1 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: January the seventh, twenty ten, where outside the house of 2 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:16,599 Speaker 1: John and Anne Bender, a young American couple who've built 3 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:20,479 Speaker 1: an extravagant home and wildlife refuge in the middle of 4 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 1: the Costa Rican rainforest. John made a multi million dollar 5 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 1: fortune on Wall Street. Ann is his bright and glamorous wife. 6 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:40,840 Speaker 1: It's now one in the morning. The emergency call came 7 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:41,880 Speaker 1: in an hour ago. 8 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,240 Speaker 2: You just are cast a shooting. 9 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 1: And a casualty. That's the voice of Carlos Morra. He 10 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: was the ambulance driver who was on the scene that night. 11 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: I've tracked him. 12 00:00:57,680 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 2: Down ell Mico. 13 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: Well, He's attended hundreds of violent incidents over the years, 14 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:08,760 Speaker 1: but this one stands out. He's never experienced anything like 15 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 1: it before or since. And he's not alone. All the 16 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:16,480 Speaker 1: people I've found while reporting on this story remember it 17 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 1: in vivid detail. I'm Becky Milligan eyebroke stories for the 18 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:26,319 Speaker 1: BBC for almost thirty years, and I've reported on some 19 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: pretty strange events, but this one is the strangest of all. 20 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:37,199 Speaker 1: So back to that night. Carlos enters the Bender's house 21 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 1: and he gets in the elevator and just like everything 22 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: else in this house, this is no ordinary elevator. It's 23 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 1: a round, open platform that rises up through the building. 24 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: Carlos grips onto the handrail. He sees each floor as 25 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 1: it passes. The house is incredible, he says. He's never 26 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 1: seen a place like it. It's like an enormous spaceship. Inside, 27 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 1: it's all stainless steel and shiny black floors, reflective like 28 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: pools of water. There's a lot of money here. Who 29 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:26,640 Speaker 1: could own such a house? He asks himself. Quiet is 30 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: a drug trafficker? 31 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 3: Like I say? 32 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: Carlos is anxious. Guards and security are everywhere, armed with 33 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: heavy caliber weapons. They're speaking to each other in hushed voices. 34 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: He's been told he has to go up to the 35 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 1: fourth floor, the master bedroom. He passes the first floor, 36 00:02:52,760 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 1: the second floor, a vast kitchen, the third floor, the 37 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:08,920 Speaker 1: fourth floor, the bedroom, and on the bed a body 38 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:14,680 Speaker 1: curled up as if asleep. But as Carlos gets closer, 39 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 1: he takes in the horror of it all. The gunshot 40 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:22,920 Speaker 1: wound at the back of the head, the victim's left 41 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: arm dangling off the bed, blood dripping from it, forming 42 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: a pool on the highly polished marble floor, and near 43 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 1: it on the floor, the gun a semi automatic. At first, 44 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: the police will assume this is a suicide, but not 45 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 1: for long. And here's why. The gun seems to have 46 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 1: dropped from the victim's left hand, yet the entry wound 47 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: is on the right side of the head. Not only 48 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: that the bullet was fired from behind from exactly right. 49 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 1: Media and iHeart Podcasts produced by Blanchard House. This is 50 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: Helen Heaven. I'm Becky Milligan. Chapter one, The House of Secrets. 51 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 1: Our story begins and ends with a house built and 52 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 1: owned by Anne and John Bender. This place is their 53 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: dream home. When they first move here, they're both in 54 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 1: their thirties. He's made his millions and now he wants 55 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:10,480 Speaker 1: to put them to good use, to enjoy them by 56 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: creating a wildlife sanctuary. So our couple are young, and 57 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 1: they're in love, completely in love, devoted. It seems they 58 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 1: live only for each other and all the beloved animals 59 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:28,719 Speaker 1: they've rescued. John also has his rare orchids, and Anne 60 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:33,600 Speaker 1: has her collection of Tiffany lamps, hundreds of them. So 61 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:37,719 Speaker 1: Anne and John have everything they need right here in 62 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: their house in the middle of the jungle, a house 63 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 1: unlike any other, and which will in time be the 64 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:52,400 Speaker 1: scene of a terrible tragedy and a mystery. So I 65 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 1: land in Costa Rica to investigate this story, and by coincidence, 66 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: my eighteen year old daughter is already here, working on 67 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:05,039 Speaker 1: a conservation project elsewhere in the country. She's been messaging me, 68 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:09,039 Speaker 1: telling me all about protecting turtle eggs on pristine beeches, 69 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:13,359 Speaker 1: relaxing in camp as monkeys play in the trees, and 70 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:16,600 Speaker 1: about how she showers in the open air as hummingbirds 71 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 1: hover close by paradise. But as I arrive in the 72 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:25,359 Speaker 1: country and discover more about this story, about the dark 73 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:28,680 Speaker 1: side of life in Costa Rica, the more I start 74 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 1: to worry about my daughter and worry about myself, turning 75 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:36,720 Speaker 1: into some sort of Internet meme, a hysterical, over protective 76 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 1: mother convinced her daughter is about to die. Not only 77 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:45,920 Speaker 1: that I'm not coping too well with the climate either. Gosh, 78 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:50,720 Speaker 1: it's quite diring, isn't in this He doo whoo. Scotland 79 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: in autumn is more my thing, and that's a lot 80 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,839 Speaker 1: cooler than it is here. My producer, Poppy and I 81 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,719 Speaker 1: have driven four hours from the capitol San Jose, a 82 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 1: hair raising drive around hairpin Bends with sheer drops on 83 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 1: either side. But we're now deep in the rainforest searching 84 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 1: for John and Anne Bender's house. First, through a slight clearing, 85 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:19,040 Speaker 1: we come upon the deer Monte Waterfall, which gives this 86 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 1: valley its name. 87 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 4: Oh wow, that's it, My good. 88 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 1: It's so high up in the water tumbles from a 89 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 1: high ridge down the cliff face and is swallowed up 90 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 1: by the forest below. Blue, green and yellow birds flutter 91 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 1: above our heads, and the noise is intense and strange 92 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 1: roars echo in the distance like dinosaurs. Sounds enchanting, But 93 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 1: the truth is we're already on edge. We've been spooked 94 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 1: by a phone call we made just before we set out. 95 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 3: It's like warm in the daytime, kind of cool at night, 96 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 3: crystal clear spring water blowing out of the mountains. Fruits 97 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 3: and vegetables grow really easily, nice vegetables, tomatoes, bananas. We 98 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 3: never thought we were coming back. 99 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 1: That's John Colvick, who knows the area and used to 100 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: be the Bender's neighbor. And John had a warning. 101 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 3: There was my wife and I and that was about it. 102 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 3: So you're alone on this giant farm in the deep 103 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 3: jungle most of the time. It's a strange thing. Sounds morbid, 104 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 3: But a lot of people die off there, and a 105 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 3: lot of people go kind of crazy. They lose it. 106 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:44,080 Speaker 3: They actually lose it. Struggling with anything in the jungle, 107 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 3: You're gonna face your inner demons. 108 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: John's words really unsettle us. 109 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 3: There's folklore about the Diamonte waterfall. I'd be damned if 110 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 3: all the people that move in and out of there 111 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 3: don't go that shit. You know, the hippies has some 112 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 3: very the vortex of energy that spins off the waterfall. 113 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 3: The Indians say it's a curse because they will run 114 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:06,960 Speaker 3: off their land any way you cut it. The families 115 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:11,240 Speaker 3: go nuts, they fall apart, people die. I don't know 116 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 3: anyone who's lives facing that waterfall that just set up 117 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 3: shop and enjoyed this majestic view and just soaked it 118 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:22,840 Speaker 3: in long term, I really don't. Sometimes I think it's 119 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:26,680 Speaker 3: from isolation, you know, cabin fever. They go DUTs. You 120 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:29,080 Speaker 3: could have cabin fever. My wife asked me, She says, 121 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 3: are you ever going to put clothes on again? I 122 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 3: would go three or four days in my rubber boots. 123 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 3: You know, I didn't see anyone. 124 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:39,839 Speaker 1: It sounds like an exaggeration that people go mad and 125 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 1: lose it, but by the end of our story you 126 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 1: won't think so shit. 127 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 3: At that place is the darkest jungle you've ever seen 128 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 3: in your life. You have no clue. 129 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:00,200 Speaker 1: We leave the waterfall behind and walk even deeper to 130 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 1: the jungle in search of John and Anne Bender's house, 131 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 1: which they called or a Cayenne. Okay, I'm seeing some 132 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 1: barbed wary fence. 133 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:09,720 Speaker 5: I think we're getting close. 134 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 1: That even looks like cut loaf. 135 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 4: It does. 136 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 1: Right up the slope there we see the slopes of 137 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 1: the gardens first, and then through the trees and foliage. 138 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:27,079 Speaker 1: Oh my god, that's really it. 139 00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 5: It's just anormous. 140 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:31,959 Speaker 6: It's like a spaceship's landed on the top of a 141 00:10:32,040 --> 00:10:34,120 Speaker 6: hill in the middle of the jungle in Costa Rica. 142 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 6: It's like four stories with this dome at the top. 143 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:45,240 Speaker 6: It's constructed from huge concrete slabs and columns and fifty 144 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 6: thousand square feet around the same size as a soccer pitch, 145 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 6: and it's round. Imagine that on a jungle hilltop, rising 146 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,199 Speaker 6: way above the tops of the trees, and you get 147 00:10:57,240 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 6: an idea of what it looks like and how out 148 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 6: of place it is. The views are incredible, In the evening, 149 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 6: John and Anne would sit and look out across the jungle, 150 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:12,400 Speaker 6: enjoying the glorious sunsets, enjoying each other's company. In the daytime, 151 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 6: they'd zoom around on their five thousand acres of land 152 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:19,719 Speaker 6: on a quad bike, busying themselves with their wildlife refuge, 153 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 6: caring for all the animals. They'd saved a great black hawk, 154 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 6: a jaguar arundi, which is a wild cat on the 155 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 6: verge of extinction, and Anne also had her dog, a 156 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 6: German shepherd called Millie. It really is an astonishing place, 157 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:41,560 Speaker 6: but being here now there's a sinister edge to it all. 158 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: I can see why they loved it. It's completely isolated. 159 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:51,680 Speaker 1: But their gates here a couple of guards, and there's 160 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:55,320 Speaker 1: no entry. There's just no way we can get in. 161 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 1: And even at the top I can see a guard 162 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:00,679 Speaker 1: sort of the perimeter. 163 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 2: I think he is coming. 164 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 1: In fact, he was filming us. They're getting a bit 165 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:09,480 Speaker 1: tense all regards. 166 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:10,320 Speaker 2: Oh goodnight. 167 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: We'd ask permission to go inside weeks before and hadn't 168 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:20,559 Speaker 1: received a response. But just as we're leaving, a man 169 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:21,800 Speaker 1: turns up in fatigues. 170 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:28,839 Speaker 2: They Orlando, Are you Orlando? We're making a documentary about 171 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:31,439 Speaker 2: Anne and John. But it's not possible to go inside. 172 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:35,480 Speaker 1: Isn't He puts his hand up and shakes his heads. 173 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:38,840 Speaker 2: Have a good day bye as we go. 174 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 1: The house is up for sale, empty and there's a 175 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 1: sadness about it, almost like the structure holds memories of 176 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 1: what took place here. 177 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 2: I mean numbers of it. In Bury Lordes. 178 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:58,480 Speaker 1: Twenty years ago, as Voldo Rochas had been preparing to 179 00:12:58,520 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 1: meet his new boss. He knew nothing about him apart 180 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:04,679 Speaker 1: from his name, John Bender and that he brought up 181 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 1: some land in dear Monte Valley. He ended up working 182 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: for the Benders for ten. 183 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 2: Years Perzalon until Persillon. 184 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 1: As Welda was grateful for the job, and grateful too 185 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 1: to his former boss, also an American, Jimmy. Jim had 186 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 1: sold his farm to the new arrivals John and Anne, 187 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 1: but made sure his young maintenance man wouldn't lose his 188 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 1: well paid job, which were pretty hard to come by 189 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 1: in Paris. 190 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 2: All okayondo, I understand there was a close in the 191 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:39,240 Speaker 2: contract where Jim, the previous owner, specified that I had 192 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 2: to continue working on the property when this cell was made. 193 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:46,160 Speaker 7: Why I stayed to take care of the property until 194 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 7: John Bender arrived. 195 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:50,040 Speaker 1: Back then, everyone in town was gossiping about the new 196 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:53,680 Speaker 1: gringos moving to the valley. Gringos is what Costa Ricans 197 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:59,199 Speaker 1: call Americans. Most foreigners are gringos. The locals are called ticos. 198 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:03,120 Speaker 1: What was clear was that they were rich gringos. Nobody 199 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: knew how rich. But then nobody really knew who this 200 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:10,200 Speaker 1: couple were at all, least of all as Faldo. He 201 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 1: remembers the day they arrived very clearly because he was 202 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:17,320 Speaker 1: a bit nervous and wasn't sure what to expect. Before 203 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:19,680 Speaker 1: the house was built, the new couple were staying at 204 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: a place in town. 205 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 7: John I remember being surprised when they show up in 206 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 7: the little car. They were mostly reserved people, especially young. 207 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 7: He didn't like to interact much with daughters. He would 208 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 7: prefer the mountains, and he said something like, I hate 209 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 7: this property. I've been deceived. He never realized that the 210 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 7: house was so close to the center of town until 211 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 7: they arrived. We didn't realize how young they were. We 212 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 7: expected to see an older couple. He was a big man. 213 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 7: She was thin and pretty. 214 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:58,960 Speaker 1: Benita that was the word everyone used to describe an 215 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 1: and six foot five, was built like an American footballer, 216 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 1: a guy who clearly worked. 217 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 8: Out, hugely muscular, gorgeous, blue eyes, dark hair. 218 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 1: Carol Vaughan, an ex pattern author who moved to the 219 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:20,120 Speaker 1: town a few years later, was taken by how glamorous 220 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 1: the couple were. 221 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 8: Just handsome, movie star handsome. She was petite, delicate, moved 222 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 8: like a ballerina. She reminded me a lot of Audrey Hepburn. 223 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 1: Despite his physique, John was a gentle soul. He was 224 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: kind to all animals, even the tiniest insect. Back home 225 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 1: in the US, he'd taken in dozens of stray cats, 226 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 1: and he was incredibly smart, good with numbers, and meanwhile, 227 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:56,160 Speaker 1: had been the most popular kid at school. No doubt 228 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 1: they were a striking couple. There's a photo of them 229 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 1: taken on their new property. John is standing behind Anne 230 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 1: in shorts and a T shirt, one arm wrapped around 231 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 1: her chest, the other around her waist in a protective way. 232 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 1: He towers above her, and Anne, in jeans, is holding 233 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 1: onto his arms and leaning back slightly against him. Their 234 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 1: dream is taking shape around them. They look happy and relaxed, 235 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:27,760 Speaker 1: the perfect couple. It's hard to look at that photo now, 236 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 1: knowing everything that would happen. John and Anne arrived in 237 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:50,880 Speaker 1: Costa Rica with a reported six hundred million dollars, an 238 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: eye watering fortune which would in time be bitterly fought over, 239 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:59,520 Speaker 1: but that comes later in our story. All anyone knew 240 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 1: at this time was that they wanted land and they 241 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 1: had the money to pay for it, author Carol Vaughan. 242 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 8: And when the word got out, people were desperate to 243 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:13,560 Speaker 8: make a killing off Americans because it happens a lot, 244 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:19,360 Speaker 8: and their venders found their mailbox just stuffed with people's deeds, 245 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:22,000 Speaker 8: saying here it is, Bamy. 246 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 1: Is that right? They were so desperate they just wanted 247 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:26,240 Speaker 1: the money. 248 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 8: They wanted the money, yep. And they didn't want to 249 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:31,840 Speaker 8: be the only one in the neighborhood who didn't make 250 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:35,959 Speaker 8: a fortune off the gringos. I mean, if Raoul is 251 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:38,399 Speaker 8: making one hundred thousand dollars, I should make one hundred 252 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:40,679 Speaker 8: thousand dollars. I haven't got a deed here, Bamy. 253 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 1: In total, the Benders brought up five thousand acres from 254 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:50,680 Speaker 1: expats like gym locals and small farmers, some of whom 255 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:54,359 Speaker 1: had grown coffee on their land for generations. It was 256 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:57,200 Speaker 1: in a perfect position. From the top of their hill, 257 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:01,240 Speaker 1: they had great views of the jungle, Dear Monte waterfall, 258 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: and the sea beyond, a romantic setting to watch the 259 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 1: famous Costa Rican sunsets turn the sky to a burning red, 260 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:14,200 Speaker 1: orange and yellow. This was where they would build their 261 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:18,919 Speaker 1: enormous house, which they would christen Bora Cayenne. You're probably 262 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:23,439 Speaker 1: wondering what that means. We wondered too. Apparently it's the 263 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 1: name of a local plant. Construction work began. John Bender 264 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:31,880 Speaker 1: had a vision for his new property to create a 265 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:36,919 Speaker 1: new way of living, unconstrained by normal rules. Building a 266 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 1: house on this scale in the middle of the jungle, well, 267 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 1: it was a huge undertaking and massively ambitious. But then 268 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 1: John was like that, Hi, Hello, thank you so much. 269 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:01,240 Speaker 1: I met John's parents in Phoenix, Arizona. We'd already talk 270 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 1: quite a bit online before I met them in person. 271 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:07,040 Speaker 1: You know what's amazing is seeing you on zoom and 272 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 1: now being here. John's mum is a teacher. John's dad 273 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:16,440 Speaker 1: is an eminent law professor and worked in the Clinton administration. 274 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:21,120 Speaker 1: This was the first time they'd invited journalists to their 275 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:24,960 Speaker 1: home to talk about their son. Their love for John 276 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:28,159 Speaker 1: is playing to see they hold hands under the table 277 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:31,560 Speaker 1: as they talk about him, But they couldn't really relate 278 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:35,440 Speaker 1: to John's life making millions on Wall Street. Money isn't 279 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:38,960 Speaker 1: important to them, and they worried about the path he'd chosen. 280 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:43,359 Speaker 1: So when John decided to set up the wildlife sanctuary, 281 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 1: I get the feeling they were relieved he was leaving 282 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 1: the world of high finance behind. 283 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:49,440 Speaker 5: Though. 284 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:51,879 Speaker 1: When John told his dad about the plans for their 285 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:55,440 Speaker 1: enormous house, Paul was pretty surprised. 286 00:19:56,200 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 4: Well, he was going to build this high tech fim 287 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 4: in the middle of the jungle, basically, and it seemed 288 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:05,159 Speaker 4: to me impossible to do that. And the way he 289 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:09,119 Speaker 4: did it was to decide where he wanted to put it, 290 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 4: and they have the people come there and builders, so 291 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:14,360 Speaker 4: he had like an army of people building this thing. 292 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:18,680 Speaker 4: And what you've seen what turned out. It has nothing 293 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:20,840 Speaker 4: to do with the jungle, but it was. It was 294 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:25,160 Speaker 4: exactly what they wanted. I have a lot of pictures 295 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 4: that we took down there. 296 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:30,959 Speaker 1: Paul fired up his computer and scrolled through, showing us 297 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:34,320 Speaker 1: photos of the house being built. In the photos, the 298 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:37,239 Speaker 1: structure was up, but not much else. It was an 299 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:38,639 Speaker 1: empty concrete shell. 300 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:40,919 Speaker 4: That's the house. 301 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:46,680 Speaker 1: Oh gosh, is that under construction. Oh my goodness. Paul 302 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:49,440 Speaker 1: showed us more photos when the new floors have been 303 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:52,119 Speaker 1: put in. That granite is it is like almost like 304 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:53,200 Speaker 1: a mirror, isn't it. 305 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:54,879 Speaker 4: She really liked that. 306 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:58,480 Speaker 1: It's obvious that Margie and Paul are so proud of 307 00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 1: what John achieved. He had a dream and he made 308 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: it real. 309 00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:05,959 Speaker 9: I don't think John ever thought there were limitations to things. 310 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 9: If he wanted it to be round, it could be round. 311 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:10,720 Speaker 4: What they really wanted to do was what they did 312 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:14,119 Speaker 4: was find the place that was away from most of 313 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:16,360 Speaker 4: the world, in a beautiful place which had a lot 314 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:20,120 Speaker 4: of animals and a lot of greenery that they really 315 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 4: wanted to be away from school, from the world. 316 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:26,439 Speaker 1: The house took a total of four years to build. 317 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 1: The vendors moved in before it was finished as well, 318 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:32,159 Speaker 1: though the head staffer stayed at the couple's house in 319 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:35,560 Speaker 1: town and watched the Jungle Retreat take shape. 320 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 2: Now, just as hated. 321 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:40,879 Speaker 7: We were there from the beginning. It was a huge 322 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:43,959 Speaker 7: building site. We could see the workers on the street, 323 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:47,199 Speaker 7: like one hundred and fifty workers spread all over it. 324 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 7: We saw the house going up little by little. 325 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:54,479 Speaker 1: One of his jobs was to clean the house, and 326 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:57,719 Speaker 1: so he can tell us precisely what it was like inside. 327 00:21:58,880 --> 00:21:59,880 Speaker 2: Quite a piece of fact. 328 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:03,120 Speaker 7: The fourth floor was all the bedroom, with the bed 329 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:07,080 Speaker 7: in the middle and some rustic furniture made to order. 330 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:10,720 Speaker 7: He didn't like anything lavish. 331 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:13,720 Speaker 1: The third floor was empty. John had planned to put 332 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:16,640 Speaker 1: in a greenhouse for his orchids, but never got round 333 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:17,760 Speaker 1: to it. 334 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 7: On the second floor was the kitchen, which was enormous. 335 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:25,640 Speaker 7: Four kitchens could fit inside it. 336 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:28,119 Speaker 1: It was like no other house in the whole valley, 337 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:32,200 Speaker 1: standing on top of the hill, a four story round home. 338 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 1: It came with huge pools of water, road gutters to 339 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 1: prevent flooding. And there was one feature in particular that 340 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:42,639 Speaker 1: said this couple had serious money, because when John and 341 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 1: Ann came here, they didn't make that four hour car journey. 342 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 1: They would fly in and out, landing on a helipad 343 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:56,159 Speaker 1: below the main entrance. Locals came to call the house 344 00:22:56,560 --> 00:22:59,120 Speaker 1: the dome because of the shape of the roof, which 345 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:00,920 Speaker 1: could be seen from miles around. 346 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:03,640 Speaker 8: And you could not make this shit up. 347 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:07,160 Speaker 1: There's one other detail about the house which people never 348 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:10,680 Speaker 1: fail to mention, including expat Carol Vaughan. 349 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:12,520 Speaker 8: The house has no walls. 350 00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:16,160 Speaker 1: Yes, the house has no walls. 351 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 8: There's screens that are pulled down from the ceiling at 352 00:23:19,119 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 8: night that keep bugs and animals at but during the 353 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:26,440 Speaker 8: day it was wide open. Designed by John with Anne's 354 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:29,400 Speaker 8: decorating touch. The house is magnificent. 355 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:32,040 Speaker 4: It was open on all sides and you felt that 356 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:36,560 Speaker 4: you were really in the jungle. The bathrooms had walls. 357 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:39,960 Speaker 4: I think there was a concession that he made to 358 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:44,919 Speaker 4: the inside was just open space. What are you going 359 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:47,080 Speaker 4: to do with all this space? I never got the 360 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:49,399 Speaker 4: answer to that. I don't think I ever did anything with 361 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:50,199 Speaker 4: all that space. 362 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:53,720 Speaker 1: Some describe it as looking like an anniversary clock, a 363 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:57,159 Speaker 1: shopping mall, or a car park. Not very flattering. But 364 00:23:57,240 --> 00:23:59,040 Speaker 1: whether you like the design or not, it was an 365 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:02,679 Speaker 1: amazing fear. Hundreds of people were employed to build it 366 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:07,040 Speaker 1: and paid well, and it changed as Fada's hometown for good. 367 00:24:07,040 --> 00:24:10,000 Speaker 7: Practical as we say, John came to put the town 368 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:13,880 Speaker 7: on them up. This was an abandoned place in two thousand. 369 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:17,920 Speaker 7: There was not even electricity. When John arrived. He brought 370 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:21,960 Speaker 7: life to the place. He brought jobs, and foreigners became 371 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:25,680 Speaker 7: interested in buying land, so the economy began to move 372 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:29,639 Speaker 7: after being practically abandoned, like many other places here in 373 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:30,439 Speaker 7: Costa Rica. 374 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:33,880 Speaker 1: When the house was complete, John and Anne threw a 375 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 1: party for all the workers and their families, but as 376 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:42,240 Speaker 1: Valdo says, it was the only party the Benders ever had. 377 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 1: The house would never see so much life and light again, 378 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 1: as John and Anne retreated from the world and their 379 00:24:50,840 --> 00:25:08,720 Speaker 1: lives became shrouded in darkness. The house wasn't just a 380 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:13,400 Speaker 1: sanctuary for John and Anne, but for animals too, of course. 381 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 7: The Commissi we had two large parods and a parod 382 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:21,280 Speaker 7: with a broken wing, some monkeys this love, of course, 383 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:22,880 Speaker 7: and a baby. 384 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:27,040 Speaker 1: A black creature from the weasel family, which John loved 385 00:25:27,119 --> 00:25:31,520 Speaker 1: and called Leo. He lived alongside two injured Persian cats 386 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:35,400 Speaker 1: which John had adopted. There was the duck, and the falcons, 387 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 1: and the snakes. That's only the beginning. And Anne had 388 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:40,200 Speaker 1: Peter the sloth. 389 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:46,600 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, but it slept all the time, So three 390 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,679 Speaker 4: told saw the name has. 391 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:52,640 Speaker 9: Come from this proclivity to sleep all the time. 392 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:56,200 Speaker 1: And and John loved all animals ever since they were children. 393 00:25:56,680 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 1: As adults, they both said they got on better with 394 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 1: animals them with people. 395 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:02,120 Speaker 10: John also had. 396 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 4: A good feeling about animals, just the magician of animals. 397 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:07,960 Speaker 4: So we always had a lot of animals, and I 398 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:09,640 Speaker 4: think both kids really enjoyed them. 399 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:13,399 Speaker 1: It was a menagerie. One reason for the absence of 400 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:16,000 Speaker 1: wolves was to be at one with the jungle. The 401 00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:19,760 Speaker 1: animals could come and go as they pleased. Sometimes when 402 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:22,960 Speaker 1: Anne and John had a bath, parrots would perch beside 403 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:27,359 Speaker 1: them and keep them company. They wanted to turn back 404 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:31,159 Speaker 1: the clock, restoring the land to its wild state before 405 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:31,960 Speaker 1: it was farmed. 406 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 9: He was feeding, and he was bringing back the food 407 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 9: that the land had had when it was natural and 408 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:39,920 Speaker 9: grew its own weeds if you want to call them that, 409 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:42,560 Speaker 9: and other things. He was trying to get that back 410 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:43,479 Speaker 9: into the soil. 411 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:49,080 Speaker 7: Is Then, after three or four years we did start 412 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:50,560 Speaker 7: to see more animals around. 413 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 1: As the years went by, John and Anne would become 414 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:58,240 Speaker 1: increasingly isolated, hold up alone in their house with no walls. 415 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 1: They had few visitors, but early on, before their home 416 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:06,600 Speaker 1: was completed, they made an exception for Zach Schweger and 417 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 1: his dad Jack, who John had invited to come and 418 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:12,560 Speaker 1: see the house. Jack and John were friends. 419 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:15,000 Speaker 11: He said, Hey, you know I should come down sometime. 420 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:17,280 Speaker 11: So when my son graduated in high school and he 421 00:27:17,359 --> 00:27:21,920 Speaker 11: wanted to take a farther suntrip that sounded like a 422 00:27:21,960 --> 00:27:23,520 Speaker 11: little bit of an adventure. I said, hey, you want 423 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:28,880 Speaker 11: to go to Costa Rica to John and Am Bender's compound. 424 00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:32,399 Speaker 1: Zach Schweger was just nineteen, my first time kind of. 425 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:35,160 Speaker 5: Like out of the country, people speaking different languages. 426 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:38,080 Speaker 1: They were picked up by a land cruiser. 427 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:42,960 Speaker 5: And we're driving for what I remember was hours. It's 428 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:45,960 Speaker 5: hard to describe this part of what it was like 429 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:48,840 Speaker 5: to get there because it was like truly out. 430 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:51,639 Speaker 10: Of a video game or a movie. 431 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:55,359 Speaker 5: You can't really see much because like you pull in, 432 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:57,520 Speaker 5: it's a dirt road, but it kind of leads up 433 00:27:57,560 --> 00:27:59,680 Speaker 5: and up and up the roads. 434 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:02,359 Speaker 11: You could lose a jeep in the pottles. 435 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:06,600 Speaker 5: And then everything around you is rainforest, just like large thick, 436 00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:08,080 Speaker 5: lush trees. 437 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:11,840 Speaker 10: I had no idea, like this is what it was like. 438 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:16,919 Speaker 5: My dad had undersold this by a million percent, like 439 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:21,720 Speaker 5: we were we were in. 440 00:28:20,119 --> 00:28:20,959 Speaker 10: A movie set. 441 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:24,919 Speaker 1: Then he met their host, who'd taken up the traditional 442 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:26,360 Speaker 1: way to cut through the jungle. 443 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,480 Speaker 5: It's just like this big brute of a guy kind 444 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:32,679 Speaker 5: of like had a good, good healthy beard and a 445 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:33,640 Speaker 5: machete on. 446 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:37,320 Speaker 1: His waist straight off. He loved John, who took them 447 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:38,720 Speaker 1: on a tour of his property. 448 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:41,480 Speaker 5: He almost had like a skip but a stomp to 449 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:43,280 Speaker 5: his step, you know what I mean, Like he walks 450 00:28:43,440 --> 00:28:45,160 Speaker 5: like that jungle very confidently. 451 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:49,080 Speaker 11: He was proud of what he was doing. He loved 452 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:51,760 Speaker 11: the rainforest, you know, so I think a good deal 453 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:55,640 Speaker 11: of self satisfaction that he was protecting this land. 454 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:58,720 Speaker 1: And Johnanan seemed uniquely matched, a. 455 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:00,880 Speaker 5: Couple that doesn't need to ask for things, like a 456 00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 5: couple like where John sits down like she knows he's 457 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:06,840 Speaker 5: thirsty type of thing, but like she willingly wants to 458 00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:09,600 Speaker 5: make sure Jonathan is not a thirsty person. There was 459 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:11,600 Speaker 5: a lot of just like warmth and care. 460 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:13,320 Speaker 10: They came from from hand. 461 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:15,600 Speaker 5: So we're special, And I'm like, man, this person is 462 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:16,600 Speaker 5: just such a sweetheart. 463 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:18,560 Speaker 11: He and Ann were very much in love as far 464 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 11: as I could tell. 465 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:24,200 Speaker 1: Zach remembers the trip vividly, and one conversation in particular 466 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:26,800 Speaker 1: illustrated John's fierce intellect. 467 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:32,200 Speaker 5: One evening, it's just three dudes kind of like hanging out, 468 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 5: shooting and shit. And and this is maybe like where 469 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:38,360 Speaker 5: I felt a little out. 470 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:38,880 Speaker 10: Of my ole event. 471 00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:42,920 Speaker 5: But Jonathan super intelligent and my father super intelligent. 472 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:46,000 Speaker 1: And then John turned to Zach and said, I. 473 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:48,920 Speaker 5: Don't need to ask like such a random question, but 474 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:51,040 Speaker 5: are you familiar with quantum superposition? 475 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:53,560 Speaker 1: Yes, quantum superposition. 476 00:29:54,240 --> 00:30:00,680 Speaker 5: So John like took my dad deeply through your quantum superposition, basically. 477 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:03,240 Speaker 10: This idea that based on you know. 478 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:05,280 Speaker 5: Waveforms, that electrons can. 479 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:07,560 Speaker 10: Exist in two places at once. 480 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:12,160 Speaker 5: He was walking through several experiments like one where like electrons. 481 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:13,000 Speaker 10: Were shot at like a gold leaf. 482 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:16,080 Speaker 5: But that like kind of changed my life in the 483 00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:19,440 Speaker 5: sense that I was opened up to this whole world 484 00:30:19,560 --> 00:30:23,360 Speaker 5: of like reality or not reality, and like Jonathan had 485 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:26,280 Speaker 5: kind of brought me into this place of where for 486 00:30:26,360 --> 00:30:29,360 Speaker 5: the first time, like I questioned, like what's real and 487 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:31,720 Speaker 5: what's not real, and nobody had ever done that. 488 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:35,640 Speaker 1: For Zach, still in his teens, who'd never been to 489 00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:39,480 Speaker 1: a foreign country, meeting John on his jungle reserve made 490 00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:41,080 Speaker 1: a lifelong impression on him. 491 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:45,560 Speaker 5: It was like this very weird time where everything was perfect, 492 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:48,920 Speaker 5: Like the wind was perfect, the temperature was perfect, like 493 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:53,000 Speaker 5: the seats were uncomfortable, the beer was still cold, and 494 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:57,000 Speaker 5: the sky was just this like perfect orange and you know, 495 00:30:57,080 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 5: everything was super green. John was like some on center 496 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:05,120 Speaker 5: stage without like detracting from like this perfection. It was 497 00:31:05,120 --> 00:31:08,000 Speaker 5: like just one of those moments where like the second 498 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:11,160 Speaker 5: that it was happening, you're like, please, God, like do 499 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:13,920 Speaker 5: not let this end, Like, don't whatever you do, just like, 500 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:15,960 Speaker 5: do not have this moment stop. 501 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:23,600 Speaker 1: But everything would change and the vendors would find themselves 502 00:31:23,640 --> 00:31:28,520 Speaker 1: becoming further and further divorced from reality. Even then, the 503 00:31:28,640 --> 00:31:32,120 Speaker 1: signs were there. This might have been a piece of paradise. 504 00:31:32,640 --> 00:31:37,240 Speaker 1: But in this paradise, Zach noticed one thing that seemed strange, 505 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:41,040 Speaker 1: a puncture on the otherwise perfect scene. 506 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:43,240 Speaker 10: And all of a sudden, there's guys with guns. 507 00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:46,760 Speaker 5: And definitely something my father never said to me is 508 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:49,040 Speaker 5: like there's going to be men with guns, like and 509 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:51,880 Speaker 5: lots of men with guns. They weren't friendly, they didn't 510 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:54,640 Speaker 5: say hi, they weren't like hey, like I know, I'm 511 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:56,800 Speaker 5: a random dude with a gun that doesn't speak the 512 00:31:56,800 --> 00:31:57,680 Speaker 5: same language as you. 513 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:01,120 Speaker 10: Don't be frightened. They just kind of they were kind 514 00:32:01,120 --> 00:32:01,400 Speaker 10: of there. 515 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:04,440 Speaker 11: Those guys were for assault rifles, you know. The gate 516 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:07,160 Speaker 11: and like you would imagine if it was a drug cartail, right, 517 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:09,280 Speaker 11: the armed people he had working for them would do 518 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:11,920 Speaker 11: these patrols, you know, like round the clock and stuff. 519 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:13,719 Speaker 1: Why did they have guns. 520 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:16,680 Speaker 5: Yeah, that was my very first question, and it was 521 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:19,560 Speaker 5: quickly answered with we're concerned about poachers. 522 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:23,680 Speaker 1: Poaching might explain all those guns up to a point. 523 00:32:24,640 --> 00:32:27,240 Speaker 1: Remember John Corvick from earlier who used to live in 524 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:29,880 Speaker 1: the valley. He told us about the poachers and their 525 00:32:29,920 --> 00:32:32,680 Speaker 1: dogs who would come at night and cause havoc. 526 00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:35,720 Speaker 3: Oh, there's poachers everywhere. I used to hunt the poachers. 527 00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:38,400 Speaker 3: There's poachers and sons of bitches. You can never find them, 528 00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:39,960 Speaker 3: but you'll find their dogs. And I used to go 529 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:43,120 Speaker 3: out with my bulldogs. At first we try to find them. 530 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:46,040 Speaker 3: The poachers would driving me nut. My dogs would start barking. 531 00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:47,840 Speaker 3: I could hear them barking up in the hills. 532 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:51,480 Speaker 1: If this was just about poaching, John and Anne went 533 00:32:51,520 --> 00:32:55,000 Speaker 1: to extreme lengths. They put up a barbed wire perimeter 534 00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:59,400 Speaker 1: fence around their property and had guards wearing fatigues patrolling. 535 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:05,120 Speaker 1: Twenty four signs reading keep out private Property were erected everywhere. 536 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:09,560 Speaker 1: So the people in the valley costa Rican's expats hips 537 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:12,600 Speaker 1: in search of a piece of heaven. The message was clear, 538 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:17,080 Speaker 1: and the couple were rarely seen. Occasionally people would look 539 00:33:17,160 --> 00:33:20,040 Speaker 1: up and see their helicopter leaving and returning to the 540 00:33:20,080 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 1: hilltop reserve. So rumors and conspiracies germinated and began to grow, 541 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:31,720 Speaker 1: carried swiftly along the grapevine, whispers about those wealthy Americans 542 00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:35,160 Speaker 1: who flew in by helicopter and brought up all the land, 543 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:40,640 Speaker 1: And were all those guards really there to scare off poachers? Jesse, 544 00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:42,600 Speaker 1: their neighbor, asked, all those. 545 00:33:42,520 --> 00:33:46,480 Speaker 7: Questions, we don't know, and we can imagine, but we 546 00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:46,840 Speaker 7: don't know. 547 00:33:47,320 --> 00:33:48,520 Speaker 1: What do you imagine? 548 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:53,400 Speaker 4: Well, I personally thought he was probably somebody very big 549 00:33:53,480 --> 00:33:57,480 Speaker 4: in the drugs personally, and obviously they were doing something secret. 550 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:03,680 Speaker 1: I own was the perfect place to live in splendid isolation, 551 00:34:05,240 --> 00:34:07,880 Speaker 1: and that, in the end, was at the root of 552 00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:13,040 Speaker 1: everything that was to follow. And Jesse is right. The 553 00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:17,839 Speaker 1: house with no walls was full of secrets. Where did 554 00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:22,279 Speaker 1: they get their fortune? Why were they so help bent 555 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:28,479 Speaker 1: on protecting their privacy? Why all those guns? And why 556 00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:41,320 Speaker 1: would one of them end up dead? You've been listening 557 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:45,480 Speaker 1: to Hell in Heaven from Exactly Right Media and iHeart Podcasts, 558 00:34:45,719 --> 00:34:50,279 Speaker 1: produced by Blanchard House hosted, written and produced by me 559 00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:54,440 Speaker 1: Becky Milligan. The producer and co writer is Poppy Damon. 560 00:34:55,280 --> 00:34:59,880 Speaker 1: Music is by Daniel Lloyd Evans, Louis Nankmanell, and Toby Matthamol. 561 00:35:00,680 --> 00:35:03,239 Speaker 1: The sound recordist and head of sound and Music is 562 00:35:03,360 --> 00:35:07,600 Speaker 1: Daniel Lloyd Evans. The lead sound designer is Vulcan Kiseltook. 563 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:12,840 Speaker 1: The artwork is by Vanessa Lilac for Exactly Right Media. 564 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:18,360 Speaker 1: The executive producers are Karen Kilgarreth, Georgia Hardstark and Danielle Kramer, 565 00:35:18,680 --> 00:35:24,480 Speaker 1: with consulting producer Lilly Ladderwig and associate producer Jay Elias. 566 00:35:25,239 --> 00:35:29,640 Speaker 1: The creative director of Blanchard House is Rosy Pye. The 567 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:33,400 Speaker 1: executive producer and head of Content at Blanchard House is 568 00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:38,439 Speaker 1: Lawrence Griselle. Listen to Helen Heaven on the iHeartRadio app, 569 00:35:38,640 --> 00:35:41,720 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.