Invisible Monsters: Serial Killers in America (2021): Season 1, Episode 3 - Part 3: Catch Me If You Can (1978-1979) - full transcript
With their confidences growing in 1978, Bundy, Gacy, Dahmer, the Green River Killer, and BTK - also known as "The Five" - continue their game of cat and mouse with law enforcement, - some even going as far as directly taunting the police and media.
- I WAS WORKING AT THE
STATION THAT MORNING,
AND OUR RECEPTIONIST OUT
FRONT BROUGHT HIS LETTER
BACK TO THE
NEWSROOM, GAVE IT TO ME.
THE LETTER SAYS,
AND THIS IS A QUOTE,
"HOW MANY MORE
PEOPLE DO I HAVE TO KILL
BEFORE I GET MY
NAME IN THE PAPER?"
THAT'S A QUOTE THAT
YOU DON'T FORGET.
- FIVE OF THE MOST
PROLIFIC SERIAL KILLERS
IN AMERICAN HISTORY WERE
ALL OPERATING AT THE SAME TIME.
JOHN WAYNE GACY'S CRIMINAL...
TED BUNDY IS STILL ALIVE...
BTK MIGHT - JEFFREY DAHMER.
THE SO-CALLED GREEN RIVER KILLER
THIS WAS THE GOLDEN
AGE OF SERIAL KILLERS.
- WHAT SETS THIS
GROUP OF MEN APART IS
THAT THEY COME ACROSS
AS BEING FAIRLY NORMAL.
JOHN WAYNE GACY
WOULD HIRE YOUNG MEN
FROM THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY.
HE'S SEARCHING FOR VICTIMS.
- MY BROTHER SAYS, "ME AND
THIS BOY ARE WORKING TOGETHER,
AND WE'RE DIGGING
AROUND GACY'S HOUSE."
WELL, IT ENDED UP, THEY WERE
DIGGING THEIR OWN GRAVES.
POLICE WERE UNABLE
TO CONNECT GACY
TO THESE CRIMES.
RADER HAD LEFT A BOOK
IN THE LIBRARY, AND INSIDE
THAT BOOK WAS A LETTER.
- HE WANTS TO GIVE
HIMSELF A BRAND,
AND HE SAYS, MY NAME IS BTK
FOR BIND, TORTURE, AND KILL.
- AND NOW HE JUST NEEDS
TO TAKE IT UP A NOTCH
AND MAKE IT AN EVEN
RISKIER BEHAVIOR.
CONVICTED UTAH KIDNAPPER
THEODORE BUNDY HAS ESCAPED.
IT MADE THE COUNTY
LOOK REALLY DUMB
THAT HE COULD JUMP OUT
OF A WINDOW AND ESCAPE.
- WITH GUYS LIKE BUNDY,
YOU HAVE A SUCCESS
AND THEN ANOTHER,
AND THEN ANOTHER.
AND PRETTY SOON, YOU START
TO BELIEVE YOU'RE INVINCIBLE.
- SERIAL KILLERS LIKE
BUNDY, GACY, AND RADER
WOULD GET THIS ADDITIONAL THRILL
FROM THIS CAT-AND-MOUSE GAME
THAT THEY'RE PLAYING
WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO THEY'RE COMMITTING MURDER.
THEY'RE COMMITTING RAPE,
THESE VICIOUS CRIMES THAT
HAVE THIS POWER DYNAMIC.
AND THEN THEY'RE GETTING AN
EXTRA BOOST OF POWER DYNAMIC
BY BEING ABLE TO
MESS WITH THE MINDS
OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
STREETS OF ASPEN ARE SAFE AGAIN.
SUSPECTED MULTIPLE
MURDERER THEODORE BUNDY IS
BACK IN CUSTODY AFTER AN
ABSENCE OF NEARLY SEVEN DAYS.
- AFTER HIS FIRST
ESCAPE IN ASPEN,
I VISITED HIM IN THE
JAIL IN GLENWOOD.
AND THAT'S A MORE MODERN JAIL.
AND SUPPOSEDLY A
MORE SECURE JAIL.
I NOTICED WHEN I WAS
VISITING HIM THERE
THAT TED, WHO WAS NEVER HEAVY,
HAD LOST A LOT OF WEIGHT, LOTS.
- HE WAS NOT EATING
MUCH, WORKING OUT,
AND WORKING ON LOSING WEIGHT.
- HE FOUND OUT THAT
THE VENTILATION SYSTEM
IN HIS JAIL CELL WAS
JUST A 12-INCH GRATE.
- THAT OPENING LED
INTO THE SECOND FLOOR,
WHERE THE JAILER LIVED.
HIS PLAN WAS THAT WHEN HE
WAS CERTAIN THE JAILER WAS OUT,
HE WOULD CLIMB UP THAT
OPENING IN THE CEILING,
GET INTO THE JAILER'S
APARTMENT AND THEN ESCAPE,
WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT HE DID.
CLEVER CONVICT CRAWLED
THROUGH THE CEILING OF
HIS CELL AND ESCAPED AGAIN.
BORDERED ON A HOUDINI ESCAPADE.
GROUND UNITS,
HELICOPTERS AND DOGS
HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR BUNDY.
- THE SEARCH REACHES ALL
OVER THE WEST RIGHT NOW.
IT'S GONNA BE A LONG TIME
BEFORE THEODORE BUNDY
IS BEHIND BARS AGAIN.
- I HELPED SEND HIM HEALTH FOOD.
I HELPED GET HIM A
TELEPHONE IN HIS CELL.
IF I HADN'T HAVE
HELPED HIM GET SKINNY,
UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, WELL,
HE PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE FIT
THROUGH THAT 12-INCH SQUARE.
I'VE ALWAYS FELT BAD ABOUT
SOME OF THE THINGS I DID.
BUT AS A DEFENSE LAWYER, I
DID WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO.
SO TED'S IN ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN,
BEFORE THEY
ANNOUNCE HE'S ESCAPED.
HE WAS IN THE BAR
WATCHING THE ROSE BOWL
WHEN THE TICKER THING
CAME ACROSS THE THING.
IT SAID TED BUNDY JUST ESCAPED.
- BACK IN THE 1970S, YOU
DID NOT HAVE TO SHOW ID
WHEN YOU BOUGHT A TICKET.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO
GO THROUGH ANY KIND
OF SECURITY CHECKS
AT THE AIRPORTS.
YOU COULD GET ON TRAINS
AND PLANES AND BUSES.
AND HE IMMEDIATELY
WENT TO PLACES
WHERE THE PUBLICITY ABOUT
HIM WASN'T AS PERVASIVE.
WE KNEW THERE
WOULD BE A BAD ENDING,
AND WE DID EVERYTHING WE
COULD TO HELP LAW ENFORCEMENT
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY KNOW
THAT THERE WAS A
KILLER ON THE LOOSE.
BUT IT DOESN'T GET TO EVERYBODY.
AND IT DOESN'T REALLY GET
TO FLORIDA, WHERE HE ENDS UP.
- WHEN CRIME STARTED TO
STRETCH ACROSS STATE LINES,
LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS
AT A REAL DISADVANTAGE
'CAUSE WE JUST DIDN'T
HAVE THAT ABILITY
TO COMMUNICATE WITH
ANYTHING OTHER THAN ACTUALLY
HAVING TO MAKE A PHONE CALL
OR WITH THE TELETYPE SYSTEM.
SO IT'S REALLY AN ANTIQUATED
WAY OF COMMUNICATING.
- THE ONLY NEWS YOU GOT BACK
IN THAT DAY WAS AT SIX O'CLOCK.
SO NOBODY ON THE EAST
COAST KNEW WHO BUNDY WAS.
AS FAR AS WHAT WAS GOING
ON ON THE WEST COAST,
BACK IN THE 70S, THEY
MIGHT AS WELL HAVE BEEN
ON ANOTHER PLANET AS
FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED.
- I WAS HOME AND
SLEEPING WITH MY FAMILY.
MY PHONE RANG.
THEY SAID, "SHERIFF, WE'VE
GOT MURDERS AND INJURIES
AT THE CHI OMEGA HOUSE AT
THE FLORIDA STATE CAMPUS."
I SAID, "I'LL BE THERE."
WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE,
ONE OF THE WOMEN WAS BEING
ROLLED OUT ON A STRETCHER.
AS I STOOD THERE, I
SAID A PRAYER FOR HER.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF SHE WAS ALIVE
OR SERIOUSLY
INJURED AT THE TIME.
POLICE SAY HE SIMPLY WALKED IN
THROUGH AN UNLOCKED DOOR.
THEY SAY HE WAS ARMED
WITH A HEAVY OAK LOG.
- HE WENT FROM ONE ROOM,
BEAT, BADLY, ONE VICTIM,
CRUSHING THE SKULL,
DISLOCATING THE TEETH,
BREAKING THE JAW.
HE LEFT THAT ROOM AND
WENT TO ANOTHER ROOM.
THE SAME THING OCCURRED.
AND THEN THE THIRD ROOM,
WHERE THERE WERE
TWO YOUNG LADIES.
HE WAS BEATING ON ONE
AS THE OTHER ONE WAS
WAKING UP FROM THE NOISE,
TURNED TO HER AND
THEN WAS BEATING ON HER.
AND WHEN HE KNEW
HE NEEDED TO GET OUT,
HE WENT DOWN THE STAIRWAY.
BUT LITTLE DID HE KNOW,
ONE YOUNG LADY WAS
COMING IN THAT NIGHT.
SHE SAW A SIDE VIEW OF HIM.
HE CLUBBED AND THEN
STRANGLED TO DEATH
20-YEAR-OLD LISA LEVY AND
21-YEAR-OLD MARGARET BOWMAN.
AT LEAST ONE OF THEM WAS RAPED.
THEN HE BRUTALLY BEAT KAREN
CHANDLER AND KATHY KLEINER.
- I GOT A RADIO CALL
WHILE AT THE SCENE
OF THE CHI OMEGA HOUSE SAYING,
"SHERIFF THERE'S NOISES
COMING FROM A DUPLEX,"
WHICH WAS ONLY
ABOUT SIX BLOCKS AWAY.
HE COULDN'T LEAVE IT
AT WHAT HE HAD DONE.
HE WAS IN A FRENZY.
AND THAT'S WHY HE HAD TO
GO TO ANOTHER LOCATION.
HE WAS NOT SATISFIED.
HE WAS LIKE A
SHARK, JUST EATING.
THE LAW ENFORCEMENT
PRESENCE IN THE AREA,
THE PATROL CARS, THE LIGHTS,
AND YET WE HAD THIS
GOING ON DOWN THE STREET.
WHEN THE DEPUTY WALKED IN,
THERE WAS THE YOUNG LADY IN
A POOL OF BLOOD ON THE FLOOR.
WE WERE NOT SURE OF THE MAKEUP
OF A PERSON THAT WOULD DO THAT.
COULD THE SAME
PERSON GO NO FURTHER
THAN SIX BLOCKS AND NOT BE ABLE
TO CONTAIN THEMSELVES ENOUGH?
- THE CASES IN FLORIDA
WERE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT
FROM THE CASES IN SEATTLE.
IN CHI OMEGA IN FLORIDA,
YOU HAD HUGELY COMPULSIVE,
REPEATED MURDERS
AT THE SAME TIME.
THE CASES IN FLORIDA
EVIDENCED FOR US
THAT THE KILLER WAS
REALLY ON A RAMPAGE,
THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING IN HIM
AT THIS POINT THAT
WAS CAUSING HIM
TO COMMIT THESE
ACTS IN A CRAZED STATE.
- HE WAS REALLY OUT
OF CONTROL BY NOW.
TO ATTACK FIVE
WOMEN IN ONE NIGHT?
THAT WAS SOMETHING
HE'D NEVER DONE.
- I REMEMBER
DISTINCTLY, AS I'M DRIVING,
I GOT A PHONE CALL.
THERE WERE ONLY TWO
TELEPHONES IN CARS AT THAT TIME.
I HAD A TELEPHONE IN MY CAR
AND GOVERNOR GRAHAM,
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
AND IT WAS FROM COLORADO,
INVESTIGATORS THERE SAYING
THERE HAD BEEN AN ESCAPE.
THEY HEARD ABOUT OUR MURDERS,
AND THEY SAID, "THIS MAN
MURDERS WOMEN ABOUT THAT AGE."
AND I ASKED FOR A NAME.
AND THEY SAID, "HIS
NAME IS TED BUNDY."
- THE KILLER CAME
IN FROM THE NIGHT
AND THEN RETURNED TO IT
WITH AN EASE THAT HAS
SO FAR BAFFLED POLICE.
- THE WHOLE WORLD WAS UPSET
ABOUT THE CHI OMEGA CASE.
THE MOST TREMENDOUS MANHUNT
THAT YOU EVER
SAW WAS INSTITUTED.
OFFICERS EVERYWHERE ALL
NIGHT LONG, SURVEILLANCE.
- THE TALLAHASSEE POLICE TELL US
THEY DON'T HAVE MUCH
TO GO ON RIGHT NOW.
NO HARD LEADS, NO SUSPECTS.
THEY SUSPECT THE KILLER
IS A STUDENT AT THE SCHOOL.
- WHEN WE HEARD ABOUT
THE CASES IN CHI OMEGA,
WE IMMEDIATELY
THOUGHT IT WAS TED.
HE COULD HAVE VARIED FROM HIS MO
OF KILLING ONE PERSON
AT A TIME TO KILLING MANY.
MURDERERS DON'T ALWAYS
DO THE EXACT SAME THING
OVER, OVER AGAIN, AND
BECAUSE OF THIS COMPULSION
AND THE FACT THAT
HE HAD BEEN LOCKED UP
FOR SO LONG AND
NOW WAS ON THE RUN,
HE WAS GOING TO KEEP
KILLING UNTIL HE GOT CAUGHT.
- THE FIRST NAME WITHIN
THE FIRST FEW HOURS
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS
CRIME WAS TED BUNDY.
BUT IT WASN'T REALLY
TAKEN SERIOUSLY
BECAUSE HE CHOSE
A DIFFERENT M.O.
THAN WHAT WE
THOUGHT HE WOULD HAVE.
AND THAT'S WHERE HE CONFUSED ME.
SO WE WERE LOOKING FOR LEADS.
WE WERE ASKING PEOPLE IF
THEY SAW ANYBODY THAT NIGHT
AT ABOUT THAT TIME.
- BUNDY WAS STILL
TRYING TO OPERATE
IN TALLAHASSEE, THE
FLAME WAS JUST TOO HOT.
AND HE FINALLY DECIDED
IT WAS TIME FOR HIM TO GO.
AND HE STOLE A VAN
AND CAME WEST ON US
90 LOOKING FOR A VICTIM.
- WHEN WE LOOK AT
THE FIVE SERIAL KILLERS,
THE FACT THAT THEY'RE
ALL PSYCHOPATHS
TELLS YOU THAT THEY'RE
EGOCENTRICALLY DRIVEN.
THEY THINK THAT
THEY ARE IN CONTROL,
THAT EVERYTHING
ABOUT THEM IS IMPORTANT.
- THEODORE BUNDY IS
SUSPECTED OF KILLING
THREE DOZEN WOMEN
THROUGHOUT THE WEST.
- BUT RADER WAS UNIQUE IN
THE SENSE THAT HE WAS LIKE,
I SEE WHAT'S GOING
ON WITH BUNDY.
HE'S GOT A LOT OF PRESS.
HE'S BECOMING QUITE INFAMOUS.
BEFORE TRIAL, HE
ESCAPED, WAS CAPTURED,
THEN LAST MONTH, ESCAPED AGAIN.
AND HE'S STILL FREE.
I'M JEALOUS OF HIM.
I WANT THAT SAME
KIND OF NOTORIETY.
- DENNIS RADER APPARENTLY WANTS
MORE ATTENTION OR JUST AS
MUCH ATTENTION AS TED BUNDY.
AFTER SEVEN KILLINGS,
HE WASN'T GETTING
ANY PUBLICITY STILL.
NO ONE HAD CONNECTED
THE MURDERS.
SO TWO MONTHS AFTER
NANCY FOX IS MURDERED,
CHANNEL 10 KAKE-TV
GETS A LETTER.
- I WAS WORKING AT THE
STATION THAT MORNING,
AND OUR RECEPTIONIST OUT
FRONT BROUGHT HIS LETTER
BACK TO THE NEWSROOM AND SAID,
"I THINK WE HAVE A
LETTER FROM BTK."
IN IT WAS A POEM.
AND I SAY, "YOU KNOW, WE'VE
GOTTA TELL THE POLICE ABOUT IT."
- WELL, THAT WAS IT.
POLICE HAD TO GO
PUBLIC WITH THE FACT
THEY HAD A SERIAL
KILLER ON THEIR HANDS.
THE POLICE CHIEF BACK
THEN, RICHARD LAMUNYON,
IMMEDIATELY CALLED
A NEWS CONFERENCE.
AND FOR THE FIRST
TIME, TOLD WICHITA,
"WE HAVE A SERIAL
KILLER ON THE LOOSE,
AND HE IS CLAIMING
RESPONSIBILITY
FOR, OTEROS, NANCY
FOX, AND SHIRLEY VIAN.
- THIS MORNING,
KAKE-TV WAS CONTACTED
BY THE PERSON WHO
POLICE SAY THEY BELIEVE
MURDERED FOUR MEMBERS
OF THE JOSEPH OTERO FAMILY
IN JANUARY OF 1974.
- IT WAS SIGNED
WITH THE INITIALS BTK.
HE PROVIDED A
LIST OF HIS VICTIMS,
WITH MANY DETAILS
KNOWN ONLY TO THE POLICE.
BTK BEGAN TODAY'S
LETTER WITH A QUESTION,
"HOW MANY DO I HAVE TO KILL
BEFORE I GET A NAME IN THE PAPER
OR SOME NATIONAL ATTENTION?"
- "HOW MANY PEOPLE
DO I HAVE TO KILL
BEFORE I GET MY
NAME IN THE PAPER?"
- THAT'S A QUOTE THAT
YOU DON'T FORGET.
I REMEMBER THAT
MY ENTIRE LIFE NOW.
- AFTER REVIEWING THE
CONTENTS OF THE LETTER,
THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO QUESTION
THAT THE ONLY PERSON
WHO WOULD HAVE THE TYPE
OF INFORMATION THAT WAS
INCLUDED IN THE LETTER,
WOULD HAVE TO BE
THE KILLER HIMSELF.
- THAT WAS THE MOMENT THAT
BTK BECAME A HOUSEHOLD NAME.
HE LIVED TO GET HIS
NAME IN THE PAPER.
- THERE'S THIS CAT-AND-MOUSE
NATURE TO THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE SERIAL
KILLER AND POLICE.
THAT MIGHT ALSO
ENHANCE THE THRILL,
THIS IDEA THAT I DON'T
WANT TO GET CAUGHT,
BUT IT COULD HAPPEN
AT ANY MINUTE.
SO HE RISKS AT ALL BY
REACHING OUT TO THE MEDIA,
REACHING OUT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT,
TO MAINTAIN THAT THRILL.
- DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE
INITIALS BTK STAND FOR?
- YES, IT'S OUR FEELING
THAT THE INITIALS
THAT WERE PLACED THERE
STAND FOR BIND, TORTURE AND KILL.
- ONCE THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED
THAT THERE WAS A GUY CALLED BTK,
AND HE WAS NOW A SERIAL KILLER,
WICHITA GREW UP A LITTLE BIT.
WE WERE NOT THE INNOCENT
LITTLE MIDWESTERN CITY ANYMORE.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE HAD
A MONSTER IN OUR MIDST.
- YOU'RE NOT DEALING WITH
A QUOTE NORMAL CRIMINAL.
YOU'RE DEALING WITH A
PERSON WHO IS PERVERTED,
A PERSON THAT IS SICK.
- AFTER THAT, IT
WAS NEVER THE SAME.
EVERY WOMAN AND MAN
STARTED LOCKING THEIR DOORS,
WATCHING IF THERE'S
ANYONE BEHIND THEM.
WICHITA WAS SCARED.
- THIS INDIVIDUAL IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR SEVEN MURDERS IN OUR CITY.
AND WITH ALL PROBABILITY,
THAT PERSON IS GONNA KILL AGAIN.
- VIEWERS WERE ASKED TO CALL
THE MAJOR CASE
SQUAD AT 268-4156.
- CALL US.
WE NEED ALL THE CITIZENS' HELP
AND ALL THE INPUT WE CAN GET.
- THE MEDIA FROM
THE VERY BEGINNING
HAVE BEEN WRAPPED
UP IN THE CASE.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
DID SEEK OUT THE HELP
OF THE MEDIA IN
THE INVESTIGATION.
- IT WAS THOUGHT
BY PSYCHOLOGISTS
WHO WERE WORKING WITH THE
WICHITA POLICE DEPARTMENT,
THAT PERHAPS A SUBLIMINAL
MESSAGE MIGHT WORK.
- IN ONE OF THE
COMMUNICATIONS THAT HE SENT,
HE SENT A DRAWING.
AND THE DRAWING
WAS A PAIR OF GLASSES
THAT HE TOOK OFF
ONE OF THE VICTIMS.
THAT STUCK OUT TO
THE INVESTIGATORS.
THEY THOUGHT THAT THE
GLASSES MEANT SOMETHING TO HIM.
- WE MADE THIS SLIDE
THAT SAID CALL THE CHIEF.
AND IT WAS SPLICED
IN FOR AN INSTANT.
AND WHEN YOU WERE
WATCHING TELEVISION,
IT JUST LOOK LIKE A BLIP
GOING ACROSS THE SCREEN.
THAT'S THE KATHRYN BRIGHT MURDER
THAT OCCURRED IN APRIL OF 74.
- THE PLAN WAS, FROM
THE PSYCHOLOGIST,
THAT HE WOULD SEE THIS
AND HE WOULD CALL THE CHIEF,
AND THEY COULD TALK.
THEY WERE TRYING
EVERYTHING TO CATCH THIS GUY.
- THROUGH ONE OF
THE CHIEF'S MESSAGES,
THERE WAS A SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE.
- THAT'S THE KATHRYN
BRIGHT MURDER
THAT OCCURRED IN APRIL OF 74.
- CHIEF LAMUNYON WAS
MORE FORWARD LOOKING
AS FAR AS TECHNOLOGY.
BACK THEN, IF YOU
COULD THINK OF IT,
THE CHIEF PROBABLY
MADE IT HAPPEN.
IT WAS TRIED.
- I THINK IT WAS A
CUTTING-EDGE THINKING
THAT THIS WOULD REALLY WORK.
THEY WERE IN A POSITION
WHERE THEY WOULD TAKE
ANY MEASURE TO TRY TO
SOLVE THESE HOMICIDES.
- IT WAS BACK IN THE DAY
IN WHICH THEY THOUGHT
A SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE MIGHT BE
THE ANSWER TO THEIR PROBLEM.
IT WASN'T.
IT DIDN'T WORK.
AND IT ALMOST SOUNDS
LAUGHABLE TODAY.
AND IT PROBABLY IS.
- THAT JUST SHOWS YOU WHAT
THEY WERE WILLING TO TRY
AT THAT TIME, THE OPEN
MINDEDNESS TO TRY NEW TECHNIQUES
WHEN YOU'RE TAKING ON A KILLER
THAT YOU'VE NEVER
HAD TO TAKE ON BEFORE.
THERE'VE BEEN A LOT
OF CRIMES IN SOCIETY
THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN SOLVED.
IS THIS GONNA BE ONE OF 'EM?
- I THINK WE'LL SOLVE THE CRIME.
THE QUESTION IS, WHEN
WILL WE SOLVE THE CRIME?
- WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT SERIAL KILLERS,
THEY'RE VERY PROUD
OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE.
THEY'VE ENJOYED IT.
THEY MONITOR AND WATCH
OTHER SERIAL KILLERS.
AND IT'S A REALLY EXCITING
PERIOD OF THEIR LIFE.
- WELL, THEY'RE STILL LOOKING
FOR A MURDER SUSPECT
THEODORE BUNDY,
WHO IS CELEBRATING...
- THERE WERE
SEVERAL SERIAL KILLERS
WATCHING BUNDY, AND GARY
RIDGWAY WAS ONE OF THEM.
HE'S IN THE SAME AREA.
HE'S IN SEATTLE, WATCHING
THE NEWS ABOUT BUNDY.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, HE IS
CULTIVATING HIS OWN FANTASIES.
AND SO THE FOUNDATIONS OF
HIS FUTURE ACTS ARE BEING SET.
- A SERIAL KILLER MAY HAVE
ALREADY THOUGHT THROUGH
IN GREAT DETAIL
ABOUT THE BEHAVIORS
HE WISHES TO ENGAGE IN,
AND ALL HE NEEDS
IS THE RIGHT MOMENT.
IN JUST FOUR YEARS, RIDGWAY
WILL PICK UP BUNDY'S TORCH
AND CONTINUE TERRORIZING
THE WASHINGTON STATE AREA.
THE INVESTIGATION INTO
THE CHI OMEGA MURDERS
WAS VIGOROUS AND EXTENSIVE.
THE SUSPECT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED
ARMED AND DANGEROUS.
- I OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T
THINK SOMEBODY ESCAPING
IN COLORADO WOULD BE THE ONE
THAT COMMITTED THESE CRIMES.
WE WERE DOING
EVERYTHING TO ISOLATE
ANYBODY THAT MAY HAVE
SEEN SOMEONE UNUSUAL
OR DIFFERENT IN THE AREA,
BUT WE REALLY HAD LITTLE
MORE TO GO ON THAN THAT
UNTIL AN ORANGE
VOLKSWAGEN IS PUTTERING
ALONG IN PENSACOLA.
- AND HE IS SKULKING
AROUND LATE AT NIGHT
IN A KIND OF AN INDUSTRIAL AREA
WHEN HE IS SEEN BY PENSACOLA
POLICE OFFICER DAVID LEE.
IT WAS A SUSPICIOUS
VEHICLE BEHIND A BUILDING.
AND AS A MATTER OF ROUTINE,
I WAS RUNNING A CHECK ON THE TAG
WHEN IT DID COME BACK
AS A STOLEN VEHICLE.
HE PROCEEDS TO MAKE A
TRAFFIC STOP ON BUNDY.
- AND AT THAT TIME, TED BUNDY
TRIED TO GET AWAY FROM HIM.
- HE GRABBED MY WRIST,
AND WE HAD A STRUGGLE
FOR CONTROL OF MY REVOLVER.
OF COURSE, AFTER SEVERAL
MINUTES OF FIGHTING,
I DID MANAGE TO SUBDUE HIM BY
STRIKING HIM WITH MY REVOLVER
AND COMPLETING THE
ARREST BY PLACING THE CUFF
ON HIS OTHER HAND AND TAKING
HIM BACK TO THE PATROL CAR.
- ON THE WAY TO
JAIL, BUNDY SAYS,
"I WISH YOU'D KILLED ME."
BUT BUNDY DOESN'T SAY
WHO HE IS AT THE TIME.
POLICE ARRESTED
THIS 31-YEAR-OLD MAN
AFTER A HIGH-SPEED
CHASE WEDNESDAY MORNING
IN PENSACOLA, FLORIDA.
HE CLAIMED TO BE A FLORIDA
STATE UNIVERSITY LAW STUDENT.
- DRIVER'S LICENSES THEN
WERE MERE PIECES OF PAPER,
AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE
PHOTOGRAPHS ON THEM.
AT THAT TIME, HE GAVE A NAME
OF ONE OF FSU'S
ATHLETES, KEN MEISNER.
EXCEPT KEN MEISNER
CALLS AND SAYS,
"I'M NOT IN PENSACOLA.
I'M IN TALLAHASSEE,
AND BY THE WAY, MY
WALLET WAS STOLEN."
SO NOW WE DON'T KNOW
WHO THIS PERSON IS.
AND HE FINALLY SAID,
"YOU DON'T KNOW WHO
YOU HAVE IN CUSTODY.
I WANT TO SEE INVESTIGATORS
FROM THE CITY OF TALLAHASSEE."
AND THEY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME.
AND I SAID, "COULD IT BE?"
- I GOT A CALL FROM MR. ROSEBUD.
HE WAS VERY INTERESTED
IN "CITIZEN KANE."
SO I KNEW THAT IT WAS TED.
I FIGURED IF THEY DON'T
FIGURE OUT HE'S TED BUNDY,
THEY'RE GONNA RELEASE HIM.
I KNEW THAT IF HE WAS RELEASED
THAT HE WOULD KILL AGAIN.
BUT AS AN ATTORNEY, I
COULDN'T TURN HIM IN.
THAT WAS THE WORST NIGHT
OF MY LIFE AS A LAWYER.
- FINALLY, AFTER THEY ALLOW
HIM A CALL TO A LAWYER,
AND HE SAYS, "OKAY,
I'LL TELL YOU WHO I AM.
I'M TED BUNDY."
NORMAN CHAPMAN, WHO'S
THE INVESTIGATOR OUT THERE
SAYS, "OKAY, HOW
DO YOU SPELL THAT?"
WHICH WAS A TREMENDOUS
LETDOWN FOR TED BUNDY
'CAUSE HE THOUGHT
HE WAS WORLD FAMOUS.
AND NOBODY IN FLORIDA
EVER HEARD OF HIM BEFORE.
HE HAS BEEN
POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED
AS PRISON ESCAPEE
THEODORE BUNDY,
A SUSPECT IN THE
RAPE-MURDER CASES
OF AT LEAST 36 YOUNG WOMEN.
- WE WERE SO HAPPY THAT
SOMEBODY CONNECTED THE DOTS
THAT HE WAS IN CUSTODY,
THAT MAYBE THEY COULD JUST
END THIS HORROR NIGHTMARE
THAT WAS GOING ON FOR SO LONG.
- ALL OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
STARTED PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER,
AND IT WASN'T LONG
BEFORE TED WAS TIED
TO THE CASES IN CHI OMEGA
BUT ALSO THE MURDER OF
A VERY YOUNG GIRL NAMED
KIMBERLY LEACH, WHO WAS
ABDUCTED JUST THE WEEK BEFORE.
WE TRANSPORTED HIM FROM
PENSACOLA TO TALLAHASSEE.
I MET HIM AT THE JAIL.
LEON COUNTY SHERIFF
KEN KATSARIS INVITED
REPORTERS FOR A
READING OF THE INDICTMENT
TO THE DEFENDANT IN
FRONT OF THE PRESS.
SOMETHING RARELY
DONE IN CRIMINAL CASES.
- MR. BUNDY?
- YOU TOLD ME THAT
YOU TOLD 'EM THAT YOU
WERE GONNA GET ME.
HE SAID HE WAS
GONNA GET ME, OKAY?
YOU'VE GOT THE INDICTMENT.
IT'S ALL YOU'RE GONNA GET.
- HE WAS NOW IN A NEW MODE.
HE KNEW HE WAS IN TROUBLE.
HE WAS GOING TO
TRY TO BEFRIEND, JOKE,
ACT LIKE HE COULDN'T POSSIBLY
BE THE MONSTER THAT HE WAS.
AS BUNDY'S KILLINGS
COME TO AN END,
JEFFREY DAHMER IS
JUST GETTING STARTED.
- STEVEN HICKS WAS 17.
HE WAS A GOOD KID
AND WAS HITCHHIKING.
AND THAT WAS HIS BIG MISTAKE.
JEFFREY DAHMER'S KILLING STARTED
RIGHT AFTER HE GRADUATED
FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
- DAHMER PICKS
UP THIS YOUNG BOY.
HE BRINGS HIM BACK TO HIS PLACE.
THEY ENGAGE IN
SOME SEXUAL ACTIVITY.
THERE'S SOME DRINKING GOING ON.
STEVEN HICKS DECIDES
I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS.
IT'S TIME FOR ME TO LEAVE,
BUT DAHMER DOESN'T
WANT HIM TO LEAVE.
AND THE ONLY WAY THAT
HE COULD FIGURE OUT
HOW TO DO THIS WAS
TO BASICALLY KILL HIM.
AND HE DID IT WITH MASSIVE
BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA.
- HE DISMEMBERS
STEVEN HICKS'S BODY
AND PLACES THE
PARTS IN GARBAGE BAGS.
HE THROWS THEM IN
THE BACK OF HIS CAR.
AND EVENTUALLY HE'S
PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE
WHILE HE HAS THESE BAGS OF
BODY PARTS IN THE BACK SEAT.
- AN OFFICER SAW
HIM, STOPPED HIM,
SAID HE WAS GOING OVER
THE MIDLINE, QUESTIONED HIM,
"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?"
HE WAS COOL.
NOT A MAD MAN, NOT
A MAN OUT OF HIS MIND.
VERY COOL,
PERSUADED THE OFFICER.
GOTTA THROW IT, GET
RID OF THE GARBAGE.
EVEN UNDER THE STRESS, IMAGINE,
OF HAVING A DEAD
BODY THAT YOU'VE KILLED
IN THE BACKSEAT, AND
YOU'RE ENGAGING AN OFFICER
IN A RELAXED WAY.
- DAHMER WAS ONLY 18
YEARS OLD AT THIS TIME,
AND, ACTUALLY, OF
OUR FIVE SERIAL KILLERS,
HE IS THE YOUNGEST
IN TERMS OF FIRST KILL.
- WE DON'T TYPICALLY
SEE SERIAL KILLERS
STARTING OUT IN
THEIR LATE TEENS.
IT'S TYPICALLY MORE
INTO THE MID TO LATE 20S
TO EARLY 30S,
BECAUSE IT TAKES TIME
TO DEVELOP YOUR FANTASIES,
TO BE COMFORTABLE
WITH WHO YOU ARE
BEFORE YOU START ACTING OUT.
- JEFFREY DAHMER WAS
ISOLATED PSYCHOLOGICALLY
AND PHYSICALLY FROM A
VERY, VERY YOUNG AGE.
- HIS MOTHER WAS ON
MANY PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
SHE HAD SOME MENTAL
ISSUES SHE WAS DEALING WITH.
- IT'S BEEN SAID THAT SHE HAD
SORT OF A PHOBIA
RELATED TO GERMS.
SHE DIDN'T ALLOW OTHER
PEOPLE TO TOUCH YOUNG JEFFREY,
AND THAT MIGHT HAVE
SORT OF PRECLUDED HIM
FROM NORMAL SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT HE UNDERWENT AS A CHILD
WITH A MOTHER WHO
WAS DOPED UP ON DRUGS
AND A FATHER WHO WAS VERY ALOOF,
WE COULD SAY THAT HE
SUFFERED A FORM OF NEGLECT.
AND SO WHILE JEFFREY DAHMER
WAS NOT PHYSICALLY ABUSED
OR PSYCHOLOGICALLY
ABUSED, PER SE,
I DO BELIEVE THAT THAT
NEGLECT WOULD HAVE BEEN
EQUALLY AS IMPACTFUL.
- WHEN HE HAD TIME,
HE WOULD FIND ROADKILL
AND DISSECT ANIMALS.
HE WAS FASCINATED BY THE
INNER WORKINGS OF THESE ANIMALS.
- HE FOUND A DEAD
DOG IN THE WOODS,
AND HE DISEMBOWELED THE DOG
AND CUT ITS HEAD
OFF AND MOUNTED IT
ON A STICK IN HIS YARD.
AND I THINK THAT WAS
ALMOST LIKE A TRAINING CAMP
OF HOW TO DO THE HORRIFIC CRIMES
THAT HE ENDED UP
DOING IN LATER YEARS.
- HE HAD DESIRES
TO FIND A HUMAN,
KNOCK HIM OUT, AND CUT 'EM
OPEN TO SEE WHAT THEY WERE LIKE.
- DAHMER HIMSELF
RECOUNTED IN AN INTERVIEW
THESE FANTASIES BEGAN IN
HIS EARLY TEENAGE YEARS.
- THAT WAS THE BEGINNING
STAGES OF WHAT RESULTED
FINALLY IN DAHMER'S
FIRST VICTIM, AND 17 DEATHS.
THAT WAS THE INCIPIENT
START OF IT, THAT FANTASY.
- BY THE END OF 1978,
JOHN WAYNE GACY
HAS REACHED THIS
HEIGHT OF ARROGANCE.
HE BELIEVES THAT
HE IS UNSTOPPABLE.
- SINCE KILLING
GREGORY GODZIK IN 1976,
GACY HAS KILLED
14 MORE YOUNG MEN.
HE GETS AWAY WITH IT.
HE GETS MORE CONFIDENCE,
MORE SORT OF SELF-ASSURED,
LETS THE FANTASIES
OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
DOES IT AGAIN AND
AGAIN AND AGAIN.
AND IN THIS WAY,
GETTING AWAY WITH
IT ACTUALLY MIGHT BE
FURTHER FUELING THE BEHAVIOR.
- IF YOU KILL 30-SOME PEOPLE
AND YOU NEVER GOT CAUGHT,
YOU BEGIN TO THINK YOU'RE
NEVER GONNA GET CAUGHT.
BUT BIGGEST MISTAKE HE
MADE WAS ROBERT PIEST.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE
BEGINNING OF THE END.
- ROBERT PIEST WAS A STUDENT
AT MAIN TOWNSHIP
WEST HIGH SCHOOL.
HE WAS WORKING AT THE
NISSON PHARMACY IN PARK RIDGE.
- HE WAS GONNA GET
OFF AT NINE O'CLOCK.
HIS MOTHER DROVE UP
THERE TO PICK HIM UP
TO TAKE HIM HOME
TO CUT THE BIRTHDAY
CAKE FOR HER BIRTHDAY.
HE SAID TO HER BEFORE
HE WENT OUTSIDE,
"MOM, I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
I'M GONNA GO TALK TO THIS
CONTRACTOR ABOUT A JOB."
- THAT WAS THE LAST
TIME HE'S SEEN ALIVE.
THE PARENTS WENT DIRECTLY
TO THE POLICE STATION,
AND BECAUSE IT
WAS LATE AT NIGHT,
THE DETECTIVES SAID,
"WELL, JUST COME BACK
TOMORROW MORNING."
- POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN
THOSE DAYS HAD A 72-HOUR RULE
THAT IN TERMS OF A
PERSONAL DISAPPEARANCE,
THE PERSON IS JUST
ASSUMED A RUNAWAY,
AND HE'LL PROBABLY COME BACK.
AND WE'LL TALK TO YOU
THREE DAYS FROM NOW.
- RUNAWAY CULTURE WAS RAMPANT.
IN 1977 IN CHICAGO ALONE,
ALMOST 20,000 PEOPLE
ARE REPORTED MISSING.
- BUT WITH ROBERT
PIEST, WE ALL KNEW
THAT HE DID NOT JUST RUN AWAY.
IT WAS HIS MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY.
SHE CAME UP THERE
TO PICK HIM UP.
THAT DOESN'T SPELL RUNAWAY.
THAT SPELLS
SOMETHING'S AMISS HERE.
SOMETHING STINKS.
SO THEY BEGAN THEIR
INVESTIGATION THAT NIGHT.
- I REMEMBER THE
PIECE ON THE NEWS.
THEY SHOWED
PICTURES OF MRS. PIEST
WAITING FOR HER SON
AT THIS DRUG STORE.
15-YEAR-OLD ROBERT
PIEST VANISHED
FROM HIS DES PLAINES,
ILLINOIS, NEIGHBORHOOD
AFTER TELLING HIS
MOTHER THAT HE WAS GOING
TO SEE A CONTRACTOR
ABOUT A SUMMER JOB
THAT PAID $5 AN HOUR.
- MY BROTHER'S BEEN
GONE LIKE TWO YEARS.
MY PARENTS DID EVERYTHING
THAT THEY POSSIBLY
COULD THINK OF AND HAD
NOTHING BUT DEAD ENDS.
I REMEMBER MY
MOTHER SAYING TO ME,
SHE SAYS, "OH MY GOD,
I SURE HOPE THAT LADY
DOESN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH
WHAT I WENT THROUGH.
I DON'T WANT HER TO HAVE
TO EXPERIENCE HAVING
NO CHRISTMAS WITH THEIR SON."
- THE DES PLAINES POLICE
CALLED THE OWNERS OF THE STORE.
THEY SAID, "WELL, THE
ONLY GUY THAT WAS THERE
THAT NIGHT WAS OUR
CONTRACTOR, JOHN GACY."
- THE DES PLAINES
POLICE DEPARTMENT
LOOKED INTO GACY'S HISTORY.
- HE HAD BEEN ARRESTED
IN IOWA 10 YEARS EARLIER
FOR SODOMY INVOLVING
A YOUNG TEENAGE BOY.
ALL ROADS LED TO GACY.
IT WAS NO QUESTION THAT
HE WAS SOMEHOW INVOLVED.
IT'S JUST A QUESTION
OF HOW MUCH.
EVERYBODY LOOKED AT EACH OTHER
AND SAID WELL, GET
A SEARCH WARRANT.
MAYBE THE KID'S BEING
HELD IN THE HOUSE.
- SO THEY GO IN THE HOUSE.
EVERYTHING
LOOKED FINE INITIALLY.
BUT WHEN THEY WENT IN THE ATTIC,
THEY FOUND A VARIETY
OF SEX TOYS, SHACKLES,
A COUPLE OF DRIVER'S
LICENSES FROM YOUNG BOYS,
AND A MAIN WEST CLASS RING.
- HAD WE BEEN SEASONED
SERIAL KILLER INVESTIGATORS,
WE WOULD HAVE
REALIZED THAT THIS WAS
PART OF WHAT A
SERIAL KILLER DOES.
THEY KEEP SOUVENIRS.
- BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THEIR
LIFE IS DEVOTED TO FANTASY,
WHAT WE SEE IS OFFENDERS
TAKING SOUVENIRS OR TROPHIES.
- RADER DID IT.
BUNDY DID IT.
DAHMER DID IT.
THE PURPOSE OF THESE TROPHIES IS
TO RELIVE THE
EXPERIENCE OF THE KILLING
AFTER THE MURDERS.
- THEY CAN TAKE THIS PIECE
OUT, LOOK AT IT, TOUCH IT.
IT'S INTOXICATING.
IT'S POWERFUL.
- AT THAT POINT, THE
LIEUTENANT FROM DES PLAINES
ASKED ME, HE SAYS, "DO YOU
THINK WE CAN CHARGE HIM?"
AND I SAYS, "WELL, WHAT ARE
YOU GONNA CHARGE HIM WITH?
YOU DON'T HAVE THE BODY."
MY MIND WENT, HE HID
THE BODY SOMEPLACE.
WE SAID, "WELL, LET'S
GET THE TAIL ON HIM."
TWO AT A TIME, 24 HOURS
A DAY, 12-HOUR SHIFTS.
- BACK IN 1978, I WAS
WITH THE DES PLAINES
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I HAD BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE
PLAINCLOTHES TACTICAL UNIT.
BOB SCHULTZ AND RON ROBINSON
WORKED NOON TO MIDNIGHT.
AND THEN MIKE
ALBRECHT AND I WORKED
FROM MIDNIGHT TILL NOON.
ALMOST RIGHT FROM THE GET-GO,
GACY KNEW THAT
HE WAS BEING TAILED.
- WE WERE IN THE GOLDEN
BEAR RESTAURANT ONE MORNING,
AND WE SIT A FEW TABLES AWAY.
AND HE LOOKS AT US AND HE SAYS,
"GUYS, WHY DON'T WE
JUST STOP PLAYING GAMES?
WHY DON'T YOU COME ON OVER HERE,
AND WE'LL HAVE
BREAKFAST TOGETHER?"
SO THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
AND HE'S TRYING TO GET
INFORMATION FROM US.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET
INFORMATION FROM HIM.
AT ONE POINT, HE WAS TALKING
ABOUT VOLUNTEERING HIMSELF
AS A CLOWN, AND HE
LOOKS AT ME AND HE SAYS,
"I GOTTA TELL YOU, DAVE,
THIS CLOWN THING IS AOK.
I CAN DRESS UP AS A CLOWN,
AND IF I SEE A
GOOD LOOKING GIRL,
I CAN PUT MY ARM AROUND
HER AND GET A LITTLE FEEL."
HE LOOKS AT ME
RIGHT IN THE FACE,
AND HE SAYS, "YOU KNOW, DAVE,
CLOWNS CAN GET
AWAY WITH MURDER."
AND THE HAIR ON THE
BACK OF MY HEAD STOOD UP.
BUT HE OBVIOUSLY
SAID IT INTENTIONALLY.
THAT'S HOW COCKY
HE WAS AT THE TIME.
- ALL THE WHILE WE
WERE HAULING THESE KIDS
IN LEFT AND RIGHT
THAT WORKED FOR HIM,
EX-WIFE, NEIGHBORS,
ANYBODY THAT KNEW HIM,
WE WERE INTERVIEWING THEM ALL.
- DURING THEIR INVESTIGATION,
THEY FIND OUT THAT TWO
OF GACY'S EMPLOYEES
WENT MISSING:
JOHN BUTKOVICH AND GODZIK.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT
BOTH OF THOSE VICTIMS LIVED
IN DIFFERENT POLICE DISTRICTS.
THERE WAS NO
COMMUNICATION BACK AND FORTH
BETWEEN ANY OF THESE DISTRICTS.
- WE HAD CONNECTED HIM TO A
LOT OF KIDS THAT WERE MISSING,
BUT WE HAD NO BODY.
WITHOUT A BODY, YOU
DON'T HAVE A MURDER.
- THROUGHOUT THE INVESTIGATION,
WE WERE TRYING TO
OUTMANEUVER GACY,
AND GACY WAS TRYING
TO OUTMANEUVER US.
BUT WE WERE IN
UNCHARTERED WATERS.
WE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW
HOW FAR WE COULD GO.
MIKE AND I KIND OF MADE A PACT.
WE'RE GONNA GO INTO
RESTAURANTS WITH HIM.
WE'RE GONNA GO
INTO BARS WITH HIM.
WE'LL GO INTO
JOB SITES WITH HIM.
BUT WE'RE NOT
GOIN' IN HIS HOUSE.
ON THE OTHER HAND, SCHULTZ
AND ROBINSON THOUGHT IT WAS OKAY.
- IT WAS COLD, NATURALLY,
IT WAS DECEMBER,
RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
AND GACY BEING GACY,
BEING A BIG SHOT THAT HE WAS,
INVITES THE COPS TO COME ON IN
FOR A CUP OF COFFEE, GET WARM.
WELL, GET WARM.
- SCHULTZ AND
ROBINSON GO INSIDE.
THEY HAVE SOME SMALL TALK.
EVENTUALLY, SCHULTZ SAYS,
"HEY, I GOTTA USE THE JOHN.
WHERE'S IT AT?"
AND HE SAYS, "OH, GO
DOWN THE HALLWAY.
AND IT'S JUST ON
YOUR RIGHT-HAND SIDE.
YOU CAN'T MISS IT."
WHILE IN THE WASHROOM,
ALL OF A SUDDEN,
THE HEAT KICKS ON.
- THE VENT WAS RIGHT
NEXT TO THE TOILET.
AND IT WAS CONNECTED DIRECTLY
WITH THE MAIN HEATING
SYSTEM IN THE CRAWLSPACE.
WHEN THE HEAT TURNED ON,
YOU GOT THIS TREMENDOUS
IMMEDIATE BURST UP
THAT PARTICULAR VENT,
AND HE SMELLED A SMELL THAT
HE ASSOCIATED WITH DEATH.
- IF YOU'VE EVER SMELLED
A DECOMPOSING BODY,
IT'S AN ODOR THAT
YOU NEVER FORGET.
BELIEVE ME, ASK ANY COP.
- THE SURVEILLANCE
GUYS SMELLED AN ODOR
COMING OUT OF THE CRAWLSPACE.
IT WAS THE SAME
ODOR THAT YOU SMELL
WHEN YOU GO DOWN
TO THE COUNTY MORGUE.
CAN YOU ARREST THEM FOR THAT?
NO.
I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA
RIP THE STEERING WHEEL OFF
THE CAR IN THE
MORNING GOING TO WORK.
I WAS LIKE, WE
GOTTA GET THIS GUY.
HE'S THUMBING HIS NOSE AT US.
IT WAS LIKE CATCH ME IF YOU CAN.
HE FELT HE WAS INVINCIBLE.
I CALLED ONE OF HIS EMPLOYEES.
I FINALLY, I SAID, "DID YOU
EVER SEE HIM GET REALLY MAD?"
GACY, DID HE LOSE HIS TEMPER?
AND HE SAID, "YEAH,
I WAS DIGGING.
HE HAD ME DOWN IN THE
CRAWLSPACE, DIGGING A TRENCH."
GACY CAME DOWN,
CHECKING ON HIS WORK,
AND HE SAID HE SAW
WHERE HE WAS DIGGING
AND HE LOST HIS MIND.
HE WAS SCREAMING AND
HOLLERING AND SWEARING.
"NO, NO, NO, I TOLD
YOU DON'T DIG THERE."
WELL NOW, WAIT A MINUTE.
WHAT WAS SO IMPORTANT
ABOUT THE CRAWLSPACE?
AND WHY HAVE WE NOT FOUND
ANY OF THESE OTHER KIDS?
WE GOTTA GET BACK IN THERE.
WE GOTTA GET ANOTHER
SEARCH WARRANT,
WHICH WE DID.
WE ALL CONVERGED ON THE HOUSE,
AND IT WAS LIKE,
OKAY, THE CRAWLSPACE.
THAT'S THE FIRST THING.
FIRST THING THEY LOOKED AT,
AND DAN JUMPED DOWN THERE.
AND HE WASN'T DOWN THERE,
HE WASN'T DOWN THERE VERY LONG,
AND HE YELLED UP,
"I'VE GOT BONES."
- I FORMALLY ADVISED GACY
THAT HE WAS UNDER ARREST
FOR THE CHARGE OF MURDER.
HE WAS TRANSPORTED
BACK TO DES PLAINES PD.
AND SHORTLY AFTER
WE GET BACK THERE,
HE SAYS, "HEY GUYS, I JUST
WANT TO CLEAR THE AIR.
I THINK HE KNEW,
HEY, IT'S OVER FOR ME,
BUT I STILL CAN GET A
LITTLE BIT OF ATTENTION HERE.
ONCE WE GOT IN
THE INTERVIEW ROOM,
HE WAS LOVING IT.
HE WAS IN CONTROL.
HE WAS MATTER OF FACT
ABOUT HOW HE KILLED THESE KIDS,
TO THE POINT OF
ACTUALLY BRAGGING.
OFFICERS ARMED WITH WARRANTS
BEGAN SEARCHING THE PREMISES
FOR THE BODIES OF YOUNG MEN
BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN
KILLED AND BURIED THERE.
AND THE HOUSE IS GIVING UP
ITS TERRIBLE SECRETS ONE BY ONE.
THEY FOUND TWO BODIES,
APPARENTLY OF YOUNG BOYS.
IT MAY BE DAYS OR WEEKS
BEFORE POLICE CAN
TELL HOW MANY MURDERS
WERE COMMITTED IN THIS
QUIET, RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY.
- THEN IT BECAME A
CIRCUS AFTER THAT.
I'VE NEVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE IT.
THE WHOLE WORLD WAS
SHOWING UP, PRESSWISE.
- TODAY, THEY FOUND THE BODIES
OF AT LEAST THREE YOUNG BOYS.
- FOUR MORE BODIES.
- SIX MORE BODIES.
BRINGING THE TOTAL SO FAR TO 15.
NEWS OF THE MULTIPLE MURDERS
HAS BROUGHT SCORES
OF PEOPLE TO THE SCENE.
- THERE ARE NEWS CREWS,
NEWS VEHICLES WITH CAMERAS
PROPPED UP ON TOP OF THEM.
IT WAS A CIRCUS ATMOSPHERE.
GACY'S HOME HAS BECOME
A TOURIST ATTRACTION.
OUTSIDERS CAME HERE TO
SEE BODIES BROUGHT OUT
OF GACY'S HOUSE.
INVESTIGATORS TODAY
UNEARTHED SIX MORE BODIES.
- AT LAST COUNT,
27 BODIES BURIED
UNDER HIS HOUSE AND GARAGE.
AND TWO MORE IN A NEARBY RIVER.
- YOU MIGHT BE WITNESSING
ONE OF THE MOST
HORRIBLE CRIMES
PERHAPS IN A CENTURY.
- HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE,
THAT YOU COULD KILL 33 PEOPLE
AND BURY THEM UNDER YOUR HOUSE?
AND THE MEDIA JUST ATE THAT UP.
NOBODY HAD HAD ANYWHERE
CLOSE TO THAT NUMBER OF VICTIMS.
I MEAN, GACY AT THE
TIME WAS PROBABLY
THE MOST PROMINENT
SERIAL KILLER IN THE WORLD.
- THE LEGAL PRELIMINARIES
ARE UNDERWAY IN FLORIDA,
WHERE THEODORE BUNDY
IS CHARGED WITH MURDER.
- TED PLAYED TO THE CAMERAS.
HERE HE WAS,
REPRESENTING HIMSELF,
BEING A TV-STAR
LAWYER, A BIG DEAL TO TED.
- IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
IN ILLINOIS, JOHN
GACY DESERVES IT.
- WHEN I ENLISTED,
MY ROOMMATE WAS
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS
JEFFREY DAHMER.
- I REMEMBER THOSE EYES,
THOSE BEADY LITTLE EYES.
I AM THE ONLY SURVIVOR
OF THE GREEN RIVER KILLER.
STATION THAT MORNING,
AND OUR RECEPTIONIST OUT
FRONT BROUGHT HIS LETTER
BACK TO THE
NEWSROOM, GAVE IT TO ME.
THE LETTER SAYS,
AND THIS IS A QUOTE,
"HOW MANY MORE
PEOPLE DO I HAVE TO KILL
BEFORE I GET MY
NAME IN THE PAPER?"
THAT'S A QUOTE THAT
YOU DON'T FORGET.
- FIVE OF THE MOST
PROLIFIC SERIAL KILLERS
IN AMERICAN HISTORY WERE
ALL OPERATING AT THE SAME TIME.
JOHN WAYNE GACY'S CRIMINAL...
TED BUNDY IS STILL ALIVE...
BTK MIGHT - JEFFREY DAHMER.
THE SO-CALLED GREEN RIVER KILLER
THIS WAS THE GOLDEN
AGE OF SERIAL KILLERS.
- WHAT SETS THIS
GROUP OF MEN APART IS
THAT THEY COME ACROSS
AS BEING FAIRLY NORMAL.
JOHN WAYNE GACY
WOULD HIRE YOUNG MEN
FROM THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY.
HE'S SEARCHING FOR VICTIMS.
- MY BROTHER SAYS, "ME AND
THIS BOY ARE WORKING TOGETHER,
AND WE'RE DIGGING
AROUND GACY'S HOUSE."
WELL, IT ENDED UP, THEY WERE
DIGGING THEIR OWN GRAVES.
POLICE WERE UNABLE
TO CONNECT GACY
TO THESE CRIMES.
RADER HAD LEFT A BOOK
IN THE LIBRARY, AND INSIDE
THAT BOOK WAS A LETTER.
- HE WANTS TO GIVE
HIMSELF A BRAND,
AND HE SAYS, MY NAME IS BTK
FOR BIND, TORTURE, AND KILL.
- AND NOW HE JUST NEEDS
TO TAKE IT UP A NOTCH
AND MAKE IT AN EVEN
RISKIER BEHAVIOR.
CONVICTED UTAH KIDNAPPER
THEODORE BUNDY HAS ESCAPED.
IT MADE THE COUNTY
LOOK REALLY DUMB
THAT HE COULD JUMP OUT
OF A WINDOW AND ESCAPE.
- WITH GUYS LIKE BUNDY,
YOU HAVE A SUCCESS
AND THEN ANOTHER,
AND THEN ANOTHER.
AND PRETTY SOON, YOU START
TO BELIEVE YOU'RE INVINCIBLE.
- SERIAL KILLERS LIKE
BUNDY, GACY, AND RADER
WOULD GET THIS ADDITIONAL THRILL
FROM THIS CAT-AND-MOUSE GAME
THAT THEY'RE PLAYING
WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO THEY'RE COMMITTING MURDER.
THEY'RE COMMITTING RAPE,
THESE VICIOUS CRIMES THAT
HAVE THIS POWER DYNAMIC.
AND THEN THEY'RE GETTING AN
EXTRA BOOST OF POWER DYNAMIC
BY BEING ABLE TO
MESS WITH THE MINDS
OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
STREETS OF ASPEN ARE SAFE AGAIN.
SUSPECTED MULTIPLE
MURDERER THEODORE BUNDY IS
BACK IN CUSTODY AFTER AN
ABSENCE OF NEARLY SEVEN DAYS.
- AFTER HIS FIRST
ESCAPE IN ASPEN,
I VISITED HIM IN THE
JAIL IN GLENWOOD.
AND THAT'S A MORE MODERN JAIL.
AND SUPPOSEDLY A
MORE SECURE JAIL.
I NOTICED WHEN I WAS
VISITING HIM THERE
THAT TED, WHO WAS NEVER HEAVY,
HAD LOST A LOT OF WEIGHT, LOTS.
- HE WAS NOT EATING
MUCH, WORKING OUT,
AND WORKING ON LOSING WEIGHT.
- HE FOUND OUT THAT
THE VENTILATION SYSTEM
IN HIS JAIL CELL WAS
JUST A 12-INCH GRATE.
- THAT OPENING LED
INTO THE SECOND FLOOR,
WHERE THE JAILER LIVED.
HIS PLAN WAS THAT WHEN HE
WAS CERTAIN THE JAILER WAS OUT,
HE WOULD CLIMB UP THAT
OPENING IN THE CEILING,
GET INTO THE JAILER'S
APARTMENT AND THEN ESCAPE,
WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT HE DID.
CLEVER CONVICT CRAWLED
THROUGH THE CEILING OF
HIS CELL AND ESCAPED AGAIN.
BORDERED ON A HOUDINI ESCAPADE.
GROUND UNITS,
HELICOPTERS AND DOGS
HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR BUNDY.
- THE SEARCH REACHES ALL
OVER THE WEST RIGHT NOW.
IT'S GONNA BE A LONG TIME
BEFORE THEODORE BUNDY
IS BEHIND BARS AGAIN.
- I HELPED SEND HIM HEALTH FOOD.
I HELPED GET HIM A
TELEPHONE IN HIS CELL.
IF I HADN'T HAVE
HELPED HIM GET SKINNY,
UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, WELL,
HE PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE FIT
THROUGH THAT 12-INCH SQUARE.
I'VE ALWAYS FELT BAD ABOUT
SOME OF THE THINGS I DID.
BUT AS A DEFENSE LAWYER, I
DID WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO.
SO TED'S IN ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN,
BEFORE THEY
ANNOUNCE HE'S ESCAPED.
HE WAS IN THE BAR
WATCHING THE ROSE BOWL
WHEN THE TICKER THING
CAME ACROSS THE THING.
IT SAID TED BUNDY JUST ESCAPED.
- BACK IN THE 1970S, YOU
DID NOT HAVE TO SHOW ID
WHEN YOU BOUGHT A TICKET.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO
GO THROUGH ANY KIND
OF SECURITY CHECKS
AT THE AIRPORTS.
YOU COULD GET ON TRAINS
AND PLANES AND BUSES.
AND HE IMMEDIATELY
WENT TO PLACES
WHERE THE PUBLICITY ABOUT
HIM WASN'T AS PERVASIVE.
WE KNEW THERE
WOULD BE A BAD ENDING,
AND WE DID EVERYTHING WE
COULD TO HELP LAW ENFORCEMENT
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY KNOW
THAT THERE WAS A
KILLER ON THE LOOSE.
BUT IT DOESN'T GET TO EVERYBODY.
AND IT DOESN'T REALLY GET
TO FLORIDA, WHERE HE ENDS UP.
- WHEN CRIME STARTED TO
STRETCH ACROSS STATE LINES,
LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS
AT A REAL DISADVANTAGE
'CAUSE WE JUST DIDN'T
HAVE THAT ABILITY
TO COMMUNICATE WITH
ANYTHING OTHER THAN ACTUALLY
HAVING TO MAKE A PHONE CALL
OR WITH THE TELETYPE SYSTEM.
SO IT'S REALLY AN ANTIQUATED
WAY OF COMMUNICATING.
- THE ONLY NEWS YOU GOT BACK
IN THAT DAY WAS AT SIX O'CLOCK.
SO NOBODY ON THE EAST
COAST KNEW WHO BUNDY WAS.
AS FAR AS WHAT WAS GOING
ON ON THE WEST COAST,
BACK IN THE 70S, THEY
MIGHT AS WELL HAVE BEEN
ON ANOTHER PLANET AS
FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED.
- I WAS HOME AND
SLEEPING WITH MY FAMILY.
MY PHONE RANG.
THEY SAID, "SHERIFF, WE'VE
GOT MURDERS AND INJURIES
AT THE CHI OMEGA HOUSE AT
THE FLORIDA STATE CAMPUS."
I SAID, "I'LL BE THERE."
WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE,
ONE OF THE WOMEN WAS BEING
ROLLED OUT ON A STRETCHER.
AS I STOOD THERE, I
SAID A PRAYER FOR HER.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF SHE WAS ALIVE
OR SERIOUSLY
INJURED AT THE TIME.
POLICE SAY HE SIMPLY WALKED IN
THROUGH AN UNLOCKED DOOR.
THEY SAY HE WAS ARMED
WITH A HEAVY OAK LOG.
- HE WENT FROM ONE ROOM,
BEAT, BADLY, ONE VICTIM,
CRUSHING THE SKULL,
DISLOCATING THE TEETH,
BREAKING THE JAW.
HE LEFT THAT ROOM AND
WENT TO ANOTHER ROOM.
THE SAME THING OCCURRED.
AND THEN THE THIRD ROOM,
WHERE THERE WERE
TWO YOUNG LADIES.
HE WAS BEATING ON ONE
AS THE OTHER ONE WAS
WAKING UP FROM THE NOISE,
TURNED TO HER AND
THEN WAS BEATING ON HER.
AND WHEN HE KNEW
HE NEEDED TO GET OUT,
HE WENT DOWN THE STAIRWAY.
BUT LITTLE DID HE KNOW,
ONE YOUNG LADY WAS
COMING IN THAT NIGHT.
SHE SAW A SIDE VIEW OF HIM.
HE CLUBBED AND THEN
STRANGLED TO DEATH
20-YEAR-OLD LISA LEVY AND
21-YEAR-OLD MARGARET BOWMAN.
AT LEAST ONE OF THEM WAS RAPED.
THEN HE BRUTALLY BEAT KAREN
CHANDLER AND KATHY KLEINER.
- I GOT A RADIO CALL
WHILE AT THE SCENE
OF THE CHI OMEGA HOUSE SAYING,
"SHERIFF THERE'S NOISES
COMING FROM A DUPLEX,"
WHICH WAS ONLY
ABOUT SIX BLOCKS AWAY.
HE COULDN'T LEAVE IT
AT WHAT HE HAD DONE.
HE WAS IN A FRENZY.
AND THAT'S WHY HE HAD TO
GO TO ANOTHER LOCATION.
HE WAS NOT SATISFIED.
HE WAS LIKE A
SHARK, JUST EATING.
THE LAW ENFORCEMENT
PRESENCE IN THE AREA,
THE PATROL CARS, THE LIGHTS,
AND YET WE HAD THIS
GOING ON DOWN THE STREET.
WHEN THE DEPUTY WALKED IN,
THERE WAS THE YOUNG LADY IN
A POOL OF BLOOD ON THE FLOOR.
WE WERE NOT SURE OF THE MAKEUP
OF A PERSON THAT WOULD DO THAT.
COULD THE SAME
PERSON GO NO FURTHER
THAN SIX BLOCKS AND NOT BE ABLE
TO CONTAIN THEMSELVES ENOUGH?
- THE CASES IN FLORIDA
WERE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT
FROM THE CASES IN SEATTLE.
IN CHI OMEGA IN FLORIDA,
YOU HAD HUGELY COMPULSIVE,
REPEATED MURDERS
AT THE SAME TIME.
THE CASES IN FLORIDA
EVIDENCED FOR US
THAT THE KILLER WAS
REALLY ON A RAMPAGE,
THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING IN HIM
AT THIS POINT THAT
WAS CAUSING HIM
TO COMMIT THESE
ACTS IN A CRAZED STATE.
- HE WAS REALLY OUT
OF CONTROL BY NOW.
TO ATTACK FIVE
WOMEN IN ONE NIGHT?
THAT WAS SOMETHING
HE'D NEVER DONE.
- I REMEMBER
DISTINCTLY, AS I'M DRIVING,
I GOT A PHONE CALL.
THERE WERE ONLY TWO
TELEPHONES IN CARS AT THAT TIME.
I HAD A TELEPHONE IN MY CAR
AND GOVERNOR GRAHAM,
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
AND IT WAS FROM COLORADO,
INVESTIGATORS THERE SAYING
THERE HAD BEEN AN ESCAPE.
THEY HEARD ABOUT OUR MURDERS,
AND THEY SAID, "THIS MAN
MURDERS WOMEN ABOUT THAT AGE."
AND I ASKED FOR A NAME.
AND THEY SAID, "HIS
NAME IS TED BUNDY."
- THE KILLER CAME
IN FROM THE NIGHT
AND THEN RETURNED TO IT
WITH AN EASE THAT HAS
SO FAR BAFFLED POLICE.
- THE WHOLE WORLD WAS UPSET
ABOUT THE CHI OMEGA CASE.
THE MOST TREMENDOUS MANHUNT
THAT YOU EVER
SAW WAS INSTITUTED.
OFFICERS EVERYWHERE ALL
NIGHT LONG, SURVEILLANCE.
- THE TALLAHASSEE POLICE TELL US
THEY DON'T HAVE MUCH
TO GO ON RIGHT NOW.
NO HARD LEADS, NO SUSPECTS.
THEY SUSPECT THE KILLER
IS A STUDENT AT THE SCHOOL.
- WHEN WE HEARD ABOUT
THE CASES IN CHI OMEGA,
WE IMMEDIATELY
THOUGHT IT WAS TED.
HE COULD HAVE VARIED FROM HIS MO
OF KILLING ONE PERSON
AT A TIME TO KILLING MANY.
MURDERERS DON'T ALWAYS
DO THE EXACT SAME THING
OVER, OVER AGAIN, AND
BECAUSE OF THIS COMPULSION
AND THE FACT THAT
HE HAD BEEN LOCKED UP
FOR SO LONG AND
NOW WAS ON THE RUN,
HE WAS GOING TO KEEP
KILLING UNTIL HE GOT CAUGHT.
- THE FIRST NAME WITHIN
THE FIRST FEW HOURS
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS
CRIME WAS TED BUNDY.
BUT IT WASN'T REALLY
TAKEN SERIOUSLY
BECAUSE HE CHOSE
A DIFFERENT M.O.
THAN WHAT WE
THOUGHT HE WOULD HAVE.
AND THAT'S WHERE HE CONFUSED ME.
SO WE WERE LOOKING FOR LEADS.
WE WERE ASKING PEOPLE IF
THEY SAW ANYBODY THAT NIGHT
AT ABOUT THAT TIME.
- BUNDY WAS STILL
TRYING TO OPERATE
IN TALLAHASSEE, THE
FLAME WAS JUST TOO HOT.
AND HE FINALLY DECIDED
IT WAS TIME FOR HIM TO GO.
AND HE STOLE A VAN
AND CAME WEST ON US
90 LOOKING FOR A VICTIM.
- WHEN WE LOOK AT
THE FIVE SERIAL KILLERS,
THE FACT THAT THEY'RE
ALL PSYCHOPATHS
TELLS YOU THAT THEY'RE
EGOCENTRICALLY DRIVEN.
THEY THINK THAT
THEY ARE IN CONTROL,
THAT EVERYTHING
ABOUT THEM IS IMPORTANT.
- THEODORE BUNDY IS
SUSPECTED OF KILLING
THREE DOZEN WOMEN
THROUGHOUT THE WEST.
- BUT RADER WAS UNIQUE IN
THE SENSE THAT HE WAS LIKE,
I SEE WHAT'S GOING
ON WITH BUNDY.
HE'S GOT A LOT OF PRESS.
HE'S BECOMING QUITE INFAMOUS.
BEFORE TRIAL, HE
ESCAPED, WAS CAPTURED,
THEN LAST MONTH, ESCAPED AGAIN.
AND HE'S STILL FREE.
I'M JEALOUS OF HIM.
I WANT THAT SAME
KIND OF NOTORIETY.
- DENNIS RADER APPARENTLY WANTS
MORE ATTENTION OR JUST AS
MUCH ATTENTION AS TED BUNDY.
AFTER SEVEN KILLINGS,
HE WASN'T GETTING
ANY PUBLICITY STILL.
NO ONE HAD CONNECTED
THE MURDERS.
SO TWO MONTHS AFTER
NANCY FOX IS MURDERED,
CHANNEL 10 KAKE-TV
GETS A LETTER.
- I WAS WORKING AT THE
STATION THAT MORNING,
AND OUR RECEPTIONIST OUT
FRONT BROUGHT HIS LETTER
BACK TO THE NEWSROOM AND SAID,
"I THINK WE HAVE A
LETTER FROM BTK."
IN IT WAS A POEM.
AND I SAY, "YOU KNOW, WE'VE
GOTTA TELL THE POLICE ABOUT IT."
- WELL, THAT WAS IT.
POLICE HAD TO GO
PUBLIC WITH THE FACT
THEY HAD A SERIAL
KILLER ON THEIR HANDS.
THE POLICE CHIEF BACK
THEN, RICHARD LAMUNYON,
IMMEDIATELY CALLED
A NEWS CONFERENCE.
AND FOR THE FIRST
TIME, TOLD WICHITA,
"WE HAVE A SERIAL
KILLER ON THE LOOSE,
AND HE IS CLAIMING
RESPONSIBILITY
FOR, OTEROS, NANCY
FOX, AND SHIRLEY VIAN.
- THIS MORNING,
KAKE-TV WAS CONTACTED
BY THE PERSON WHO
POLICE SAY THEY BELIEVE
MURDERED FOUR MEMBERS
OF THE JOSEPH OTERO FAMILY
IN JANUARY OF 1974.
- IT WAS SIGNED
WITH THE INITIALS BTK.
HE PROVIDED A
LIST OF HIS VICTIMS,
WITH MANY DETAILS
KNOWN ONLY TO THE POLICE.
BTK BEGAN TODAY'S
LETTER WITH A QUESTION,
"HOW MANY DO I HAVE TO KILL
BEFORE I GET A NAME IN THE PAPER
OR SOME NATIONAL ATTENTION?"
- "HOW MANY PEOPLE
DO I HAVE TO KILL
BEFORE I GET MY
NAME IN THE PAPER?"
- THAT'S A QUOTE THAT
YOU DON'T FORGET.
I REMEMBER THAT
MY ENTIRE LIFE NOW.
- AFTER REVIEWING THE
CONTENTS OF THE LETTER,
THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO QUESTION
THAT THE ONLY PERSON
WHO WOULD HAVE THE TYPE
OF INFORMATION THAT WAS
INCLUDED IN THE LETTER,
WOULD HAVE TO BE
THE KILLER HIMSELF.
- THAT WAS THE MOMENT THAT
BTK BECAME A HOUSEHOLD NAME.
HE LIVED TO GET HIS
NAME IN THE PAPER.
- THERE'S THIS CAT-AND-MOUSE
NATURE TO THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE SERIAL
KILLER AND POLICE.
THAT MIGHT ALSO
ENHANCE THE THRILL,
THIS IDEA THAT I DON'T
WANT TO GET CAUGHT,
BUT IT COULD HAPPEN
AT ANY MINUTE.
SO HE RISKS AT ALL BY
REACHING OUT TO THE MEDIA,
REACHING OUT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT,
TO MAINTAIN THAT THRILL.
- DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE
INITIALS BTK STAND FOR?
- YES, IT'S OUR FEELING
THAT THE INITIALS
THAT WERE PLACED THERE
STAND FOR BIND, TORTURE AND KILL.
- ONCE THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED
THAT THERE WAS A GUY CALLED BTK,
AND HE WAS NOW A SERIAL KILLER,
WICHITA GREW UP A LITTLE BIT.
WE WERE NOT THE INNOCENT
LITTLE MIDWESTERN CITY ANYMORE.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE HAD
A MONSTER IN OUR MIDST.
- YOU'RE NOT DEALING WITH
A QUOTE NORMAL CRIMINAL.
YOU'RE DEALING WITH A
PERSON WHO IS PERVERTED,
A PERSON THAT IS SICK.
- AFTER THAT, IT
WAS NEVER THE SAME.
EVERY WOMAN AND MAN
STARTED LOCKING THEIR DOORS,
WATCHING IF THERE'S
ANYONE BEHIND THEM.
WICHITA WAS SCARED.
- THIS INDIVIDUAL IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR SEVEN MURDERS IN OUR CITY.
AND WITH ALL PROBABILITY,
THAT PERSON IS GONNA KILL AGAIN.
- VIEWERS WERE ASKED TO CALL
THE MAJOR CASE
SQUAD AT 268-4156.
- CALL US.
WE NEED ALL THE CITIZENS' HELP
AND ALL THE INPUT WE CAN GET.
- THE MEDIA FROM
THE VERY BEGINNING
HAVE BEEN WRAPPED
UP IN THE CASE.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
DID SEEK OUT THE HELP
OF THE MEDIA IN
THE INVESTIGATION.
- IT WAS THOUGHT
BY PSYCHOLOGISTS
WHO WERE WORKING WITH THE
WICHITA POLICE DEPARTMENT,
THAT PERHAPS A SUBLIMINAL
MESSAGE MIGHT WORK.
- IN ONE OF THE
COMMUNICATIONS THAT HE SENT,
HE SENT A DRAWING.
AND THE DRAWING
WAS A PAIR OF GLASSES
THAT HE TOOK OFF
ONE OF THE VICTIMS.
THAT STUCK OUT TO
THE INVESTIGATORS.
THEY THOUGHT THAT THE
GLASSES MEANT SOMETHING TO HIM.
- WE MADE THIS SLIDE
THAT SAID CALL THE CHIEF.
AND IT WAS SPLICED
IN FOR AN INSTANT.
AND WHEN YOU WERE
WATCHING TELEVISION,
IT JUST LOOK LIKE A BLIP
GOING ACROSS THE SCREEN.
THAT'S THE KATHRYN BRIGHT MURDER
THAT OCCURRED IN APRIL OF 74.
- THE PLAN WAS, FROM
THE PSYCHOLOGIST,
THAT HE WOULD SEE THIS
AND HE WOULD CALL THE CHIEF,
AND THEY COULD TALK.
THEY WERE TRYING
EVERYTHING TO CATCH THIS GUY.
- THROUGH ONE OF
THE CHIEF'S MESSAGES,
THERE WAS A SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE.
- THAT'S THE KATHRYN
BRIGHT MURDER
THAT OCCURRED IN APRIL OF 74.
- CHIEF LAMUNYON WAS
MORE FORWARD LOOKING
AS FAR AS TECHNOLOGY.
BACK THEN, IF YOU
COULD THINK OF IT,
THE CHIEF PROBABLY
MADE IT HAPPEN.
IT WAS TRIED.
- I THINK IT WAS A
CUTTING-EDGE THINKING
THAT THIS WOULD REALLY WORK.
THEY WERE IN A POSITION
WHERE THEY WOULD TAKE
ANY MEASURE TO TRY TO
SOLVE THESE HOMICIDES.
- IT WAS BACK IN THE DAY
IN WHICH THEY THOUGHT
A SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE MIGHT BE
THE ANSWER TO THEIR PROBLEM.
IT WASN'T.
IT DIDN'T WORK.
AND IT ALMOST SOUNDS
LAUGHABLE TODAY.
AND IT PROBABLY IS.
- THAT JUST SHOWS YOU WHAT
THEY WERE WILLING TO TRY
AT THAT TIME, THE OPEN
MINDEDNESS TO TRY NEW TECHNIQUES
WHEN YOU'RE TAKING ON A KILLER
THAT YOU'VE NEVER
HAD TO TAKE ON BEFORE.
THERE'VE BEEN A LOT
OF CRIMES IN SOCIETY
THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN SOLVED.
IS THIS GONNA BE ONE OF 'EM?
- I THINK WE'LL SOLVE THE CRIME.
THE QUESTION IS, WHEN
WILL WE SOLVE THE CRIME?
- WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT SERIAL KILLERS,
THEY'RE VERY PROUD
OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE.
THEY'VE ENJOYED IT.
THEY MONITOR AND WATCH
OTHER SERIAL KILLERS.
AND IT'S A REALLY EXCITING
PERIOD OF THEIR LIFE.
- WELL, THEY'RE STILL LOOKING
FOR A MURDER SUSPECT
THEODORE BUNDY,
WHO IS CELEBRATING...
- THERE WERE
SEVERAL SERIAL KILLERS
WATCHING BUNDY, AND GARY
RIDGWAY WAS ONE OF THEM.
HE'S IN THE SAME AREA.
HE'S IN SEATTLE, WATCHING
THE NEWS ABOUT BUNDY.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, HE IS
CULTIVATING HIS OWN FANTASIES.
AND SO THE FOUNDATIONS OF
HIS FUTURE ACTS ARE BEING SET.
- A SERIAL KILLER MAY HAVE
ALREADY THOUGHT THROUGH
IN GREAT DETAIL
ABOUT THE BEHAVIORS
HE WISHES TO ENGAGE IN,
AND ALL HE NEEDS
IS THE RIGHT MOMENT.
IN JUST FOUR YEARS, RIDGWAY
WILL PICK UP BUNDY'S TORCH
AND CONTINUE TERRORIZING
THE WASHINGTON STATE AREA.
THE INVESTIGATION INTO
THE CHI OMEGA MURDERS
WAS VIGOROUS AND EXTENSIVE.
THE SUSPECT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED
ARMED AND DANGEROUS.
- I OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T
THINK SOMEBODY ESCAPING
IN COLORADO WOULD BE THE ONE
THAT COMMITTED THESE CRIMES.
WE WERE DOING
EVERYTHING TO ISOLATE
ANYBODY THAT MAY HAVE
SEEN SOMEONE UNUSUAL
OR DIFFERENT IN THE AREA,
BUT WE REALLY HAD LITTLE
MORE TO GO ON THAN THAT
UNTIL AN ORANGE
VOLKSWAGEN IS PUTTERING
ALONG IN PENSACOLA.
- AND HE IS SKULKING
AROUND LATE AT NIGHT
IN A KIND OF AN INDUSTRIAL AREA
WHEN HE IS SEEN BY PENSACOLA
POLICE OFFICER DAVID LEE.
IT WAS A SUSPICIOUS
VEHICLE BEHIND A BUILDING.
AND AS A MATTER OF ROUTINE,
I WAS RUNNING A CHECK ON THE TAG
WHEN IT DID COME BACK
AS A STOLEN VEHICLE.
HE PROCEEDS TO MAKE A
TRAFFIC STOP ON BUNDY.
- AND AT THAT TIME, TED BUNDY
TRIED TO GET AWAY FROM HIM.
- HE GRABBED MY WRIST,
AND WE HAD A STRUGGLE
FOR CONTROL OF MY REVOLVER.
OF COURSE, AFTER SEVERAL
MINUTES OF FIGHTING,
I DID MANAGE TO SUBDUE HIM BY
STRIKING HIM WITH MY REVOLVER
AND COMPLETING THE
ARREST BY PLACING THE CUFF
ON HIS OTHER HAND AND TAKING
HIM BACK TO THE PATROL CAR.
- ON THE WAY TO
JAIL, BUNDY SAYS,
"I WISH YOU'D KILLED ME."
BUT BUNDY DOESN'T SAY
WHO HE IS AT THE TIME.
POLICE ARRESTED
THIS 31-YEAR-OLD MAN
AFTER A HIGH-SPEED
CHASE WEDNESDAY MORNING
IN PENSACOLA, FLORIDA.
HE CLAIMED TO BE A FLORIDA
STATE UNIVERSITY LAW STUDENT.
- DRIVER'S LICENSES THEN
WERE MERE PIECES OF PAPER,
AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE
PHOTOGRAPHS ON THEM.
AT THAT TIME, HE GAVE A NAME
OF ONE OF FSU'S
ATHLETES, KEN MEISNER.
EXCEPT KEN MEISNER
CALLS AND SAYS,
"I'M NOT IN PENSACOLA.
I'M IN TALLAHASSEE,
AND BY THE WAY, MY
WALLET WAS STOLEN."
SO NOW WE DON'T KNOW
WHO THIS PERSON IS.
AND HE FINALLY SAID,
"YOU DON'T KNOW WHO
YOU HAVE IN CUSTODY.
I WANT TO SEE INVESTIGATORS
FROM THE CITY OF TALLAHASSEE."
AND THEY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME.
AND I SAID, "COULD IT BE?"
- I GOT A CALL FROM MR. ROSEBUD.
HE WAS VERY INTERESTED
IN "CITIZEN KANE."
SO I KNEW THAT IT WAS TED.
I FIGURED IF THEY DON'T
FIGURE OUT HE'S TED BUNDY,
THEY'RE GONNA RELEASE HIM.
I KNEW THAT IF HE WAS RELEASED
THAT HE WOULD KILL AGAIN.
BUT AS AN ATTORNEY, I
COULDN'T TURN HIM IN.
THAT WAS THE WORST NIGHT
OF MY LIFE AS A LAWYER.
- FINALLY, AFTER THEY ALLOW
HIM A CALL TO A LAWYER,
AND HE SAYS, "OKAY,
I'LL TELL YOU WHO I AM.
I'M TED BUNDY."
NORMAN CHAPMAN, WHO'S
THE INVESTIGATOR OUT THERE
SAYS, "OKAY, HOW
DO YOU SPELL THAT?"
WHICH WAS A TREMENDOUS
LETDOWN FOR TED BUNDY
'CAUSE HE THOUGHT
HE WAS WORLD FAMOUS.
AND NOBODY IN FLORIDA
EVER HEARD OF HIM BEFORE.
HE HAS BEEN
POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED
AS PRISON ESCAPEE
THEODORE BUNDY,
A SUSPECT IN THE
RAPE-MURDER CASES
OF AT LEAST 36 YOUNG WOMEN.
- WE WERE SO HAPPY THAT
SOMEBODY CONNECTED THE DOTS
THAT HE WAS IN CUSTODY,
THAT MAYBE THEY COULD JUST
END THIS HORROR NIGHTMARE
THAT WAS GOING ON FOR SO LONG.
- ALL OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
STARTED PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER,
AND IT WASN'T LONG
BEFORE TED WAS TIED
TO THE CASES IN CHI OMEGA
BUT ALSO THE MURDER OF
A VERY YOUNG GIRL NAMED
KIMBERLY LEACH, WHO WAS
ABDUCTED JUST THE WEEK BEFORE.
WE TRANSPORTED HIM FROM
PENSACOLA TO TALLAHASSEE.
I MET HIM AT THE JAIL.
LEON COUNTY SHERIFF
KEN KATSARIS INVITED
REPORTERS FOR A
READING OF THE INDICTMENT
TO THE DEFENDANT IN
FRONT OF THE PRESS.
SOMETHING RARELY
DONE IN CRIMINAL CASES.
- MR. BUNDY?
- YOU TOLD ME THAT
YOU TOLD 'EM THAT YOU
WERE GONNA GET ME.
HE SAID HE WAS
GONNA GET ME, OKAY?
YOU'VE GOT THE INDICTMENT.
IT'S ALL YOU'RE GONNA GET.
- HE WAS NOW IN A NEW MODE.
HE KNEW HE WAS IN TROUBLE.
HE WAS GOING TO
TRY TO BEFRIEND, JOKE,
ACT LIKE HE COULDN'T POSSIBLY
BE THE MONSTER THAT HE WAS.
AS BUNDY'S KILLINGS
COME TO AN END,
JEFFREY DAHMER IS
JUST GETTING STARTED.
- STEVEN HICKS WAS 17.
HE WAS A GOOD KID
AND WAS HITCHHIKING.
AND THAT WAS HIS BIG MISTAKE.
JEFFREY DAHMER'S KILLING STARTED
RIGHT AFTER HE GRADUATED
FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
- DAHMER PICKS
UP THIS YOUNG BOY.
HE BRINGS HIM BACK TO HIS PLACE.
THEY ENGAGE IN
SOME SEXUAL ACTIVITY.
THERE'S SOME DRINKING GOING ON.
STEVEN HICKS DECIDES
I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS.
IT'S TIME FOR ME TO LEAVE,
BUT DAHMER DOESN'T
WANT HIM TO LEAVE.
AND THE ONLY WAY THAT
HE COULD FIGURE OUT
HOW TO DO THIS WAS
TO BASICALLY KILL HIM.
AND HE DID IT WITH MASSIVE
BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA.
- HE DISMEMBERS
STEVEN HICKS'S BODY
AND PLACES THE
PARTS IN GARBAGE BAGS.
HE THROWS THEM IN
THE BACK OF HIS CAR.
AND EVENTUALLY HE'S
PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE
WHILE HE HAS THESE BAGS OF
BODY PARTS IN THE BACK SEAT.
- AN OFFICER SAW
HIM, STOPPED HIM,
SAID HE WAS GOING OVER
THE MIDLINE, QUESTIONED HIM,
"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?"
HE WAS COOL.
NOT A MAD MAN, NOT
A MAN OUT OF HIS MIND.
VERY COOL,
PERSUADED THE OFFICER.
GOTTA THROW IT, GET
RID OF THE GARBAGE.
EVEN UNDER THE STRESS, IMAGINE,
OF HAVING A DEAD
BODY THAT YOU'VE KILLED
IN THE BACKSEAT, AND
YOU'RE ENGAGING AN OFFICER
IN A RELAXED WAY.
- DAHMER WAS ONLY 18
YEARS OLD AT THIS TIME,
AND, ACTUALLY, OF
OUR FIVE SERIAL KILLERS,
HE IS THE YOUNGEST
IN TERMS OF FIRST KILL.
- WE DON'T TYPICALLY
SEE SERIAL KILLERS
STARTING OUT IN
THEIR LATE TEENS.
IT'S TYPICALLY MORE
INTO THE MID TO LATE 20S
TO EARLY 30S,
BECAUSE IT TAKES TIME
TO DEVELOP YOUR FANTASIES,
TO BE COMFORTABLE
WITH WHO YOU ARE
BEFORE YOU START ACTING OUT.
- JEFFREY DAHMER WAS
ISOLATED PSYCHOLOGICALLY
AND PHYSICALLY FROM A
VERY, VERY YOUNG AGE.
- HIS MOTHER WAS ON
MANY PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
SHE HAD SOME MENTAL
ISSUES SHE WAS DEALING WITH.
- IT'S BEEN SAID THAT SHE HAD
SORT OF A PHOBIA
RELATED TO GERMS.
SHE DIDN'T ALLOW OTHER
PEOPLE TO TOUCH YOUNG JEFFREY,
AND THAT MIGHT HAVE
SORT OF PRECLUDED HIM
FROM NORMAL SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT HE UNDERWENT AS A CHILD
WITH A MOTHER WHO
WAS DOPED UP ON DRUGS
AND A FATHER WHO WAS VERY ALOOF,
WE COULD SAY THAT HE
SUFFERED A FORM OF NEGLECT.
AND SO WHILE JEFFREY DAHMER
WAS NOT PHYSICALLY ABUSED
OR PSYCHOLOGICALLY
ABUSED, PER SE,
I DO BELIEVE THAT THAT
NEGLECT WOULD HAVE BEEN
EQUALLY AS IMPACTFUL.
- WHEN HE HAD TIME,
HE WOULD FIND ROADKILL
AND DISSECT ANIMALS.
HE WAS FASCINATED BY THE
INNER WORKINGS OF THESE ANIMALS.
- HE FOUND A DEAD
DOG IN THE WOODS,
AND HE DISEMBOWELED THE DOG
AND CUT ITS HEAD
OFF AND MOUNTED IT
ON A STICK IN HIS YARD.
AND I THINK THAT WAS
ALMOST LIKE A TRAINING CAMP
OF HOW TO DO THE HORRIFIC CRIMES
THAT HE ENDED UP
DOING IN LATER YEARS.
- HE HAD DESIRES
TO FIND A HUMAN,
KNOCK HIM OUT, AND CUT 'EM
OPEN TO SEE WHAT THEY WERE LIKE.
- DAHMER HIMSELF
RECOUNTED IN AN INTERVIEW
THESE FANTASIES BEGAN IN
HIS EARLY TEENAGE YEARS.
- THAT WAS THE BEGINNING
STAGES OF WHAT RESULTED
FINALLY IN DAHMER'S
FIRST VICTIM, AND 17 DEATHS.
THAT WAS THE INCIPIENT
START OF IT, THAT FANTASY.
- BY THE END OF 1978,
JOHN WAYNE GACY
HAS REACHED THIS
HEIGHT OF ARROGANCE.
HE BELIEVES THAT
HE IS UNSTOPPABLE.
- SINCE KILLING
GREGORY GODZIK IN 1976,
GACY HAS KILLED
14 MORE YOUNG MEN.
HE GETS AWAY WITH IT.
HE GETS MORE CONFIDENCE,
MORE SORT OF SELF-ASSURED,
LETS THE FANTASIES
OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
DOES IT AGAIN AND
AGAIN AND AGAIN.
AND IN THIS WAY,
GETTING AWAY WITH
IT ACTUALLY MIGHT BE
FURTHER FUELING THE BEHAVIOR.
- IF YOU KILL 30-SOME PEOPLE
AND YOU NEVER GOT CAUGHT,
YOU BEGIN TO THINK YOU'RE
NEVER GONNA GET CAUGHT.
BUT BIGGEST MISTAKE HE
MADE WAS ROBERT PIEST.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE
BEGINNING OF THE END.
- ROBERT PIEST WAS A STUDENT
AT MAIN TOWNSHIP
WEST HIGH SCHOOL.
HE WAS WORKING AT THE
NISSON PHARMACY IN PARK RIDGE.
- HE WAS GONNA GET
OFF AT NINE O'CLOCK.
HIS MOTHER DROVE UP
THERE TO PICK HIM UP
TO TAKE HIM HOME
TO CUT THE BIRTHDAY
CAKE FOR HER BIRTHDAY.
HE SAID TO HER BEFORE
HE WENT OUTSIDE,
"MOM, I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
I'M GONNA GO TALK TO THIS
CONTRACTOR ABOUT A JOB."
- THAT WAS THE LAST
TIME HE'S SEEN ALIVE.
THE PARENTS WENT DIRECTLY
TO THE POLICE STATION,
AND BECAUSE IT
WAS LATE AT NIGHT,
THE DETECTIVES SAID,
"WELL, JUST COME BACK
TOMORROW MORNING."
- POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN
THOSE DAYS HAD A 72-HOUR RULE
THAT IN TERMS OF A
PERSONAL DISAPPEARANCE,
THE PERSON IS JUST
ASSUMED A RUNAWAY,
AND HE'LL PROBABLY COME BACK.
AND WE'LL TALK TO YOU
THREE DAYS FROM NOW.
- RUNAWAY CULTURE WAS RAMPANT.
IN 1977 IN CHICAGO ALONE,
ALMOST 20,000 PEOPLE
ARE REPORTED MISSING.
- BUT WITH ROBERT
PIEST, WE ALL KNEW
THAT HE DID NOT JUST RUN AWAY.
IT WAS HIS MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY.
SHE CAME UP THERE
TO PICK HIM UP.
THAT DOESN'T SPELL RUNAWAY.
THAT SPELLS
SOMETHING'S AMISS HERE.
SOMETHING STINKS.
SO THEY BEGAN THEIR
INVESTIGATION THAT NIGHT.
- I REMEMBER THE
PIECE ON THE NEWS.
THEY SHOWED
PICTURES OF MRS. PIEST
WAITING FOR HER SON
AT THIS DRUG STORE.
15-YEAR-OLD ROBERT
PIEST VANISHED
FROM HIS DES PLAINES,
ILLINOIS, NEIGHBORHOOD
AFTER TELLING HIS
MOTHER THAT HE WAS GOING
TO SEE A CONTRACTOR
ABOUT A SUMMER JOB
THAT PAID $5 AN HOUR.
- MY BROTHER'S BEEN
GONE LIKE TWO YEARS.
MY PARENTS DID EVERYTHING
THAT THEY POSSIBLY
COULD THINK OF AND HAD
NOTHING BUT DEAD ENDS.
I REMEMBER MY
MOTHER SAYING TO ME,
SHE SAYS, "OH MY GOD,
I SURE HOPE THAT LADY
DOESN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH
WHAT I WENT THROUGH.
I DON'T WANT HER TO HAVE
TO EXPERIENCE HAVING
NO CHRISTMAS WITH THEIR SON."
- THE DES PLAINES POLICE
CALLED THE OWNERS OF THE STORE.
THEY SAID, "WELL, THE
ONLY GUY THAT WAS THERE
THAT NIGHT WAS OUR
CONTRACTOR, JOHN GACY."
- THE DES PLAINES
POLICE DEPARTMENT
LOOKED INTO GACY'S HISTORY.
- HE HAD BEEN ARRESTED
IN IOWA 10 YEARS EARLIER
FOR SODOMY INVOLVING
A YOUNG TEENAGE BOY.
ALL ROADS LED TO GACY.
IT WAS NO QUESTION THAT
HE WAS SOMEHOW INVOLVED.
IT'S JUST A QUESTION
OF HOW MUCH.
EVERYBODY LOOKED AT EACH OTHER
AND SAID WELL, GET
A SEARCH WARRANT.
MAYBE THE KID'S BEING
HELD IN THE HOUSE.
- SO THEY GO IN THE HOUSE.
EVERYTHING
LOOKED FINE INITIALLY.
BUT WHEN THEY WENT IN THE ATTIC,
THEY FOUND A VARIETY
OF SEX TOYS, SHACKLES,
A COUPLE OF DRIVER'S
LICENSES FROM YOUNG BOYS,
AND A MAIN WEST CLASS RING.
- HAD WE BEEN SEASONED
SERIAL KILLER INVESTIGATORS,
WE WOULD HAVE
REALIZED THAT THIS WAS
PART OF WHAT A
SERIAL KILLER DOES.
THEY KEEP SOUVENIRS.
- BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THEIR
LIFE IS DEVOTED TO FANTASY,
WHAT WE SEE IS OFFENDERS
TAKING SOUVENIRS OR TROPHIES.
- RADER DID IT.
BUNDY DID IT.
DAHMER DID IT.
THE PURPOSE OF THESE TROPHIES IS
TO RELIVE THE
EXPERIENCE OF THE KILLING
AFTER THE MURDERS.
- THEY CAN TAKE THIS PIECE
OUT, LOOK AT IT, TOUCH IT.
IT'S INTOXICATING.
IT'S POWERFUL.
- AT THAT POINT, THE
LIEUTENANT FROM DES PLAINES
ASKED ME, HE SAYS, "DO YOU
THINK WE CAN CHARGE HIM?"
AND I SAYS, "WELL, WHAT ARE
YOU GONNA CHARGE HIM WITH?
YOU DON'T HAVE THE BODY."
MY MIND WENT, HE HID
THE BODY SOMEPLACE.
WE SAID, "WELL, LET'S
GET THE TAIL ON HIM."
TWO AT A TIME, 24 HOURS
A DAY, 12-HOUR SHIFTS.
- BACK IN 1978, I WAS
WITH THE DES PLAINES
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I HAD BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE
PLAINCLOTHES TACTICAL UNIT.
BOB SCHULTZ AND RON ROBINSON
WORKED NOON TO MIDNIGHT.
AND THEN MIKE
ALBRECHT AND I WORKED
FROM MIDNIGHT TILL NOON.
ALMOST RIGHT FROM THE GET-GO,
GACY KNEW THAT
HE WAS BEING TAILED.
- WE WERE IN THE GOLDEN
BEAR RESTAURANT ONE MORNING,
AND WE SIT A FEW TABLES AWAY.
AND HE LOOKS AT US AND HE SAYS,
"GUYS, WHY DON'T WE
JUST STOP PLAYING GAMES?
WHY DON'T YOU COME ON OVER HERE,
AND WE'LL HAVE
BREAKFAST TOGETHER?"
SO THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
AND HE'S TRYING TO GET
INFORMATION FROM US.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET
INFORMATION FROM HIM.
AT ONE POINT, HE WAS TALKING
ABOUT VOLUNTEERING HIMSELF
AS A CLOWN, AND HE
LOOKS AT ME AND HE SAYS,
"I GOTTA TELL YOU, DAVE,
THIS CLOWN THING IS AOK.
I CAN DRESS UP AS A CLOWN,
AND IF I SEE A
GOOD LOOKING GIRL,
I CAN PUT MY ARM AROUND
HER AND GET A LITTLE FEEL."
HE LOOKS AT ME
RIGHT IN THE FACE,
AND HE SAYS, "YOU KNOW, DAVE,
CLOWNS CAN GET
AWAY WITH MURDER."
AND THE HAIR ON THE
BACK OF MY HEAD STOOD UP.
BUT HE OBVIOUSLY
SAID IT INTENTIONALLY.
THAT'S HOW COCKY
HE WAS AT THE TIME.
- ALL THE WHILE WE
WERE HAULING THESE KIDS
IN LEFT AND RIGHT
THAT WORKED FOR HIM,
EX-WIFE, NEIGHBORS,
ANYBODY THAT KNEW HIM,
WE WERE INTERVIEWING THEM ALL.
- DURING THEIR INVESTIGATION,
THEY FIND OUT THAT TWO
OF GACY'S EMPLOYEES
WENT MISSING:
JOHN BUTKOVICH AND GODZIK.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT
BOTH OF THOSE VICTIMS LIVED
IN DIFFERENT POLICE DISTRICTS.
THERE WAS NO
COMMUNICATION BACK AND FORTH
BETWEEN ANY OF THESE DISTRICTS.
- WE HAD CONNECTED HIM TO A
LOT OF KIDS THAT WERE MISSING,
BUT WE HAD NO BODY.
WITHOUT A BODY, YOU
DON'T HAVE A MURDER.
- THROUGHOUT THE INVESTIGATION,
WE WERE TRYING TO
OUTMANEUVER GACY,
AND GACY WAS TRYING
TO OUTMANEUVER US.
BUT WE WERE IN
UNCHARTERED WATERS.
WE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW
HOW FAR WE COULD GO.
MIKE AND I KIND OF MADE A PACT.
WE'RE GONNA GO INTO
RESTAURANTS WITH HIM.
WE'RE GONNA GO
INTO BARS WITH HIM.
WE'LL GO INTO
JOB SITES WITH HIM.
BUT WE'RE NOT
GOIN' IN HIS HOUSE.
ON THE OTHER HAND, SCHULTZ
AND ROBINSON THOUGHT IT WAS OKAY.
- IT WAS COLD, NATURALLY,
IT WAS DECEMBER,
RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
AND GACY BEING GACY,
BEING A BIG SHOT THAT HE WAS,
INVITES THE COPS TO COME ON IN
FOR A CUP OF COFFEE, GET WARM.
WELL, GET WARM.
- SCHULTZ AND
ROBINSON GO INSIDE.
THEY HAVE SOME SMALL TALK.
EVENTUALLY, SCHULTZ SAYS,
"HEY, I GOTTA USE THE JOHN.
WHERE'S IT AT?"
AND HE SAYS, "OH, GO
DOWN THE HALLWAY.
AND IT'S JUST ON
YOUR RIGHT-HAND SIDE.
YOU CAN'T MISS IT."
WHILE IN THE WASHROOM,
ALL OF A SUDDEN,
THE HEAT KICKS ON.
- THE VENT WAS RIGHT
NEXT TO THE TOILET.
AND IT WAS CONNECTED DIRECTLY
WITH THE MAIN HEATING
SYSTEM IN THE CRAWLSPACE.
WHEN THE HEAT TURNED ON,
YOU GOT THIS TREMENDOUS
IMMEDIATE BURST UP
THAT PARTICULAR VENT,
AND HE SMELLED A SMELL THAT
HE ASSOCIATED WITH DEATH.
- IF YOU'VE EVER SMELLED
A DECOMPOSING BODY,
IT'S AN ODOR THAT
YOU NEVER FORGET.
BELIEVE ME, ASK ANY COP.
- THE SURVEILLANCE
GUYS SMELLED AN ODOR
COMING OUT OF THE CRAWLSPACE.
IT WAS THE SAME
ODOR THAT YOU SMELL
WHEN YOU GO DOWN
TO THE COUNTY MORGUE.
CAN YOU ARREST THEM FOR THAT?
NO.
I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA
RIP THE STEERING WHEEL OFF
THE CAR IN THE
MORNING GOING TO WORK.
I WAS LIKE, WE
GOTTA GET THIS GUY.
HE'S THUMBING HIS NOSE AT US.
IT WAS LIKE CATCH ME IF YOU CAN.
HE FELT HE WAS INVINCIBLE.
I CALLED ONE OF HIS EMPLOYEES.
I FINALLY, I SAID, "DID YOU
EVER SEE HIM GET REALLY MAD?"
GACY, DID HE LOSE HIS TEMPER?
AND HE SAID, "YEAH,
I WAS DIGGING.
HE HAD ME DOWN IN THE
CRAWLSPACE, DIGGING A TRENCH."
GACY CAME DOWN,
CHECKING ON HIS WORK,
AND HE SAID HE SAW
WHERE HE WAS DIGGING
AND HE LOST HIS MIND.
HE WAS SCREAMING AND
HOLLERING AND SWEARING.
"NO, NO, NO, I TOLD
YOU DON'T DIG THERE."
WELL NOW, WAIT A MINUTE.
WHAT WAS SO IMPORTANT
ABOUT THE CRAWLSPACE?
AND WHY HAVE WE NOT FOUND
ANY OF THESE OTHER KIDS?
WE GOTTA GET BACK IN THERE.
WE GOTTA GET ANOTHER
SEARCH WARRANT,
WHICH WE DID.
WE ALL CONVERGED ON THE HOUSE,
AND IT WAS LIKE,
OKAY, THE CRAWLSPACE.
THAT'S THE FIRST THING.
FIRST THING THEY LOOKED AT,
AND DAN JUMPED DOWN THERE.
AND HE WASN'T DOWN THERE,
HE WASN'T DOWN THERE VERY LONG,
AND HE YELLED UP,
"I'VE GOT BONES."
- I FORMALLY ADVISED GACY
THAT HE WAS UNDER ARREST
FOR THE CHARGE OF MURDER.
HE WAS TRANSPORTED
BACK TO DES PLAINES PD.
AND SHORTLY AFTER
WE GET BACK THERE,
HE SAYS, "HEY GUYS, I JUST
WANT TO CLEAR THE AIR.
I THINK HE KNEW,
HEY, IT'S OVER FOR ME,
BUT I STILL CAN GET A
LITTLE BIT OF ATTENTION HERE.
ONCE WE GOT IN
THE INTERVIEW ROOM,
HE WAS LOVING IT.
HE WAS IN CONTROL.
HE WAS MATTER OF FACT
ABOUT HOW HE KILLED THESE KIDS,
TO THE POINT OF
ACTUALLY BRAGGING.
OFFICERS ARMED WITH WARRANTS
BEGAN SEARCHING THE PREMISES
FOR THE BODIES OF YOUNG MEN
BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN
KILLED AND BURIED THERE.
AND THE HOUSE IS GIVING UP
ITS TERRIBLE SECRETS ONE BY ONE.
THEY FOUND TWO BODIES,
APPARENTLY OF YOUNG BOYS.
IT MAY BE DAYS OR WEEKS
BEFORE POLICE CAN
TELL HOW MANY MURDERS
WERE COMMITTED IN THIS
QUIET, RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY.
- THEN IT BECAME A
CIRCUS AFTER THAT.
I'VE NEVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE IT.
THE WHOLE WORLD WAS
SHOWING UP, PRESSWISE.
- TODAY, THEY FOUND THE BODIES
OF AT LEAST THREE YOUNG BOYS.
- FOUR MORE BODIES.
- SIX MORE BODIES.
BRINGING THE TOTAL SO FAR TO 15.
NEWS OF THE MULTIPLE MURDERS
HAS BROUGHT SCORES
OF PEOPLE TO THE SCENE.
- THERE ARE NEWS CREWS,
NEWS VEHICLES WITH CAMERAS
PROPPED UP ON TOP OF THEM.
IT WAS A CIRCUS ATMOSPHERE.
GACY'S HOME HAS BECOME
A TOURIST ATTRACTION.
OUTSIDERS CAME HERE TO
SEE BODIES BROUGHT OUT
OF GACY'S HOUSE.
INVESTIGATORS TODAY
UNEARTHED SIX MORE BODIES.
- AT LAST COUNT,
27 BODIES BURIED
UNDER HIS HOUSE AND GARAGE.
AND TWO MORE IN A NEARBY RIVER.
- YOU MIGHT BE WITNESSING
ONE OF THE MOST
HORRIBLE CRIMES
PERHAPS IN A CENTURY.
- HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE,
THAT YOU COULD KILL 33 PEOPLE
AND BURY THEM UNDER YOUR HOUSE?
AND THE MEDIA JUST ATE THAT UP.
NOBODY HAD HAD ANYWHERE
CLOSE TO THAT NUMBER OF VICTIMS.
I MEAN, GACY AT THE
TIME WAS PROBABLY
THE MOST PROMINENT
SERIAL KILLER IN THE WORLD.
- THE LEGAL PRELIMINARIES
ARE UNDERWAY IN FLORIDA,
WHERE THEODORE BUNDY
IS CHARGED WITH MURDER.
- TED PLAYED TO THE CAMERAS.
HERE HE WAS,
REPRESENTING HIMSELF,
BEING A TV-STAR
LAWYER, A BIG DEAL TO TED.
- IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
IN ILLINOIS, JOHN
GACY DESERVES IT.
- WHEN I ENLISTED,
MY ROOMMATE WAS
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS
JEFFREY DAHMER.
- I REMEMBER THOSE EYES,
THOSE BEADY LITTLE EYES.
I AM THE ONLY SURVIVOR
OF THE GREEN RIVER KILLER.