1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 1: A warning about this episode. It contains descriptions of suicide 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: and suicidal thoughts. Please take care when listening. It was 3 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,599 Speaker 1: ten years since the Benders moved to the middle of 4 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:20,240 Speaker 1: the jungle in Costa Rica with a big dream and 5 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: a reported six hundred million dollars author Carol Vaughan. 6 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 2: They wanted to live in the clouds and not have 7 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 2: to deal with anything. 8 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: They built their extravagant four story mansion and created a 9 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 1: nature reserve full of animals and birds. But their dream 10 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:42,919 Speaker 1: slowly and relentlessly crumbled around them and it was. 11 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 2: Just doomed, just doomed. All that money and it was doomed. 12 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:48,560 Speaker 2: They couldn't make it happen. 13 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: After the police arrested John and Anne on the roadside 14 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 1: in two thousand and one, they felt targeted. Then armed 15 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 1: invaders came within two high hundred feet at the house. 16 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 2: And they were confronted with violence. People trying to kill them, 17 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 2: people trying to kidnap them, people trying to get their 18 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 2: money out of them. So that made their neuroses and 19 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 2: their paranoia even worse. 20 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 1: The couple bought guns and learned how to shoot. They 21 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 1: both felt compelled to defend themselves from outside forces. Despite 22 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: previously being anti gun ownership. Locals were suspicious of them. 23 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:34,559 Speaker 1: Their staff were afraid. Arm guards patrolled twenty four to seven. 24 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 1: But their lives were falling apart on the inside too. 25 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 1: By the time we get to two thy and ten, 26 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: they're living in extreme isolation. They have virtually cut off 27 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: all contact with the outside world, and and John have 28 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 1: disconnected from reality. On top of this, Anne can now 29 00:01:56,680 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: barely walk. John had failed to find a natural They 30 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 1: remained together high on the hill inside their Wallace mansion, 31 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:10,919 Speaker 1: losing their minds. Carol Vaughan wrote the book on these events, 32 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: and her eyes intensify as she leans in and tells. 33 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,640 Speaker 2: Me the two of them suffered from mental illness, and 34 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 2: in the isolation and loneliness of Costa Rica, their condition 35 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 2: got worse and they sort of wite. 36 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 1: Nuts until in the early hours of January the eighth, 37 00:02:29,919 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: twenty ten, events reached breaking point. From Exactly Right Media 38 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:49,799 Speaker 1: and iHeart Podcasts produced by Blanchard House, This is Helen Heaven. 39 00:02:50,280 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 1: I'm Becky Milligan. Chapter five. The night of Thursday, January 40 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 1: the seventh, twenty ten. It's been a warm, humid day. 41 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: John has been creating a stone mineral garden, his latest project. 42 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 1: Near the entrance of the house, rocks as large as 43 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: cars had been forklifted into place. He was planning to 44 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: arrange them in a particular way. As Valdo Rojas, head 45 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 1: of maintenance, has seen box after box of stones arrive, 46 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 1: many remain unopened. 47 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 3: John said that the stones were beautiful and conveyed a 48 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 3: certain piece. 49 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: Anne is now desperately thin. Walking as difficult. She has 50 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: a cane to help her or is carried by John 51 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: like a small child. As the day comes to a close, 52 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 1: John and Anne complete their usual evening rituals. They watch 53 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: the sunset from the balcony. 54 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:20,159 Speaker 2: And just stand there, hugging each other and wait for 55 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:20,719 Speaker 2: the sun to go. 56 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 1: Down, listening to the Twilight Jungle chorus our sunset thing 57 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 1: and calls it. 58 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 2: I think they were totally in love with each other. 59 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:40,039 Speaker 1: They played John's favorite video game, Fallout three for a 60 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 1: couple of hours, an action series which is set in 61 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 1: a post apocalyptic world. The main character, alone Wanderer, searches 62 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 1: for his lost father. After dinner, John then carries Anne 63 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: up to the fourth floor master bedroom. The elevator system 64 00:04:56,520 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 1: is locked. Anne is in bed. John is arranging pillows. 65 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:04,040 Speaker 1: He has a particular way he likes them to be placed. 66 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 2: He slept on a stack of three pillows. He slept nude. 67 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 2: He slept with ear buds in because he couldn't stand noise. 68 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 2: And the jungle at night is hugely noisy. 69 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,679 Speaker 1: Remember those earplugs. They'll be important later. 70 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 2: It was just the two of them in the bedroom 71 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:27,840 Speaker 2: that highly secured. Only way to get there was through 72 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 2: a locked elevator. 73 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:37,720 Speaker 1: It's nearing midnight. The Bender's bedroom is far from ordinary. 74 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:41,599 Speaker 1: It's huge, of course. And then there are the lamps, 75 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 1: hundreds of lamps, stained glass tiffany lamps, all of them 76 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 1: around five hundred and fifty blazing. They're switched off, leaving 77 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:56,279 Speaker 1: only the darkness. The jungle vibrates with an incessant hum 78 00:05:56,360 --> 00:06:01,279 Speaker 1: of insects, frogs, geckos, and the rustles of nocturnal animals. 79 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:10,359 Speaker 1: Eerie sounds echo through the darkness. Inside the house, it 80 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 1: is still. One of the guards settles in for what 81 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 1: he expects to be just another uneventful night, But at 82 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:25,960 Speaker 1: a quarter past midnight, he leaps up. That sounded like 83 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:30,839 Speaker 1: a gunshot. He frowns, but before he can call his supervisor, 84 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: the walkie talkie crackles into life. It's Anne. She's frantic, 85 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: crying and yelling for help. The guard alerts his supervisor, Aguila, 86 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: it's the start of the nightmare. Aguila immediately calls his boss. 87 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 1: Jose Pizarro, the Bender's head of security, is relaxing at 88 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,919 Speaker 1: home in San Jose. He's left a guiler in charge 89 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:03,279 Speaker 1: at the Bender's house that evening. When his phone rings 90 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: after midnight, he's surprised who calls this late. He hears 91 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:12,120 Speaker 1: a guiler on the end of the line. 92 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 4: Me evil. 93 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 5: He says, Colonel, we heard a shot inside the boss's house. 94 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: In the urgency In a giler's voice makes Jose instantly 95 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: sit up. He is now fully awake and alert. 96 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 5: It sounds very weird to me. Nothing like this has 97 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 5: ever happened before. 98 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: Then he hears Anne's distraught voice coming across on the 99 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 1: walkie talkie, crying and pleading for someone to help. He 100 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: tells a guiler to try and find out what is 101 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 1: going on. Remember, the Benders locked the elevator before they 102 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 1: went to bed. A guiler has never had to unlock 103 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 1: it before, so he doesn't know how. It takes five 104 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 1: minutes to work it out. He then rises up to 105 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 1: the master bedroom where the sound of the gunshot came from. 106 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 1: It's the first time he's ever been on the fourth floor. 107 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: It's dark, but he can see Anne kneeling by the 108 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:17,119 Speaker 1: side of the bed. She's crying and shaking, stroking John's hand. 109 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 1: Something horrific has happened. He looks at Anne more closely. 110 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 2: And she is just completely falling apart. It's covered in blood. 111 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 2: She's beside herself. The guard immediately started trying to help 112 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 2: an saying, how can I help you? What do we 113 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 2: need to do? Do you need to take something? 114 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: Nearby the guard Aguila sees a gun, John's gun, a 115 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 1: semi automatic nine millimeter Ruga P forty five. Then he 116 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 1: realizes John is motionless and there's a pool of blood 117 00:08:55,280 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 1: around his head. John is dead. Having taken in the scene, 118 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:21,440 Speaker 1: Aguila continues speaking to Jose on the phone. Jose remembers 119 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:22,439 Speaker 1: the call clearly. 120 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 6: Yeah. 121 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:28,679 Speaker 5: He told me Anna's crying. She's in total shock. I said, 122 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 5: what's going on? And he told me that Anne is 123 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 5: saying that John shot himself. 124 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:38,359 Speaker 1: Jose is shocked. He's trying to take it in his employer. 125 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 1: His friend John has killed himself, shot himself with his gun. 126 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: It doesn't make sense why. He orders a guala to 127 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: take Anne to the second floor as quickly as possible. 128 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 1: Jose immediately calls the police and the Red Cross Ambulance Service. 129 00:09:58,559 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 1: He will coordinate everything from now on. He rings John 130 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 1: and Ann's lawyers as he prepares to drive to the 131 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 1: Bender's house. It's three to four hours away. Over and 132 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 1: over in his head he asks the same question, how 133 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 1: could this have happened? It will be an hour before 134 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:21,760 Speaker 1: the ambulance gets to the house, a little more before 135 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 1: the police arrive. Ambulance driver Carlos Mores is woken by 136 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:36,960 Speaker 1: the phone ringing. It's about twelve thirty in the morning. 137 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: It's from the Red Cross HQ. There's an emergency in 138 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 1: a remote area of the jungle Swuicilien. 139 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:49,079 Speaker 4: There was talk of a suicide, but a security guard 140 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 4: that committed suicide. 141 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 1: Carlos and a colleague pick up their medical equipment and 142 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:57,960 Speaker 1: set off into the darkness of the Costa Rican jungle. 143 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 1: Half an hour later, at one in the morning, another 144 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:06,599 Speaker 1: phone is ringing, this time in the house of Aswoldo 145 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:11,679 Speaker 1: Rojas in Perizelodon, the nearest town to Borichayanne. He's been 146 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 1: the Bender's head of maintenance for ten years. Up till now, 147 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 1: he's had a regular day. He left Borachayanne at three 148 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:21,959 Speaker 1: in the afternoon as usual and spent the rest of 149 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 1: the afternoon and evening at home with his wife. They 150 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 1: went to bed and were fast asleep when the phone. 151 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 3: Rang Hello, Amja Madon about one am. They called me 152 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 3: to say that John had apparently killed himself and that 153 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 3: I should go there because Anna was desperate. 154 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:45,320 Speaker 1: Oswaldo, like everyone else, is shocked. So much is going 155 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: through his mind as he rushes to Bori Chayanne. Ambulance 156 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 1: driver Carlos, the Bender's head of security Jose, and maintenance 157 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 1: man as Voldo are all now on the road heading 158 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: to or Acheyanne. The police are also on their way. 159 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:09,200 Speaker 1: At the house, Anne is now on the second floor 160 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 1: in a severe state of shock. 161 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:16,319 Speaker 2: She took something to ease the drama and stress. 162 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 1: She emails her parents, then calls her brother Ken Patton 163 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 1: in Michigan, waking him up in the middle of the night. 164 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:27,080 Speaker 1: Her first words to him will be significant in all 165 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:32,079 Speaker 1: that follows. He finally did it, she says. There are 166 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:35,720 Speaker 1: more calls to make but first Aguila. At the request 167 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:40,200 Speaker 1: of Jose Pizzaro makes sure Anne has all her medications. 168 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 1: The ambulance driver, Carlos and his partner are en route. 169 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:49,440 Speaker 1: It's around one in the morning. They take a rough 170 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:51,959 Speaker 1: road on the left, deeper into the jungle. 171 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 4: It was actually a very nice night, a bit dark 172 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 4: because there was no light thing with lot of the windows, 173 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 4: and heard the sound of the jungle and we were 174 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:07,040 Speaker 4: the only ones on the road. 175 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 1: He knows the area a bit, but has never heard 176 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:15,120 Speaker 1: of Bora Kayanne. Jose, head of security, is also on 177 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 1: his way. He's going as fast as he can, pressing 178 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:23,280 Speaker 1: his foot down on the accelerator. He rings a Geala 179 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:27,360 Speaker 1: again to check up on the situation. His main concern 180 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:31,080 Speaker 1: now is Anne's momento yah Yo. 181 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:35,920 Speaker 5: Ask her if she feels okay. If she does, she 182 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:38,719 Speaker 5: needs to stay in the house, but keep an eye 183 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:45,080 Speaker 5: on her. If she gets worse, take her to the hospital. 184 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 1: At around one fifteen in the morning, Carlos pulls up 185 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:53,440 Speaker 1: at the gates of Bora Kayanne. He can't believe what 186 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 1: he sees. 187 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:57,839 Speaker 4: The first thing we saw the big gates. I was 188 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 4: impressed because there was a lot of secure Two girls 189 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:03,320 Speaker 4: were standing at the front edd and as we got 190 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 4: closer we saw there's a hugely illuminated house. It it 191 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 4: looked like a flying saucer. 192 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 1: He turns to one of the security guards at the 193 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 1: gate and asks if the casualty is a colleague of. 194 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:18,960 Speaker 4: His loon is the boss the boss who shot himself? 195 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 7: I asked, where is he? He tells me on the 196 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 7: fore floor. 197 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 1: Carlos and his partner rush up the stairs to the 198 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 1: front entrance. They passed John's precious orchids in the car. 199 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 1: Jose makes more calls, first to the police. He knows 200 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:40,960 Speaker 1: some of them very well since he used to be 201 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 1: head of police in Costa Rica and was popular known 202 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:48,160 Speaker 1: by his nickname El Toro the Bull. 203 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 5: I kept in touch with everyone that night to advise 204 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:54,320 Speaker 5: of what was going on there. 205 00:14:55,120 --> 00:15:03,840 Speaker 1: His head is still full of questions. Back in the house, 206 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 1: ambulance driver, Carlos and his partner are shown to the elevator, 207 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 1: which will take them to the fourth floor. He's taking 208 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 1: in the large number of armed guards and the luxury. 209 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 4: Los Pizos and lump interiors, the furnishing, the floors, the elevator. 210 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:24,680 Speaker 1: There's an odd atmosphere. 211 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 3: He thinks, no, no, i Cilenzio. 212 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 7: Everything was silent, nobody cried so an. 213 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 4: They already told us that she was the boss's wife. 214 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 7: And seemed come I didn't see her crying at all. 215 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: Carlos begins to wonder if the house could be owned 216 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 1: by a big drug lord. That might explain the guns 217 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 1: and the opulence. 218 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:51,320 Speaker 7: Still, there's too much money in here. 219 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 4: It seemed to me like we were walking into a 220 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 4: Bablo Escobar soap opera. I don't know what has happened to, 221 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:00,440 Speaker 4: who else is inside the house, or what else happen. 222 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 1: He feels a deep sense of unease. Could someone have 223 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: broken in? Could this person still be in the property? 224 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: Like the house, the elevator has no walls. It is 225 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 1: like a rising platform. Carlos can see each floor as 226 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 1: he goes up. A kitchen, beautiful wooden furniture. He sees 227 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 1: all those lamps, the Tiffany lamps. Everything is so shiny, 228 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 1: he says, made from stainless steel, granite or marble. They 229 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 1: reach the fourth floor on amos a piece. 230 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 4: Then the elevator stops and there is a single, huge bedroom, 231 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 4: the walls not even for the bathroom, and there's a 232 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:45,640 Speaker 4: big bed and lots of gems on the shows. 233 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 1: His pulse quickens. He can almost hear his heart beating. 234 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: Then he sees it, the body on the bed, the 235 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 1: boss of the house lama on the piece. 236 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 4: And I could see the gun on the floor, the 237 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:05,160 Speaker 4: trail of bloods is angry. 238 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 1: He switches on his flashlight and takes a closer look. 239 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: The man is clearly dead. There's nothing they can do. 240 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:15,880 Speaker 1: They try not to touch anything and tell the guards 241 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:19,119 Speaker 1: not to let anyone else up here until the police arrive. 242 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 1: Carlos whispers to his partner that he's scared. He has 243 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:27,920 Speaker 1: an overwhelming desire to leave, to get out of there 244 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:30,639 Speaker 1: as soon as possible, but he has to wait for 245 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:34,959 Speaker 1: the police. It doesn't take long. When the first police 246 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: officers arrive, Carlos debriefs them the man is dead and 247 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:50,880 Speaker 1: there's nothing they can do. It's now two point fifteen 248 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 1: in the morning. Maintenance man as Voldo. 249 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:58,879 Speaker 3: Arrives to Pierson. I went up to the second floor 250 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 3: to see Anna. She was sitting on the couch and 251 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:04,960 Speaker 3: I walked to her. She clung to me, crying and 252 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 3: said that John had killed herself. 253 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:08,840 Speaker 5: That's all she said. 254 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:14,800 Speaker 1: At Anne has already told her family that John has died. 255 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:24,359 Speaker 1: She hasn't yet called John's parents. It's in the early 256 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 1: hours of the morning when the call comes through to 257 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:31,640 Speaker 1: Paul and Margie Bender in Phoenix, Arizona, a horrific call 258 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:35,919 Speaker 1: for any parent. At first, they find it hard to 259 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:39,360 Speaker 1: grapple with what has happened and make sense of what 260 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: Anne is telling them. 261 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:45,640 Speaker 6: She said that this accident had happened, and she tried 262 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:49,680 Speaker 6: to describe what happened. I did not understand why it happened, 263 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:54,800 Speaker 6: but she said he had died from this accident, and 264 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:59,480 Speaker 6: that she was terribly upset about it. And she wasn't 265 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 6: quite sure why, but he was. He was under a 266 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 6: lot of pressure. She did not think that he committed 267 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 6: suicide or I didn't like that, but she said, it happened, 268 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 6: and what are we going to do? It happened. 269 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:23,640 Speaker 1: Paul struggles to talk about his son's death. Anne would 270 00:19:23,720 --> 00:19:27,200 Speaker 1: later tell reporters that a few months before his death, 271 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:32,480 Speaker 1: John had spiraled into a dark place his favorite bird 272 00:19:32,520 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 1: had been killed. That seems to have hit him particularly hard. Remember, 273 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 1: he and Anne were both animal lovers, and that was 274 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 1: a key reason they'd moved to Costa Rica. But there 275 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:47,399 Speaker 1: was something else. John had entrusted his money to a 276 00:19:47,480 --> 00:19:52,480 Speaker 1: Costa Rican lawyer. In fact, he'd given him power of attorney, 277 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 1: meaning the lawyer now controlled the Bender's fortune. Not a 278 00:19:57,359 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 1: smart move. John was starting to say, suspect that the 279 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:06,439 Speaker 1: lawyer was screwing him for millions of dollars. Anne showed 280 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:09,680 Speaker 1: the CBS series Forty eight Hours an email from John 281 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:11,160 Speaker 1: read here by an. 282 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:14,399 Speaker 8: Actor, such a total fucking loser River getting involved with 283 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:19,200 Speaker 8: those scumbags. Losing my fucking mind right now, burst sick again, 284 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:23,119 Speaker 8: and now this shit Today's a total fucking nightmare, and 285 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:25,960 Speaker 8: tomorrow get worse. Just when I was feeling I could 286 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:28,000 Speaker 8: learn to be happy, now I get this and I 287 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 8: want to be dead. 288 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:35,679 Speaker 1: The emails terrified Dane. John also obsessed about Anne's health. 289 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 1: Why couldn't he cure her? None of his homemade concoctions 290 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:43,760 Speaker 1: had worked. She only got worse and could barely walk 291 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:48,280 Speaker 1: unaided lymes disease had infected her spinal cord and brain. 292 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:52,639 Speaker 1: John couldn't bear it. Had he failed her and himself. 293 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:56,560 Speaker 1: This is what Anne would say later, voiced by an actor. 294 00:20:57,160 --> 00:20:59,800 Speaker 3: We were dealing with so many things at the same time. 295 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 7: He was talking about suicide every day. 296 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:08,920 Speaker 1: Anne also said that for the first time in eleven years, 297 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 1: they were suffering a dreadful depression at the same time, 298 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 1: and the six weeks before John's death were harrowing. Every 299 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:20,120 Speaker 1: day we would sit down and he would take all 300 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:23,280 Speaker 1: the medications we had, she said, and put them in 301 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 1: piles and say, okay, when am I going to start 302 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:30,200 Speaker 1: taking the pills? They were suicide dress rehearsals. 303 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 7: Anne said. 304 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:35,439 Speaker 1: She told CNN that there was definitely something to the 305 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:38,560 Speaker 1: concept of the two of them having gone mad together. 306 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:44,200 Speaker 1: This is Anne's account of what happened in the early 307 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:48,640 Speaker 1: hours of January eighth, twenty ten. She has told and 308 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:53,240 Speaker 1: retold this story many times to reporters, the police, and 309 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 1: to author Carol Vaughan. 310 00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 2: She went to bed first and was falling off to sleep, 311 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:03,760 Speaker 2: and she was awakened by something. She says she thinks 312 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:07,879 Speaker 2: it was voices. She heard him say something she thinks 313 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:11,160 Speaker 2: it was, You'll now know what it's like to wake 314 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 2: up next to your dead husband. 315 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 1: You'll now know what it's like to wake up next 316 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:21,159 Speaker 1: to your dead husband. And opened her eyes. It was dark, 317 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 1: but she could see that John had a gun pointed 318 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:29,159 Speaker 1: at his head. It was loaded and cocked ready to fire. 319 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:33,879 Speaker 1: He was lying back on the pillows. At first she 320 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 1: was stunned, and then. 321 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:39,560 Speaker 2: She jumped up onto her knees and lunched for it 322 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:43,679 Speaker 2: in her hands and closed his hands. She says she 323 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:50,280 Speaker 2: never touched the gun, but the gun went off and 324 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:52,480 Speaker 2: shot him in the back of the head and killed 325 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:53,240 Speaker 2: him instantly. 326 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:04,679 Speaker 1: Anne picked up the walkie talkie and called for help, 327 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 1: she would later tell reporters. At this point, I already 328 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 1: knew he was dead because I had heard the death rattle, 329 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:19,120 Speaker 1: that last breath in the master bedroom. Carlos and his 330 00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 1: partner are about to leave. There is nothing more they 331 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 1: can do. They both feel anxious. 332 00:23:27,560 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 7: I was afraidful my safety. 333 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:31,399 Speaker 4: I mean, if someone had come into the house to 334 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 4: kill this guy, you could still be around and start 335 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:35,200 Speaker 4: to shootout. 336 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 1: They go down in the lift. They need to see 337 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:42,000 Speaker 1: Anne before they go, to check her blood pressure and 338 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:42,840 Speaker 1: how she's doing. 339 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:47,480 Speaker 7: I've always said that when I saw her, she was fine. 340 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 7: She wasn't crying, she wasn't everything was fine. 341 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:59,680 Speaker 1: The Bender's head of security, Jose Pizzaro, nicknamed the Colonel, 342 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:04,040 Speaker 1: finally arrives at the house around three am. He rushes 343 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 1: in to see Anne so army. 344 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 5: She hugged me as she was saying, Colonel, I tried, 345 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 5: I tried. I tried to stop him. I tried. She 346 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 5: kept saying this. It was very tough as. 347 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:18,480 Speaker 7: Well a comento. 348 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 1: Jose found it hard hearing her anguish. She was very ill, 349 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:27,919 Speaker 1: he tells me, devastated by John's death and confused and 350 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 1: tells Jose what happened. 351 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 5: She was there with John with a gun and she 352 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:38,480 Speaker 5: yelled no, John, please don't and tried to grab him 353 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:40,200 Speaker 5: by the arm as well. 354 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:43,159 Speaker 1: So the maintenance man is still at the house. The 355 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:45,280 Speaker 1: police are in the master bedroom. 356 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 3: Okay, And we thought when the police arrived the process 357 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:51,720 Speaker 3: was going to be quick and simple. It would date 358 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:55,200 Speaker 3: perhaps three to four hours to remove the body because 359 00:24:55,440 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 3: this was supposed to be a suicide. 360 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:07,320 Speaker 1: But the atmosphere suddenly changes. The police are taking longer 361 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 1: than expected. After their initial inspection of the bedroom, the 362 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:17,040 Speaker 1: police now say that they think John may not have 363 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:22,000 Speaker 1: killed himself. The staff start to wonder what really happened 364 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 1: on the fourth. 365 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:26,600 Speaker 3: Floor, Ivander, so that's where we all started to speculate. 366 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:29,880 Speaker 3: They ask everyone to leave the scene and they stay 367 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:31,920 Speaker 3: up there carrying out all the investigations. 368 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:38,280 Speaker 1: The room is cleared, forensics move in. Had someone broken 369 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:43,000 Speaker 1: in and killed John? Jose has already taken a look 370 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 1: at the master bedroom. As a former police chief in 371 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:49,400 Speaker 1: Costa Rica, he has seen a lot of crime scenes. 372 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 1: When he looks around the bedroom, he doesn't see any 373 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:54,439 Speaker 1: evidence of an intruder. 374 00:25:57,600 --> 00:26:01,040 Speaker 5: John's body remained there on his side. There was nothing 375 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:03,320 Speaker 5: out of place except the sheets were a little messy. 376 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:06,639 Speaker 5: None of this made me think that someone could have 377 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 5: broken in to kill him. If that had been the case, 378 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 5: they would have killed down two. But the scene was 379 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:16,479 Speaker 5: simply John's body and the pool of blood. The police 380 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:18,800 Speaker 5: were already taking photos and doing their job. 381 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:25,200 Speaker 1: But the police have their own theory. The crime scene 382 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:29,400 Speaker 1: doesn't make sense. This is no longer a case of suicide. 383 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:37,040 Speaker 1: They now believe John was murdered and their main suspect. 384 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:48,080 Speaker 7: Is Anne. This is very mysterious. 385 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 4: It doesn't look like a suicide because of the way 386 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:54,000 Speaker 4: that we found the gun in the warm. There's something 387 00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 4: really weird going on here. 388 00:26:56,920 --> 00:27:00,239 Speaker 1: There are two things that don't add up, things that 389 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:05,960 Speaker 1: will be endlessly scrutinized later on. Number One, John had 390 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:10,240 Speaker 1: his ear plugs still in. He couldn't sleep without them. 391 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:13,680 Speaker 1: But why would you wear ear plugs if you were 392 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:17,960 Speaker 1: just about to kill yourself? And number two, the gunshot 393 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:21,919 Speaker 1: wound was on the right side of John's head, but 394 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:25,960 Speaker 1: John was left handed, and not only that, the wound 395 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:29,879 Speaker 1: was on the back of his head. Only two people 396 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:35,280 Speaker 1: were in the room. Only one person knows what really happened. 397 00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:42,520 Speaker 1: Sitting in the ambulance outside the house, Carlos calls the 398 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 1: Red Cross to notify them about John's death. When it's over, 399 00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:49,000 Speaker 1: he turns to his partner. 400 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:55,520 Speaker 3: And says, don't you think this is already word? 401 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:58,919 Speaker 4: I'm afraid that were I want to leave quickly. I 402 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:01,680 Speaker 4: don't feel well, and he was, yeah, I feel the same. 403 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:05,840 Speaker 1: He and his partner are relieved to leave the house. 404 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:10,600 Speaker 1: They're both still on edge. Carlos says to his partner. 405 00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:15,280 Speaker 7: And I said, only leave this way. I don't want 406 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:17,200 Speaker 7: to be here. We don't know how kill this guy. 407 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:20,120 Speaker 7: What if there's a cartel waiting to ambush and kill 408 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:20,440 Speaker 7: them all? 409 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 1: With us here, engine on seat belts fastened, they can't 410 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:36,159 Speaker 1: get away quickly enough. Early the next morning, Anne is 411 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:39,320 Speaker 1: taken to the police station. The first thing they do 412 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:43,440 Speaker 1: is test her hands for gunpowder residue, and it comes 413 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:50,480 Speaker 1: back positive. John's didn't How can she explain that? She 414 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:54,600 Speaker 1: tells them she didn't shoot John. She tells them that 415 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:57,280 Speaker 1: she lunged for the gun and it had gone off. 416 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:03,160 Speaker 1: After being questioned, she's really but it isn't over for Anne. 417 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 1: This is just the beginning. The finger is being pointed 418 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 1: at her. The police are questioning her story. They think 419 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:15,720 Speaker 1: it's a pack of lies and that John didn't kill himself. 420 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:21,240 Speaker 1: They think Anne murdered him. They're now gathering evidence to 421 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:27,959 Speaker 1: back up their story. Anne, under suspicion, is in a 422 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:32,800 Speaker 1: terrible state. The Bender's head of security, Jose Pizarro, is 423 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:37,680 Speaker 1: worried about her. She needs medical help. She's already so weak. 424 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:41,600 Speaker 1: He thinks Anne's years of struggling with mental illness and 425 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:46,680 Speaker 1: Lymes disease have ravaged her mind and body. She's in constant, 426 00:29:46,840 --> 00:29:52,080 Speaker 1: agonizing pain. According to Jose, a few weeks before John's death, 427 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:57,000 Speaker 1: she'd stopped eating, drinking, and she wasn't washing. She wasn't 428 00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:01,040 Speaker 1: doing anything to take care of herself at all. Jose 429 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:03,600 Speaker 1: tells us what he told Anne at the time. 430 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:10,680 Speaker 5: Listen, there's no way you can stay here. You're very ill. 431 00:30:11,360 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 5: What just happened is very hard. You need to get 432 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:15,920 Speaker 5: medical attention right now. 433 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:17,520 Speaker 6: Don't work out. 434 00:30:18,760 --> 00:30:22,560 Speaker 1: John and Anne's dream had come to a sudden and 435 00:30:22,760 --> 00:30:30,240 Speaker 1: tragic end. Their heaven had turned to hell. In the 436 00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:33,200 Speaker 1: months that followed, Anne would look back and think about 437 00:30:33,240 --> 00:30:36,280 Speaker 1: the mansion on the hill with no walls, and what 438 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:39,600 Speaker 1: she and John had tried to create, the nature reserve 439 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:43,000 Speaker 1: and their animals, and the restoration of the land to 440 00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:48,680 Speaker 1: its former glory. She told CNN. Seeing the clouds roll 441 00:30:48,760 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 1: through your living room with the lamps lit up every day, 442 00:30:52,480 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 1: it was a beautiful experience and ever changing. Jose was 443 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:05,240 Speaker 1: devastated too. He'd been John's chief of security for nearly 444 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:08,640 Speaker 1: ten years. His death had been a terrible shock. 445 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:16,360 Speaker 5: The truth is I was very sad. It was a 446 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:22,240 Speaker 5: terrible loss of a good friend, a great person. 447 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:27,400 Speaker 1: Jose remained loyal and practical for Anne's sake. He had 448 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:33,680 Speaker 1: a grim task collecting John's body from the morgue. 449 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:36,000 Speaker 5: I had to take him to be cremated and then 450 00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:37,880 Speaker 5: take the ashes back to Anne. 451 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:42,360 Speaker 1: Meanwhile, he kept tabs on the police investigation as well. 452 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:47,239 Speaker 1: The day after John died, they made a discovery, and 453 00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:51,120 Speaker 1: in the minds of detectives it gave Anne a motive 454 00:31:51,560 --> 00:31:52,280 Speaker 1: for murder. 455 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:58,680 Speaker 5: I remember the police found a small suitcase filled with jewelry. 456 00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:03,000 Speaker 5: There are all kinds of little gems. From that moment on, 457 00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:06,800 Speaker 5: they began to whisper among themselves, how strange that was. 458 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:11,760 Speaker 1: In total, it was reported that over three thousand gems 459 00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:15,200 Speaker 1: were found in the house. They were collected by John 460 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:20,320 Speaker 1: and Anne over many years. Precious stones, rubies, opals, diamonds, 461 00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:24,800 Speaker 1: a stunning array, all bright colors, like a pirate's booty 462 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:28,840 Speaker 1: or royal collection, and the police started to believe that 463 00:32:28,920 --> 00:32:33,440 Speaker 1: they were connected to John's death. They strongly suspected that 464 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:38,720 Speaker 1: the gems had been brought into the country illegally, no taxes, 465 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:42,720 Speaker 1: no receipts, a way of hiding assets from the authorities 466 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:48,880 Speaker 1: to detectives. Anne's motive was clear. She'd murdered her husband 467 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:54,280 Speaker 1: to pocket the gems and would deny all the accusations. 468 00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 1: The intensely private couple in the big house on the 469 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:07,200 Speaker 1: hill were now public property. John was gone. Now a 470 00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:12,680 Speaker 1: long shadow of suspicion fell on Anne. Was it murder, suicide, 471 00:33:12,760 --> 00:33:16,840 Speaker 1: or an accident. All sorts of theories about what happened 472 00:33:16,880 --> 00:33:20,400 Speaker 1: on the night of John's death begin to form. The 473 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:26,000 Speaker 1: police's suspicions are hardening, but things are about to get 474 00:33:26,200 --> 00:33:31,400 Speaker 1: even worse for Anne. The next day, her health failing, 475 00:33:32,320 --> 00:33:38,840 Speaker 1: She's rushed to hospital in San Jose. Next time on 476 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:40,320 Speaker 1: Hell in Heaven. 477 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:43,720 Speaker 2: She was sick, sick, sick. When she was admitted to 478 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:48,200 Speaker 2: the hospital after he died, she was barely alive. She 479 00:33:48,280 --> 00:33:50,880 Speaker 2: was just hanging on by a thread. 480 00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:08,320 Speaker 1: You've been listening to Helen Heaven from Exactly Right Media 481 00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:13,759 Speaker 1: and iHeart podcasts produced by Blanchard House, hosted, written and 482 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:17,520 Speaker 1: produced by me Becky Milligan. The producer and co writer 483 00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:22,759 Speaker 1: is Poppy Damon. Music is by Daniel Lloyd Evans, Louis Nankmnell, 484 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:26,680 Speaker 1: and Toby Mattamol. The sound recordist and head of sound 485 00:34:26,760 --> 00:34:30,560 Speaker 1: and Music is Daniel Lloyd Evans. The lead sound designer 486 00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:36,040 Speaker 1: is Vulcan Kiseltook. The artwork is by Vanessa Lilac for 487 00:34:36,160 --> 00:34:41,200 Speaker 1: Exactly Right Media. The executive producers are Karen Kilgarath, Georgia Hardstark, 488 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:46,680 Speaker 1: and Danielle Kramer, with consulting producer Lilly Ladderwig and associate 489 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:52,279 Speaker 1: producer Jay Elias. The creative director of Blanchard House is 490 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:56,440 Speaker 1: Rosy Pye. The executive producer and head of content at 491 00:34:56,440 --> 00:35:01,279 Speaker 1: Blanchard House is Lawrence Griselle to Helen Heaven on the 492 00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:06,000 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.