1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:02,680 Speaker 1: It seems kind of crazy, but we've all heard of 2 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:07,000 Speaker 1: serial killers who claimed they were inspired by movies, TV shows, 3 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:11,000 Speaker 1: video games, whatever to commit cold blooded murder. But these 4 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: killers aren't always the type you'd expect. Imagine a bright 5 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: teenage girl, the daughter of a judge and a terrific student, who, 6 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:21,920 Speaker 1: along with her boyfriend, shoots a couple of total strangers. 7 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: I'm Patty Steele, just for the thrill of the kill. 8 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 1: Next on the back story, The backstory is back. There 9 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: are a bunch of movies that have been especially inspirational 10 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: to some psychotic types, including Scream, a Nightmare on Elm Street, 11 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:45,839 Speaker 1: and Saw. But Sarah Edmondson and Ben Darris, both eighteen 12 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:49,200 Speaker 1: years old and from Oklahoma, were obsessed with the flick 13 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: natural Born Killers. Sarah had a terrific academic record, though 14 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:56,639 Speaker 1: she was definitely a bit of a rebel. She came 15 00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: from a family that folks called the Kennedys of Oklahoma. 16 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 1: Her wealthy father was a powerful attorney and local judge, and, 17 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:06,759 Speaker 1: by the way, is now a justice on the Oklahoma 18 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: Supreme Court. Other family members included congressmen, a state's attorney general, 19 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: a senator, a governor. But Sarah was fascinated by Troubled Guys, 20 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: and she fell in love with Ben, a high school 21 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: dropout who struggled with addiction. It's March fifth, nineteen ninety five. 22 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: Sarah and Ben meet up and decide to spend the 23 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 1: night at her family's cabin. They take LSD and then 24 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 1: they watched the flick Natural Born Killers over and over 25 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: and over again. Of course. The movie, starring Woody Harrelson 26 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: and Juliet Lewis, is about a young couple who go 27 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 1: on a multi state killing spree in their altered state. 28 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 1: Inspiration strikes Ben and Sarah. They decide to drive to 29 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: Memphis the next day to go to a Grateful Dead concert. 30 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: Problem is, it turns out the concert had happened the 31 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: week before. They keep thinking about Natural Born Killers and 32 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: they are more and more intrigued by the idea of 33 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 1: going on a copycat run. The pair end up in 34 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: Mississippi looking for a human target to kill. Now it's 35 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 1: March seventh, and they arrive at producer's gin of Hernando, Inc. 36 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: Which was managed by fifty eight year old Bill Savage. 37 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 1: Ben shoots Savage point blank two times with a thirty 38 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:28,080 Speaker 1: eight caliber pistol and takes his wallet. He also takes 39 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: a piece of blood soaked fabric for a souvenir of 40 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 1: the killing. The next day, they head to Luisiana, sort 41 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:38,080 Speaker 1: of high from the first murder and looking for cash. 42 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 1: It's now Sarah's turn. They stop at a convenience store. 43 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: She walks inside. She's seen on security footage walking up 44 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 1: to thirty five year old store clerk Patsy Buyers. Sarah 45 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: pulls out the thirty eight caliber pistol and shoots Patsy 46 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:55,959 Speaker 1: in the neck. Sarah leaves the store, but then a 47 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: little while later comes back in to steal cash. As 48 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: she tries to get into the cash register, she yells 49 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:05,359 Speaker 1: at Patsy, who's bleeding on the floor. Are you dead yet? 50 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: How do you open this? She finally figures out how 51 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: to get to the money, and she and Ben's speed off, 52 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 1: believing Patsy is dead, but they're wrong. Patsy and Buyer 53 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 1: survives with a severed spinal cord, leaving her a quadriplegic 54 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 1: permanently paralyzed from the neck down, but she can still talk. 55 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: When paramedics carry her away from the store on a stretcher, 56 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: she tells her husband, I quit Sarah and Ben didn't 57 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 1: head back to Oklahoma for a few weeks after the shootings, 58 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: and when they get there, they start bragging about their adventure. Meantime, 59 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 1: a still photo of Sarah's face from the convenience store 60 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 1: video is released to the media and one of her 61 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 1: ex boyfriends tells cops what he's heard about the store 62 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: robbery and shooting. Now it's June second, nineteen ninety five, 63 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: and the FBI shows up at Sarah's house and talks 64 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: to her parents and Suzanne Edmondson. Agents pull out an 65 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: arrest warrant for Sarah on charges of attempted first degree murder, 66 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: and they ask Jim about any guns he might own. 67 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 1: He says he has a thirty eight caliber pistol at 68 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: his cabinet in the country. FBI finds the gun, and 69 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 1: that night, around eleven thirty PM, Sarah comes home and 70 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 1: her father turns her over to the FBI. He actually 71 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 1: reads his own daughter, her Miranda rites before she's arrested. 72 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,160 Speaker 1: Of course, Ben is also arrested and the natural Born 73 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 1: Killer wannabes are taken in for questioning. So far, the 74 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 1: FBI only knows about their involvement in the convenience store shooting. 75 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: Ben claims he didn't know what Sarah was going to 76 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 1: do when they got to the store, and that after 77 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: she told him she shot the clerk, he did tell 78 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: her to go back in to get money. By July, 79 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 1: they were charged in Louisiana with robbery and attempted murder. 80 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 1: Sarah is held on one million dollars bond, while Ben 81 00:04:56,839 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: is held on a half million dollar bond. Then, Sarah 82 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 1: and her lawyers decide it's time to turn on Ben. 83 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 1: They get in touch with cops in Mississippi and they 84 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:09,919 Speaker 1: tell them Sarah has info about the unsolved murder of 85 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 1: Bill Savage. When she's questioned, Sarah tells cops that Ben 86 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 1: became infatuated with the idea of recreating his version of 87 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:21,679 Speaker 1: natural Born Killers. She says she became afraid of Ben 88 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 1: and that she took the loaded thirty eight caliber pistol 89 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: with her when they took off for protection. She then 90 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: told them about their murder of Bill Savage. Ben was 91 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 1: charged with murder in Mississippi and also pleaded guilty to 92 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 1: armed robbery for his role in the convenience store shooting 93 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: in Louisiana. Finally, he was sentenced to life in prison 94 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 1: without parole for Savage's murder. Sarah was charged with attempted 95 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 1: second degree murder and armed robbery and illegal use of 96 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:54,160 Speaker 1: a firearm during a violent crime. She got thirty years 97 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 1: in prison. She served just eleven years before she got 98 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:01,839 Speaker 1: out on parole in twenty ten. Meantime, Patsy Buyers filed 99 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 1: a lawsuit against the two and also against Natural Born 100 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 1: Killers director Oliver Stone and Time Warner, and she was 101 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 1: supported by Superstar author and lawyer John Grisham, who, as 102 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 1: it turns out, was a friend of Bill Savage, the 103 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:19,680 Speaker 1: murder victim. Grisham said, the last hope of imposing some 104 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:23,480 Speaker 1: sense on Hollywood will come through another great American tradition, 105 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: the lawsuit. A case can be made that there's a 106 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: direct causal link between Natural Born Killers and the death 107 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 1: of Bill Savage. It will only take one large verdict 108 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 1: against the likes of Oliver Stone and the party will 109 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: be over. But eventually the case was dismissed on the 110 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 1: grounds that filmmakers and production companies are protected by the 111 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: First Amendment, and the judge decided there was no evidence 112 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 1: that Stone or Time Warner had incited the violence. At 113 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 1: the end, of the day. Natural Born Killer stoked a 114 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 1: ton of controversy and was directly linked to at least 115 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: eight murders, including Sarah and Ben's kid in Texas, who 116 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 1: decapitated a classmate because, as he told, cops who wanted 117 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:07,480 Speaker 1: to be famous like the Natural Born Killers, to some 118 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:10,239 Speaker 1: students in Paris who killed three cops and a taxi 119 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 1: driver because they were obsessed with the movie as well. 120 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 1: John Grisham believed Oliver Stone had blood on his hands. 121 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: But if we believe in the First Amendment and our 122 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 1: right to free speech, we also have to accept that 123 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: what said and at times glorified by writers, filmmakers, and 124 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 1: other artists can occasionally have a devastating effect on vulnerable minds. 125 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: But maybe that's the price we pay for freedom of speech. 126 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 1: I hope you're enjoying The Backstory with Patty Steele. Follow 127 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 1: or subscribe for free to get new episodes delivered automatically, 128 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 1: and of course, feel free to DM me if you 129 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 1: have a story you'd like me to take a deep 130 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 1: dive into to cover. On Facebook, It's Patty Steele and 131 00:07:55,600 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 1: on Instagram re Patty Steele. I'm Patty. The Backstories, a 132 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: production of iHeartMedia, Premiere Networks, the Elvis Duran Group, and 133 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 1: Steel Trap Productions. Our producer is Doug Fraser. Our writer 134 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 1: Jake Kushner. We have new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. 135 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 1: Feel free to reach out to me with comments and 136 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 1: even story suggestions on Instagram at Real Patty Steele and 137 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 1: on Facebook at Patty Steele. Thanks for listening to the 138 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 1: backstory with Patty Steele, the pieces of history you didn't 139 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 1: know you needed to know.