I (Almost) Got Away with It (2010–2016): Season 1, Episode 8 - Got to Sing Karaoke - full transcript
Narrator: A FAMILY MAN
LEADING A SECRET LIFE
SHOCKS THE CITY OF MEMPHIS.
Williams: SHE HAD BEEN SHOT
THREE TIMES IN THE HEAD
AND ONCE THROUGH THE HEART.
Narrator: BUT THIS FUGITIVE
HIDES IN PLAIN SIGHT.
Brueggemann:
HE WAS PLAYING GOLF.
HE WAS GOING TO KARAOKE BARS
AND SINGING.
Narrator:
TO PAY FOR THIS LIFESTYLE,
HE TURNS TO ARMED ROBBERY.
Bonner:
HIS ARROGANCE GREW
SUCH THAT HE THOUGHT
THAT HE COULD GET AWAY WITH IT.
Narrator: CAN INVESTIGATORS
CATCH HIM BEFORE HE KILLS AGAIN?
CRIMINALS SOMETIMES
TRY TO ESCAPE FROM JUSTICE.
THIS IS THE STORY OF HOW ONE MAN
ALMOST GOT AWAY WITH IT.
JUNE 24, 2001
STARTED OUT LIKE ANY OTHER
SUNDAY FOR JOE CROUCH,
A 61-YEAR-OLD BUSINESSMAN
LIVING IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
CROUCH, AN AVID GOLFER,
ENTREPRENEUR, AND FAMILY MAN,
IS LIVING A LIFE MOST DREAM OF.
I'M SURE THAT NEIGHBORS
AND FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES
VIEWED US AS LIVING
THE GOOD AMERICAN DREAM --
NICE HOME, MEMBERSHIP
IN THE COUNTRY CLUB, NEW CARS.
LOVED MY WORK.
WENT TO WORK.
DIDN'T MISS A DAY'S WORK
IN OVER PROBABLY 35 YEARS.
Narrator:
CROUCH IS PRESIDENT OF A SMALL
LENDING BUSINESS IN MEMPHIS.
HE'S JUST CELEBRATED
41 YEARS OF MARRIAGE
TO HIS WIFE, BETSY,
A RETIRED NURSE.
TOGETHER, THEY HAVE TWO
GROWN CHILDREN, TERESA AND JAY,
BUT THIS TYPICAL FAMILY LIFE
IS NOT AS IT SEEMS,
FOR JOE CROUCH
IS KEEPING A DARK SECRET.
CROUCH HAS HIDDEN
AN OUT-OF-CONTROL ADDICTION
FROM EVERYONE IN HIS FAMILY.
BLACKJACK!
YEAH!
I WAS AN ADDICTED GAMBLER.
I HAD FRIENDS
I USED TO RUN WITH.
WE LITERALLY WOULD BET $100
WHETHER THE NEXT CAR WAS GONNA
BE A CHEVROLET OR FORD
IF WE WERE IN A CAR TOGETHER.
I'M DEFINITELY GONNA WIN
THIS ONE.
OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME,
I PROBABLY DID BUSINESS
WITH EVERY BOOKIE
IN THE CITY OF MEMPHIS.
SOONER OR LATER,
YOU OUTSTRIP YOUR RESOURCES,
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS,
THEN YOU START DOING THINGS
TO COVER THE LOSSES,
TO PROVIDE THE MONEY,
AND THOSE THINGS
ARE NORMALLY ILLEGAL.
Narrator:
CROUCH HAS SPIRALED INTO
THE DEPTHS OF HIS ADDICTION.
WHAT KILLED ME
WAS WHEN MISSISSIPPI
OPENED UP CASINO GAMBLING.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THERE'S
SEVEN OR EIGHT OR NINE CASINOS
WITHIN A 35-MINUTE DRIVE
FROM MY OFFICE.
DOOM.
THAT WAS IT.
THERE'S ALWAYS A RECKONING DAY.
THERE'S ALWAYS A PAYDAY.
Narrator:
IN MAY OF 2001,
CROUCH'S GAMBLING ADDICTION
HAS CAUGHT UP WITH HIM.
TO COVER HIS DEBT,
HE HAS WRITTEN BAD CHECKS
TOTALING MORE THAN $80,000.
AT AN INDIAN CASINO
IN PHILADELPHIA, MISSISSIPPI,
HIS ADDICTION
REACHES A TIPPING POINT.
Crouch:
OVER THE PERIOD OF TWO NIGHTS,
I COULD NOT STAY AWAY
FROM THE TABLE.
DURING THAT TIME,
I LOST $18,000,
AND THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW,
I'M AT THE ATM
TRYING TO GET MONEY OUT.
I THINK IT FINALLY HIT ME --
"JOE, YOU CANNOT --
YOU CAN'T DO IT.
YOU CAN'T CURE IT."
I REMEMBER THINKING,
VERY DEPRESSING,
"THERE'S NO WAY OUT."
Narrator:
CROUCH RETURNS HOME TO TENNESSEE
AND RECEIVES A DISTURBING CALL
FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE.
THEY INFORM HIM THAT HE IS GOING
TO BE INDICTED FOR BANK FRAUD.
Crouch: I PROBABLY HIT THE BANKS
FOR SOMEWHERE AROUND 85 GRAND.
I KNEW THAT I WAS FIXING
TO GO TO JAIL.
THE HOUSE WAS GONNA DISAPPEAR,
THE CAR WAS GONNA DISAPPEAR,
AND I'M GONNA LEAVE
MY WIFE OF 41 YEARS
SITTING THERE WITH NO WAY
TO DEAL WITH IT.
Narrator: CROUCH IS ON THE VERGE
OF LOSING EVERYTHING.
AS HIS WORLD
SPINS OUT OF CONTROL,
HE CONFRONTS BETSY
WITH THE TRUTH.
Crouch: I FINALLY TOLD HER
WHAT WAS GOING TO OCCUR.
I'M GONNA BE PROSECUTED
FOR FRAUD.
SHE FREAKED OUT.
COULDN'T LEAVE HER TO FACE THE
LIFE THAT SHE WOULD HAVE FACED.
Narrator: CROUCH KNOWS HIS HOUSE
OF CARDS IS ABOUT TO COLLAPSE.
HE SEES ONLY ONE WAY OUT.
I MADE THE HORRIBLE,
TERRIBLE JUDGMENT
THAT SHE WOULD BE
BETTER OFF DECEASED
THAN HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH
WHAT SHE'D HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH.
THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER WAS,
I WAS TOO ASHAMED TO FACE HER
AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF HAVING
TO DEAL WITH WHAT I HAD DONE.
I DIDN'T HAVE THE --
THE GUTS TO DO THAT.
I TOOK THE CHICKEN WAY OUT.
Narrator:
SUNDAY, JUNE 24, 2001.
CROUCH IS UNABLE TO SLEEP.
HE SPENDS A RESTLESS NIGHT
CONTEMPLATING HIS PLAN.
BUT BY MORNING,
HE HAS MADE UP HIS MIND.
Crouch:
OH, I KNEW IT WAS GONNA HAPPEN
WHEN I WOKE UP THAT MORNING.
THERE'S NO TURNING BACK.
I WAS MENTALLY,
EMOTIONALLY NUMB.
I DIDN'T FEEL ANYTHING.
Narrator:
CROUCH QUIETLY SLIPS OUT OF BED
AND PULLS A .25-CALIBER
AUTOMATIC FROM HIS NIGHTSTAND.
I GOT UP AND TOOK THE GUN,
WHICH I'D ALREADY PUT AWAY,
HAD ALREADY CHECKED,
AND DID WHAT I DID.
Narrator: CROUCH KNOWS THERE
IS ONLY ONE OPTION FOR HIM NOW.
Crouch:
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GONNA DO.
EXPECTED TO BE PICKED UP
AT ANY MOMENT.
Narrator: MINUTES AFTER KILLING
HIS WIFE OF 41 YEARS,
CROUCH PULLS OUT
OF THE DRIVEWAY.
HE'S NOW A FUGITIVE
FROM JUSTICE.
INSTEAD OF FLEEING TOWN,
HE MAKES A STOP AT HIS OFFICE.
HE SITS DOWN AT HIS DESK
TO EXPLAIN
TO HIS TWO GROWN CHILDREN
WHY HE KILLED THEIR MOTHER.
SPECIAL AGENT CHRIS BONNER
IS WITH THE FEDERAL BUREAU
OF INVESTIGATION.
THIS IS A COPY OF A LETTER
THAT WAS PROVIDED TO ME
RELATED TO THE INVESTIGATION
OF THE HOMICIDE OF BETSY CROUCH.
"YOUR MOTHER FELT NOTHING.
"SHE WAS SOUND ASLEEP.
"SO, I PROMISE YOU
SHE SUFFERED NOTHING.
"I KILLED HER
BECAUSE I LOVED HER.
"I KNOW THAT IS HARD TO BELIEVE,
"BUT I JUST COULDN'T LET HER
GO THROUGH WHAT WAS COMING UP.
I AM IN TOO DEEP
EVER TO GET OUT."
Narrator: CROUCH HEADS EAST
ON INTERSTATE 40
AND MAILS THE LETTERS BEFORE
LEAVING MEMPHIS CITY LIMITS.
THEN HE MAKES A CALL
TO HIS DAUGHTER'S HUSBAND,
BOBBY WAMPLER.
HELLO?
CROUCH WANTS TO CONFESS
TO THE CRIME
SO THAT HIS KIDS AREN'T THE ONES
TO DISCOVER BETSY'S BODY.
SURE.
I SAID, "BOBBY, THIS IS JOE."
I SAID,
"I NEED TO TELL YOU SOMETHING.
THIS IS SERIOUS."
I SAID, "AT 5:00 THIS MORNING,
I SHOT AND KILLED BETSY."
SLOW DOWN!
I SAID, "I WANT YOU TO BE
THE ONE TO CALL THE POLICE.
I WANT YOU TO BE THE ONE
TO INFORM MY TWO KIDS."
HE STARTS HOLLERING
AND SCREAMING.
I SAID, "AND THIS WILL BE THE
LAST TIME YOU EVER TALK TO ME."
CUT THE CELLPHONE OFF AND THREW
THE CELLPHONE OUT OF THE CAR.
Narrator:
BOBBY CALLS BOTH TERESA AND JAY
TO BREAK THE HORRIFYING NEWS,
THEN HE DIALS 911.
MICKEY WILLIAMS WAS A SERGEANT
WITH MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE,
HOMICIDE BUREAU BACK IN 2001.
YOUR FATHER CALLED YOUR HUSBAND
AT ABOUT WHAT TIME?
AT THE CRIME SCENE,
HE QUESTIONS CROUCH'S CHILDREN,
JAY AND TERESA.
AND THEY JUST SEEMED
IN A TOTAL STATE OF SHOCK,
YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF QUIET
AND STOIC.
THANK YOU.
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]
Narrator: IN THE HOUSE,
INVESTIGATORS COLLECT EVIDENCE
AND SURVEY THE BRUTALITY
OF THE HOMICIDE.
Williams: SHE WAS UPSTAIRS
IN THE MASTER BEDROOM
LAYING ON HER BACK IN THE BED,
AND SHE HAD BEEN SHOT
THREE TIMES IN THE HEAD
AND ONCE THROUGH THE HEART.
EVIDENCE POINTED TO THE HUSBAND,
SINCE HE WAS GONE,
AND THERE WERE THINGS MISSING
FROM THE HOME.
THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE
OF A BREAK-IN.
HE CHOSE TO KILL HER AND LEAVE,
'CAUSE I GUESS HE SAW THAT
AS CLOSING OUT HIS LIFE.
IN HIS MIND,
HE WAS DOING HER A FAVOR
'CAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO LIVE
WITHOUT HIM.
SHE WOULD BE DEVASTATED.
SO, I GUESS,
IN HIS MIND IT WAS BETTER
TO PUT HER OUT OF HER MISERY.
IT DOES SEEM KIND
OF COLD-BLOODED TO ME.
Narrator:
MAJOR WILLIAMS IMMEDIATELY
NOTIFIES LOCAL AUTHORITIES
THAT CROUCH IS ARMED
AND ON THE RUN.
HE SENDS OUT
AN ALL-POINTS BULLETIN
WITH A DESCRIPTION OF CROUCH
AND THE CAR HE'S DRIVING.
CROUCH KNOWS HE HAS
TO GET OUT OF TOWN QUICKLY,
BUT HE DOESN'T HAVE A PLAN.
YOU ASSUME THAT
EVERY LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL
IN THE SOUTHEAST IS AFTER YOU.
Narrator: AFTER 12 HOURS ON THE
RUN AND 200 MILES ON THE ROAD,
HE CHECKS IN TO A NASHVILLE
MOTEL FOR THE NIGHT.
CROUCH KNOWS HE CAN'T CHECK IN
USING HIS REAL NAME.
HE SPINS A COVER STORY.
Crouch:
YOU CHECK IN TO A MOTEL AND YOU
HAVE TO REGISTER WITH A NAME.
I JUST NEED A ROOM
FOR THE NIGHT.
I PICKED THE NAME
JAY NELSON.
JAY'S MY SON'S NAME,
SO I GUESS THERE WAS
A CERTAIN AMOUNT
OF IDENTITY BONDING THERE.
FROM THAT POINT ON,
I BECAME JAY NELSON,
A RETIRED WIDOWER
FROM NORTH MISSISSIPPI.
THAT WAS THE STORY
THAT I GAVE PEOPLE,
THAT I WAS
A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN
AND I HAD DECIDED TO TAKE
AN EXTENDED VACATION.
Narrator:
AFTER CHECKING IN,
CROUCH LEAVES THE MOTEL
FOR A WALK TO CLEAR HIS MIND.
CROUCH AND HIS WIFE
WERE DEDICATED KARAOKE SINGERS.
AND DOWN THE STREET,
HE COMES ACROSS A KARAOKE BAR.
CROUCH BELIEVES
THAT IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME
UNTIL HE'S CAPTURED,
SO HE ENTERS THE CLUB,
DETERMINED TO ENJOY HIS FREEDOM
WHILE IT LASTS.
AND I'M THINKING, LIKE, "OKAY.
"IT'S PROBABLY MY LAST NIGHT ON
EARTH TO DO THINGS LIKE THIS,
SO WHAT AM I GONNA --
I'M GONNA DO KARAOKE."
WHEN YOU GO TO KARAOKE,
THERE'S SOME NIGHTS YOU'RE GOOD,
SOME NIGHTS YOU'RE EH,
AND SOME NIGHTS YOU'RE GREAT,
AND AS HORRIBLE AS IT MAY SOUND,
I WAS GREAT THAT NIGHT.
I HAD COMMITTED A HEINOUS,
HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE CRIME,
BUT YET LESS THAN
12 HOURS LATER,
I'M STANDING UP IN FRONT
OF A GROUP OF PEOPLE,
SINGING KARAOKE, HAVING A DRINK,
AND HUSTLING A FEMALE.
NOW, HOW HORRIBLE IS THAT?
Narrator: THE NEXT DAY,
CROUCH DRIVES OVER 200 MILES
AND STAYS THE NIGHT
IN MARIETTA, GEORGIA.
HE'S TERRIFIED THAT THE COPS
ARE JUST ONE STEP BEHIND HIM.
Crouch:
YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY
AND YOU SEE A HIGHWAY PATROL
SITTING IN THE MEDIAN.
OF COURSE,
HE'S CHECKING TRAFFIC.
IN YOUR MIND,
HE'S LOOKING FOR YOU,
AND SO YOU SIT THERE AND YOU'RE
JUST LIKE, "OH, MY GOD!
DON'T MOVE!"
AND WHEN HE DOESN'T MOVE,
IT'S LIKE,
"OH, THANK YOU, JESUS."
Narrator: CROUCH IS ALWAYS
LOOKING OVER HIS SHOULDER,
BUT HE'S MISSING ONE VITAL TOOL
FOR LIFE ON THE RUN --
MONEY.
HE'S BANKRUPT AND CAN'T GET CASH
OUT OF HIS ACCOUNTS.
AFTER HE KILLED HIS WIFE,
HE GRABBED HER PURSE.
HE KNEW SHE HAD ACCESS
TO ACCOUNTS THAT HE DIDN'T.
Williams: HE WAS SMARTER
THAN YOUR AVERAGE CRIMINAL.
THEY DO THINGS RASH,
AND, YOU KNOW,
THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE A PLAN.
IT'S KIND OF JUST
OPPORTUNISTIC-TYPE THING.
HE WENT TO GREAT LENGTHS
TO PREVENT BEING CAUGHT.
Narrator: IT DOESN'T KEEP HIM
FROM MAKING A CRITICAL MISTAKE
HIS SECOND DAY ON THE RUN.
I STOPPED AT A BANK
RIGHT OUTSIDE OF MARIETTA,
AND I PUT IN
MY LITTLE CREDIT CARD.
WELL, GUESS WHAT --
THE LITTLE ATM MACHINE
TOOK MY CARD AND SAID,
"YOU NEED TO COME INSIDE
AND TALK TO THE BANK MANAGER."
AND WHAT DO YOU DO?
YOU RUN.
Narrator:
CROUCH REALIZES IT'S TOO LATE.
HE'S JUST GIVEN THE POLICE
HIS EXACT LOCATION
BY USING HIS WIFE'S CREDIT CARD.
CROUCH GETS INTO HIS CAR
AND FLEES SOUTH TO JACKSONVILLE.
Crouch: YOU HIT THE ROAD,
AND THAT 70-MILE-AN-HOUR
SPEED LIMIT JUST ISN'T ENOUGH.
Narrator:
CROUCH IS GETTING DESPERATE.
HE HAS NO MONEY,
HIS GAS GAUGE IS PRESSING EMPTY,
AND NOW THE COPS
KNOW HIS EXACT LOCATION.
Narrator: 24 HOURS
AFTER MURDERING HIS WIFE, BETSY,
JOE CROUCH IS ON THE RUN.
BUT CROUCH IS DESPERATE FOR CASH
AND DECIDES TO USE
HIS WIFE'S BANK CARD
AT AN ATM IN MARIETTA, GEORGIA.
[ ATM BEEPING ]
WHEN THE MACHINE REQUESTS
CROUCH SEE THE BANK MANAGER,
HE REALIZES
THERE'S ONLY ONE THING TO DO.
Crouch:
YOU GET THE HELL OUT OF DODGE.
YOU GET BACK TO THE HIGHWAY
AND MOVE ON,
'CAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
IT MEANS WITHIN
A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME,
LAW ENFORCEMENT'S GONNA KNOW
YOU WERE IN MARIETTA, GEORGIA,
TRYING TO USE YOUR CREDIT CARD.
Williams: BETSY HAD A LOT
OF CREDIT-CARD ACCOUNTS
THAT HE MAY HAVE TAKEN WITH HIM,
SO WE WERE TRYING TO SEE
IF MAYBE THOSE POPPED UP
DIFFERENT PLACES.
Narrator:
CROUCH GETS A LUCKY BREAK.
THE ATM HIT NEVER TURNS UP.
CROUCH ARRIVES IN JACKSONVILLE,
OVER 700 MILES
FROM THE MURDER SCENE.
HE'S NEARLY OUT OF GAS
AND HAS JUST $25 TO HIS NAME.
HE STARTS THINKING
IN TERMS OF SURVIVAL.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID
THAT EVENING WAS TO STEAL A TAG
AND PUT A FLORIDA TAG ON THE CAR
SO THAT THEY DON'T --
YOU KNOW,
IF THEY SEE THE TENNESSEE TAG,
THEY MIGHT GET SUSPICIOUS
ABOUT IT.
Narrator: THE NEW TAGS
GIVE CROUCH CONFIDENCE
THAT HE'S DONE ENOUGH
TO COVER HIS TRACKS.
Crouch: I WAS DRIVING
A VERY GENERIC CAR.
I'M DRIVING A MERCURY SABLE,
SAME BODY STYLE AS A TAURUS.
THERE'S 15 MILLION OF THOSE
DRIVING ON THE STREETS
OF THE UNITED STATES,
SO IT DOESN'T STICK OUT.
Narrator:
WHILE CROUCH TRIES TO BLEND IN
TO THE FLORIDA HIGHWAYS,
MEMPHIS HOMICIDE
IS FEVERISHLY WORKING THE CASE.
Williams:
IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT HE HAD FLED
THE JURISDICTION OF MEMPHIS,
SO WE ALSO TOOK ANOTHER STEP
IN ADDITION TO GETTING
A LOCAL WARRANT
CHARGING HIM HERE
IN SHELBY COUNTY
WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.
WE GOT A FEDERAL
U.F.A.P. WARRANT,
WHICH IS UNLAWFUL FLIGHT
TO AVOID PROSECUTION.
Narrator: CROUCH REALIZES
HE CAN'T JUST KEEP DRIVING.
HE NEEDS A PLAN IF HE'S GOING
TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER.
IF YOU'RE A FUGITIVE
FROM THE LAW,
UNLESS YOU HAVE PLANNED AHEAD
FOR IT,
THERE'S NOT ANY WAY TO EXIST
OTHER THAN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
Narrator: CROUCH SPENDS THE
SECOND DAY OF BEING A FUGITIVE
SEARCHING JACKSONVILLE
FOR A ROBBERY TARGET.
HE'S LOOKING FOR STORES
WITH JUST ONE EMPLOYEE
AND NO CUSTOMERS.
Crouch:
I FOUND THIS CONVENIENCE STORE.
I SAT ACROSS THE STREET FROM IT,
LOOKED AT IT, WATCHED IT,
CASED IT.
AT SOME POINT IN TIME, I MEAN,
I FINALLY SAID, "THIS IS IT.
CAN'T GO ANY FURTHER."
AND I PULLED IN AND PARKED
AT THE END OF THE BUILDING,
WHICH WAS DARK.
THERE WAS NO FLOODLIGHT ON IT.
Narrator:
WHEN CROUCH ENTERS THE STORE,
HE MAKES CERTAIN
THAT THERE ARE NO CUSTOMERS.
HE SEES THAT THE COAST IS CLEAR
AND APPROACHES THE STORE CLERK.
DON'T MOVE.
YOU'RE GONNA BE FINE.
Crouch:
I PULLED A .25-CALIBER PISTOL
AND PUT IT ON HIS FOREHEAD
AND TOLD HIM, I SAID, "YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE A NICE YOUNG MAN.
YOU'RE MUCH TOO YOUNG TO DIE
OVER SOMEBODY ELSE'S MONEY."
AND THEN I ASKED HIM, I SAID,
"IS THERE ANY MORE MONEY
IN THE STORE?"
HE SAID, "THERE'S ANOTHER
REGISTER AT THE
END OF THE COUNTER."
I TOOK THE MONEY OUT OF IT.
BACK UP! BACK UP!
KEEP MOVING!
AND THEN I WALKED HIM BACK.
I SAID, "ALL I'M GONNA TO DO
IS PUT YOU IN THE BATHROOM
AND SHUT THE DOOR,"
AND I TOOK HIM TO THE BATHROOM,
TOLD HIM TO LAY DOWN AND COUNT
TO 500 BEFORE HE CAME OUT.
DO NOT GET UP!
DO NOT COME THROUGH
THIS DOORWAY!
RAN TO THE FRONT DOOR OF
THE STORE AND WALKED TO THE CAR,
GOT IN THE CAR, BACKED OUT,
AND LEFT AND HIT THE HIGHWAY.
Narrator: THE ROBBERY
NETS HIM ALMOST $300.
Crouch: IT WAS SUCCESSFUL,
AND I GOT AWAY
WITH A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY,
WHICH TO ME, AT THAT TIME, WAS,
"OH, MY GOD!
I CAN LIVE
FOR ANOTHER COUPLE DAYS."
Narrator:
CROUCH HAS SUCCESSFULLY ADDED
ARMED ROBBERY TO HIS RAP SHEET.
HE TOTALLY FLIPPED THAT SWITCH.
THAT CRIMINAL SWITCH CAME ON
IN HIM
WHEN HE KILLED HIS WIFE
AND LEFT TOWN.
HE BECAME A SERIAL CRIMINAL.
Crouch: I READ SOME COMMENTS
IN THE PAPER,
AND THEY TALKED ABOUT
HOW DEADLY CALM I WAS,
BUT YOU DO REACH IN
TO A DIFFERENT MOMENT
WHEN YOU'RE DOING IT,
AND THEN WHEN YOU GET OUT AND
GO, I MEAN, IT'S EXHILARATING.
Narrator: CROUCH FEELS
A RUSH OF ADRENALINE,
BUT THE IMPROMPTU ROBBERY
DOESN'T SOLVE HIS PROBLEMS.
HE STILL HAS NO CONCRETE PLANS
TO AVOID CAPTURE.
Crouch: I ENDED UP IN THE CAR,
AND I'M HEADED SOUTH ON I-95,
AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, ABOUT
THE TIME I FINALLY QUIT SHAKING
AND STARTED BREATHING AGAIN,
THERE'S A SIGN THAT SAYS
"DAYTONA," 20-SOME MILES AHEAD.
AND BY THEN, IT'S ABOUT 11:00,
AND I'M LIKE,
"OKAY, DAYTONA BEACH."
Narrator:
HIDING OUT IN FLORIDA GIVES
CROUCH A DISTINCT ADVANTAGE.
ONCE I GOT THERE
AND GOT SETTLED,
I KNEW I WAS GONNA STAY THERE,
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WAS
THAT YOU BLEND IN.
I MEAN, FLORIDA MUST HAVE
25 MILLION OLD WHITE GUYS,
AND YOU FIT IN.
YOU DON'T STICK OUT.
I LOOKED THE PART
OF WHAT I PRETENDED TO BE.
I MEAN, IF YOU MET ME
AND I'M TELLING YOU
I'M A RETIRED BUSINESSMAN
FROM NORTH MISSISSIPPI,
A WIDOWER TAKING A ONE-YEAR
EXTENDED GOLF VACATION,
WOULD YOU THINK OTHERWISE?
NO.
AGAIN, I'M SORRY TO BOTHER YOU,
BUT...
Narrator: 72 HOURS
INTO THE INVESTIGATION,
MEMPHIS P.D. KNOWS THAT CROUCH
HAS SKIPPED TOWN,
BUT THE TRAIL IS GROWING COLD.
THE HOMICIDE DIVISION
ISSUES A WANTED POSTER
TO FEDERAL FUGITIVE TASK FORCES
THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST REGION.
Williams:
THE FACT THAT HIS LIFESTYLE WAS
THAT OF GOLFING AND GAMBLING,
I DISTRIBUTED THE FLIERS
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY,
SENT IT
TO THE BIG CASINO HUBS --
ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY,
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA,
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.
Narrator:
USING THE SMALL AMOUNT OF CASH
HE GOT FROM
THE CONVENIENCE-STORE ROBBERY,
CROUCH IS ABLE TO RENT
A CHEAP MOTEL ROOM,
BUT HE CAN'T SHAKE
A DISTURBING FEELING.
Crouch: WELL, THE FIRST MONTH,
YOU'RE STILL TERRIFIED.
YOU STILL ASSUME EVERY TIME
YOU GO TO BED AT NIGHT
THAT SOMETIME DURING THE NIGHT
THEY'RE GONNA KICK THE DOOR DOWN
AND COME IN AND GET YOU.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST --
IT'S A CONSTANT, TERRIFYING,
TRAUMATIC FEELING TO BE IN.
Narrator: WHILE LIFE ON THE RUN
TAKES ITS TOLL ON CROUCH,
HE'S GOT A BIGGER PROBLEM --
THE CASH FROM HIS FIRST ROBBERY
IS RUNNING OUT.
Williams: HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE
TO GET A LEGITIMATE JOB.
HE WOULD HAVE TO SUPPORT HIMSELF
SOMEHOW,
AND MOST PEOPLE ON THE RUN,
THEY TURN TO A LIFE OF CRIME,
WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT HE DID.
Narrator:
FROM JUNE UNTIL NOVEMBER,
CROUCH COMMITS MORE
THAN 30 ARMED ROBBERIES
IN NORTHERN FLORIDA.
BY COMMITTING THOSE ROBBERIES,
HE WAS PLAYING WITH FIRE.
HE WAS RUNNING THE RISK
OF GETTING CAUGHT
ON THOSE ROBBERIES
OR EVEN GETTING KILLED.
Narrator:
IN NOVEMBER 2001,
CROUCH DECIDES TO TAKE A CHANCE
AND REACH OUT TO HIS CHILDREN
ONE MORE TIME.
HE DOESN'T WANT
TO GIVE AWAY HIS LOCATION
BY POSTMARKING THE LETTERS
IN DAYTONA BEACH SHORES,
SO HE PREPARES THE LETTERS
AND DRIVES 600 MILES
TO NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA,
TO MAIL THEM.
Williams: IN NOVEMBER, SEVERAL
MONTHS AFTER THE KILLING,
HE MAILED A BIG LETTER EXPRESS
PACKAGE THROUGH THE POST OFFICE.
HE WAS GIVING HIS SON, JAY,
POWER OF ATTORNEY
OVER THE BUSINESS,
WHICH, OF COURSE, HE BANKRUPTED.
WHEN HE LEFT, THE BUSINESS
WAS SHOT DOWN IN FLAMES.
Narrator: WHEN CROUCH'S CHILDREN
RECEIVE THE LETTERS,
THEY IMMEDIATELY HAND THEM OVER
TO MEMPHIS HOMICIDE.
DOES YOUR FATHER KNOW ANYBODY
IN NEW ORLEANS?
HOMICIDE DETECTIVE
MICKEY WILLIAMS TAKES ACTION
AND OBTAINS SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
FROM THE NEW ORLEANS
POST OFFICE.
WILL CROUCH'S PLAN TO ESCAPE
FROM JUSTICE FOOL POLICE?
Narrator: BUSINESSMAN
AND FAMILY MAN JOE CROUCH
HAS BEEN ON THE RUN
FOR FOUR MONTHS
SINCE MURDERING HIS WIFE, BETSY,
IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
MEMPHIS HOMICIDE DETECTIVE
MICKEY WILLIAMS GETS A BREAK.
POSTAL INSPECTORS HAND OVER
PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE
OF CROUCH MAILING A PACKAGE
TO HIS KIDS.
Williams: WE WEREN'T DEALING
WITH A LOCAL SEARCH, OKAY?
IT WAS GOING TO TAKE
A LOT MORE EFFORT TO GET HIM
THAN WHAT WE USUALLY DO,
'CAUSE MOST OF OUR PEOPLE
GET CAPTURED LOCALLY.
WE ALREADY HAD
THE FEDS INVOLVED,
SO WE WERE, YOU KNOW,
DESPERATELY TRYING TO FIND HIM.
Narrator: UNFORTUNATELY,
THE NEW ORLEANS POST OFFICE'S
SURVEILLANCE CAMERA
PROVES TO BE A WEAK LEAD
FOR DETECTIVE WILLIAMS.
IT DOESN'T PAY OUT
ANY INFORMATION
ABOUT WHERE CROUCH IS
OR WHERE HE IS GOING.
THE CASE GROWS COLD AGAIN.
CROUCH DOESN'T HANG AROUND
NEW ORLEANS.
HE HITS THE HIGHWAY
AND TRAVELS BACK TO
DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, FLORIDA,
WHERE HE IS LIVING UNDER
THE ASSUMED NAME JAY NELSON.
DETECTIVE BRIAN BRUEGGEMANN
IS THE DAYTONA BEACH SHORES
INVESTIGATOR
WHO WORKED THE CASE.
.22-CALIBER REVOLVER
THAT WAS FOUND.
MR. CROUCH WAS TRYING
TO LIVE IT UP.
HE WAS PLAYING GOLF.
HE WAS GOING
ON GAMBLING CRUISE SHIPS.
HE WAS GOING TO KARAOKE BARS
AND SINGING.
I FINALLY BEGAN TO,
NOT GET COMFORTABLE,
BUT GET TO THE POINT
OF WHERE I ACTUALLY BELIEVED
THIS COULD HAPPEN FOR A WHILE.
YOU ALWAYS KNOW
IT'S COMING TO AN END.
YOU JUST DON'T KNOW HOW LONG.
Narrator: CROUCH'S LOVE
OF KARAOKE, GAMBLING, AND GOLF
QUICKLY BLEED HIM OF CASH.
THE SMALL TAKES
FROM THE MORE THAN
30 CONVENIENCE-STORE ROBBERIES
HE HAS COMMITTED
ARE NOT ENOUGH.
CROUCH DECIDES IT'S TIME TO GET
AGGRESSIVE WITH HIS ROBBERIES
AND GO FOR BIGGER TARGETS.
Bonner:
I GUESS HIS CONFIDENCE
WAS SUCH THAT HE THOUGHT
HE BECAME GOOD ENOUGH
TO GRADUATE, YOU KNOW,
INTO BANKS.
HIS ARROGANCE GREW
SUCH THAT HE THOUGHT
THAT HE COULD GET AWAY WITH IT.
IT'S A MATTER OF EXPOSURE
AND REWARD.
IT'S THAT SIMPLE.
EVERY TIME YOU WALKED
INTO A CONVENIENCE STORE
AND PULLED A GUN,
YOU'RE IN DANGER OF GETTING
KILLED OR KILLING SOMEBODY,
AND WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF IT?
MOST OF THEM,
IT'S $300 OR $400.
YOU'VE GOT TO DO IT AGAIN IN
A WEEK AND A HALF OR TWO WEEKS.
Narrator: METHODICALLY, CROUCH
STARTS TO DEVELOP A PROFILE
FOR THE TYPE OF BANK
HE WANTS TO HIT.
Crouch: IT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE
A LOCAL REGIONAL BANK,
NOT A NATIONAL CHAIN.
ONE THAT WOULD HAVE NO MORE
THAN FOUR EMPLOYEES,
AND ONE THAT WOULD HAVE
NO MEN --
ALWAYS ALL FEMALES.
MEN TEND TO GET HEROIC.
MEN TEND TO WANT TO BE --
YOU KNOW, THE MACHO
AND THE TESTOSTERONE'S FLOWING.
NEXT THING YOU KNOW,
YOU MAY HAVE TO SHOOT SOMEBODY.
Narrator: CROUCH CAREFULLY PLANS
EVERY DETAIL OF THE HEIST
DOWN TO HIS CLOTHING.
Crouch: I PLAYED BEING
WHAT I LOOKED LIKE,
WHICH WAS A RETIRED --
OLDER RETIRED GENTLEMAN
THAT THEY GET THOUSANDS
IN THE BANK EVERY DAY.
I WORE A CERTAIN PAIR OF SHOES.
I WORE A PAIR OF DOCKERS.
I ALWAYS WORE WHAT YOU WOULD
TERM A POLO SHIRT.
I WOULD NORMALLY WEAR A CAP
THAT WOULD BE INNOCUOUS TO THEM.
Narrator: CROUCH HAS IDENTIFIED
THE PERFECT BANK.
HE KNOWS BANK ROBBERIES
ATTRACT MEDIA ATTENTION,
SO HE DRIVES 60 MILES
TO ORLANDO,
AN AREA HE THINKS IS OUTSIDE
THE DAYTONA MEDIA MARKET
AND OUTSIDE
OF THEIR NEWS COVERAGE.
HE PICKS A BANK A QUARTER MILE
FROM THE INTERSTATE,
AND IT'S A SMALL BANK BRANCH
WITH LIMITED ACTIVITY.
CROUCH SPENDS OVER AN HOUR
CASING THE BANK.
AT 11:00 A.M., HE SEES ONE
OF THE FOUR FEMALE EMPLOYEES
LEAVE THE BUILDING FOR LUNCH.
INSIDE, CROUCH'S PLAN
IS FALLING INTO PLACE,
EXCEPT FOR ONE THING --
SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS ARE GETTING
A CLEAR SHOT OF THE BANK,
BUT FOR CROUCH,
IT'S THE POINT OF NO RETURN.
HE CALMLY WALKS
TO THE BANK MANAGER
AND DELIVERS
A VERY CLEAR MESSAGE.
"DO EXACTLY WHAT I SAY
AND YOU WON'T GET HURT.
MESS WITH ME AND I'LL SHOOT YOU
SURE AS I'M LOOKING AT YOU."
STAND UP.
Narrator: CROUCH NO LONGER USES
A .25-CALIBER PISTOL.
HE'S GRADUATED
TO A MORE INTIMIDATING WEAPON.
Crouch:
I HAD A .38 SPECIAL, WHICH IS
A REALLY UGLY-LOOKING WEAPON.
I MEAN, IT LOOKS LETHAL,
AND IT IS LETHAL.
PUT YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD.
GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES NOW!
GATHERED THE EMPLOYEES
BEHIND THE COUNTER.
YOU HAVE THEM OPEN
THE CASH DRAWER.
YOU GO THROUGH.
YOU TAKE THE MONEY OUT.
Narrator: CROUCH ONCE AGAIN
DRAWS ON HIS EXPERIENCE
IN THE FINANCIAL INDUSTRY.
IT GIVES HIM AN EDGE
AT A CRITICAL MOMENT.
YOU'RE SCOOPING MONEY OUT
AND YOU'RE SCOOPING MONEY OUT,
AND YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR THE DYE PACK.
Narrator:
HE KNOWS TO LOOK FOR A DYE PACK,
A STACK OF REAL BILLS
WITH A DYE DEVICE EMBEDDED
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK.
THE DEVICE IS ACTIVATED
BY A RADIO FREQUENCY
WHEN IT LEAVES THE BANK.
WITHIN 30 SECONDS,
THE DEVICE EXPLODES.
CROUCH LOCATES THE DYE PACK
AND TOSSES IT.
HE KNOWS HE HAS TO MOVE FAST.
THE LONGER HE STAYS IN THE BANK,
THE GREATER HIS CHANCE
OF GETTING CAUGHT.
TELLERS, ON YOUR FEET.
MANAGER, ON YOUR FEET.
Narrator: HE USHERS THE BANK
EMPLOYEES INTO THE RESTROOM
AND GIVES THEM AN ORDER.
Crouch: YOU PUT THEM
INSIDE THE BATHROOM,
TELL THEM SIT DOWN
AND COUNT TO 300,
AND THEN YOU TAKE THE ROPE
AND YOU WRAP IT
AROUND THIS DOORKNOB,
THAT DOORKNOB, PULL IT TIGHT.
IT SECURES THE BATHROOM.
THEY'RE NOT COMING OUT.
Narrator:
IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME
UNTIL THE BANK EMPLOYEE
RETURNS FROM LUNCH.
ONCE SHE FREES THE TELLERS
AND CALLS POLICE,
IT ONLY TAKES FIVE TO SIX
MINUTES FOR THEM TO RESPOND
AND ABOUT 20 MINUTES TO GET OUT
AN ALL-POINTS BULLETIN.
CROUCH HAS TO MOVE FAST.
Crouch:
I GOT BACK TO MY ROOM
AND OPENED THE BRIEFCASE
AND PILED ON THE BED.
I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE,
"OH, MY GOD."
Narrator: HE TURNS ON THE TV
AND COUNTS HIS CASH.
IT'S A HAUL OF $9,000.
...CONTACT
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BUT WHEN THE LOCAL NEWS
COMES ON,
HE'S SHOCKED BY WHAT HE SEES.
COVERAGE OF THE ROBBERY HAS
REACHED DAYTONA BEACH SHORES.
IF ANY OF HIS NEIGHBORS SEE IT,
HE'S AS GOOD AS CAUGHT.
Crouch: AND I'M LIKE,
"OH, MY GOD. WHAT HAVE I DONE?"
Narrator:
MURDERER JOE CROUCH
HAS BEEN A FUGITIVE FROM THE LAW
FOR SIX MONTHS.
NOW HE'S JUST ROBBED A BANK.
AFTER THE ROBBERY,
HE HEADS BACK TO
HIS DAYTONA BEACH SHORES CONDO.
HE'S SHOCKED BY WHAT HE SEES
ON THE TELEVISION.
Crouch: 5:00 NEWS, AND THERE
I AM WITH A STILL SHOT OF ME
STANDING AT THE TELLER'S WINDOW
WITH A GUN IN MY HAND,
AND IT'S A PRETTY GOOD PHOTO.
ANYBODY THAT KNEW ME IN DAYTONA
THAT SEES THAT
IS GONNA HAVE TO BE STRUCK
BY THE RESEMBLANCE,
AND I'M LIKE, "OH, MY GOD.
WHAT HAVE I DONE?"
Narrator: CROUCH STAYS IN HIS
CONDO TO WATCH THE LATE NEWS.
WHEN THE 10:00 NEWSCAST
DOESN'T REPEAT THE STORY,
HE THINKS HE'S IN THE CLEAR.
HE DECIDES TO END THE DAY
AS HE DID
AFTER MOST SUCCESSFUL ROBBERIES.
Crouch: I HAD NUMEROUS AVAILABLE
CALL GIRLS THAT I WOULD UTILIZE,
AND, YES, I WOULD TREAT MYSELF
TO ONE THAT NIGHT.
I NORMALLY WOULD TREAT MYSELF TO
AN EXCELLENT DINNER THAT NIGHT
ON THE WAY BACK.
Narrator: CROUCH TAKES $9,000
FROM THE HEIST,
AND DESPITE THE SCARE, HE
EMBRACES HIS LIFE AS A FUGITIVE.
Crouch: I PLAYED GOLF.
I CREATED RELATIONSHIPS WITH
PEOPLE THAT I PLAYED GOLF WITH.
I MET PEOPLE.
I MADE FRIENDS WITH THEM.
ALL OF THAT WAS GREAT,
BUT THE TRAUMA, THE PRESSURE
THAT GOES WITH IT,
THE CONSTANT --
IT NEVER GOES AWAY FROM YOU.
Narrator: MEANWHILE, THE FBI
AND MEMPHIS POLICE DEPARTMENT
HAVE NO IDEA THEIR FUGITIVE IS
ALSO COMMITTING ARMED ROBBERIES.
Williams:
WE HAD NO IDEA WHERE HE WAS.
OBVIOUSLY,
HE CAN'T RESURFACE AS HIMSELF
WITH WARRANTS ON HIM,
HIS SOCIAL-SECURITY NUMBER.
IF HE TRIED TO GET A JOB,
IF HE TRIED TO DO ANYTHING,
THAT WOULD POP UP
ON SOMEBODY'S RADAR SCREEN.
Narrator: CROUCH IS CAREFULLY
SPINNING A WEB OF LIES
TO LEAD HIS DOUBLE LIFE.
Brueggemann: HE WOULD TELL
HIS KARAOKE FRIENDS
THAT HE WOULD GO BACK TO MEMPHIS
TO HELP HIS SON WITH
THE BUSINESS FOR SEVERAL DAYS.
DURING THIS TIME,
WHAT HE WAS DOING
IS STAKING OUT FAMILY BUSINESSES
OR WHATEVER
THAT WERE BEING ROBBED
AND TRYING TO FIND OUT
WHAT THE TRAFFIC IS
IN AND OUT OF THESE PLACES,
AND A DAY OR TWO LATER,
HE WOULD ROB THE PLACE
AND THEN COME BACK HOME
AND GO BACK OUT TO KARAOKE BARS
AND GAMBLING SHIPS.
Narrator: APRIL 2002.
CROUCH ROBS FIRST ALLIANCE BANK
FOR $12,000.
JUNE 2002.
HE TAKES A JACKSONVILLE BANK
FOR 14 GRAND.
IT SEEMED HE BECAME BOLDER
AND BOLDER AND BOLDER,
AND MAYBE THIS IS DUE
TO HIS ARROGANCE.
HE STARTS OUT WITH WHAT WE CALL
THE MOM-AND-POP
CONVENIENCE-STORE
TYPE ROBBERIES,
AND THEN HE ENDS UP
WITH BANK ROBBERIES.
THAT PUTS YOU
IN A DIFFERENT LEAGUE.
Narrator:
CROUCH DRIVES 170 MILES FROM
HIS HOME TO DUNEDIN, FLORIDA.
AFTER OBSERVING SEVERAL BANKS
IN THE AREA,
CROUCH DECIDES ON HIS TARGET --
CROWN BANK.
CROUCH MAKES THE DECISION THAT
THE CASH DRAWERS ARE NOT ENOUGH.
HE GIVES THE BANK MANAGER
A DIRECT ORDER.
Crouch:
"YOU'RE GONNA SHOW ME THE
RESERVE CASH WITHIN 30 SECONDS.
IF I DON'T SEE IT WITHIN 30
SECONDS, I'M GONNA SHOOT HER."
GET OVER HERE
AND GIVE ME THE MONEY!
Narrator: CROUCH KNOWS
THE BIG MONEY IS IN THE VAULT.
HE QUICKLY ORDERS
THE TELLERS INSIDE.
Crouch: I GOT INTO THE VAULT,
AND YOU HAVE A SAFE.
IT WAS LIKE A FIREPROOF
FILING CABINET.
AND THERE IS LITERALLY
A SHOE BOX IN THERE
WITH THEIR RESERVE CASH.
Narrator:
CROUCH LOADS UP HIS BRIEFCASE.
HE KNOWS THIS IS GOING TO BE
HIS LARGEST HEIST SO FAR.
OKAY, BOTH OF YOU,
OUT.
ALL THE WAY IN THE BATHROOM.
LET'S GO.
BUT NOT EVERYTHING
GOES ACCORDING TO PLAN.
GET IN THERE!
OPEN THE DOOR!
GET IN THERE!
Crouch: THE PROBLEM WAS,
WHEN I WENT TO PUT THEM
IN THE BATHROOM,
THEY HAD A STRANGE BATHROOM.
THERE WERE NO HANDLES
ON THE DOOR.
IT WAS LIKE AN OLD SALOON DOOR,
GO IN AND OUT.
BUT I COULDN'T LOCK THEM
IN THE BATHROOMS.
STAY THERE!
Narrator:
CROUCH MAKES HIS INTENT CLEAR.
IF ANYONE MOVES,
HE'LL SHOOT THEM ON THE SPOT.
Crouch:
I TOLD THEM, "LAY DOWN."
AND I SAID, "YOU BETTER COUNT
TO 500 BEFORE YOU COME OUT.
"IF YOU COME OUT AND I'M HERE,
THEN I'M GONNA SHOOT SOMEBODY.
SO DON'T BE STUPID."
AND, OF COURSE,
THEN I RAN OUT THE BANK
AND THEN WALKED TO THE CAR,
BUT, OF COURSE, OBVIOUSLY,
AS SOON AS THEY HEARD
THE DOOR SHUT,
THEY COME RUNNING OUT,
AND THEY CALLED.
[ ENGINE TURNS OVER ]
WOMAN: 911.
State your emergency.
HI.
WE'VE HAD A ROBBERY.
Narrator: AS CROUCH PULLS
OUT OF THE BANK PARKING LOT,
THE POLICE
ARE ALREADY ON THEIR WAY.
[ SIRENS WAILING ]
DEPUTY SHERIFFS COME IN FROM
LIKE THREE DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
THEY'RE DOING 100 MILES AN HOUR
AND THEIR LIGHTS ARE FLASHING.
Narrator: AFTER BRUTALLY
MURDERING HIS WIFE OF 41 YEARS,
JOE CROUCH HAS TURNED
TO A LIFE OF CRIME.
HIS QUEST FOR CASH
PUTS HIM ON THE PATH OF DANGER
DURING HIS FIFTH BANK ROBBERY.
HI.
WE'VE HAD A ROBBERY.
POLICE HAVE BEEN CALLED
TO THE SCENE
AS CROUCH IS MAKING HIS GETAWAY.
CROUCH SEES
A FLEET OF SQUAD CARS
SCREAMING TOWARDS HIM
AT HIGH SPEED.
HE THINKS IT'S OVER.
THEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS.
THE POLICE DRIVE RIGHT PAST HIM.
HE WAS JUST LUCKY.
IT WAS PURE LUCK, BASICALLY.
HE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN CAUGHT
A LOT SOONER.
Narrator:
CROUCH MAKES HIS GETAWAY.
ONCE HE'S CERTAIN
THAT HE IS SAFE FROM CAPTURE,
HE PULLS OVER TO A SAFE LOCATION
TO COUNT HIS MONEY.
I OPENED THE BRIEFCASE.
YOU CAN'T WAIT.
I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT TO KNOW.
IT'S A KICK.
"HOW MUCH MONEY DID I GET?"
AND I STARTED GOING THROUGH.
$5,000, $7,000, $9,000, ANOTHER
$5,000 -- THAT'S $14,000.
AND WHEN I GET $30,000,
I'M LIKE, "OH, MY GOD.
I'VE DONE WELL."
Narrator: IT'S A HAUL
OF MORE THAN $40,000 IN CASH --
THE MOST HE'S EVER TAKEN.
CROUCH RETURNS TO DAYTONA BEACH
AND REVELS IN HIS HOBBIES --
GOLF AND KARAOKE.
LITTLE DOES HE KNOW
ONE OF HIS FAVORITE ACTIVITIES
IS ABOUT TO BECOME HIS DOWNFALL.
Bonner:
HE MEETS A LOT OF PEOPLE.
HE'S BRAGGADOCIOS.
HE WAS THAT TYPE-A PERSONALITY.
HE WAS A VERY SOCIAL ANIMAL --
BUYING DRINKS, SPREADING MONEY
AROUND, MULTIPLE GIRLFRIENDS.
YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE A LASTING
IMPRESSION ON SOMEBODY.
Narrator: CROUCH MAKES FRIENDS
WITH TWO LOCAL KARAOKE REGULARS,
DEBBIE AND LLOYD EATON.
THEY KNOW THE FUGITIVE
ONLY BY HIS ALIAS -- JAY NELSON.
HE TOLD US THAT HIS WIFE
HAD DIE,
THAT HE HAD A WONDERFUL MARRIAGE
WITH HER --
ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.
HE SPOKE OF HER
LIKE SHE WAS AN ANGEL.
Narrator:
DEBBIE AND LLOYD HIT ONE OF
THEIR FAVORITE KARAOKE JOINTS,
CRABBY JOE'S.
THEY SOON LEARN THE PAINFUL
AND TERRIFYING TRUTH
ABOUT JAY NELSON.
Eaton: OUR FRIEND CAME
RUNNING -- RUNNING UP
WITH A POSTER IN HIS HANDS
OF JAY --
IT WAS AN FBI PICTURE --
AND SAID, "HAVE YOU HEARD?"
I WAS FLOORED.
I WAS FLABBERGASTED.
Narrator:
THE NEWS OF CROUCH'S DOUBLE LIFE
PUTS DEBBIE EATON ON EDGE.
Eaton:
IT WAS VERY SCARY.
ANYONE WHO COULD MURDER SOMEONE
SO COLDLY,
I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING
WHAT HE COULD DO TO ME.
Narrator:
THE COUPLE CALL POLICE
AND GIVE THEM CROUCH'S ADDRESS
IN DAYTONA BEACH SHORES.
IMMEDIATELY,
THE POLICE WORK WITH THE FBI
TO LAY OUT A PLAN
FOR CROUCH'S CAPTURE.
THE GOAL AND OBJECTIVE
WAS THE SAME --
LOCATE CROUCH, ARREST HIM,
TAKE HIM OFF THE STREET.
Narrator: CROUCH IS IN
HIS DAYTONA BEACH CONDO
WHEN SOMETHING
AROUSES HIS SUSPICION.
Crouch: THERE WAS A COP CAR,
A DAYTONA BEACH POLICE CAR,
PARKED ACROSS THE STREET
IN FRONT OF A MOTEL,
JUST SITTING THERE, EMPTY,
NOBODY IN IT.
I THOUGHT,
"WELL, THAT'S PECULIAR."
Narrator:
CROUCH DISREGARDS THE SQUAD CAR
AND DECIDES
TO SPEND AN EVENING AT HOME --
A DECISION THAT HELPS
THE S.W.A.T. TEAM.
MIDNIGHT, THE S.W.A.T. TEAM
MOVES IN TO POSITION,
PLACING OFFICERS ON THE BEACH
AND AT STRATEGIC POINTS
AROUND THE CONDO.
THE S.W.A.T. TEAM USES
A FLASH BANG GRENADE
TO STUN AND DISORIENT CROUCH.
I'M SOUND ASLEEP.
I HEAR THIS EXPLOSION.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, I WAKE UP
AND THERE'S SMOKE EVERYWHERE,
AND I HEAR PEOPLE
HOLLERING AT ME,
AND MY FIRST THOUGHT
WAS THE BUILDING WAS ON FIRE
AND THIS WAS
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
NEXT THING I KNOW,
I'M BEING TACKLED BY A GUY.
HE AND I HIT THE COFFEE TABLE
AND FALL ON IT,
BREAK THE COFFEE TABLE.
I GOT A BIG GASH ON MY LEG.
THEY'RE HAULING ME OUT, SAYING,
"WE'RE TAKING YOU OUTSIDE.
"ARE YOU JOE CROUCH?
DO YOU ADMIT
TO BEING JOE CROUCH?"
AND I'M LIKE,
"GODDAMN, I BETTER BE,
OR YOU TORE SOMEBODY'S DOOR DOWN
FOR NOTHING."
Narrator:
21 MONTHS HAVE PASSED
SINCE JOE CROUCH
MURDERED HIS WIFE.
NOW THE FUGITIVE'S
FLORIDA VACATION IS OVER.
Crouch:
THERE WASN'T ANY RUNNING.
I MEAN, YOU WAKE UP
AND 10 SECONDS LATER
YOU'RE SMASHED ON TOP OF A GLASS
COFFEE TABLE AND HANDCUFFED.
NO RUNNING TO IT.
IT'S OVER.
Narrator: SPECIAL AGENT BONNER
WALKS CROUCH OUT TO THE CURB.
Crouch:
HE LOOKED AT ME AND HE SAID,
"WELL, I GUESS YOU'RE RELIEVED
IT'S OVER."
I SAID,
"I GUESS YOU'RE CRAZY AS HELL."
WHAT KIND OF RELIEF?
NO.
Narrator:
AUTHORITIES HAVE THEIR MAN,
BUT THEY ARE SHOCKED
BY A NEW DISCOVERY.
DETECTIVE BRIAN BRUEGGEMANN
FINDS ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE
IN CROUCH'S BRIEFCASE.
Brueggemann:
TWO PAGES OF NOTES
DETAILED APPROXIMATELY
40 DIFFERENT ROBBERIES
THAT HE HAD COMMITTED
AROUND THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
IT WAS PRETTY DAMNING EVIDENCE
THAT WE RECOVERED.
Narrator: CROUCH'S CRIMINAL
ACTIVITY WHILE ON THE LAM
NOW COMES TO LIGHT
WITH THESE HANDWRITTEN NOTES.
Bonner: WE WERE GOING AFTER
CROUCH THE FUGITIVE
THINKING THAT
HE ALLEGEDLY KILLED HIS WIFE
IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
WE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT
ALL THESE ROBBERIES.
RARELY DO YOU FIND A GUY
COMMITTED ONE CRIME
AND THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN,
WE FIND EVIDENCE
OF NOT ONE, BUT 40 MORE CRIMES,
ARMED ROBBERIES.
Narrator: THE NOTES SERVE
AS A DETAILED CRIMINAL ROAD MAP
FOR CROUCH'S 21 MONTHS
IN HIDING.
WE ASKED HIM WHY HE KEPT
THE LIST OF THE ROBBERIES,
AND HE ADMITTED
THAT HE WAS GETTING OLD
AND HE DIDN'T WANT TO FORGET AND
GO BACK TO THE SAME CRIME SCENE
WHERE HE HAD BEEN AND GET
IDENTIFIED AT A LATER TIME.
Narrator: IN TOTAL, CROUCH'S
CRIME SPREES NET HIM $150,000.
FOLLOWING THE ARREST,
THE STATE OF TENNESSEE
EXTRADITES CROUCH
BACK TO MEMPHIS
TO FACE
HIS FIRST-DEGREE-MURDER CHARGE.
I JUST TOLD THEM, BASICALLY,
"LOOK, I DID IT.
"I HAVE NO DEFENSE.
I'M GUILTY.
"LET'S GET IT
IN FRONT OF THE JUDGE.
LET ME PLEAD GUILTY AND GO ON."
"YOU DON'T WANT A TRIAL?"
"NO, I DON'T WANT A TRIAL."
A TRIAL WOULD BE TERRIBLE
ON YOUR FAMILY.
Narrator:
BUT MAJOR MICKEY WILLIAMS
BELIEVES THAT CROUCH
HAS A DIFFERENT REASON
FOR NOT WANTING A TRIAL.
HE DID NOT WANT TO RUN THE RISK
OF GETTING THE DEATH PENALTY,
SO HE PLED GUILTY IN EXCHANGE
FOR LIFE WITH PAROLE.
Narrator:
AFTER AN 18-MONTH MANHUNT,
MAJOR WILLIAMS FINALLY
CLOSES THE BOOK ON JOE CROUCH.
Williams: EVERY DETECTIVE LIKES
TO HAVE THAT FINAL CHAPTER.
WE DO CARE ABOUT GETTING OUR MAN
AND SEEING THAT JUSTICE IS DONE,
SO TO SPEAK,
BUT MORE SO,
IT WAS CLOSURE FOR THE FAMILY,
IF THERE EVER IS
THAT SORT OF THING,
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK
YOU CAN EVER REPAIR THE DAMAGE
THAT HE DID TO HIS CHILDREN.
Narrator: CROUCH IS SERVING A
MINIMUM OF 51 YEARS BEHIND BARS
AT THE MAXIMUM SECURITY WEST
TENNESSEE STATE PENITENTIARY.
HE'LL BE 115 YEARS OLD
BEFORE HE'S ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE.
DESPITE HIS SENTENCE,
HE HAS FEW REGRETS
ABOUT HIS TIME ON THE RUN.
Crouch:
UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES,
I DRAINED ABOUT EVERY DROP I
COULD GET OUT OF THAT LIFESTYLE.
I SQUEEZED IT PRETTY GOOD.
I'M NOT AT PEACE
WITH WHAT HAPPENED.
I'M AT PEACE WITH MYSELF.
YOU CAN'T DWELL ON IT.
YOU CAN'T.
IT DESTROYS YOU IF YOU DO,
AND I DON'T -- I'M NOT GONNA BE
DESTROYED BY IT.
I HAVE TO LIVE UNTIL THEY TAKE
ME OUT OF HERE IN A BODY BAG.
Narrator:
CROUCH ALMOST GOT AWAY WITH IT,
AND TO THIS DAY,
HE HAS VERY FEW REGRETS.
Crouch: I'D BE REAL HAPPY
TO STILL BE OUT THERE
LOOKING OVER MY SHOULDER.
REAL HAPPY.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
LEADING A SECRET LIFE
SHOCKS THE CITY OF MEMPHIS.
Williams: SHE HAD BEEN SHOT
THREE TIMES IN THE HEAD
AND ONCE THROUGH THE HEART.
Narrator: BUT THIS FUGITIVE
HIDES IN PLAIN SIGHT.
Brueggemann:
HE WAS PLAYING GOLF.
HE WAS GOING TO KARAOKE BARS
AND SINGING.
Narrator:
TO PAY FOR THIS LIFESTYLE,
HE TURNS TO ARMED ROBBERY.
Bonner:
HIS ARROGANCE GREW
SUCH THAT HE THOUGHT
THAT HE COULD GET AWAY WITH IT.
Narrator: CAN INVESTIGATORS
CATCH HIM BEFORE HE KILLS AGAIN?
CRIMINALS SOMETIMES
TRY TO ESCAPE FROM JUSTICE.
THIS IS THE STORY OF HOW ONE MAN
ALMOST GOT AWAY WITH IT.
JUNE 24, 2001
STARTED OUT LIKE ANY OTHER
SUNDAY FOR JOE CROUCH,
A 61-YEAR-OLD BUSINESSMAN
LIVING IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
CROUCH, AN AVID GOLFER,
ENTREPRENEUR, AND FAMILY MAN,
IS LIVING A LIFE MOST DREAM OF.
I'M SURE THAT NEIGHBORS
AND FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES
VIEWED US AS LIVING
THE GOOD AMERICAN DREAM --
NICE HOME, MEMBERSHIP
IN THE COUNTRY CLUB, NEW CARS.
LOVED MY WORK.
WENT TO WORK.
DIDN'T MISS A DAY'S WORK
IN OVER PROBABLY 35 YEARS.
Narrator:
CROUCH IS PRESIDENT OF A SMALL
LENDING BUSINESS IN MEMPHIS.
HE'S JUST CELEBRATED
41 YEARS OF MARRIAGE
TO HIS WIFE, BETSY,
A RETIRED NURSE.
TOGETHER, THEY HAVE TWO
GROWN CHILDREN, TERESA AND JAY,
BUT THIS TYPICAL FAMILY LIFE
IS NOT AS IT SEEMS,
FOR JOE CROUCH
IS KEEPING A DARK SECRET.
CROUCH HAS HIDDEN
AN OUT-OF-CONTROL ADDICTION
FROM EVERYONE IN HIS FAMILY.
BLACKJACK!
YEAH!
I WAS AN ADDICTED GAMBLER.
I HAD FRIENDS
I USED TO RUN WITH.
WE LITERALLY WOULD BET $100
WHETHER THE NEXT CAR WAS GONNA
BE A CHEVROLET OR FORD
IF WE WERE IN A CAR TOGETHER.
I'M DEFINITELY GONNA WIN
THIS ONE.
OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME,
I PROBABLY DID BUSINESS
WITH EVERY BOOKIE
IN THE CITY OF MEMPHIS.
SOONER OR LATER,
YOU OUTSTRIP YOUR RESOURCES,
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS,
THEN YOU START DOING THINGS
TO COVER THE LOSSES,
TO PROVIDE THE MONEY,
AND THOSE THINGS
ARE NORMALLY ILLEGAL.
Narrator:
CROUCH HAS SPIRALED INTO
THE DEPTHS OF HIS ADDICTION.
WHAT KILLED ME
WAS WHEN MISSISSIPPI
OPENED UP CASINO GAMBLING.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THERE'S
SEVEN OR EIGHT OR NINE CASINOS
WITHIN A 35-MINUTE DRIVE
FROM MY OFFICE.
DOOM.
THAT WAS IT.
THERE'S ALWAYS A RECKONING DAY.
THERE'S ALWAYS A PAYDAY.
Narrator:
IN MAY OF 2001,
CROUCH'S GAMBLING ADDICTION
HAS CAUGHT UP WITH HIM.
TO COVER HIS DEBT,
HE HAS WRITTEN BAD CHECKS
TOTALING MORE THAN $80,000.
AT AN INDIAN CASINO
IN PHILADELPHIA, MISSISSIPPI,
HIS ADDICTION
REACHES A TIPPING POINT.
Crouch:
OVER THE PERIOD OF TWO NIGHTS,
I COULD NOT STAY AWAY
FROM THE TABLE.
DURING THAT TIME,
I LOST $18,000,
AND THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW,
I'M AT THE ATM
TRYING TO GET MONEY OUT.
I THINK IT FINALLY HIT ME --
"JOE, YOU CANNOT --
YOU CAN'T DO IT.
YOU CAN'T CURE IT."
I REMEMBER THINKING,
VERY DEPRESSING,
"THERE'S NO WAY OUT."
Narrator:
CROUCH RETURNS HOME TO TENNESSEE
AND RECEIVES A DISTURBING CALL
FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE.
THEY INFORM HIM THAT HE IS GOING
TO BE INDICTED FOR BANK FRAUD.
Crouch: I PROBABLY HIT THE BANKS
FOR SOMEWHERE AROUND 85 GRAND.
I KNEW THAT I WAS FIXING
TO GO TO JAIL.
THE HOUSE WAS GONNA DISAPPEAR,
THE CAR WAS GONNA DISAPPEAR,
AND I'M GONNA LEAVE
MY WIFE OF 41 YEARS
SITTING THERE WITH NO WAY
TO DEAL WITH IT.
Narrator: CROUCH IS ON THE VERGE
OF LOSING EVERYTHING.
AS HIS WORLD
SPINS OUT OF CONTROL,
HE CONFRONTS BETSY
WITH THE TRUTH.
Crouch: I FINALLY TOLD HER
WHAT WAS GOING TO OCCUR.
I'M GONNA BE PROSECUTED
FOR FRAUD.
SHE FREAKED OUT.
COULDN'T LEAVE HER TO FACE THE
LIFE THAT SHE WOULD HAVE FACED.
Narrator: CROUCH KNOWS HIS HOUSE
OF CARDS IS ABOUT TO COLLAPSE.
HE SEES ONLY ONE WAY OUT.
I MADE THE HORRIBLE,
TERRIBLE JUDGMENT
THAT SHE WOULD BE
BETTER OFF DECEASED
THAN HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH
WHAT SHE'D HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH.
THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER WAS,
I WAS TOO ASHAMED TO FACE HER
AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF HAVING
TO DEAL WITH WHAT I HAD DONE.
I DIDN'T HAVE THE --
THE GUTS TO DO THAT.
I TOOK THE CHICKEN WAY OUT.
Narrator:
SUNDAY, JUNE 24, 2001.
CROUCH IS UNABLE TO SLEEP.
HE SPENDS A RESTLESS NIGHT
CONTEMPLATING HIS PLAN.
BUT BY MORNING,
HE HAS MADE UP HIS MIND.
Crouch:
OH, I KNEW IT WAS GONNA HAPPEN
WHEN I WOKE UP THAT MORNING.
THERE'S NO TURNING BACK.
I WAS MENTALLY,
EMOTIONALLY NUMB.
I DIDN'T FEEL ANYTHING.
Narrator:
CROUCH QUIETLY SLIPS OUT OF BED
AND PULLS A .25-CALIBER
AUTOMATIC FROM HIS NIGHTSTAND.
I GOT UP AND TOOK THE GUN,
WHICH I'D ALREADY PUT AWAY,
HAD ALREADY CHECKED,
AND DID WHAT I DID.
Narrator: CROUCH KNOWS THERE
IS ONLY ONE OPTION FOR HIM NOW.
Crouch:
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GONNA DO.
EXPECTED TO BE PICKED UP
AT ANY MOMENT.
Narrator: MINUTES AFTER KILLING
HIS WIFE OF 41 YEARS,
CROUCH PULLS OUT
OF THE DRIVEWAY.
HE'S NOW A FUGITIVE
FROM JUSTICE.
INSTEAD OF FLEEING TOWN,
HE MAKES A STOP AT HIS OFFICE.
HE SITS DOWN AT HIS DESK
TO EXPLAIN
TO HIS TWO GROWN CHILDREN
WHY HE KILLED THEIR MOTHER.
SPECIAL AGENT CHRIS BONNER
IS WITH THE FEDERAL BUREAU
OF INVESTIGATION.
THIS IS A COPY OF A LETTER
THAT WAS PROVIDED TO ME
RELATED TO THE INVESTIGATION
OF THE HOMICIDE OF BETSY CROUCH.
"YOUR MOTHER FELT NOTHING.
"SHE WAS SOUND ASLEEP.
"SO, I PROMISE YOU
SHE SUFFERED NOTHING.
"I KILLED HER
BECAUSE I LOVED HER.
"I KNOW THAT IS HARD TO BELIEVE,
"BUT I JUST COULDN'T LET HER
GO THROUGH WHAT WAS COMING UP.
I AM IN TOO DEEP
EVER TO GET OUT."
Narrator: CROUCH HEADS EAST
ON INTERSTATE 40
AND MAILS THE LETTERS BEFORE
LEAVING MEMPHIS CITY LIMITS.
THEN HE MAKES A CALL
TO HIS DAUGHTER'S HUSBAND,
BOBBY WAMPLER.
HELLO?
CROUCH WANTS TO CONFESS
TO THE CRIME
SO THAT HIS KIDS AREN'T THE ONES
TO DISCOVER BETSY'S BODY.
SURE.
I SAID, "BOBBY, THIS IS JOE."
I SAID,
"I NEED TO TELL YOU SOMETHING.
THIS IS SERIOUS."
I SAID, "AT 5:00 THIS MORNING,
I SHOT AND KILLED BETSY."
SLOW DOWN!
I SAID, "I WANT YOU TO BE
THE ONE TO CALL THE POLICE.
I WANT YOU TO BE THE ONE
TO INFORM MY TWO KIDS."
HE STARTS HOLLERING
AND SCREAMING.
I SAID, "AND THIS WILL BE THE
LAST TIME YOU EVER TALK TO ME."
CUT THE CELLPHONE OFF AND THREW
THE CELLPHONE OUT OF THE CAR.
Narrator:
BOBBY CALLS BOTH TERESA AND JAY
TO BREAK THE HORRIFYING NEWS,
THEN HE DIALS 911.
MICKEY WILLIAMS WAS A SERGEANT
WITH MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE,
HOMICIDE BUREAU BACK IN 2001.
YOUR FATHER CALLED YOUR HUSBAND
AT ABOUT WHAT TIME?
AT THE CRIME SCENE,
HE QUESTIONS CROUCH'S CHILDREN,
JAY AND TERESA.
AND THEY JUST SEEMED
IN A TOTAL STATE OF SHOCK,
YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF QUIET
AND STOIC.
THANK YOU.
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]
Narrator: IN THE HOUSE,
INVESTIGATORS COLLECT EVIDENCE
AND SURVEY THE BRUTALITY
OF THE HOMICIDE.
Williams: SHE WAS UPSTAIRS
IN THE MASTER BEDROOM
LAYING ON HER BACK IN THE BED,
AND SHE HAD BEEN SHOT
THREE TIMES IN THE HEAD
AND ONCE THROUGH THE HEART.
EVIDENCE POINTED TO THE HUSBAND,
SINCE HE WAS GONE,
AND THERE WERE THINGS MISSING
FROM THE HOME.
THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE
OF A BREAK-IN.
HE CHOSE TO KILL HER AND LEAVE,
'CAUSE I GUESS HE SAW THAT
AS CLOSING OUT HIS LIFE.
IN HIS MIND,
HE WAS DOING HER A FAVOR
'CAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO LIVE
WITHOUT HIM.
SHE WOULD BE DEVASTATED.
SO, I GUESS,
IN HIS MIND IT WAS BETTER
TO PUT HER OUT OF HER MISERY.
IT DOES SEEM KIND
OF COLD-BLOODED TO ME.
Narrator:
MAJOR WILLIAMS IMMEDIATELY
NOTIFIES LOCAL AUTHORITIES
THAT CROUCH IS ARMED
AND ON THE RUN.
HE SENDS OUT
AN ALL-POINTS BULLETIN
WITH A DESCRIPTION OF CROUCH
AND THE CAR HE'S DRIVING.
CROUCH KNOWS HE HAS
TO GET OUT OF TOWN QUICKLY,
BUT HE DOESN'T HAVE A PLAN.
YOU ASSUME THAT
EVERY LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL
IN THE SOUTHEAST IS AFTER YOU.
Narrator: AFTER 12 HOURS ON THE
RUN AND 200 MILES ON THE ROAD,
HE CHECKS IN TO A NASHVILLE
MOTEL FOR THE NIGHT.
CROUCH KNOWS HE CAN'T CHECK IN
USING HIS REAL NAME.
HE SPINS A COVER STORY.
Crouch:
YOU CHECK IN TO A MOTEL AND YOU
HAVE TO REGISTER WITH A NAME.
I JUST NEED A ROOM
FOR THE NIGHT.
I PICKED THE NAME
JAY NELSON.
JAY'S MY SON'S NAME,
SO I GUESS THERE WAS
A CERTAIN AMOUNT
OF IDENTITY BONDING THERE.
FROM THAT POINT ON,
I BECAME JAY NELSON,
A RETIRED WIDOWER
FROM NORTH MISSISSIPPI.
THAT WAS THE STORY
THAT I GAVE PEOPLE,
THAT I WAS
A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN
AND I HAD DECIDED TO TAKE
AN EXTENDED VACATION.
Narrator:
AFTER CHECKING IN,
CROUCH LEAVES THE MOTEL
FOR A WALK TO CLEAR HIS MIND.
CROUCH AND HIS WIFE
WERE DEDICATED KARAOKE SINGERS.
AND DOWN THE STREET,
HE COMES ACROSS A KARAOKE BAR.
CROUCH BELIEVES
THAT IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME
UNTIL HE'S CAPTURED,
SO HE ENTERS THE CLUB,
DETERMINED TO ENJOY HIS FREEDOM
WHILE IT LASTS.
AND I'M THINKING, LIKE, "OKAY.
"IT'S PROBABLY MY LAST NIGHT ON
EARTH TO DO THINGS LIKE THIS,
SO WHAT AM I GONNA --
I'M GONNA DO KARAOKE."
WHEN YOU GO TO KARAOKE,
THERE'S SOME NIGHTS YOU'RE GOOD,
SOME NIGHTS YOU'RE EH,
AND SOME NIGHTS YOU'RE GREAT,
AND AS HORRIBLE AS IT MAY SOUND,
I WAS GREAT THAT NIGHT.
I HAD COMMITTED A HEINOUS,
HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE CRIME,
BUT YET LESS THAN
12 HOURS LATER,
I'M STANDING UP IN FRONT
OF A GROUP OF PEOPLE,
SINGING KARAOKE, HAVING A DRINK,
AND HUSTLING A FEMALE.
NOW, HOW HORRIBLE IS THAT?
Narrator: THE NEXT DAY,
CROUCH DRIVES OVER 200 MILES
AND STAYS THE NIGHT
IN MARIETTA, GEORGIA.
HE'S TERRIFIED THAT THE COPS
ARE JUST ONE STEP BEHIND HIM.
Crouch:
YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY
AND YOU SEE A HIGHWAY PATROL
SITTING IN THE MEDIAN.
OF COURSE,
HE'S CHECKING TRAFFIC.
IN YOUR MIND,
HE'S LOOKING FOR YOU,
AND SO YOU SIT THERE AND YOU'RE
JUST LIKE, "OH, MY GOD!
DON'T MOVE!"
AND WHEN HE DOESN'T MOVE,
IT'S LIKE,
"OH, THANK YOU, JESUS."
Narrator: CROUCH IS ALWAYS
LOOKING OVER HIS SHOULDER,
BUT HE'S MISSING ONE VITAL TOOL
FOR LIFE ON THE RUN --
MONEY.
HE'S BANKRUPT AND CAN'T GET CASH
OUT OF HIS ACCOUNTS.
AFTER HE KILLED HIS WIFE,
HE GRABBED HER PURSE.
HE KNEW SHE HAD ACCESS
TO ACCOUNTS THAT HE DIDN'T.
Williams: HE WAS SMARTER
THAN YOUR AVERAGE CRIMINAL.
THEY DO THINGS RASH,
AND, YOU KNOW,
THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE A PLAN.
IT'S KIND OF JUST
OPPORTUNISTIC-TYPE THING.
HE WENT TO GREAT LENGTHS
TO PREVENT BEING CAUGHT.
Narrator: IT DOESN'T KEEP HIM
FROM MAKING A CRITICAL MISTAKE
HIS SECOND DAY ON THE RUN.
I STOPPED AT A BANK
RIGHT OUTSIDE OF MARIETTA,
AND I PUT IN
MY LITTLE CREDIT CARD.
WELL, GUESS WHAT --
THE LITTLE ATM MACHINE
TOOK MY CARD AND SAID,
"YOU NEED TO COME INSIDE
AND TALK TO THE BANK MANAGER."
AND WHAT DO YOU DO?
YOU RUN.
Narrator:
CROUCH REALIZES IT'S TOO LATE.
HE'S JUST GIVEN THE POLICE
HIS EXACT LOCATION
BY USING HIS WIFE'S CREDIT CARD.
CROUCH GETS INTO HIS CAR
AND FLEES SOUTH TO JACKSONVILLE.
Crouch: YOU HIT THE ROAD,
AND THAT 70-MILE-AN-HOUR
SPEED LIMIT JUST ISN'T ENOUGH.
Narrator:
CROUCH IS GETTING DESPERATE.
HE HAS NO MONEY,
HIS GAS GAUGE IS PRESSING EMPTY,
AND NOW THE COPS
KNOW HIS EXACT LOCATION.
Narrator: 24 HOURS
AFTER MURDERING HIS WIFE, BETSY,
JOE CROUCH IS ON THE RUN.
BUT CROUCH IS DESPERATE FOR CASH
AND DECIDES TO USE
HIS WIFE'S BANK CARD
AT AN ATM IN MARIETTA, GEORGIA.
[ ATM BEEPING ]
WHEN THE MACHINE REQUESTS
CROUCH SEE THE BANK MANAGER,
HE REALIZES
THERE'S ONLY ONE THING TO DO.
Crouch:
YOU GET THE HELL OUT OF DODGE.
YOU GET BACK TO THE HIGHWAY
AND MOVE ON,
'CAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
IT MEANS WITHIN
A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME,
LAW ENFORCEMENT'S GONNA KNOW
YOU WERE IN MARIETTA, GEORGIA,
TRYING TO USE YOUR CREDIT CARD.
Williams: BETSY HAD A LOT
OF CREDIT-CARD ACCOUNTS
THAT HE MAY HAVE TAKEN WITH HIM,
SO WE WERE TRYING TO SEE
IF MAYBE THOSE POPPED UP
DIFFERENT PLACES.
Narrator:
CROUCH GETS A LUCKY BREAK.
THE ATM HIT NEVER TURNS UP.
CROUCH ARRIVES IN JACKSONVILLE,
OVER 700 MILES
FROM THE MURDER SCENE.
HE'S NEARLY OUT OF GAS
AND HAS JUST $25 TO HIS NAME.
HE STARTS THINKING
IN TERMS OF SURVIVAL.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID
THAT EVENING WAS TO STEAL A TAG
AND PUT A FLORIDA TAG ON THE CAR
SO THAT THEY DON'T --
YOU KNOW,
IF THEY SEE THE TENNESSEE TAG,
THEY MIGHT GET SUSPICIOUS
ABOUT IT.
Narrator: THE NEW TAGS
GIVE CROUCH CONFIDENCE
THAT HE'S DONE ENOUGH
TO COVER HIS TRACKS.
Crouch: I WAS DRIVING
A VERY GENERIC CAR.
I'M DRIVING A MERCURY SABLE,
SAME BODY STYLE AS A TAURUS.
THERE'S 15 MILLION OF THOSE
DRIVING ON THE STREETS
OF THE UNITED STATES,
SO IT DOESN'T STICK OUT.
Narrator:
WHILE CROUCH TRIES TO BLEND IN
TO THE FLORIDA HIGHWAYS,
MEMPHIS HOMICIDE
IS FEVERISHLY WORKING THE CASE.
Williams:
IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT HE HAD FLED
THE JURISDICTION OF MEMPHIS,
SO WE ALSO TOOK ANOTHER STEP
IN ADDITION TO GETTING
A LOCAL WARRANT
CHARGING HIM HERE
IN SHELBY COUNTY
WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.
WE GOT A FEDERAL
U.F.A.P. WARRANT,
WHICH IS UNLAWFUL FLIGHT
TO AVOID PROSECUTION.
Narrator: CROUCH REALIZES
HE CAN'T JUST KEEP DRIVING.
HE NEEDS A PLAN IF HE'S GOING
TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER.
IF YOU'RE A FUGITIVE
FROM THE LAW,
UNLESS YOU HAVE PLANNED AHEAD
FOR IT,
THERE'S NOT ANY WAY TO EXIST
OTHER THAN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
Narrator: CROUCH SPENDS THE
SECOND DAY OF BEING A FUGITIVE
SEARCHING JACKSONVILLE
FOR A ROBBERY TARGET.
HE'S LOOKING FOR STORES
WITH JUST ONE EMPLOYEE
AND NO CUSTOMERS.
Crouch:
I FOUND THIS CONVENIENCE STORE.
I SAT ACROSS THE STREET FROM IT,
LOOKED AT IT, WATCHED IT,
CASED IT.
AT SOME POINT IN TIME, I MEAN,
I FINALLY SAID, "THIS IS IT.
CAN'T GO ANY FURTHER."
AND I PULLED IN AND PARKED
AT THE END OF THE BUILDING,
WHICH WAS DARK.
THERE WAS NO FLOODLIGHT ON IT.
Narrator:
WHEN CROUCH ENTERS THE STORE,
HE MAKES CERTAIN
THAT THERE ARE NO CUSTOMERS.
HE SEES THAT THE COAST IS CLEAR
AND APPROACHES THE STORE CLERK.
DON'T MOVE.
YOU'RE GONNA BE FINE.
Crouch:
I PULLED A .25-CALIBER PISTOL
AND PUT IT ON HIS FOREHEAD
AND TOLD HIM, I SAID, "YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE A NICE YOUNG MAN.
YOU'RE MUCH TOO YOUNG TO DIE
OVER SOMEBODY ELSE'S MONEY."
AND THEN I ASKED HIM, I SAID,
"IS THERE ANY MORE MONEY
IN THE STORE?"
HE SAID, "THERE'S ANOTHER
REGISTER AT THE
END OF THE COUNTER."
I TOOK THE MONEY OUT OF IT.
BACK UP! BACK UP!
KEEP MOVING!
AND THEN I WALKED HIM BACK.
I SAID, "ALL I'M GONNA TO DO
IS PUT YOU IN THE BATHROOM
AND SHUT THE DOOR,"
AND I TOOK HIM TO THE BATHROOM,
TOLD HIM TO LAY DOWN AND COUNT
TO 500 BEFORE HE CAME OUT.
DO NOT GET UP!
DO NOT COME THROUGH
THIS DOORWAY!
RAN TO THE FRONT DOOR OF
THE STORE AND WALKED TO THE CAR,
GOT IN THE CAR, BACKED OUT,
AND LEFT AND HIT THE HIGHWAY.
Narrator: THE ROBBERY
NETS HIM ALMOST $300.
Crouch: IT WAS SUCCESSFUL,
AND I GOT AWAY
WITH A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY,
WHICH TO ME, AT THAT TIME, WAS,
"OH, MY GOD!
I CAN LIVE
FOR ANOTHER COUPLE DAYS."
Narrator:
CROUCH HAS SUCCESSFULLY ADDED
ARMED ROBBERY TO HIS RAP SHEET.
HE TOTALLY FLIPPED THAT SWITCH.
THAT CRIMINAL SWITCH CAME ON
IN HIM
WHEN HE KILLED HIS WIFE
AND LEFT TOWN.
HE BECAME A SERIAL CRIMINAL.
Crouch: I READ SOME COMMENTS
IN THE PAPER,
AND THEY TALKED ABOUT
HOW DEADLY CALM I WAS,
BUT YOU DO REACH IN
TO A DIFFERENT MOMENT
WHEN YOU'RE DOING IT,
AND THEN WHEN YOU GET OUT AND
GO, I MEAN, IT'S EXHILARATING.
Narrator: CROUCH FEELS
A RUSH OF ADRENALINE,
BUT THE IMPROMPTU ROBBERY
DOESN'T SOLVE HIS PROBLEMS.
HE STILL HAS NO CONCRETE PLANS
TO AVOID CAPTURE.
Crouch: I ENDED UP IN THE CAR,
AND I'M HEADED SOUTH ON I-95,
AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, ABOUT
THE TIME I FINALLY QUIT SHAKING
AND STARTED BREATHING AGAIN,
THERE'S A SIGN THAT SAYS
"DAYTONA," 20-SOME MILES AHEAD.
AND BY THEN, IT'S ABOUT 11:00,
AND I'M LIKE,
"OKAY, DAYTONA BEACH."
Narrator:
HIDING OUT IN FLORIDA GIVES
CROUCH A DISTINCT ADVANTAGE.
ONCE I GOT THERE
AND GOT SETTLED,
I KNEW I WAS GONNA STAY THERE,
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WAS
THAT YOU BLEND IN.
I MEAN, FLORIDA MUST HAVE
25 MILLION OLD WHITE GUYS,
AND YOU FIT IN.
YOU DON'T STICK OUT.
I LOOKED THE PART
OF WHAT I PRETENDED TO BE.
I MEAN, IF YOU MET ME
AND I'M TELLING YOU
I'M A RETIRED BUSINESSMAN
FROM NORTH MISSISSIPPI,
A WIDOWER TAKING A ONE-YEAR
EXTENDED GOLF VACATION,
WOULD YOU THINK OTHERWISE?
NO.
AGAIN, I'M SORRY TO BOTHER YOU,
BUT...
Narrator: 72 HOURS
INTO THE INVESTIGATION,
MEMPHIS P.D. KNOWS THAT CROUCH
HAS SKIPPED TOWN,
BUT THE TRAIL IS GROWING COLD.
THE HOMICIDE DIVISION
ISSUES A WANTED POSTER
TO FEDERAL FUGITIVE TASK FORCES
THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST REGION.
Williams:
THE FACT THAT HIS LIFESTYLE WAS
THAT OF GOLFING AND GAMBLING,
I DISTRIBUTED THE FLIERS
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY,
SENT IT
TO THE BIG CASINO HUBS --
ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY,
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA,
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.
Narrator:
USING THE SMALL AMOUNT OF CASH
HE GOT FROM
THE CONVENIENCE-STORE ROBBERY,
CROUCH IS ABLE TO RENT
A CHEAP MOTEL ROOM,
BUT HE CAN'T SHAKE
A DISTURBING FEELING.
Crouch: WELL, THE FIRST MONTH,
YOU'RE STILL TERRIFIED.
YOU STILL ASSUME EVERY TIME
YOU GO TO BED AT NIGHT
THAT SOMETIME DURING THE NIGHT
THEY'RE GONNA KICK THE DOOR DOWN
AND COME IN AND GET YOU.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST --
IT'S A CONSTANT, TERRIFYING,
TRAUMATIC FEELING TO BE IN.
Narrator: WHILE LIFE ON THE RUN
TAKES ITS TOLL ON CROUCH,
HE'S GOT A BIGGER PROBLEM --
THE CASH FROM HIS FIRST ROBBERY
IS RUNNING OUT.
Williams: HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE
TO GET A LEGITIMATE JOB.
HE WOULD HAVE TO SUPPORT HIMSELF
SOMEHOW,
AND MOST PEOPLE ON THE RUN,
THEY TURN TO A LIFE OF CRIME,
WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT HE DID.
Narrator:
FROM JUNE UNTIL NOVEMBER,
CROUCH COMMITS MORE
THAN 30 ARMED ROBBERIES
IN NORTHERN FLORIDA.
BY COMMITTING THOSE ROBBERIES,
HE WAS PLAYING WITH FIRE.
HE WAS RUNNING THE RISK
OF GETTING CAUGHT
ON THOSE ROBBERIES
OR EVEN GETTING KILLED.
Narrator:
IN NOVEMBER 2001,
CROUCH DECIDES TO TAKE A CHANCE
AND REACH OUT TO HIS CHILDREN
ONE MORE TIME.
HE DOESN'T WANT
TO GIVE AWAY HIS LOCATION
BY POSTMARKING THE LETTERS
IN DAYTONA BEACH SHORES,
SO HE PREPARES THE LETTERS
AND DRIVES 600 MILES
TO NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA,
TO MAIL THEM.
Williams: IN NOVEMBER, SEVERAL
MONTHS AFTER THE KILLING,
HE MAILED A BIG LETTER EXPRESS
PACKAGE THROUGH THE POST OFFICE.
HE WAS GIVING HIS SON, JAY,
POWER OF ATTORNEY
OVER THE BUSINESS,
WHICH, OF COURSE, HE BANKRUPTED.
WHEN HE LEFT, THE BUSINESS
WAS SHOT DOWN IN FLAMES.
Narrator: WHEN CROUCH'S CHILDREN
RECEIVE THE LETTERS,
THEY IMMEDIATELY HAND THEM OVER
TO MEMPHIS HOMICIDE.
DOES YOUR FATHER KNOW ANYBODY
IN NEW ORLEANS?
HOMICIDE DETECTIVE
MICKEY WILLIAMS TAKES ACTION
AND OBTAINS SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
FROM THE NEW ORLEANS
POST OFFICE.
WILL CROUCH'S PLAN TO ESCAPE
FROM JUSTICE FOOL POLICE?
Narrator: BUSINESSMAN
AND FAMILY MAN JOE CROUCH
HAS BEEN ON THE RUN
FOR FOUR MONTHS
SINCE MURDERING HIS WIFE, BETSY,
IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
MEMPHIS HOMICIDE DETECTIVE
MICKEY WILLIAMS GETS A BREAK.
POSTAL INSPECTORS HAND OVER
PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE
OF CROUCH MAILING A PACKAGE
TO HIS KIDS.
Williams: WE WEREN'T DEALING
WITH A LOCAL SEARCH, OKAY?
IT WAS GOING TO TAKE
A LOT MORE EFFORT TO GET HIM
THAN WHAT WE USUALLY DO,
'CAUSE MOST OF OUR PEOPLE
GET CAPTURED LOCALLY.
WE ALREADY HAD
THE FEDS INVOLVED,
SO WE WERE, YOU KNOW,
DESPERATELY TRYING TO FIND HIM.
Narrator: UNFORTUNATELY,
THE NEW ORLEANS POST OFFICE'S
SURVEILLANCE CAMERA
PROVES TO BE A WEAK LEAD
FOR DETECTIVE WILLIAMS.
IT DOESN'T PAY OUT
ANY INFORMATION
ABOUT WHERE CROUCH IS
OR WHERE HE IS GOING.
THE CASE GROWS COLD AGAIN.
CROUCH DOESN'T HANG AROUND
NEW ORLEANS.
HE HITS THE HIGHWAY
AND TRAVELS BACK TO
DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, FLORIDA,
WHERE HE IS LIVING UNDER
THE ASSUMED NAME JAY NELSON.
DETECTIVE BRIAN BRUEGGEMANN
IS THE DAYTONA BEACH SHORES
INVESTIGATOR
WHO WORKED THE CASE.
.22-CALIBER REVOLVER
THAT WAS FOUND.
MR. CROUCH WAS TRYING
TO LIVE IT UP.
HE WAS PLAYING GOLF.
HE WAS GOING
ON GAMBLING CRUISE SHIPS.
HE WAS GOING TO KARAOKE BARS
AND SINGING.
I FINALLY BEGAN TO,
NOT GET COMFORTABLE,
BUT GET TO THE POINT
OF WHERE I ACTUALLY BELIEVED
THIS COULD HAPPEN FOR A WHILE.
YOU ALWAYS KNOW
IT'S COMING TO AN END.
YOU JUST DON'T KNOW HOW LONG.
Narrator: CROUCH'S LOVE
OF KARAOKE, GAMBLING, AND GOLF
QUICKLY BLEED HIM OF CASH.
THE SMALL TAKES
FROM THE MORE THAN
30 CONVENIENCE-STORE ROBBERIES
HE HAS COMMITTED
ARE NOT ENOUGH.
CROUCH DECIDES IT'S TIME TO GET
AGGRESSIVE WITH HIS ROBBERIES
AND GO FOR BIGGER TARGETS.
Bonner:
I GUESS HIS CONFIDENCE
WAS SUCH THAT HE THOUGHT
HE BECAME GOOD ENOUGH
TO GRADUATE, YOU KNOW,
INTO BANKS.
HIS ARROGANCE GREW
SUCH THAT HE THOUGHT
THAT HE COULD GET AWAY WITH IT.
IT'S A MATTER OF EXPOSURE
AND REWARD.
IT'S THAT SIMPLE.
EVERY TIME YOU WALKED
INTO A CONVENIENCE STORE
AND PULLED A GUN,
YOU'RE IN DANGER OF GETTING
KILLED OR KILLING SOMEBODY,
AND WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF IT?
MOST OF THEM,
IT'S $300 OR $400.
YOU'VE GOT TO DO IT AGAIN IN
A WEEK AND A HALF OR TWO WEEKS.
Narrator: METHODICALLY, CROUCH
STARTS TO DEVELOP A PROFILE
FOR THE TYPE OF BANK
HE WANTS TO HIT.
Crouch: IT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE
A LOCAL REGIONAL BANK,
NOT A NATIONAL CHAIN.
ONE THAT WOULD HAVE NO MORE
THAN FOUR EMPLOYEES,
AND ONE THAT WOULD HAVE
NO MEN --
ALWAYS ALL FEMALES.
MEN TEND TO GET HEROIC.
MEN TEND TO WANT TO BE --
YOU KNOW, THE MACHO
AND THE TESTOSTERONE'S FLOWING.
NEXT THING YOU KNOW,
YOU MAY HAVE TO SHOOT SOMEBODY.
Narrator: CROUCH CAREFULLY PLANS
EVERY DETAIL OF THE HEIST
DOWN TO HIS CLOTHING.
Crouch: I PLAYED BEING
WHAT I LOOKED LIKE,
WHICH WAS A RETIRED --
OLDER RETIRED GENTLEMAN
THAT THEY GET THOUSANDS
IN THE BANK EVERY DAY.
I WORE A CERTAIN PAIR OF SHOES.
I WORE A PAIR OF DOCKERS.
I ALWAYS WORE WHAT YOU WOULD
TERM A POLO SHIRT.
I WOULD NORMALLY WEAR A CAP
THAT WOULD BE INNOCUOUS TO THEM.
Narrator: CROUCH HAS IDENTIFIED
THE PERFECT BANK.
HE KNOWS BANK ROBBERIES
ATTRACT MEDIA ATTENTION,
SO HE DRIVES 60 MILES
TO ORLANDO,
AN AREA HE THINKS IS OUTSIDE
THE DAYTONA MEDIA MARKET
AND OUTSIDE
OF THEIR NEWS COVERAGE.
HE PICKS A BANK A QUARTER MILE
FROM THE INTERSTATE,
AND IT'S A SMALL BANK BRANCH
WITH LIMITED ACTIVITY.
CROUCH SPENDS OVER AN HOUR
CASING THE BANK.
AT 11:00 A.M., HE SEES ONE
OF THE FOUR FEMALE EMPLOYEES
LEAVE THE BUILDING FOR LUNCH.
INSIDE, CROUCH'S PLAN
IS FALLING INTO PLACE,
EXCEPT FOR ONE THING --
SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS ARE GETTING
A CLEAR SHOT OF THE BANK,
BUT FOR CROUCH,
IT'S THE POINT OF NO RETURN.
HE CALMLY WALKS
TO THE BANK MANAGER
AND DELIVERS
A VERY CLEAR MESSAGE.
"DO EXACTLY WHAT I SAY
AND YOU WON'T GET HURT.
MESS WITH ME AND I'LL SHOOT YOU
SURE AS I'M LOOKING AT YOU."
STAND UP.
Narrator: CROUCH NO LONGER USES
A .25-CALIBER PISTOL.
HE'S GRADUATED
TO A MORE INTIMIDATING WEAPON.
Crouch:
I HAD A .38 SPECIAL, WHICH IS
A REALLY UGLY-LOOKING WEAPON.
I MEAN, IT LOOKS LETHAL,
AND IT IS LETHAL.
PUT YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD.
GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES NOW!
GATHERED THE EMPLOYEES
BEHIND THE COUNTER.
YOU HAVE THEM OPEN
THE CASH DRAWER.
YOU GO THROUGH.
YOU TAKE THE MONEY OUT.
Narrator: CROUCH ONCE AGAIN
DRAWS ON HIS EXPERIENCE
IN THE FINANCIAL INDUSTRY.
IT GIVES HIM AN EDGE
AT A CRITICAL MOMENT.
YOU'RE SCOOPING MONEY OUT
AND YOU'RE SCOOPING MONEY OUT,
AND YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR THE DYE PACK.
Narrator:
HE KNOWS TO LOOK FOR A DYE PACK,
A STACK OF REAL BILLS
WITH A DYE DEVICE EMBEDDED
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK.
THE DEVICE IS ACTIVATED
BY A RADIO FREQUENCY
WHEN IT LEAVES THE BANK.
WITHIN 30 SECONDS,
THE DEVICE EXPLODES.
CROUCH LOCATES THE DYE PACK
AND TOSSES IT.
HE KNOWS HE HAS TO MOVE FAST.
THE LONGER HE STAYS IN THE BANK,
THE GREATER HIS CHANCE
OF GETTING CAUGHT.
TELLERS, ON YOUR FEET.
MANAGER, ON YOUR FEET.
Narrator: HE USHERS THE BANK
EMPLOYEES INTO THE RESTROOM
AND GIVES THEM AN ORDER.
Crouch: YOU PUT THEM
INSIDE THE BATHROOM,
TELL THEM SIT DOWN
AND COUNT TO 300,
AND THEN YOU TAKE THE ROPE
AND YOU WRAP IT
AROUND THIS DOORKNOB,
THAT DOORKNOB, PULL IT TIGHT.
IT SECURES THE BATHROOM.
THEY'RE NOT COMING OUT.
Narrator:
IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME
UNTIL THE BANK EMPLOYEE
RETURNS FROM LUNCH.
ONCE SHE FREES THE TELLERS
AND CALLS POLICE,
IT ONLY TAKES FIVE TO SIX
MINUTES FOR THEM TO RESPOND
AND ABOUT 20 MINUTES TO GET OUT
AN ALL-POINTS BULLETIN.
CROUCH HAS TO MOVE FAST.
Crouch:
I GOT BACK TO MY ROOM
AND OPENED THE BRIEFCASE
AND PILED ON THE BED.
I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE,
"OH, MY GOD."
Narrator: HE TURNS ON THE TV
AND COUNTS HIS CASH.
IT'S A HAUL OF $9,000.
...CONTACT
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BUT WHEN THE LOCAL NEWS
COMES ON,
HE'S SHOCKED BY WHAT HE SEES.
COVERAGE OF THE ROBBERY HAS
REACHED DAYTONA BEACH SHORES.
IF ANY OF HIS NEIGHBORS SEE IT,
HE'S AS GOOD AS CAUGHT.
Crouch: AND I'M LIKE,
"OH, MY GOD. WHAT HAVE I DONE?"
Narrator:
MURDERER JOE CROUCH
HAS BEEN A FUGITIVE FROM THE LAW
FOR SIX MONTHS.
NOW HE'S JUST ROBBED A BANK.
AFTER THE ROBBERY,
HE HEADS BACK TO
HIS DAYTONA BEACH SHORES CONDO.
HE'S SHOCKED BY WHAT HE SEES
ON THE TELEVISION.
Crouch: 5:00 NEWS, AND THERE
I AM WITH A STILL SHOT OF ME
STANDING AT THE TELLER'S WINDOW
WITH A GUN IN MY HAND,
AND IT'S A PRETTY GOOD PHOTO.
ANYBODY THAT KNEW ME IN DAYTONA
THAT SEES THAT
IS GONNA HAVE TO BE STRUCK
BY THE RESEMBLANCE,
AND I'M LIKE, "OH, MY GOD.
WHAT HAVE I DONE?"
Narrator: CROUCH STAYS IN HIS
CONDO TO WATCH THE LATE NEWS.
WHEN THE 10:00 NEWSCAST
DOESN'T REPEAT THE STORY,
HE THINKS HE'S IN THE CLEAR.
HE DECIDES TO END THE DAY
AS HE DID
AFTER MOST SUCCESSFUL ROBBERIES.
Crouch: I HAD NUMEROUS AVAILABLE
CALL GIRLS THAT I WOULD UTILIZE,
AND, YES, I WOULD TREAT MYSELF
TO ONE THAT NIGHT.
I NORMALLY WOULD TREAT MYSELF TO
AN EXCELLENT DINNER THAT NIGHT
ON THE WAY BACK.
Narrator: CROUCH TAKES $9,000
FROM THE HEIST,
AND DESPITE THE SCARE, HE
EMBRACES HIS LIFE AS A FUGITIVE.
Crouch: I PLAYED GOLF.
I CREATED RELATIONSHIPS WITH
PEOPLE THAT I PLAYED GOLF WITH.
I MET PEOPLE.
I MADE FRIENDS WITH THEM.
ALL OF THAT WAS GREAT,
BUT THE TRAUMA, THE PRESSURE
THAT GOES WITH IT,
THE CONSTANT --
IT NEVER GOES AWAY FROM YOU.
Narrator: MEANWHILE, THE FBI
AND MEMPHIS POLICE DEPARTMENT
HAVE NO IDEA THEIR FUGITIVE IS
ALSO COMMITTING ARMED ROBBERIES.
Williams:
WE HAD NO IDEA WHERE HE WAS.
OBVIOUSLY,
HE CAN'T RESURFACE AS HIMSELF
WITH WARRANTS ON HIM,
HIS SOCIAL-SECURITY NUMBER.
IF HE TRIED TO GET A JOB,
IF HE TRIED TO DO ANYTHING,
THAT WOULD POP UP
ON SOMEBODY'S RADAR SCREEN.
Narrator: CROUCH IS CAREFULLY
SPINNING A WEB OF LIES
TO LEAD HIS DOUBLE LIFE.
Brueggemann: HE WOULD TELL
HIS KARAOKE FRIENDS
THAT HE WOULD GO BACK TO MEMPHIS
TO HELP HIS SON WITH
THE BUSINESS FOR SEVERAL DAYS.
DURING THIS TIME,
WHAT HE WAS DOING
IS STAKING OUT FAMILY BUSINESSES
OR WHATEVER
THAT WERE BEING ROBBED
AND TRYING TO FIND OUT
WHAT THE TRAFFIC IS
IN AND OUT OF THESE PLACES,
AND A DAY OR TWO LATER,
HE WOULD ROB THE PLACE
AND THEN COME BACK HOME
AND GO BACK OUT TO KARAOKE BARS
AND GAMBLING SHIPS.
Narrator: APRIL 2002.
CROUCH ROBS FIRST ALLIANCE BANK
FOR $12,000.
JUNE 2002.
HE TAKES A JACKSONVILLE BANK
FOR 14 GRAND.
IT SEEMED HE BECAME BOLDER
AND BOLDER AND BOLDER,
AND MAYBE THIS IS DUE
TO HIS ARROGANCE.
HE STARTS OUT WITH WHAT WE CALL
THE MOM-AND-POP
CONVENIENCE-STORE
TYPE ROBBERIES,
AND THEN HE ENDS UP
WITH BANK ROBBERIES.
THAT PUTS YOU
IN A DIFFERENT LEAGUE.
Narrator:
CROUCH DRIVES 170 MILES FROM
HIS HOME TO DUNEDIN, FLORIDA.
AFTER OBSERVING SEVERAL BANKS
IN THE AREA,
CROUCH DECIDES ON HIS TARGET --
CROWN BANK.
CROUCH MAKES THE DECISION THAT
THE CASH DRAWERS ARE NOT ENOUGH.
HE GIVES THE BANK MANAGER
A DIRECT ORDER.
Crouch:
"YOU'RE GONNA SHOW ME THE
RESERVE CASH WITHIN 30 SECONDS.
IF I DON'T SEE IT WITHIN 30
SECONDS, I'M GONNA SHOOT HER."
GET OVER HERE
AND GIVE ME THE MONEY!
Narrator: CROUCH KNOWS
THE BIG MONEY IS IN THE VAULT.
HE QUICKLY ORDERS
THE TELLERS INSIDE.
Crouch: I GOT INTO THE VAULT,
AND YOU HAVE A SAFE.
IT WAS LIKE A FIREPROOF
FILING CABINET.
AND THERE IS LITERALLY
A SHOE BOX IN THERE
WITH THEIR RESERVE CASH.
Narrator:
CROUCH LOADS UP HIS BRIEFCASE.
HE KNOWS THIS IS GOING TO BE
HIS LARGEST HEIST SO FAR.
OKAY, BOTH OF YOU,
OUT.
ALL THE WAY IN THE BATHROOM.
LET'S GO.
BUT NOT EVERYTHING
GOES ACCORDING TO PLAN.
GET IN THERE!
OPEN THE DOOR!
GET IN THERE!
Crouch: THE PROBLEM WAS,
WHEN I WENT TO PUT THEM
IN THE BATHROOM,
THEY HAD A STRANGE BATHROOM.
THERE WERE NO HANDLES
ON THE DOOR.
IT WAS LIKE AN OLD SALOON DOOR,
GO IN AND OUT.
BUT I COULDN'T LOCK THEM
IN THE BATHROOMS.
STAY THERE!
Narrator:
CROUCH MAKES HIS INTENT CLEAR.
IF ANYONE MOVES,
HE'LL SHOOT THEM ON THE SPOT.
Crouch:
I TOLD THEM, "LAY DOWN."
AND I SAID, "YOU BETTER COUNT
TO 500 BEFORE YOU COME OUT.
"IF YOU COME OUT AND I'M HERE,
THEN I'M GONNA SHOOT SOMEBODY.
SO DON'T BE STUPID."
AND, OF COURSE,
THEN I RAN OUT THE BANK
AND THEN WALKED TO THE CAR,
BUT, OF COURSE, OBVIOUSLY,
AS SOON AS THEY HEARD
THE DOOR SHUT,
THEY COME RUNNING OUT,
AND THEY CALLED.
[ ENGINE TURNS OVER ]
WOMAN: 911.
State your emergency.
HI.
WE'VE HAD A ROBBERY.
Narrator: AS CROUCH PULLS
OUT OF THE BANK PARKING LOT,
THE POLICE
ARE ALREADY ON THEIR WAY.
[ SIRENS WAILING ]
DEPUTY SHERIFFS COME IN FROM
LIKE THREE DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
THEY'RE DOING 100 MILES AN HOUR
AND THEIR LIGHTS ARE FLASHING.
Narrator: AFTER BRUTALLY
MURDERING HIS WIFE OF 41 YEARS,
JOE CROUCH HAS TURNED
TO A LIFE OF CRIME.
HIS QUEST FOR CASH
PUTS HIM ON THE PATH OF DANGER
DURING HIS FIFTH BANK ROBBERY.
HI.
WE'VE HAD A ROBBERY.
POLICE HAVE BEEN CALLED
TO THE SCENE
AS CROUCH IS MAKING HIS GETAWAY.
CROUCH SEES
A FLEET OF SQUAD CARS
SCREAMING TOWARDS HIM
AT HIGH SPEED.
HE THINKS IT'S OVER.
THEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS.
THE POLICE DRIVE RIGHT PAST HIM.
HE WAS JUST LUCKY.
IT WAS PURE LUCK, BASICALLY.
HE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN CAUGHT
A LOT SOONER.
Narrator:
CROUCH MAKES HIS GETAWAY.
ONCE HE'S CERTAIN
THAT HE IS SAFE FROM CAPTURE,
HE PULLS OVER TO A SAFE LOCATION
TO COUNT HIS MONEY.
I OPENED THE BRIEFCASE.
YOU CAN'T WAIT.
I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT TO KNOW.
IT'S A KICK.
"HOW MUCH MONEY DID I GET?"
AND I STARTED GOING THROUGH.
$5,000, $7,000, $9,000, ANOTHER
$5,000 -- THAT'S $14,000.
AND WHEN I GET $30,000,
I'M LIKE, "OH, MY GOD.
I'VE DONE WELL."
Narrator: IT'S A HAUL
OF MORE THAN $40,000 IN CASH --
THE MOST HE'S EVER TAKEN.
CROUCH RETURNS TO DAYTONA BEACH
AND REVELS IN HIS HOBBIES --
GOLF AND KARAOKE.
LITTLE DOES HE KNOW
ONE OF HIS FAVORITE ACTIVITIES
IS ABOUT TO BECOME HIS DOWNFALL.
Bonner:
HE MEETS A LOT OF PEOPLE.
HE'S BRAGGADOCIOS.
HE WAS THAT TYPE-A PERSONALITY.
HE WAS A VERY SOCIAL ANIMAL --
BUYING DRINKS, SPREADING MONEY
AROUND, MULTIPLE GIRLFRIENDS.
YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE A LASTING
IMPRESSION ON SOMEBODY.
Narrator: CROUCH MAKES FRIENDS
WITH TWO LOCAL KARAOKE REGULARS,
DEBBIE AND LLOYD EATON.
THEY KNOW THE FUGITIVE
ONLY BY HIS ALIAS -- JAY NELSON.
HE TOLD US THAT HIS WIFE
HAD DIE,
THAT HE HAD A WONDERFUL MARRIAGE
WITH HER --
ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.
HE SPOKE OF HER
LIKE SHE WAS AN ANGEL.
Narrator:
DEBBIE AND LLOYD HIT ONE OF
THEIR FAVORITE KARAOKE JOINTS,
CRABBY JOE'S.
THEY SOON LEARN THE PAINFUL
AND TERRIFYING TRUTH
ABOUT JAY NELSON.
Eaton: OUR FRIEND CAME
RUNNING -- RUNNING UP
WITH A POSTER IN HIS HANDS
OF JAY --
IT WAS AN FBI PICTURE --
AND SAID, "HAVE YOU HEARD?"
I WAS FLOORED.
I WAS FLABBERGASTED.
Narrator:
THE NEWS OF CROUCH'S DOUBLE LIFE
PUTS DEBBIE EATON ON EDGE.
Eaton:
IT WAS VERY SCARY.
ANYONE WHO COULD MURDER SOMEONE
SO COLDLY,
I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING
WHAT HE COULD DO TO ME.
Narrator:
THE COUPLE CALL POLICE
AND GIVE THEM CROUCH'S ADDRESS
IN DAYTONA BEACH SHORES.
IMMEDIATELY,
THE POLICE WORK WITH THE FBI
TO LAY OUT A PLAN
FOR CROUCH'S CAPTURE.
THE GOAL AND OBJECTIVE
WAS THE SAME --
LOCATE CROUCH, ARREST HIM,
TAKE HIM OFF THE STREET.
Narrator: CROUCH IS IN
HIS DAYTONA BEACH CONDO
WHEN SOMETHING
AROUSES HIS SUSPICION.
Crouch: THERE WAS A COP CAR,
A DAYTONA BEACH POLICE CAR,
PARKED ACROSS THE STREET
IN FRONT OF A MOTEL,
JUST SITTING THERE, EMPTY,
NOBODY IN IT.
I THOUGHT,
"WELL, THAT'S PECULIAR."
Narrator:
CROUCH DISREGARDS THE SQUAD CAR
AND DECIDES
TO SPEND AN EVENING AT HOME --
A DECISION THAT HELPS
THE S.W.A.T. TEAM.
MIDNIGHT, THE S.W.A.T. TEAM
MOVES IN TO POSITION,
PLACING OFFICERS ON THE BEACH
AND AT STRATEGIC POINTS
AROUND THE CONDO.
THE S.W.A.T. TEAM USES
A FLASH BANG GRENADE
TO STUN AND DISORIENT CROUCH.
I'M SOUND ASLEEP.
I HEAR THIS EXPLOSION.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, I WAKE UP
AND THERE'S SMOKE EVERYWHERE,
AND I HEAR PEOPLE
HOLLERING AT ME,
AND MY FIRST THOUGHT
WAS THE BUILDING WAS ON FIRE
AND THIS WAS
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
NEXT THING I KNOW,
I'M BEING TACKLED BY A GUY.
HE AND I HIT THE COFFEE TABLE
AND FALL ON IT,
BREAK THE COFFEE TABLE.
I GOT A BIG GASH ON MY LEG.
THEY'RE HAULING ME OUT, SAYING,
"WE'RE TAKING YOU OUTSIDE.
"ARE YOU JOE CROUCH?
DO YOU ADMIT
TO BEING JOE CROUCH?"
AND I'M LIKE,
"GODDAMN, I BETTER BE,
OR YOU TORE SOMEBODY'S DOOR DOWN
FOR NOTHING."
Narrator:
21 MONTHS HAVE PASSED
SINCE JOE CROUCH
MURDERED HIS WIFE.
NOW THE FUGITIVE'S
FLORIDA VACATION IS OVER.
Crouch:
THERE WASN'T ANY RUNNING.
I MEAN, YOU WAKE UP
AND 10 SECONDS LATER
YOU'RE SMASHED ON TOP OF A GLASS
COFFEE TABLE AND HANDCUFFED.
NO RUNNING TO IT.
IT'S OVER.
Narrator: SPECIAL AGENT BONNER
WALKS CROUCH OUT TO THE CURB.
Crouch:
HE LOOKED AT ME AND HE SAID,
"WELL, I GUESS YOU'RE RELIEVED
IT'S OVER."
I SAID,
"I GUESS YOU'RE CRAZY AS HELL."
WHAT KIND OF RELIEF?
NO.
Narrator:
AUTHORITIES HAVE THEIR MAN,
BUT THEY ARE SHOCKED
BY A NEW DISCOVERY.
DETECTIVE BRIAN BRUEGGEMANN
FINDS ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE
IN CROUCH'S BRIEFCASE.
Brueggemann:
TWO PAGES OF NOTES
DETAILED APPROXIMATELY
40 DIFFERENT ROBBERIES
THAT HE HAD COMMITTED
AROUND THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
IT WAS PRETTY DAMNING EVIDENCE
THAT WE RECOVERED.
Narrator: CROUCH'S CRIMINAL
ACTIVITY WHILE ON THE LAM
NOW COMES TO LIGHT
WITH THESE HANDWRITTEN NOTES.
Bonner: WE WERE GOING AFTER
CROUCH THE FUGITIVE
THINKING THAT
HE ALLEGEDLY KILLED HIS WIFE
IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
WE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT
ALL THESE ROBBERIES.
RARELY DO YOU FIND A GUY
COMMITTED ONE CRIME
AND THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN,
WE FIND EVIDENCE
OF NOT ONE, BUT 40 MORE CRIMES,
ARMED ROBBERIES.
Narrator: THE NOTES SERVE
AS A DETAILED CRIMINAL ROAD MAP
FOR CROUCH'S 21 MONTHS
IN HIDING.
WE ASKED HIM WHY HE KEPT
THE LIST OF THE ROBBERIES,
AND HE ADMITTED
THAT HE WAS GETTING OLD
AND HE DIDN'T WANT TO FORGET AND
GO BACK TO THE SAME CRIME SCENE
WHERE HE HAD BEEN AND GET
IDENTIFIED AT A LATER TIME.
Narrator: IN TOTAL, CROUCH'S
CRIME SPREES NET HIM $150,000.
FOLLOWING THE ARREST,
THE STATE OF TENNESSEE
EXTRADITES CROUCH
BACK TO MEMPHIS
TO FACE
HIS FIRST-DEGREE-MURDER CHARGE.
I JUST TOLD THEM, BASICALLY,
"LOOK, I DID IT.
"I HAVE NO DEFENSE.
I'M GUILTY.
"LET'S GET IT
IN FRONT OF THE JUDGE.
LET ME PLEAD GUILTY AND GO ON."
"YOU DON'T WANT A TRIAL?"
"NO, I DON'T WANT A TRIAL."
A TRIAL WOULD BE TERRIBLE
ON YOUR FAMILY.
Narrator:
BUT MAJOR MICKEY WILLIAMS
BELIEVES THAT CROUCH
HAS A DIFFERENT REASON
FOR NOT WANTING A TRIAL.
HE DID NOT WANT TO RUN THE RISK
OF GETTING THE DEATH PENALTY,
SO HE PLED GUILTY IN EXCHANGE
FOR LIFE WITH PAROLE.
Narrator:
AFTER AN 18-MONTH MANHUNT,
MAJOR WILLIAMS FINALLY
CLOSES THE BOOK ON JOE CROUCH.
Williams: EVERY DETECTIVE LIKES
TO HAVE THAT FINAL CHAPTER.
WE DO CARE ABOUT GETTING OUR MAN
AND SEEING THAT JUSTICE IS DONE,
SO TO SPEAK,
BUT MORE SO,
IT WAS CLOSURE FOR THE FAMILY,
IF THERE EVER IS
THAT SORT OF THING,
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK
YOU CAN EVER REPAIR THE DAMAGE
THAT HE DID TO HIS CHILDREN.
Narrator: CROUCH IS SERVING A
MINIMUM OF 51 YEARS BEHIND BARS
AT THE MAXIMUM SECURITY WEST
TENNESSEE STATE PENITENTIARY.
HE'LL BE 115 YEARS OLD
BEFORE HE'S ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE.
DESPITE HIS SENTENCE,
HE HAS FEW REGRETS
ABOUT HIS TIME ON THE RUN.
Crouch:
UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES,
I DRAINED ABOUT EVERY DROP I
COULD GET OUT OF THAT LIFESTYLE.
I SQUEEZED IT PRETTY GOOD.
I'M NOT AT PEACE
WITH WHAT HAPPENED.
I'M AT PEACE WITH MYSELF.
YOU CAN'T DWELL ON IT.
YOU CAN'T.
IT DESTROYS YOU IF YOU DO,
AND I DON'T -- I'M NOT GONNA BE
DESTROYED BY IT.
I HAVE TO LIVE UNTIL THEY TAKE
ME OUT OF HERE IN A BODY BAG.
Narrator:
CROUCH ALMOST GOT AWAY WITH IT,
AND TO THIS DAY,
HE HAS VERY FEW REGRETS.
Crouch: I'D BE REAL HAPPY
TO STILL BE OUT THERE
LOOKING OVER MY SHOULDER.
REAL HAPPY.
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