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-[Robinson on phone] Hello?
-[Carolyn on phone]
Who is this?
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00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:12,133
[Robinson] This is John.
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00:00:13,100 --> 00:00:14,867
[Carolyn] Well, son,
have you heard from Susie?
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00:00:15,467 --> 00:00:16,266
[Robinson] Susie?
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00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:21,767
Uh... Golly.
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00:00:22,166 --> 00:00:23,000
No, not for...
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00:00:24,100 --> 00:00:25,100
Well...
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00:00:26,166 --> 00:00:27,600
I guess since
the first of the month.
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00:00:29,867 --> 00:00:30,000
[Carolyn] I'm really getting
very nervous about this.
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00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:31,800
[Carolyn] I'm really getting
very nervous about this.
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I don't know if I should
maybe call the police
or something.
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[Robinson] Why?
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Hon, she's a big girl.
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[theme music playing]
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Welcome to Very Scary People.
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I'm Donnie Wahlberg.
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When Paula Godfrey answered
a "Help Wanted" ad
for a personal assistant,
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it seemed like
a great opportunity.
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Her job would include benefits
plus training and travel.
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It sounded too
good to be true.
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It was.
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Almost as soon
as Paula started,
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her family stopped
hearing from her.
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Turns out her new boss was
not who she thought he was.
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In reality, John Robinson
was a con man,
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In reality, John Robinson
was a con man,
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with a penchant for rough sex
that included bondage,
discipline and sadomasochism,
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or BDSM.
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This is part one
of the Slave Master.
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On January 9th, 1985,
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Lisa Stasi was staying
in a motel in Kansas City.
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Lisa Stasi was staying
in a motel in Kansas City.
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Lisa was 19 at the time
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and had a daughter, Tiffany.
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Tiffany at the time was
under six months of age.
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That night, Lisa calls
her mother-in-law
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and is crying and very upset.
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And tells her mother-in-law,
"Why are you trying to take
my baby away?"
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And the mother-in-law says,
"We're not trying to take
the baby away."
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And the mother-in-law says,
"We're not trying to take
the baby away."
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Lisa says, "They've
made me sign four
blank sheets of paper."
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Her mother-in-law said,
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"By no means,
do not sign anything.
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No one's trying to take
your baby away from you."
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And she heard extreme fear
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in her
daughter-in-law's voice.
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And then Lisa says,
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"Here they come.
I've gotta go."
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And that was the last
anyone ever heard from Lisa.
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[Tony] John Robinson had a...
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I think a very unique
and interesting upbringing.
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Just seemed like
a average kid.
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[Singular] Robinson
was born in late 1943
in Cicero, Illinois.
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00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:31,166
[Singular] Robinson
was born in late 1943
in Cicero, Illinois.
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He grew up in a neighborhood
that was sort of renowned
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for criminal behavior
because Al Capone had,
uh, an office there,
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and there was a famous
shoot-out in the neighborhood.
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It was part of the local
folklore really.
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So, Robinson would have
absorbed some of that
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and maybe he thought that
was something that might
help you get ahead in life.
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He was the middle
child of five.
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[Singular] His father
worked as a machinist
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and was known as a drinker,
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00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:00,700
and was known as a drinker,
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sort of trudging off to work
and trudging back.
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00:04:03,967 --> 00:04:08,500
His mother was known
as the disciplinarian
in the family.
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According to Robinson,
she was quite cold,
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00:04:11,266 --> 00:04:13,867
uh, especially when meting
out the discipline.
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00:04:15,867 --> 00:04:20,166
[Joyce] John Robinson
attended the Quigley
Preparatory school.
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He wanted to attend seminary
to become a priest early on.
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So, he was, in his youth,
quite a straight arrow.
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[Joyce] John Robinson
was in the Boy Scouts,
became an Eagle Scout,
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[Joyce] John Robinson
was in the Boy Scouts,
became an Eagle Scout,
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and that group travelled
to London to perform in front
of Queen Elizabeth and sing.
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And backstage,
he met Judy Garland
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who was also there
performing for the Queen.
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And he went up
to Judy Garland and said,
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"We Americans got
to stick together."
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At which point, she,
surprisingly, gave him
a kiss on the cheek
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and said, "You're right."
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This was a very bold
move for a 13-year-old.
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00:04:57,467 --> 00:05:00,000
[Glatt] And later,
the encounter was
in the Chicago Tribune.
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00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:01,867
[Glatt] And later,
the encounter was
in the Chicago Tribune.
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00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:04,967
I think it just showed
that John Robinson
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00:05:04,967 --> 00:05:08,467
was very personable
and a very likable kid.
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00:05:08,467 --> 00:05:13,100
He really had a way
of relating to people
and getting them to trust him.
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00:05:15,867 --> 00:05:19,567
[Meier] Even in his
childhood though,
people said that he was a...
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00:05:20,467 --> 00:05:21,767
a little bit of a con man.
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00:05:22,667 --> 00:05:24,266
That he manipulated people,
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00:05:24,266 --> 00:05:28,066
that he did a lot of different
things to get what he wanted.
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00:05:28,066 --> 00:05:30,000
[Douglass] I doubt
whether anyone would
absolutely believe
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00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:30,867
[Douglass] I doubt
whether anyone would
absolutely believe
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00:05:30,867 --> 00:05:33,467
that, uh, another person
could turn out to be
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00:05:33,467 --> 00:05:36,166
the kind of person that
John Robinson became.
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From the very beginning,
much of what he
did was a scam.
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And that scam was at first
theft and forgeries,
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and later on it would
take a human toll.
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[Haymes] In 1961, Robinson got
a job as an X-ray technician.
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He created lot of diplomas
that said he was qualified.
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He created lot of diplomas
that said he was qualified.
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But as far as I know,
they're all bogus.
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Once he began working there,
it was noticed that he really
didn't know what he was doing.
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[Meier] He had
none of the training
or knowledge to do that.
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He started stealing
from his employer so
the job didn't last very long.
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[Glatt] This was just
the first in a long line
of future scams
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he would become
involved with where he
faked his credentials,
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got jobs he
wasn't qualified for,
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got jobs he
wasn't qualified for,
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and milked the companies
for various amounts of money.
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And more often than not,
got away with it.
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In the '60s, one
of Robinson's job was
with Dr. Wallace Graham.
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[Singular] Who was
the personal physician
to President Harry Truman.
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[Haymes] Dr. Graham hired
him as an office manager
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and very quickly money
started disappearing.
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And it turned out that
Robinson had embezzled
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a great deal of money
from him, almost putting
him out of business.
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a great deal of money
from him, almost putting
him out of business.
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He embezzled at least
$30,000 from him.
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He ended up being convicted
for that embezzlement,
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and he was put on a probation.
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So, while he was already
building this pattern
of criminal behavior,
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he hadn't served any time.
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[Joyce] The more he
got away with it,
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the more he learnt he
could get away with crimes.
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And he wouldn't stop.
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And he sort of now
evolved into creating
these businesses of his own.
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And he sort of now
evolved into creating
these businesses of his own.
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They were all sort of fronts
for his criminal activities.
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[Joyce] In the late '70s,
Robinson started a company
called Hydro-Gro,
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which was
a hydroponics company.
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Growing plants indoors
under artificial lights.
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He included a pamphlet
stating that he had
a far-reaching imagination.
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In 1977, there was
a, uh, banquet to honor
the "Man of the Year"
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in Kansas City.
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in Kansas City.
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And it was covered
by the local media including
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00:08:03,667 --> 00:08:06,100
our newspaper
The Kansas City Star.
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And the mayor proclaimed
Robinson as "Man of the Year."
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For his... philanthropic
efforts, I guess.
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As it turns out,
it was a fake.
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It was just some phony thing
that he concocted
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and bamboozled everybody,
including the media.
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[Singular] He had created
a plaque for himself.
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He had created
an event for himself.
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He had created
an event for himself.
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And when they
found out about it,
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everybody was
pretty mortified.
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He was kind of the archetypal
small-time chiseler.
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Most white-collar
criminals do not evolve
into violent criminals.
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But his case is very
different from that.
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By the '80s, he was evolving
into something else.
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Up through 1984,
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Up through 1984,
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Robinson was really
viewed as a con man.
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00:09:04,567 --> 00:09:09,266
And con men don't
usually hurt anyone
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00:09:09,266 --> 00:09:13,200
because they're smart
enough to know that if
you actually hurt someone,
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the penalty is gonna
be enhanced.
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Which made it more
surprising when we found out
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00:09:17,467 --> 00:09:19,200
that he was also
a serial killer.
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00:09:32,500 --> 00:09:35,900
[Joyce] In the early '80s,
Robinson started yet
another company
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00:09:35,967 --> 00:09:37,400
called Equi-II
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which was
a consulting company.
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What he was
actually consulting,
we don't really know.
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Equi-II was what
we would consider
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a-- just a sham job.
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He just used it as
a front to meet women.
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[Joyce] It was at this time
that he hired a young woman
by the name of Paula Godfrey
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[Joyce] It was at this time
that he hired a young woman
by the name of Paula Godfrey
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00:09:58,967 --> 00:10:01,300
to work as
a secretary for him.
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[Tony] Paula had just
graduated high school,
honors student,
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she enjoyed figure skating.
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By all accounts a good kid.
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[Meier] Whether he hired her
to help in his business
is really debatable.
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00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:25,300
It never appears that she ever
really did any work for him.
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[Rick] They had a fabulous
package of benefits,
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00:10:26,232 --> 00:10:29,300
[Rick] They had a fabulous
package of benefits,
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00:10:29,367 --> 00:10:32,300
financial and you were
gonna travel the world.
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And this looked like
the golden opportunity.
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00:10:36,166 --> 00:10:40,600
The last we heard about Paula,
she called her grandmother
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00:10:40,667 --> 00:10:44,100
and informed her that she
was going to San Antonio
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00:10:44,100 --> 00:10:47,500
for business and she was
going to train down there.
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[Haymes] And late
in the summer of '84,
Paula Godfrey went missing.
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00:10:55,567 --> 00:10:56,232
[Singular] Her parents were
obviously concerned.
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00:10:56,232 --> 00:10:58,266
[Singular] Her parents were
obviously concerned.
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They made a missing
persons report
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00:11:01,100 --> 00:11:03,567
to the Overland Park
Police Department.
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But soon after,
the family receives a letter
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00:11:09,266 --> 00:11:12,200
that is allegedly from Paula.
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And in the letter she says,
"Hey, I'm travelling,
life is good.
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00:11:18,266 --> 00:11:21,367
John Robinson's
a wonderful person.
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00:11:21,367 --> 00:11:24,000
He's helped me
start a new life.
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00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:26,232
And I'm fine.
I'm just happy as can be."
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00:11:26,232 --> 00:11:27,000
And I'm fine.
I'm just happy as can be."
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00:11:29,066 --> 00:11:33,367
This is to become a theme
that's repeated over and over.
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00:11:33,367 --> 00:11:35,467
[Douglass] Based on the fact
that letters showed up
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00:11:35,467 --> 00:11:38,100
indicating that she
was somewhere else,
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00:11:38,100 --> 00:11:41,300
it became more of a person
who may have just left,
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00:11:41,367 --> 00:11:43,500
which is not all
that uncommon.
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00:11:43,567 --> 00:11:46,166
[Singular] The investigation
never really developed.
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00:11:46,166 --> 00:11:48,567
[Paul] She's one
of several women that
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00:11:48,567 --> 00:11:51,166
nobody really knows
what happened to 'em.
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00:11:51,166 --> 00:11:52,166
And we'll probably
never really know
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00:11:52,166 --> 00:11:53,300
what happened to 'em.
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00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:56,232
Robinson was very adept
at manipulating people.
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00:11:56,232 --> 00:12:00,567
Robinson was very adept
at manipulating people.
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00:12:00,567 --> 00:12:02,233
[Barbara] He looked
like a family man.
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00:12:02,266 --> 00:12:07,800
He dressed like the guy
next door that you see
pushing the lawn mower.
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00:12:07,867 --> 00:12:11,400
He didn't dress like
a guy that was out
looking for girls.
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00:12:11,467 --> 00:12:14,166
He didn't look scary,
like someone you had
to be careful of.
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00:12:14,867 --> 00:12:17,567
He did all these
monstrous things
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00:12:17,567 --> 00:12:22,100
but he looks like, you know,
Joe Schmoe next door.
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00:12:24,266 --> 00:12:26,232
[Meier] In 1964, Robinson
met his wife Nancy.
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00:12:26,232 --> 00:12:27,467
[Meier] In 1964, Robinson
met his wife Nancy.
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00:12:28,667 --> 00:12:31,467
And she became pregnant.
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00:12:31,467 --> 00:12:33,400
They ended up getting married.
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00:12:33,467 --> 00:12:34,767
They had four kids.
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00:12:36,567 --> 00:12:39,367
[Tony] In the late '70s,
they moved to Olathe,
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00:12:39,367 --> 00:12:42,700
which is, uh, a suburb
of Kansas City,
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00:12:42,767 --> 00:12:48,367
probably, I don't know,
20-mile drive or so
from downtown Kansas City.
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00:12:48,367 --> 00:12:52,000
[Rick] It was a upper scale
suburban neighborhood.
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00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,967
Ironically, he had
a reputation in the community
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00:12:54,967 --> 00:12:56,232
of being somewhat
of a family man.
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00:12:56,232 --> 00:12:56,767
of being somewhat
of a family man.
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00:12:58,467 --> 00:13:01,867
[Meier] He appeared to be
a caring, loving father,
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00:13:01,867 --> 00:13:04,467
he was involved in his
kids' activities,
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00:13:04,467 --> 00:13:07,467
he was involved in his church.
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00:13:07,467 --> 00:13:12,300
[Glatt] He took great pride
at Christmas as being
the neighborhood Santa Claus.
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00:13:12,367 --> 00:13:16,266
There are even pictures
of him online in the Santa
Claus costume.
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00:13:17,767 --> 00:13:20,100
And everybody thought he
was such a nice guy.
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00:13:22,266 --> 00:13:26,232
[Singular] He did a lot
of things to make himself
look respectable.
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00:13:26,232 --> 00:13:26,266
[Singular] He did a lot
of things to make himself
look respectable.
232
00:13:26,266 --> 00:13:30,200
But he didn't call that much
attention to himself.
233
00:13:30,266 --> 00:13:33,767
[Tony] I think part
of the reason why he got away
with what he did for so long
234
00:13:33,767 --> 00:13:39,600
because he was able
to create this veneer
of a normal person.
235
00:13:39,667 --> 00:13:43,000
[Haymes] And unfortunately
nothing could be
further from the truth.
236
00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:44,667
[Paul] He was able
to compartmentalize
237
00:13:44,667 --> 00:13:46,166
that kind
of criminal activity,
238
00:13:46,166 --> 00:13:49,200
that kind of horror that he's
inflicting on so many people,
239
00:13:49,266 --> 00:13:52,100
at the end of the day, go home
and bounce a baby on his knee.
240
00:13:56,266 --> 00:14:01,467
[Haymes] One thing that came
up over and over again
was John Robinson's contact
241
00:14:01,467 --> 00:14:05,400
with women other
than his wife.
242
00:14:05,467 --> 00:14:10,400
[Glatt] He gave the outward
appearance of being a devoted
family man, a father,
243
00:14:10,467 --> 00:14:14,100
but he would have many
affairs with different women.
244
00:14:14,100 --> 00:14:18,600
[Haymes] There was
always a string
of girlfriends on the side.
245
00:14:18,667 --> 00:14:24,100
Sexual activity was a major
part of Robinson's lifestyle.
246
00:14:27,467 --> 00:14:30,000
A area of interest
247
00:14:30,066 --> 00:14:36,266
that he took on was
the BDSM lifestyle.
248
00:14:36,266 --> 00:14:43,166
BDSM is bondage, discipline
and sadomasochism
in consensual relations.
249
00:14:44,667 --> 00:14:49,166
Robinson referred
to himself as a Master.
250
00:14:49,166 --> 00:14:54,767
That's a person who has
dominance over women.
251
00:14:54,767 --> 00:14:56,232
[Paul] The Master is somebody
who is the domineering figure
in the relationship that
252
00:14:56,232 --> 00:15:00,467
[Paul] The Master is somebody
who is the domineering figure
in the relationship that
253
00:15:00,467 --> 00:15:02,000
tells you what to do,
when to do it,
254
00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:05,266
what sexually to do,
all that kind of stuff.
255
00:15:05,266 --> 00:15:11,000
And he was able
to find women that
were into that lifestyle.
256
00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:14,166
[Singular] There were
clubs in Kansas City
where you could engage in
257
00:15:14,166 --> 00:15:16,500
those kinds of activities
if you wanted to.
258
00:15:18,367 --> 00:15:20,800
He was a man who was 5'9".
259
00:15:21,500 --> 00:15:23,166
He was pudgy.
260
00:15:23,166 --> 00:15:26,232
He was not a great
physical presence.
261
00:15:26,232 --> 00:15:27,100
He was not a great
physical presence.
262
00:15:27,100 --> 00:15:33,367
But this notion of being
this ultramasculine,
dominant male,
263
00:15:33,367 --> 00:15:36,667
you know, clearly appealed
to his psyche.
264
00:15:36,667 --> 00:15:40,100
He was drifting further
and further into not only
265
00:15:40,100 --> 00:15:44,000
small financial scams
and murder,
266
00:15:44,066 --> 00:15:49,967
but these adventures
into these darker realms
of the sexual underground.
267
00:15:51,367 --> 00:15:56,232
During the day, he would
be out doing his thing,
scam type things,
268
00:15:56,232 --> 00:15:57,100
During the day, he would
be out doing his thing,
scam type things,
269
00:15:57,166 --> 00:16:01,166
BDSM activities,
hooking up with all
these women.
270
00:16:01,166 --> 00:16:05,266
At night, he would go home,
usually about five o'clock,
271
00:16:05,266 --> 00:16:06,567
and be home the rest
of the evening.
272
00:16:08,166 --> 00:16:11,100
[Rick] We referred
to him as John Walton
273
00:16:11,100 --> 00:16:15,000
when he wasn't involved
with his other activities.
274
00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:17,667
He was always there
with Nancy at supper.
275
00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:22,567
[Singular] One
of the unusual
aspects of it
276
00:16:22,567 --> 00:16:26,232
is that neither he nor
his wife, who knew
about some of these affairs,
277
00:16:26,232 --> 00:16:27,467
is that neither he nor
his wife, who knew
about some of these affairs,
278
00:16:27,467 --> 00:16:30,700
seemed to have any
interest in getting divorced.
279
00:16:30,767 --> 00:16:36,900
Robinson sort of needed
that-- that stability
in this part of his life
280
00:16:36,967 --> 00:16:40,200
to be really aberrant
in another part of his life.
281
00:16:52,467 --> 00:16:57,700
[Paul] Sheila and Debbie Faith
were a mother and daughter
that lived in Colorado.
282
00:16:58,567 --> 00:17:00,767
Sheila Faith was
a middle-aged woman.
283
00:17:00,767 --> 00:17:02,000
Her daughter, Debbie,
284
00:17:02,066 --> 00:17:04,500
was disabled
and wheelchair-bound.
285
00:17:06,100 --> 00:17:08,767
In 1994,
286
00:17:08,767 --> 00:17:12,166
Robinson meets Sheila.
287
00:17:12,166 --> 00:17:16,000
He tells her, you know,
great things about himself,
288
00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:17,548
and what a businessman he is.
289
00:17:17,548 --> 00:17:17,667
and what a businessman he is.
290
00:17:19,367 --> 00:17:22,367
He portrayed himself pretty
much always the same way.
291
00:17:22,367 --> 00:17:26,467
The gentleman farmer,
he's wealthy, he owns
a lot of businesses.
292
00:17:28,367 --> 00:17:30,367
He would often times
use the picture of him
293
00:17:30,367 --> 00:17:33,467
standing in that field
with his foot up on a stump,
294
00:17:33,467 --> 00:17:36,900
talking about all this
property he owned and how
wealthy he was and...
295
00:17:37,567 --> 00:17:40,400
Just a super nice guy.
296
00:17:40,467 --> 00:17:43,967
[Tony] And Robinson offered
Sheila the chance to come
297
00:17:44,867 --> 00:17:46,700
to the Kansas City area and
298
00:17:46,767 --> 00:17:47,548
that he would take care
of her and her daughter.
299
00:17:47,548 --> 00:17:50,000
that he would take care
of her and her daughter.
300
00:17:53,467 --> 00:17:56,000
[Singular] What he was
extremely good at, of course,
301
00:17:56,066 --> 00:17:59,567
was finding
the vulnerabilities in people,
zeroing in on them,
302
00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:01,767
exploiting them
and getting them
303
00:18:01,767 --> 00:18:04,100
to do what he wanted to do.
304
00:18:04,166 --> 00:18:07,266
[Rick] He would promise
everything and anything
305
00:18:07,266 --> 00:18:11,000
depending on what
the needs were of his victims.
306
00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:15,066
[Joyce] Sheila had told
her friends that she had
met her dream man,
307
00:18:15,066 --> 00:18:17,548
that he was gonna take
them on an extended cruise.
308
00:18:17,548 --> 00:18:18,266
that he was gonna take
them on an extended cruise.
309
00:18:18,266 --> 00:18:20,900
She was very excited
about going to Kansas City.
310
00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:31,367
[Tony] He actually drove all
night to Pueblo, Colorado
and picked them up
311
00:18:31,367 --> 00:18:33,000
and brought them
back with him.
312
00:18:36,667 --> 00:18:40,066
[Rick] The only thing we know
about Sheila and Debbie Faith
313
00:18:40,066 --> 00:18:43,467
is they arrived
in Kansas City area
314
00:18:44,500 --> 00:18:46,000
and were never seen again.
315
00:18:47,667 --> 00:18:51,266
John Robinson dodged
some suspicion because
316
00:18:51,266 --> 00:18:54,100
Sheila and Debbie Faith
were never reported missing.
317
00:18:56,667 --> 00:19:01,500
[Paul] We always suspected
that was more than anything
else a money scam for him.
318
00:19:01,567 --> 00:19:06,200
They received Social
Security disability benefits
from the federal government.
319
00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:14,467
He continues to collect
their benefits for many
years after that.
320
00:19:14,467 --> 00:19:17,166
[Joyce] He would
collect on their Social
Security checks
321
00:19:17,166 --> 00:19:17,548
in the amount of $80,000.
322
00:19:17,548 --> 00:19:20,367
in the amount of $80,000.
323
00:19:20,367 --> 00:19:27,066
He almost had a constant
stream of incomes from people
he'd scammed or killed.
324
00:19:28,066 --> 00:19:31,367
This guy would do
anything for a buck.
325
00:19:31,367 --> 00:19:38,100
And he doesn't care who
he hurts or what kind of
position they are in in life.
326
00:19:38,166 --> 00:19:40,667
If it benefits him,
it's a good deal.
327
00:19:42,700 --> 00:19:47,166
[Haymes] I think
Robinson was able to get
away with his crimes
328
00:19:47,166 --> 00:19:47,548
because he picked
victims that didn't have
a lot going for them
329
00:19:47,548 --> 00:19:52,967
because he picked
victims that didn't have
a lot going for them
330
00:19:52,967 --> 00:19:56,066
and would have less people
looking for them.
331
00:19:56,066 --> 00:20:00,200
He had a tendency to find
women at their lowest point.
332
00:20:00,266 --> 00:20:04,300
Every single one of them
had a marked vulnerability.
333
00:20:04,367 --> 00:20:07,667
And he knew it,
and he found it,
and he seized upon it.
334
00:20:08,567 --> 00:20:10,200
They didn't all look the same,
335
00:20:10,266 --> 00:20:12,500
they weren't all
the same scam,
336
00:20:12,567 --> 00:20:16,166
but that was the one
thing he knew how to do.
337
00:20:16,166 --> 00:20:17,548
To find vulnerability
and exploit it.
338
00:20:17,548 --> 00:20:19,367
To find vulnerability
and exploit it.
339
00:20:19,367 --> 00:20:22,600
[Paul] Here comes
their knight in shining
armor or so they think,
340
00:20:22,667 --> 00:20:24,667
he'll use them
for a while and then...
341
00:20:25,667 --> 00:20:26,567
kill 'em.
342
00:20:40,667 --> 00:20:43,800
Welcome back
to Very Scary People.
343
00:20:43,867 --> 00:20:47,600
John Robinson found some
victims by posting fake jobs.
344
00:20:47,667 --> 00:20:52,100
Others by luring them
with promises of love
and financial support.
345
00:20:52,166 --> 00:20:54,400
In 1984, he set his sights
346
00:20:54,467 --> 00:20:58,166
on a new and especially
vulnerable group
of potential victims.
347
00:20:58,166 --> 00:21:00,066
Young, unwed mothers.
348
00:21:03,867 --> 00:21:08,500
[Haymes] In December of 1984,
I was District Supervisor
349
00:21:08,567 --> 00:21:11,000
for the Missouri Board
of Probation and Parole...
350
00:21:11,066 --> 00:21:13,467
[phone ringing]
351
00:21:13,467 --> 00:21:15,700
[Haymes] ...and I got a call
352
00:21:15,767 --> 00:21:19,300
from an organization
known as Birthright.
353
00:21:19,367 --> 00:21:22,000
And, uh, Birthright
was a program
354
00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:24,867
that tried to help young girls
who were pregnant
355
00:21:24,867 --> 00:21:27,000
find a way to keep the baby.
356
00:21:28,166 --> 00:21:31,800
They told me that they had
been contacted by Robinson
357
00:21:31,867 --> 00:21:33,273
who wanted to know
if they had any young
girls that needed help.
358
00:21:33,273 --> 00:21:36,066
who wanted to know
if they had any young
girls that needed help.
359
00:21:37,066 --> 00:21:38,667
He started an organization
360
00:21:38,667 --> 00:21:40,266
called Kansas City Outreach
361
00:21:40,266 --> 00:21:46,867
that supposedly was charity
to help young women,
single mothers
362
00:21:46,867 --> 00:21:50,000
who needed a leg up
in the world.
363
00:21:50,066 --> 00:21:53,166
[Singular] John Robinson
and his scams would gravitate
364
00:21:53,166 --> 00:21:56,567
toward fields that
looked very benevolent.
365
00:21:56,567 --> 00:22:00,900
Other serial killers have done
these same kinds of things.
366
00:22:00,967 --> 00:22:03,273
Ted Bundy, for example, worked
in a suicide hotline.
367
00:22:03,273 --> 00:22:04,467
Ted Bundy, for example, worked
in a suicide hotline.
368
00:22:04,467 --> 00:22:07,600
Dennis Rader,
the BTK serial killer,
369
00:22:07,667 --> 00:22:09,700
was a president of his church.
370
00:22:11,100 --> 00:22:14,867
[Rick] Robinson was going
to different hospitals
371
00:22:14,867 --> 00:22:18,266
and trying to get
them to sign on
372
00:22:18,266 --> 00:22:20,367
to this outreach program
373
00:22:20,367 --> 00:22:22,266
for unwed mothers
374
00:22:22,266 --> 00:22:26,100
that he would put
up in apartments
and take care of.
375
00:22:28,266 --> 00:22:30,567
[Haymes] After receiving
the call, I began
376
00:22:30,567 --> 00:22:32,066
looking into his background.
377
00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:38,567
I was immediately convinced
that he was up to no good.
378
00:22:39,767 --> 00:22:41,567
One of my early thoughts
379
00:22:41,567 --> 00:22:46,100
when I learned that
he was seeking out
young women with babies
380
00:22:46,100 --> 00:22:49,300
was that he potentially was
381
00:22:49,867 --> 00:22:54,367
going to sell the baby.
382
00:22:54,367 --> 00:23:00,467
And possibly use the mother
to sell into white slavery.
383
00:23:00,467 --> 00:23:03,273
I had contacted the FBI
to see if they were aware
384
00:23:03,273 --> 00:23:04,467
I had contacted the FBI
to see if they were aware
385
00:23:04,467 --> 00:23:08,867
of any baby selling operations
in the Kansas City area,
386
00:23:08,867 --> 00:23:10,600
and they were not.
387
00:23:10,667 --> 00:23:14,100
[Singular] Stephen Haymes
is a very interesting
388
00:23:14,100 --> 00:23:17,467
and important part
of the story in many ways
389
00:23:17,467 --> 00:23:20,867
because he was the first
person in law enforcement
390
00:23:20,867 --> 00:23:23,667
that the red flags
sort of went out.
391
00:23:23,667 --> 00:23:26,500
Stephen Haymes
knew instinctively
392
00:23:26,567 --> 00:23:28,967
that something about
Robinson was wrong,
393
00:23:28,967 --> 00:23:30,300
something was dangerous.
394
00:23:31,500 --> 00:23:33,273
I'm still not
395
00:23:33,273 --> 00:23:33,600
I'm still not
396
00:23:33,667 --> 00:23:36,767
thinking that-- that
he's a murderer at that point,
397
00:23:36,767 --> 00:23:38,700
at least with his own hand.
398
00:23:46,300 --> 00:23:48,800
[Douglass] Lisa Stasi
was the next individual
399
00:23:48,867 --> 00:23:51,100
encountered by John Robinson.
400
00:23:51,867 --> 00:23:53,367
Lisa married a man
401
00:23:53,367 --> 00:23:57,367
and together, they had
a baby, Tiffany.
402
00:23:57,367 --> 00:24:00,800
The marriage was rocky,
did not work out.
403
00:24:00,867 --> 00:24:03,273
They separated
and, uh, her husband
404
00:24:03,273 --> 00:24:04,066
They separated
and, uh, her husband
405
00:24:04,066 --> 00:24:07,467
re-enlisted in the military
and-- and left.
406
00:24:07,467 --> 00:24:11,000
She, uh, made contact
with a hospital,
407
00:24:11,066 --> 00:24:15,200
and when they learned
about the Kansas City
Outreach Program,
408
00:24:15,266 --> 00:24:18,867
thought it was a perfect
program for Lisa.
409
00:24:19,500 --> 00:24:21,000
It seemed like a legitimate
410
00:24:21,066 --> 00:24:22,700
outreach organization.
411
00:24:22,767 --> 00:24:26,667
Lisa was promised
a job, education,
412
00:24:26,667 --> 00:24:28,367
and she thought
she would be providing
413
00:24:28,367 --> 00:24:31,367
a better life for her
and her young daughter.
414
00:24:31,367 --> 00:24:33,273
He put her up in a hotel
in Overland Park,
415
00:24:33,273 --> 00:24:33,667
He put her up in a hotel
in Overland Park,
416
00:24:33,667 --> 00:24:37,367
told her that he was gonna
help her start a new life.
417
00:24:43,500 --> 00:24:47,867
[Joyce] On January 9, 1985,
Lisa went to visit
418
00:24:47,867 --> 00:24:50,266
her sister-in-law,
Kathy Klinginsmith.
419
00:24:51,567 --> 00:24:55,400
And it was a very, very
vicious snowstorm going on.
420
00:24:57,867 --> 00:25:00,900
[Meier] While she was there,
Robinson went back
421
00:25:00,967 --> 00:25:03,273
to the hotel, found out
that she was not there.
422
00:25:03,273 --> 00:25:03,667
to the hotel, found out
that she was not there.
423
00:25:06,100 --> 00:25:09,400
[Haymes] And in the middle
of a horrible snowstorm,
424
00:25:09,467 --> 00:25:13,100
Robinson shows up
at the sister-in-law's home
425
00:25:13,166 --> 00:25:18,567
and is upset that Lisa
had left the motel.
426
00:25:18,567 --> 00:25:23,266
He demanded that
she and the baby, Tiffany,
427
00:25:23,266 --> 00:25:26,200
leave with him immediately.
428
00:25:26,266 --> 00:25:28,667
Kathy Klinginsmith would
later say in court
429
00:25:28,667 --> 00:25:32,967
that she saw pure evil
in his eyes that day.
430
00:25:32,967 --> 00:25:33,273
[Haymes] So he collects
Lisa and Tiffany
431
00:25:33,273 --> 00:25:36,567
[Haymes] So he collects
Lisa and Tiffany
432
00:25:36,567 --> 00:25:38,600
leaving behind her car,
433
00:25:38,667 --> 00:25:40,700
baby food, diapers,
434
00:25:40,767 --> 00:25:42,767
and whisked them away.
435
00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:44,767
[phone ringing]
436
00:25:45,767 --> 00:25:47,467
[Glatt] A short time later,
437
00:25:47,467 --> 00:25:50,000
Lisa makes that call
to her mother-in-law
438
00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:51,900
about people wanting
to take her baby.
439
00:25:53,300 --> 00:25:55,467
[Haymes] That last
conversation, you know,
440
00:25:55,467 --> 00:25:58,500
"They've made me sign
four blank sheets of paper."
441
00:26:00,467 --> 00:26:02,367
[Meier] Lisa Stasi
was never seen again.
442
00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:12,000
[Haymes] After Lisa
goes missing,
443
00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:14,066
the mother-in-law
receives a letter.
444
00:26:14,567 --> 00:26:16,000
It's typed.
445
00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:19,700
Lisa's brother also
receives a similar letter,
446
00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:22,567
as does a shelter.
447
00:26:23,500 --> 00:26:26,500
There were three letters
that were sent
448
00:26:26,567 --> 00:26:28,567
and all three
were very generic.
449
00:26:29,700 --> 00:26:33,100
One of the letters
from Lisa said,
450
00:26:33,166 --> 00:26:33,273
"Thank you for all your help.
I do really appreciate it.
451
00:26:33,273 --> 00:26:37,166
"Thank you for all your help.
I do really appreciate it.
452
00:26:37,166 --> 00:26:38,967
I've decided
to leave Kansas City
453
00:26:38,967 --> 00:26:41,467
and try to make a new life
for myself and Tiffany.
454
00:26:43,066 --> 00:26:44,967
She deserves a real mother
455
00:26:44,967 --> 00:26:46,667
who works
and takes care of her."
456
00:26:49,166 --> 00:26:52,400
At the bottom, it was signed
Lisa Elledge Stasi.
457
00:26:55,266 --> 00:26:57,700
[Rick] Their family
really didn't buy into it
458
00:26:57,767 --> 00:26:59,900
because the letters
were so generic.
459
00:27:00,567 --> 00:27:02,400
It didn't sound like her
460
00:27:02,467 --> 00:27:03,273
and you don't sign
your official name
461
00:27:03,273 --> 00:27:06,200
and you don't sign
your official name
462
00:27:06,266 --> 00:27:09,200
including your middle name
to your family members.
463
00:27:11,467 --> 00:27:14,900
[Singular] The Overland Park
police department
was contacted
464
00:27:14,967 --> 00:27:17,166
about her disappearance.
465
00:27:17,166 --> 00:27:22,467
But again, there wasn't
enough to really launch
an investigation.
466
00:27:22,467 --> 00:27:26,066
[Douglass] At this point,
there was no sign
of foul play.
467
00:27:26,066 --> 00:27:28,700
So like many cases
of a disappearing person
468
00:27:28,767 --> 00:27:32,066
with some reason
to believe that they
simply left on their own,
469
00:27:32,066 --> 00:27:33,273
the case went no further.
470
00:27:33,273 --> 00:27:34,266
the case went no further.
471
00:27:40,467 --> 00:27:44,066
[Haymes] On January 10
of 1985,
472
00:27:44,066 --> 00:27:46,266
I decided I had enough
473
00:27:46,266 --> 00:27:49,100
information looking
into his background
474
00:27:49,166 --> 00:27:52,100
that I wanted
to confront him directly
475
00:27:52,166 --> 00:27:55,166
about what was going on.
At that point,
476
00:27:55,166 --> 00:27:58,967
I still don't know
about Lisa and Tiffany.
477
00:27:58,967 --> 00:28:02,100
Ironically, the letter
I sent on January 10
478
00:28:02,100 --> 00:28:03,273
is also the same day
that Lisa Stasi
479
00:28:03,273 --> 00:28:05,600
is also the same day
that Lisa Stasi
480
00:28:05,667 --> 00:28:08,667
and baby Tiffany
were last seen.
481
00:28:09,967 --> 00:28:13,266
I've often wondered
if I would have
482
00:28:13,266 --> 00:28:16,367
made my direct contact
with him,
483
00:28:16,367 --> 00:28:18,800
you know,
a week or two earlier,
484
00:28:18,867 --> 00:28:20,567
maybe she wouldn't
have gone missing.
485
00:28:20,567 --> 00:28:24,600
I mean, those are
the sort of, uh, regrets
that you always have.
486
00:28:29,166 --> 00:28:30,700
[Paul] There was a common
thread with all these women.
487
00:28:32,367 --> 00:28:33,273
The last time anybody
had seen 'em,
488
00:28:33,273 --> 00:28:34,767
The last time anybody
had seen 'em,
489
00:28:34,767 --> 00:28:38,000
they all become involved
with John Robinson.
490
00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:41,000
None of 'em ever been seen
again after that involvement.
491
00:28:41,066 --> 00:28:44,367
There was no activity,
no credit card activity,
492
00:28:44,367 --> 00:28:47,000
no phone activity, nothing
from any of these women.
493
00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:51,667
Most of the cases, as soon
as John Robinson
was contacted,
494
00:28:51,667 --> 00:28:55,166
by either a family member
or the police,
495
00:28:55,166 --> 00:28:58,567
then what I would call
a cover-up started.
496
00:28:58,567 --> 00:29:00,266
[Paul] He had
a very similar pattern
497
00:29:00,266 --> 00:29:03,273
for most of his victims.
He would get these ladies
498
00:29:03,273 --> 00:29:04,867
for most of his victims.
He would get these ladies
499
00:29:04,867 --> 00:29:08,166
convinced that he was getting
ready to take 'em on a trip.
500
00:29:08,166 --> 00:29:10,800
And he would say to them,
"You know, you're gonna be
501
00:29:10,867 --> 00:29:13,567
traveling all the time.
You're gonna wanna
contact your relatives.
502
00:29:13,567 --> 00:29:17,266
So why don't you pre-write
some letters right now?
503
00:29:18,100 --> 00:29:20,667
And the ones that
you don't pre-write,
504
00:29:20,667 --> 00:29:23,266
would you sign your signature
to the bottom of these
505
00:29:23,266 --> 00:29:24,867
pages of stationery?"
506
00:29:27,367 --> 00:29:31,400
So he could mail 'em while
they're traveling the world.
507
00:29:31,467 --> 00:29:33,273
[Singular] It was a good way
of keeping families
508
00:29:33,273 --> 00:29:35,066
[Singular] It was a good way
of keeping families
509
00:29:35,066 --> 00:29:37,500
and law enforcement at bay.
510
00:29:37,567 --> 00:29:39,600
And he used it over and over
again in the future.
511
00:29:40,900 --> 00:29:44,000
[Paul] He was very adapt
at doing things
512
00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:45,500
to throw off an investigation.
513
00:29:57,867 --> 00:30:00,667
Steve Haymes
was feeling uneasy
514
00:30:00,667 --> 00:30:03,867
about Robinson
and these missing women.
515
00:30:05,100 --> 00:30:07,800
[Joyce] Stephen Haymes
sent a letter to Robinson
516
00:30:07,867 --> 00:30:09,667
saying he wanted to come in
517
00:30:09,667 --> 00:30:12,300
to his office
to meet with him.
518
00:30:12,367 --> 00:30:16,300
[Haymes] Robinson shows up
at my office on the 24th.
519
00:30:16,367 --> 00:30:20,166
Here's this, uh, rather
ordinary looking man.
520
00:30:20,166 --> 00:30:22,832
Very business man looking.
He's...
521
00:30:22,832 --> 00:30:23,800
Very business man looking.
He's...
522
00:30:25,500 --> 00:30:27,767
not a dangerous looking
person at all.
523
00:30:27,767 --> 00:30:30,300
Not a dangerous acting person.
524
00:30:30,367 --> 00:30:34,100
He's got a smile on his face
and you can tell
525
00:30:34,166 --> 00:30:39,000
he's-- he's just trying
to lure you in to his con.
526
00:30:40,500 --> 00:30:42,867
Robinson wants to know
what's going on.
527
00:30:42,867 --> 00:30:47,166
I talk to him about
the birthright situation.
528
00:30:47,166 --> 00:30:50,400
They had been contacted
by Robinson.
529
00:30:50,467 --> 00:30:52,832
Wanted to know if they
had any young girls
that needed help.
530
00:30:52,832 --> 00:30:54,667
Wanted to know if they
had any young girls
that needed help.
531
00:30:55,700 --> 00:30:58,200
And he says, "Oh, yeah,
that's-- that's true.
532
00:30:58,266 --> 00:31:01,000
You know, we are
a group of businessmen.
533
00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:03,300
We just wanted to give
back to the community."
534
00:31:03,367 --> 00:31:05,667
I'm telling him
this doesn't make any sense.
535
00:31:05,667 --> 00:31:08,567
Are you incorporated?
You know,
is it not for profit?
536
00:31:08,567 --> 00:31:10,567
"Well, no,
we haven't done that.
537
00:31:10,567 --> 00:31:13,100
I've got an attorney
that's working on that."
538
00:31:14,100 --> 00:31:16,166
One of the interesting
things about Robinson
539
00:31:16,166 --> 00:31:18,900
is, is that, you know,
he never admits defeat.
540
00:31:18,967 --> 00:31:21,367
You can never back him
into the corner,
541
00:31:21,367 --> 00:31:22,832
and he'll say, "Oh,
okay, you got me."
542
00:31:22,832 --> 00:31:24,300
and he'll say, "Oh,
okay, you got me."
543
00:31:24,367 --> 00:31:27,567
[Paul] John Robinson
lied as a lifestyle.
544
00:31:27,567 --> 00:31:29,100
He was one of those people
who's just gonna tell you
545
00:31:29,100 --> 00:31:30,233
lies to tell you the truth.
546
00:31:30,233 --> 00:31:31,900
Even if it was easier
to tell you the truth.
547
00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:33,867
It's almost a pathological
548
00:31:33,867 --> 00:31:34,767
thing with him.
549
00:31:34,767 --> 00:31:36,066
[Haymes] When you confront him
550
00:31:36,066 --> 00:31:39,667
with the facts that--
that show that he's lying,
551
00:31:39,667 --> 00:31:42,266
he says, "Oh, well, you know,
that's just partially true."
552
00:31:42,266 --> 00:31:46,567
And then immediately
spins a new yarn about
553
00:31:46,567 --> 00:31:48,300
how, you know, "This is really
what happened,"
554
00:31:48,367 --> 00:31:50,266
which requires that
you go back
555
00:31:50,266 --> 00:31:51,967
and reinvestigate everything.
556
00:31:52,967 --> 00:31:55,667
So it was very frustrating.
557
00:31:55,667 --> 00:31:58,367
Nothing is easy
with John Robinson.
558
00:31:59,467 --> 00:32:01,600
[Meier] Haymes
was not comfortable
559
00:32:01,667 --> 00:32:04,600
with the answers that
Robinson was giving him.
560
00:32:04,667 --> 00:32:07,000
As such felt it was necessary
561
00:32:07,967 --> 00:32:09,967
I gotta do something
with this guy.
562
00:32:11,467 --> 00:32:13,266
After my first contact with--
563
00:32:13,266 --> 00:32:17,567
face-to-face with Robinson
in January of '85,
564
00:32:17,567 --> 00:32:21,166
I was involved almost daily
in investigating him.
565
00:32:22,266 --> 00:32:22,832
Haymes spent
the next six months
566
00:32:22,832 --> 00:32:24,867
Haymes spent
the next six months
567
00:32:24,867 --> 00:32:28,667
looking into
Robinson's background.
568
00:32:28,667 --> 00:32:31,467
[Haymes] I contacted
the social workers
569
00:32:31,467 --> 00:32:35,467
at the hospital about
the Kansas City
Outreach Program,
570
00:32:35,467 --> 00:32:39,400
and they told me that one girl
that had been referred to him,
571
00:32:39,467 --> 00:32:42,867
Lisa Stasi,
and her baby, Tiffany,
572
00:32:42,867 --> 00:32:45,567
had not been seen
for some time.
573
00:32:46,767 --> 00:32:51,000
I learned more and more
about his criminal activity
574
00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:52,832
and it's just
going on everywhere.
575
00:32:52,832 --> 00:32:53,900
and it's just
going on everywhere.
576
00:32:53,967 --> 00:32:58,266
Was certainly convinced
that he was up to no good.
577
00:32:58,266 --> 00:33:00,600
There's this obvious string
of-- of young girls
578
00:33:00,667 --> 00:33:02,000
that have gone missing.
579
00:33:02,066 --> 00:33:05,000
But we still don't know
at that time
580
00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:06,200
what's happening to them,
581
00:33:06,266 --> 00:33:09,000
where they are, were they
killed by Robinson,
582
00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:12,800
were they sold
into white slavery?
583
00:33:12,867 --> 00:33:16,500
If they were killed, were they
killed by his own hand?
584
00:33:16,567 --> 00:33:21,367
There's more unanswered
questions at that point
than there are answers.
585
00:33:22,567 --> 00:33:22,832
The next best thing was
to get him off the street.
586
00:33:22,832 --> 00:33:25,467
The next best thing was
to get him off the street.
587
00:33:25,467 --> 00:33:28,367
It's kind of the--
the Al Capone thing.
588
00:33:28,367 --> 00:33:30,500
If you can't get him
for what Capone did,
589
00:33:30,567 --> 00:33:32,667
you get him
for income tax evasion.
590
00:33:32,667 --> 00:33:35,700
The goal was really
to get him off the streets
591
00:33:35,767 --> 00:33:37,400
for anything that we could.
592
00:33:38,367 --> 00:33:40,300
In Johnson County, Kansas,
593
00:33:41,700 --> 00:33:44,667
the police were investigating
Robinson for fraud.
594
00:33:44,667 --> 00:33:47,100
He would be arrested for that,
595
00:33:47,166 --> 00:33:49,600
he would be sent
to trial for that,
596
00:33:49,667 --> 00:33:51,867
and he would be
convicted of fraud
597
00:33:52,266 --> 00:33:52,832
in 1987.
598
00:33:52,832 --> 00:33:54,066
in 1987.
599
00:33:54,066 --> 00:33:56,967
And he would then serve
the next six years
600
00:33:56,967 --> 00:33:59,166
in prison in Kansas.
601
00:33:59,166 --> 00:34:03,300
I was relieved that
he couldn't victimize
any other young women.
602
00:34:06,166 --> 00:34:08,467
[Meier] But before he went
to prison, he placed this ad
603
00:34:08,467 --> 00:34:10,967
in a newspaper
asking for help.
604
00:34:11,667 --> 00:34:12,667
And a young woman
by the name
605
00:34:12,667 --> 00:34:14,266
of Catherine Clampitt
showed up.
606
00:34:17,467 --> 00:34:20,567
[Haymes] Catherine Clampitt
was a young, somewhat
607
00:34:21,266 --> 00:34:22,832
troubled young girl.
608
00:34:22,832 --> 00:34:23,967
troubled young girl.
609
00:34:23,967 --> 00:34:26,266
Catherine's family
described her as being
610
00:34:26,266 --> 00:34:27,700
a very intelligent young lady.
611
00:34:27,767 --> 00:34:31,867
Had a bit of a wild side,
maybe adventurous side.
612
00:34:31,867 --> 00:34:35,600
Clampitt had a young child
that she left with her parents
613
00:34:35,667 --> 00:34:38,100
when she came up here
to the Kansas City area.
614
00:34:40,100 --> 00:34:43,066
[Tony] She answered a job
ad that he had put out
615
00:34:43,066 --> 00:34:45,567
saying looking for somebody
that was interested
616
00:34:45,567 --> 00:34:47,600
in a great job
617
00:34:47,667 --> 00:34:50,100
with travel, new wardrobe.
618
00:34:50,100 --> 00:34:52,832
The kind of thing that,
you know, any young person
619
00:34:52,832 --> 00:34:52,967
The kind of thing that,
you know, any young person
620
00:34:52,967 --> 00:34:54,800
might look at and go,
"Wow, this sounds great."
621
00:34:56,667 --> 00:34:58,767
[Haymes] Robinson
convinced her that,
622
00:34:58,767 --> 00:35:01,867
you know, he really had
a-- a good job for her.
623
00:35:03,266 --> 00:35:05,000
[Tony] After she
answered that ad,
624
00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:07,567
she was never seen again.
625
00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:14,100
[Rick] Letters started
showing up and they
were hand-written
626
00:35:14,667 --> 00:35:16,166
by Catherine Clampitt.
627
00:35:17,667 --> 00:35:20,467
She enquired about her kid,
she had a kid.
628
00:35:20,467 --> 00:35:22,832
She would ask questions
in the letters,
629
00:35:22,832 --> 00:35:23,567
She would ask questions
in the letters,
630
00:35:23,567 --> 00:35:26,767
saying that she was traveling
but it was suspicious
631
00:35:28,500 --> 00:35:31,667
because those letters all came
from the Kansas City area.
632
00:35:32,867 --> 00:35:34,667
[Haymes] Even after
the Kansas conviction,
633
00:35:34,667 --> 00:35:37,000
you would think
that he would be
634
00:35:37,066 --> 00:35:39,500
at least trying to be
at his best behavior.
635
00:35:40,300 --> 00:35:41,767
But he's not.
636
00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:57,166
[Rick] I never met
anybody that didn't hate
John Robinson.
637
00:35:57,166 --> 00:35:59,400
And I also
did not find anybody
638
00:35:59,467 --> 00:36:01,000
that he ever
told the truth to.
639
00:36:02,066 --> 00:36:05,100
I don't think you could
probably trust anything
640
00:36:05,166 --> 00:36:07,266
that came out of his mouth.
641
00:36:07,266 --> 00:36:10,367
[Tony] I've heard
that somebody
is a silver tongued devil,
642
00:36:10,367 --> 00:36:13,200
which, in his case,
is pretty apt.
643
00:36:18,867 --> 00:36:19,647
In the late 1980s,
John Robinson
is sentenced to prison.
644
00:36:19,647 --> 00:36:23,500
In the late 1980s,
John Robinson
is sentenced to prison.
645
00:36:23,567 --> 00:36:26,467
And at the prison, he meets
646
00:36:26,467 --> 00:36:28,967
a woman by the name
of Beverly Bonner
647
00:36:28,967 --> 00:36:32,300
who worked
in the prison library
648
00:36:32,367 --> 00:36:36,100
and was married
to the prison doctor.
649
00:36:36,100 --> 00:36:40,000
Robinson became very,
very friendly with her.
650
00:36:40,066 --> 00:36:43,367
In fact, he manipulated her
while he was in prison,
651
00:36:43,367 --> 00:36:46,066
and they soon started
an affair actually.
652
00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:49,647
[Joyce] In 1993, John Robinson
653
00:36:49,647 --> 00:36:51,266
[Joyce] In 1993, John Robinson
654
00:36:51,266 --> 00:36:53,567
was released from prison.
655
00:36:53,567 --> 00:36:57,400
[Tony] And Beverly decides
that she's going
to leave her husband
656
00:36:57,467 --> 00:37:00,500
and run off with this guy.
657
00:37:00,967 --> 00:37:02,166
She got divorced,
658
00:37:02,166 --> 00:37:04,800
moved up here to be with him.
659
00:37:04,867 --> 00:37:08,400
[Rick] He made her
an officer in his business.
660
00:37:08,467 --> 00:37:11,667
He also opened a couple
credit cards under her name.
661
00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:15,400
And then,
she also disappeared.
662
00:37:20,100 --> 00:37:22,867
[Joyce] Her family
started receiving letters
663
00:37:22,867 --> 00:37:25,500
saying, "Having
a great time in Europe."
664
00:37:25,567 --> 00:37:28,266
And they were postmarked
from France and Switzerland.
665
00:37:29,700 --> 00:37:34,166
No one ever questioned
that she wasn't
in the Kansas City area.
666
00:37:34,166 --> 00:37:36,266
They just assumed
she was off traveling
667
00:37:36,266 --> 00:37:38,367
because of these
postmarked envelopes.
668
00:37:39,767 --> 00:37:41,767
In Beverly Bonner's case,
669
00:37:42,700 --> 00:37:43,900
her son died.
670
00:37:44,867 --> 00:37:49,200
And yet, she never
wrote a word about it.
671
00:37:51,900 --> 00:37:54,367
[Paul] Bonner had
maintenance payments
672
00:37:54,367 --> 00:37:57,400
routinely coming to her from
her ex-husband, the doctor,
673
00:37:57,467 --> 00:37:59,567
as part
of the divorce package.
674
00:37:59,567 --> 00:38:02,567
[Meier] Robinson has those
sent to a post office box
675
00:38:02,567 --> 00:38:03,900
in Olathe, Kansas,
676
00:38:03,967 --> 00:38:06,967
where he then collects them
and cashes them.
677
00:38:08,266 --> 00:38:10,800
[Joyce] Robinson continued
to cash those checks
678
00:38:10,867 --> 00:38:12,800
for the next 18 months,
679
00:38:12,867 --> 00:38:16,567
which would have been
at least $18,000.
680
00:38:16,567 --> 00:38:19,600
He's always looking for a buck
no matter how he can get it.
681
00:38:21,467 --> 00:38:24,667
[Singular] It's interesting
that through
his criminal career,
682
00:38:25,300 --> 00:38:27,266
money was a factor.
683
00:38:27,266 --> 00:38:29,266
If you think about
a lot of serial killers,
684
00:38:29,266 --> 00:38:33,800
you don't often have money
as a component of that.
685
00:38:33,867 --> 00:38:36,567
From the very beginning,
he was determined
686
00:38:36,567 --> 00:38:40,300
to take money from people
by illegal and illicit means.
687
00:38:44,100 --> 00:38:47,367
[Haymes] When Robinson
was released from prison,
688
00:38:47,367 --> 00:38:49,467
he lived in Missouri,
689
00:38:49,467 --> 00:38:49,647
just south of Kansas City
690
00:38:49,647 --> 00:38:51,400
just south of Kansas City
691
00:38:51,467 --> 00:38:55,400
in a trailer that his wife
had rented there.
692
00:38:56,667 --> 00:38:59,266
That was not within
the jurisdiction
693
00:38:59,266 --> 00:39:01,867
of my district office.
694
00:39:03,066 --> 00:39:07,867
But I held his file back
in my desk drawer.
695
00:39:09,266 --> 00:39:11,467
I would review
the file periodically.
696
00:39:11,467 --> 00:39:13,767
Was there anything
I missed? You know, what--
697
00:39:13,767 --> 00:39:15,300
What more could I do?
698
00:39:15,367 --> 00:39:17,467
What more could I investigate?
699
00:39:24,200 --> 00:39:26,500
[Douglass] In the '90s,
the Internet became
700
00:39:26,567 --> 00:39:30,200
an incredible part
of our everyday life.
701
00:39:30,266 --> 00:39:32,967
[Glatt] The irony was
that Robinson learned
702
00:39:32,967 --> 00:39:35,066
about the Internet
while he was in prison.
703
00:39:35,066 --> 00:39:36,667
He was very, very smart
704
00:39:36,667 --> 00:39:39,000
and he had
a very good head for it.
705
00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:43,000
He used to see Internet
to meet and attract women.
706
00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:44,567
[Glatt] For a long time,
he'd be involved
707
00:39:44,567 --> 00:39:47,367
in BDSM and sadomasochism,
708
00:39:47,367 --> 00:39:49,647
and he gravitated
towards those chat rooms.
709
00:39:49,647 --> 00:39:50,100
and he gravitated
towards those chat rooms.
710
00:39:51,266 --> 00:39:54,867
He actually referred
to himself as Slave Master.
711
00:39:54,867 --> 00:39:57,667
[Singular] He had
five computers set up
712
00:39:57,667 --> 00:40:00,767
and with some
or all of those computers,
713
00:40:00,767 --> 00:40:02,867
he was hunting
714
00:40:02,867 --> 00:40:06,467
for new women
to victimize in some way.
715
00:40:06,467 --> 00:40:10,166
This guy would connect
with women all over America.
716
00:40:10,166 --> 00:40:12,000
[Douglass] It is commonly
understood
717
00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:13,667
that he was
the first serial killer
718
00:40:13,667 --> 00:40:18,667
to use the Internet
as a stalking ground
for finding victims.
719
00:40:18,667 --> 00:40:19,647
[Singular] Once he got
his hands on computers,
720
00:40:19,647 --> 00:40:21,200
[Singular] Once he got
his hands on computers,
721
00:40:21,266 --> 00:40:23,767
the whole game changed
and expanded for Robinson.
722
00:40:24,900 --> 00:40:26,867
And he would now use that
723
00:40:26,867 --> 00:40:29,100
in the evolution
of his criminal career.
724
00:40:34,500 --> 00:40:37,200
[Tony] After about
a decade of instances
725
00:40:37,266 --> 00:40:41,000
where women met John Robinson
and then disappeared,
726
00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:42,567
it's still happening.
727
00:40:42,567 --> 00:40:44,767
[Nancy] He told me that
he had a job with
the state department
728
00:40:44,767 --> 00:40:46,867
and that would
also be the reason
729
00:40:46,867 --> 00:40:49,367
why he was away all the time.
730
00:40:49,367 --> 00:40:49,647
[Joyce] Robinson met Suzette
through an online chat room.
731
00:40:49,647 --> 00:40:54,000
[Joyce] Robinson met Suzette
through an online chat room.
732
00:40:54,066 --> 00:40:57,200
On March 1,
she totally disappeared.
733
00:40:57,266 --> 00:40:58,567
[woman on phone] I don't
know if I should
734
00:40:58,567 --> 00:41:00,567
maybe call the police
to jump in.
735
00:41:00,567 --> 00:41:01,767
[man on phone] Why?
736
00:41:03,000 --> 00:41:05,266
[Haymes] They began putting
the pieces together.
737
00:41:05,266 --> 00:41:07,200
This guy is a--
a serial killer.
738
00:41:08,200 --> 00:41:10,867
How much crazier
can this thing be?
739
00:41:10,867 --> 00:41:12,567
[Rick] When we lifted it
back up, we saw
740
00:41:12,567 --> 00:41:14,266
a little red streak
741
00:41:14,266 --> 00:41:17,266
of red liquid going down
the side of the barrel.
742
00:41:18,567 --> 00:41:19,647
[Haymes] He is just
evil itself.
743
00:41:19,647 --> 00:41:21,166
[Haymes] He is just
evil itself.
744
00:41:22,100 --> 00:41:24,467
I mean,
he's the definition of evil.
745
00:41:30,100 --> 00:41:32,867
John Robinson's fatherly
demeanor helped shroud
746
00:41:32,867 --> 00:41:35,567
the depraved sex life
he lived behind closed doors.
747
00:41:36,066 --> 00:41:37,100
He was cunning
748
00:41:37,166 --> 00:41:39,100
and managed to dodge
suspicion about
749
00:41:39,100 --> 00:41:41,100
the ever-growing list
of women in his life
750
00:41:41,166 --> 00:41:42,867
who were never seen again.
751
00:41:42,867 --> 00:41:45,166
That is until
one victim's disappearance
752
00:41:45,166 --> 00:41:47,367
set off alarm bells
with her family,
753
00:41:47,367 --> 00:41:49,647
and her mother
confronts Robinson
754
00:41:49,647 --> 00:41:49,767
and her mother
confronts Robinson
755
00:41:49,767 --> 00:41:52,467
in part two
of the Slave Master.
756
00:41:52,467 --> 00:41:55,266
I'm Donnie Wahlberg,
thanks for watching.