1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: Ridiculous crime is a production of My Heart Radio. Hey 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: Elizabeth Dutton, saren you know what's ridiculous I do? Do 3 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:12,879 Speaker 1: you want to share? All right? You convinced me what 4 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:17,440 Speaker 1: do aphids, anacondas, and zebra sharks have in common? They 5 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 1: all have a's in their names. Done, that's ridiculous. Um, 6 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: you know that some of them are born pregnant. Wait 7 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 1: what Yeah, some are born pregnant. Yes, some a fids 8 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:33,919 Speaker 1: are born pregnant, but individual adults. Right, they can give 9 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,920 Speaker 1: birth to up to nine offspring a day. I'm just looking. 10 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: They reproduce a sexually. Okay, So it wasn't like dad 11 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: got mom and pregnant part in a genesis. Well, it 12 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:48,720 Speaker 1: did remind me of my favorite Yahoo answers of all time. 13 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: The question was can your baby get pregnant if you 14 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: have sex while pregnant? And then that was the title, 15 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 1: and then the question the question underneath says like, if 16 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 1: you are pregnant with a baby, girl and you have 17 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,400 Speaker 1: sex while you are pregnant, can the sperm go up 18 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 1: in there and impregnate the baby in there? And then 19 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: someone calling themselves Hennessy the best answer chosen by voters 20 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: and said the baby can get pregnant only if it's female. 21 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:25,040 Speaker 1: If you suspect that your baby is pregnant, try not 22 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: to have sex again. You run the risk of getting 23 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 1: your baby's baby pregnant, and that can lead to complications 24 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 1: like an infinite loop. So that's kind of what goes 25 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 1: on with its like a Russian Yeah, so that was 26 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: all ridiculous. Oh that is uncut ridiculous and Hennessy, thank 27 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 1: you for clarifying. Thank you. That's a damn good one. Um, 28 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: if you have a moment, I got a wild one 29 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: for you. Yes, please, Are you got a second? I 30 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 1: can make time nice for you. I can. Then I'm 31 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:03,559 Speaker 1: just gonna ask you. Imagine that you're twenty years old, okay. 32 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 1: Now you live in Florida, okay, and you decide it 33 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 1: would be a good idea for you to fake your 34 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 1: own kidnapping and extort two million dollars in ransom from 35 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 1: a Colombian cartel connected gangster. Right, and this man is 36 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:44,519 Speaker 1: also your father. Oh wow, this is ridiculous. Crime A 37 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: podcast about absurd and outrageous capers, heists and cons. It's 38 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 1: always murder free and Elizabeth ridiculous. Okay, I promised you 39 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:02,639 Speaker 1: story Florida. You made that promise three. This is one 40 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: year before the year that or Well made famous, right right? Okay, 41 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 1: remembright here. So to put you back in time, I 42 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: want you to just go over some major cultural touch 43 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: zones of nineteen eight three. You're ready, ready, Okay, way 44 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:20,920 Speaker 1: back machine starting now? Okay, RayBan sunglasses, Michael Jackson Thriller 45 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: dominates the charts. The McDonald's chicken McNugget debuts, Jane Fondes 46 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:30,920 Speaker 1: Jazzer Size is selling bookoo vhs and Beta Max tapes 47 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:34,640 Speaker 1: on Yeah Becausette tapes and their return of the Jedi. 48 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: It's dominating at the box office right nineteen Can you 49 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: feel the surging through you? I have straight up there? 50 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: And when someone says nineteen three, does anything jump to mind? 51 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 1: Anything leap to mind? Anything that you just have, like 52 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: oh when I think three, boom um, I don't know. 53 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 1: It all sort of blurs together for me. That it's 54 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: a hard one to separate out, to be quite honest, 55 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: because it's not an election year, not an Olympic, hadn't 56 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 1: hit Olympic fever happening around the culture. I feel like 57 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: I was listening to a lot of Duran Duran. Okay, 58 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: that could see that. Yeah, they I think the Smiths 59 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 1: had their first album three right. Yeah, so there's some 60 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: cultural touchdowns that were coming up for you personally. I 61 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 1: mean that, yeah, but you were just a young six 62 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 1: still eyeing the culture, going what's going to come next? 63 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 1: Exactly now, Elizabeth, this also was the birth ye or 64 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 1: some of your favorite people. I looked it up. I 65 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:33,159 Speaker 1: checked to see the list. I pulled out a couple 66 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:34,839 Speaker 1: of my favorites. You know, we're going to skip past 67 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: the Azas and sories of the world. Who was born 68 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:40,479 Speaker 1: in three but we're also going to stick to the 69 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 1: summer babies because that's when this story takes place, all right. 70 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:47,800 Speaker 1: So June maclemore was brought into the world as Baby Macklemore. 71 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:52,279 Speaker 1: I know, not one of your favorites, the rapper Macilmore. Yeah, 72 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: you feel like a scooter video. I'm doing this is 73 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:03,599 Speaker 1: good now. A month later after Baby Mackamore entered the world, 74 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:08,280 Speaker 1: funny hammer guy Chris hams Work was born. Yeah, and 75 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 1: one of your favorite time He's funny, he's got a hammer. 76 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: So there was let's see. Also at the end of 77 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:17,840 Speaker 1: the summer, Donald Glover was born, who you actually do 78 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:21,360 Speaker 1: like much like Funny Hammer Guy's say, Malcolmore. Now September 79 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:24,839 Speaker 1: was Donald Glover's birthday. Just putting that out there because 80 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 1: you wanted to send a birthday card. Coming up fast now, 81 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: two weeks before Donald Glover inches the world. That's where 82 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: our story takes place. Okay, you into this. Okay, Florida 83 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: late summer, Yeah, hot, humid, sticky, eats everything you don't 84 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:43,599 Speaker 1: want to be Now. It's the kind of place where 85 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 1: it feels like it may start raining anytime soon, or 86 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 1: it's just gotten done rainy. There was an old joke 87 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: I used to hear when I was a kid about Florida, 88 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 1: which is like, if you don't like the weather in Florida, 89 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: just stick around an hour, it'll change. Now this is 90 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: what you're experiencing as you are in South Florida, the 91 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,480 Speaker 1: Miami Dade area. And the star of our tale that 92 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 1: I would like to tell you about today is a 93 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:06,679 Speaker 1: man named David Hampton Butler Senior. David Hampton Butler Senior 94 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 1: will be a test latter, so please write that time 95 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 1: writing it right now, the four years before our story begins. 96 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:15,880 Speaker 1: David Hampton Butler Senior. He is a you know drug 97 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: smuggler and he's hanging out gets busted in Alabama and 98 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:22,599 Speaker 1: that becomes like who he is. But when we meet 99 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:25,279 Speaker 1: him in nine, he's a vice president of a small 100 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 1: charter airline called trans Air. And this is, you know, 101 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 1: a step up for an x con. You don't expect 102 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:35,159 Speaker 1: him to be the VP of a private airline, right right. 103 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 1: He's living well, not like you know, high on the hog. 104 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:40,280 Speaker 1: But the guy has a three thousand dollar home in 105 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 1: three which is you know, that's sizeable and expensive, and 106 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 1: he's doing well in life. Has also got a garage 107 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: full of several luxury cars, and he likes to keep 108 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:52,039 Speaker 1: a low profile. Does he have an embroidered pillow in 109 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: his home that says living well is the best revenge? 110 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 1: Nobody needs one? He does with like the gold tassels 111 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 1: and stuff. So this guy, David Hampton Butler Senior, who 112 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 1: appears to have gone legit, he is doing what psychiatries 113 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 1: like to call a lie. He is living a lie. 114 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: He has not gone leg yet. Clinical, Yes, keep up 115 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: with me. I'll try not to use too much of 116 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: the Yeah, this one. He's also what criminologists would be 117 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 1: referred to as an active drug smuggler. Yeah, so he's 118 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 1: also has one other secret. He is a high level 119 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: informant for the FBI. Oh yeah, he's hit. He's pouncing around. Now. 120 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 1: His family doesn't know this. In particular, his twenty year 121 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:43,920 Speaker 1: old son doesn't know this. Dave Hampton Butler Jr. Twenty 122 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: year old son. Now, this one little secret will go 123 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: on to shape both of their futures because I believe 124 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 1: if his son did know that his father was a 125 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 1: high level FBI informant, he probably wouldn't think it was 126 00:07:55,480 --> 00:08:00,400 Speaker 1: a good idea to fake his own kidnapping. Otherwise, it's 127 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 1: a great ideas a solid plan. But I'm saying is 128 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 1: if your dad has buddies in the FBI, they've got 129 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 1: the tools to catch you real quick. Now, at the 130 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: time of this kidnapping, his best friend is this Judge's son, 131 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 1: who's this is narrative. Well, he's also has a girlfriend. 132 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 1: She's an eighteen year old who attends at a community college. 133 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: She's also an exercise teacher. Her name is Carmen Karin. 134 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 1: And uh yeah, so he's got the narrative. Well, Judge's 135 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:26,280 Speaker 1: best friend, the jazzercise teacher as his girlfriend, and together 136 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: these three amateur kidnappers come up with a plan to 137 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: con and extort his father, the cocaine cartel gangster. There's 138 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: three amateurs idea. It's a simple plan to keep it 139 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 1: down to brass. Tax was like, well, we're not gonna 140 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 1: have a lot of a dormant and embellishments. We're just 141 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 1: gonna do straight ransom notes. Right. So, David Butler Jr. 142 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:49,200 Speaker 1: This is their plan. He'll go missing on a Friday, 143 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:52,320 Speaker 1: have a nice long weekend, hang out with his girlfriend, 144 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:54,960 Speaker 1: you know, just normally do what they would do. They 145 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:58,320 Speaker 1: they're gonna go enjoy a Florida weekend together while his 146 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:03,199 Speaker 1: friend Joe Hickey, he helps work out the threatening parts 147 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 1: for his father, right, because it's important that his father 148 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 1: be terrified that he's gone. It can't just be that 149 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:09,960 Speaker 1: they go off on a lark. So they have this 150 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 1: whole plan. On Friday, he'll go missing and then hide 151 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 1: up for the weekend, laylo with her girlfriend. On Monday, 152 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 1: they'll arrange for his return once they've properly scared his 153 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 1: father throughout the weekend. Okay, Okay. Now, his girlfriend Carmen, 154 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: she comes up with the plan. She'll type up ransom 155 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: notes at the community college. They have typewriters there. That 156 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 1: way they won't be traced back to her, won't be handwritten. 157 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 1: Kind of smart right now, Joe Hickey, he helps a 158 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:35,959 Speaker 1: word these so they're maximally threatening. He actually has a 159 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 1: little history with threatening people. He faced a charge where 160 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:40,839 Speaker 1: he tried to get a woman to pay five hundred 161 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 1: dollars to get a dog back or something. And so yeah, 162 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:45,720 Speaker 1: he's like a whole I said, never do well, He's like, 163 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: I got this one. Here's what we gotta do. Put 164 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:50,280 Speaker 1: in terrifying language. So he believes that it's the cocaine 165 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:52,720 Speaker 1: smugglers who grabbed you. So he's working on making this 166 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 1: terrifying ransom notes. Right, So, the first typewritten ransom note 167 00:09:56,559 --> 00:10:00,840 Speaker 1: arrives at the Butler home on Friday, Right one's gone missing. 168 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:05,080 Speaker 1: The ransom note reads, we have finally taken revenge against you, 169 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 1: Mr Butler. We are now holding your son David Jr. 170 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:11,319 Speaker 1: Al Right, simple, straightforward, right to the point, right, And 171 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,679 Speaker 1: the note also includes the demand they will insist on 172 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 1: two million dollars in small bills if you ever want 173 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:23,080 Speaker 1: to see your son ever again. It's this one strapper money. 174 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:26,679 Speaker 1: They're like, yeah, I want five and one and they 175 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:29,080 Speaker 1: got to be crinkly and correctly. And I can't smell sweat. 176 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 1: I don't want it now. David Butler Sr. His son's grabbed. 177 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 1: He knows he deals with bad men all the time 178 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 1: from a living He immediately begins to panic. His worst 179 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 1: fears have been realized. His criminal business dealings have now 180 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 1: not only put his life at risk, but put his 181 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:47,680 Speaker 1: family's life at risk. Right, So on Friday, he doesn't 182 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:49,319 Speaker 1: know what to do. He does he want to tell 183 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 1: his wife? Does he what can? He can't call the cops. 184 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:54,720 Speaker 1: He doesn't know what to do, right, So he's like panicking, 185 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:58,320 Speaker 1: racking his mind, spends the whole night in fear. Saturday, 186 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:01,800 Speaker 1: new ransom note or lives and he's like, okay, so 187 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 1: he checks the ransom note and this one, this one 188 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:09,120 Speaker 1: is more threatening. Thank you, Joe Hicky. So but no, 189 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:12,080 Speaker 1: you must know our threat is real. David is safe. 190 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 1: Your time is running out. We will not stand for 191 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:18,439 Speaker 1: any setups or police involvement if we are informed. Otherwise 192 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: your son will be killed without hesitation. Right, So it's 193 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 1: ramping up. Good job, Joe Hicky. Now the father David 194 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:31,520 Speaker 1: Butler Sr. He believes Rampson notes are or could be legit. 195 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:33,880 Speaker 1: He's not exactly certain because they don't quite fit the 196 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:36,959 Speaker 1: pattern he would expect. But it's his son. I would 197 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:39,319 Speaker 1: think at this point they'd be like sending a pinky 198 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 1: or something that exactly, you know, if he's dealing with 199 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: real Colombian Cartel's like, we got to ramp this up, 200 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 1: and it's not. It's hard to find a spare pinky 201 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: to send. So like if I were them, if they 202 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 1: went upstairs to the faculty lounge at this community college 203 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 1: and they got me to come down and help them 204 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:00,440 Speaker 1: type it up, it's true freedom. I feel. Here's what 205 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 1: we do. You guys go get a piece of bologney 206 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:05,199 Speaker 1: and we'll say we cut off some of his rump 207 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 1: meat and this is it slice. Yeah, it would be 208 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:12,199 Speaker 1: really good on rye. Yeah exactly. I like this. You 209 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:15,440 Speaker 1: could have been good. See I don't think not, and 210 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 1: we just haven't found out about it yet. The look 211 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 1: on my face right now, pure shock, Elizabeth, Master, criminal 212 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:25,080 Speaker 1: that you are. What would you do next? You've got 213 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:28,720 Speaker 1: the father terrified. Okay, so we're not sending rump meat, 214 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 1: so flip it. What do you do as the father? 215 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:33,920 Speaker 1: As the father, how about that. I call some people 216 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 1: I know and feel like you're good at this. These 217 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:41,320 Speaker 1: amateur criminals, they should have consulted with someone like you, 218 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:44,120 Speaker 1: because that's exactly what his father did. There. He goes 219 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 1: right to his handlers at the FBI and he's like, Okay, 220 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 1: my son has been grabbed. And the FBI is like, 221 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 1: you're in luck. That's what we do. We don't care. 222 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 1: So they're like, we promise you will find your son 223 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 1: or we will try really hard. So FBI's free. He 224 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 1: spring into action. Right, they promised to find the kidnappers. Sunday, 225 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:11,120 Speaker 1: nothing has occurred yet a new ransom note arrives at 226 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:15,280 Speaker 1: the Butler home. Right. This note now has instructions for 227 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 1: what he's supposed to do to get his son back. 228 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: The note tells him to follow instructions to a sidewalk 229 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:23,560 Speaker 1: cafe in Coconut Grove, Florida. So he does. He gets 230 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 1: in his car, takes into one of his luxury cars, 231 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:28,560 Speaker 1: drives down to Coconut grow He finds his sidewalk cafe. 232 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: He walks in. He follows a ransom notes instructions and 233 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:33,440 Speaker 1: it says to check behind a poster on the wall. 234 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 1: He goes up, he finds his poster on the wall, 235 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:41,439 Speaker 1: and there behind the poster is what a second note. 236 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:46,679 Speaker 1: It's fun hanging out down. It's just like flat stamps. 237 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 1: So this second note, it warn't quote. Every precaution has 238 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 1: been taken to prevent any of your tricks. So these 239 00:13:56,640 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 1: people apparently know him, right, these people is his son? 240 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:02,720 Speaker 1: His son knows his father, well, he knows his father's 241 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 1: up to all his tricks. At least he thinks he 242 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 1: knows his father. Well, that's the key. Now, as this 243 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:11,720 Speaker 1: weekend drags on, David Hampton Butler Sr. Begins to suspect 244 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 1: it may not be a rival Colombian cartel that kidnapped 245 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 1: his son. It doesn't feel like their style. They wouldn't 246 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 1: send all these cheeky messages, is your point. They would 247 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 1: send a finger, They would do and something. Can you 248 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 1: imagine they had to go to this cafe and like 249 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:27,320 Speaker 1: slip the paper, do they know, like one of the 250 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 1: waiters like don't tell anybody for a scavenger and then 251 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:32,640 Speaker 1: like slip it behind in Florida State. It's fun. It's 252 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 1: a fat thing. So yeah, that's not cartel behavior. Yeah, 253 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:40,120 Speaker 1: the whole like sidewalk cafe. I mean, right there, I'm like, 254 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 1: you are not a member of a cocaine cartel. They're like, Okay, 255 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:48,320 Speaker 1: go to this frozen yogurt the bottom of the eminem sprinkle. 256 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 1: Make sure it asked for the fun fl you find 257 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 1: your son's pinky. Well, it turns out that his instincts 258 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 1: are mostly right, as we will soon find out after 259 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:00,160 Speaker 1: the short break. Will be right back with more The 260 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: Strange Tale of David Hampton Butler Jr. Versus David Hampton 261 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 1: Butler Sr. So, Elizabeth, where were we? We were talking 262 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:30,760 Speaker 1: some Dave versus Dave action. We got the battle and 263 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 1: Dave Dave Senior, Dave Junior producer, Dave yea, do you 264 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 1: have any comments on this? Houses Dave on Dave action? 265 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 1: For you, I mean, the thing is, you can't really 266 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: bet for or against either Dave. I mean comes out 267 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:47,360 Speaker 1: you just you just got. It's written for Dave. I 268 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: always root for Dave. Dave always wins. Dave's right now. 269 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 1: David Hampton Butler Jr. Missing David Hampton Butler Senior panicked 270 00:15:57,160 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 1: but has the FBA on his side. So he's feeling 271 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 1: a little bit of a good position and he's kind 272 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:02,840 Speaker 1: of certain this is a little hinky and that maybe 273 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 1: his son is not really in danger. That's where we're at. 274 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 1: So being an FBI informant, he's feeling, you know, these 275 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 1: tricks don't quite play, and he's uh, you know, curious. 276 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:15,960 Speaker 1: But at the same time, it's his son. He's got 277 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:18,160 Speaker 1: to still care about what's going to happen to his son. 278 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:20,480 Speaker 1: So if he's wrong, even if ten percent chance that 279 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 1: it could be actual cartel, he's got to play that 280 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 1: tempercent chance, right. But his FBI context they also have 281 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: their doubts, so it's getting lower, more like a five 282 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 1: percent chance. Right By Monday, the FBI agents come to 283 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 1: the conclusion that there are no true kidnappers involved in this. 284 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 1: They've looked over all the materials, they've read it. They're like, 285 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 1: these are amateurs. I don't know what's going on here. 286 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 1: Do you have any personal contexts? Do you owe anybody 287 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:44,360 Speaker 1: money who would be trying to do this to you? 288 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 1: Dave Hampton Butler, seeing your rax's mind, he cannot think 289 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 1: of anybody he owes money to anybody personally who would 290 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:52,040 Speaker 1: be doing this to him. It's got to be one 291 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 1: of his criminal contexts. If somebody was doing this to you. 292 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:57,000 Speaker 1: Would you have a long list of people you would 293 00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 1: guess at the intern um, I don't really. I would 294 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:05,439 Speaker 1: not have a long right. It's difficult to come up 295 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:07,880 Speaker 1: with a list of enemies for the average person. Now, 296 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 1: if you're an FBI informant, you have a little bit 297 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:14,879 Speaker 1: longer list, and if you're a drug dealer, double your length. 298 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:17,840 Speaker 1: So he's got a list he's kind of creating, like uh, 299 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 1: and he's crossing out names. He can't figure it out. 300 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 1: Luckily for him, Monday night, he gets a call from 301 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: the kidnappers, first time they have actually spoken with him. 302 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:29,440 Speaker 1: So now he's like, oh, I guess they are legit. 303 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:33,240 Speaker 1: They tell the worried father, if you pay the ransom, 304 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:36,119 Speaker 1: your boy will be returned the following day. So he's like, 305 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 1: all right, well, I gotta play the five percent chance 306 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:42,919 Speaker 1: that these people are He's instructed to bring twenty bags 307 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:46,680 Speaker 1: of cash once again, all small bills, totaling two million dollars, 308 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:49,400 Speaker 1: and drive out to a remote location for the exchange. 309 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 1: David Hampton Butler Senior. He listens to all the instructions, 310 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:55,639 Speaker 1: He's like, okay, bet, and he does as he's So 311 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 1: he's got that kind of cash. He's a drug smuggler. 312 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:01,639 Speaker 1: So I got he's got the two million sitting around, 313 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 1: went out to the deep freezer and the only hard 314 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 1: part was making sure it's small bills. He's like, I 315 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:08,600 Speaker 1: gotta go down and find he broke, Like he had 316 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 1: to go around breaking him at strip clubs. He was 317 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:13,120 Speaker 1: going out to clubs and when the girls are walking out, 318 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:15,639 Speaker 1: how would you shift? Did you make a couple of foul? 319 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 1: So after he's been done, gathering up all his cash, 320 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 1: putting it in like ziplock bags of twenty ziplock bags, 321 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:25,639 Speaker 1: all with little cash. He does this. He's instructed. He 322 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:27,720 Speaker 1: drives out to this remote location. Now he has to 323 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 1: go down to two lane highway from basically Tampa to 324 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:33,239 Speaker 1: Miami that runs through the Everglades. And this is like, 325 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:36,240 Speaker 1: there's nothing on this highway. It's just the Everglades, just 326 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 1: swamp right. So he's like, I don't know where I'm 327 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:41,600 Speaker 1: going to possibly meet a person out here. Elizabeth, you've 328 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:43,159 Speaker 1: ever been to the floor Everglades? Now do you know 329 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:46,080 Speaker 1: what I'm talking about? It all seen. So imagine a road, 330 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:48,440 Speaker 1: the two lanes like a southern highway, a little grass 331 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:49,920 Speaker 1: strip on either side, and then as soon as the 332 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:53,280 Speaker 1: grass strip ends, it's just swamp swamp immediately cypress trees. 333 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:55,479 Speaker 1: Like an alligator could crawl out onto the road. Right, 334 00:18:55,520 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: that's where he's driving by himself, with all these two 335 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 1: million dollars in cash. So, Elizabeth, I'd like you to 336 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:05,520 Speaker 1: close your eyes and picture it. Okay, It's a sweltering 337 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:07,919 Speaker 1: Monday night in Florida. It's the kind of humid night 338 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,680 Speaker 1: that makes your clothes stick to your skin. You can 339 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,360 Speaker 1: hear the air vibrating with the heat and the bugs. 340 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,520 Speaker 1: You're alone, standing on the side of a two lane 341 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:20,440 Speaker 1: rural highway hitchhike. It's a very yeah, you know, we 342 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:23,080 Speaker 1: got the short shorts on. So far, it's been a long, 343 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:25,679 Speaker 1: hot night. A few cars have passed, none have stopped 344 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:28,400 Speaker 1: for you, and the mosquitoes there won't leave you alone. Finally, 345 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:31,440 Speaker 1: out past the curtain of cypress trees and the thick 346 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:35,120 Speaker 1: swamp rushes, you spy headlights approaching in the dark distance. 347 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:38,320 Speaker 1: Maybe this will be the car that stops you. Hope, 348 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:40,640 Speaker 1: you say a small prayer. You need to get out 349 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:43,960 Speaker 1: of this night. The mosquitoes are pretty much feeding on you, 350 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:46,119 Speaker 1: and the sweat is driving you mad. So the car. 351 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:49,080 Speaker 1: It slows down. Maybe a small hope is being answered. 352 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:51,480 Speaker 1: It's a Mercedes. It pulls to a stop in the 353 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:54,800 Speaker 1: loose gravel right next to you. It starts idle, passenger 354 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:57,879 Speaker 1: windows slides down. It's middle aged white man. He's at 355 00:19:57,920 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 1: the wheel. He tarranting, looks at you. His face is 356 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,320 Speaker 1: really worried. It's kind of actually scary. He says, do 357 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:07,360 Speaker 1: you know where the trail Indian Baptist churches? You're like, uh, Now, 358 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:09,399 Speaker 1: before the truth can escape your lips, which is no, 359 00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 1: you do not, a lie leaps from your lips and 360 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:13,879 Speaker 1: you say, yes, yes I do. If you give me 361 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 1: a ride, I'll show you where it is. I'm going 362 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 1: that way. Now, you're from California. You don't know Florida 363 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 1: at all. You're with psychiatrists. Call lying. I am covered 364 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:26,960 Speaker 1: in mosquitoes. I'm getting like anaphylactic at this point. Yeah, 365 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:28,840 Speaker 1: I'm like whatever, Yeah, I know where everything is. Let 366 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:31,560 Speaker 1: me in the car. I'll personally build the church. Let's go. 367 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: I built the globe. Let me in here. Well, it's 368 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 1: like I say, a bump steer is better than no 369 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:38,439 Speaker 1: steer at all. So you give him the bumpstaer and 370 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:40,240 Speaker 1: send him on the road, but you also hop in 371 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:42,479 Speaker 1: the car with him. So he's like, yeah, get in. 372 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:44,639 Speaker 1: You're like, all right, cool. You immediately notice when you 373 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:47,159 Speaker 1: get in that there are but at least fifteen bags 374 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:49,920 Speaker 1: of cash in the back seat. I'm like, well, just dude, 375 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:51,639 Speaker 1: to turn around with bags of cash? Did he just 376 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 1: rob a strip clumb Now this car idea maybe wasn't 377 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:56,679 Speaker 1: such a good idea for you, but you're in it, 378 00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 1: and he floors it. And now you're on this rural 379 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:01,720 Speaker 1: highway tearing down inn Mercedes and this guy with the 380 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: loose cash in the back and he's got wild eyes. 381 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 1: You're like, I need to make better choices with my life. Yeah, totally, 382 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:13,040 Speaker 1: But hear me out, I'd rather see bags of cash 383 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 1: in the back than see like an abduction kit of 384 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:19,680 Speaker 1: like duct tape and a hammer and that garbage bags. 385 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 1: And he's just you know, that's so I look around. 386 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 1: I see the cash like this I can probably handle. 387 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:26,479 Speaker 1: Maybe he's a legitimate businessman. Maybe he won't notice if 388 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:29,639 Speaker 1: I just put one into my back pocket. I like 389 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:32,920 Speaker 1: your thoughts. So this middle aged man, frantic eyes behind 390 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 1: the wheel, he turns to you. After a few miles, 391 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 1: he says it's the church this way or back the 392 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 1: other way, and you're like, uh, now you got tell well, 393 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:44,959 Speaker 1: I'm trying to go straight right it is down the road, apiece. 394 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 1: We will just keep going. It's exactly what you say. 395 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:50,080 Speaker 1: You lie your sweet face off it. He buys it. 396 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:52,359 Speaker 1: And now you're turning to wonder if you get to 397 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:54,159 Speaker 1: the church, can you make a run for it because 398 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: this guy is really making you nervous. Oh yeah I can. 399 00:21:57,119 --> 00:21:59,400 Speaker 1: And then oh what luck? You spy a sign there? 400 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:04,200 Speaker 1: It is? You claim it's the Trail Indian Independent Baptist Church. Yes, 401 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:07,679 Speaker 1: totally right, it's a chance you one. He barely touches 402 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:11,159 Speaker 1: the brakes, the car slides into the gravel of the 403 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:14,640 Speaker 1: church parking lot. Luckily it's just before midnight, there's nobody 404 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:17,639 Speaker 1: in there. He then hops out of the car just 405 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 1: as it stops, runs over to a pay phone by 406 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:23,000 Speaker 1: the church, and you then see that he doesn't use 407 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:25,119 Speaker 1: the payphone. Need to stand there waiting, and you're like, 408 00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:27,639 Speaker 1: this is really odd. Does he not know the number 409 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:29,920 Speaker 1: to call? Is he nervous to call the person? Is 410 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 1: he calling his wife? What's going on here? Right? Then, 411 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:34,040 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, the phone rings. You're like, oh, 412 00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:36,399 Speaker 1: he was waiting for the call. The money in the 413 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 1: back seats all starting to put together. You're like, huh. 414 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 1: Now you're sitting there alone in the Mercedes with the cash, 415 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:43,640 Speaker 1: and you're like, did he leave the keys? He did 416 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:45,960 Speaker 1: not leave the keys. So you're having to sit there 417 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:48,320 Speaker 1: and you're in this parking lot. Every lade swamps all 418 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:49,919 Speaker 1: around you. As I told you, it looks like an 419 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:52,119 Speaker 1: alligator could climb out of the swamp at anytime. You 420 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:53,639 Speaker 1: don't really want to get out of the car. You're like, 421 00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:55,920 Speaker 1: what the do I do? You know what I do? 422 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:57,600 Speaker 1: What do you do? I grab a bag of cat 423 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:01,680 Speaker 1: every plane starts, I really quietly get out of the 424 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 1: car and I tiptoe around the back and they break 425 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 1: in the back of the church suctuary, yes, the church 426 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 1: in the wild, and then I hide from him. This church, 427 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:13,639 Speaker 1: it turns up, belongs to the Mikosuki and Seminole tribes 428 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 1: who live in the area. It's of super rural. This 429 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 1: is like there's nobody around there, but they have a 430 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 1: little community. Right. So this church, as all churches are 431 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 1: most churches are, is open. You're like hoping that maybe, 432 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:25,800 Speaker 1: you know, I could spend the night here, right, You're like, huh. 433 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 1: But right as you're kicking over all these plants in 434 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 1: your head, you see the driver screaming into the phone, 435 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 1: go where go where? I'm not going out into the 436 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 1: swamp in the middle of night. You have to be 437 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:38,120 Speaker 1: kidding me. You're like, I don't know what's going on here. 438 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 1: Silence told the silence again, he listens. Then all of 439 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:44,359 Speaker 1: a sudden, more shouting, yes, I have a cash Do 440 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 1: you have my son? You're like, oh, snap, you're at 441 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:51,880 Speaker 1: a ransom exchange. You don't know what to do. Then 442 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:54,359 Speaker 1: you hear the driver shouting to the phone. Well, then 443 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:57,320 Speaker 1: you can't keep him and he hangs up like, oh 444 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:01,000 Speaker 1: I didn't go well. So he slammed the car door shut, 445 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 1: gets back in with you. You call me, turn everything okay, 446 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 1: and he's like, I'm going home. You need a ride. 447 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 1: You're like, ah, you look at him, You look at 448 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:12,119 Speaker 1: the church. You look at him, You look at the church, like, 449 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:14,200 Speaker 1: I'll just I'll stay here. So you get out of 450 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:16,640 Speaker 1: the car, you walk over the church. Luckily you're right, 451 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:18,560 Speaker 1: the doors are open. You spend the night in the church, 452 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 1: and Mercedy pulls away and you're like that was one 453 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:22,320 Speaker 1: of the weirdest nights of my life. I've got a 454 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:26,239 Speaker 1: great story going forward that, Oh totally. You're gonna have 455 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: one hell of a TikTok to tell. All Right, So 456 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:31,239 Speaker 1: as you're sitting there in the church, you spend the night, 457 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:33,200 Speaker 1: you sleep in a pew, you wake up in the morning, 458 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:35,399 Speaker 1: you go outside, the sun is there to greet you. 459 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 1: And you walk out and there's a cop car. You're like, 460 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:41,520 Speaker 1: what the And it's a look a sucky seminal tribal 461 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:43,560 Speaker 1: police officer. It's like out a cruiser and in the 462 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,320 Speaker 1: back is this kid, a white kid, sweaty face, mosquito 463 00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 1: bites all over. He looks like he slept in a 464 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 1: swamp because he did. You're like, I bet that's the kid. Yeah, 465 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:59,600 Speaker 1: and you are right David Hampton Butler Jr. David Junea. 466 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 1: So it turns out you just saw David Hampton Butler Jr. 467 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:04,680 Speaker 1: Right at the moment when he gets rescued from his 468 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:08,199 Speaker 1: botch self kidnapping. Uh wait, he was actually at this 469 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 1: whole So on Friday he kidnapped himself. Here's okay. What 470 00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:16,160 Speaker 1: had happened was he spent the weekend driving around town 471 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:18,840 Speaker 1: with his jazzer size instructor girl from They like, you know, 472 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 1: they're calling Joe Hicky, you got the new ransom note ready, 473 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 1: We're ready to go. Type it. They go to community 474 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 1: college type it up. They're doing their bit right. Everything's 475 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:27,960 Speaker 1: going like a bad Team movie starting, I don't know, 476 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:31,440 Speaker 1: like a pre fame Nicholas Cage. And this bad Team 477 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 1: movie comes to its culmination on Monday when they decide, okay, 478 00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 1: it's time to get paid now. Joe Hicky is looking 479 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 1: at about a thirty grand score that's his cut of this, 480 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:43,359 Speaker 1: and he's willing to do all this stuff two million 481 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 1: and he's only doing thirty grant right. So he picks 482 00:25:49,040 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 1: the church. He's like, I know this roll out of 483 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:53,600 Speaker 1: the way spot. He lines up everything. He drives David 484 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: Hampton Butler Jr. Out To the church, goes get out, 485 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:58,360 Speaker 1: drops him off in the swamp and says, we'll get 486 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:00,159 Speaker 1: your father to come out here. When you see him 487 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:02,000 Speaker 1: drop off the money, walk out of the swamp and 488 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:07,840 Speaker 1: greet him like, Dad, it's me bet. So he makes 489 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 1: him hang out in the swamp there for twenty six hours. 490 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:14,240 Speaker 1: And remember you saw the dad drive away. The dad 491 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:16,159 Speaker 1: was like no, I ain't going into I'm not following 492 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:18,639 Speaker 1: these instructions anymore that five percent. I don't believe you 493 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:20,440 Speaker 1: don't really have my son or you are my son. 494 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:22,639 Speaker 1: I don't care. I'm out of here. So, after he 495 00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:25,120 Speaker 1: realizes his dad is not coming to save him, he 496 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:27,040 Speaker 1: has to walk out of the swamp. He walks out 497 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 1: of the swamp all like mosquito, bitten and sweaty and 498 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:32,240 Speaker 1: and barely surviving all the venomous creatures that live in 499 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:34,040 Speaker 1: the swamp, and the first thing he sees is a 500 00:26:34,040 --> 00:26:35,800 Speaker 1: cop who pulls them over and they go, hey, what 501 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:38,000 Speaker 1: are you doing out here because there's nobody out there, 502 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:41,680 Speaker 1: and oh, yeah, I got grabbed by these Spanish speaking gentlemen. 503 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:46,399 Speaker 1: The cops are like, now their their native cops, so 504 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:49,280 Speaker 1: they don't go for the racist lies, like we don't 505 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:51,959 Speaker 1: believe your son, So they keep questioning for three hours. 506 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 1: He's like, yeah, he's Spanish speaking gentleman who took me 507 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:57,560 Speaker 1: in there? Like okay, well what did they say? And 508 00:26:57,560 --> 00:26:59,359 Speaker 1: it's like it's like, I don't know Spanish and so 509 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:01,879 Speaker 1: I don't speak that, you know, So they don't buy it. 510 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:03,760 Speaker 1: They keep after him. Eventually he's like okay, I did 511 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:06,800 Speaker 1: it myself. I could have myself. He totally comes clean. 512 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:09,639 Speaker 1: He admits to the cops that he his girlfriend Joe Hikey, 513 00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 1: they all got together and they were trying to extort 514 00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:14,919 Speaker 1: his dad, but it didn't happen, so it's fine, no crime. 515 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 1: The cops are like, no, that's a crime, So we're 516 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:18,960 Speaker 1: going to call the FBI because that's kid. Not think 517 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:23,520 Speaker 1: you can have yourself. That's still kidding. So they always 518 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:27,080 Speaker 1: that's boss, which is embarrassing to say the least. Can 519 00:27:27,119 --> 00:27:28,960 Speaker 1: you imagine if your mom worked with the FBI and 520 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:33,440 Speaker 1: she got that call, Like, hey, by the way, So 521 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:37,440 Speaker 1: David Hampton Butler Jr. Uh, Well, before we get back 522 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:40,119 Speaker 1: to David Hampton Butler Junior having to come correct with 523 00:27:40,160 --> 00:27:43,320 Speaker 1: his father once he figures this out. When you were 524 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:45,360 Speaker 1: a kid, do you ever have to wait for your 525 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:48,680 Speaker 1: parents and like they didn't come and like you're sitting yeah, 526 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:51,320 Speaker 1: my grandma your grandma house. Well, she was supposed to 527 00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:53,280 Speaker 1: pick us up from school, and a lot of times 528 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:57,640 Speaker 1: she would get distracted doing stuff and like one time, 529 00:27:57,760 --> 00:27:59,199 Speaker 1: like sometimes would be like she was just in the 530 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:02,159 Speaker 1: supermarket for she loved going to the supermarket and staying 531 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:07,199 Speaker 1: for like three hours. She loved going she did. That 532 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:09,800 Speaker 1: was her jam. And then one time we were there 533 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 1: and I like to remember it where it was raining, 534 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:13,879 Speaker 1: but I don't know if it really was raining, but 535 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:16,919 Speaker 1: in my memory it was, yeah, my brother and I 536 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:19,639 Speaker 1: were sitting there all rain soaked, and she didn't show up. 537 00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:21,480 Speaker 1: And in my like, I'm like it was like, what 538 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:23,800 Speaker 1: eight o'clock. I was probably you know, like she was 539 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 1: probably like an hour late. I'm like six hours late. Um. 540 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 1: And it turned out that she got stuck in a 541 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 1: parking lot of a store because there was a car 542 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:36,200 Speaker 1: accident blocking the exit, so she was just stuck there 543 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:38,840 Speaker 1: and she didn't have a cell probably just went back 544 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:45,160 Speaker 1: into the store like something. Do I know that? And 545 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: this is this is hitting a little close to home, sah. 546 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:50,040 Speaker 1: And also I think you may need to amplify that 547 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 1: to like buy a thousand percent because like, imagine if 548 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:54,640 Speaker 1: you kidnapped yourself and your dad's like, I don't know, 549 00:28:54,720 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 1: keep them. It's worse than sitting in the the Florida cops, 550 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 1: as they told you, they call the FBI, and the 551 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:06,400 Speaker 1: FBI sends out agent David Boner to work the case. 552 00:29:07,560 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 1: Agent David Boner because there's how many. They're just going alphabetically. 553 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:20,640 Speaker 1: Anderson's busy Boner, Dave Anderson, No, Dave Boner, gut go on. 554 00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 1: So doesn't take long for the agents to break the case. 555 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:27,160 Speaker 1: David Hampton Butler Junior confesses to it all. He gives 556 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:30,240 Speaker 1: up everyone, and then they of course they turn them 557 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:33,600 Speaker 1: loose on the justice system and the prosecutors for the 558 00:29:34,040 --> 00:29:36,320 Speaker 1: federal courts. They go after him, They confront him, He 559 00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 1: agrees to a pleadio and basically gives up everybody. His 560 00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 1: girlfriend does the same thing. So these eighteen year old 561 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: jazzercise instructor Karmen, she confesses to typing up the ransom 562 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:47,840 Speaker 1: letters and her parents have to put up their house 563 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:51,479 Speaker 1: to bail. He speaking of the ransom letters. So can 564 00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:54,000 Speaker 1: I just tell you that I am positive that the 565 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:57,480 Speaker 1: FBI seizing the typewriters at the community college is like 566 00:29:57,520 --> 00:29:59,920 Speaker 1: the most exciting thing that's ever happened there, and they 567 00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 1: still talk about it. They came in Dan their jackets 568 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:07,840 Speaker 1: is the Blues and two's coming in. So David Butler Jr. 569 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:10,000 Speaker 1: Because he you know, makes a plea deal. He quickly 570 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:12,880 Speaker 1: goes to arrangement. And I want you to picture this 571 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:16,680 Speaker 1: just lightly his arraignment hearing. He goes and their judges 572 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:19,360 Speaker 1: there on the bench and he tells the judge, yes, well, 573 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:21,920 Speaker 1: you know, I have to understand are I'm a businessman 574 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 1: and uh very important kai and I don't know that 575 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:26,840 Speaker 1: little nonsense about fake kidnapping. It was a more of 576 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 1: a deal, I don't. Judges like, excuse me, you're a businessman. 577 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:31,280 Speaker 1: How was this a Business's like, well, you know, I've 578 00:30:31,320 --> 00:30:37,120 Speaker 1: recently invested dollars in a pasta and gelato factory. Just like, 579 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:40,520 Speaker 1: excuse me what now He's like, I'm not a businessman. 580 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:45,680 Speaker 1: I'm a businessman man. So the guys like the judges 581 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:48,080 Speaker 1: like I'm sorry, did you say you have an Italian 582 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:50,280 Speaker 1: ice cream factory? And he's like that is your right, 583 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:52,080 Speaker 1: your honor. And the judges like, well, where did you 584 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:55,360 Speaker 1: get this thirty thousand dollars you invested? And David Butler Jr. 585 00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:57,520 Speaker 1: He quickly confers with his lawyer and then he goes 586 00:30:57,560 --> 00:30:59,360 Speaker 1: back to the judge. He says, well, I'd like to 587 00:30:59,360 --> 00:31:03,000 Speaker 1: not enter that question at this moment. You're on now 588 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:08,520 Speaker 1: what's ill gotten gains for a gelato factory? And he's 589 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:10,920 Speaker 1: wearing by the way, for his arrayment. Hearing he's wearing 590 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:13,000 Speaker 1: a T shirt and the T shirt says, trust me, 591 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:17,640 Speaker 1: what in the what? Yeah? Now as she was wearing 592 00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:20,360 Speaker 1: one of those tuxedo T shirts that would be amazing 593 00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:24,040 Speaker 1: now his partner cried, Joe Hikey a judge. He tries 594 00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:26,160 Speaker 1: to fight the case and he decides to go on trial. 595 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:28,040 Speaker 1: He's like, I was taking to trial. I know how 596 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:31,120 Speaker 1: to beat the system. But he doesn't count on boyfriend 597 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:33,680 Speaker 1: and girlfriend David Hampton Butler Jr. And Carmen Karin. No. 598 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:38,520 Speaker 1: They both agree to testify and they say it was 599 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:41,880 Speaker 1: his idea was double cross junction over here where they're 600 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:44,600 Speaker 1: like you're gonna get you're not getting a big cut. 601 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:47,120 Speaker 1: And keep in mind they're all facing twenty five years 602 00:31:47,120 --> 00:31:49,719 Speaker 1: to life for this. This is sure they're going to 603 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:52,360 Speaker 1: so they of course, you know, they roll over the Yeah, 604 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:55,840 Speaker 1: he was his idea. He worded the ransom letters. Karmens 605 00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:57,600 Speaker 1: like I just typed. I don't even know this is 606 00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:00,600 Speaker 1: you know that. The David him to fathers like, yeah, 607 00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:02,400 Speaker 1: he picked the exchange side. He dropped me off and 608 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:05,600 Speaker 1: it wasn't it was all him And everyone's like, oh now, 609 00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:09,280 Speaker 1: Joe Hicky's like you, mother, but he sits there, grins 610 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:11,720 Speaker 1: and bears it. And after the after everything, he's tried 611 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:15,120 Speaker 1: and he's convicted. So both Butler Junior and Hicky, though, 612 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:17,320 Speaker 1: get lucky and they are only sentenced to one year 613 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:20,480 Speaker 1: in federal prison. If you can believe it, this is 614 00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:25,920 Speaker 1: not the end of this story. Back after these, I'd 615 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:27,480 Speaker 1: like to tell you the other side of the story. 616 00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:52,280 Speaker 1: David Hampton Butler, Senior. Side of the story. Elizabeth. Last 617 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:54,720 Speaker 1: week left agent David Bohner was trying to get to 618 00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:57,880 Speaker 1: the bottom of the case. We then went to trial. 619 00:32:58,080 --> 00:33:00,840 Speaker 1: Joe Hicky made the regrettable decision to take it to trial. 620 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:04,160 Speaker 1: Then David Hampton Butler Jr. And Carmen Cranda flipped on 621 00:33:04,280 --> 00:33:07,680 Speaker 1: him and everybody ended up going to jail. What fourth 622 00:33:07,720 --> 00:33:16,120 Speaker 1: grader wrote this screenplay and Hickey and then the Hubbub aerobics. 623 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:18,960 Speaker 1: It was a twelve year old fever dreams like I'm 624 00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:22,320 Speaker 1: gonna kidnap myself on a two million dollars from my 625 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: dad and my Jagger sized girlfriend and I We're gonna 626 00:33:25,480 --> 00:33:27,880 Speaker 1: go take that money to Sonic and my my friend 627 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:32,520 Speaker 1: Joe Hicky, said Dave Hampton Butler Jr. When he decided 628 00:33:32,560 --> 00:33:37,080 Speaker 1: to kidnap himself. This was August. Meanwhile, his dad, David 629 00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:39,960 Speaker 1: Hampton Butler Senior, he had his own legal troubles because 630 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:43,760 Speaker 1: on March two three, his father got busted moving pounds 631 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:46,920 Speaker 1: of cocaine. Wait so earlier that year, that same year, 632 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:49,400 Speaker 1: months earlier, he it was coked at. His bosses at 633 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:53,000 Speaker 1: the FBI knew nothing about oops and his dad was 634 00:33:53,040 --> 00:33:55,040 Speaker 1: facing a coke bus when his son decided to fake 635 00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:58,400 Speaker 1: his own kidnapping. So he had real legal problems. He's 636 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:00,959 Speaker 1: moonlighting and this is why he you get that he 637 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:04,520 Speaker 1: believed the kidnapping is that he was combust and he's 638 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:06,960 Speaker 1: an informant, So he's figuring that the cartel has figured 639 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:08,600 Speaker 1: this out and they're just trying to get back at 640 00:34:08,680 --> 00:34:10,920 Speaker 1: him that Thus it took him a while to go, 641 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:13,160 Speaker 1: you know what this is? This is hanky. Now. The 642 00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:16,240 Speaker 1: deal was from two to nineteen eighty four, David Hampton 643 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:19,520 Speaker 1: Butler Sr. Worked for the FBI as an undercover informant. 644 00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:22,480 Speaker 1: Right now, He did all sorts of drug deals. They 645 00:34:22,480 --> 00:34:24,920 Speaker 1: had him traveling internationally and the FBI is only supposed 646 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:28,080 Speaker 1: to be domestic. The CIA Islanda's international Yeah, I go 647 00:34:28,160 --> 00:34:30,120 Speaker 1: down to Columbia, go down to whatever you need, move 648 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:32,560 Speaker 1: them go. Yeah, you're going to Jamaica. We'll get you 649 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:35,759 Speaker 1: the tickets, get your hair braided, have fun. Good. Well, 650 00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:38,960 Speaker 1: we'll put a sandal. You'll love it. Elizabeth recommends it 651 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:41,520 Speaker 1: to everyone. So he's and we're talking to the Bahamas, 652 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:44,520 Speaker 1: South America, everywhere. He's going, right, but he's also working domestically. 653 00:34:44,520 --> 00:34:48,319 Speaker 1: They haven't flying out to Arkansas for drug deals to 654 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:51,879 Speaker 1: fabulous Arkansas. And uh so the FBI has got him, 655 00:34:51,920 --> 00:34:53,880 Speaker 1: you know, turned out drugs everywhere. Right, He's got this 656 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:56,920 Speaker 1: Miami supervisor who's super pleased with him because, according to 657 00:34:57,239 --> 00:35:00,680 Speaker 1: his supervisor, who testifies that to this David Butler Senior 658 00:35:00,840 --> 00:35:03,680 Speaker 1: quote helped the FBI recover more than eighty million worth 659 00:35:03,719 --> 00:35:07,840 Speaker 1: of drugs, boats, vehicles, and planes eighty million dollars in 660 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:10,239 Speaker 1: nineteen eight three. So that's some serious coin, right. Yeah. 661 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:14,160 Speaker 1: Now supervisor would also testify that quote, David Butler was 662 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:16,960 Speaker 1: no doubt the top informant the FBI had operating in 663 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:21,319 Speaker 1: South Florida during the early part of that's a big statement, exactly. 664 00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:23,880 Speaker 1: You know, this is Tokayne Cowboy era. So what's a 665 00:35:23,920 --> 00:35:27,399 Speaker 1: little light drug smuggling on the side. Exactly, what's twenty 666 00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:31,239 Speaker 1: two pounds of cocaine here there between friends? Now, just 667 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:33,360 Speaker 1: to kind of put some of these numbers in perspective 668 00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:35,400 Speaker 1: of what he was moving, I want to tell you 669 00:35:35,440 --> 00:35:38,600 Speaker 1: about there was a thousand pound pot bust that he 670 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:41,280 Speaker 1: was in charge of that coincidentally was a load seased 671 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:45,200 Speaker 1: in Arkansas. He was moving pounds the right. They seized 672 00:35:45,239 --> 00:35:47,200 Speaker 1: this load and then he flew it in on a 673 00:35:47,239 --> 00:35:50,239 Speaker 1: small private plane. The FBI sees is that they then 674 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:53,520 Speaker 1: make him the hero of the moment. He's done this 675 00:35:53,600 --> 00:35:56,480 Speaker 1: huge thousand pound pot bust, right, So this is amazing 676 00:35:56,520 --> 00:35:59,360 Speaker 1: FBI agent rustled dugger, he says in his court testimony. 677 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:02,600 Speaker 1: Quote Adler set the load up, he renegotiated with the 678 00:36:02,640 --> 00:36:05,919 Speaker 1: smugglers involved, and it actually flew the load in for 679 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:09,239 Speaker 1: the government. Right, So he's like a drug smuggler for 680 00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:12,600 Speaker 1: the US government. Now, Elizabeth, I'd like to go to 681 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:17,120 Speaker 1: close your eyes for a rare second picture it. Okay, 682 00:36:17,120 --> 00:36:21,680 Speaker 1: you're in Arkansas. Sorry about that, don't apologize. I love Arkansas. Actually, 683 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:24,920 Speaker 1: so you're in the middle of remember we love everywhere. Yeah, well, no, 684 00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:27,520 Speaker 1: we've been in Arkansas. Remember together. We were in that 685 00:36:27,560 --> 00:36:32,319 Speaker 1: town where they put us off the forty Palestine, Arkansas. Yeah, 686 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:36,200 Speaker 1: we were driving an across country. There was an accident. 687 00:36:36,480 --> 00:36:39,160 Speaker 1: Google Maps rerouted us. Yeah, and we've got to hang 688 00:36:39,160 --> 00:36:41,319 Speaker 1: out in that very interesting town of Palestine and there 689 00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:43,319 Speaker 1: well yeah, and it was like all the people in town, 690 00:36:43,360 --> 00:36:46,200 Speaker 1: they brought up lounge chairs to watch the traffic, watch 691 00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:50,080 Speaker 1: the traffic through There was that the red headed boy 692 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:53,280 Speaker 1: with a bull whip. Yeah, just like showing off for everything. 693 00:36:53,360 --> 00:36:56,560 Speaker 1: He's ripping the tree. People got a crowd. Hey, mom, 694 00:36:56,600 --> 00:36:59,839 Speaker 1: I gotta cross. It was so harmony. Karn, Oh my god. 695 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:01,879 Speaker 1: Yeah you Murer took a picture of him and he's 696 00:37:01,920 --> 00:37:04,120 Speaker 1: turned and stared right at us, and there's no way 697 00:37:04,160 --> 00:37:06,239 Speaker 1: he could have heard the click because the windows were up, 698 00:37:06,239 --> 00:37:11,000 Speaker 1: and was like that kid's got it. So that place 699 00:37:11,600 --> 00:37:13,880 Speaker 1: the middle of the night, your standing looks to be 700 00:37:13,880 --> 00:37:19,239 Speaker 1: an enormous grass field. A landing strip has been mowed down. 701 00:37:19,560 --> 00:37:22,480 Speaker 1: This makeshift airstrip is filled with road flares, because I 702 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:25,400 Speaker 1: know you love road flares. This small plane approach of 703 00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:27,720 Speaker 1: the landing strip, descending from the nights Guy. The pilot 704 00:37:27,760 --> 00:37:30,320 Speaker 1: is a young man, a friend of David Hampton. Butler Senior. 705 00:37:30,520 --> 00:37:32,680 Speaker 1: A total pro pilot who puts the plane down on 706 00:37:32,719 --> 00:37:34,960 Speaker 1: the grass field airstrip like he's a combat air veteran 707 00:37:35,239 --> 00:37:38,200 Speaker 1: or better yet, a drug smuggling pilot. And this pilot 708 00:37:38,239 --> 00:37:40,960 Speaker 1: who David Hampton Butler Seniors worked with numerous times is 709 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:43,560 Speaker 1: now officially a drug smuggler thanks to him because he's 710 00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:46,160 Speaker 1: doing his first big load for the government, so they 711 00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:47,880 Speaker 1: now know who he is. He'll show up later on 712 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:50,480 Speaker 1: in the stories, but for now, he's this pilot and 713 00:37:51,120 --> 00:37:53,799 Speaker 1: David Hampton Butler Sr. He's waiting at a truck and 714 00:37:53,840 --> 00:37:56,520 Speaker 1: with him are two undercover FBI agents, but you can't 715 00:37:56,520 --> 00:37:58,399 Speaker 1: tell that from where you are standing in the field. 716 00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:00,560 Speaker 1: They just look like two guys. Now, the truck meets 717 00:38:00,560 --> 00:38:03,160 Speaker 1: the small plane that pulls onto the landing strip and 718 00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:06,080 Speaker 1: you watch the offload bales of pot onto this truck 719 00:38:06,360 --> 00:38:08,480 Speaker 1: and they loaded and it takes them a little while 720 00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:11,200 Speaker 1: because it's a it's like probably about a thousand pounds 721 00:38:11,239 --> 00:38:13,279 Speaker 1: of pot. Right, you walk out in the field and 722 00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:14,919 Speaker 1: you ask them, hey, do you mind if I catch 723 00:38:14,960 --> 00:38:18,520 Speaker 1: your ride? Was like, what are you doing in this field? 724 00:38:18,680 --> 00:38:21,240 Speaker 1: The agents are totally thrown but David Ampton Butler Sr. 725 00:38:21,280 --> 00:38:23,960 Speaker 1: He recognizes you and he's like, yeah, cool whatever, man, 726 00:38:24,080 --> 00:38:26,400 Speaker 1: come on, because I got a pull with Yeah. And 727 00:38:26,440 --> 00:38:27,960 Speaker 1: also he had so much fun with you last time, 728 00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:29,799 Speaker 1: and you're really chill when he had the whole thing 729 00:38:29,840 --> 00:38:32,759 Speaker 1: with his son. So David Ampton brother seen. He tells 730 00:38:32,760 --> 00:38:35,240 Speaker 1: you hopping back with the pot and you're like cool. 731 00:38:35,320 --> 00:38:42,280 Speaker 1: Beats you hop in the background and you the pot bales. 732 00:38:42,360 --> 00:38:44,960 Speaker 1: David Ampton brother seen. You're in the two Undercabry FBI agents. 733 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:47,560 Speaker 1: You all drive across multiple states until you reach a 734 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:50,560 Speaker 1: toll and fuel plaza located on the floor to turnpipe. 735 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:54,400 Speaker 1: Am I in the back of the truck pickup truck? 736 00:38:54,920 --> 00:38:57,759 Speaker 1: It's dusty? Do I have at least like a band? Damn? 737 00:38:57,800 --> 00:38:59,920 Speaker 1: You got like one of the Mexican blankets is on 738 00:38:59,960 --> 00:39:02,000 Speaker 1: the side of the road and keeping your warm. You're 739 00:39:02,040 --> 00:39:06,440 Speaker 1: like doing like the real American like drug. It's so good. Yeah, 740 00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:09,640 Speaker 1: it's awesome. It's cross country drug. You're doing. You're doing great. 741 00:39:09,640 --> 00:39:11,680 Speaker 1: By the way, Thank you so much. So you're back 742 00:39:11,680 --> 00:39:13,600 Speaker 1: in Florida and you thank them for the ride. You 743 00:39:13,719 --> 00:39:16,040 Speaker 1: kept the pot bails from blowing out, not that they would. Yeah, 744 00:39:16,080 --> 00:39:17,839 Speaker 1: did I have to lay flat on top of them? 745 00:39:17,880 --> 00:39:19,600 Speaker 1: And they go over a bump and we all fly 746 00:39:19,719 --> 00:39:21,439 Speaker 1: up and then land. You have to grab the blue 747 00:39:21,480 --> 00:39:24,080 Speaker 1: tarp again pull it back down. So you tell him, look, 748 00:39:24,120 --> 00:39:25,879 Speaker 1: I'll find a new ride from here. I'm good, I'm 749 00:39:25,880 --> 00:39:28,359 Speaker 1: almost home. They're like, all right, cool David Hampton Butler 750 00:39:28,440 --> 00:39:31,040 Speaker 1: Seniors like points at you. I'm stuck because I'm still 751 00:39:31,040 --> 00:39:35,520 Speaker 1: imagining like green bales of hay or they're in like that, 752 00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:43,240 Speaker 1: like um coffee sack, damned pot pre duby Colombian pot. 753 00:39:44,040 --> 00:39:45,480 Speaker 1: So as you're standing there and you're geting ready to 754 00:39:45,480 --> 00:39:48,080 Speaker 1: say goodbye to your man David Hampton Butler Senior, and 755 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:50,000 Speaker 1: you're like, hey, it's been at such time. I can't 756 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:52,040 Speaker 1: believe we're back in Florida together. This is so wild. 757 00:39:52,160 --> 00:39:54,480 Speaker 1: He's like, yeah, maybe next time and we'll call me. 758 00:39:55,960 --> 00:39:58,520 Speaker 1: These two people walk up. They can tell from their 759 00:39:58,520 --> 00:40:01,399 Speaker 1: accents they're not necessary the English speakers. Turns out that 760 00:40:01,400 --> 00:40:03,920 Speaker 1: they're a Cuban and a Colombian, which you very quickly 761 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:06,399 Speaker 1: part from the accents and they're like hey, and they 762 00:40:06,440 --> 00:40:08,680 Speaker 1: know David Hampton, but they're senior. You're like, oh, I 763 00:40:08,680 --> 00:40:14,440 Speaker 1: will leave you to do with a quickness for bags 764 00:40:14,440 --> 00:40:19,480 Speaker 1: of cash like a swirl of dust where I was standing. 765 00:40:19,600 --> 00:40:22,600 Speaker 1: So and now as you are, you know, walking across 766 00:40:22,680 --> 00:40:25,600 Speaker 1: the toll and fuel plaza, you watch the Cuban and 767 00:40:25,680 --> 00:40:29,040 Speaker 1: Colombia and they briefly talk with the undercover FBI agents. 768 00:40:29,080 --> 00:40:30,799 Speaker 1: They get out of the truck, The Colombian and the 769 00:40:30,800 --> 00:40:32,880 Speaker 1: Cuban get in the truck and they drive away. You're like, 770 00:40:33,560 --> 00:40:37,440 Speaker 1: that's kind of odd. But what you don't know is 771 00:40:37,480 --> 00:40:41,160 Speaker 1: that the FBI has rigged the truck. They put in 772 00:40:41,160 --> 00:40:43,360 Speaker 1: a kill switch so that the truck's engine will suddenly 773 00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:45,680 Speaker 1: cut out whenever they had a button. So the agents 774 00:40:45,680 --> 00:40:47,720 Speaker 1: go get in their car. They follow from a discrete 775 00:40:47,719 --> 00:40:50,360 Speaker 1: distance miles down the road, not in a place that 776 00:40:50,400 --> 00:40:53,960 Speaker 1: you can see. They hit the kill switch, the truck dies, 777 00:40:54,160 --> 00:40:57,319 Speaker 1: engine fades away. The car pulls off on the side 778 00:40:57,320 --> 00:40:58,799 Speaker 1: of the road, on the side of the highway in 779 00:40:58,800 --> 00:41:01,840 Speaker 1: the last floor to the highway, patrol pulls up because 780 00:41:01,840 --> 00:41:04,400 Speaker 1: they've been told this is going to happen. They swoop in, 781 00:41:04,480 --> 00:41:06,720 Speaker 1: but they act like, oh, sir, are you having trouble 782 00:41:06,760 --> 00:41:09,160 Speaker 1: with your vehicle? What is this in the back? Is 783 00:41:09,239 --> 00:41:14,440 Speaker 1: this hey? And they're like no, no, no, say so 784 00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:17,799 Speaker 1: it turns out not hey. They Florida Highway Patrol. They 785 00:41:17,840 --> 00:41:20,759 Speaker 1: quickly figured this out. They arrest the guys and all 786 00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:23,120 Speaker 1: of this is done, This whole theater of arrest, the 787 00:41:23,239 --> 00:41:26,200 Speaker 1: multiple state lines being crossed. All that was to throw 788 00:41:26,239 --> 00:41:28,880 Speaker 1: off the scent of the FBI stitch David Hampton Butler 789 00:41:29,200 --> 00:41:31,799 Speaker 1: because he's so good. They don't want to lose their 790 00:41:31,880 --> 00:41:34,960 Speaker 1: number one informant. This is just one example from the 791 00:41:35,040 --> 00:41:38,040 Speaker 1: mini tales of David Hampton Butler Sr. And his work 792 00:41:38,120 --> 00:41:40,200 Speaker 1: for the FBI. And once wanted you to keep that 793 00:41:40,239 --> 00:41:42,839 Speaker 1: in mind because he was doing this and each time 794 00:41:42,840 --> 00:41:44,719 Speaker 1: he did these things, he was putting his life at risks. 795 00:41:44,920 --> 00:41:46,560 Speaker 1: And what he didn't know is he's also, if he 796 00:41:46,640 --> 00:41:49,000 Speaker 1: was honest with himself, he's putting his family's life at risk. 797 00:41:49,120 --> 00:41:51,440 Speaker 1: That's also true, and that's something that they don't seem 798 00:41:51,480 --> 00:41:53,239 Speaker 1: to think about. Well, that's why he was so worried 799 00:41:53,239 --> 00:41:55,000 Speaker 1: about his son being kidnapped. But you don't really think 800 00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:57,040 Speaker 1: about it until his son was gone. Once he got 801 00:41:57,360 --> 00:41:59,040 Speaker 1: then all of a sudden, everything became real for him. 802 00:41:59,080 --> 00:42:03,680 Speaker 1: And then it's like he's not moving hey, he's moving hey, 803 00:42:03,840 --> 00:42:06,399 Speaker 1: And is it worth it? He has to ask himself. Well, also, 804 00:42:06,440 --> 00:42:08,880 Speaker 1: I haven't told you this, but but David Hampton Butler Senior, 805 00:42:08,960 --> 00:42:11,720 Speaker 1: he wasn't just moving drugs. He wasn't just a drug trafficker. 806 00:42:11,719 --> 00:42:13,600 Speaker 1: He was also working in organized crime and he was 807 00:42:13,600 --> 00:42:17,480 Speaker 1: working international terrorism. So the FBI had him working the fields, 808 00:42:17,480 --> 00:42:19,399 Speaker 1: all places where people will kill you for what you know. 809 00:42:19,880 --> 00:42:21,719 Speaker 1: So he's in South America, he's in Columbia, and he 810 00:42:21,760 --> 00:42:24,800 Speaker 1: works out that there is this intersection between drug trafficking 811 00:42:24,800 --> 00:42:27,520 Speaker 1: and international terrorist funding. And so this is the early eighties. 812 00:42:28,040 --> 00:42:32,279 Speaker 1: He stumbles upon a round contra on his own. He's like, 813 00:42:32,320 --> 00:42:35,160 Speaker 1: the guys, I guess he gave us quote significant information 814 00:42:35,200 --> 00:42:38,520 Speaker 1: in this regard. So I'm thinking about how many people 815 00:42:38,560 --> 00:42:41,000 Speaker 1: may want this guy to be killed. So this is 816 00:42:41,040 --> 00:42:43,000 Speaker 1: all the stuff that the Bureau is not helping him with. 817 00:42:43,080 --> 00:42:44,680 Speaker 1: But you can see why they may be a little 818 00:42:44,680 --> 00:42:47,560 Speaker 1: guilty about, Oh, your son got grabbed, can help get 819 00:42:47,600 --> 00:42:50,319 Speaker 1: him back right. So the other thing the FBI doesn't 820 00:42:50,320 --> 00:42:52,359 Speaker 1: know is that David Hampton Butler Senior has a whole 821 00:42:52,360 --> 00:42:58,080 Speaker 1: other identity, a whole person like Chris Gaines. Yeah, his 822 00:42:58,160 --> 00:43:03,799 Speaker 1: name is John Craig Beazy of HIC Cargo, Illinois. Busy Hey, busy. Yeah, 823 00:43:03,840 --> 00:43:06,080 Speaker 1: So John Craig Busy. He has a driver's license, a 824 00:43:06,080 --> 00:43:08,719 Speaker 1: social Security card, he has a birth certificate, he has 825 00:43:08,960 --> 00:43:12,200 Speaker 1: the complete alias. Right, you have another family, okay, but 826 00:43:12,239 --> 00:43:14,600 Speaker 1: he uses this for when he travels internationally. So on 827 00:43:14,680 --> 00:43:18,520 Speaker 1: March two three, he decides, I'm gonna try this domestically. 828 00:43:18,600 --> 00:43:21,880 Speaker 1: So he goes out and he is John Craig Busy 829 00:43:21,920 --> 00:43:24,920 Speaker 1: of Chicago, Illinois for a twenty two pound cocaine deal. 830 00:43:26,680 --> 00:43:29,479 Speaker 1: It doesn't go well for J. C. Deuzy. The six 831 00:43:29,520 --> 00:43:32,800 Speaker 1: million dollar deal goes south and that's about its eighteen 832 00:43:32,840 --> 00:43:36,399 Speaker 1: million dollars today, so some big money. The question is 833 00:43:36,640 --> 00:43:38,680 Speaker 1: was David Hampton Butt the senior working with the FBI 834 00:43:38,760 --> 00:43:41,600 Speaker 1: at the time of the twenty two pound cocaine deal 835 00:43:41,760 --> 00:43:44,520 Speaker 1: or not? Was this a freelance gig? Was this professional? 836 00:43:44,680 --> 00:43:47,480 Speaker 1: Where did this fall in? Right? So the night he 837 00:43:47,480 --> 00:43:50,840 Speaker 1: gets busted, he's in Greenville, South Carolina, and the city 838 00:43:50,840 --> 00:43:53,880 Speaker 1: cops happened to arrest the people he gave the drugs too. 839 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:56,239 Speaker 1: They catch them and guys like, oh no, we got 840 00:43:56,239 --> 00:43:57,920 Speaker 1: this from these guys at Howard Johnson. They tell him 841 00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:01,720 Speaker 1: the room number. So the cops drive out to Howard 842 00:44:01,800 --> 00:44:05,160 Speaker 1: Johnson's and they find like knock on the door. David's like, oh, 843 00:44:05,239 --> 00:44:07,399 Speaker 1: is it my macaroni and cheese? He opens it up 844 00:44:07,440 --> 00:44:10,040 Speaker 1: and it is not room service. It is the local 845 00:44:10,080 --> 00:44:13,000 Speaker 1: cops and then they arrest him for being a cocaine smuggler. 846 00:44:13,760 --> 00:44:15,600 Speaker 1: So what does he do? He tells the cops, Hey, man, 847 00:44:15,640 --> 00:44:19,000 Speaker 1: it's cool. I'm with the FBI. So they're like, oh, really, 848 00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:21,200 Speaker 1: do you have any identification? He's like yeah, here you go. 849 00:44:21,320 --> 00:44:25,279 Speaker 1: John Craig Busy Like okay, John Craig Busy. So they 850 00:44:25,320 --> 00:44:27,600 Speaker 1: call up the FBI in Miami, Florida. They're like, hey, 851 00:44:27,640 --> 00:44:29,840 Speaker 1: we got this guy here, John Craig Bausy. They're like who. 852 00:44:30,239 --> 00:44:33,560 Speaker 1: He's like David Hampton, but they're senior like oh yeah, yeah, 853 00:44:33,560 --> 00:44:36,080 Speaker 1: we know him. They're like, okay, well we just busted 854 00:44:36,160 --> 00:44:38,680 Speaker 1: him on a twenty two pound cocaine deal here in 855 00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:41,359 Speaker 1: South Carolina. And the FBI in Miami's like, he did 856 00:44:41,400 --> 00:44:45,239 Speaker 1: whatnot with with the cocaine? You say? They're like yeah yeah. 857 00:44:45,320 --> 00:44:47,480 Speaker 1: The supervisor gets on the phone, he's like, what is 858 00:44:47,520 --> 00:44:50,280 Speaker 1: he doing in South Carolina with a cocaine deal? Miami? 859 00:44:50,320 --> 00:44:52,800 Speaker 1: FBI they have no answers for wise. They're supervisors, like 860 00:44:52,880 --> 00:44:55,200 Speaker 1: I did tell him, I don't have anything on my schedule. 861 00:44:55,560 --> 00:44:57,880 Speaker 1: This is news to me, right. So David Hampton but 862 00:44:58,000 --> 00:45:02,280 Speaker 1: Their Senior, he gets charged for the cocaine distribution possession. 863 00:45:02,560 --> 00:45:05,360 Speaker 1: He's now looking at a new twenty five years behind bars, 864 00:45:06,360 --> 00:45:10,040 Speaker 1: so lucky for him. In July, his trial gets postponed 865 00:45:10,040 --> 00:45:12,200 Speaker 1: because the FBI needs to figure out is this legit? 866 00:45:12,360 --> 00:45:13,759 Speaker 1: Is this not legit? So they're going to try to 867 00:45:13,760 --> 00:45:17,840 Speaker 1: figure out anybody give this guy the cover on this. Now. 868 00:45:17,960 --> 00:45:24,160 Speaker 1: The next month, David Hampton Butler Jr. Decides to kidnap himself. 869 00:45:24,200 --> 00:45:28,359 Speaker 1: This is the last thing we need, darn it, Dave. So, 870 00:45:28,480 --> 00:45:30,680 Speaker 1: after his son's fake kidnapping and gets sorted out and 871 00:45:30,719 --> 00:45:33,600 Speaker 1: his son gets arrested, David Hampton Butler Senior goes back 872 00:45:33,600 --> 00:45:36,840 Speaker 1: on trial for his cocaine bust. So now the trial 873 00:45:36,880 --> 00:45:39,000 Speaker 1: gets kicked back up and we kick over to the 874 00:45:39,040 --> 00:45:42,399 Speaker 1: spring and he goes back to Greenville, South Carolina. He's 875 00:45:42,400 --> 00:45:44,879 Speaker 1: in a courtroom and during his trial, David Hampton Butler 876 00:45:44,880 --> 00:45:48,160 Speaker 1: Senior attempts to portray himself as this undercover FBI informant. 877 00:45:48,160 --> 00:45:50,839 Speaker 1: He goes over all the bus he's done the traveling internationally. 878 00:45:51,160 --> 00:45:54,400 Speaker 1: He has different agents coming through his supervisor, gifts testimony 879 00:45:54,640 --> 00:45:57,840 Speaker 1: this guy is amazing, And the prosecution meanwhile focuses on 880 00:45:57,880 --> 00:46:00,400 Speaker 1: the fact that the Miami FBI never asked him to 881 00:46:00,400 --> 00:46:02,520 Speaker 1: fly to South Carolina, did not know he was there, 882 00:46:02,560 --> 00:46:05,000 Speaker 1: and this is apparently a freelance night move regards what 883 00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:08,040 Speaker 1: he had done this and one in particular, and so 884 00:46:08,080 --> 00:46:10,480 Speaker 1: the jury is like following along with this, And then 885 00:46:10,560 --> 00:46:13,520 Speaker 1: there is the damning witness who testifies that David Hampton 886 00:46:13,560 --> 00:46:15,920 Speaker 1: Butler Senior hadn't just been the pilot looking to make 887 00:46:15,920 --> 00:46:18,239 Speaker 1: a few hundred bucks on this deal. He'd been there 888 00:46:18,239 --> 00:46:21,400 Speaker 1: when the Colombians met with their contacts in Florida to 889 00:46:21,520 --> 00:46:24,879 Speaker 1: arrange the whole deal. So he's like, oh, yeah, there's 890 00:46:24,920 --> 00:46:27,879 Speaker 1: that right. So the pilot who he had had hired 891 00:46:27,920 --> 00:46:30,600 Speaker 1: to fly in Darkansas, this pilot was involved in this one. 892 00:46:30,680 --> 00:46:32,560 Speaker 1: He eventually flips on him. He's like, yeah, yeah, he 893 00:46:32,600 --> 00:46:34,920 Speaker 1: brought me in on this. It's not legit. So he 894 00:46:35,000 --> 00:46:37,960 Speaker 1: goes down right between all of this and the handlers 895 00:46:37,960 --> 00:46:40,839 Speaker 1: and at my mb FBI. He has nobody to cover 896 00:46:40,960 --> 00:46:43,480 Speaker 1: his back. So what does David Hampton Butler Senior do 897 00:46:43,640 --> 00:46:47,200 Speaker 1: once he has found guilty, Well, he sent his five 898 00:46:47,239 --> 00:46:49,600 Speaker 1: years for cocaine possession. He's got he's looking at fifteen 899 00:46:49,680 --> 00:46:52,239 Speaker 1: years for conspiracy charges. And what did his son say? 900 00:46:52,320 --> 00:46:54,960 Speaker 1: Does he flip on somebody? And well, his son warned 901 00:46:55,000 --> 00:46:57,200 Speaker 1: him when he kidnapped himself, none of your old tricks. 902 00:46:58,040 --> 00:47:00,680 Speaker 1: So David Hampton Butler Senior immediately to his book of 903 00:47:00,680 --> 00:47:03,279 Speaker 1: tricks and starts looking for a way out. So on 904 00:47:03,400 --> 00:47:07,280 Speaker 1: April second five, now the US Court of Appeals affirms 905 00:47:07,320 --> 00:47:09,279 Speaker 1: his conviction after he appeals it. So he here, he 906 00:47:09,280 --> 00:47:11,319 Speaker 1: tries his first trick. I'll appeal it. That doesn't work. 907 00:47:11,360 --> 00:47:14,040 Speaker 1: April two, they're like, yeah, man, you're going to prison. 908 00:47:14,120 --> 00:47:16,439 Speaker 1: He's like, damn it. Now at this point he's out 909 00:47:16,480 --> 00:47:19,439 Speaker 1: on bail. The bail amount is, he's out on seven 910 00:47:19,560 --> 00:47:23,239 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty thousand dollars bond. So that's normally enough 911 00:47:23,280 --> 00:47:26,279 Speaker 1: to keep a person in homebound. Not David Ampton got 912 00:47:26,320 --> 00:47:29,360 Speaker 1: two million floating around and fly planes. He likes to 913 00:47:29,400 --> 00:47:33,080 Speaker 1: get international with it. So when the U. S. Marshalls 914 00:47:33,120 --> 00:47:35,800 Speaker 1: show up at the Butler home, there is no David 915 00:47:35,840 --> 00:47:39,359 Speaker 1: Hampton Butler Senior there. Now Junior is like going, hey, 916 00:47:39,360 --> 00:47:41,520 Speaker 1: I'm about to go to prison myself. So you guys, 917 00:47:41,680 --> 00:47:44,960 Speaker 1: you guys looking for me. They're like, no, no, no, yeah. 918 00:47:45,160 --> 00:47:48,320 Speaker 1: So David Ampton Butler senior is gone. He has kidnapped 919 00:47:48,400 --> 00:47:52,600 Speaker 1: himself now, but he left no ransom notes. It's just gone, 920 00:47:52,600 --> 00:47:55,200 Speaker 1: all right. So the seven years on the bench that 921 00:47:55,320 --> 00:47:59,040 Speaker 1: the judge William Kato Jr. Another junior, had been on, 922 00:47:59,280 --> 00:48:02,080 Speaker 1: he had never once seen a single person do anything 923 00:48:02,120 --> 00:48:04,040 Speaker 1: like this. So he's stunned and he basically tells the 924 00:48:04,040 --> 00:48:05,839 Speaker 1: bail bondsman, I don't care. This is on you man. 925 00:48:06,680 --> 00:48:09,359 Speaker 1: You're out seven dollars unless you can find this guy 926 00:48:09,360 --> 00:48:11,879 Speaker 1: you got until he basically goes until I reconvene court 927 00:48:11,960 --> 00:48:13,640 Speaker 1: til like Thursday, right, and the guys like, what are 928 00:48:13,640 --> 00:48:17,640 Speaker 1: you talking about? So federal court gets reconvened. No David, 929 00:48:17,680 --> 00:48:20,759 Speaker 1: but their senior, the bail bondsman shows up and he's like, 930 00:48:21,000 --> 00:48:23,279 Speaker 1: I goes in bad news for your judge. Are you 931 00:48:23,520 --> 00:48:26,239 Speaker 1: for real? Right now? He really didn't show up. He's like, well, 932 00:48:26,280 --> 00:48:27,880 Speaker 1: he called me. He's like, what do you mean he 933 00:48:27,920 --> 00:48:29,719 Speaker 1: called me? He called me last night and he said, hey, man, 934 00:48:29,760 --> 00:48:32,600 Speaker 1: I'm sorry about what's going down, and he promised me, Look, 935 00:48:32,640 --> 00:48:34,439 Speaker 1: I'm out of the country right now, but I will 936 00:48:34,480 --> 00:48:36,719 Speaker 1: come back as soon as I can, just gonna make 937 00:48:36,760 --> 00:48:38,759 Speaker 1: a little money, just like you are you telling me 938 00:48:39,280 --> 00:48:40,840 Speaker 1: this is really what he did? Like I swear to 939 00:48:40,840 --> 00:48:43,120 Speaker 1: gud he called me last night. He's like, okay, man, 940 00:48:43,440 --> 00:48:47,000 Speaker 1: you're out your money. So sends out the U. S. Marshals. 941 00:48:47,000 --> 00:48:49,320 Speaker 1: They scour the no Nation, They call up the Royal 942 00:48:49,360 --> 00:48:52,680 Speaker 1: Canadian Mounted Police. They checked the Great White North. Everybody's 943 00:48:52,680 --> 00:48:55,160 Speaker 1: looking in the US, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Bahama 944 00:48:55,200 --> 00:48:57,680 Speaker 1: is anybody who could possibly be looking under US law 945 00:48:57,800 --> 00:49:01,359 Speaker 1: or Alliance agreement is looking for this dude. Nothing. Nine 946 00:49:01,840 --> 00:49:06,480 Speaker 1: hours of U. S. Marshall deputies time is spent, absolutely nothing. 947 00:49:06,840 --> 00:49:10,359 Speaker 1: The bail bondsman has to show back up and he's like, um, 948 00:49:10,400 --> 00:49:12,480 Speaker 1: your honor, who's really hurting. He's like, look, man, I 949 00:49:12,520 --> 00:49:14,440 Speaker 1: don't know to tell you. So the bail montsmen, he's like, 950 00:49:14,680 --> 00:49:17,080 Speaker 1: puts out a reward of his own fifty for any 951 00:49:17,120 --> 00:49:21,200 Speaker 1: information leading to his rest. Nothing. This dude has kidnapped 952 00:49:21,280 --> 00:49:23,799 Speaker 1: himself in a way that his son should have paid attention. Now, 953 00:49:23,880 --> 00:49:27,240 Speaker 1: it turns out in January, though he makes one little mistake. 954 00:49:27,360 --> 00:49:30,480 Speaker 1: He gets arrested in Vancouver by some Canadian cops on 955 00:49:30,560 --> 00:49:33,400 Speaker 1: some nonsense. The local cops are about to release him 956 00:49:33,400 --> 00:49:35,399 Speaker 1: when they run his identity and it turns out he's 957 00:49:35,480 --> 00:49:38,200 Speaker 1: not going by Craig Beazy at the time, so the 958 00:49:38,280 --> 00:49:41,440 Speaker 1: US Assistant attorney, who happens to be scanning the reports 959 00:49:41,440 --> 00:49:45,520 Speaker 1: for the North American like justice system, sees this name 960 00:49:45,560 --> 00:49:48,160 Speaker 1: go by. He then spent sixteen hours on the phone 961 00:49:48,200 --> 00:49:50,840 Speaker 1: over his weekend trying to get the Canadian cops not 962 00:49:50,920 --> 00:49:52,560 Speaker 1: to release this guy before he can get U. S. 963 00:49:52,600 --> 00:49:55,560 Speaker 1: Marshals there. The Canadian cops are like, oh, man, really, 964 00:49:55,680 --> 00:49:57,880 Speaker 1: okay at lunch we're gonna release him. They're like, no, no, 965 00:49:58,040 --> 00:50:00,879 Speaker 1: a little longer, okay, dead nerve because then we got 966 00:50:00,880 --> 00:50:02,600 Speaker 1: a new shift and I don't wanted to tell Bob 967 00:50:02,640 --> 00:50:04,799 Speaker 1: about this, and they're like, could you just hold him 968 00:50:04,840 --> 00:50:07,560 Speaker 1: till the U. S. Marshals get there? Okay, Man, but 969 00:50:07,600 --> 00:50:11,920 Speaker 1: if tea time he's using their jeers or oh no, 970 00:50:11,960 --> 00:50:14,080 Speaker 1: he wasn't using busy. He's going by David Hampton Butler. 971 00:50:15,000 --> 00:50:17,840 Speaker 1: That's why popped right and comes through and then so 972 00:50:18,120 --> 00:50:20,080 Speaker 1: go Brad like you know, the fax machines or whatever. 973 00:50:20,640 --> 00:50:24,359 Speaker 1: So David Hampton Butler's juniors tricks finally fail him and 974 00:50:24,480 --> 00:50:27,000 Speaker 1: he is caught and returned to justice, handed over to 975 00:50:27,000 --> 00:50:30,759 Speaker 1: the U. S. Marshals and uh boom, he's going to 976 00:50:30,800 --> 00:50:33,799 Speaker 1: have to now spend twenty five years in prison. His 977 00:50:33,840 --> 00:50:36,600 Speaker 1: son must have finally been pleased to see his dad 978 00:50:36,719 --> 00:50:40,080 Speaker 1: face justice right now. During his ne'er do well friend 979 00:50:40,160 --> 00:50:43,960 Speaker 1: Joe Hickey's doomed trial, his son actually did speak to 980 00:50:44,040 --> 00:50:46,920 Speaker 1: his relationship with his father, and David Hampton Butler Jr. 981 00:50:47,080 --> 00:50:50,279 Speaker 1: Spoke very candidly, and I quote he said, he has 982 00:50:50,320 --> 00:50:53,120 Speaker 1: never really been the kind of father I wanted. I 983 00:50:53,160 --> 00:50:56,280 Speaker 1: had suspicions about his business, but he would never really 984 00:50:56,400 --> 00:50:58,360 Speaker 1: tell me about it. I couldn't understand why he was 985 00:50:58,400 --> 00:51:01,000 Speaker 1: doing what he was doing and endangering his family. So 986 00:51:01,040 --> 00:51:04,040 Speaker 1: there's more confuse kid, right, So that's why he decided, 987 00:51:04,080 --> 00:51:05,520 Speaker 1: you know what, I'm going to start him for two 988 00:51:05,560 --> 00:51:09,520 Speaker 1: million dollars because he doesn't pay enough attention. So anyway, 989 00:51:09,600 --> 00:51:12,360 Speaker 1: did use his dad a lesson. He does this and 990 00:51:12,560 --> 00:51:15,560 Speaker 1: they both learned lessons, and after one year he's free, 991 00:51:15,560 --> 00:51:18,759 Speaker 1: and after twenty five years dad looks to be free. Now, 992 00:51:18,800 --> 00:51:20,840 Speaker 1: this whole story, as you pointed out, is basically like 993 00:51:20,880 --> 00:51:24,160 Speaker 1: a Disney Channel movie written by Harmony Corn and directed 994 00:51:24,160 --> 00:51:26,640 Speaker 1: by Don't of the Safty Brothers. It's pretty much an 995 00:51:26,680 --> 00:51:29,560 Speaker 1: insane family tale that would only happen in Florida. It's 996 00:51:29,800 --> 00:51:33,920 Speaker 1: time gems meet spring breakers. So Elizabeth, what's our ridiculous 997 00:51:33,960 --> 00:51:39,840 Speaker 1: take away? Oh, heavens, I'm taking away a lot today, 998 00:51:41,000 --> 00:51:42,880 Speaker 1: taken away. The bags are loaded. I see that. I 999 00:51:42,920 --> 00:51:44,560 Speaker 1: thought you were just packed and ready to go, and 1000 00:51:47,239 --> 00:51:49,200 Speaker 1: I am I have a bale of green head. Get 1001 00:51:49,239 --> 00:51:52,600 Speaker 1: the scissors into all the magazine letters. Okay, a little typewriter. 1002 00:51:54,520 --> 00:51:58,279 Speaker 1: My takeaway is that, you know, go get family counseling. 1003 00:51:58,440 --> 00:52:02,520 Speaker 1: Don't do this self abductions, right. I mean, it's just 1004 00:52:02,600 --> 00:52:04,960 Speaker 1: doomed from the get go, because honestly, he gets two 1005 00:52:05,000 --> 00:52:06,799 Speaker 1: million from his dad. Let's say it all went off. 1006 00:52:07,160 --> 00:52:09,520 Speaker 1: Then what he goes back and he's still dating the 1007 00:52:09,800 --> 00:52:15,680 Speaker 1: gals and two million hanging around. Now, well, I imagine 1008 00:52:15,680 --> 00:52:17,840 Speaker 1: they were going to probably go somewhere else, open a 1009 00:52:17,920 --> 00:52:21,120 Speaker 1: nice gelato business in the Bahamas or whatever. You know, 1010 00:52:21,239 --> 00:52:25,480 Speaker 1: they had plants, dreams, studio and gelatto factory. I don't 1011 00:52:25,520 --> 00:52:28,680 Speaker 1: think they thought every buying them put their dreams together. 1012 00:52:29,280 --> 00:52:31,600 Speaker 1: For me, Elizabeth, and thank you for asking, I don't 1013 00:52:31,640 --> 00:52:35,120 Speaker 1: want to know. I think the ridiculous takeaway is that 1014 00:52:35,440 --> 00:52:38,120 Speaker 1: I'm a Zarain Walter Burnett the Third. I understand what 1015 00:52:38,120 --> 00:52:39,680 Speaker 1: it's like to be named after your father, and it 1016 00:52:39,760 --> 00:52:42,080 Speaker 1: can be weird trying to create your own identity. But 1017 00:52:42,239 --> 00:52:44,919 Speaker 1: I think the point is to focus on not that 1018 00:52:45,040 --> 00:52:47,360 Speaker 1: and actually focus on the other part, which is you 1019 00:52:47,440 --> 00:52:50,799 Speaker 1: never fully know anyone. That's fair, right, Like not even 1020 00:52:50,840 --> 00:52:52,839 Speaker 1: your own father and mother, people, your sister, your brother, 1021 00:52:52,840 --> 00:52:55,560 Speaker 1: people you think you know really well. Everyone has secrets 1022 00:52:55,920 --> 00:52:58,040 Speaker 1: and they have sides to themselves. They don't show anyone, 1023 00:52:58,080 --> 00:53:00,200 Speaker 1: and sometimes their secret is that they're an undercome every 1024 00:53:00,200 --> 00:53:02,000 Speaker 1: FBI informant. You know that you don't know what the 1025 00:53:02,040 --> 00:53:05,359 Speaker 1: secret kind of huge. But my point is is leave 1026 00:53:05,440 --> 00:53:07,600 Speaker 1: some room for the unexpected. Just like you know, there's 1027 00:53:07,600 --> 00:53:10,279 Speaker 1: always something you don't know, and be cool with that exactly. 1028 00:53:10,560 --> 00:53:12,799 Speaker 1: The not knowing is pretty cool. Yeah, we love that. 1029 00:53:14,360 --> 00:53:17,320 Speaker 1: Who knows what? I know nothing, So it's awesome. But 1030 00:53:17,560 --> 00:53:20,120 Speaker 1: thank you for joining us. I am Elizabeth Dutton and 1031 00:53:20,160 --> 00:53:25,760 Speaker 1: over there that's Zaren Burnett the Third. Online Every ridiculous 1032 00:53:25,760 --> 00:53:27,960 Speaker 1: crime about Twitter and Instagram. You got a tip for 1033 00:53:28,000 --> 00:53:30,040 Speaker 1: us about a ridiculous crime you'd like to hear about. 1034 00:53:30,280 --> 00:53:32,680 Speaker 1: Hit us up. You want to confess the Ridiculous Crime. 1035 00:53:33,120 --> 00:53:35,880 Speaker 1: We do not recommend you, but please hit us up. 1036 00:53:35,960 --> 00:53:38,879 Speaker 1: I recommend Elizabeth loves them. Email us every Ridiculous Crime 1037 00:53:38,960 --> 00:53:47,760 Speaker 1: at gmail dot com. Ridiculous Crime is hosted by Elizabeth 1038 00:53:47,800 --> 00:53:51,200 Speaker 1: Dutton and Zaron Burnett, produced and edited by Cocaine Cowboys 1039 00:53:51,239 --> 00:53:54,920 Speaker 1: preferred travel agent Dave Couston. Researches by fake kidnapping expert 1040 00:53:54,920 --> 00:53:58,120 Speaker 1: and pretend bank robbery enthusiast Marissa Brown. The theme song 1041 00:53:58,239 --> 00:54:01,280 Speaker 1: is by Thomas Jane, Fonda's biggest fan, Lee and Travis. 1042 00:54:01,360 --> 00:54:05,000 Speaker 1: I'm more of a jazzer, science Officionado Dotton, executive priests 1043 00:54:05,040 --> 00:54:08,520 Speaker 1: or bench officer. That is not my cocaine Bowling and nol. Yes, 1044 00:54:08,560 --> 00:54:17,440 Speaker 1: that is also not my cocaine Brown. We did quiet 1045 00:54:18,239 --> 00:54:22,760 Speaker 1: say it one more time. We dequeous crew. Ridiculous Crime 1046 00:54:22,840 --> 00:54:25,480 Speaker 1: is a production of iHeart Radio. For more podcasts my 1047 00:54:25,480 --> 00:54:28,520 Speaker 1: heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or 1048 00:54:28,560 --> 00:54:30,320 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.