
YOU KNOW, ARE YOU OKAY?"
HE SAID, "YEAH.
LET'S JUST LET THIS GO."
Narrator:
IT'S A CLOSE CALL
AND ANOTHER REMINDER THAT
HE CAN NEVER LET HIS GUARD DOWN.
Garber: NOTHING WAS AS CLOSE AS
THAT -- HITTING THE POLICEMAN.
I DON'T THINK
IT GETS ANY CLOSER THAN THAT.
GARBER IS BLENDING IN
WITH HIS NEW SURROUNDINGS.
HE SPENDS THE NEXT FEW MONTHS
LAYING LOW
AND SETTLING IN
TO LIFE ON THE RUN.
Garber: I STARTED HANGING OUT
IN MUSEUMS, LIBRARIES.
I WENT TO PARKS.
I JUST TRIED TO KEEP
A LOW PROFILE.
I BOUGHT A BASEBALL CAP.
I KEPT IT
PULLED DOWN OVER MY EYES.
YOU KNOW,
SOME BLACK-RIMMED GLASSES.
Narrator: GARBER
IS LIVING UNDER THE RADAR.
HE'S MINGLING WITH A PUBLIC
WHO HAS NO IDEA
OF THE MURDERER IN THEIR MIDST.
YOU NEVER KNOW IF THE PERSON
SITTING NEXT TO YOU
IN THE PARK OR AT THE MOVIES
OR A RESTAURANT IS A FUGITIVE.
THEY DON'T HAVE
A STEREOTYPICAL LOOK TO THEM.
A FUGITIVE COULD BE A JUVENILE.
IT COULD BE AN ELDERLY MAN.
IT COULD BE FEMALE.
THEY DON'T HAVE
A STAMP ACROSS THEIR FOREHEAD.
Narrator:
ON A WARM SUMMER DAY,
GARBER SITS DOWN
FOR A QUIET LUNCH IN THE PARK.
DESPITE THE PEACEFUL SETTING,
TROUBLE IS BREWING.
A SWAT TEAM GEARS UP, PREPARING
TO ARREST A DANGEROUS FUGITIVE.
OUT OF NOWHERE,
THE SWAT TEAM MOVES IN.
GARBER PANICS.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
Officer: GET HIM! GET HIM!
GET HIM! GET HIM!
OVER HERE!
MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!
ON YOUR KNEES!
HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD!
DO NOT MOVE! DO NOT MOVE!
Narrator:
THEY GET THEIR MAN,
BUT IT'S NOT GARBER
THEY'RE AFTER.
IT'S A CHILLING REMINDER THAT
ALTHOUGH HE'S NOT BEHIND BARS,
HE'S STILL NOT FREE.
Garber:
AND I WAS JUST SITTING THERE
WATCHING
THIS WHOLE THING COME DOWN,
AND I WAS THINKING,
"BOY, THAT COULD BE ME.
THEY COULD BE
COMING HERE FOR ME NEXT."
Narrator: IT'S A STARK REMINDER
THAT FOR FUGITIVES ON THE RUN,
YOU CAN GET CAUGHT
ANYTIME AND ANYWHERE.
IT'S NOT HIS ONLY CLOSE CALL.
HE RENTS A ROOM IN AN APARTMENT,
AND ONE DAY,
WHILE DOING HIS LAUNDRY,
HE FINDS
THAT THE MACHINE'S IN USE.
HE LEAVES HIS CLOTHES FOR LATER
AND GOES FOR A RUN.
SHORTLY AFTERWARD,
A NEIGHBOR DOING HER OWN LAUNDRY
SEES GARBER'S LAUNDRY
AND DECIDES TO DO HIM A FAVOR.
AS SHE LOADS HIS CLOTHES
INTO THE MACHINE,
SHE FINDS HIS WALLET.
THE NAME ON HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE
IS NOT THE NAME
SHE KNOWS HIM BY.
"RICHARD GARBER"?
THAT'S NOT --
THAT'S NOT HIS NAME.
Narrator: ALARMED BY THIS, SHE
IMMEDIATELY CALLS THE POLICE.
IT'S HIS PICTURE,
BUT THE NAME ISN'T HIS NAME.
Garber:
SO SHE GOT A LITTLE FREAKY
BECAUSE IT WASN'T
THE NAME THAT I HAD BEEN USING.
SHE CALLED UP
THE SAN JOSE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Narrator:
WHEN GARBER RETURNS,
SHE CONFRONTS HIM
WITH HIS TRUE IDENTITY.
I PUT YOUR LAUNDRY IN
FOR YOU.
OH, WELL...
WELL, THANKS.
YOU LEFT YOUR WALLET
IN YOUR JEANS.
THANK YOU.
SHOULD I CALL YOU
"RICHARD GARBER" NOW?
I'M SORRY?
Narrator: THIS IS THE MOMENT
GARBER HAS BEEN DREADING.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW
WHAT KIND OF DANGER I WAS IN.
YOU CALLED THE POLICE?
YEAH. I...
Narrator: THE WOMAN TELLS GARBER
THAT THE POLICE CONFIRMED
THERE WERE NO WARRANTS
OUT FOR HIS ARREST.
YOU'RE SURE? OKAY, WELL,
SORRY I BOTHERED YOU.
HIS RECORD IS CLEAN.
SOMEHOW,
THE POLICE NEVER CONNECTED HIM
TO THE MURDER IN FLORIDA.
Garber: WELL, I ACTED LIKE,
"WELL, YEAH, OF COURSE
"THEY'RE NOT GOING TO -- THERE'S
NO WARRANTS OUT ON ME, YOU KNOW?
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?"
BUT INSIDE, I WAS LIKE, "I CAN'T
BELIEVE I DUCKED THAT BULLET."
I DON'T KNOW HOW.
I REALLY DON'T.
GARBER DID A GOOD JOB
IN THIS SITUATION.
HE STAYED COOL.
HE DIDN'T PANIC.
HAD HE PANICKED,
HE WOULD HAVE BROUGHT
A LOT MORE ATTENTION TO HIMSELF.
SHE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE CALLED
THE POLICE BACK AND SAID,
"HEY, I THINK YOU NEED TO
DOUBLE-CHECK ON HIM."
Narrator:
TWO POPULAR CRIME SHOWS PRODUCE
EPISODES ON THE GARBER CASE.
[ SIGHS ]
Hello.
DID YOU HEAR...
ANNA MARIA LEARNS OF THIS
AND TELLS GARBER THAT HE
WILL BE FEATURED ON THE SHOW.
I JUST
COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT.
HE FEARS BEING RECOGNIZED.
GARBER HAS BEEN ON THE RUN
FOR EIGHT MONTHS
AND IS GETTING LOW ON FUNDS.
HE DRIVES BACK TO LAS VEGAS
TO GET MORE CASH
FROM HIS GIRLFRIEND,
ANNA MARIA ALCANTERA.
RICK.
HEY, MAN.
HOW'S IT GOING?
GOOD.
HOW YOU DOING, BRO?
I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN A WHILE.
WHAT'S GOING ON?
YOU KNOW, JUST GOT INTO TOWN.
MIND IF I COME IN?
WELL, I'M GETTING READY
TO GO TO WORK.
YEAH, YEAH. COME ON IN
FOR A BIT, MAN.
Garber:
I WENT TO VEGAS.
I DROVE OVER
TO MY COUSIN'S APARTMENT.
HE SAID HE WOULD CALL ANNA.
AND I SAID,
"WELL, JUST LET ME SLEEP HERE
FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS,
YOU KNOW?"
OH, MAN,
IT'S A BAD TIME FOR ME.
I'M ON MY WAY TO WORK.
Narrator: HE STOPS AT HIS COUSIN
PERRY SACOWITZ'S HOUSE.
SACOWITZ IS NERVOUS
BECAUSE THE POLICE HAVE ALREADY
WARNED HIM ABOUT HELPING GARBER.
HE KNOWS
THEY'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON HIM.
HE TELLS GARBER
NO, HE CAN'T STAY THERE.
"IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA."
Garber:
AND I WAS JUST -- YOU KNOW,
I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT
HE ASKED ME NOT TO STAY THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE'D KNOWN EACH OTHER
SINCE WE WERE
PRACTICALLY BABIES.
AND...
I KIND OF FORCED MY WAY INTO IT,
SAYING JUST, "I NEED TO SLEEP
FOR A FEW HOURS."
I REALLY WAS TIRED.
IT'S A TIRING TRIP,
YOU KNOW, NINE HOURS IN THE CAR.
IT TAKES A LOT OUT OF YOU.
ALL RIGHT. THANKS, MAN.
Narrator: RELUCTANTLY, SACOWITZ
GIVES HIM WHATEVER CASH HE HAS
AND AGREES TO LET HIM STAY.
THEN HE LEAVES FOR WORK.
Garber:
I PUT HIM IN A BAD SPOT.
THE FBI HAD BEEN THERE,
AND THEY HAD SHOWN MY PICTURE
AROUND TO ALL THE NEIGHBORS,
AND HE WAS AFRAID SOMEBODY WOULD
SEE ME AND THEY'D REPORT IT.
IT'D BE BEST IF YOU GOT
SOMEBODY OUT THERE, YES.
Narrator: SACOWITZ KNOWS
HE'LL GO TO PRISON
IF HE'S CAUGHT HELPING GARBER.
THE RISK IS TOO HIGH.
OKAY.
HE CALLS THE LAS VEGAS POLICE
AND TELLS THEM
THAT RICHARD GARBER
IS IN HIS APARTMENT.
MEANWHILE, GARBER SETTLES DOWN
IN FRONT OF THE TELEVISION.
HE TURNS ON A CRIME SHOW,
THE ONE THAT WILL SOON AIR
HIS OWN STORY.
HE'S UNAWARE THAT THE POLICE
ARE ON THEIR WAY TO ARREST HIM.
THEY SURROUND
SACOWITZ'S APARTMENT
AND PREPARE TO MOVE IN.
Ferdin: THE FUGITIVE
HAS THE ADVANTAGE, YOU KNOW?
WE DON'T KNOW IF HE'S GOING TO
RESIST, IF HE'S ARMED.
IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
FOR THE OFFICERS.
OKAY,
WATCH THAT SECOND STORY.
Officer: ROGER THAT.
THEIR WORST FEAR IS
THAT GARBER'S GOING TO BE ARMED
AND THAT HE'S GONNA FIGHT
TO THE DEATH.
[ KNOCKING ON DOOR ]
Garber:
THIS GUY CAME TO THE DOOR
AND STARTED YELLING,
"ARE YOU IN THERE?"
AND I'M LIKE,
"THIS IS NOT GOOD."
[ KNOCKING CONTINUES ]
THEN THE PHONE RANG...
[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
...AND IT MUST HAVE RANG
60, 70 TIMES.
I WASN'T GONNA PICK IT UP.
BUT IT JUST KEPT RINGING
AND RINGING AND RINGING.
Kaminsky: RICK GARBER
WAS TAKEN BY SURPRISE.
HE HAD NO CLUE
THAT THE POLICE WERE COMING.
HE DIDN'T THINK
HIS COUSIN WOULD GIVE HIM UP.
[ RINGING CONTINUES ]
Narrator:
GARBER IS TRAPPED.
THE ONLY WAY
OUT OF THE TINY APARTMENT
IS THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR.
[ RINGING CONTINUES ]
WILL HE SURRENDER PEACEFULLY...
OR WILL HE GO DOWN FIGHTING?
Narrator:
FEBRUARY 26, 2000.
SUSPECTED KILLER
RICHARD GARBER'S LIFE ON THE RUN
IS COMING TO A DRAMATIC END.
HIS COUSIN
HAS TIPPED OFF POLICE,
AND NOW OFFICERS
HAVE THE APARTMENT SURROUNDED.
STAND BY.
Kaminsky:
THIS IS AN INTENSE SITUATION.
THEY DON'T KNOW
WHAT THEY'RE COMING UP AGAINST,
WHO'S INSIDE THAT APARTMENT,
WHAT THEY'RE CAPABLE OF.
[ KNOCKING ON DOOR ]
Garber:
I CAN SEE THE LOCK OPENING UP.
SOMEBODY PUT THE KEY IN.
I HEARD THE KEY SLIDE IN.
THE LOCK
WAS STARTING TO OPEN UP.
Narrator:
WITH TIME RUNNING OUT, GARBER
DECIDES TO MAKE ONE LAST MOVE.
GO, GO.
MOVE, MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!
Officer:
CLEAR! IS IT CLEAR?
WHAT DO YOU GOT?
CLEAR!
AT FIRST,
THE SWAT TEAM CAN'T FIND HIM.
GO.
GO, GO, GO, GO, GO!
Garber: I WENT IN THE BATHROOM.
I DON'T KNOW WHY.
I STOOD IN THE SHOWER.
I DON'T KNOW
WHAT I WAS THINKING.
I HAD NO IDEA.
AND THEY CAME IN,
YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE
YOU SEE ON TV, I GUESS,
WITH ALL THE GUNS DRAWN.
GARBER,
I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!
LET ME SEE YOUR HANDS
RIGHT NOW!
KEEP THEM UP.
DON'T MOVE.
COVER.
AND THAT WAS
THE END OF THAT.
LIFE AS I KNEW IT WAS OVER.
[ HANDCUFFS CLICK ]
Narrator:
OUTNUMBERED AND OUTGUNNED,
GARBER GIVES UP WITHOUT A FIGHT.
WELL, IT'S KIND OF LIKE...
YOU KNEW IT WAS INEVITABLE.
SO I THINK
THE ONLY THING I WAS HOPING
WAS THAT I DIDN'T GET KILLED
IN THE PROCESS.
Narrator:
AFTER EIGHT LONG MONTHS
OF CLOSE CALLS AND DEAD ENDS,
LAW ENFORCEMENT
FINALLY HAS THEIR FUGITIVE.
Kaminsky: HE HAD A PLAN,
AND PART OF THAT PLAN WAS
HE WAS GONNA KILL JANIO AND FLEE
OUT TO THE WEST, TO LAS VEGAS,
AND THAT WOULD BE THE END OF IT.
Narrator:
ONCE IN FLORIDA,
RICHARD GARBER IS TRIED
FOR THE MURDER OF JANIO MORAES.
Mosher: SOMEONE HAS TO SPEAK FOR
THE VICTIM, AND UNFORTUNATELY,
USUALLY, SOMEONE HAS TO SPEAK
FOR THE DEAD.
Narrator:
DURING THE TRIAL, THE FORENSICS
TEAM PRESENTS THEIR FINDINGS.
SERGEANT STEWART MOSHER
SHOWS HOW THEY FOLLOWED
THE TRAIL OF BLOOD
FROM THE SCENE OF THE CRIME
LITERALLY UP TO GARBER'S DOOR.
MOSHER ALSO DESCRIBES
HOW DNA ANALYSIS
FOUND THOSE BLOOD SAMPLES
TO BE MORAES'...
...AND THAT BLOOD SAMPLES
TAKEN FROM GARBER'S CAR
WERE MORAES', AS WELL.
Kaminsky:
HE DIED A BRUTAL DEATH,
SLAUGHTERED BY A PERSON WHO
TOOK CARE OF HIM, NURTURED HIM,
AND THEN IN THE END KILLS HIM
BECAUSE HE IS NOT GONNA GET
MONEY FROM THE GOLDEN EGG.
Narrator:
ON OCTOBER 6, 2000,
A JURY FINDS RICHARD GARBER
GUILTY OF THE MURDER
OF JANIO MORAES.
GARBER IS SENTENCED
TO LIFE IN PRISON.
I'M NOT BITTER, YOU KNOW?
I MADE SOME MISTAKES.
I DID SOME STUPID THINGS.
PART OF IT LED TO ME BEING HERE.
Narrator: TO THIS DAY,
GARBER MAINTAINS HIS INNOCENCE.
I KNOW WHO DID IT.
I DON'T KNOW HIS NAME.
I SAW THE GUY.
I KNOW WHO DID IT.
I KNOW WHY IT WAS DONE.
I GOT THE WHOLE STORY...
FOR ALL THE GOOD
THAT IT DOES ME.
Narrator:
DETECTIVES BUKATA AND KAMINSKY
ARE CONVINCED
THAT JUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED.
Bukata:
WE DID OUR JOB.
WE CAUGHT A KILLER.
AND A JURY OF HIS PEERS
CONVICTED HIM
BASED ON ALL THE EVIDENCE
AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES
AND THE TESTIMONY
THAT WE COLLECTED.
Narrator:
THE DETECTIVES ALSO SAY
THIS CASE PROVES THAT KILLERS
CAN'T BE STEREOTYPED.
Bukata:
KILLERS DON'T HAVE FANGS.
KILLERS DON'T HAVE HORNS.
KILLERS ARE PEOPLE
LIKE YOU AND ME.
RICK GARBER IS NOT A PERSON
THAT HAS "KILLER"
TATTOOED ACROSS HIS FOREHEAD.
IT CAN BE
YOUR NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR...
LIKE IT WAS IN THIS CASE.
Narrator:
RUNNING FROM COAST TO COAST,
RICHARD GARBER HAD ALMOST
GOTTEN AWAY WITH MURDER.
NOW HE'S A PRISONER AT THE
LIMESTONE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY
NEAR JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.
HE'LL SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE
BEHIND THESE BARS.
Garber: IF WE WERE TO GO
TO TRIAL AGAIN TODAY,
THEN THERE'S NO QUESTION
THAT I WOULD BE ACQUITTED.
THERE'S NOTHING THERE.
BUT THAT'S
NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
THE FACT IS THAT
I WAS FOUND GUILTY, I'M IN HERE,
AND FOR NOW,
I JUST HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT.
IN FLORIDA WITH NO WITNESSES.
THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF
THE BLOODIEST SCENES I'VE SEEN.
[ SCREAMS ]
POLICE! OPEN UP!
Narrator: POLICE CHASE SUSPECTED
MURDERER RICHARD GARBER
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
MY ADRENALINE
IS ALWAYS PUMPING EVERY DAY.
Narrator: THIS FUGITIVE
STAYS ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE LAW.
NEED A RIDE?
WE WERE UP AGAINST A BRICK WALL.
Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS HOPE TO STOP HIM
BEFORE HE STRIKES AGAIN.
THEIR WORST FEAR IS THAT
HE'S GONNA FIGHT TO THE DEATH.
GO, GO.
MOVE, MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!
Narrator: CRIMINALS SOMETIMES
TRY TO ESCAPE FROM JUSTICE.
THIS IS THE STORY OF HOW ONE MAN
ALMOST GOT AWAY WITH IT.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
IT'S A FOGGY SUMMER NIGHT
IN LAUDERHILL, FLORIDA.
JANIO MORAES IS A CONSTRUCTION
WORKER ON DISABILITY LEAVE.
HE'S RETURNING TO HIS APARTMENT
AFTER A MEETING WITH HIS PASTOR.
IT'S LATE, AND THE BUILDING
IS DEADLY QUIET.
HIS NEIGHBOR RICHARD GARBER
IS LURKING IN THE SHADOWS.
MORAES IS UNAWARE THAT GARBER
IS STANDING IN THE HALLWAY.
MORAES TRIES TO DEFEND HIMSELF,
BUT THE BEATING IS RELENTLESS.
HAVING TAKEN
THE LIFE OF JANIO MORAES,
GARBER LEAVES THE SCENE.
LATER THAT EVENING,
GARBER SPENDS THE NIGHT GAMBLING
AT THE SEMINOLE CASINO,
10 MILES FROM HIS HOME.
A FEW DRINKS CALM HIS NERVES.
THEN HE LEAVES FOR HOME.
I DROVE
ACCORDING TO THE SPEED LIMIT.
I FOLLOWED ALL THE LAWS.
YOU KNOW, I WAS BELTED UP.
I KNOW THAT THAT'S
ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS TIMES,
WHEN YOU'RE IN THE CAR.
Narrator:
IT'S ONLY A SHORT DRIVE,
BUT GARBER DOESN'T MAKE IT FAR.
[ SIREN WAILS ]
AT 12:50 A.M., A POLICE OFFICER
PULLS GARBER OVER
FOR HAVING A FAULTY TAILLIGHT.
DRUGS...
ALCOHOL IN THE CAR?
NO, I DON'T.
NO?
I'VE GOT TO
CHECK THIS ONE IN.
ALL RIGHT.
Narrator: GARBER IS NERVOUS
AS THE OFFICER CALLS IN
HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE
AND LICENSE PLATE.
16748...
Garber: THE SIMPLEST,
LITTLEST, STUPIDEST THING
COULD COST YOU,
COULD GET YOU CAUGHT.
Narrator: GARBER'S
BACKGROUND CHECK COMES UP CLEAN.
IT SEEMS TO CHECK OUT.
THERE ARE NO OUTSTANDING
WARRANTS FOR HIS ARREST.
THE OFFICER HAS NO IDEA
THAT GARBER
HAS JUST COMMITTED MURDER.
THE NEXT MORNING,
MORAES' SISTER IS WORRIED.
HER BROTHER WENT OUT
THE NIGHT BEFORE,
AND SHE HASN'T SEEN HIM SINCE.
AS SHE LEAVES FOR WORK,
SHE DISCOVERS A HORRIFIC SCENE.
[ SCREAMS ]
Narrator:
IN A PANIC, SHE CALLS 911.
LEILA MORAES FOUND HER BROTHER
AROUND 7:30 A.M. THAT MORNING.
TO FIND HER BROTHER,
HER LOVED ONE,
BRUTALLY BEATEN TO DEATH,
SHE WAS DEVASTATED.
Narrator: SERGEANT
GLENN BUKATA IS A MEMBER
OF THE BROWARD COUNTY
SHERIFF'S HOMICIDE DIVISION
AND ONE OF THE LEAD
INVESTIGATORS ON THE CASE.
Bukata:
WHEN I ARRIVED ON SCENE,
I NOTICED
THAT THE ENTIRE HALLWAY
IN FRONT OF JANIO MORAES'
APARTMENT DOOR
WAS JUST COVERED IN BLOOD.
IT JUST SCREAMED VIOLENCE.
THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF
THE BLOODIEST SCENES I'VE SEEN
IN OVER 15 YEARS
WORKING HOMICIDES.
Narrator: POLICE BEGIN
THEIR FORENSICS WORK,
DOCUMENTING THE SCENE
AND COLLECTING EVIDENCE.
YOU HAVE TO PICK A WALL,
IF YOU WILL, AND YOU START.
AND THEN YOU METHODICALLY
EITHER GO CLOCKWISE
OR COUNTERCLOCKWISE,
AND YOU LITERALLY DOCUMENT
EVERY SQUARE FOOT OF THAT SCENE.
Narrator:
THEIR WORK WILL BE CRITICAL
IN DETERMINING THE IDENTITY
OF THE KILLER AND PROVING GUILT.
Mosher: WE'RE LOOKING FOR EVERY
TRACE FIBER, HAIR, FINGERPRINT,
FRICTION-RIDGE DETAIL PATTERN,
BLOODSTAIN.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR DNA EVIDENCE,
WE'RE LOOKING FOR SWEAT.
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING ]
Narrator:
THE FORENSICS TEAM DETERMINES
MORAES' CAUSE OF DEATH.
HE WAS BLUDGEONED
WITH A THREADED METAL PIPE.
THE INDIVIDUAL WHO DIED FOUGHT
FOR THEIR LIFE IN THIS HALLWAY.
HE WAS GOING INTO HIS APARTMENT.
HE HAS HIS KEYS IN HIS HAND.
NEXT THING YOU KNOW,
HE'S BEING WHACKED
WITH THIS PIPE ACROSS THE HEAD.
Narrator: SERGEANT
KEN KAMINSKY IS A MEMBER
OF THE BROWARD COUNTY
SHERIFF'S HOMICIDE DIVISION.
HE'S BUKATA'S PARTNER
AND THE OTHER LEAD INVESTIGATOR
ON THE CASE.
THERE WAS NO SCREAMING.
THERE WAS NO YELLING.
IT WAS JUST
A CONTINUAL, BRUTAL ONSLAUGHT
OF PIPE-SWINGING AT HIM.
HE HAD NEVER HAD A CHANCE.
SO, YOU SAID
YOU DIDN'T KNOW THE VICTIM.
I'D JUST SEEN HIM.
Narrator:
THE DAY AFTER THE MURDER,
INVESTIGATORS BEGIN TO QUESTION
APARTMENT RESIDENTS.
NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY
LAST NIGHT?
NOTHING, NOTHING.
DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW IF YOUR
BROTHER OWNS ANY WEAPONS?
THEY INTERVIEW THE SISTER
AND ASK IF SHE KNEW ANYONE
WHO WOULD WANT TO HURT MORAES.
RICHARD GARBER.
SHE TELLS THEM
THAT RICHARD GARBER
IS AN UPSTAIRS NEIGHBOR.
HE LIVES UPSTAIRS?
YEAH.
HE USED TO WORK AS A CAREGIVER
FOR HER DISABLED BROTHER.
OH, THAT'S
HOW THIS WORKS, HUH?
YOU'RE LUCKY FOR ME
YOU'RE ALIVE.
WHAT?!
Garber: HE HAD OWED ME
FOR THE LAST WEEK THAT I WORKED.
I DON'T REMEMBER
THE EXACT AMOUNT.
IT WAS LIKE $250,
SOMEWHERE IN THAT NATURE.
AND WHEN I WENT TO COLLECT,
HE GAVE ME A CHECK FOR $127.
AND I SAID, "WHAT IS THIS?"
HE SAID,
"WELL, THIS IS WHAT I OWE YOU."
I SAID, "WELL, NO, IT ISN'T."
HE SAID, "WELL, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S ALL I'M GONNA PAY."
[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]
MR. GARBER?
Garber:
HI. CAN I HELP YOU?
YES.
Narrator: THE DETECTIVES
ARE ANXIOUS TO LEARN
WHAT RICHARD GARBER KNOWS
ABOUT THE MURDER.
SURE. COME ON IN.
THEY INTERVIEW GARBER
IN HIS APARTMENT.
EVERYTHING
WAS FINE, YEAH.
HE WAS A COOL GUY
TO WORK FOR.
I HAD NO PROBLEMS.
Narrator:
GARBER TELLS THE INVESTIGATORS
THAT MORAES WAS RECOVERING
FROM A WORK INJURY.
Garber: ONE OF THE NAILS DIDN'T
GO IN, HIT HIM IN THE HEAD.
AND IT DID A LOT OF DAMAGE.
Narrator: GARBER SAYS
HE AND HIS LONGTIME GIRLFRIEND,
ANNA MARIA ALCANTERA,
MET MORAES THROUGH SOME FRIENDS.
THEY OFFERED TO HELP MORAES
BY FINDING
DISABILITY INSURANCE FOR HIM.
AT THE SAME TIME,
THEY BECAME HIS CAREGIVERS.
DURING THIS TIME, GARBER SAYS,
HE AND MORAES BECAME FRIENDS.
Garber: I USED TO TAKE HIM
TO THE BASEBALL GAMES.
WE WENT BOWLING, TO THE MOVIES.
I MEAN, HE WAS A FRIEND.
Narrator:
GARBER ALSO TELLS INVESTIGATORS
THAT MORAES WAS SUING
THE NAIL-GUN MANUFACTURER.
HE WAS HOPING TO RECEIVE
A BIG SETTLEMENT.
Bukata: RICHARD GARBER
WAS A VERY OUTGOING INDIVIDUAL.
HE WAS VERY ARTICULATE,
HIGHLY INTELLIGENT.
BUT ALSO YOU CAN TELL OVER TIME
THAT HE APPEARED TO BE
SOMEWHAT...MANIPULATIVE.
Narrator: GARBER TELLS POLICE
THE TWO HAD AN ARGUMENT
AND MORAES FIRED HIM.
IT WAS NO BIG THING,
YOU KNOW?
Narrator:
DESPITE THIS, GARBER SAYS HE HAD
NO HARD FEELINGS TOWARD MORAES.
I'M NOT REALLY STRESSED
FOR ANY MONEY OR ANYTHING,
BUT, YOU KNOW.
SO, WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?
Narrator: THE SERGEANTS BELIEVE
GARBER'S STORY
AND DON'T CONSIDER HIM
A SUSPECT.
RICHARD GARBER
CAME ACROSS VERY, VERY CALM,
COOL, COLLECTED, VERY CORDIAL.
THERE WAS NOTHING THAT JUMPED UP
AND SAID, "BE ALERT."
YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA BE
MOVING TO VEGAS.
Narrator: FREE TO GO,
GARBER TELLS THE OFFICERS
THAT HE'S MOVING TO LAS VEGAS
WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE I CAN
HELP YOU, ANY MORE QUESTIONS...
Garber:
ANNA MARIA GOT SICK.
SHE HAD BREAST CANCER
AND EMPHYSEMA.
SO SHE KNEW
THAT HER TIME WAS LIMITED,
AND SHE WANTED TO GO TO VEGAS,
SO WE DECIDED TO MOVE THERE.
APPRECIATE IT.
ABSOLUTELY.
SURE. ABSOLUTELY, YES.
Narrator: GARBER GIVES POLICE
HIS NEW PHONE NUMBER
AND STARTS DRIVING TO LAS VEGAS.
SO, HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED
IN THE BUILDING?
THE SERGEANTS
CONTINUE THEIR INVESTIGATION.
THEY SPEND THE NEXT FEW DAYS
CANVASSING THE NEIGHBORHOOD
AND LOOKING INTO ANYONE
WHO WOULD WANT MORAES DEAD.
THEY BELIEVE THAT THIS CRIME
WASN'T A RANDOM ACT OF VIOLENCE.
Mosher: IT CERTAINLY
DID NOT APPEAR TO BE
A HIT-AND-RUN-
ROBBERY-STYLE ISSUE,
AND THE PERSON
WHO COMMITTED THIS ACT
CLEARLY WAS NOT GONNA STOP UNTIL
THEY ACCOMPLISHED THEIR MISSION.
KAMINSKY.
Narrator: ON MONDAY, JULY 5th,
TWO DAYS AFTER THE MURDER,
THE BROWARD COUNTY
SHERIFF'S OFFICE
GETS A CALL FROM
THE LAS VEGAS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Officer:
WHAT CAN I HELP YOU WITH?
Narrator: AN UNLIKELY SOURCE
HAS GIVEN THEM AN IMPORTANT TIP.
I HAVE
SOME INFORMATION...
WE GET NOTIFIED FROM
THE LAS VEGAS POLICE DEPARTMENT
THAT THEY HAD A TIP.
OKAY. WHAT'S HIS NAME?
HIS NAME IS RICK GARBER.
THEY TOLD US THAT A FEMALE
NAMED ANNA MARIA ALCANTERA
WAS AT THEIR POLICE STATION
AND THAT SHE WAS REPORTING
TO THEM THAT RICK GARBER
WAS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE MURDER OF JANIO.
HE'S HERE IN TOWN
RIGHT NOW.
OKAY.
Narrator: ANNA MARIA TELLS
POLICE HOW RICK CONFIDED IN HER.
HE TOLD HER THAT HE KILLED
MORAES AND HOW HE DID IT.
ANNA HAD
VERY DETAILED INFORMATION --
INFORMATION ABOUT THE MURDER
THAT ONLY
THE MURDERER AND WE KNEW.
WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN?
HOPEFULLY,
I'M GONNA WIN.
HOPEFULLY?
YEAH.
Narrator:
APPARENTLY, THERE WAS MORE TO
THE STORY OF MORAES' LAWSUIT
THAN GARBER REVEALED TO POLICE.
JANIO MORAES
HAD PROMISED RICHARD GARBER
SOME OF THAT MONEY --
A LARGE SUM OF MONEY
IN THE TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF DOLLARS.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO
WITH THE MONEY?
I'M GONNA GET BETTER,
ENJOY MY LIFE.
GET BETTER?
ENJOY YOUR LIFE?
OH, REALLY?
WHAT ABOUT ME?
Bukata: WHEN THE RELATIONSHIP
BECAME SOUR,
JANIO MORAES TOLD RICHARD GARBER
NOT ONLY WAS HE NOT GOING TO
TAKE CARE OF HIM ANYMORE --
HE WAS FIRED --
BUT THAT HE WASN'T GONNA BE
A PARTY TO ANY MONIES
THAT RICHARD GARBER
WAS SUPPOSED TO GET.
YOU ARE A CHEAP BASTARD!
GO AHEAD.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!
YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT!
Narrator: ANNA MARIA TELLS THEM
WHERE GARBER IS STAYING.
A WARRANT IS ISSUED
FOR RICHARD GARBER'S ARREST.
THEN SERGEANTS
BUKATA AND KAMINSKY
TAKE THE FIRST FLIGHT
TO LAS VEGAS.
THE SERGEANTS
ARRIVE IN LAS VEGAS.
FOR A FUGITIVE ON THE RUN,
GARBER FEELS
THERE'S NO BETTER PLACE
TO LOSE YOURSELF
AND BECOME ANONYMOUS
THAN IN THE LIGHTS
AND EXCITEMENT OF LAS VEGAS.
THE SERGEANTS HEAD TO THE HOTEL
AND UP TO GARBER'S ROOM.
Kaminsky: ALL SORTS OF THINGS
START TO GO THROUGH YOUR MIND
AS YOU WALK STEP-BY-STEP
DOWN THE HALL.
YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT
THE BRUTALITY OF THE MURDER,
AND YOU'RE THINKING, OBVIOUSLY,
OF OUR SAFETY
AS HOMICIDE DETECTIVES.
[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]
POLICE! OPEN UP!
Narrator:
THERE'S NO REPLY.
THE OFFICERS
COULD BE WALKING INTO A TRAP.
WITH THEIR WEAPONS AT THE READY,
THEY SLIDE THE KEY INTO THE DOOR
AND CHARGE IN.
[ SIRENS WAILING ]
Narrator: IN JULY OF 1999,
FORT LAUDERDALE INVESTIGATORS
ARE ON A CROSS-COUNTRY MANHUNT
FOR RICHARD GARBER...
[ ELEVATOR BELL DINGS ]
...THE MAN THEY BELIEVE
VICIOUSLY MURDERED JANIO MORAES.
IT'S BEEN FIVE DAYS
SINCE THE MURDER,
AND THEY'VE TRACKED GARBER
TO A LAS VEGAS HOTEL ROOM.
Kaminsky:
WE COME INTO THE ROOM,
AND INSIDE THE ROOM,
WE SEE THAT THE BED'S UNMADE.
WE SEE THAT THERE'S A SUITCASE
THAT'S THERE -- IT'S OPEN.
THERE ARE CLOTHES
THAT ARE STREWN ABOUT THE ROOM.
WE FOUND THAT HE HAD TOILETRIES
THAT WERE STILL IN THE BATHROOM,
BUT NO RICK GARBER.
HE WAS GONE.
Bukata: HE DIDN'T TAKE ANYTHING.
LOOKS LIKE HE'S STILL HERE.
THIS IS RECENT.
THINK HE'S STILL
IN THE HOTEL?
LET'S GO.
LET'S GO.
Narrator: AFTER EARLIER TIPPING
OFF POLICE, GARBER'S GIRLFRIEND,
ANNA MARIA ALCANTERA,
HAD A CHANGE OF HEART.
[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
SHE CALLED GARBER AND WARNED HIM
THAT THE POLICE
WERE COMING FOR HIM.
WHAT?!
ACCORDING TO
FUGITIVE EXPERT STEVE FERDIN,
THIS CAN BE A COMMON OCCURRENCE
FOR THE LOVED ONES OF FUGITIVES.
ALCANTERA IS EXPERIENCING SOME
CONFLICTING EMOTIONS RIGHT NOW.
ON THE ONE HAND,
SHE'S IN LOVE WITH GARBER
AND SHE WANTS TO HELP HIM.
AND ON THE OTHER HAND,
SHE KNOWS THE RIGHT THING TO DO
IS TO TELL THE POLICE
WHERE HE'S AT.
AND SHE DOESN'T WANT TO
GO TO JAIL.
EXCUSE ME, THE GENTLEMAN
WE WERE LOOKING FOR EARLIER --
RICHARD GARBER --
HAVE YOU SEEN HIM IN THE LOBBY?
NO, I HAVEN'T SEEN HIM
AT ALL THIS MORNING.
Narrator: THE DETECTIVES
FAN OUT, SEARCHING THE LOBBY,
THE GAMING AREA,
AND OTHER PARTS OF THE HOTEL.
Bukata: WE KNEW THAT
WE JUST MISSED RICHARD GARBER,
PROBABLY WITHIN A FEW HOURS.
OKAY.
WE WERE ON THE TRAIL
OF A MURDERER.
[ ELEVATOR BELL DINGS ]
Narrator:
THEY POST AN ALL-POINTS BULLETIN
TO OTHER HOTELS AND CASINOS
TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT
FOR RICHARD GARBER.
Bukata: WE BELIEVED THAT
RICHARD GARBER WOULD SHOW UP
BACK AT EITHER THE MAXIM
OR ANOTHER HOTEL IN LAS VEGAS.
Narrator: AS POLICE
SEARCH FOR GARBER IN LAS VEGAS,
GARBER IS RACING
DOWN THE HIGHWAY.
BEFORE LEAVING, HE MEETS
WITH ANNA MARIA ONE LAST TIME.
HI.
HI. HOW ARE YOU DOING?
Garber: I SAID, REGARDLESS
OF WHAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW,
THIS IS, LIKE, THE END OF
MY LIFE AS I KNOW IT, YOU KNOW?
AND I DECIDED TO TAKE OFF.
I HAD SOME MONEY PUT AWAY,
YOU KNOW,
AND SHE HAD ON HER,
AT THAT POINT IN TIME,
ABOUT $14,000,
WHICH SHE GAVE ME.
AND I TOOK OFF.
Narrator: UNSURE OF WHERE TO GO,
HE HEADS WEST TO CALIFORNIA.
Garber:
I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A PLAN.
YOU KNOW, WHO EXPECTS
TO FIND THEMSELVES A FUGITIVE?
I REALLY HAD NO IDEA
WHAT I WAS DOING.
I JUST KNEW
THAT I WAS TAKING OFF.
THE REST OF IT
I WAS GONNA PLAY BY EAR.
Narrator: GARBER HAS NOTHING
BUT OPEN ROAD IN FRONT OF HIM.
HE GETS ABOUT 50 MILES
OUTSIDE OF LAS VEGAS
WHEN IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE HOT, DUSTY DESERT,
HIS CAR BREAKS DOWN.
GARBER IS STUCK IN THE DESERT
AND BAKING IN THE JULY HEAT.
HE KNOWS THAT DEATH
COMES QUICKLY OUT HERE.
GARBER DECIDES
TO ABANDON HIS CAR.
HE REMOVES THE LICENSE PLATE
BUT LEAVES HIS MAP BEHIND.
THEN ALL HE CAN DO IS WAIT.
HE DOESN'T HAVE TO WAIT LONG.
NEED A RIDE?
YEAH.
WHAT HAPPENED?
YOUR CAR OVERHEATED?
THE DRIVER OFFERS HIM
A RIDE TO BAKER, CALIFORNIA,
THE NEAREST TOWN FROM THERE.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING
OUT HERE?
HE HAS NO IDEA THAT GARBER
IS WANTED FOR MURDER.
IT'S VERY DANGEROUS
IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION
FOR THE MOTORIST
TO PICK UP GARBER.
HOW LONG
YOU BEEN IN NEVADA?
WE DON'T KNOW
HOW DESPERATE GARBER IS.
IF GARBER SLIPS UP AND SAYS
SOMETHING TO THE MOTORIST,
IS GARBER GONNA PANIC AND SAY,
"I NEED TO KILL THIS PERSON,
"BECAUSE HE'S GONNA TELL
THE POLICE WHO I AM,
WHERE I'M AT,
WHICH WAY I'M HEADED"?
Narrator: THEY ARRIVE
IN BAKER, CALIFORNIA,
WITHOUT INCIDENT.
WELL,
THERE YOU GO.
GARBER GETS A NEW CAR
AND HITS THE ROAD ONCE AGAIN.
HE HAS LOST VALUABLE TIME
AND FEARS POLICE ARE CLOSING IN.
Garber: I KNEW
THE WARRANT HAD KICKED IN.
MY ADRENALINE
WAS GOING FULL-BLAST.
FELT LIKE I WAS HAVING
A HEART ATTACK.
ALL MY SENSES
WERE HEIGHTENED.
I WAS ON FULL ALERT.
Narrator: AS GARBER
IS FLEEING TO THE DESERT,
BACK IN FLORIDA,
2,700 MILES AWAY,
THE BROWARD COUNTY FORENSICS
TEAM IS SEARCHING HIS APARTMENT.
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]
Mosher:
WE'RE LOOKING FOR BODY FLUIDS.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR ANY
AND EVERY CLUE ONE CAN IMAGINE.
Narrator: THEY DISCOVER
WHAT COULD BE IMPORTANT EVIDENCE
TYING GARBER TO THE MURDER.
WE LOCATED ITEMS
INSIDE THE APARTMENT
THAT CERTAINLY WERE
INVESTIGATIVE CLUES
LITERALLY
STARING ME IN THE FACE.
Narrator:
POLICE ARE SURPRISED TO DISCOVER
SO MUCH EVIDENCE LEFT BEHIND.
THEY FIND TRACES OF BLOOD
ON THE FRONT DOOR HANDLE,
THE THERMOSTAT, AND EVEN A PAPER
TOWEL IN THE KITCHEN TRASH.
INVESTIGATORS ALSO FIND
A BAG CONTAINING LATEX GLOVES
SIMILAR TO THE FRAGMENTS
FOUND AT THE CRIME SCENE.
BACK IN LAS VEGAS,
SERGEANTS BUKATA AND KAMINSKY
ARE STILL HOPING TO GET A LEAD
ON GARBER'S WHEREABOUTS.
CAN YOU LET ME KNOW
IF YOU'VE SEEN HIM
OR ANYONE WHO LOOKS LIKE HIM
IN THE PAST DAY OR TWO?
NEVER SEEN HIM.
THEY NARROWLY MISSED CAPTURING
GARBER IN HIS HOTEL ROOM,
AND NOW THEY'RE SEARCHING
OTHER HOTELS AND CASINOS.
POLICE SOON DISCOVER THAT
GARBER'S COUSIN, PERRY SACOWITZ,
LIVES IN LAS VEGAS.
Kaminsky:
MR. SACOWITZ?
YEAH.
WHAT'S GOING ON, GUYS?
YOU'RE THE COUSIN
OF, UH, RICHARD GARBER, YES?
Bukata:
WE ASKED PERRY SACOWITZ IF HE'D
SEEN HIS COUSIN RICHARD GARBER.
HE SAID HE DID BUT
THAT RICHARD GARBER TOOK OFF,
AND HE HAD NO IDEA
WHERE RICHARD GARBER WAS.
MAYBE DOWN TO THE STRIP,
YOU KNOW, GAMBLING A LITTLE,
TO LOOK FOR SOME LADIES?
I DON'T KNOW.
WE INFORMED PERRY SACOWITZ
THAT WE WERE LOOKING
FOR RICHARD GARBER
CONCERNING A MURDER THAT
HAPPENED IN LAUDERHILL, FLORIDA,
THAT IF HE WERE TO SEE
HIS COUSIN RICHARD GARBER,
THAT PERRY SACOWITZ
SHOULD CALL AUTHORITIES
TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
BUKATA.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS HAVE
RUN OUT OF LEADS IN LAS VEGAS.
WHAT? WHERE?
THEY ARE ABOUT TO RETURN
TO FLORIDA
WHEN THEY GET THE BREAK
THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.
WAS THERE
ANYTHING INSIDE?
I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM
THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL.
THE DISPATCHER TOLD ME
THAT RICHARD GARBER'S CAR
WAS LOCATED IN CALIFORNIA
WITHIN THE MOJAVE DESERT.
IT WAS UNOCCUPIED
AND APPEARED TO BE ABANDONED.
Narrator: DETECTIVES REQUEST
AN AERIAL SEARCH
WHERE THE CAR WAS DISCOVERED.
WE HAD A HELICOPTER COME OUT
AND CHECK THE AREA OF THE DESERT
TO SEE IF HE ACTUALLY
WAS SLEEPING SOMEWHERE,
CAMPING SOMEWHERE, FLED,
WALKING THROUGH THE DESERT
IN ORDER TO EVADE US.
Narrator: THE AERIAL POLICE UNIT
SCANS THE DESERT
LOOKING FOR A CAMPSITE,
DISCARDED LUGGAGE,
OR ANY OTHER SIGN
OF RICHARD GARBER.
MEANWHILE, BUKATA AND KAMINSKY
TRAVEL TO BARSTOW, CALIFORNIA,
AND TO WHERE THE HIGHWAY PATROL
HAS TOWED
GARBER'S ABANDONED CAR.
THEY EXAMINE THE CAR
AND FIND SOME IMPORTANT CLUES.
Kaminsky: WE FOUND BLOOD
ON THE STEERING WHEEL.
WE FOUND BLOOD, ALSO,
ON THE SEAT.
Narrator:
THE EVIDENCE IS COLLECTED
AND SENT BACK TO
THE FORENSICS TEAM FOR ANALYSIS.
THE SERGEANTS ALSO FIND
THE MAP GARBER LEFT BEHIND.
HE MAY HAVE MADE A MISTAKE
AND GIVEN AWAY HIS DESTINATION.
Narrator: IT'S BEEN TWO WEEKS
SINCE JANIO MORAES WAS MURDERED
IN HIS LAUDERHILL, FLORIDA,
APARTMENT.
FUGITIVE RICHARD GARBER
IS HEADING TO CALIFORNIA
AFTER NARROWLY ESCAPING
AUTHORITIES IN LAS VEGAS.
POLICE LOCATE HIS ABANDONED CAR
ALONG THE HIGHWAY.
IT HOLDS A CLUE THAT COULD
POINT TO GARBER'S WHEREABOUTS.
Bukata:
UPON SEARCHING THE CAR,
WE FOUND, IN PLAIN VIEW
ON THE PASSENGER SEAT, A MAP.
THE MAP WAS FACE-UP.
THE STATE WAS CALIFORNIA.
WE KNEW NOW THAT HE HAD A TARGET
AND HE WAS TRYING
TO GET OUT TO,
AND THAT WAS
SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA,
AND THAT HE WAS GONNA CONTINUE
TO TRY TO EVADE LAW ENFORCEMENT.
Narrator: THINKING
THEY HAVE AN IMPORTANT LEAD,
INVESTIGATORS FOCUS THEIR SEARCH
ON SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
THEY ALERT AUTHORITIES
ALONG INTERSTATE I-15
AND IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES.
LOS ANGELES POLICE
POST FLIERS AND ISSUE ALERTS.
FINDING ONE FUGITIVE IN A VAST
REGION OF OVER 24 MILLION PEOPLE
IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.
WHAT INVESTIGATORS DON'T KNOW
IS THAT GARBER HAS PURPOSELY
THROWN THEM OFF HIS TRAIL.
Garber: I HAD A MAP OUT
THAT I HAD BEEN LOOKING AT,
AND I KIND OF TRACED A LINE
TO SAN DIEGO,
EVEN THOUGH I WAS GOING NORTH.
SO IT WAS JUST A LITTLE RUSE
THAT ACTUALLY KIND OF WORKED.
IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE,
LEAVING THE MAP BEHIND
WITH THE LINE SHOWING
HE WAS HEADED TOWARDS SAN DIEGO
WAS PRETTY CREATIVE ON HIS PART.
MOST FUGITIVES
AREN'T THAT CREATIVE.
Narrator:
AS POLICE FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION
ON SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,
RICHARD GARBER IS HEADING NORTH
TO THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA.
HE HAS TRAVELED OVER 3,000 MILES
SINCE LEAVING HIS HOME,
NEAR FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA.
AS HE SEARCHES
FOR A PLACE TO SETTLE DOWN,
HE'S PARANOID AND CONSTANTLY
LOOKING OVER HIS SHOULDER.
Garber: YOU ARE ALWAYS AWARE
THAT YOU'RE ON THE RUN.
IT NEVER LEAVES YOU.
THERE'S NEVER A MOMENT
THAT, YOU KNOW,
YOU FEEL COMPLETELY AT EASE,
YOU KNOW?
ANY MINUTE,
THAT DOOR COULD BE BUSTED OPEN,
AND HERE THEY COME IN,
RUNNING FOR YOU.
Bukata: RICHARD GARBER
MAY HAVE BEEN FREE,
BUT IN HIS MIND,
HE WAS A CAUGHT MAN.
EVERY DAY, HE HAD TO WAKE UP
FEELING CONTAINED.
Narrator:
GARBER DRIVES SOUTH TO SAN JOSE,
HOPING TO SETTLE DOWN THERE.
AND AT THIS POINT IN TIME,
I REALIZED THAT I REALLY
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING.
I WENT OVER TO THE LIBRARY,
AND I GOT ON THE INTERNET
AND STARTED HUNTING AROUND,
TRYING TO FIND SOME CLUES.
AND I FOUND A COUPLE OF WEBSITES
THAT GAVE...NOT RULES BUT, LIKE,
GUIDELINES FOR FUGITIVES.
Narrator:
BACK IN FLORIDA, FORENSICS
TECHNICIANS BEGIN THEIR WORK.
THEY ANALYZE EVIDENCE
COLLECTED FROM THE CRIME SCENE,
GARBER'S APARTMENT,
AND GARBER'S ABANDONED CAR.
THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART CRIME LAB
IS SET UP TO ANALYZE
ALMOST ANY TYPE OF EVIDENCE.
THEIR RACK OF FIREARMS
ALLOWS THEM TO TEST BALLISTICS
ON A WIDE RANGE
OF PISTOLS AND RIFLES.
THEIR ARTISTS
CAN RE-CREATE VICTIM PROFILES
FROM A SMALL PIECE OF SKULL.
AND THEIR DRUG VAULT HOUSES
SOME OF COLOMBIA'S FINEST.
FOR THE GARBER CASE, TECHNICIANS
USE A DNA-ROBOTICS MACHINE
TO DETERMINE THE IDENTITY
OF EACH BLOOD SAMPLE.
THOSE SAMPLES,
ONCE THEY'RE ACTUALLY
RACKED, STACKED, AND PACKED
INTO SPECIALIZED CONTAINERS --
NOW A ROBOT CAN SAMPLE WHAT 10
YEARS AGO A HUMAN HAD TO SAMPLE.
Narrator: THEY USE
SPECIALIZED LIGHT SOURCES
TO EXAMINE THE FLOOR PANELS
OF HIS APARTMENT.
Mosher:
HAIRS, FIBERS, AND BLOOD
WILL FLUORESCE OR LUMINESCE.
WE THEN SEE CLUES THAT
WOULD NORMALLY GO UNDETECTED.
Narrator:
THEY ANALYZE THE GLOVE FRAGMENTS
FOUND AT THE CRIME SCENE.
Mosher: TO THE FORENSIC
SCIENTIST OR PRACTITIONER,
YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR THAT NEEDLE IN THE HAYSTACK
THAT VERY WELL MAY BE
THE CLUE THAT SOLVES THE CASE.
Narrator:
THE WORK BEING DONE IN THE LAB
WILL BE HELPFUL
DURING THE TRIAL,
BUT FIRST, THEY HAVE TO CATCH
THEIR FUGITIVE.
IT'S BEEN THREE MONTHS
SINCE GARBER BRUTALLY MURDERED
JANIO MORAES THEN SLIPPED AWAY.
THE TRAIL HAS GONE COLD,
AND INVESTIGATORS ARE WORRIED.
NOTHING ON THE HOTEL?
WE FELT THE LONGER
THAT RICK WAS ON THE RUN
THAT HE WAS
A DANGER TO OTHER PEOPLE.
WE WERE CONCERNED
THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN
IN CALIFORNIA OR LAS VEGAS
OR WHEREVER HE MAY END UP.
Narrator: USING A FALSE NAME
AND PAYING CASH,
GARBER RENTS A CHEAP APARTMENT
IN SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.
HE AVOIDS GETTING A JOB,
FEARING HE MIGHT GET CAUGHT.
AND NOW HIS SUPPLY OF CASH
HAS GOTTEN DANGEROUSLY LOW.
BUT HE KNOWS WHERE TO GET MORE.
Garber: I KNEW I HAD TO
GET IN TOUCH WITH ANNA,
AND I DIDN'T WANT TO CALL.
I WAS PRETTY SURE
THAT THEY HAD HER PHONE TAPPED,
AND MY COUSIN, TOO.
SO I DROVE TO VEGAS.
Narrator: GOING BACK
TO LAS VEGAS IS A RISKY MOVE.
THE POLICE ARE ACTIVELY
LOOKING FOR HIM THERE.
BUT GARBER IS DESPERATE.
HE ARRIVES IN TOWN
AND ARRANGES TO MEET ANNA MARIA.
Garber:
WE SET UP A LITTLE SYSTEM
WHERE I'D MEET HER ONCE A MONTH
AT A CERTAIN PLACE,
AND SHE WOULD GIVE ME
BETWEEN $3,000, $4,000, $5,000.
Narrator: ANNA MARIA'S SUPPORT
IS GARBER'S LIFELINE.
IT'S A SHORT-LIVED REUNION,
AS GARBER TAKES THE MONEY
AND IMMEDIATELY
HEADS BACK TO SAN JOSE.
DURING THE DRIVE,
GARBER REMAINS ON EDGE.
HE KNOWS THAT HIS GREATEST
CHANCE OF CONTACT WITH POLICE
IS DURING A TRAFFIC STOP.
Ferdin:
IN GARBER'S SITUATION,
THAT IS PROBABLY GONNA BE
THE WEAKEST LINK IN THE CHAIN,
BECAUSE HE COULD BE STOPPED
FOR A TAILLIGHT OUT.
HE COULD GET INVOLVED
IN AN ACCIDENT,
SOMETHING HE COULDN'T AVOID,
THAT'S GONNA BRING HIM
IN CONTACT WITH
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Narrator:
GARBER TRAVELS THE 600 MILES
BACK TO SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA,
WITHOUT INCIDENT.
HE MAKES IT TO WITHIN
A FEW MILES OF HIS NEW HOME...
WHEN HE HAS
AN ACCIDENT WITH A CYCLIST.
[ THUD ]
ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?
WHAT THE HELL
WERE YOU DOING?
I-I DIDN'T SEE YOU.
GARBER IS ANXIOUS
TO KEEP THINGS QUIET,
BUT THE MAN HE'S JUST HIT
IS AN OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICER.
THIS ONE MISTAKE COULD SPELL
THE END OF HIS FREEDOM.
Narrator:
FOR MORE THAN THREE MONTHS,
RICHARD GARBER HAS
BEEN HIDING OUT AS A FUGITIVE
IN SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.
HE'S EVADING POLICE,
WHO BELIEVE HE'S RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE MURDER OF A MAN
BACK IN FLORIDA.
WHILE PULLING
OUT OF A PARKING LOT,
GARBER HAS A DANGEROUS RUN-IN.
Garber: SO, I INCHED OUT MY CAR
VERY SLOWLY.
AND I MEAN VERY SLOWLY.
I JUST INCHED IT OUT.
AND HERE COMES THIS BICYCLE.
IT HIT MY FRONT FENDER,
AND THE GUY WENT FLYING.
[ THUD ]
Narrator:
THE BICYCLIST MAY BE INJURED,
BUT HELPING HIM
COULD PUT GARBER AT RISK.
ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?
WHAT THE HELL
WERE YOU DOING?
I-I DIDN'T SEE YOU.
HE JUMPS UP
AND STARTS YELLING AT ME.
YOU KNOW, I SAID,
"WHOA, WHOA, WHOA."
I SAID, "I CAME OUT REAL SLOW.
I JUST INCHED OUT."
YOU SHOULD BE WATCHING
WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
PEOPLE ARE UP AND DOWN
THE STREET ALL THE TIME.
OKAY?
[ SIGHS ]
SAN JOSE P.D.
HE SAYS, "WELL,
I'M A SAN JOSE POLICEMAN."
I SAID,
"OHH, JUST WHAT I NEEDED."
LOOK AT MY BIKE.
MY BIKE COULD BE
COMPLETELY DESTROYED.
LET ME SEE YOUR I.D.
MY I.D.?
LET ME SEE IT.
I SAID, "YOU'RE THE ONE THAT
SHOULDN'T BE ON THE SIDEWALK."
Narrator:
PUSHING BACK IS GARBER'S ONLY
HOPE FOR AVOIDING DETECTION.
I WAS DRIVING SLOW.
I MEAN, I WAS LOOKING
WHERE I WAS GOING.
I JUST DIDN'T SEE YOU.
ALL RIGHT, MAN.
I GUESS, JUST...
YEAH, I SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN
ON THE SIDEWALK, OKAY?
REALIZING HE'S PARTLY AT FAULT,
THE OFFICER BACKS OFF.
YOU KNOW, WATCH WHERE
YOU'RE GOING NEXT TIME, OKAY?
Garber: HE SAID, "OH, WELL. YOU
KNOW, YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THAT."
I SAID, "WELL, LOOK.
YOU KNOW, ARE YOU OKAY?"
HE SAID, "YEAH.
LET'S JUST LET THIS GO."
Narrator:
IT'S A CLOSE CALL
AND ANOTHER REMINDER THAT
HE CAN NEVER LET HIS GUARD DOWN.
Garber: NOTHING WAS AS CLOSE AS
THAT -- HITTING THE POLICEMAN.
I DON'T THINK
IT GETS ANY CLOSER THAN THAT.
GARBER IS BLENDING IN
WITH HIS NEW SURROUNDINGS.
HE SPENDS THE NEXT FEW MONTHS
LAYING LOW
AND SETTLING IN
TO LIFE ON THE RUN.
Garber: I STARTED HANGING OUT
IN MUSEUMS, LIBRARIES.
I WENT TO PARKS.
I JUST TRIED TO KEEP
A LOW PROFILE.
I BOUGHT A BASEBALL CAP.
I KEPT IT
PULLED DOWN OVER MY EYES.
YOU KNOW,
SOME BLACK-RIMMED GLASSES.
Narrator: GARBER
IS LIVING UNDER THE RADAR.
HE'S MINGLING WITH A PUBLIC
WHO HAS NO IDEA
OF THE MURDERER IN THEIR MIDST.
YOU NEVER KNOW IF THE PERSON
SITTING NEXT TO YOU
IN THE PARK OR AT THE MOVIES
OR A RESTAURANT IS A FUGITIVE.
THEY DON'T HAVE
A STEREOTYPICAL LOOK TO THEM.
A FUGITIVE COULD BE A JUVENILE.
IT COULD BE AN ELDERLY MAN.
IT COULD BE FEMALE.
THEY DON'T HAVE
A STAMP ACROSS THEIR FOREHEAD.
Narrator:
ON A WARM SUMMER DAY,
GARBER SITS DOWN
FOR A QUIET LUNCH IN THE PARK.
DESPITE THE PEACEFUL SETTING,
TROUBLE IS BREWING.
A SWAT TEAM GEARS UP, PREPARING
TO ARREST A DANGEROUS FUGITIVE.
OUT OF NOWHERE,
THE SWAT TEAM MOVES IN.
GARBER PANICS.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
Officer: GET HIM! GET HIM!
GET HIM! GET HIM!
OVER HERE!
MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!
ON YOUR KNEES!
HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD!
DO NOT MOVE! DO NOT MOVE!
Narrator:
THEY GET THEIR MAN,
BUT IT'S NOT GARBER
THEY'RE AFTER.
IT'S A CHILLING REMINDER THAT
ALTHOUGH HE'S NOT BEHIND BARS,
HE'S STILL NOT FREE.
Garber:
AND I WAS JUST SITTING THERE
WATCHING
THIS WHOLE THING COME DOWN,
AND I WAS THINKING,
"BOY, THAT COULD BE ME.
THEY COULD BE
COMING HERE FOR ME NEXT."
Narrator: IT'S A STARK REMINDER
THAT FOR FUGITIVES ON THE RUN,
YOU CAN GET CAUGHT
ANYTIME AND ANYWHERE.
IT'S NOT HIS ONLY CLOSE CALL.
HE RENTS A ROOM IN AN APARTMENT,
AND ONE DAY,
WHILE DOING HIS LAUNDRY,
HE FINDS
THAT THE MACHINE'S IN USE.
HE LEAVES HIS CLOTHES FOR LATER
AND GOES FOR A RUN.
SHORTLY AFTERWARD,
A NEIGHBOR DOING HER OWN LAUNDRY
SEES GARBER'S LAUNDRY
AND DECIDES TO DO HIM A FAVOR.
AS SHE LOADS HIS CLOTHES
INTO THE MACHINE,
SHE FINDS HIS WALLET.
THE NAME ON HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE
IS NOT THE NAME
SHE KNOWS HIM BY.
"RICHARD GARBER"?
THAT'S NOT --
THAT'S NOT HIS NAME.
Narrator: ALARMED BY THIS, SHE
IMMEDIATELY CALLS THE POLICE.
IT'S HIS PICTURE,
BUT THE NAME ISN'T HIS NAME.
Garber:
SO SHE GOT A LITTLE FREAKY
BECAUSE IT WASN'T
THE NAME THAT I HAD BEEN USING.
SHE CALLED UP
THE SAN JOSE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Narrator:
WHEN GARBER RETURNS,
SHE CONFRONTS HIM
WITH HIS TRUE IDENTITY.
I PUT YOUR LAUNDRY IN
FOR YOU.
OH, WELL...
WELL, THANKS.
YOU LEFT YOUR WALLET
IN YOUR JEANS.
THANK YOU.
SHOULD I CALL YOU
"RICHARD GARBER" NOW?
I'M SORRY?
Narrator: THIS IS THE MOMENT
GARBER HAS BEEN DREADING.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW
WHAT KIND OF DANGER I WAS IN.
YOU CALLED THE POLICE?
YEAH. I...
Narrator: THE WOMAN TELLS GARBER
THAT THE POLICE CONFIRMED
THERE WERE NO WARRANTS
OUT FOR HIS ARREST.
YOU'RE SURE? OKAY, WELL,
SORRY I BOTHERED YOU.
HIS RECORD IS CLEAN.
SOMEHOW,
THE POLICE NEVER CONNECTED HIM
TO THE MURDER IN FLORIDA.
Garber: WELL, I ACTED LIKE,
"WELL, YEAH, OF COURSE
"THEY'RE NOT GOING TO -- THERE'S
NO WARRANTS OUT ON ME, YOU KNOW?
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?"
BUT INSIDE, I WAS LIKE, "I CAN'T
BELIEVE I DUCKED THAT BULLET."
I DON'T KNOW HOW.
I REALLY DON'T.
GARBER DID A GOOD JOB
IN THIS SITUATION.
HE STAYED COOL.
HE DIDN'T PANIC.
HAD HE PANICKED,
HE WOULD HAVE BROUGHT
A LOT MORE ATTENTION TO HIMSELF.
SHE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE CALLED
THE POLICE BACK AND SAID,
"HEY, I THINK YOU NEED TO
DOUBLE-CHECK ON HIM."
Narrator:
TWO POPULAR CRIME SHOWS PRODUCE
EPISODES ON THE GARBER CASE.
[ SIGHS ]
Hello.
DID YOU HEAR...
ANNA MARIA LEARNS OF THIS
AND TELLS GARBER THAT HE
WILL BE FEATURED ON THE SHOW.
I JUST
COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT.
HE FEARS BEING RECOGNIZED.
GARBER HAS BEEN ON THE RUN
FOR EIGHT MONTHS
AND IS GETTING LOW ON FUNDS.
HE DRIVES BACK TO LAS VEGAS
TO GET MORE CASH
FROM HIS GIRLFRIEND,
ANNA MARIA ALCANTERA.
RICK.
HEY, MAN.
HOW'S IT GOING?
GOOD.
HOW YOU DOING, BRO?
I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN A WHILE.
WHAT'S GOING ON?
YOU KNOW, JUST GOT INTO TOWN.
MIND IF I COME IN?
WELL, I'M GETTING READY
TO GO TO WORK.
YEAH, YEAH. COME ON IN
FOR A BIT, MAN.
Garber:
I WENT TO VEGAS.
I DROVE OVER
TO MY COUSIN'S APARTMENT.
HE SAID HE WOULD CALL ANNA.
AND I SAID,
"WELL, JUST LET ME SLEEP HERE
FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS,
YOU KNOW?"
OH, MAN,
IT'S A BAD TIME FOR ME.
I'M ON MY WAY TO WORK.
Narrator: HE STOPS AT HIS COUSIN
PERRY SACOWITZ'S HOUSE.
SACOWITZ IS NERVOUS
BECAUSE THE POLICE HAVE ALREADY
WARNED HIM ABOUT HELPING GARBER.
HE KNOWS
THEY'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON HIM.
HE TELLS GARBER
NO, HE CAN'T STAY THERE.
"IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA."
Garber:
AND I WAS JUST -- YOU KNOW,
I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT
HE ASKED ME NOT TO STAY THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE'D KNOWN EACH OTHER
SINCE WE WERE
PRACTICALLY BABIES.
AND...
I KIND OF FORCED MY WAY INTO IT,
SAYING JUST, "I NEED TO SLEEP
FOR A FEW HOURS."
I REALLY WAS TIRED.
IT'S A TIRING TRIP,
YOU KNOW, NINE HOURS IN THE CAR.
IT TAKES A LOT OUT OF YOU.
ALL RIGHT. THANKS, MAN.
Narrator: RELUCTANTLY, SACOWITZ
GIVES HIM WHATEVER CASH HE HAS
AND AGREES TO LET HIM STAY.
THEN HE LEAVES FOR WORK.
Garber:
I PUT HIM IN A BAD SPOT.
THE FBI HAD BEEN THERE,
AND THEY HAD SHOWN MY PICTURE
AROUND TO ALL THE NEIGHBORS,
AND HE WAS AFRAID SOMEBODY WOULD
SEE ME AND THEY'D REPORT IT.
IT'D BE BEST IF YOU GOT
SOMEBODY OUT THERE, YES.
Narrator: SACOWITZ KNOWS
HE'LL GO TO PRISON
IF HE'S CAUGHT HELPING GARBER.
THE RISK IS TOO HIGH.
OKAY.
HE CALLS THE LAS VEGAS POLICE
AND TELLS THEM
THAT RICHARD GARBER
IS IN HIS APARTMENT.
MEANWHILE, GARBER SETTLES DOWN
IN FRONT OF THE TELEVISION.
HE TURNS ON A CRIME SHOW,
THE ONE THAT WILL SOON AIR
HIS OWN STORY.
HE'S UNAWARE THAT THE POLICE
ARE ON THEIR WAY TO ARREST HIM.
THEY SURROUND
SACOWITZ'S APARTMENT
AND PREPARE TO MOVE IN.
Ferdin: THE FUGITIVE
HAS THE ADVANTAGE, YOU KNOW?
WE DON'T KNOW IF HE'S GOING TO
RESIST, IF HE'S ARMED.
IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
FOR THE OFFICERS.
OKAY,
WATCH THAT SECOND STORY.
Officer: ROGER THAT.
THEIR WORST FEAR IS
THAT GARBER'S GOING TO BE ARMED
AND THAT HE'S GONNA FIGHT
TO THE DEATH.
[ KNOCKING ON DOOR ]
Garber:
THIS GUY CAME TO THE DOOR
AND STARTED YELLING,
"ARE YOU IN THERE?"
AND I'M LIKE,
"THIS IS NOT GOOD."
[ KNOCKING CONTINUES ]
THEN THE PHONE RANG...
[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
...AND IT MUST HAVE RANG
60, 70 TIMES.
I WASN'T GONNA PICK IT UP.
BUT IT JUST KEPT RINGING
AND RINGING AND RINGING.
Kaminsky: RICK GARBER
WAS TAKEN BY SURPRISE.
HE HAD NO CLUE
THAT THE POLICE WERE COMING.
HE DIDN'T THINK
HIS COUSIN WOULD GIVE HIM UP.
[ RINGING CONTINUES ]
Narrator:
GARBER IS TRAPPED.
THE ONLY WAY
OUT OF THE TINY APARTMENT
IS THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR.
[ RINGING CONTINUES ]
WILL HE SURRENDER PEACEFULLY...
OR WILL HE GO DOWN FIGHTING?
Narrator:
FEBRUARY 26, 2000.
SUSPECTED KILLER
RICHARD GARBER'S LIFE ON THE RUN
IS COMING TO A DRAMATIC END.
HIS COUSIN
HAS TIPPED OFF POLICE,
AND NOW OFFICERS
HAVE THE APARTMENT SURROUNDED.
STAND BY.
Kaminsky:
THIS IS AN INTENSE SITUATION.
THEY DON'T KNOW
WHAT THEY'RE COMING UP AGAINST,
WHO'S INSIDE THAT APARTMENT,
WHAT THEY'RE CAPABLE OF.
[ KNOCKING ON DOOR ]
Garber:
I CAN SEE THE LOCK OPENING UP.
SOMEBODY PUT THE KEY IN.
I HEARD THE KEY SLIDE IN.
THE LOCK
WAS STARTING TO OPEN UP.
Narrator:
WITH TIME RUNNING OUT, GARBER
DECIDES TO MAKE ONE LAST MOVE.
GO, GO.
MOVE, MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!
Officer:
CLEAR! IS IT CLEAR?
WHAT DO YOU GOT?
CLEAR!
AT FIRST,
THE SWAT TEAM CAN'T FIND HIM.
GO.
GO, GO, GO, GO, GO!
Garber: I WENT IN THE BATHROOM.
I DON'T KNOW WHY.
I STOOD IN THE SHOWER.
I DON'T KNOW
WHAT I WAS THINKING.
I HAD NO IDEA.
AND THEY CAME IN,
YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE
YOU SEE ON TV, I GUESS,
WITH ALL THE GUNS DRAWN.
GARBER,
I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!
LET ME SEE YOUR HANDS
RIGHT NOW!
KEEP THEM UP.
DON'T MOVE.
COVER.
AND THAT WAS
THE END OF THAT.
LIFE AS I KNEW IT WAS OVER.
[ HANDCUFFS CLICK ]
Narrator:
OUTNUMBERED AND OUTGUNNED,
GARBER GIVES UP WITHOUT A FIGHT.
WELL, IT'S KIND OF LIKE...
YOU KNEW IT WAS INEVITABLE.
SO I THINK
THE ONLY THING I WAS HOPING
WAS THAT I DIDN'T GET KILLED
IN THE PROCESS.
Narrator:
AFTER EIGHT LONG MONTHS
OF CLOSE CALLS AND DEAD ENDS,
LAW ENFORCEMENT
FINALLY HAS THEIR FUGITIVE.
Kaminsky: HE HAD A PLAN,
AND PART OF THAT PLAN WAS
HE WAS GONNA KILL JANIO AND FLEE
OUT TO THE WEST, TO LAS VEGAS,
AND THAT WOULD BE THE END OF IT.
Narrator:
ONCE IN FLORIDA,
RICHARD GARBER IS TRIED
FOR THE MURDER OF JANIO MORAES.
Mosher: SOMEONE HAS TO SPEAK FOR
THE VICTIM, AND UNFORTUNATELY,
USUALLY, SOMEONE HAS TO SPEAK
FOR THE DEAD.
Narrator:
DURING THE TRIAL, THE FORENSICS
TEAM PRESENTS THEIR FINDINGS.
SERGEANT STEWART MOSHER
SHOWS HOW THEY FOLLOWED
THE TRAIL OF BLOOD
FROM THE SCENE OF THE CRIME
LITERALLY UP TO GARBER'S DOOR.
MOSHER ALSO DESCRIBES
HOW DNA ANALYSIS
FOUND THOSE BLOOD SAMPLES
TO BE MORAES'...
...AND THAT BLOOD SAMPLES
TAKEN FROM GARBER'S CAR
WERE MORAES', AS WELL.
Kaminsky:
HE DIED A BRUTAL DEATH,
SLAUGHTERED BY A PERSON WHO
TOOK CARE OF HIM, NURTURED HIM,
AND THEN IN THE END KILLS HIM
BECAUSE HE IS NOT GONNA GET
MONEY FROM THE GOLDEN EGG.
Narrator:
ON OCTOBER 6, 2000,
A JURY FINDS RICHARD GARBER
GUILTY OF THE MURDER
OF JANIO MORAES.
GARBER IS SENTENCED
TO LIFE IN PRISON.
I'M NOT BITTER, YOU KNOW?
I MADE SOME MISTAKES.
I DID SOME STUPID THINGS.
PART OF IT LED TO ME BEING HERE.
Narrator: TO THIS DAY,
GARBER MAINTAINS HIS INNOCENCE.
I KNOW WHO DID IT.
I DON'T KNOW HIS NAME.
I SAW THE GUY.
I KNOW WHO DID IT.
I KNOW WHY IT WAS DONE.
I GOT THE WHOLE STORY...
FOR ALL THE GOOD
THAT IT DOES ME.
Narrator:
DETECTIVES BUKATA AND KAMINSKY
ARE CONVINCED
THAT JUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED.
Bukata:
WE DID OUR JOB.
WE CAUGHT A KILLER.
AND A JURY OF HIS PEERS
CONVICTED HIM
BASED ON ALL THE EVIDENCE
AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES
AND THE TESTIMONY
THAT WE COLLECTED.
Narrator:
THE DETECTIVES ALSO SAY
THIS CASE PROVES THAT KILLERS
CAN'T BE STEREOTYPED.
Bukata:
KILLERS DON'T HAVE FANGS.
KILLERS DON'T HAVE HORNS.
KILLERS ARE PEOPLE
LIKE YOU AND ME.
RICK GARBER IS NOT A PERSON
THAT HAS "KILLER"
TATTOOED ACROSS HIS FOREHEAD.
IT CAN BE
YOUR NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR...
LIKE IT WAS IN THIS CASE.
Narrator:
RUNNING FROM COAST TO COAST,
RICHARD GARBER HAD ALMOST
GOTTEN AWAY WITH MURDER.
NOW HE'S A PRISONER AT THE
LIMESTONE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY
NEAR JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.
HE'LL SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE
BEHIND THESE BARS.
Garber: IF WE WERE TO GO
TO TRIAL AGAIN TODAY,
THEN THERE'S NO QUESTION
THAT I WOULD BE ACQUITTED.
THERE'S NOTHING THERE.
BUT THAT'S
NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
THE FACT IS THAT
I WAS FOUND GUILTY, I'M IN HERE,
AND FOR NOW,
I JUST HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT.