Dealing with the Devil

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Head to FactorMeals.com/speak50 and use code speak50 to get 50% off your first box plus 20% off your next month. That’s code speak50 at FactorMeals.com/speak50 to get 50% off your first box plus 20% off your next month while your subscription is active!
In this episode of Unspeakable, A romantic encounter turns terrifying as Cheryl Bartlett and Bud Coates face abduction, violence, and unimaginable trauma. Cheryl's bravery and Bud's support shine amidst darkness, emphasizing love and resilience in the face of danger. Their escape, community response, and journey towards healing reveal the enduring impact of violence and the human spirit's pursuit of hope and restoration.
Timestamps
23:47 The Deafening Click
24:19 Silence Before the Storm
28:18 Helplessness and Horror
30:49 Internalizing Trauma
34:16 The Weight of False Guilt
36:30 The Garage Escape
38:23 Desperate Pleas for Help
39:34 Hospital Horrors
42:54 Missing Evidence
46:20 Trauma of Evidence Collection
54:10 Betrayal Revealed
55:43 Moving Forward
59:18 Vengeful Motives
1:01:25 Lack of Evidence
1:03:42 Spiraling Aftermath
1:08:59 Lack of Justice
1:13:21 Fight for Justice
1:16:57 New Gun Law
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00:00:06.120 --> 00:00:10.279
Welcome to Unspeakable, a true crime
podcast where I tell stories of real crimes
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with real victims, whose cases are
so shocking that many are left wondering how
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is this even real? I use
my experiences in law enforcement corrections, and
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00:00:25.399 --> 00:00:30.079
combined with my years as a criminal
justice educator, dig deep into complex cases
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00:00:30.120 --> 00:00:51.119
of evil acts, some so evil
many feel they are unspeakable. Warning.
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00:00:51.479 --> 00:00:55.719
Unspeakable as intended for mature audiences.
If you are easily offended, then I'm
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not your girl. Listening discretion is
advised. Hey y'all, it's kJ here
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and I'm back with another episode,
which is why you tuned in because you
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want to hear another episode of Unspeakable. But I am in rare form today
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because y'all cannot. I couldn't make
this up if I tried, And I
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have to tell you what's going on
in my personal life. I just have
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to tell you because I just can't. Okay, As y'all know, I
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breed French bulldogs, Okay, And
no, I'm not some freak who,
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like you know, has hundreds of
dogs and breeds them until they die type
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stuff. No, ma'am, I
have a pet, and every now and
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then we breed her. Well,
my daughter did the whole Hey, I
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need a puppy. I want a
puppy. I'll take care of it.
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Y'all know that whole hoop off.
You're my age. And I said no,
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no, no, no no,
And then they talked me into it.
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But I didn't want another pet.
I didn't want another dog. But
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I caved and I said, all
right, fine, we'll let you keep
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one from the litter, only if
it's a Merle. Okay. And they
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were like okay, okay, okay. And then whenever the day came and
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all the puppies were born, the
doctor came out was like, you're not
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gonna believe that, but we have
a Merle and a female. Ah.
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Right. The crowd went wild.
We were all excited. And so he
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kept this puppy and we named her
Dottie, and life's mean good. She's
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now seven months old and we were
out in the yard and I promised,
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this is getting somewhere, uh,
and I noticed that something was hanging out
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of her. Huh. Okay,
that's the best way I know how to
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put it. So I rushed her
to the vet. The vet swooped her
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up, took her in and he
looked and he looked real close, and
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he looked really really really close,
and then he got like super close with
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jelly on his fingers invasive checked my
dog and then he stood back and then
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he looked at me, you know, in these blue eyes that I have,
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and said, oh my gosh,
do you plan on breeding this dog?
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And I said, well, yes, that's why we kept her,
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because we're going to breed her eventually. And he said, well, I
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don't think you are and I said
what and he said, I've only seen
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this four times in the twenty five
years that I have been a veterinarian.
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And I said a vagina and he
was like what And I was like what,
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and he's like, no, your
dog is a hermaphrodite. Y'all.
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I had to drop my dog off
at seven am this morning because she is
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both male and female and has to
be spade or neutered or spooted or whatever
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the hell's going on right now in
that surgery suite. I don't even know.
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So y'all pray for me and my
little pop because God knows what has
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just happened in my life and it's
been traumatic to the whole family. So
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y'all pray for my dog. But
we're gonna make it through. Now.
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I got a couple shoutouts for I
get into this episode, and I'm gonna
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take it to Niagara Falls, New
York with Miss Kelly Holmstrom. Hey Kelly
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girl, how are you doing way
out there? My daughter just came back
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from New York. She had a
great time while she was there. And
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then Gresham, Gresham, Organ,
Miss Dina McCants, Hi, Dina,
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how are things out there in Organ? I hope they're going well. French
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Settlement, y'all, that's right down
the road for me. That's right over
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yonder where I'm pointing. If you're
watching me podcast, it's just right over
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there. And we've got Miss Jessica
Wallace and French Settlement. Hey Jessica,
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so happy to have you join the
crime family. And then Miss Holly Roberts
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in Haleyville, Alabama. Hey Holly, how are you? And then we're
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going to Kentucky, Louisville, Kentucky. Shelley, all right, Shelley,
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I think it's yunt. Is that
how you say that? Shelley? Correct
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me if I'm wrong, Shelley Hunt. If I just butchered your name,
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you gotta let me know, girl, but I just want to say hey
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to y'all. I've got even more
shout outs coming, so hang in there.
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If I haven't said your name yet, there's a long list. But
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to everyone who I gave the shout
out to today, welcome. Thank you
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so much for joining my crime page. Y'all are the difference. It's everything
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for a creator whenever we're making content
when people join and support us. So
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thank you from the bottom of my
heart. But right now, I need
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everybody in Ohio to stop what they
are doing, to get their fire extinguisher
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out, because I'm about to bring
the freaking fire. I'm about to bring
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the smoke. I need everybody from
Ohio, specifically from Toledo, Ohio,
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to listen and to tell everyone about
this episode because it had mama hot while
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I was writing it. Okay,
and if you're not from Toledo, Ohio,
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this one's still for you too.
But where are my Highians, Ohio
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Ohioans, Ohioans, where are y'all? Hello? Listen to me this episode,
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man, y'all. If you're not
familiar with Ohio, which I was,
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and I had to look it up
because I wanted to know a little
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bit more about them, But they're
known for their auto manufacturing, the glass
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industry. They're actually home to the
Jeep headquarters, which I didn't know,
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and the world renowned Toledo Museum of
Art. So hey, they got some
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artsy farty things going on. They
also got manufacturing. They are also an
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area where several Fortune five hundre companies
have their headquarters based out of there.
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And basically it's really an up and
coming area from what I understand, for
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growing families and for business. But
this is going to go back into the
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eighties and then it's going to come
full course to today. All right,
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Well, we're gonna have to go
all the way back to the eighties,
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the timeframe I was born, okay, to get this story started. And
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back in the eighties in Toledo,
there was a bit of a different vibe
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going on. Things ran a little
bit slower, you know, people weren't
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on the cusp of evolving technology like
the world is today. Things just ran
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a little bit easier and I would
say maybe a little less stressful than the
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times that we're in today. But
why am I going back this far?
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Well, this episode is the epitome
of what drives me to do this podcast.
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I mean, if I could sum
it up, this case I think
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really encompasses the goal of telling stories
and I want my listeners to hear how
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victims and their treatment has e over
time, but also how a lot of
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that in terms of the feelings of
victims that doesn't change, you know what
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I mean. Society, we hopefully
get better and we learn, but feelings
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there's something different there, and we
have to take feelings into account in my
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opinion when it comes to a victim. And I just this one, I
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just you'll see what I mean.
So it was just after midnight on January
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twenty seventh, nineteen eighty one.
This is actually before I was born.
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I was born in eighty four,
when eighteen year old Sheryl Bartlett was thinking
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about her fiance. This was going
to be twenty two year old Bud Coats.
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Now they're young, y'all. They
met when she was just fifteen and
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he was nineteen, and they met
at a family member's house and it was
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kind of funny. I actually spoke
to Cheryl and she said it was kind
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of funny because when they met,
they were kind of, you know,
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walking around each other or whatever.
And then she went outside and was sitting
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on the porch and Bud came out
there and said, they're kind of stuck
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up, aren't you. How every
love story begins, I guess, but
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you're kind of stuck up, aren't
you? And why won't you talk to
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me? And Cheryl told him,
well, because you have a girlfriend right
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there, why would I be all
up in your face. He said,
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that's not my girlfriend, that's my
sister, and so she's like, oh,
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and so things kind of took a
little bit of a turn, and
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so it was almost her birthday.
He took her out for her birthday and
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then they never looked back. They
were just like all of us in our
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youth. They were doing the best
that they could with, you know,
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day to day, trying to make
just ends meet. And they had been
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together for a bit, but they
weren't married yet, and for a bit,
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I mean maybe for young people it
seemed like a lifetime. It was
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a shorter amount of time. But
they were in love, and they actually
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were already sharing a young son that
they had pretty early on in their relationship.
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This baby's name was Eric, and
he was their pride and joy.
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He was the center of their world, as any baby should be. He
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was a tow headed little boy.
He had his little baby teeths when you're
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looking at in the pictures, and
he was a daddy's boy. That little
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baby loved his daddy. She told
me that he would wake up if he
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was in bed for the night,
whenever his daddy would get home from work.
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The little man, it was almost
like he would know, he would
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just wake up because he wanted to
be with his daddy and they would play
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and he'd have to, you know, settle the baby back down. But
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he just was very, very very
in love with his daddy and he wanted
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to be around him all that he
could. Now Bud's brother, it was
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his older brother's name was Don.
Don lived with both Bud and Cheryl,
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and that was really helpful back then
because they didn't have a lot of money,
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and also Don could help watch Eric
whenever they needed, which was also
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a plus. And you know,
with limited skills and limited work experience in
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youth, they were doing the best
they could to build a life together.
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But they were short on finances.
So Bud had taken a job at a
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grocery store. I believe it was
a Kroger that was near their home and
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he had taking a job as a
meat cutter at the grocery store. So
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part of this was that they did
not have a car. Bud didn't have
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a car, Cheryl didn't have a
car, and so that meant that wherever
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he was going to work, he
had to be able to walk there and
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make it in a timely manner.
And so this meant that they ended up
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moving into a lower income, lower
housing area. It was a traditionally all
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black neighborhood, but you know,
there were white people that lived in there
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sporadically, but I guess demographically it
was more of a black neighborhood and that
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was okay. They lived in this
apartment style home. They had the top
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floor and then another family shared the
bottom floor. And Bud was funny,
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active and he loved his baby boy
so much. Their thing was that they
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would always wake up together in the
morning and the three of them would have
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breakfast together. Bud's typical work shift
at the grocery store was from two pm
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to midnight, so they would get
up early, they would all have breakfast
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together, and then they would have
playtime on the bed, all the three
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of them just kind of, you
know, in their little space together,
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and Cheryl was, I guess what
you would call a homemaker because she was
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not working. Bud was really insistent, Hey, I want you to be
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home with Eric, and I want
you to help. You know, I
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want you to raise him and I
want him to have a strong mom presence.
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So it wasn't a high paying job, like I said, but it
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was making ends meet for now.
And on this late evening of this January
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twenty seventh, Cheryl decided that she
wanted to go and surprise her husband to
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be and meet him at the store
while he was closing up his midnight shift.
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Now you know, typically this would
be you know, a quicker walk
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home, just a few blocks or
so. And Cheryl decided she was going
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to go out and go walk by
herself and go to the grocery store,
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which, if you have any sense
about you right now, you know where
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this is probably about to go south
walking at midnight in a lower income neighborhood
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probably not the best idea. But
Don was there. He was able to
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watch to Eric while she went to
go meet him, and she wasn't nervous,
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but she told Don she said,
look, I'm gonna go walk and
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Don was like, I don't think
it's a good idea. It's late.
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And she was like, I'm going
it's gonna be fine. And she joked
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with him, look if i'm not
back in ten minutes, come looking for
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me. And they laughed and he
said, you'll be okay, just you
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know, keep your head up and
I'll see you whenever you get back.
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So whenever Cheryl arrived at the grocery
store, Bud was really happy to see
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her, but he was like,
my godwoman, you know, why are
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you walking by yourself? And it
turned out that just a few days before
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this evening, when she walked to
go meet Bud, Cheryl had had a
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very vivid dream and she dreamed that
she had been shot, which was very
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vivid to her. And then about
a week later she had another dream,
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and in that dream, again it
was super vivid. She was really shaken
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by it too. She dreamed that
not only was she shot, but she
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dreamed that she was raped. So
it was like this something going on in
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her head was really stressing her out. I don't know about y'all, but
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y'all ever look up dreams to see
what they mean? Because I do that,
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and sometimes it's interesting. The turmoil
that we have going on inside.
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We don't even realize we're having a
conflict inside, and then these dreams kind
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of bring them to the surface.
So when she was having those dreams,
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she was awakened, she was alarmed, and she'd even told Bud, oh
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my god, you know these dreams
that I'm having, and he would hug
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her and smile and say, girl, it's gonna be fine. Right although
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we're in a rougher neighborhood, I'm
the man of this house. I am
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gonna take care of you. He
would tell her, I'm going to protect
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you. I would protect you at
all costs. Don't you worry. I've
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got you. And he was a
manly man. You know, Bud was
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not one to start a fight,
but he was certainly one that was not
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opposed to finishing it if someone else
wanted to try him, I guess.
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But even after she had all of
these dreams, she couldn't shake them.
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And it was so weird that she
even told her mama about it, and
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her mom, who wasn't an alarmist
or anything, told her, look,
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you know you're feeling in some type
of way, stick close to the house
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and just make good decisions. That's
all you can do. Be smart and
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it's just a dream, you know, But maybe your gut's trying to tell
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you something. Well, Cheryl was
eighteen years old, y'all, I mean,
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strong willed, and she wanted to
go see Bud. She had made
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up her mind, so she brushed
off any fear that she had because that's
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not going to happen to me,
right, we all say that, And
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then she took off walking to go
see him. So on her way there,
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she did say that a couple of
cars passed her as she was walking,
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but there was no fear in her. She said. There was no
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threatening people. There wasn't much of
anything going on other than it was dark.
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So Bud was happy to see her. Once she got there, it
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was a long shift and they hugged
and then they were walking hand in hand
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back towards the house and mulling over
the mundane details of the day and things
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that you know, were going on
and what they needed to handle. So
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as they walked, they came within
about a block or so of their home
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when they were accosted by an unknown
man who brandished a gun. Now it
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wasn't like he ran up on him
in the dark. Okay. They saw
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him walking towards them for about a
block and Cheryl's heart really started beating fast.
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She said, I almost started having
like an anxiety attack. Now he
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wasn't on the same side of the
road as us either. He was across
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the street down aways and he was
walking on the other side of the road.
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But then he crossed over to their
side. That alarmed her. He
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never changed pace, his hands were
in his pocket, but right as he
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came up on them, that's whenever
his hands came out, she said.
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She grabbed Bud tighter, and Bud
kind of whispered, it's okay, just
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keep walking, And that's when that
gun came out and he pointed that gun
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in their faces. Now he was
yelling at them, putting the gun back
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and forth between the two of them, you know, telling them both what
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to do. And they both assumed
that this was a robbery. She offered
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up her wedding rings. Bud had
a really nice watch for the time.
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He offered up the watch. They
took his wallet, I say they the
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gentleman took his wallet, which only
had two dollars in it. Because they
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were poor and they had gone grocery
shopping earlier that day too, so they
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didn't have any money, so he
took the two dollars, he took the
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wallet, and then not only did
he take their stuff, but then he
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pulled two masks out of somewhere,
out of his waistband, and he said,
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y'all put these masks on that there
would intensify my fear level, because
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that tells me there was planning involved
in this. I have a hard time
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believing that a random assailant randomly has
two masks, like ski mask type things
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in his pockets. So he says
put them on. Both of them did
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as they were told with the guns
in their face, and he said walk.
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So immediately Bud and Cheryl started following
his demands, and they did as
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as they were told, and they
were basically walking blindly because they were both
251
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forced to wear these ski caps,
and so the man kept the gun to
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Bud's head, so Cheryl dared not
do anything because she didn't want to compromise
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Bud's safety. And so in that
moment, all Cheryl could really think about
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was their baby boy. She started
thinking about Eric, and I can't say
255
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that I would think anything different of
a good mother, right, She's oh,
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my god, we're in this situation
and Eric's at home and both of
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his parents are here at gunpoint,
walking down the road with ski masks on
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our face at midnight. So Bud
kind of leaned over and whispered, I
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love you, Cheryl, and she
whispered it back to him. Now while
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they're walking and they don't know where
they're going, Cheryl reached up and kind
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of adjusted the mask a little bit, and he took the gun the assailant,
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and he poked it into her back
and said stop it, quit move
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in that mask. And so Cheryl
had a little bit of feistiness to her,
264
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and she said, well, if
you're going to kill me, I
265
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at least want to die knowing what
you look like. And he poked her
266
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again and said cover your face,
so she did. And as they continued
267
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to walk, they both pretty much
thought, oh, my god, we're
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about to die. What would he
be taking us for? He already robbed
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us, he already took what we
have. We're both about to die.
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And so basically, But and Cheryl
told each other they loved each other one
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last time because they figured it was
over. They were holding hands. They
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squeezed hands really tight with one of
her hands. Though, Cheryl adjusted her
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mask again, and briefly as she
did that, she was able to see
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down in a little bit of the
moonlight, that there was another person down
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the road ahead of them. Now
it was a dark figure. Obviously she
276
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didn't recognize this person or know who
it was, but she could tell that
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this was a tall, husky what
she believed to be black male. And
278
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she says to herself, oh,
my god, you know, a savior
279
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in the dark. What are the
chances? Oh my god, maybe this
280
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man will see that we're in distress, maybe he'll help us. What are
281
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the chances? And she looked as
she saw she noticed he had a knife
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in his hand, and she thought, my god, this is a great
283
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stroke of luck. He's arm two
And as they got closer, she just
284
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knew maybe he would help. But
that thought slowly, not even slowly,
285
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quickly faded when she realized that the
two assailants knew one another, and so
286
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as they approached the other man,
it became very quickly apparent to them that
287
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he was working with the other perpetrator, and so their faces were still covered
288
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and they couldn't really see. The
two men got behind the two of Bud
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and Cheryl, and they were whispering
back and forth. But she did hear
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one of them referred to the other
one as Tony. And by the way,
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I didn't have this in my notes, but I want to bring it
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up. If you ever call nine
one one, don't like if you're gonna
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leave the house. Let's say somebody
broke in and you call nine one one
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and you're like, oh my god, I'm gonna leave. Someone's breaking in
295
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my house. Never hang your phone
up, leave your phone open, even
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if you're gonna drop it, because
you would be surprised how often perpetrators speak
297
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to one another and say each other's
names, right, And you can learn
298
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a lot from that. So just
a fun fact real quick. But she
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heard him say to the other guy
something and she heard him address him as
300
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Tony. So as they got close, right and they kind of were walking,
301
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that second man raised that knife and
he put it to Cheryl's throat,
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that cold metal up against her throat, and they made them continue to walk.
303
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One has a gun to Bud's head, one has a knife to Cheryl's
304
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throat. It's just getting worse by
the second. Now, as they walked
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along these homes, these homes,
Like I said, they're lower they're lower
306
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income homes. They're not somewhere that
I would necessarily think you should be walking
307
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alone at night. It's completely dark, there aren't many street lights, and
308
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desperation is kind of setting in between
the two of them. So eventually they
309
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turn them down an alleyway, and
then they forced the couple into a broken
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down, run down garage. And
she knew it was a garage, Cheryl
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says, because it smelled of oil
and grease and musty, and she could
312
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just tell by the change of the
air that she was in some type of
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garage and there was stuff all over
the floor because her and Bud they kept
314
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tripping. Their eyes were covered and
they kept tripping over stuff as they were
315
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being forced into this garage area.
Now, although the gun was still to
316
00:21:45.640 --> 00:21:51.680
his head and the knife was to
Cheryl's throat, Bud continued with that gun
317
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to the back of his head.
He continued to support and to encourage Cheryl
318
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that they were going to be okay. He said, I'll make sure of
319
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it, Cheryl, don't worry,
We're gonna be okay. But that's when
320
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one of the men grabbed Cheryl and
jerked her away from Bud. Cheryl became
321
00:22:08.119 --> 00:22:14.599
inconsolable instantly. She was screaming.
She was crying, help me, anyone.
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She started yelling and screaming. But
it was at that point that she
323
00:22:18.839 --> 00:22:22.839
heard a deafening sound. And I
know she's telling the truth when she says
324
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it was deafening because I have an
experience with this, and it's called the
325
00:22:27.720 --> 00:22:33.160
click of a gun. I didn't
say a gunshot. I'm talking about the
326
00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:36.519
click, right, the click when
you pull that hammer back on this weapon.
327
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So side story, real fast.
I want you to I want I'm
328
00:22:41.880 --> 00:22:45.920
hoping that this will help you feel
what she was feeling. So whenever I
329
00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:49.039
was learning my firearms training in law
enforcement, we learn what's called the post
330
00:22:49.079 --> 00:22:53.839
course. I remember one of my
instructors who I respect. His name's Hayden.
331
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I respect him so much. But
Hayden said, you've got to always
332
00:22:57.079 --> 00:23:00.759
know in the back of your mind
how many rounds you have in your weapon,
333
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because the worst sound that you will
ever hear, and the loudest sound
334
00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:10.240
you will ever hear in your life, is whenever that slide catches back because
335
00:23:10.279 --> 00:23:12.240
you have run out of bullets and
you're in the middle of a firefight.
336
00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:15.359
So he said that I'll never forget
it, and I'm like, in a
337
00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:19.519
firefight, I'm gonna hear a click
of a gun. Yes, ma'am,
338
00:23:19.559 --> 00:23:23.839
you are, because we were training
on this course and I'll when it happened.
339
00:23:25.119 --> 00:23:27.200
You only make this mistake once.
I'm telling you I'm firing. I'm
340
00:23:27.240 --> 00:23:30.680
firing, and you have to do
a mandatory magazine reload where you drop the
341
00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:33.559
magazine, you get down on your
knees, and then you reload the mag
342
00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:38.799
And I had miscounted and I'm fighting, and y'all there's a timer. There's
343
00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:41.519
a lot of stress involved in this
or I feel stressed because I want to
344
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succeed. And that gun I pulled
that trigger after I pulled it one time
345
00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:49.720
and then pop and you just hear
click. I mean there's fifteen shooters on
346
00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:55.880
the line and I heard that click
like an atomic bomb went off. Because
347
00:23:55.960 --> 00:23:57.720
now, oh my god, I
have no rounds. I've got to tap
348
00:23:57.759 --> 00:24:02.359
it and racket and I've got to
put it. I knew magazine in and
349
00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:03.680
am I going to make the shots
off? And this is not even a
350
00:24:03.720 --> 00:24:07.319
real firefight, you know what I'm
saying. So when she says she heard
351
00:24:07.319 --> 00:24:11.680
that click, and it was deafening. I know exactly what she means,
352
00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:15.680
and they both knew when they heard
that click that she better shut the hell
353
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up. They meant business. They
had this weapon and they were prepared to
354
00:24:18.559 --> 00:24:23.000
use it. So she immediately fell
silent, along with the realization that no
355
00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:27.880
one was coming. Whatever was about
to go down was going down. No
356
00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:33.359
one even knew they were there.
So this is when things took a turn
357
00:24:33.400 --> 00:24:38.920
from bad to worse. The men
demanded that Cheryl take off her clothes.
358
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The utter helplessness, the humiliation,
the fear must have just been overwhelming,
359
00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:55.759
just as a woman. And I'm
maudy if you didn't know, but the
360
00:24:55.799 --> 00:25:00.640
thought of someone making me take my
clothes off when I don't want to is
361
00:25:00.799 --> 00:25:07.359
probably the most important thing I can
think about happening to me. But what
362
00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:12.039
choice did she have. It was
either comply or die, so she complied.
363
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She removed her shirt. She then
removed her pants. She took a
364
00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:23.440
deep breath as she unclasped her braw
and it fell to the ground, and
365
00:25:23.480 --> 00:25:29.200
then she was forced to pull her
underwear off. And then she just stood
366
00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:34.960
there looking at these complete strangers as
they took in the scene. As if
367
00:25:37.400 --> 00:25:42.039
she belonged to them. Now,
as a woman who had never been with
368
00:25:42.200 --> 00:25:48.319
anyone other than the father of her
child, her beloved Bud, this was
369
00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:57.720
something beyond unbelievable because she had never
been with anyone else. And then she
370
00:25:57.839 --> 00:26:06.279
was completely and utterly defiled by not
just one of the men, but both
371
00:26:06.359 --> 00:26:15.640
of them. They each took their
turn, one after the other. And
372
00:26:15.920 --> 00:26:21.680
she told me that during the rape, one of the men grabbed her face.
373
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He grabbed her by her face,
and she struggled to pull away.
374
00:26:26.200 --> 00:26:29.119
Right he's raping her. She doesn't
want to be a part of this,
375
00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:33.880
and he grabs her face like you're
gonna kiss me, and she wasn't gonna
376
00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:37.920
do it. She kind of whimpered, She said, I was whimpering and
377
00:26:37.960 --> 00:26:41.960
trying to pull my face away.
And then in an absolute power move when
378
00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:47.599
she was struggling to get her face
away from him. And you'll see why
379
00:26:47.640 --> 00:26:48.759
this is a power move later on
when I give you a little bit more
380
00:26:48.759 --> 00:26:56.119
information. But he took his hands
whenever she wouldn't kiss him, and he
381
00:26:56.240 --> 00:26:59.039
covered her nose in her mouth,
and he just held her down while he
382
00:26:59.079 --> 00:27:04.400
continued to pleasure himself with her.
A woman struggling to get away, completely
383
00:27:04.440 --> 00:27:08.519
disgusted by what is happening to her. Now, power rapists real quick,
384
00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:12.759
y'all. There's some subsets to this
classification of rapists, but basically their goal
385
00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:18.519
is to humiliate and they get off
by making someone do something completely against their
386
00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:25.279
will. She told me that she
was literally gagging at his body odor.
387
00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:33.279
She said he smelled horrible. And
the second assailant not only was watching the
388
00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:38.039
first one rape her, but with
the gun to Bud's head, he removed
389
00:27:38.119 --> 00:27:45.880
Bud's ski mask and forced him to
watch. He made him watch this other
390
00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:53.640
man sexually abuse, batter and defile
his woman, and there was nothing that
391
00:27:53.720 --> 00:27:59.599
Bud could do about it. It
went on for ten to fifteen minutes.
392
00:27:59.720 --> 00:28:03.240
Now you're like, well that's not
long. Hey. If you don't think
393
00:28:03.240 --> 00:28:07.359
ten to fifteen minutes is long when
you're doing something you don't want to do,
394
00:28:07.440 --> 00:28:08.400
well, then I suggest you get
down there right now and you do
395
00:28:08.440 --> 00:28:12.599
a plank and I'll catch you in
ten minutes, go run out with sweltering
396
00:28:12.640 --> 00:28:19.559
heat. No, and this is
way worse than that. So Bud endured
397
00:28:19.680 --> 00:28:26.960
watching as they both took their turns
raping his sweetheart. He was only three
398
00:28:26.960 --> 00:28:30.400
feet away, but there was nothing
he could do. There was a gun
399
00:28:30.519 --> 00:28:33.640
to his head. The entire time. I asked Cheryl too, I said,
400
00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:40.279
Cheryl, tell me, you know, and I'm not asking this to
401
00:28:40.359 --> 00:28:42.880
be graphic. I'm not asking this
to be salacious. And you should know
402
00:28:42.920 --> 00:28:45.720
this by now about me if you're
listening to this podcast. I just want
403
00:28:45.799 --> 00:28:52.559
people to understand what it was like. And she said, Kelly, all
404
00:28:52.599 --> 00:28:56.400
I can tell you is that I
went numb, like my body shut down
405
00:28:56.480 --> 00:29:00.920
mentally because I was going to a
place. I was escaping somewhere mentally from
406
00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:07.359
what was happening. And I just
decided to focus on Eric the entirety of
407
00:29:07.400 --> 00:29:10.039
the rapes. I couldn't focus on
what they were doing to me. I
408
00:29:10.079 --> 00:29:15.599
had to go somewhere else. I
guess you would call it a preservation mechanism,
409
00:29:15.680 --> 00:29:18.160
something along those lines. And you
know, she said, while she
410
00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:22.440
was being raped, her mind,
you know, Eric flashed before her eyes.
411
00:29:22.680 --> 00:29:26.400
She was thinking, will my baby, well I get to see him
412
00:29:26.440 --> 00:29:29.400
grow up. You know, who
will he be, who will he become,
413
00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:32.960
Who's gonna take care of him?
I want you to think about that.
414
00:29:33.240 --> 00:29:37.640
She's being raped by two men at
knife and gunpoint and All she can
415
00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:41.680
think about a mama's instinct, A
mama's love. I'm getting goosebumps if you're
416
00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:47.079
watching me podcast, A mother's love. All she could think about was her
417
00:29:47.119 --> 00:29:51.960
baby. He wasn't even there,
and she was so afraid, who's gonna
418
00:29:52.000 --> 00:29:53.519
watch my baby, Who's gonna take
care of him? He'll make sure he's
419
00:29:53.599 --> 00:30:00.200
loved because I'm gonna die here And
just trying to imp empathize, I guess
420
00:30:00.279 --> 00:30:06.359
with Cheryl. I mentioned to her
how when I was in my twenties,
421
00:30:06.400 --> 00:30:08.880
my early twenties, I started having
a lot of gastric problems and I went
422
00:30:08.920 --> 00:30:12.880
to the hospital. My daughter was
very, very young, a baby,
423
00:30:14.559 --> 00:30:18.119
and I went in for a procedure, and when I came out, the
424
00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:21.920
doctor was in my face and said, you were very sick. They took
425
00:30:21.960 --> 00:30:23.640
me by ambulance to the hospital,
and that's when I found out that I
426
00:30:23.720 --> 00:30:30.079
was very sick with colon cancer,
and they did not know how bad it
427
00:30:30.200 --> 00:30:33.119
was, and they were not sure
my prognosis. And when I tell you
428
00:30:33.440 --> 00:30:37.079
my baby girl's life, it just
flashed before my eyes. It was like
429
00:30:37.160 --> 00:30:41.319
I saw her in school and then
I was going to misgraduation and I would
430
00:30:41.319 --> 00:30:45.119
never see her get married, and
I would never get to see all of
431
00:30:45.119 --> 00:30:47.279
her things, and I want to
be there and which she know how much
432
00:30:47.279 --> 00:30:48.519
I loved her, and when she
knew that, I would never have left
433
00:30:48.519 --> 00:30:55.079
her. I would never leave her
on my own choices, you know.
434
00:30:55.200 --> 00:30:57.240
And I'm getting kind of a little
worked up thinking about it because I think
435
00:30:57.279 --> 00:31:00.200
about how Cheryl must have felt thinking
she would ever see that baby again.
436
00:31:02.400 --> 00:31:04.920
And so she's got these men treating
her as if she was just a piece
437
00:31:04.960 --> 00:31:11.640
of meat, a resource used for
their pleasure. And when they were done,
438
00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:15.079
they forced her to get up,
and amazingly, I don't even know
439
00:31:15.119 --> 00:31:21.680
if amazingly is the word, but
incredibly, Cheryl said that when they made
440
00:31:21.680 --> 00:31:26.400
her get up, Cheryl said,
I felt disgusted with myself. And that
441
00:31:26.519 --> 00:31:30.319
might catch people a little off guard
if you've never really looked into rape or
442
00:31:30.359 --> 00:31:33.680
sexual assault victims. But I want
to discuss this for just a second and
443
00:31:34.079 --> 00:31:40.759
tell you that this is not unusual
that many rape victims say that they feel
444
00:31:41.079 --> 00:31:45.319
this false. It's false guilt,
it's false, it's not real. And
445
00:31:45.359 --> 00:31:47.440
you, as a listener who listened
to True Crime, you know this.
446
00:31:47.519 --> 00:31:51.079
We know this, and as a
team of friends of strangers that have been
447
00:31:51.079 --> 00:31:52.680
sexually assaulted. We're all standing here, going, we know this is not
448
00:31:52.799 --> 00:31:59.440
your fault, but these victims tend
to have this feeling of this false guilt,
449
00:31:59.599 --> 00:32:01.799
and it's caused by societal double standards. And I want y'all to know
450
00:32:01.839 --> 00:32:06.400
that I'm not some like man hater, you know whatever. I'm not that
451
00:32:06.519 --> 00:32:14.279
person. But it's true that,
you know, women are looked at differently
452
00:32:14.319 --> 00:32:17.519
when it comes to sexuality as men, and for some reason, there's still
453
00:32:17.519 --> 00:32:22.240
this mindset that maybe something caused rape
to happen, and y'all, it's not
454
00:32:22.319 --> 00:32:30.200
true. You know, while many
of these women sustain minor physical injuries,
455
00:32:30.920 --> 00:32:36.680
the emotional damage is far greater.
I'd rather break my arm than be emotionally
456
00:32:36.759 --> 00:32:40.799
damaged by something, and the threat
of that physical injury just adds to that
457
00:32:40.920 --> 00:32:46.039
emotional impact that these people, these
victims feel. And studies show that the
458
00:32:46.160 --> 00:32:52.759
feeling of fear and of hopelessness,
which becomes present during the act itself,
459
00:32:52.359 --> 00:33:00.079
for some reason, is replaced by
guilt and self blame afterwards. And I
460
00:33:00.079 --> 00:33:02.079
wanted to look into that to say, how could you possibly internalize this?
461
00:33:02.160 --> 00:33:08.519
You are a victim, someone did
this to you, and the study behind
462
00:33:08.559 --> 00:33:13.839
it says that there's a few variables
in women's lives that tend to come to
463
00:33:13.880 --> 00:33:16.599
the forefront, but one of the
most common ones that they see when they
464
00:33:16.680 --> 00:33:22.200
study victims of rape and sexual assault
is religious background. And that, you
465
00:33:22.200 --> 00:33:27.519
know, we push this non marital
sex. You don't have non marital sex.
466
00:33:27.559 --> 00:33:30.319
You only have sex with someone that
you are married to, and that
467
00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:36.079
for some reason, if you are
put into this complex emotional trauma of a
468
00:33:36.119 --> 00:33:40.720
man that is not your spouse or
your loved one having sex with you,
469
00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:45.799
that somehow you have done wrong and
it's just not true. It's not right.
470
00:33:45.480 --> 00:33:47.400
But it doesn't matter how much research
we do. It do, no
471
00:33:47.599 --> 00:33:52.799
matter how much studying we do,
you can't change the way that someone feels
472
00:33:52.799 --> 00:33:54.880
about themselves. And just to add
that on the fact that they're the victim
473
00:33:55.720 --> 00:34:00.200
is just unconscionable. I just Cheryl
herself told me, I wondered what did
474
00:34:00.240 --> 00:34:05.000
I do to cause this? She
said, did I? I felt like,
475
00:34:05.039 --> 00:34:07.359
oh my god, did I wear
the wrong shirt? Did I accidentally
476
00:34:07.400 --> 00:34:09.440
give the wrong signal? And I
sat in that for a while when I
477
00:34:09.480 --> 00:34:14.119
was researching this case, and man, does that just really hit me wrong?
478
00:34:14.199 --> 00:34:17.400
As someone who's, by the way, never been raped. But to
479
00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:21.639
look at someone who I just think
so much of, even though I've never
480
00:34:21.719 --> 00:34:24.119
met you, and to know that
you feel that way inside, it hurts
481
00:34:24.360 --> 00:34:29.039
me for you because I would never
want someone to feel that way. And
482
00:34:29.119 --> 00:34:32.039
so to anyone real quick who's ever
suffered a sexual trauma like this, you
483
00:34:32.119 --> 00:34:37.880
are certainly not to blame. Society
doesn't look at you as if you were
484
00:34:37.920 --> 00:34:40.920
to blame. And trust me because
I am society. We the good people
485
00:34:42.000 --> 00:34:45.400
are society, and I don't care
if you walk down the street naked.
486
00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:52.079
There's no link between that and someone
getting to defile you. That is a
487
00:34:52.239 --> 00:34:58.960
predator's decision to do that. You
you didn't bring this on yourself. So
488
00:34:59.159 --> 00:35:02.039
after the attack, she was very
unstable. She said, I was very
489
00:35:02.079 --> 00:35:07.280
wobbly, so much so that,
you know, both emotionally and physically.
490
00:35:07.280 --> 00:35:12.599
She said, I couldn't even stand
without being assisted. And so did the
491
00:35:12.639 --> 00:35:15.559
attackers help her? You know,
did they get her up on her feet,
492
00:35:15.599 --> 00:35:17.440
even if it was not very nice? Did they show any remorse?
493
00:35:17.719 --> 00:35:22.679
Hell no, they did not.
What they did do was order Bud at
494
00:35:22.760 --> 00:35:27.360
gunpoint to pick her up and to
get her moving. And they added they
495
00:35:27.440 --> 00:35:30.159
turned and they said, y'all need
to hold each other because this is gonna
496
00:35:30.159 --> 00:35:35.320
be the last time y'all ever do. So it wasn't enough to kidnap them
497
00:35:35.320 --> 00:35:38.639
and rob them and then rape her
and then make him watch it, but
498
00:35:38.760 --> 00:35:45.480
now now they want to add that
verbal component in that we win. We
499
00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:49.599
win no matter what, and there's
nothing that you can do, Cheryl said.
500
00:35:49.639 --> 00:35:52.079
She collapsed into Bud's arms. She
was completely just overwhelmed by what had
501
00:35:52.119 --> 00:35:55.119
just happened. And Bud held her
and they both started crying, and he
502
00:35:55.199 --> 00:35:59.400
just told her that he loved her. He apologized to her in that moment,
503
00:35:59.360 --> 00:36:01.920
and I can just see they're hugging
in the dark of this nasty garage
504
00:36:01.960 --> 00:36:06.599
and he's saying, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. So as they
505
00:36:06.639 --> 00:36:14.440
stood there crying in that moment,
they heard another just deafening sound, but
506
00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:19.360
this time it was a gunshot and
the gun had gone off in the garage.
507
00:36:19.639 --> 00:36:23.440
Cheryl screamed, and the attacker turned
and tried to shoot again, but
508
00:36:23.519 --> 00:36:30.960
whenever he pulled that trigger, the
gun jammed. Thank god. So when
509
00:36:31.000 --> 00:36:37.320
the gun jam, those two fucking
losers tore out of the garage, and
510
00:36:37.639 --> 00:36:40.719
you know, they just ran from
the mess that they had just created in
511
00:36:40.760 --> 00:36:45.800
these two people. But both Cheryl
and Bud, realizing, oh my god,
512
00:36:45.840 --> 00:36:47.760
we're still alive, they both ripped
off their ski masks. They threw
513
00:36:47.840 --> 00:36:51.239
them on the ground, and they
stood there staring at one another, almost
514
00:36:51.280 --> 00:36:53.639
in shock. Oh are we alive? Is this really happening? And then
515
00:36:53.639 --> 00:36:57.880
when the reality set in, they
took off, running for their lives,
516
00:36:57.920 --> 00:37:00.599
out of that out of that garage. Now, by the way, I
517
00:37:00.679 --> 00:37:07.639
know that other big news outlets out
there have covered this case before, but
518
00:37:07.719 --> 00:37:12.239
I'm going to tell you things that
they don't tell you because my job is
519
00:37:12.280 --> 00:37:15.119
to tell you everything that these victims
went through, and I want to tell
520
00:37:15.119 --> 00:37:19.639
you the story as Cheryl wants it
told. I think we owe her that
521
00:37:19.719 --> 00:37:24.559
at minimum. Right, do you
know that this young couple knocked on not
522
00:37:24.800 --> 00:37:34.159
one, not two, but three
doors, begging for help? Begging for
523
00:37:34.199 --> 00:37:36.960
help? Now, let me tell
you something about that. Why does that
524
00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:38.320
matter? You're like, okay,
well, they just wanted help, no,
525
00:37:38.320 --> 00:37:45.559
no, no. When they started
running, the adrenaline had taken over.
526
00:37:45.639 --> 00:37:47.079
Right, They're trucking it for their
lives, trying to get away from
527
00:37:47.079 --> 00:37:52.079
wherever the bad guy is. But
Cheryl had all of a sudden lost the
528
00:37:52.119 --> 00:37:58.360
ability to run straight, and she
started losing focus. So Bud continued pulling
529
00:37:58.360 --> 00:38:00.360
at her or trying to keep her
to her feet run, but she went
530
00:38:00.480 --> 00:38:04.440
weak, and then all of a
sudden she went down. And that's when
531
00:38:04.480 --> 00:38:07.519
Bud had looked at the back of
her jacket, her little shirt that she
532
00:38:07.559 --> 00:38:09.920
had put back on, and it
was pulling down her back. Y'all,
533
00:38:10.039 --> 00:38:15.760
Cheryl had been shot when they pulled
that trigger. They tried to kill her.
534
00:38:16.480 --> 00:38:23.679
They meant to kill her. They
put a bullet in her. So
535
00:38:23.760 --> 00:38:28.239
these two young people went and they're
knocking on doors. The first door nobody
536
00:38:28.320 --> 00:38:32.840
answered. The second door, the
lady wouldn't open it. She told them,
537
00:38:32.880 --> 00:38:37.519
I don't want any part of this. Keep moving. I don't ever
538
00:38:37.559 --> 00:38:40.639
want to be that person. I
don't ever want to be that person.
539
00:38:40.679 --> 00:38:44.480
Please don't be that person. I
know it's dangerous, but damn it,
540
00:38:45.639 --> 00:38:50.320
don't be that person. And then
the third person who did answer the phone,
541
00:38:50.320 --> 00:38:52.440
This was a man. He did
answer the phone. He said,
542
00:38:52.440 --> 00:38:53.320
I don't I mean he did answer
the door. He said, I don't
543
00:38:53.360 --> 00:38:57.840
have a phone, and she can't
come in because she's bleeding. She can
544
00:38:57.880 --> 00:39:01.960
sit on the porch, begged please
please just take her in. I don't
545
00:39:01.960 --> 00:39:05.559
have to come, just take her. Help her, please. She can't
546
00:39:05.599 --> 00:39:07.800
walk, she's bleeding to death.
And so the man finally let her in
547
00:39:08.119 --> 00:39:10.800
and she sat down in a chair
and she said, I was so uncomfortable.
548
00:39:10.800 --> 00:39:14.960
I couldn't breathe. I couldn't get
comfortable. I couldn't breathe. I
549
00:39:14.960 --> 00:39:17.079
could feel, you know, my
life fading from me. And she said
550
00:39:17.079 --> 00:39:21.760
that man came over and I don't
want to villainize him because he did open
551
00:39:21.800 --> 00:39:23.599
the door, but damn it,
he came over to her and he grabbed
552
00:39:23.599 --> 00:39:25.559
her and he said, if you're
gonna bleed everywhere, you need to go
553
00:39:25.639 --> 00:39:30.440
outside. You're bleeding in my house. And she said, I apologize to
554
00:39:30.480 --> 00:39:32.079
him, and I told him I'm
so sorry. I'll try to stop.
555
00:39:35.519 --> 00:39:37.280
I'll try to stop. She told
that man, I'll try to stop bleeding.
556
00:39:38.199 --> 00:39:42.960
And he started yelling at her,
and she said, Bud was gone.
557
00:39:43.360 --> 00:39:45.360
I just thought, oh my god, this man's gonna do something to
558
00:39:45.400 --> 00:39:47.719
me too. And she said he
came over and he grabbed me and said
559
00:39:47.719 --> 00:39:51.559
you're going outside. And right as
he grabbed her, he said he was
560
00:39:51.679 --> 00:39:53.159
yelling at her. You're destroying my
house, and she said, I'll pay
561
00:39:53.199 --> 00:39:59.920
for anything I destroy. Please help. Right as that happened, the police
562
00:40:00.119 --> 00:40:02.119
busted through the door. They didn't
even knock, she said. They just
563
00:40:02.199 --> 00:40:06.079
busted through the door, the police
and the ambulance, and they grabbed her
564
00:40:06.079 --> 00:40:12.320
and they scooped her up. And
incredibly, do you know that they were
565
00:40:12.400 --> 00:40:17.239
only one less than one block from
their house, but they had been so
566
00:40:17.519 --> 00:40:22.480
traumatized they didn't even recognize their own
street that they were on. They were
567
00:40:22.559 --> 00:40:25.920
right there by their house, but
they didn't even realize it because of what
568
00:40:25.960 --> 00:40:30.760
they were dealing with. So the
next thing Cheryl knew, She said,
569
00:40:30.800 --> 00:40:35.000
I was waking up in the hospital
and there were people everywhere, and I
570
00:40:35.039 --> 00:40:39.320
was in the midst of basically life
saving care in an emergency room and not
571
00:40:39.480 --> 00:40:43.480
realizing it, obviously, but when
she had heard that loud bang in the
572
00:40:43.480 --> 00:40:46.079
garage, she now knew that she
had been shot, and that bullet not
573
00:40:46.119 --> 00:40:51.800
only struck her, she wasn't lucky
enough to get a through and through bullet,
574
00:40:51.880 --> 00:40:53.719
you know that maybe just went through
her and caused a little bit damage.
575
00:40:53.760 --> 00:40:57.440
No, this was bad. She
was shot with the twenty two,
576
00:40:58.000 --> 00:41:05.519
but the internal injuries that she received
were literally devastating because when the bullet entered
577
00:41:05.519 --> 00:41:09.039
her body, it fragmented and then
it started ricocheting about her chest cavity.
578
00:41:09.239 --> 00:41:17.800
She had collapsed lungs, significant injuries
to her bladder significant. Her pancreas was
579
00:41:17.880 --> 00:41:24.400
also damaged significantly. Her kidney was
very much damaged. It was not even
580
00:41:24.760 --> 00:41:31.639
functioning properly. Today she only regained
about eighty percent function to her kidney.
581
00:41:31.800 --> 00:41:36.599
Her life was on the line during
a nine hour surgery to try to stop
582
00:41:36.639 --> 00:41:39.320
this bleeding and all of this damage
that was done internally, and quite frankly,
583
00:41:39.519 --> 00:41:45.599
she was not expected to survive.
But she did survive, but not
584
00:41:45.800 --> 00:41:50.599
before having to be cut from her
breastplate. I'm talking right below your throat,
585
00:41:50.840 --> 00:41:54.840
her breastplate, all the way down
to her lower stomach, straight down.
586
00:41:55.320 --> 00:41:58.800
And that's a bitch of a surgery. And you're like, Kelly,
587
00:41:58.800 --> 00:42:01.079
how would you know, because my
own husband had that exact same surgery and
588
00:42:01.159 --> 00:42:05.519
exploratory surgery. He has the exact
same cut, straight down all the way
589
00:42:05.519 --> 00:42:08.400
down to his pubic bone. And
they pry you open and they're digging through
590
00:42:08.400 --> 00:42:12.599
your body trying to figure out how
to stop damage and how to stop bleeding.
591
00:42:13.559 --> 00:42:16.920
And it turns out that this woman
who they chose to prey on,
592
00:42:17.519 --> 00:42:22.039
they thought this weak woman would be
an easy target, but y'all she was
593
00:42:22.119 --> 00:42:27.000
anything but. Because you may have
raped her twice and you may have shot
594
00:42:27.039 --> 00:42:30.480
her, but honey, you weren't
good enough to kill her. You couldn't
595
00:42:30.519 --> 00:42:35.559
do it. She survived, and
a little a little over a week later,
596
00:42:36.119 --> 00:42:38.800
she was able to awaken enough to
speak to investigators who had been at
597
00:42:38.800 --> 00:42:45.360
the scene. But they say they
were unable to collect any evidence. They
598
00:42:45.360 --> 00:42:49.079
couldn't find anything, and she was
stunned. She's like, what do you
599
00:42:49.119 --> 00:42:52.039
mean you couldn't find any evidence?
What about the ski masks? We ripped
600
00:42:52.079 --> 00:42:55.679
him off, We threw him on
the ground. Well, it looked like
601
00:42:55.880 --> 00:43:01.559
the bad guys maybe came back to
finished them off, because the ski masks
602
00:43:01.559 --> 00:43:07.440
were gone. Someone had come back
and taken them. They also could not
603
00:43:07.639 --> 00:43:12.719
find the casing from the bullet,
you know when it ejects out the casing.
604
00:43:12.760 --> 00:43:17.400
They couldn't find that. And then
and look, I'm not armchair quarterbacking
605
00:43:17.440 --> 00:43:22.159
police here. I'm just telling the
story as it happened. Okay, but
606
00:43:22.599 --> 00:43:25.360
maybe we can all learn something from
this. But the first question that they
607
00:43:25.480 --> 00:43:30.159
asked this woman who had been through
so much. The first question they asked
608
00:43:30.199 --> 00:43:36.960
her was were you in bud fighting
that night? And she just was stunned
609
00:43:36.960 --> 00:43:43.119
by this. She said it they're
questioning legitimately told me they didn't believe me.
610
00:43:44.559 --> 00:43:47.880
They did not believe our story that
we had been through this. They
611
00:43:47.880 --> 00:43:51.840
didn't find blood at the scene because
all of the blood had been captured in
612
00:43:51.920 --> 00:43:57.920
her jacket as she ran, But
her mind was able to recall that she
613
00:43:58.039 --> 00:44:01.559
had seen the face of the first
attacker, and she was able to give
614
00:44:01.599 --> 00:44:07.480
a very direct description of him.
But overall, she said, he was
615
00:44:07.679 --> 00:44:10.559
nasty, he had a full beard, he had beady eyes, and he
616
00:44:10.679 --> 00:44:14.280
was a black male. Well,
y'all that, I mean, that could
617
00:44:14.320 --> 00:44:16.360
be. I mean, anybody could
have a full beard and beady eyes and
618
00:44:16.400 --> 00:44:21.320
all of that. But the police
brought her a book and said, okay,
619
00:44:21.360 --> 00:44:22.400
well, here's some pictures, right, pick him out? Can you
620
00:44:22.400 --> 00:44:25.760
pick him out? Of this?
This album full of these these black males
621
00:44:25.760 --> 00:44:30.760
that looked similar to her description,
and she picked one out. She picked
622
00:44:30.760 --> 00:44:36.000
one out by the name of Anthony
Cook. Think about what all this woman's
623
00:44:36.039 --> 00:44:37.320
been through. And then she just
woke up from a surgery, and she
624
00:44:37.400 --> 00:44:42.159
still goes, that's him like boom
finger on picture and that's the guy that
625
00:44:42.239 --> 00:44:45.840
did this to me. Unfortunately,
though, when they went to Bud and
626
00:44:45.880 --> 00:44:49.079
they said, Bud, can you
pick the guy out that did this?
627
00:44:50.320 --> 00:44:53.440
Bud looked at the photos and he
picked out somebody else. Now, this
628
00:44:53.519 --> 00:44:59.039
makes things a bit messy because if
two people were in this huge traumatic event,
629
00:44:59.280 --> 00:45:01.679
but they both can't decide what the
attacker looked like. Just from a
630
00:45:01.679 --> 00:45:05.559
strategy point of view, you know, you were raped, you were held
631
00:45:05.599 --> 00:45:08.000
captive, and then you were right
there in each other's faces. But neither
632
00:45:08.039 --> 00:45:10.480
one of y'all can agree on who
the bad guy was. That doesn't look
633
00:45:10.519 --> 00:45:15.280
good in front of a jury that
they don't agree on who the perpetrator is.
634
00:45:15.320 --> 00:45:17.840
Now, again, I'm not downing
two victims who have been through a
635
00:45:17.840 --> 00:45:21.400
lot and are trying to pick out
these guys. Okay, I'm just saying,
636
00:45:21.519 --> 00:45:23.719
strategically down the road, big picture, that's not good. That's not
637
00:45:23.800 --> 00:45:29.079
a good look. Also, neither
one of them could id the second attacker.
638
00:45:30.199 --> 00:45:32.559
Both of the men. Both of
the attackers were also wearing ski caps,
639
00:45:32.920 --> 00:45:37.400
but they were only down over like
their eyes, they didn't have their
640
00:45:37.440 --> 00:45:40.239
masks on all the way, so
they did get a look at their faces,
641
00:45:40.280 --> 00:45:45.519
but not in totality. Another issue
was that this was the eighties,
642
00:45:45.599 --> 00:45:50.519
y'all, and they took Cheryl's clothes. But technology just wasn't there yet,
643
00:45:51.079 --> 00:45:55.360
right, so semen or not,
semen or not, they couldn't do much
644
00:45:55.440 --> 00:45:59.079
with it. Back then, they
could blood type the guys. Well,
645
00:45:59.079 --> 00:46:02.960
that's saying much compared to today's standards. So the thing about the eighties,
646
00:46:04.000 --> 00:46:07.119
y'all is it was not a good
time to be a victim. The bedside
647
00:46:07.159 --> 00:46:10.840
manner of the investigators and the technicians
and even the hospital staff was a bit
648
00:46:12.000 --> 00:46:19.599
lacking. And so much goes into
victim resources today that back then not so
649
00:46:19.719 --> 00:46:23.199
much. It didn't go that way. And so they took Cheryl's clothes.
650
00:46:23.400 --> 00:46:28.880
They also did the very invasive rape
test kit that I've gone over and passed
651
00:46:28.880 --> 00:46:34.960
episodes before. Extremely invasive, hundreds
of swabs and pictures and just you know,
652
00:46:35.000 --> 00:46:37.199
you're having to go back through this
again. There was no rape victim
653
00:46:37.280 --> 00:46:42.480
advocate for her. There was nobody
there to kind of help her through this.
654
00:46:42.599 --> 00:46:45.159
It was just kind of like almost
as if she was a science project.
655
00:46:45.199 --> 00:46:49.119
It was very black and white they
came in slam bam, thank you,
656
00:46:49.159 --> 00:46:53.079
ma'am, and then they left and
she sat in that room just staring
657
00:46:53.119 --> 00:46:59.880
at a wall, a whirlwind of
emotions. And this leads to why y'all
658
00:46:59.880 --> 00:47:07.199
know my motto is victims First,
because the rape was just the beginning of
659
00:47:07.239 --> 00:47:12.920
what I think was Cheryl's victimhood.
So she stayed in the hospital for nearly
660
00:47:13.000 --> 00:47:15.000
three weeks. She did not get
to see her child during that time,
661
00:47:15.119 --> 00:47:19.519
baby Eric. He stayed with Bud's
sister and her mother. Thank god he
662
00:47:19.599 --> 00:47:23.119
had you people that could care for
him. But her family was trying their
663
00:47:23.199 --> 00:47:28.960
best to help her through this,
but she said it was just beyond frustrating,
664
00:47:29.320 --> 00:47:32.360
and she was frustrated. Again.
I'm listening to what she's telling me
665
00:47:32.599 --> 00:47:36.519
because I want to learn from from
the victim. And she said, I
666
00:47:36.599 --> 00:47:40.800
was so frustrated because I didn't need
people to feel sorry for me. And
667
00:47:40.840 --> 00:47:45.679
she said, you know, people
were trying to baby me and tat tammy,
668
00:47:45.719 --> 00:47:47.119
and I didn't need it and I
didn't want it. I didn't choose
669
00:47:47.159 --> 00:47:50.199
to be a victim, and I
don't need to be babied. And I'm
670
00:47:50.199 --> 00:47:55.480
going to remember that she wanted to
be treated like normal. Now, another
671
00:47:55.559 --> 00:48:00.639
thing that is never covered in any
other thing that you will hear or see
672
00:48:00.679 --> 00:48:05.840
about this case was that she and
Bud were actively trying to have a baby
673
00:48:06.440 --> 00:48:12.760
when these rapes happened. So now, behind closed doors, there's another discussion
674
00:48:12.840 --> 00:48:15.599
she's having to have with medical staff. You know what that discussion is?
675
00:48:15.960 --> 00:48:21.800
If you're pregnant, what do you
want to do? What do you want
676
00:48:21.840 --> 00:48:28.960
to do? She would not know
who the baby's father would be. Would
677
00:48:28.960 --> 00:48:32.239
it be Bud, would it be
Suspect one? Would it be Suspect two?
678
00:48:35.280 --> 00:48:44.079
And this caused even more emotional turmoil
for her. Do y'all know about
679
00:48:44.119 --> 00:48:50.960
the medications that they give you optional
obviously, but optional for if you want
680
00:48:51.000 --> 00:48:54.559
to try to prevent AIDS if a
suspect has AIDS And I'm not saying that's
681
00:48:54.679 --> 00:49:00.400
the case here, but they give
you these anti viral medications that make you
682
00:49:00.480 --> 00:49:06.519
sicker than shit. For months.
She also was trying to have a baby
683
00:49:06.559 --> 00:49:13.880
with a man she loved and made
the choice that she says, I couldn't
684
00:49:13.920 --> 00:49:15.920
go through nine months of not knowing
who my potential baby's father would be.
685
00:49:15.920 --> 00:49:17.519
She didn't know if she was pregnant
or not. She didn't know if she
686
00:49:17.599 --> 00:49:21.800
was going to become pregnant or not. She just decided to take the medication
687
00:49:21.960 --> 00:49:27.599
to just make it go away.
That weighs on her too. Don't ever
688
00:49:27.639 --> 00:49:32.199
think that doesn't weigh on a woman. It does. And then she said,
689
00:49:32.199 --> 00:49:36.559
I had private breakdowns. I never
dare do it in front of people
690
00:49:36.679 --> 00:49:39.840
because I didn't want to be pitied. And she was very clear about this,
691
00:49:40.280 --> 00:49:44.199
and I want to be very clear
about this. Cheryl is in no
692
00:49:44.599 --> 00:49:51.119
way a prejudiced woman. She does
not hold grudges against people for the color
693
00:49:51.599 --> 00:49:55.800
of their skin. In this situation, however, she was put in an
694
00:49:57.039 --> 00:50:02.960
unfair fearful position at that time.
It was a black male detective. And
695
00:50:04.000 --> 00:50:07.840
again I'm not making this about race, and neither was. She just understanding
696
00:50:07.880 --> 00:50:09.800
from a trauma standpoint. You know, if I was attacked by a bear,
697
00:50:10.480 --> 00:50:14.000
then if I saw another bear,
it would probably freak me out a
698
00:50:14.000 --> 00:50:15.840
little bit. I don't know if
that's a good analogy or not, but
699
00:50:15.880 --> 00:50:20.079
I'm just trying to be in the
moment with the victim here. And so
700
00:50:20.440 --> 00:50:22.760
she said that was a little difficult
for her, a little jarring for her,
701
00:50:22.880 --> 00:50:27.280
because she was afraid. Obviously,
looking back on it, now that
702
00:50:27.320 --> 00:50:29.440
man was there to do a job
and he was going to help her,
703
00:50:29.480 --> 00:50:31.679
but in the moment, it was
a lot for her. Also, she
704
00:50:31.840 --> 00:50:36.960
said that, and I'm sure there's
been changes today in medical care for this,
705
00:50:37.079 --> 00:50:39.719
but she said that her nurse was
also a male, and she said
706
00:50:39.760 --> 00:50:44.519
her nurse was a black male,
and so there was an instance that really
707
00:50:44.639 --> 00:50:49.320
upset her in that she needed she
had to use a bedpan to use the
708
00:50:49.320 --> 00:50:53.679
restroom, and so the nurse,
doing his job and doing nothing wrong,
709
00:50:54.079 --> 00:50:58.679
but in the course of doing his
job, went over to her bed and
710
00:50:58.719 --> 00:51:01.719
then she said that he went to
go add the bedpan and he just pulled
711
00:51:01.760 --> 00:51:07.400
her underwear and it just threw her
in all sorts of a fit because she
712
00:51:07.440 --> 00:51:09.599
did not want her underwear pulled,
and she was just very upset by what
713
00:51:09.719 --> 00:51:14.079
was going on in the room.
So, and being very clear, I'm
714
00:51:14.079 --> 00:51:15.800
sure there's gonna people who hate me
for being honest, but that's what happened,
715
00:51:15.800 --> 00:51:20.000
and that was her experience. I'm
just reporting on what her experience was.
716
00:51:20.320 --> 00:51:23.000
So hopefully in today's time we make
some changes to that that we have
717
00:51:23.039 --> 00:51:27.960
a little bit of a better bedside
manner when we're dealing with rape. Victims,
718
00:51:28.079 --> 00:51:32.199
and you know what they're going through
in recovery. But someone else who
719
00:51:32.239 --> 00:51:37.199
also was not doing very well was
Bud himself. It was so bad,
720
00:51:37.280 --> 00:51:39.480
in fact, that at the hospital
he kind of started losing his mind and
721
00:51:39.519 --> 00:51:45.159
doctors had to sedate him. They
sedated him heavily and then had to send
722
00:51:45.239 --> 00:51:49.880
him home because he was just having
an absolute meltdown. Now, she and
723
00:51:49.960 --> 00:51:52.159
Bud kind of had a little bit
of a disagreement too when he came to
724
00:51:52.239 --> 00:51:55.840
visit her, because he was doing
the pity party thing towards her and she
725
00:51:57.000 --> 00:52:00.400
did not want that. So she
became very direct with Bud and said,
726
00:52:00.760 --> 00:52:04.519
look, don't pity me. You
know I didn't. This is not a
727
00:52:04.559 --> 00:52:07.480
pity thing. This happened to me, and I want to move forward.
728
00:52:07.239 --> 00:52:10.920
So he said that he understood once
she addressed it, and from that point
729
00:52:12.000 --> 00:52:15.400
forward they both decided to move forward, but they moved forward in the way
730
00:52:15.440 --> 00:52:21.320
that they actually did not discuss it
with each other. They also found out,
731
00:52:21.760 --> 00:52:27.119
just three weeks after both of their
nearer brushes with death, that a
732
00:52:27.239 --> 00:52:31.559
not so lucky twelve year old girl
was killed in what looked like a very
733
00:52:32.320 --> 00:52:38.840
similar case. She was abducted,
she was forced into an unoccupied building.
734
00:52:38.880 --> 00:52:43.400
It was a movie theater. She
was raped. This is a twelve year
735
00:52:43.400 --> 00:52:46.480
old baby, y'all. She was
raped. She was forced to get dressed
736
00:52:46.519 --> 00:52:52.840
again, but then the perpetrator then
picked up a cinder block and smashed her
737
00:52:52.880 --> 00:52:58.239
skull in, killing her. And
she was found later by someone else.
738
00:53:00.039 --> 00:53:04.199
So they had a lot going on
there. There was fear. It doesn't
739
00:53:04.239 --> 00:53:07.119
go away. Cheryl said that she
was afraid to go home because she said,
740
00:53:07.159 --> 00:53:08.239
oh, my god, what if
the killers come back to finish me
741
00:53:08.400 --> 00:53:14.119
off? Because you have to remember, the rapists took Bud's wallet, which
742
00:53:14.119 --> 00:53:16.519
had his ID, his license,
and their address in it. Plus he
743
00:53:17.159 --> 00:53:21.760
took their keys so he had access
to their home. And all she could
744
00:53:21.760 --> 00:53:22.440
think about was, my god,
what if they come back, and if
745
00:53:22.480 --> 00:53:27.360
they found out Eric was there,
what would they do to my baby?
746
00:53:28.239 --> 00:53:31.239
So Cheryl didn't want to go home. She was afraid. Not to mention,
747
00:53:31.320 --> 00:53:36.360
y'all, she was stapled from her
throat basically her upper breast area down
748
00:53:36.599 --> 00:53:38.639
to the bottom of her stomach.
She had staples lining her whole stomach.
749
00:53:39.000 --> 00:53:44.880
She couldn't hold her baby boy,
She couldn't barely move, so they moved
750
00:53:44.920 --> 00:53:47.880
in with her parents temporarily, and
then they were able to get a new
751
00:53:47.920 --> 00:53:53.199
place, which was just down the
road from her parents. Now, something
752
00:53:53.199 --> 00:53:55.960
else that you're not going to find
on any of the shows if you see
753
00:53:57.000 --> 00:54:04.119
on this episode, is something that
Cheryl told me that two weeks after they
754
00:54:04.159 --> 00:54:07.960
moved into their own place, Bud
told her he didn't want to be with
755
00:54:08.000 --> 00:54:14.679
her anymore. The shows tend to
kind of sugarcoat this or romanticize it,
756
00:54:14.800 --> 00:54:16.960
like, oh, Bud was so
struck in by his or stricken by his
757
00:54:17.079 --> 00:54:21.400
love being brutally assaulted, he couldn't
take it and he kind of ran off
758
00:54:21.400 --> 00:54:24.239
and dissipated into the abyss. Well
that's not what happened. That makes a
759
00:54:24.239 --> 00:54:28.239
great story in all, I guess, but what actually ended up happening to
760
00:54:28.280 --> 00:54:32.280
this girl who's already been victimized in
so many ways, she found out that
761
00:54:32.320 --> 00:54:37.760
Bud was cheating on her. That's
what happened. She walked in and Bud
762
00:54:37.920 --> 00:54:42.760
had a new woman. Not to
mention that, she told me too,
763
00:54:43.079 --> 00:54:47.679
that he ended up marrying that woman, not the girl that he had a
764
00:54:47.679 --> 00:54:54.320
baby with and had been through this
traumatic experience with. So another loss that
765
00:54:54.440 --> 00:54:59.559
Cheryl would endure was Bud, you
know he was unable to cope. He
766
00:54:59.599 --> 00:55:02.440
became extremely distant. The more that
she tried, she said, the further
767
00:55:02.480 --> 00:55:07.679
away he went. He kept telling
her that he felt worthless as a man.
768
00:55:07.480 --> 00:55:10.679
And so, you know, I
kind of feel sorry for both of
769
00:55:10.719 --> 00:55:17.239
them. You never know how trauma
affects people. But the fact that both
770
00:55:17.320 --> 00:55:22.079
he and Cheryl survived this, I
want to tell you, is proof that
771
00:55:22.119 --> 00:55:25.800
they both did exactly what they should
have done in this situation. If Bud
772
00:55:25.800 --> 00:55:28.880
felt like he didn't protect her and
he didn't do the right thing, they
773
00:55:28.920 --> 00:55:35.360
both lived. They lived. And
so although Bud was traumatized and he was
774
00:55:35.360 --> 00:55:38.239
emotionally scarred by the situation, he
did end up leaving Cheryl and Eric in
775
00:55:38.320 --> 00:55:45.199
nineteen eighty one, and he never
came back. So all fast forward just
776
00:55:45.239 --> 00:55:47.679
to let you know that he did
eventually, like I said, Mary the
777
00:55:47.679 --> 00:55:53.320
girl he was cheating with, and
then years later Bud cheated on that woman,
778
00:55:53.400 --> 00:55:58.280
that wife he married with her own
sister. So this whole story really
779
00:55:58.320 --> 00:56:04.079
sucks worse than you even know.
Bud also became an alcoholic and started using
780
00:56:04.360 --> 00:56:07.719
drugs, according to what Cheryl told
me, and then eventually, in his
781
00:56:07.840 --> 00:56:13.559
darkest days, he went to a
hotel and he shot himself and committed suicide.
782
00:56:13.639 --> 00:56:19.039
Bud has been gone for a while, so all of that, right
783
00:56:19.559 --> 00:56:22.559
adds to the trauma of what happened. And poor Cheryl said she just felt
784
00:56:22.559 --> 00:56:27.800
absolutely worthless. Now, I mean, she lost everything after this rape,
785
00:56:28.719 --> 00:56:31.199
and she wanted them caught, but
she said she was so over dealing with
786
00:56:31.239 --> 00:56:35.960
it. You know, it had
destroyed every aspect of her life as far
787
00:56:35.960 --> 00:56:42.719
as she was concerned. And as
time went on and these assailants continued to
788
00:56:42.840 --> 00:56:46.440
attack couples and do the very same
thing to these couples, except they killed
789
00:56:46.480 --> 00:56:52.159
these people, they would become known
as serial killers. This is not a
790
00:56:52.199 --> 00:56:55.679
one and done situation. This is
getting gonna get even worse. So I
791
00:56:55.760 --> 00:57:00.559
can do more episodes on those victims, but today I'm doing this focusing on
792
00:57:00.639 --> 00:57:04.559
Cheryl and Bud, So no disrespect
to the other victims. I'm just kind
793
00:57:04.559 --> 00:57:08.559
of honing it in on Cheryl and
Bud. But most notable at this time,
794
00:57:08.639 --> 00:57:12.559
as police were looking at these cases
they were trying to figure out if
795
00:57:12.599 --> 00:57:16.800
they were involved or not, was
that the assailants were black in every case
796
00:57:17.320 --> 00:57:22.519
and the victims were white in every
case. Now, I am not coming
797
00:57:22.559 --> 00:57:25.800
at you with some race thing.
That's not what this is. It actually
798
00:57:25.840 --> 00:57:31.320
is an integral part to the investigation. So another couple that was attacked,
799
00:57:32.079 --> 00:57:36.400
a woman did survive. There's only
two survivors. Out of everything I'm going
800
00:57:36.480 --> 00:57:38.639
to tell you, she was able
to give a very good description of her
801
00:57:38.679 --> 00:57:43.119
attacker. So I'm guessing in that
case, he thought he was going to
802
00:57:43.199 --> 00:57:45.760
kill her anyway, so he didn't
cover his face. But she didn't end
803
00:57:45.840 --> 00:57:51.639
up getting killed because some stuff happened
and they fought back, basically, and
804
00:57:51.679 --> 00:57:54.440
I guess they didn't expect that.
But that girl put together a sketch with
805
00:57:54.559 --> 00:58:00.599
police. And when police put that
sketch out to try to get some public,
806
00:58:00.800 --> 00:58:04.719
you know, reaction to it,
Cheryl saw it on television. She
807
00:58:04.760 --> 00:58:06.920
was with her dad at home and
she pointed, she said, Dad,
808
00:58:06.920 --> 00:58:09.440
that's him. That's the guy that
raped me. I know it. I
809
00:58:09.480 --> 00:58:13.360
can tell. So police showed up. They called the police, the police
810
00:58:13.360 --> 00:58:15.039
showed up. They pulled out a
photo album. All these years later,
811
00:58:15.840 --> 00:58:21.320
and guess what, she picked out
the exact same man that she had picked
812
00:58:21.320 --> 00:58:24.800
out in the hospital, thirty two
year old Anthony Cook. So who was
813
00:58:24.840 --> 00:58:31.199
Anthony Cook? He was employed,
married and a convicted felon shocker, I
814
00:58:31.280 --> 00:58:37.239
know, right, wow, the
shockwaves going around. So it was found
815
00:58:37.880 --> 00:58:45.480
that during the investigation on him that
he had gotten mad during one of his
816
00:58:45.679 --> 00:58:51.559
stints in prison, specifically the stint
he was doing a seven year sentence he
817
00:58:51.599 --> 00:58:55.599
did for an armed robbery. He
got mad because he felt like the white
818
00:58:55.719 --> 00:59:02.440
prison guards or mean to him.
Imagine that prison isn't nice. But he
819
00:59:02.519 --> 00:59:07.800
got mad because as the white prison
guards were mean to him. So as
820
00:59:07.800 --> 00:59:13.679
a result of the guards, he
says, being mean to him, he
821
00:59:13.800 --> 00:59:20.760
now admittedly had beef with all white
people, and he set out on a
822
00:59:20.880 --> 00:59:27.239
mission to get even with white people
in general. So when he was released
823
00:59:27.239 --> 00:59:31.519
in nineteen seventy nine, that's exactly
what he had started doing. So a
824
00:59:31.519 --> 00:59:37.239
friend of his came forward after also
seeing the sketch and said, not only
825
00:59:37.760 --> 00:59:42.280
had Cook been going around bragging about
shooting a white man, which was obviously
826
00:59:42.280 --> 00:59:45.920
a different case than Cheryl's, but
tied to that case where the girl made
827
00:59:45.920 --> 00:59:50.840
the sketch that survived, he was
bragging about shooting a white man, and
828
00:59:51.000 --> 00:59:54.199
he said he did it with a
twenty two revolver, same making model as
829
00:59:54.320 --> 00:59:59.360
what Cheryl was shot with. But
also this friend saw him give that weapon
830
00:59:59.599 --> 01:00:02.239
to a neighbor. Thank God for
this friend that came forward. Right is
831
01:00:02.320 --> 01:00:08.800
right and wrong is wrong. So
he was in a Toledo, Ohio,
832
01:00:09.559 --> 01:00:14.519
the Toledo, Ohio area after he
had been released from prison, and he
833
01:00:14.559 --> 01:00:19.119
had decided he wanted to exact revenge
on white people. But he was also
834
01:00:19.800 --> 01:00:23.800
always in the company of his brother, and his brother's name was Nathaniel Cook,
835
01:00:24.119 --> 01:00:29.360
and looking at their photos, police
felt like they fit the description of
836
01:00:29.360 --> 01:00:36.679
the two killers and rapists that kept
striking according to these victims. So police
837
01:00:36.719 --> 01:00:39.199
were able to get that twenty two
revolver and they did run the ballistics on
838
01:00:39.239 --> 01:00:44.079
the weapon and guess what, it
came back a positive match for the gun
839
01:00:44.119 --> 01:00:50.000
that had recently killed two white men
in another case. So Anthony Cook was
840
01:00:50.119 --> 01:00:58.280
arrested on a multitude of charges,
multitude murder, attempted rape, all sorts
841
01:00:58.280 --> 01:01:04.440
of stuff. Where this case got
me again was in the fact that these
842
01:01:04.480 --> 01:01:08.360
two men in custody, Okay,
these two men that had been taken into
843
01:01:08.400 --> 01:01:15.239
custody, these brothers, police were
unable to positively say whether they were the
844
01:01:15.280 --> 01:01:22.400
attackers of Cheryl or not. The
DNA evidence, Remember, wasn't of any
845
01:01:22.519 --> 01:01:27.480
use back whenever they took the DNA
evidence. Also, that bullet that went
846
01:01:27.519 --> 01:01:32.400
through her body and almost killed her
was so fragmented and damaged that they couldn't
847
01:01:32.440 --> 01:01:37.039
compare it to the known sample from
the twenty two from the ballistics. So
848
01:01:37.280 --> 01:01:42.679
this meant that basically police told her, sorry, but we can't charge them
849
01:01:42.679 --> 01:01:47.000
with your rape and attempted murder.
And that makes me absolutely sick for her
850
01:01:47.559 --> 01:01:52.199
as a victim to know everybody knew
they did it, but proving it is
851
01:01:52.239 --> 01:02:00.280
another thing. So Cheryl was in
a place that they all knew who did
852
01:02:00.000 --> 01:02:01.960
I did, but nothing was going
to be happening. Then can you imagine
853
01:02:01.960 --> 01:02:07.239
the anger. I would be so
angry, And in Cheryl's own words,
854
01:02:07.280 --> 01:02:09.239
she said, I understand that there
may be a lack of evidence, but
855
01:02:09.320 --> 01:02:13.320
I just want to be heard.
I just want you to hear what I'm
856
01:02:13.400 --> 01:02:15.880
saying. I just want them to
have to listen to me. They did
857
01:02:15.920 --> 01:02:20.119
this to me, and I wanted
to be acknowledged. Okay, maybe they
858
01:02:20.159 --> 01:02:22.360
won't spend a day in prison for
but they could at least acknowledge what they
859
01:02:22.360 --> 01:02:27.280
did to me. And she said, I felt shoved to the side and
860
01:02:27.360 --> 01:02:34.760
I felt not important. Anthony Cook
was tried and convicted in nineteen eighty two
861
01:02:35.199 --> 01:02:43.920
for murder, robbery, and attempted
rape, and y'all, he got fifteen
862
01:02:44.480 --> 01:02:52.559
years. It was fifteen years to
life, but fifteen years with the possibility
863
01:02:52.039 --> 01:02:55.280
of parole. Back then, Ohio, you know, didn't have the death
864
01:02:55.320 --> 01:03:00.639
penalty and without the option, you
know, without being a fit of parole
865
01:03:00.760 --> 01:03:07.639
wasn't an option either. Now,
consider you're the victim who gets no justice
866
01:03:08.119 --> 01:03:14.639
so to speak of, and they
now know your name, they know who
867
01:03:14.679 --> 01:03:20.679
you are, they know what they
did to you, and the other half
868
01:03:20.800 --> 01:03:24.360
of your rapist attempted murdered duo is
still walking free. Like, think about
869
01:03:24.440 --> 01:03:30.079
all of this that she's she's dealing
with. So Cheryl was now really worried
870
01:03:30.119 --> 01:03:31.920
that, you know, the one
brother was locked up, and what if
871
01:03:31.920 --> 01:03:37.480
the other one comes after her.
He's obviously a you know, capable of
872
01:03:37.519 --> 01:03:43.519
extreme violence. He had already tried
to kill her and nothing could be done.
873
01:03:43.639 --> 01:03:45.760
So Cheryl said, you know,
my wife began to spiral. At
874
01:03:45.760 --> 01:03:47.760
that point, I started drinking,
she said, I started using drugs.
875
01:03:47.840 --> 01:03:51.679
I didn't care about me, nobody
else did. That's what it felt like.
876
01:03:51.719 --> 01:03:53.400
So if nobody else cared about me. Why should I? And I
877
01:03:53.559 --> 01:03:59.800
just really, man, I can't
imagine how that was feel. We know
878
01:03:59.920 --> 01:04:03.519
that they did this to you,
and nothing can be done. Oh but
879
01:04:03.679 --> 01:04:06.960
Cheryl, being the woman that she
is, she eventually got her life together.
880
01:04:08.599 --> 01:04:10.760
She decided, and you know what, they're not going to take control
881
01:04:10.760 --> 01:04:13.159
of my whole life. She decided, I'm going to power through. These
882
01:04:13.159 --> 01:04:16.360
men are not going to win.
She moved to Nashville, she started a
883
01:04:16.400 --> 01:04:19.480
new life, and she did end
up meeting a man who she would eventually
884
01:04:19.519 --> 01:04:25.320
marry and they're still married today.
They actually went on to raise four sons
885
01:04:25.360 --> 01:04:34.800
together and life became good for her. But in nineteen ninety seven, after
886
01:04:34.880 --> 01:04:39.239
she's moved forward, notice I didn't
say she moved on, but she moved
887
01:04:39.280 --> 01:04:43.639
forward. She had gotten to a
good place in life, her case would
888
01:04:43.679 --> 01:04:48.920
come back up and be the forefront
of her life and the news again another
889
01:04:49.159 --> 01:04:56.920
victim after Cheryl was attacked and had
been raped and they had made her get
890
01:04:57.039 --> 01:05:01.559
dressed. The difference here is some
time had gone, science had advanced,
891
01:05:01.800 --> 01:05:06.599
and when the attackers had made this
woman get dressed that I'm not trying to
892
01:05:06.599 --> 01:05:13.159
be gross, but these are the
facts. The seamen from the rape dripped
893
01:05:13.719 --> 01:05:16.760
out of her body and into her
pant leg because they made her get dressed,
894
01:05:18.000 --> 01:05:24.119
they were now able to take technology
and get a positive match between that
895
01:05:24.280 --> 01:05:29.960
semen and those pants and none other
than Anthony Cook as well as his brother
896
01:05:30.639 --> 01:05:36.639
Nathaniel Cook. Seventeen years later,
they both were tied to the rape and
897
01:05:36.760 --> 01:05:44.679
murder of another woman and her boyfriend. So Cheryl was ecstatic. You know,
898
01:05:45.199 --> 01:05:46.159
she said, I didn't feel like
I had to look over my shoulder
899
01:05:46.159 --> 01:05:48.920
anymore. You know, I'm finally
gonna get a chance to say what I
900
01:05:48.960 --> 01:05:54.679
want to say to these monsters after
what they've gotten away with for all of
901
01:05:54.719 --> 01:05:59.599
these years. But that's when she
was dealt a new blow. Her case
902
01:06:00.280 --> 01:06:04.800
was not being considered in the trial
because of the lack of evidence, and
903
01:06:04.840 --> 01:06:09.840
they could not tie them to her
case. And I know right now someone's
904
01:06:09.840 --> 01:06:11.400
like, well, I mean that
on the evidence, they can't do it,
905
01:06:11.440 --> 01:06:15.440
but just put yourself in the victims
shoes. Of course they did it.
906
01:06:15.639 --> 01:06:21.000
Okay. She was furious, she
was hurt. And remember that rape
907
01:06:21.039 --> 01:06:25.320
kit, that very invasive rape kit
they did in the eighties that she went
908
01:06:25.320 --> 01:06:30.639
through. Is anyone wondering where that
went because I was. But guess what
909
01:06:30.760 --> 01:06:39.719
ended up happening they Cheryl finds out
that a potential solution had been brought to
910
01:06:39.760 --> 01:06:46.239
the table and that the families of
the deceased in some of these other cases
911
01:06:46.639 --> 01:06:51.000
had agreed to a plea deal.
But don't get too excited, y'all,
912
01:06:51.000 --> 01:06:57.639
this is going to blow your mind. In exchange for confessing to all of
913
01:06:57.679 --> 01:07:05.559
the crimes that they committed, including
Cheryl's, including cheryls, he would only
914
01:07:05.599 --> 01:07:15.599
be sentenced to twenty years. Twenty
I cannot Cheryl said, hell no,
915
01:07:15.760 --> 01:07:20.360
I don't agree to that, but
she was told by the powers that be
916
01:07:20.559 --> 01:07:26.039
basically sorry. But the majority of
the other families of victims they agreed to
917
01:07:26.079 --> 01:07:31.039
the deal, so we're just gonna
take it. So Anthony Cook got twenty
918
01:07:31.159 --> 01:07:36.559
years. Are you ready what he
got twenty years for? He confessed to
919
01:07:38.199 --> 01:07:47.840
nine murders and multiple rapes. He
killed nine people, He raped multiple women,
920
01:07:48.719 --> 01:07:55.679
including a twelve year old child.
Nathaniel Cook, his brother, confessed
921
01:07:55.679 --> 01:08:04.719
to three murders and multiple rapes.
These men got slaps on the wrist.
922
01:08:05.039 --> 01:08:10.159
Are you listening to what they confess
to? They even agreed that they did
923
01:08:10.159 --> 01:08:15.320
that to sh Hayl they are plain
evil and if I'm just being frank,
924
01:08:15.440 --> 01:08:19.159
both of those men should have eaten
a bullet. This is not justice.
925
01:08:19.199 --> 01:08:24.199
This is doing the bare men on
to say justice was served, whatever that
926
01:08:24.239 --> 01:08:30.039
even means. And do you know
Cheryl did not even get to speak at
927
01:08:30.079 --> 01:08:35.279
any of the trials. She was
never allowed to say anything. And that's
928
01:08:35.439 --> 01:08:42.479
not right. Even after they admitted
in detail what they did to her,
929
01:08:43.000 --> 01:08:47.600
she was not allowed to be acknowledged
to speak. It's disgusting. And I
930
01:08:47.640 --> 01:08:53.439
want to tell you something. Twenty
years flew by, because in August of
931
01:08:53.479 --> 01:09:01.199
twenty eighteen, Nathaniel was in court
being released. Matter of fact, not
932
01:09:01.239 --> 01:09:05.319
only was he being released, but
Cheryl showed up and he turned around and
933
01:09:05.359 --> 01:09:13.399
he smirked at her while she cried. She didn't get justice, not in
934
01:09:13.399 --> 01:09:17.800
the terms I guess that I feel
like justice would be. So I guess
935
01:09:17.399 --> 01:09:23.359
since she didn't get to speak,
I'll just say it for her. Anthony
936
01:09:23.800 --> 01:09:30.640
and Nathaniel Cook are two pieces of
utter shit. They are racist, raping,
937
01:09:31.359 --> 01:09:40.640
murderous, torturous, spiteful, hateful, child abusing, wasted waste of
938
01:09:40.680 --> 01:09:46.039
space, pieces of shit. Both
of your lives are meaningless and your mother
939
01:09:46.560 --> 01:09:54.279
should be ashamed of you and speaking
of their mother. When Nathaniel Cook was
940
01:09:54.359 --> 01:09:59.319
released from prison in twenty eighteen after
admitting to killing multiple people and raping them,
941
01:10:00.960 --> 01:10:06.760
he moved in on over there on
Nebraska Avenue in Toledo, Ohio.
942
01:10:06.880 --> 01:10:12.239
And that's current. He's on Nebraska
Avenue in Toledo, Ohio. So if
943
01:10:12.279 --> 01:10:15.399
you're in that area, you need
to keep your head on a swivel because
944
01:10:15.439 --> 01:10:18.199
he moved in with his mama over
there, and I want to tell you
945
01:10:18.239 --> 01:10:25.960
something. He got frustrated. Imagine
this, he got frustrated and upset with
946
01:10:26.000 --> 01:10:30.840
a reporter that went by the house
and said, you know, we'd like
947
01:10:30.880 --> 01:10:32.199
to talk to you about this.
He got upset and he said, you
948
01:10:32.239 --> 01:10:34.840
know what, that's in the past
and I'm just wanting to move on.
949
01:10:36.760 --> 01:10:45.560
Really, have you apologized to any
of the multiple people you've murdered, including
950
01:10:45.600 --> 01:10:50.520
a twelve year old little girl that
never got to grow up. You smashed
951
01:10:50.520 --> 01:10:58.600
her brains in. You're six foot
three, three hundred and eighty pounds,
952
01:10:59.159 --> 01:11:03.319
and you kidnap, raped, and
bashed the brains in of a twelve year
953
01:11:03.359 --> 01:11:08.479
old girl. And you have the
audacity to come to the doorstep of your
954
01:11:08.600 --> 01:11:15.319
mama and say you want to move
on? Are you kidding me? I'm
955
01:11:15.359 --> 01:11:17.800
sure she would have loved to move
on. I'm sure she would have loved
956
01:11:17.840 --> 01:11:23.000
to grow up, but she didn't. Not to mention all the other lives
957
01:11:23.039 --> 01:11:30.880
you ruined. You and your brother
disgusting and despicable and something else too.
958
01:11:30.840 --> 01:11:36.560
Anthony Cook his brother. He's still
in prison right now, and real quick,
959
01:11:36.960 --> 01:11:41.039
I want to make sure that you
know we're talking about the right one
960
01:11:41.079 --> 01:11:43.640
here before I go further, because, by the way, there are five
961
01:11:44.039 --> 01:11:48.039
Anthony Cooks in the Ohio Department of
Corrections. Okay, I'm not talking about
962
01:11:48.119 --> 01:11:53.800
Anthony no middle name Cook, the
one that's the drug trafficking and aggravating murdering
963
01:11:53.840 --> 01:11:58.760
one. I'm not talking about Anthony
Isaac Cook, who's in there for illegal
964
01:11:58.800 --> 01:12:03.079
conveyance to detention centers and possession of
drugs. I'm not talking about Anthony Marcel
965
01:12:03.159 --> 01:12:08.000
Cook, who's there for murder.
I'm not talking about Anthony Allen Cook.
966
01:12:08.119 --> 01:12:12.279
This is a white boy though,
uh for who's there for attempted aggravated murder,
967
01:12:12.600 --> 01:12:15.000
violation of a protection order, or
weapon under disability. I'm not talking
968
01:12:15.000 --> 01:12:19.359
about those guys. I'm talking about
Anthony H. Cook and I don't know
969
01:12:19.399 --> 01:12:26.119
what the H stands for, probably
hell bound, but we need to ensure
970
01:12:26.119 --> 01:12:30.319
that he stays behind bars. The
Anthony Cook that's there for murder, attempted
971
01:12:30.439 --> 01:12:36.479
rape, aggravated robbery, attempted murder, the one identified by A one six
972
01:12:36.760 --> 01:12:42.520
seven two three five, that guy. Because I want to tell you something,
973
01:12:42.760 --> 01:12:48.359
he's eligible for parole in February first
of twenty twenty five. His parole
974
01:12:48.399 --> 01:12:54.800
board meeting is scheduled for December of
twenty twenty four. That's this year,
975
01:12:54.880 --> 01:12:58.880
and I want everyone listening to know. I'm putting a link. I'm putting
976
01:12:58.920 --> 01:13:01.640
a link to the parole board where
you're able to go in if you are
977
01:13:01.680 --> 01:13:05.239
so inclined to speak about why you
don't want him released. I'm putting a
978
01:13:05.239 --> 01:13:10.479
link in the show notes and I'm
putting it online. He does not deserve
979
01:13:10.520 --> 01:13:15.039
to walk free. In twenty eighteen, when Nathaniel was released from prison on
980
01:13:15.279 --> 01:13:20.199
parole, he got to go home
and live with his mom and wants to
981
01:13:20.239 --> 01:13:27.079
move on. Anthony is up for
parole this year, Ohio, pay attention.
982
01:13:28.600 --> 01:13:30.399
We all need to get behind this
woman, and we all need to
983
01:13:30.399 --> 01:13:33.920
do what it takes. You call
the officials, you write the emails,
984
01:13:34.039 --> 01:13:38.039
but we the people, should be
helping this woman. And Honey, I'm
985
01:13:38.079 --> 01:13:41.640
doing this one for you, Cheryl, specifically for you. I'm so angry
986
01:13:41.680 --> 01:13:45.479
if you cannot tell. There was
an argument made in court too. This
987
01:13:45.600 --> 01:13:50.079
was mind blowing that Nathaniel only did
what he did because he was influenced by
988
01:13:50.079 --> 01:13:56.199
his brother. Hold On just a
minute. I have been influenced before,
989
01:13:56.239 --> 01:13:59.439
guys. When I was in my
twenties, I was influenced to drink too
990
01:13:59.520 --> 01:14:02.119
much. I was influenced to seeing
karaoke when I had no business doing so.
991
01:14:02.720 --> 01:14:08.960
I was influenced to start a podcast. But there ain't never been a
992
01:14:09.039 --> 01:14:15.000
day that I've been influenced to rape
someone, to kill people, to terrorize
993
01:14:15.119 --> 01:14:18.600
men and women, to rape women, that is different. That's someone getting
994
01:14:18.640 --> 01:14:23.640
off on the power of doing it. That's not influence. That's a character
995
01:14:23.720 --> 01:14:28.840
flaw. That's an animal. You
know, when I was twelve years old,
996
01:14:28.880 --> 01:14:30.439
I had to put my dog down
and I did it humanly and it's
997
01:14:30.439 --> 01:14:35.119
still to this day I think about
it. So these animals, they want
998
01:14:35.119 --> 01:14:39.960
to move on from raping and killing
people, Well, the normal ones of
999
01:14:40.039 --> 01:14:45.319
us don't believe that that's how that
should go. So that's not going to
1000
01:14:45.399 --> 01:14:51.239
happen for me, So for Cheryl, who I don't feel like got justice.
1001
01:14:51.279 --> 01:14:56.439
For nineteen year old Connie Sue Thompson
who was killed by the Cooks after
1002
01:14:56.439 --> 01:15:00.920
they picked her up hitchhiking and killed
her. There were Dawn Renee Backs,
1003
01:15:01.119 --> 01:15:05.119
a twelve year old elementary student who
was raped and bludging to death in the
1004
01:15:05.199 --> 01:15:11.520
basement of a theater. For twenty
one year old Scott Mouton, for nineteen
1005
01:15:11.560 --> 01:15:15.479
year old Connie Sue Thompson, who
was killed by these bastards when she was
1006
01:15:15.159 --> 01:15:19.880
picked up when she was hitchhiking.
And for Dawn Renee Backs, the twelve
1007
01:15:19.960 --> 01:15:24.439
year old elementary student who was raped
and bludging to death in the basement of
1008
01:15:24.439 --> 01:15:29.000
a theater. For twenty one year
old Scott Mouton, for twenty two year
1009
01:15:29.000 --> 01:15:34.079
old Denise Sitkowski, who were both
shot and killed in their car. For
1010
01:15:34.199 --> 01:15:39.199
twenty one year old Darryl Cole and
his twenty one year old girlfriend, Stacy
1011
01:15:39.239 --> 01:15:42.600
Ballineck, they were both beaten to
death and found in the trunk of his
1012
01:15:42.680 --> 01:15:46.720
car. For twenty two year old
vickiy Lynn Small, for twenty four year
1013
01:15:46.760 --> 01:15:53.920
old Thomas Gordon, and for Peter
SOWICKI. I'm not forgetting. I'm not
1014
01:15:54.039 --> 01:15:59.720
moving on, And maybe the Cook
brothers should have thought about it before becoming
1015
01:15:59.800 --> 01:16:04.119
my and doing all of this if
they don't like the attention just because you
1016
01:16:04.159 --> 01:16:09.399
grew old and you speak softer.
As I read in an article that a
1017
01:16:09.439 --> 01:16:13.960
reporter who tried to go talk to
one of them said, that doesn't mean
1018
01:16:14.000 --> 01:16:19.640
anything bad. People grow old,
so what That same reporter also said that
1019
01:16:19.920 --> 01:16:24.760
she wrote a letter advising Nathaniel that
she was going to come by because she
1020
01:16:24.760 --> 01:16:28.079
didn't want to catch him off guard
when she showed up at his house.
1021
01:16:28.319 --> 01:16:31.840
Well, isn't that nice? Because
none of these victims that I just mentioned
1022
01:16:31.880 --> 01:16:36.960
were given such a courtesy. They
didn't get it heads up. I wish
1023
01:16:38.079 --> 01:16:44.199
Cheryl would have been carrying a gun
that night and put both of those animals
1024
01:16:44.239 --> 01:16:47.880
down, but she wasn't. And
like I told you, i met Cheryl,
1025
01:16:47.880 --> 01:16:50.239
I'm going to be doing an additional
episode with her where we get to
1026
01:16:50.279 --> 01:16:53.920
hear from her specifically, and we're
going to talk about this case. So
1027
01:16:54.000 --> 01:16:59.960
y'all look out for that. But
guess what if you're living near me,
1028
01:17:00.039 --> 01:17:03.039
did you know? On July fourth
of this year, a new law is
1029
01:17:03.079 --> 01:17:08.239
going to take place in Louisiana.
It's going into effect. No permit is
1030
01:17:08.279 --> 01:17:12.920
required as of the fourth of July
to conceal carry in the state of Louisiana.
1031
01:17:14.039 --> 01:17:18.000
So this means now the law abiding
citizens can carry their weapons without paying
1032
01:17:18.039 --> 01:17:21.039
the large fees that the criminals don't
bother with. They don't pay, and
1033
01:17:21.079 --> 01:17:25.560
they don't worry about it. Whenever
they take their weapons to attack us.
1034
01:17:26.399 --> 01:17:30.800
It's pretty cool. And all I
can say is this, Look, things
1035
01:17:30.800 --> 01:17:36.000
are changing for people like the Cook
brothers. We've had enough. And if
1036
01:17:36.000 --> 01:17:40.119
you don't like the attention that you're
getting, then, in the words of
1037
01:17:40.159 --> 01:17:49.239
LITL John, don't start no shit, won't be no shit. Welcome to
1038
01:17:49.319 --> 01:17:54.439
Unspeakable, a true crime podcast or
I tell stories of real crimes with real
1039
01:17:54.560 --> 01:17:58.800
victims, whose cases are so shocking
that many are left wondering how is this
1040
01:17:58.880 --> 01:18:09.640
even real? I use my experiences
in law enforcement corrections, and combined with
1041
01:18:09.720 --> 01:18:14.319
my years as a criminal justice educator, dig deep into complex cases of evil
1042
01:18:14.359 --> 01:18:34.920
acts, some so evil many feel
they are unspeakable. Warning, Unspeakable is
1043
01:18:34.960 --> 01:18:39.760
intended for mature audiences. If you
are easily offended, then I'm not your
1044
01:18:39.800 --> 01:18:41.880
girl. Listening discretion is advised,







