1 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:04,120 Speaker 1: The Red Weather is a work of fiction, and the 2 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:07,320 Speaker 1: resemblance to actual persons or events reflects the adaptation of real, 3 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 1: publicly available materials for creative and legal reasons. The content 4 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: of this podcast is the sole responsibility of Red Weather 5 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 1: LLC and does not reflect the views of responsibilities of 6 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:21,639 Speaker 1: iHeartMedia or its affiliates. Previously on The Red Weather in 7 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:24,800 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety five, my neighbor and a trainer disappeared from 8 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:26,639 Speaker 1: the commune and a trainer was at a party in 9 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: downtown Sebastpoll She had a fight with her boyfriend. Oh man, 10 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 1: my boy, Mick, kid got a pass. 11 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:34,519 Speaker 2: You got a pass. 12 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 1: Even if Mick managed to meet up with Anna then 13 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:41,479 Speaker 1: murder her. Couldn't have getting rid of the body and 14 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:45,159 Speaker 1: driven her car all the way to SFO. Not without hope, right, 15 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 1: not without help? And we know he was with the 16 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: rest of the night, Chris, they're here. When I finally 17 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: got the transcripts of el Rick's interrogations, I realized Maldonado 18 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: wasn't giving me the whole story. And look at that. 19 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: Oh who said that? That's Maldonado? Man, And you're going 20 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:11,960 Speaker 1: to go meet this guy Sandals size six. I was 21 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 1: reading the evidence catalog for Anna Tranner's case, long sleeve shirt, necklace. 22 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 1: It was a list of objects recovered in the course 23 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 1: of the investigation, but the descriptions were vague, too vague, 24 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: like when it said sandals, did that mean birkenstocks or 25 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 1: flip flops? Or most frustrating, this three compact discs. I 26 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:37,039 Speaker 1: think it doesn't even say what they are. I was 27 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 1: dying to know what albums it was Anna listening to 28 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 1: Smashing Pumpkins or Tory Amos. I mean that would say 29 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: something about her, wouldn't it. I wanted to read everything, 30 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 1: hold everything, but I also knew I couldn't help but 31 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: give my own history and my own emotions to these details. 32 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: And I was reminded of something maldon Auto said to 33 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: me a few days earlier. 34 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 2: You got to let the evidence tell the story, even 35 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 2: if it's not the one that you like or the 36 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 2: one that you want to get. 37 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 1: There's a big difference between finding meaning and giving meaning, 38 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: between understanding and fetishizing. And actually, the most important thing 39 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:16,080 Speaker 1: I was looking for wasn't an object. It was a 40 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:19,639 Speaker 1: few lines in the witness log gave three interviews. This 41 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: was more important than the CDs, the sandals, even the 42 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 1: small swift bullets in a plastic bag. But while I 43 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 1: was sitting there making this discovery, I couldn't react. 44 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, lives like. 45 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: What not sure, even though he was sitting right next 46 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 1: to me and he was helping me. I couldn't let 47 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 1: Sheriff Maldonado know how much of a game changer this 48 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: was because after the last week, I wasn't sure I 49 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:52,800 Speaker 1: could trust him. I am actor and filmmaker writer Strong. 50 00:02:53,520 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 1: This is the red weather. I was two weeks into 51 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 1: reviewing the disappearance of Anna Trainor and getting nowhere new Elrich, 52 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 1: the leader of Anna's intentional community, the Tender Hearts, had 53 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 1: an alibi, but this only brought me up to speed 54 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 1: with where the investingation turned cold in nineteen ninety five. 55 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: To get any further, I wanted access to the official 56 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 1: case file. Hi, it's Ryder Strong calling that again for 57 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 1: Sheriff Laughlin. Okay, uh yeah, okay, that'd be great, Thank you. Ooh, 58 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:19,839 Speaker 1: I mean she is blowing you off, giving you the 59 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 1: cold shoulder. Yeah, but I don't. I'm I can't take 60 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 1: it personally, and at least Maldonada's talking to me. You 61 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:27,920 Speaker 1: shouldn't even meet that guy. My friend Chris, who'd come 62 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: home to help me with the podcast, had good reason 63 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: to be wary. The day before, he had heard back 64 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 1: from Sparks, which I know sounds like a code name 65 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:39,160 Speaker 1: I made up, but he called himself that for real. 66 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 4: Though. 67 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 5: You want to talk and a trainer, you got to 68 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 5: talk about those fuckers detecting that shit. Maldonado. 69 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 2: Come on, man, he. 70 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 1: Left this right after we saw the transcripts of Maldonado's 71 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: interrogations of el Rick. They had uncovered that Elrick was gay, 72 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 1: and Maldonado, talking to his deputies, had thrown out, oh 73 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:00,840 Speaker 1: so casually an anti gay slur, your shocks that you 74 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:04,559 Speaker 1: knew best palace sheriff is a homophobic Nazi fascist. Okay, 75 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:10,000 Speaker 1: but I know it's awful, Yes it is. But that's 76 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 1: the way people talk back then, are you justifying it? No? No, 77 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: but well here, let me I don't cut this out 78 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 1: if you want me to. But didn't you use the 79 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 1: F word back then? That F word? I don't think 80 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:23,599 Speaker 1: I did it. I probably did, and I didn't. I 81 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 1: didn't even think of it. Literally, It was just like, motherfucker. 82 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:30,279 Speaker 1: It's just something I do it. Never even crossed my 83 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:33,679 Speaker 1: mind until I was older, right, But when you got older, 84 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 1: you wised up. They were older back then, they were 85 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: grown up. And the problem was Maldonado was an essential 86 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:45,360 Speaker 1: source if I wanted more information on this case. I 87 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:47,840 Speaker 1: knew I was going to have to make compromises. So 88 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: the sad fact of the matter was I need his help. Fine, 89 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 1: but asking about it, I wasn't sure I could do that. 90 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:01,720 Speaker 1: Ma wanted to meet at a fruit stand down the 91 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 1: road from my parents. You find these kinds of places 92 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:06,800 Speaker 1: on the back roads of some on the county, a 93 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 1: cart or a little wooden structure, sometimes a truck where 94 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 1: farmers sell produce. They can develop into institutions that draw 95 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 1: hardcore fans acolytes, and Maldonado claimed that this one Little 96 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 1: Seed was the strawberry spots. Hey, how you doing, Hey, 97 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: good to meet you. 98 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:29,600 Speaker 2: As legends. Family has been here for what decades? 99 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:33,720 Speaker 1: Andres is the owner of little Seed? So how long 100 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:36,160 Speaker 1: you've been here? Or I guess your family, you guys always. 101 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,680 Speaker 3: Well, my family, my grandfather, he had the west side 102 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 3: of the valley, the whole hill actually before they put 103 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:44,799 Speaker 3: in the fence and all that shit, and the grapes. 104 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 1: Actually, there weren't any grapes. 105 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 2: It was all orchards back then. 106 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 1: That's what I remember. My hometown used to be famous 107 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:54,600 Speaker 1: for its apples, specifically the Gravenstein apple, and Maldonado had 108 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:55,600 Speaker 1: a bit to say about that. 109 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 2: You lost the basketball guys name man. 110 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 1: It was from Russia, right Sebastopol and rushing some like 111 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:03,720 Speaker 1: argument with a shop owner or something that he doesn't know, 112 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 1: andres rolled his eyes and I could tell he'd heard 113 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 1: this one before. Don't listen to this. 114 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 3: It was when they grew the first graven Stains and 115 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 3: Johnny Apples say, you know he was, of course, yeah, yeah, 116 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 3: well Johnny was coming to the area. 117 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 2: You really, you really don't know that. You can tell 118 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 2: him to stop though before it gets to you. 119 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 3: Okay, So Johnny's wandering the country barefoot, planting trees. 120 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 2: He's the apple guy, the apple prophet. So when he 121 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 2: came to town, that's a big deal. 122 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 3: Everyone wants to know what's old Johnny gonna think of 123 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 3: the grave Steam? 124 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 2: Well, he like it. People would play some bets. Andre's 125 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:42,680 Speaker 2: your grandfather was there? That's your story? 126 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 3: Anyway, they bring him a gravity stea well for first 127 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 3: they got to decide which orchard they're. 128 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 1: Gonna take it from. There's a lot of. 129 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 2: Back and forth about this. 130 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: I only have so much time per episode, so suffice 131 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 1: to say Maldonado walked me through a classic shaggy dog story. 132 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 3: They were in this few Cooper's and the Martinelli's hate 133 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 3: e joke. People says because one of the Cooper boys 134 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 3: has run off with Martinelli's daughter. But everyone in that 135 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:09,559 Speaker 3: fight was really about the golden tree. 136 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 1: One of those Mark Twain yarns that goes on way. 137 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 3: Too long actually gets on his dog and gallops to 138 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 3: the golden tree. Now, shots are fire bullets, wizm pass 139 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 3: his head. 140 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: To reach a very very underwhelming punchline. 141 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:25,640 Speaker 2: Finally, Johny takes a bite of this fee. 142 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:33,559 Speaker 3: He says, this is the best apple they've been sebastable 143 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 3: ever since. 144 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:37,560 Speaker 1: That's that's horrible. 145 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 2: Well that's five minutes of your life and never get back. 146 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:44,319 Speaker 1: Yeah, dad jokes. Aside, apples did define the area for decades. 147 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:48,560 Speaker 1: Nowadays it's all cannabis and grapes, wine and weed. There 148 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 1: are only a few old school family spots like Andres 149 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 1: making do Oh, you gotta try this strawberry. 150 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 3: He's never added, Oh well, okay, oh yeah, right, that's right, 151 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:01,679 Speaker 3: sevest Barry. 152 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 1: See you get it. 153 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 2: All right, let's take a work. 154 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: We went to the edge of the Tender Hearts property 155 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 1: where Anna was last seen. 156 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 2: This is where the guys on the engine passed her. 157 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 1: I had told Maldonado that Willow started the fire that 158 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 1: night after she found cannabis in the barn, which looking 159 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:24,440 Speaker 1: back now, I think was an act of rebelling against 160 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 1: her mom. Yeah, she was totally pissed at Laney. My 161 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: buddy Connor and I talked about this. Willow was being 162 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 1: raised by her mom and all these other women on 163 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 1: the Tender Hearts property, and they were supposed to be 164 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 1: spiritual idealists. But when she found a barn full of weed, 165 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 1: she knew the rumors were true. They were dealing drugs 166 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 1: and she lit it up, so you knew where it started. 167 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, we would smell the pot too, but it 168 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 2: was gone. And connecting those dots to Anna, well we 169 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 2: had nutty. 170 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 1: There's an irony here. By burning the weed she found, 171 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 1: Willow actually prevented Elrick and her mom and the Tender 172 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:07,320 Speaker 1: Hearts from being charged with anything. There was no cannabis left, 173 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:11,200 Speaker 1: so there was no evidence. But in terms of Anna, 174 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 1: even after Elrick's alibi, Maldonado and his team focused on 175 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 1: the Tender Hearts. 176 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:19,440 Speaker 6: Okay, but that see, that doesn't make any sense to me. Right, 177 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 6: they were a cult, but they weren't not really. Well, look, 178 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 6: we know that now, I know that, you know that. 179 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:27,599 Speaker 6: But at the time, I mean, that was part of 180 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 6: the zeitgeist. 181 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 1: That's Monica Tremblaine, a reporter who was helping me. 182 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:34,319 Speaker 7: I mean, I guess you know about satanic panic, right, 183 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 7: or wasn't that the eighties? 184 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:36,560 Speaker 2: No? 185 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 1: I mean at the West Memphis three all that that 186 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 1: was the nineties. This was a good point. In ninety five. 187 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 1: There were still rampant fears of cults, ritualistic killings. I 188 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 1: even did a somewhat infamous episode of Boy Meets World 189 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: where my character joined a cult. I believe that I 190 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 1: finally found a place where people let me be who 191 00:10:57,040 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 1: I am, you know, without trying to change me or 192 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:01,959 Speaker 1: or need to know what my goals are in life. 193 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 1: I mean, why do I need that? Sean? What do 194 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: you believe? What do you believe? 195 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 8: In Corey? 196 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 1: The transcripts and the message from Sparks were weighing heavily 197 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 1: on me. Was Sheriff Maldonado biased in this investigation, too 198 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:19,120 Speaker 1: obsessed with weed and focused on the Culti commune, maybe 199 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:23,080 Speaker 1: even targeting Elric personally. It took me almost an hour 200 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:24,120 Speaker 1: before I could bring it up. 201 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 3: The search party started in groups from here and then 202 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:28,680 Speaker 3: fanned out. 203 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 2: Well, I'll show you so. 204 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. Lachlan sent me the transcripts and I went through 205 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:42,199 Speaker 1: the interviews with Elric. 206 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:48,040 Speaker 3: He played coy what a take three or four sitting 207 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:50,199 Speaker 3: downs before he finally broke broke. 208 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:52,959 Speaker 4: I mean, he didn't admit that anything happened to do 209 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:57,200 Speaker 4: with Anna Man had secrets. 210 00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 1: Okay, but you know it wasn't There's one part in 211 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 1: the transcripts where you refer to him as a fagot? 212 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:07,680 Speaker 2: Did I? 213 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's the full quote. Is the Swami turned out 214 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:14,080 Speaker 1: to be a fagot? 215 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 2: Damn? Well know it's different times back then. 216 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:26,599 Speaker 1: It's a slightly awkward moment because on one hand he 217 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: was acknowledging the thing, but then on the other not really. 218 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 1: But then what do I expect an apology to? Who? Did? 219 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 1: I want him to break down and cry and shame 220 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:41,200 Speaker 1: and admit to some deep seated bigotry. Well, but so 221 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 1: I've been thinking about in general with the tender hearts community. Sure, 222 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,960 Speaker 1: but you know what they were doing, what they were 223 00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:56,440 Speaker 1: actually doing, that it'd be legal now. Maldonado only nodded. 224 00:12:56,679 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 1: They were, you know, living off the land, selling cannabis. 225 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 2: They were breaking the loan, right. 226 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:05,439 Speaker 9: But. 227 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 1: Knowing now laws have changed, I mean, doesn't has it 228 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 1: changed the way that you feel? 229 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 2: How I feel about what? 230 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 1: Well, you know, investigating, interrogating him, arresting him if you 231 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: could hindsight's easy. Yeah, but you were I mean, you 232 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 1: had the authority. 233 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:34,960 Speaker 2: Should I have called him a name? 234 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:36,160 Speaker 7: No? 235 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:39,520 Speaker 3: But I've said a lot of stupid shit in my dear, 236 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 3: a lot of stupid ship. 237 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:47,960 Speaker 2: Look, there's there's there's no excuse. But the job is 238 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:53,839 Speaker 2: always the same. I'm not I'm not making the laws. Okay, 239 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 2: I know what you're saying. I do. 240 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 3: But but guys get in trouble if they start thinking 241 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 3: that they can decide which laws to care about, which 242 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 3: one's not to. You can't decide what evidence you like 243 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 3: or don't like, which suspect or which witness. If I'm 244 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:13,840 Speaker 3: doing my job, I'm letting the evidence tell the story. Okay, 245 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 3: it speaks for itself. I'm more like a reader a listener, 246 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 3: So you gotta let the evidence tell the story, even 247 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:24,440 Speaker 3: if it's not the one that you like or the. 248 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 2: One that you want to hear. 249 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 5: That guy is utterly. 250 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 1: Full of shit. The next day, when I met up 251 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 1: with Sparks, he had a different take. 252 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 5: Mall and I was barely a cop, totally a dickhit. 253 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 1: Oh he picked up. Hey, it's Chris Delveccio. Chris got 254 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:58,040 Speaker 1: Sparks to agree to meet with me. I do know 255 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 1: his real first name, but I'm going to stick with 256 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:05,200 Speaker 1: Sparks for legal reasons, but also it fits. No no 257 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 1: no no no no no. No cameras. It's a podcast. 258 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 1: They'll have like a microphone. You won't even know it's there. 259 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 1: I actually won't be there. I got to get back 260 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 1: to LA, but it'll be you and Rider, and you 261 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: remember writer. Chris was catching a flight home, and I 262 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 1: was sad to see him go. It felt like a 263 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 1: sign that I wasn't getting anywhere. 264 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 10: Don't beat yourself up if you don't solve anything. 265 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:28,480 Speaker 1: This would be cool to at least have this stuff recorded, right, 266 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:31,000 Speaker 1: And you got the box with the pager. Yes, great, 267 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 1: we found a pager on my parents' property. It was 268 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:37,040 Speaker 1: mostly a random relic from the nineties, but I wanted 269 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 1: to see if we could extract numbers from it. All Right, 270 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 1: so there are private investigators who specialize in old technology, 271 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 1: but they no, they're pricey as hell. 272 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:47,360 Speaker 3: What are we talking about. 273 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:50,480 Speaker 1: It's like four thousand dollars just a look, I know, 274 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: I have a guy. Surprisingly, this is an area where 275 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 1: Hollywood connections came in Handy. Chris is a TV writer 276 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:00,360 Speaker 1: and he's worked on some big shows, including one that 277 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 1: needed outdated technology props. Okay, man, so you've got to 278 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 1: buy email, writer's email, my number, writer's number. You are 279 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 1: in the loop. 280 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 3: Thank you, thank you, thank you. 281 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 1: Ranking Lyle Rinkin runs a tech consulting company for art departments. 282 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:15,560 Speaker 1: When you're making a show with medical machines or computers, 283 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 1: especially period pieces, you need someone who has all that 284 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 1: stuff and knows how to run it. 285 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 7: Okay, there you go. 286 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: He's gonna try it, my boy, rinking He's got you. Yes, 287 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:28,080 Speaker 1: he is actually a next level order, way worse than 288 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 1: your parents. He has two warehouses, just like wall to 289 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 1: wall Ark of the Covenant. 290 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:37,000 Speaker 11: He has that. 291 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, in the valley, God, I would love to see that. 292 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 1: We boxed the pager up and Chris took it to 293 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 1: the post office on his way to the airport. He 294 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 1: was heading back to his normal life, normal work, which 295 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 1: made me feel like maybe I should too. I did 296 00:16:50,840 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 1: have a script I was supposed to be writing, after all, 297 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 1: but for now I went to meet Sparks. I suddenly 298 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 1: felt very alone. Sparks had sent a Google Maps pin 299 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: deep in West County, but there was no service. Once 300 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:08,359 Speaker 1: I got close. I ended up going down this dirt 301 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 1: road for ten minutes. I didn't even see any houses. 302 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,159 Speaker 1: There were some rusty cars, farm equipment. I had to 303 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 1: turn around a few times. Finally I found a gravel 304 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 1: driveway that dead ended. There was a garage. Hello, Hello, fuck. 305 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:38,200 Speaker 1: I got or Die up as soon as I saw him. 306 00:17:38,359 --> 00:17:41,119 Speaker 1: I knew I had met Sparks in the nineties, but 307 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:44,159 Speaker 1: he remembered Chris better. He brought him up while I 308 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 1: was setting up my mics. 309 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:50,000 Speaker 5: Christo that yeah, man, I couldn't believe getting a call 310 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 5: from his ass. While You remember Danny Carino, Yeah yeah, 311 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:56,919 Speaker 5: he was like a big tall guy. Oh yeah, man, 312 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:00,879 Speaker 5: he's the massive Delatio constantly really yeah, you remember the 313 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 5: whole fancy pants. 314 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:06,199 Speaker 1: Thing I actually did. Chris had Warren suspenders to the 315 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: eighth grade dance. He never lived that down. 316 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:11,119 Speaker 5: Yeah, I thought it was normal. I called him fancy 317 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:14,399 Speaker 5: pants he did. Oh dude, he lost his shit really? 318 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 5: Oh yeah, I went up on top of coffee cats. 319 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:17,280 Speaker 5: He was throwing chairs. 320 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 1: What yeah, Chris? Yeah, bro, I think I would have 321 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:25,879 Speaker 1: heard about my best friend throwing chairs around, which maybe 322 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 1: was my first indication that I should take everything that 323 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: Sparks said with a grain of salt. But then he 324 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,399 Speaker 1: had a lot of interesting things to say about Anna's case. 325 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:37,280 Speaker 11: And over a fact, mcsorted bullshit. 326 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 1: He meant, Mick Bowden and his ex boyfriend. Okay, so 327 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 1: what do you mean, Oh. 328 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:44,399 Speaker 5: He's suddenly not with his girlfriends, like vanishes into the 329 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:46,480 Speaker 5: thin air. He's with a new chick he. 330 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 1: Was talking about. After Anna page Mick, he tried to 331 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 1: pick her up at the payphone, but she never showed, 332 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:54,520 Speaker 1: and so Mick said, he then spent the night. 333 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 5: With Here's nobody remembers it was Halloween, right, but there's 334 00:18:58,640 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 5: school in next day. 335 00:18:59,840 --> 00:19:02,439 Speaker 1: Was true. It was easy for me to forget because 336 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 1: I wasn't in a normal school situation. I was still 337 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 1: traveling back and forth to work in LA and going 338 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 1: to a tiny alternative school in the woods. 339 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 5: Oh, you know, I used to post up a gad 340 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:14,960 Speaker 5: flies you know that spot get some coffee before driving 341 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 5: up to Rosa. I saw it come to school that morning. 342 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 1: And she was by herself. 343 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:23,720 Speaker 5: Jie said, Nick was with it. 344 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:28,680 Speaker 1: Later, guess you got brand new Jetta? Oh for that? Yeah, 345 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:28,919 Speaker 1: I do. 346 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:30,680 Speaker 11: Actually the next month. 347 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 5: Dude, are you saying she full on't changed his story? 348 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:35,120 Speaker 5: Suddenly she's dating Mick. 349 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:36,880 Speaker 1: Oh so they dated for real? 350 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:41,040 Speaker 5: Yeah, six months and then she's driving that sweet sweet Jedda. 351 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 1: Cars were a big deal when we were teens, a 352 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:47,760 Speaker 1: big marker of identity. We knew who everybody's car was. 353 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:50,960 Speaker 1: We knew everybody's mom's car. We could tell who was 354 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 1: that Coffeecats or Round Table Pizza or any parking lot 355 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: by driving by and seeing their car. So it's not surprising. 356 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:04,359 Speaker 1: Even my brother Shiloh remembers the Jetta uh purple uh 357 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:12,000 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety five Volkswagen Jetta stick shift tinted windows. Yeah, 358 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:15,800 Speaker 1: I mean it's a stretch, I know. I know, in 359 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 1: situations like this, you really got to ask yourself how 360 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:23,480 Speaker 1: reliable is your source, as in, can I trust a 361 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: drug dealer? Well, come on, and somebody that's not a 362 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:28,920 Speaker 1: huge fan of cops to begin with. That was true. 363 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:32,040 Speaker 1: Sparks spent a lot of time giving me his opinion 364 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 1: of law enforcement. 365 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:35,400 Speaker 11: Let's talk about Moll the not God, dude, I mean 366 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 11: he's a cop. 367 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:36,920 Speaker 5: Cops are dicks. 368 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:39,679 Speaker 11: The thing about that most of the cops is like 369 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 11: they would just be a dick to your face. And 370 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 11: like him to your face, he's all cool, like mister, 371 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:46,720 Speaker 11: you know, I your buddy, you know, right, your pal, 372 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:48,359 Speaker 11: And then you know he was really not. 373 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:50,159 Speaker 5: He was like trying to play a game, and like 374 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 5: you know with me, he knew, he knew where I ran. Like, yeah, 375 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:56,680 Speaker 5: we had this little spot called Swamp of Vania. You 376 00:20:56,720 --> 00:20:57,480 Speaker 5: ever hang out there? 377 00:20:57,680 --> 00:20:57,880 Speaker 1: No? 378 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 5: Really? Yeah, oh yeah, I guess you're going. 379 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:01,520 Speaker 6: Yeah. 380 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:03,880 Speaker 11: I was cool man, Like we just sit, we were 381 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 11: chill and drink. 382 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 7: You know. 383 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:06,320 Speaker 11: It was like this in this little kind. 384 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 1: Of like ravine water, like a culvert. 385 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:12,639 Speaker 5: Yeah yeah, yeah, And you know he knew about it 386 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:15,360 Speaker 5: and like let us have it because you know, he'd 387 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 5: come to me every once in a while and like, 388 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:18,680 Speaker 5: you know, watch some intel. 389 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:21,960 Speaker 1: You so you're you were like an informant. 390 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 11: Oh yeah, he wishes. 391 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 1: Yeah. 392 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 5: Anyway, one time we went out to went out to 393 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 5: the spot Swamplvania and shit was trashed, couch was all 394 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:36,200 Speaker 5: ripped up. Oh dude even put like barbed wire across 395 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 5: the path we used to get out there. 396 00:21:38,359 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 1: How do you know that it was him? 397 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:40,200 Speaker 7: Oh? 398 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:42,560 Speaker 5: Because it was the day after he came to me 399 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:45,280 Speaker 5: and he wanted to know about some meth thing going 400 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:48,680 Speaker 5: on in Forestville or something I did or anything. I 401 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 5: didn't know anything about it, so he wanted to intel. 402 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 11: I had nothing for him. 403 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:57,520 Speaker 5: And uh yeah, he took our shanger laf fucking bitch. 404 00:21:58,200 --> 00:21:59,720 Speaker 11: Dude's a villain, bro of. 405 00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 1: It was hard to take this seriously, but then again, 406 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:08,200 Speaker 1: maybe I didn't want to for an obvious reason. 407 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:13,280 Speaker 2: She pulled the bullets and this this tree over here, 408 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 2: one of these trees. 409 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, and where they end up there inevidently in a 410 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 1: walker somewhere at the Violent Crimes. 411 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:21,479 Speaker 2: Unit investigating unit. 412 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:25,800 Speaker 1: Man, I would I'd love to see that stuff. 413 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:28,959 Speaker 4: Talked a lot on man mm hmm. She got to 414 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:32,200 Speaker 4: the transfer. Yeah, but then she hasn't called me back. 415 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:36,240 Speaker 2: Tell you me, That's what I'll miss. 416 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:42,680 Speaker 3: Red tape typing reports, filing reports of dating reports. 417 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 2: You want me to get a recall? I think if 418 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 2: I came in with you, she might give us a film. 419 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:49,040 Speaker 1: Yeah no, I'd be grayer. 420 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, thanks man. 421 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:54,200 Speaker 7: Well, poor Robert Maldonado can enjoy his retirement. 422 00:22:54,080 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 1: And it worked. It's a situation. Or I'm just playing 423 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:01,000 Speaker 1: catch up. 424 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:04,959 Speaker 7: Yeah, me too, trust me, me too. Uh And I 425 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:06,879 Speaker 7: have a full case load as it is. You know, 426 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:09,920 Speaker 7: this office is responsible for all of Sonoma County. 427 00:23:10,359 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 1: Lachlan explained that they didn't have the resources to reopen 428 00:23:13,119 --> 00:23:13,920 Speaker 1: the case because. 429 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:14,240 Speaker 7: They're not there. 430 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:14,880 Speaker 1: I'm not there. 431 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:16,960 Speaker 7: And that's when you're talking new testimony, new evidence. 432 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:21,119 Speaker 8: Well, I mean doesn't like me coming forward? Isn't that 433 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 8: new testimony? Or I mean it's a new information and after. 434 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:30,760 Speaker 7: I'm making a podcast. Ouch, there's never been anything to 435 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 7: move the needle on this, okay, nothing from a missing 436 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:37,560 Speaker 7: person to homicide or kidnapping anything. There's no body, no 437 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:38,720 Speaker 7: new witness, so. 438 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 8: Okay, you know, okay, well, actually there is a witness 439 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:43,679 Speaker 8: that I'm talking to. 440 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 1: Who is this? 441 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:50,320 Speaker 8: Well, I'm not I'm trying to still gather, you know, 442 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:54,360 Speaker 8: all the background and but basically what they're saying there 443 00:23:54,359 --> 00:24:00,439 Speaker 8: are some contradictions. Contradictions maybe or you know, maybe it's 444 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:03,239 Speaker 8: easy to clear up, but I really can't do that 445 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:05,119 Speaker 8: unless I can see the evidence. 446 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 7: Okay, is this person on the record. 447 00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:08,720 Speaker 1: It was a good question. I had a phone number 448 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:11,879 Speaker 1: for Sparks, the Google pin to a garage, but I 449 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:13,160 Speaker 1: didn't even have a last name. 450 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 8: Yeah, I mean, I have them recorded, but I still 451 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:16,760 Speaker 8: need to get par officials. 452 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:19,960 Speaker 7: All right, Look, if you're serious, I'll put someone on 453 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:21,120 Speaker 7: this all right. 454 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:27,280 Speaker 8: Yeah, you mean like a detective, like a liaison. 455 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:29,679 Speaker 7: Okay, this person will be our contact from now on. 456 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:32,000 Speaker 7: So you give them what you've got and they will 457 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:32,960 Speaker 7: coordinate access. 458 00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 1: Did you hear how she slipped in? You give them 459 00:24:36,119 --> 00:24:39,240 Speaker 1: what you got? Was I expected to hand over my 460 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 1: recordings for accents? I wasn't ready to do that because 461 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:46,320 Speaker 1: Sparks didn't just accuse Maldonado of slashing up a couch 462 00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:51,440 Speaker 1: and blocking his chill spot. And he wasn't only saying relied. 463 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:55,600 Speaker 1: He took aim at Maldonado in the entire Sheriff's department. 464 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 11: You want to talk about how this guy could look 465 00:24:57,560 --> 00:24:58,880 Speaker 11: the other way when it comes to Nick. 466 00:24:58,920 --> 00:24:59,480 Speaker 5: You got to talk. 467 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:01,760 Speaker 11: About his can pay the next year and paid for 468 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:02,280 Speaker 11: that shit. 469 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:14,760 Speaker 1: Okay, so what do you mean, Like, is Maldonado like 470 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:16,400 Speaker 1: stealing from crime scenes or. 471 00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:19,200 Speaker 5: Something, no legit money. He was a sheriff. 472 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:21,120 Speaker 11: That's an elected position. 473 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:24,800 Speaker 5: Right, Mick definitely got a pass Daddy promises Samoolah. They 474 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:28,480 Speaker 5: half asked their investigation. It goes away. 475 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:32,560 Speaker 1: That's a big allegation. I know, I know, and it's 476 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:37,360 Speaker 1: kind of paranoid, but also not impossible. Mixed. Dad was wealthy, 477 00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:41,159 Speaker 1: well connected, and it was weird to me that Maldonado 478 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 1: fixated on Elric and the tender hearts. Okay, what about 479 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 1: the smaller stuff because this car thing, it's interesting that 480 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:55,520 Speaker 1: Mick bought a car, a Jetta and she changed her story. Right, 481 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:59,880 Speaker 1: you could try the DMV or maybe if she read 482 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:03,280 Speaker 1: stood for new insurance. But if you get access to 483 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:05,439 Speaker 1: the files, this just gets a little bit easier. I 484 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:07,959 Speaker 1: had no idea what my chances were now that Lachlan 485 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:10,680 Speaker 1: had passed me off to a new liaison, someone named 486 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:16,159 Speaker 1: Thomas Greer. It seemed obvious that Lachlan was trying to 487 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:18,639 Speaker 1: get me off or back let someone else stonewall me. 488 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 1: I needed more information from Sparks like to start his 489 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:42,080 Speaker 1: full name, but he didn't show up for our second meeting. 490 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:51,040 Speaker 1: While I sat in my car, I called Chris, so, 491 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:58,200 Speaker 1: I'm back here at the garage. Nada. How much do 492 00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 1: you know about this guy? Waited for over an hour. 493 00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:05,480 Speaker 1: I was a little nervous. Greer had set a time 494 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:08,160 Speaker 1: for us to meet at the Sheriff's department. I invited 495 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 1: Maldonado to hoping he could vouch me, but in terms 496 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:14,600 Speaker 1: of intel to offer, I felt like I had nothing. 497 00:27:15,520 --> 00:27:18,200 Speaker 1: I just knew I didn't want to be an actor 498 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:22,760 Speaker 1: making a podcast. How is this? Yes, that's a giant Yes, okay, 499 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:26,560 Speaker 1: I think to wear glasses good? Yes, So I put 500 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,760 Speaker 1: on the one sports code I had packed and my glasses. 501 00:27:30,119 --> 00:27:35,440 Speaker 1: I wanted to look serious smart, which yes, means that 502 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:38,200 Speaker 1: in order to not be an actor, I dressed in 503 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 1: a costume, literally the most actor thing in the world. Yeah, hi, 504 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:51,080 Speaker 1: U Raderstrong, I'm here to Thomas Greer. Turns out I 505 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:53,399 Speaker 1: couldn't have been more wrong in how to prepare to 506 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:57,719 Speaker 1: meet officer career mister Sean Hunter, because he was a 507 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:01,440 Speaker 1: boy meets World super fan, like I know you, Oh 508 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: cool dude, I grew up on you. I used to 509 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 1: hate being recognized, especially in my hometown. When you're a kid, 510 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:10,760 Speaker 1: anything that makes you stand out is just mortifying. But 511 00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:13,920 Speaker 1: these days people tell me that they know who I am, 512 00:28:14,119 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 1: or that they liked the show, and it's great. It's 513 00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:21,679 Speaker 1: wholly positive. N percent of the time, Greer might be 514 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 1: the other one percent. You know, you actually met my cousin. 515 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:26,720 Speaker 1: I did, Susan Lacy, you remember, I know? Yeah, you 516 00:28:27,359 --> 00:28:28,520 Speaker 1: were taking her to prom. 517 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:32,360 Speaker 10: Really, of course you don't remember, and you were probably 518 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:34,320 Speaker 10: told every girl that you were going to prom. 519 00:28:35,119 --> 00:28:38,560 Speaker 1: Man, you were the man. It was awkward, but suddenly 520 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:40,880 Speaker 1: I was optimistic you might open the case file. 521 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:45,000 Speaker 3: Oh tapanga, dude, topanga. 522 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:50,920 Speaker 1: Oh she was hot, that good and you didn't hit 523 00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:55,920 Speaker 1: that luckily. When Maldonado arrived, Greer shifted into a more 524 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:56,720 Speaker 1: professional mode. 525 00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:01,480 Speaker 4: Yeah you too, Yeah, I've seen a lot of Maldonado 526 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:02,200 Speaker 4: tags around here. 527 00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 1: Oh yeah. He walked us past the lobby and into 528 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:08,320 Speaker 1: the building, which, if I was honest, I wanted to 529 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:11,320 Speaker 1: be like a James Bond facade that once we walked 530 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:13,360 Speaker 1: through the doors, there would actually be a high tech 531 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 1: storage facility. People in lab coats standing over beakers, metal 532 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:22,160 Speaker 1: shelving a gun range, but it was just more office building. 533 00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:25,400 Speaker 1: The two of them went into a room and left 534 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:28,200 Speaker 1: me in the hallway. I sat on a chair waiting, 535 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:31,760 Speaker 1: and suddenly it felt like every audition I've ever been on. 536 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:37,640 Speaker 1: And then Monica called, Hey, what's up? Hey? So maybe 537 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:39,720 Speaker 1: the drug dealer isn't that so crazy after all? What 538 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:40,120 Speaker 1: do you mean? 539 00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:45,200 Speaker 6: Registered her Jenna on November eighteen, nineteen ninety five. 540 00:29:46,240 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 1: So she had a new car within two weeks. 541 00:29:49,280 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 9: Yeah, I gotta go, gotta go. 542 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:57,560 Speaker 1: Maldonado and Greer took me into an evidence review room. 543 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:00,160 Speaker 1: Let me now you want to pull, which is how 544 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:04,040 Speaker 1: I found myself looking at an evidence catalog like a 545 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:07,440 Speaker 1: menu with too many options. What did I want to see? 546 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:12,760 Speaker 1: The CDs, bullet fragments, none of it really. The most 547 00:30:12,760 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: important thing was checking out making stories, but Maldonado was encouraging. 548 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:19,520 Speaker 2: I don't never know, might not something loose that? 549 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:26,360 Speaker 10: Okay, well it's a little superficial, but I would love 550 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:30,560 Speaker 10: to see some of this stuff, like this book maybe, 551 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:32,320 Speaker 10: And then could I see the bullets? 552 00:30:32,720 --> 00:30:36,440 Speaker 1: I held the three bullets from the tree in my hand. Wow, 553 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 1: I'm actually smaller than I thought. They were tiny flattened 554 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 1: bits of metal, and Anna's copy of the book The 555 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:47,520 Speaker 1: Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman was well worn. 556 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:49,959 Speaker 1: It was it was like, I don't know a lot 557 00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 1: of kids read it. It's like this. 558 00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:57,080 Speaker 10: New age philosophy book. What's this other note? 559 00:30:57,080 --> 00:31:00,000 Speaker 1: Here in the catalog after the Way of the Peaceful 560 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:05,640 Speaker 1: Warrior was a line that said damage heart spelled hart. 561 00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:08,760 Speaker 3: That might be a note that the book is damaged, 562 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 3: or could be a type of damaged art. 563 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:15,520 Speaker 1: Couldn't help it. I kind of love the poetic value 564 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:18,120 Speaker 1: of the line damage Heart, but I had already made 565 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:20,160 Speaker 1: career go back to the storage too many times. I 566 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:23,920 Speaker 1: was only treading water and binding time because I'd already 567 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:26,239 Speaker 1: seen the list of interviews. Can I just look at 568 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:27,760 Speaker 1: these transcripts with Mick and. 569 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:29,720 Speaker 4: You got it? 570 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:30,040 Speaker 2: Boss? 571 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:37,720 Speaker 1: What do you think? I'm just wondering about the timeline 572 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 1: that night? No more the investigation power most. At this 573 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:48,720 Speaker 1: point I had my notebook out on the table, which 574 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:52,280 Speaker 1: was a mess of scribbles. But right around here I 575 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:56,120 Speaker 1: realized I had written notes about Sparks, including the words 576 00:31:56,600 --> 00:31:59,800 Speaker 1: Maldo is a villain circled. I covered it up with 577 00:31:59,840 --> 00:32:02,760 Speaker 1: my arm. Well, yeah, because Mick stopped talking to you, 578 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:07,360 Speaker 1: but hate lawyered up, and you never thought about her 579 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:11,080 Speaker 1: rescue it for what we didn't have crime. 580 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:15,480 Speaker 3: We're still hoping, I mean actually mostly expecting that she 581 00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:17,880 Speaker 3: might call up in a month or two and say, hey, Mom, 582 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:18,720 Speaker 3: so I had to golf. 583 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:23,880 Speaker 1: Greer came back with the transcripts. I'm pretty sure these 584 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:29,640 Speaker 1: are the ones you wanted. A rich yep, oh wow. 585 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:31,400 Speaker 7: So. 586 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:36,680 Speaker 1: Comes in. But it's not until this interview, which is 587 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:38,840 Speaker 1: her third one, that she says that she was with 588 00:32:39,080 --> 00:32:44,280 Speaker 1: Mick but correct. That was right after Elrick's alibi, right 589 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:46,720 Speaker 1: at the moment when attention would have focused on Mick. 590 00:32:47,680 --> 00:32:49,160 Speaker 1: I pulled out my phone to take a photo of 591 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:50,560 Speaker 1: the pages, but Greer stopped me. 592 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:53,160 Speaker 2: No photos? 593 00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:56,160 Speaker 1: Really? Yeah, do you can write down what you want? 594 00:32:56,280 --> 00:32:57,360 Speaker 3: I can go back to Lachlan. 595 00:32:57,760 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 1: It's probably not a big deal. 596 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:00,680 Speaker 4: But I got to get a clue. 597 00:33:01,840 --> 00:33:05,640 Speaker 1: How long is that without it? Donna Maldonado threw his 598 00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:09,120 Speaker 1: hands up. He was also frustrated. I'm not proud of 599 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:13,720 Speaker 1: what I did. Next, I excuse myself to the bathroom. 600 00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:18,480 Speaker 1: There's a story everyone knows about somebody famous. You've heard 601 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:22,000 Speaker 1: it about someone It's a story where a famous person 602 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:24,160 Speaker 1: can't get into a restaurant or a club, or they 603 00:33:24,280 --> 00:33:27,400 Speaker 1: get pulled over for a speeding ticket, and they say, 604 00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:31,600 Speaker 1: don't you know who I am? It's probably never true, 605 00:33:31,800 --> 00:33:34,680 Speaker 1: but the point of the story is, look at this 606 00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:38,680 Speaker 1: sad famous person. Look how desperate they are and pathetic, 607 00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:42,000 Speaker 1: how much they expect, how much they demand, how much 608 00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:46,920 Speaker 1: they rely on status. These stories haunt me. I guess 609 00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:51,120 Speaker 1: they haunt anyone who gets recognized. It's a story about 610 00:33:51,160 --> 00:33:55,200 Speaker 1: how not to be if you're famous. And yet here 611 00:33:55,280 --> 00:34:01,120 Speaker 1: I was making a phone call. Hey, all right, I 612 00:34:01,160 --> 00:34:04,640 Speaker 1: have a really big favor. I know this is super annoying, 613 00:34:04,680 --> 00:34:09,239 Speaker 1: but do you have a second right now? Hey, I 614 00:34:09,320 --> 00:34:11,879 Speaker 1: thought you might want to say hi to a friend 615 00:34:11,880 --> 00:34:15,239 Speaker 1: of mine. I had called Danielle Fischel, my old cast 616 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:19,520 Speaker 1: made from Boybeat's World. Yes to Panga on FaceTime? 617 00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:22,800 Speaker 5: Oh no, no, no, you didn't. 618 00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:30,960 Speaker 1: Is this he did? Now Here's where I realized I 619 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:34,120 Speaker 1: hadn't thought any of this through at all. I had 620 00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:36,840 Speaker 1: distracted career got him out of the room, but in 621 00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:39,799 Speaker 1: doing so, I had also just let my phone, the 622 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:42,160 Speaker 1: very thing I needed to take photos of the pages, 623 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:48,920 Speaker 1: walk out the door. You hear that sound right there. 624 00:34:49,840 --> 00:34:53,600 Speaker 1: That's mal Donado dropping his phone on the table right 625 00:34:53,640 --> 00:34:55,840 Speaker 1: in front of me, and then he gave a little 626 00:34:56,440 --> 00:34:58,040 Speaker 1: go ahead wave with his hands. 627 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:02,560 Speaker 9: So I picked up his phone and I took photos 628 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:10,399 Speaker 9: of every page I could. 629 00:35:12,680 --> 00:35:16,719 Speaker 1: All right, well, thanks for this, Yeah, no problem. I 630 00:35:16,719 --> 00:35:18,200 Speaker 1: hope you got something good for the podcast. 631 00:35:18,280 --> 00:35:18,640 Speaker 5: Yeah. 632 00:35:19,719 --> 00:35:23,120 Speaker 1: Yeah. It was a confusing moment because I was thankful 633 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:26,520 Speaker 1: I needed copies of these documents, and Maldonado had helped me, 634 00:35:27,120 --> 00:35:29,600 Speaker 1: So on one hand, makes me feel like he's a 635 00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:33,960 Speaker 1: good guy. On the other, doesn't this lend credence to 636 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:36,480 Speaker 1: the idea that he's willing to bend the rules, that 637 00:35:36,520 --> 00:35:41,319 Speaker 1: he's corruptible? Hey, uh, thanks for that. 638 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:46,399 Speaker 3: Of course, I told you the one thing I don't 639 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:49,920 Speaker 3: miss red tape. 640 00:35:51,120 --> 00:35:53,680 Speaker 1: Maybe I'm naive, but I've always wanted to believe that 641 00:35:53,760 --> 00:35:56,520 Speaker 1: people do the right thing for its own sake. But 642 00:35:57,280 --> 00:35:59,160 Speaker 1: so much of life as a series of trade offs. 643 00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:03,359 Speaker 1: You help person because they've helped you. You have your 644 00:36:03,360 --> 00:36:06,040 Speaker 1: friend Danielle talk to a fan for you. You give 645 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:11,319 Speaker 1: information or withhold information from the police, and sometimes you 646 00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:15,200 Speaker 1: end up with a slash couch. Other times you get 647 00:36:15,200 --> 00:36:18,400 Speaker 1: the evidence you need. Now, I had copies of the 648 00:36:18,400 --> 00:36:21,520 Speaker 1: interviews with Mick and I was able to build a timeline, 649 00:36:22,280 --> 00:36:25,480 Speaker 1: and sure enough, between their interviews with the Sheriff's Department, 650 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:31,640 Speaker 1: both Mick and had changed her story. Whether he paid 651 00:36:31,640 --> 00:36:34,880 Speaker 1: her off with the Sweet Sweet Jetta or not, it 652 00:36:34,960 --> 00:36:37,560 Speaker 1: certainly looked like they coordinated, like they could have worked 653 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:41,719 Speaker 1: together to secure mixed alibi. And if Maldonado was a 654 00:36:41,840 --> 00:36:44,960 Speaker 1: villain wanted to look the other way, that might have 655 00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:49,760 Speaker 1: been enough, more than anything I needed to hear from Instead. 656 00:36:50,239 --> 00:37:15,160 Speaker 1: As insane as this sounds, I heard from Ana. The 657 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:18,360 Speaker 1: Red Weather is an iHeart podcast hosted by River Straw. 658 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:22,160 Speaker 1: Sound engineering, editing and mixing by Bow milkis produced by 659 00:37:22,200 --> 00:37:26,960 Speaker 1: Tess Bartholomey. Executive producers at iHeartRadio Trevor Young and Matt Frederick. 660 00:37:27,280 --> 00:37:33,920 Speaker 1: Associate producer Bo milkis original score by Kyle Morgan. If 661 00:37:33,960 --> 00:37:36,040 Speaker 1: you're enjoying the show, please remember to leave a review 662 00:37:36,080 --> 00:37:37,520 Speaker 1: in rating. Thanks for listening,