♪♪
Lafferty: MY MOST VIVID MEMORY THAT I DO HAVE.
WAS THE DAY THAT IT HAPPENED.
I REMEMBER HIM HOLDING ME AND LOOKING INTO MY EYES,
KNOWING WHAT WAS FIXING TO HAPPEN TO HIM,
AND THERE NOT REALLY BEING ANYTHING
THAT HE COULD DO ABOUT IT.
HIS EXPRESSION SAID EVERYTHING.
HIS EYES SAID THAT HE LOVED ME
AND THAT HE WASN'T EVER GONNA LEAVE ME.
AFTER THAT, I DON'T REALLY REMEMBER MUCH OF ANYTHING.
♪♪
Thomas: MY DADDY WAS SITTING THERE AT MY GRANDMOTHER'S TABLE,
AND HE LOOKED AT ME, AND HE SAID, "MARTY, IS IT TRUE?"
[ Voice breaking ] AND I JUST... I JUST HAVE A WEAK SPOT FOR MY DADDY BAD,
AND I... TOLD HIM THE TRUTH.
HE JUST PUT HIS HEAD DOWN ON THE TABLE LIKE THAT.
HE JUST SAID, "THEY TOOK MY BOY. THEY TOOK MY BOY."
♪♪
Owen: THIS WAS A BIG CASE.
ANYTHING THAT COULD HAPPEN IN NEW YORK, CHICAGO,
OR LOS ANGELES CAN AND WILL HAPPEN
IN SMALL TOWN, MISSISSIPPI.
IT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN AS OFTEN.
IT WASN'T UNTIL LATER THAT I REALIZED HE HAD A GUN,
AND HE COULD HAVE SHOT ME THAT NIGHT.
WAS HE GIVING ME THAT PISTOL, OR WAS HE GONNA SHOOT ME?
I DON'T KNOW.
♪♪
Captions by VITAC... www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
♪♪
YOU KNOW HOW A HORROR MOVIE SHOWS THESE REALLY BAD SCENES
AND JUST KIND OF CUTS AND PASTES AND CUTS AND PASTES.
IT'S... LIKE THAT IN MY MIND.
♪♪
PROPANE TANK...
DOOR TO A TRAILER...
A TRUCK...
A BANG...
THE SMELL OF GUNPOWDER...
AND THE WARMTH OF FRESH BLOOD BEING ON YOU.
JUST BITS AND PIECES LIKE THAT IS ALL I CAN REMEMBER.
ALMOST LIKE A LOCK BOX IN MY SUBCONSCIOUS
THAT ONLY OPENS EVER SO OFTEN TO LET A LITTLE BIT OUT
IS THE BEST WAY I CAN DESCRIBE IT.
BEING A KID, HAVING THOSE KIND OF MEMORIES
IS VERY CONFUSING BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW,
REALLY, WHAT YOU WERE A PART OF.
♪♪
IN 1986, I LIVED WITH MY DAD.
I WAS 13.
♪♪
B.B. WAS MY BEST FRIEND AT THE TIME.
SHE HAD SPENT THE NIGHT WITH ME THE NIGHT BEFORE
BECAUSE WE WERE GONNA GET UP
AND GO TO THE GULLIES THE NEXT MORNING.
WE LIKED TO GO TO THE GULLIES JUST TO PLAY,
TO SLIDE, TO BUILD TUNNELS, WHATEVER.
ELLIS WAS MY BROTHER WHO'D JUST RIDE THROUGH.
THE GULLIES ARE BEHIND ELLIS'S HOUSE.
WE WERE A PRETTY GOOD AGE GAP FROM EACH OTHER...
ALMOST EIGHT YEARS.
SO, HE WAS GROWN WHEN I WAS YOUNG.
HE WAS REAL MISCHIEVOUS
AND ALWAYS WAS PRACTICALLY JOKING ON US.
♪♪
I WAS DRIVING BECAUSE I LEARNED HOW TO DRIVE
AT A VERY YOUNG AGE.
FELT NORMAL THEN.
I MEAN, THAT'S HOW I GOT UP TO HIS HOUSE.
ABOUT HALF-WAY UP THERE, WE WERE RIDING,
AND WE HEARD GUNSHOTS.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
I TOOK NOTE THAT I HEARD GUNSHOTS,
BUT IT WASN'T UNCOMMON TO HEAR GUNSHOT.
IT WAS TURKEY SEASON.
♪♪
WHEN WE PULLED UP IN THE CAR, I COULD SEE HIM IN THE DISTANCE.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHO HE WAS, BUT I WASN'T AFRAID.
I KNEW HE HAD A GUN IN HIS HAND. I COULD SEE IT.
THAT JUST WASN'T THAT UNUSUAL IN BEAVER DAM, MISSISSIPPI.
WHEN HE WALKED OVER TO THE CAR,
HE HAD THE GUN POINTED STRAIGHT AT ME.
HE WAS JUST SCARY LOOKING.
HE SAID EXACTLY, "DO WHAT I SAY, AND YOU'LL LIVE."
I KNEW IT WAS SERIOUS,
AND I KNEW WE WERE IN REAL TROUBLE.
♪♪
WHEN I WALKED INTO THE HOUSE,
THE FIRST THING I SAW WAS BRANDON.
♪♪
I MEAN, HE WAS JUST 2 YEARS OLD.
HE COULDN'T EVEN TALK, AND HE WAS JUST THERE.
HE WAS JUST WALKING AROUND, LIKE, LOST.
LIKE HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, BUT HE WASN'T CRYING
OR SCREAMING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT I REMEMBER SEEING BLOOD ON HIM.
SO, I THOUGHT THAT SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED,
BUT I KNEW IT WASN'T BRANDON'S BLOOD.
I KNEW HE WAS OKAY.
♪♪
HEY! YOU!
COME ON. SIT DOWN.
HE TIED ME UP FIRST, AND THEN HE TIED B.B. UP.
- PLEASE, DON'T. - SHH! SHUT UP.
Thomas: I COULD SEE FEAR IN B.B.'S EYES.
SHE WAS SCARED. I WAS SCARED.
WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?
WHILE HE'S TYING US UP, I COULD SEE THERE WAS ANOTHER MAN,
A BLACK MAN, AND HE WAS COMING OUT OF THE BACK BEDROOM
WHERE ELLIS KEPT A LOT OF HIS GUNS.
AT THAT POINT, ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT
WAS GETTING OUT OF THERE.
THEN THE WHITE GUY, HE THREATENED TO RAPE US.
♪♪
HE SAID, "ANY OF YOU GIRLS GOT ANY GOOD [BLEEP]?"
THAT'S WHAT HE SAID.
♪♪
THAT WAS THE SCARIEST PART FOR ME.
I'VE NEVER TALKED ABOUT IT.
DAMN. I DON'T THINK I'D DO THIS.
♪♪
I THOUGHT WE WERE IN REAL BIG TROUBLE AT THAT POINT.
♪♪
I REMEMBER JUST SAYING, "NO. NO," YOU KNOW?
AND THAT'S WHEN THE BLACK GUY STUCK HIS HEAD OUT
AND SAID, "WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS.
WE GOT TO GO."
AND THEN RIGHT WHEN THEY GOT READY TO LEAVE,
HE LEANED INTO ME, AND HE SAID,
"TELL THE POLICE IT WAS TWO BLACK GUYS."
HE SAID, "WE WON'T GO TO JAIL.
WE WILL COME BACK, AND WE WILL KILL Y'ALL."
AND AT THAT MOMENT, I BELIEVED HIM.
♪♪
AS SOON AS THEY LEFT, AND WE HEARD THAT TRUNK CRANK UP,
IT WAS JUST LIKE SURVIVAL MODE TOOK OVER.
IT WAS OLD HAY STRING, AND YOU COULD JUST USE
YOUR FINGERNAILS AND POP EACH LITTLE CORD.
WE LOOKED OUT EACH SIDE OF THE MOBILE HOME
TO SEE IF ANYBODY WAS THERE, GRABBED BRANDON,
AND WE TOOK OFF.
♪♪
IT WAS JUST LIKE A BLUR TO ME.
AND I HAD A FRIEND THAT LIVED ON THAT ROAD
THAT I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH.
ALL I REMEMBER DOING IS HANDING THE BABY OFF
AND RUNNING IN THEIR HOUSE IN SOMEBODY'S CLOSET.
THEY MUST HAVE THOUGHT, "WHAT IN THE WORLD?"
BUT I THINK WE'RE LETTING THEM KNOW
THAT SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAS HAPPENED.
THAT'S WHEN WE CALLED THE POLICE.
PLEASE HELP.
WE'RE STILL IN AGREEMENT
THAT WE'RE GONNA SAY IT'S TWO BLACK GUYS.
IF WE DIDN'T, THEY WERE GONNA HUNT US DOWN,
AND THEY WERE GONNA KILL US.
AND ME AND B.B. BOTH BELIEVED IT.
♪♪
Owen: I HAD GRADUATED.
FROM MISSISSIPPI LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TRAINING ACADEMY
ON THAT FRIDAY.
I CAME HOME FROM JACKSON.
THERE WAS A MESSAGE ON MY ANSWERING MACHINE.
[ BEEP ]Woman: YOU HAVE ONE NEW MESSAGE.
MESSAGE ONE.
[ BEEP ]
WE'RE ONLY A RURAL DEPARTMENT WITH FOUR FULL-TIME OFFICERS.
IT WAS QUITE EVIDENT THAT THEY NEEDED ME IMMEDIATELY.
ALL YOU'VE GOT IS THE TRAINING.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO,
BUT WHEN YOU GET OUT THERE AND START DOING IT,
THAT'S WHEN YOU REALLY LEARN.
YOUR MIND GOES IN A THOUSAND DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
WHAT AM I GONNA COME UP ON?
IT WAS KIND OF A BAPTISM UNDER FIRE,
'CAUSE THERE IT WAS, A MAJOR CRIME,
AND YOU'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
♪♪
Lafferty: THIS IS ALAN.
THIS IS A MAN WHO STEPPED IN A SET OF SHOES
HE DIDN'T HAVE TO.
FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, HE WAS THE ONLY ONE I KNEW AS "DAD."
♪♪
AT A VERY EARLY AGE, I KNEW THAT THERE WAS MORE
TO THE STORY, THOUGH, OF WHO HE WAS.
IF YOU LOOK AT BABY PICTURES OF ME, AND YOU LOOK AT HIM,
THERE WAS REALLY NO RESEMBLANCE WHATSOEVER.
EVEN AS A KID, SOMETIMES YOU KIND OF PICK UP ON THAT.
IT JUST ADDS TO THE CONFUSION OF EVERYTHING ELSE
THAT'S GOING ON IN MY LIFE.
♪♪
A LOT OF MY NIGHTMARES AS A CHILD,
I DON'T REALLY REMEMBER A LOT OF THEM OTHER THAN JUST
SOMEONE'S COMING TO GET ME FOR SOME REASON.
♪♪
I WOULD LITERALLY GO CRAWL UNDER MY BED AND JUST HIDE.
I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME.
THE SMELL OF GUNPOWDER USED TO MAKE ME SICK TO MY STOMACH
TO WHERE, SOMETIMES, I WOULD ACTUALLY THROW UP
FROM THE SMELL OF IT.
I JUST KNEW THAT I HAD THIS FEAR.
I KNEW SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WASN'T TALKED ABOUT.
♪♪
WHAT DO THESE TWO GUYS LOOK LIKE?
Thomas: WE TOLD THEM IT WAS TWO BLACK GUYS.
BECAUSE WE REALLY BELIEVED
THAT THEY WERE GONNA COME BACK AND KILL US.
WE WERE REAL SCARED,
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE TOLD THE POLICE.
AT THAT POINT, I WASN'T SURE WHAT WAS GOING ON.
BRANDON HAD BLOOD ON HIS CLOTHES,
AND SO I KNEW SOMETHING SERIOUS HAD HAPPENED,
BUT I JUST WOULDN'T LET MY MIND GO THERE.
♪♪
[ SIREN WAILING ]
♪♪
Owen: THE HOUSE ITSELF WAS A TYPICAL MOBILE HOME.
♪♪
THE INSIDE, IT'S NOT RANSACKED.
WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT ALL'S MISSING.
THERE'S NO EVIDENCE OF BLOOD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT,
ALL THE ACTUAL VIOLENCE AND THE MURDERS TOOK PLACE OUTSIDE.
♪♪
WHEN I HEAR IT'S A DOUBLE HOMICIDE,
I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO THINK.
THEY WERE BOTH MALES, THEY HAD BEEN SHOT,
AND THEIR BODIES HAD BEEN DUMPED IN A DITCH.
♪♪
FROM THE TWO BLOOD SPOTS HERE YOU SEE DRAG MARKS
OFF TO THE DIRT, GOING OFF TO THE SIDE.
IT'S A TERRIBLE SCENE.
♪♪
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE GOT IN THERE,
AND THEY LOOKED AT THE BODIES, PHOTOGRAPHED THEM,
AND THEN DID THEIR THING.
THEN WE PUT THEM IN BODY BAGS.
♪♪
WHY THEY WERE KILLED, I DON'T KNOW.
WAS IT A ROBBERY?
WAS IT A BURGLARY?
AND WHO DID IT?
THAT WAS THE BIG QUESTION.
♪♪
WHEN I FOUND OUT ELLIS WAS DEAD,
IT WASN'T ABOUT ME ANYMORE, IT WAS ABOUT HIM.
♪♪
IT WAS JUST IMMEDIATE.
I KNEW THAT I WAS GONNA TELL THE TRUTH
BECAUSE IT WAS MY FAMILY THAT WAS DEAD.
IT WAS MY BROTHER THAT WAS DEAD,
AND IT WAS MY FIRST COUSIN THAT WAS DEAD,
AND I KNEW THEY'D NEVER CATCH THEM IF WE KEPT STUCK
TO THAT STORY THAT IT WAS TWO BLACK GUYS.
I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU SOME MUG SHOTS.
♪♪
THEN HE SHOWS ME THESE SIX PICTURES.
HE HAD LIKE SIX BLACK GUYS, SIX WHITE GUYS,
AND I JUST PICKED THEM OUT.
♪♪
I COULD PICK THEM OUT NOW.
I MEAN, IT'S SEARED IN YOUR MIND.
I KNEW WHO IT WAS. THAT MEANT THEY KNEW WHO IT WAS.
SO, I WAS GLAD.
♪♪
ROBERT SAMUEL MINNICK.
SHAVED HEAD AND WILD-LOOKING BIG EYES.
WOULD THAT PERSON PUT FEAR IN TWO 13 YEAR OLD GIRLS.
HE SAYS, "IF YOU DON'T TELL THEM THAT IT WAS TWO BLACK MEN,
I'll COME BACK AND KILL YOU."
YES, THAT WOULD SCARE SOMEBODY.
JAMES WESLEY DYESS.
WE KNEW HIM AS A BURGLAR.
HE HAD BEEN TO PRISON. HE ESCAPED.
I MET HIM. I KNEW HIM.
I KNOW HE'S A VIOLENT PERSON.
♪♪
I HAD, JUST IN FEBRUARY OF THAT YEAR, PUT DYESS IN JAIL.
DYESS HAD BROKEN INTO A CAMP HOUSE
AND STOLE SOME CAMOUFLAGE CLOTHES, SOME MONEY,
SOME JEWELRY, AND A PISTOL.
AND WHEN I'M LEAVING TOWN,
I NOTICE A BLACK MALE IN CAMOUFLAGE CLOTHES.
I TURNED A PATROL CAR TOWARD HIM,
TURNED THE HEADLIGHTS ON HIGH BEAM.
DON'T MOVE!
♪♪
I STEP OUT OF THE PATROL CAR WITH MY PISTOL DRAWN.
I'M YOUNG. I'M STILL LEARNING.
HOLSTER BACK UP AND WALK OVER TO HIM.
♪♪
HE SAYS, "HERE," AND I LOOK DOWN,
AND HE'S GOT A PISTOL POINTED IN MY STOMACH.
♪♪
WHAT I DID NOT REALIZE WAS THE AUXILIARY DEPUTY
THAT WAS RIDING WITH ME THAT NIGHT,
HE GOT OUT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE
WITH A SHOTGUN POINTED AT HIM.
DYESS SAW THE SHOTGUN, I IMMEDIATELY GRABBED THE PISTOL
AND PUT IT IN MY WAIST BAND.
♪♪
IT'S KIND OF HARD TO HAVE FEAR IN REVERSE,
BUT AFTER WE FIND OUT THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY MINNICK
AND DYESS THAT KILLED THESE PEOPLE,
IT MADE ME THAT MUCH MORE THANKFUL THAT I HAD
AN AUXILIARY RIDING WITH ME
AND THAT THE GOOD LORD WAS WATCHING AFTER ME
BECAUSE I HONESTLY BELIEVE HE VERY WELL
WOULD HAVE SHOT ME THAT NIGHT.
♪♪
MY DADDY WAS SITTING THERE AT MY GRANDMOTHER'S TABLE
AND HE LOOKED AT ME, HE GOES, "MARTY, IS IT TRUE?
IS ELLIS DEAD?"
AND I JUST HAVE A WEAK SPOT FOR MY DADDY BAD.
[ Voice breaking ] AND I... TOLD HIM IT WAS TRUE.
AND HE JUST PUT HIS HEAD DOWN ON THE TABLE LIKE THAT,
AND HE JUST SAID, "THEY TOOK MY BOY. THEY TOOK MY BOY."
IT WAS JUST DIFFICULT.
IT WAS A LOT TO DEAL WITH.
I'M SORRY.
♪♪
Owen: THE COMMUNITY WAS TERRIFIED.
KNOWING THAT THESE TWO PEOPLE WERE ON THE RUN.
THEY ESCAPED FROM THE CLARKE COUNTY JAIL.
ALL EYES WERE LOOKING AT US.
[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
THE INFORMATION THAT WAS COMING AT YOU,
YOU'RE DRINKING FROM A FIRE HOSE,
AND IT'S NOT JUST A DRIPPING FIRE HOSE,
IT'S RUNNING WIDE OPEN.
♪♪
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
WHERE DID THEY GO?
AND THE TRAIL WENT COLD.
WE HAD NO IDEA WHERE MINNICK AND DYESS WENT.
♪♪
Thomas: I KNEW THEY WERE STILL OUT THERE,
AND I KNEW THERE WAS STILL THE POSSIBILITY
THAT THEY COULD COME BACK.
IT JUST MADE ME SCARED ALL THE TIME... 24/7 I WAS SCARED.
I WAS JUST SCARED OF EVERYTHING.
♪♪
I COULDN'T SLEEP AT NIGHT BECAUSE EVERY NOISE I HEARD,
I THOUGHT IT WAS THEM COMING BACK.
I FELT LIKE THEY KNEW WHERE I LIVED,
AND SO I WOULD GO OFF TO MY FRIENDS' HOUSES
AND SPEND THE NIGHT 'CAUSE I KNEW
THEY WOULDN'T KNOW I WAS THERE.
AND SO, THAT'S WHAT I DID FOR MONTHS.
♪♪
B.B. WAS MY BEST FRIEND AT THE TIME.
BUT AFTER THAT, I WASN'T EVER THE SAME.
B.B. WAS NEVER THE SAME.
♪♪
SHE NEVER CAME OVER AGAIN.
I DON'T KNOW IF TO SEE EACH OTHER MADE IT HARDER, MAYBE.
I DON'T KNOW.
[ Crying ] I'M SORRY.
♪♪
Lafferty: I'D BEEN PESTERING MY MOM A LITTLE BIT.
FOR SOME ANSWERS.
MOM.
I TOLD HER I KNOW SOMETHING HAPPENED.
WHAT HAPPENED?
SHE WOULD TELL ME THAT SHE JUST... "YOU'RE NOT READY."
I PROMISE... SOMEDAY.
WHAT DID SHE MEAN I WASN'T READY?
WHAT AM I NOT READY FOR?
I HAVE THESE MEMORIES, THESE FLASHES, THESE DREAMS...
NO ANSWERS WHATSOEVER TO ANY OF THAT.
♪♪
SUPPOSEDLY, THIS IS THE SHIRT THAT I WAS WEARING THE DAY
THAT MY DAD WAS SHOT.
I THINK I FOUND IT ACCIDENTALLY.
MY MOM YELLED AT ME ABOUT IT.
SHE FOUND ME LOOKING AT IT.
♪♪
IT WAS THE START OF ME BEING ABLE TO PUT THE PUZZLE TOGETHER
AND AT THE AGE OF 11, I GUESS SHE FINALLY DECIDED
THAT EITHER I'VE PESTERED HER ENOUGH,
OR SHE FELT THAT I WAS READY,
WHICH, I COULD TELL YOU RIGHT NOW LOOKING BACK,
I WASN'T READY AT ALL FOR THE BOMBSHELL
THAT GOT DROPPED ON ME.
YOU WERE ONLY TWO YEARS OLD.
♪♪
THE ANSWERS MADE ME ANGRY, I BELIEVE,
BECAUSE THAT INFORMATION WAS KEPT FROM ME FOR SO LONG.
♪♪
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH, I HATE TO SAY,
IT WAS WHERE A PATH OF SELF-DESTRUCTION STARTED FOR ME.
♪♪
ALCOHOL AND DRUGS AT THE AGE OF 11,
BEING KNOWN AS A FULL-BLOWN ALCOHOLIC BY THE AGE OF 13.
IT WAS... FREEDOM TO ME.
♪♪
SOME FIGHTS I GOT INTO, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HAPPENED.
♪♪
THAT'S NOT A GOOD PLACE TO BE.
♪♪
Thomas: I OFTEN WONDERED WHAT HAPPENED TO BRANDON.
I WOULD KIND OF HEAR LITTLE THINGS HERE AND THERE,
BUT I WONDERED HOW HE WAS DOING OR HOW HE WAS COPING.
♪♪
I REALLY DIDN'T THINK HE'D REMEMBER ANY OF IT.
♪♪
THAT WAS THE SHIRT THAT BRANDON WAS WEARING THAT DAY.
I CAN'T REMEMBER BUT I THINK IT HAD "SHORT STOP" ON IT.
YEAH, IT DOES... RIGHT THERE.
ARE THESE BLOOD STAINS?
SO, OKAY.
YEAH, THAT'S A LOT OF BLOOD.
I MEAN I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS THAT MUCH.
♪♪
GOSH.
♪♪
THEY JUST SENT THIS OVER.
THAT'S THEIR VEHICLE.
THE TRUCK GOT TWO PARKING TICKETS ON IT
IN NEW ORLEANS, AND LAW- ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THERE
RAN THE TAGS, SAW IT WAS INVOLVED IN A DOUBLE HOMICIDE.
THANKS, DETECTIVE.
THE INVESTIGATIVE TEAM AS A WHOLE
INVESTIGATED LEADS IN NEW ORLEANS,
BUT BOTH OF THEM HAD GONE TO JAIL
FOR STEALING VEHICLES IN THE PAST.
THEY KNOW THAT TAG NUMBERS WILL BE RUN,
AND THEY'D DUMP THE TRUCK ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
WHERE THEY HAD GONE FROM THERE, WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW.
THEY WERE A DANGER TO WHEREVER THEY WERE AT.
WE WERE UNCOVERING EVERY STONE THAT WE COULD
TRYING TO FIND LEADS.
♪♪
THAT'S A PICTURE OF MY DAD HOLDING ME AS A BABY.
YOU CAN TELL THAT HE LOVES ME EVEN AS A BABY.
PERSON'S EYES TELL YOU EVERYTHING.
♪♪
I DON'T. I WISH I HAD MORE.
♪♪
Owen: MINNICK CONFESSES IN SAN DIEGO,
AND DURING THE TRANSPORT BACK TO MISSISSIPPI,
HE BEGAN TELLING HIS STORY ON WHAT HAPPENED.
MINNICK AND DYESS BROKE OUT OF JAIL.
THEY HAD BEEN UP ALL NIGHT WALKING.
IT WAS 17 MILES BY ROAD.
LATER IN THE AFTERNOON, SAW A MOBILE HOME.
THEY BROKE IN IT.
THEY WERE IN THE TRAILER GETTING GUNS,
STEALING WHATEVER THEY COULD FIND
THAT THEY COULD TRAVEL WITH WHEN LAFFERTY AND THOMAS
PULLED UP IN A TRUCK AND PULLED AROUND BEHIND THE TRAILER.
MINNICK AND DYESS STEPPED OUT OF THE BACK DOOR.
THOMAS STARTED RUNNING AND DYESS SHOT THOMAS WITH A SHOTGUN.
[ GUNSHOT ]
AT THAT TIME, MINNICK HAD A .22 PISTOL THAT HE HAD TAKEN
OUT OF THE HOUSE, AND HE STEPPED OFF THE STEPS
AND WALKED AROUND TO LAFFERTY AND LAFFERTY WAS HOLDING
HIS 2-YEAR-OLD SON IN HIS ARMS.
LAFFERTY BEGAN PLEADING WITH HIM, "DON'T HURT MY SON.
DON'T HURT MY SON."
AND MINNICK PUT THE PISTOL BETWEEN HIS EYES
AND SHOT AND KILLED HIM WHILE HE WAS HOLDING HIS SON.
[ GUNSHOT ]
♪♪
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN GET ANY WORSE THAN THAT.
♪♪
Thomas: THE TRIAL WAS THE EASY PART.
COMPARED TO WHAT WE HAD JUST BEEN THROUGH.
Man: DO YOU SWEAR TO TELL THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH,
AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, SO HELP YOU GOD?
I SWEAR.
I FELT THE PRESSURE IN MAINLY ABOUT THE STORY
THAT WE HAD TOLD BECAUSE WE HAD LIED ABOUT IT
TO THE FIRST POLICE OFFICER,
AND I JUST EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED...
THAT WE FELT LIKE THEY WERE GONNA COME BACK AND KILL US.
HE SAID HE'D COME BACK FOR US.
I REALLY HAD TO EXPLAIN THAT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
THAT PART MADE ME REALLY NERVOUS,
BUT I FELT EMPOWERED.
I REALLY DID FEEL EMPOWERED BY TESTIFYING,
I FELT LIKE I GOT TO TELL MY SIDE OF THE STORY,
AND IT WAS HIM THAT WAS VULNERABLE,
BECAUSE THE WAY WE FELT IN THAT TRAILER,
YOU KNOW, HE HAD ALL THE POWER,
AND IN COURT, IT FELT LIKE WE HAD ALL THE POWER.
THAT'S WHAT IT FELT LIKE.
♪♪
Owen: A YOUNG POLICE OFFICER MADE A TRAFFIC STOP.
ON A VEHICLE THAT WAS STOLEN IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.
DYESS WAS DRIVING A STOLEN VEHICLE.
HE WAS PLACED IN CUSTODY FOR STEALING THE VEHICLE
AND GOT BACK TO THE JAIL,
THEY DETERMINED THAT IT WAS REALLY DYESS.
♪♪
WHEN YOU FIND THAT INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, THAT HE'S IN CUSTODY,
THAT HE'S NO LONGER GONNA HURT ANYBODY,
THAT'S WHEN YOU REALLY GET THAT SENSE OF RELIEF
THAT IT'S OVER.
♪♪
OF COURSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD SAY,
"WELL, WOULDN'T THE END BE THE TRIALS
AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT?"
THE PROSECUTION OF THE PEOPLE WHO DONE IT,
THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.
THAT'S NOT MY STORY.
MY MOM TOLD ME THAT MY REAL DAD WAS KILLED
WHENEVER I WAS 2.
IT WAS JUST A VAGUE PICTURE.
SHE DIDN'T REALLY GO INTO GREAT DETAIL ABOUT ANYTHING.
♪♪
I WAS STILL ACTIVELY SEEKING SOMEONE
WHO WOULD TALK TO ME ABOUT IT...
JUST ANY BIT OF DETAIL THAT I COULD'VE GOTTEN.
♪♪
I WAS IN MY MID-20s.
I'D WENT TO THE SHERIFF TO FIND OUT
IF THERE WAS ANY DEPUTIES THAT WERE LEFT
TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED THAT DAY.
HE TOLD ME THAT DEPUTY HOPSON
WAS ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING DEPUTIES
WHO EVEN WORKED THE CASE.
PART OF ME WANTED TO JUST TURN AROUND AND RUN,
'CAUSE I WAS WONDERING IF I WAS REALLY READY
TO HEAR WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.
AND HE SAID HE COULD REMEMBER EVERY BIT OF IT
JUST LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY.
TOLD ME WHERE POOLS OF BLOOD WERE FOUND AT,
THE SHAPE OF MY FATHER'S BODY
WHENEVER THEY RETRIEVED IT FROM THE GULLY.
AS WE TALKED, I DID TENSE UP A LITTLE BIT
WITH SOME OF THE DETAILS THAT HE WAS TELLING ME.
HE ASKED ME DID HE NEED TO STOP,
AND I TOLD HIM NO, TO CONTINUE ON.
I NEED TO KNOW.
♪♪
I ASKED HIM FLAT OUT
WAS THERE A POOL OF BLOOD RIGHT OUTSIDE THE BACK DOOR
AT THE END OF THE PROPANE TANK, AND HE LOOKED AT ME AND HE SAYS,
"NO ONE SHOULD EVEN KNOW THAT."
♪♪
MY FATHER WAS EXECUTED AT THE END OF THE PROPANE TANK.
♪♪
THAT TELLS ME I MUST REMEMBER SOMETHING.
♪♪
SO, THIS IS THE VERY FIRST PHOTO I'VE EVER SEEN OF THAT DAY.
THAT'S HIS HAT.
SAME ONE HE WORE WHEN I WAS BORN.
♪♪
IF YOU LOOK AT IT,
THAT'S THE SAME STYLE THERE...
AND EVEN IN HERE.
THAT'S THE SAME HAT.
♪♪
THANK YOU FOR SHOWING ME THAT, THOUGH.
♪♪
THAT MIGHT BE A BAD IDEA.
I WOULD RATHER NOT SEE THOSE.
♪♪
I HAD MY BEGINNING FROM WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAD TOLD ME,
AND I HAD THE END FROM WHAT THE DEPUTIES HAD TOLD ME.
MARTY WAS THERE.
MARTY WAS THE ONE WHO COME UP ON THE SCENE.
THAT'S MY MIDDLE STORY THAT I'M WAITING ON,
AND I'M HOPING I GET THAT FROM MARTY.
♪♪
I FOUND OUT WHERE SHE WAS LIVING AT,
AND I JUST SO HAPPENED TO STOP BY HER HOUSE.
I WAS VERY SCARED TO EVEN BRING IT UP.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD TRIGGER FOR HER.
HER KIDS WERE IN THE HOUSE,
AND I DIDN'T WANT TO BRING IT UP IN FRONT OF THEM, EITHER.
I DID LEAVE THAT DAY HOPING THAT I WOULD HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO HER AGAIN.
♪♪
IT'S BEEN A LONG PATH FOR ME.
I'M STILL CONTINUING DOWN THAT PATH.
I DO NOT HAVE FULL CLOSURE WITH WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY.
I FELT LIKE I NEEDED TO KNOW.
I WANTED TO KNOW.
THIS WAS PART OF MY CLOSURE.
♪♪
I AM NERVOUS TO SEE MARTY TODAY.
ME AND MARTY HAD NEVER DISCUSSED WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY.
I'D NEVER REALLY SAT DOWN, ONE ON ONE,
TO BE ABLE TO TALK WITH HER.
WE MISSED THE TURN.
IT'S ALL RIGHT, THOUGH.
MARTY WAS THERE.
THAT'S MY MIDDLE STORY THAT I'M WAITING ON.
♪♪
HEY! HEY.
BOY, YOU LOOK A LOT DIFFERENT, DON'T YOU?
IT'S BEEN A WHILE.HOW ARE YOU? YEAH.
I OFTEN WANTED TO TRY TO TALK TO YOU AND REACH OUT
TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT IT WAS THE FAMILY TABOO.
NOBODY TALKED ABOUT IT, SO IF NOBODY ELSE
WOULD TALK ABOUT IT, WHY WOULD YOU?
Thomas: YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE, BRANDON.
NOBODY EVER TALKED TO ME ABOUT IT.
I CAN'T REMEMBER ANYBODY SAYING,
"HEY, HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH THAT?"
IT WAS ALWAYS JUST "MARTY'S JUST TOUGH.
SHE'LL BE FINE."
I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW A LOT ABOUT THAT DAY
UNTIL AFTER I'D GOTTEN OLDER.
RIGHT.
I WAS VERY MUCH AWARE THAT YOU WERE THERE,
AND I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY YOU WERE THERE,
BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED FOR YOU TO SEE,
BECAUSE YOU HAD BLOOD ON YOU.
ONE OF US GRABBED YOU, AND WE LEFT,
AND THEY LEFT THE KEYS IN THE CAR THAT WE DROVE UP IN.
I DO REMEMBER DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD
AND JUST... SHAKING.
AND THEN, WHEN WE GET TO THE PLACE
I WAS GOING TO CALL FOR HELP,
I NEVER SAW YOU AGAIN AFTER THAT.
[ SIGHS ]
DO YOU REMEMBER US, ME, AT ALL? NOT AT ALL?
THAT'S THE THING I DON'T REMEMBER.
I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER BEING PUT IN THE TRAILER.
I JUST REMEMBER MY DAD BEING SHOT.
OH, I WAS HOPING YOU DIDN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING.
♪♪
I FINALLY HAVE MY COMPLETE STORY.
SHE TOLD ME WHAT HAPPENED, YOU KNOW?
WHEN SHE SEEN ME, THAT I WAS COVERED IN BLOOD.
♪♪
REALLY, WHAT KIND OF PERSON DOES THAT...
KILLS A MAN WHILE HE'S HOLDING HIS SON?
♪♪
Thomas: YOU CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER.
HOW YOUR LIFE WOULD'VE BEEN IF HE'D STILL BEEN IN IT.
LIKE HOW WOULD IT CHANGE THE WHOLE DYNAMIC OF OUR FAMILY?
WOULD OUR FAMILY REALLY NOT HAD KIND OF SPLIT APART
AFTER ALL THAT IF IT WOULD'VE NEVER HAPPENED?
AND HE'D PROBABLY BE LIVING IN THE SAME PLACE.
I MEAN, YOU JUST WONDER WHAT WOULD HE HAVE DONE,
WHAT HIS KIDS WOULD BE LIKE... THAT KIND OF THING.
♪♪
AND HE LOOKED HAPPY THERE,
AND THAT'S HOW I REMEMBER HIM LOOKING
WITH THAT STYLE OF HAIR [CHUCKLES], YOU KNOW?
AND HE WAS REALLY FUNNY, AND LAID-BACK GUY,
AND HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY WORRIES IN THE WORLD.
♪♪
AND HE'S MISSED.
HE'S... REALLY MISSED.
I'M SORRY.
♪♪
Owen: IN 1986,
THERE WAS FOUR FULL-TIME LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS
WITH THE CLARKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT...
SHERIFF DAVID EARL WILLIAMS,
CHIEF DEPUTY J.C. DENHAM,
DEPUTY JOHNNY HOPSON, AND MYSELF.
THEY WERE ALL A BUNCH OF GREAT MEN THAT I RESPECTED,
AND I'M THE ONLY ONE LEFT TO TALK TO THAT WAS FULL-TIME
WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AT THAT TIME.
YOU LEARN LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE ACADEMY,
BUT THEN YOU REALLY LEARN IT OUT ON THE STREETS,
AND THIS CASE PREPARED ME FOR THE DAY
THAT I BECAME THE LEAD INVESTIGATOR.
♪♪
I JUST WOKE UP ONE MORNING, AND EVERYTHING WAS GONE...
THE HATE, THE VENGEANCE, THE WANT, THE NEED FOR ALCOHOL,
THE WANT AND THE NEED FOR DRUGS.
♪♪
I FELT LIKE THIS BURDEN THAT I'D CARRIED
HAD BEEN LIFTED OFF OF ME.
SOMEBODY TOOK IT OFF OF ME.
DAD, YOU KNOW, HE PROBABLY STEPPED IN
AND FINALLY SAID, "HEY, THIS IS ENOUGH.
IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON."
I REALLY STRAIGHTENED MY LIFE OUT AFTER THAT.
I AM NOW AN OWNER-OPERATOR,
SELF-CONTRACTED TRUCK DRIVER.
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD SOMETIMES,
IT'S LIKE A CALMING PRESENCE IS WITH ME,
SOMEONE THAT'S LETTING ME KNOW IT'S OKAY.
YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA BE ALL RIGHT.
WHAT DEFINES A FATHER?
SOMEONE WHO TAKES CARE OF YOU.
I REMEMBER THE SADNESS IN HIS EYES,
BECAUSE HE KNEW WHAT WAS FIXING TO HAPPEN,
AND THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO ABOUT IT.
HE DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO LET ME GO
WHENEVER HE KNEW HE WAS GONNA DIE.
[ Voice breaking ] I MEAN WHAT KIND OF LOVE...
REALLY, WHAT KIND OF LOVE IS THAT?
THAT'S THE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE OF A FATHER.
♪♪