Original subtitles

THE SOUTH IS FULL OF LEGENDS OF THE EVILS

THAT LURK AT TWILIGHT ON THE BACK ROADS:

SPOOKS AND SPECTERS THAT HAUNT THE HALLOWS,

BLACK CATS WHO STEAL YOUR BREATH,

AND THE DEMON WHO HIDES IN THE HONEYSUCKLE LOOKIN'

TO STEAL YOUR SOUL.

BUT AS A YOUNG GIRL,

I LEARNED THAT WHAT WE TRULY NEED TO FEAR

ARE NOT THE MONSTERS FROM THE MOONLIT WOODS...

BUT THE DEVIL WHO LIVES NEXT DOOR.

GAFFNEY, SOUTH CAROLINA, WAS KIND OF A SMALL TOWN

WHERE EVERYBODY KNEW EVERYBODY,

IF NOT BY NAME, THEN BY SIGHT.

OF COURSE IN 1968,

WE WERE HAUNTED BY THE SAME TROUBLES

AS ANYWHERE ELSE SOUTH OF THE MASON-DIXON LINE.

AND I CAN'T SAY IT WAS EASY.

SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, THE WHOLE BIBLE BELT:

THE INTEGRATION ARGUMENT WAS HAPPENING.

GAFFNEY SCHOOLS WERE JUST GOIN' THROUGH

INTEGRATION FOR THE FIRST TIME.

I WAITED IN LINE FOR 4 HOURS THAT MORNIN'

TO REGISTER FOR SCHOOL.

FOUR HOURS ON THOSE TOWN HALL STEPS,

WHICH IS WHY I REMEMBER SO CLEARLY...

HEY, BILL. WHEN MR. BILL GIBBONS,

WHO EDITED THE PAPER, ARRIVED.

I ASSUMED HE WAS THERE TO WRITE ABOUT US,

BUT I WAS DEAD WRONG. HEY, BILL.

BILL GIBBONS DIDN'T HAVE A STORY TO WRITE.

HE HAD A STORY TO TELL.

BILL GIBBONS WAS THE EDITOR OF THE GAFFNEY LEDGER.

BILL'S IMMEDIATE DUTIES

WERE NOT TO HANG OUT AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE,

BUT HE WAS NO STRANGER TO 'EM.

SHERIFF...

HEY, BILL, HOW ARE YA?

I GOT A STRANGE CALL DOWN AT THE LEDGER JUST NOW.

NOW, THIS FELLA CALLS, TELLS ME HE HAS THREE STORIES.

AND TO TAKE NOTES ON 'EM ON THREE SHEETS OF PAPER.

DID YOU RECOGNIZE HIM? NO, NO.

IT COULDA BEEN ANYONE, MALE, MIGHT BE WHITE.

HE TOLD YOU TO NUMBER 'EM?

YES, SIR: ONE, TWO, THREE.

HE SAID, "NANCY CHRISTINE," AND THEN, SOME DIRECTIONS,

SOUNDS LIKE CHAIN GANG ROAD.

AND THEN...

PILE OF BRUSH?

NEXT ONE, HE TELLS ME NANCY CAROL PARRIS DOWNSTREAM

FROM THE, FORD ROAD BRIDGE.

IN THE WATER, ON THE DOWNHILL SIDE,

YOU'LL FIND THE BODY.

THE BODY?

YEAH.

THIS ONE IS DIFFERENT.

HE JUST TOLD ME ANNIE LOUISE DEDMOND,

JERUSALEM ROAD, MARCH 1967.

JERUSALEM ROAD?

UNION COUNTY, YEAH.

I MEAN, IT JUST DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A PRANK AFTER A WHILE.

HAS TO BE.

BUT HE TOLD YOU BODIES?

YES, SIR.

WE GET PRANK CALLS IN NEWSPAPER ALL THE TIME,

BUT GIBBONS SAYS THE CALLER TOLD HIM, "DON'T GO ALONE.

BE SURE AND GET THE SHERIFF."

THE SHERIFF AND BILL

AND A DEPUTY GET IN A PATROL CAR

AND HEAD OFF FOR THE BRIDGE ON FORD ROAD.

THAT WAS THE MOST ACCESSIBLE OF THE THREE PLACES.

THE WIFE SAYS SHE LIKES THE BEACH BETTER IN THE OFF-SEASON.

OF COURSE, SHE AIN'T PRONE TO GIRL WATCHIN'.

WELL, I'LL TAKE ANYWHERE WARM.

IN GAFFNEY, LIKE IN MOST SMALL TOWNS,

MURDERS AREN'T THAT COMMON.

THE IDEA THAT IT WAS SOME KIND OF A PRACTICAL JOKE

MADE MUCH MORE SENSE.

SHE'S NUDE, AND HER HAIR IS IN HER FACE.

HER LEGS ARE SLIGHTLY SPLIT.

THERE IS A VERY DISTINCTIVE BLUISH MARK AROUND HER NECK.

THE MEDICAL EXAMINER

LATER CONFIRMS THAT THE MARKS ARE FROM STRANGULATION.

SHE'D BEEN DEAD NO MORE THAN A DAY

BEFORE BILL GIBBONS GOT THAT CALL.

THE BODY IS NANCY CAROL PARRIS.

THE SAME NAME THAT THE CALLER HAD SAID TO HIM.

MISS PARRIS USED TO COME BY MY DADDY'S SHOP NOW AND THEN.

YOU CAN GET TO KNOW PEOPLE THAT WAY,

SEEIN' IF THEY HAVE TIME FOR A SMILE AND A KIND WAVE,

EVEN WHEN SHE WAS WITH HER HUSBAND MONROE.

SHERIFF!

LOOK I --

I -- I'M JUST AS SHOCKED AS YOU ARE ABOUT THIS.

I -- I THOUGHT THIS WAS SOME KINDA PRANK,

AND CLEARLY IT'S NOT. IT'S A... WELL...

I HOPE THAT'S THE ONLY BODY WE FIND,

'CAUSE IF THERE'RE TWO OTHER WOMEN OUT THERE...

THEY'RE CALLING YOU TO TELL US ABOUT IT?

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS.

THE ZODIAC KILLER WAS STILL 10, 11 MONTHS IN THE FUTURE,

WHICH WAS THE MOST FAMOUS CASE, IN AMERICAN HISTORY,

OF A KILLER CONTACTING THE MEDIA SAYING,

"HEY, THIS IS WHERE THE BODIES ARE.

THIS IS WHERE YOU'LL FIND THEM."

SO THEY GO TO THE NEXT LOCATION,

CHAIN GANG ROAD.

THE CHAIN GANG ROAD WAS A FEW MILES OUTSIDE OF TOWN,

FULL UP WITH KUDZU AND SPANISH MOSS.

KIDS USED TO GO OUT THERE TO PARK WITH THEIR STEADIES.

THE MAN ON THE PHONE SAID THIS IS WHERE THEY'D FIND

THE GIRL CALLED NANCY CHRISTINE.

REMEMBER NOW, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A BRUSH PILE,

NO MORE THAN A QUARTER MILE FROM THE CARS.

IT IS THICK UNDERBRUSH, DENSE FOREST,

SO THEY SPREAD OUT 20, 30 FEET APART.

MORE PEOPLE HAVE ARRIVED, MORE SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES.

MORE PEOPLE FROM THE NEWSPAPER HAVE SHOWED UP.

BILL GIBBONS CALLED ME TO BRING MY CAMERA.

YOU JUST HEAR YOUR FOOTSTEPS ON THE FLOOR OF THE FOREST.

ALL OF US GOT A LITTLE EERIE FEELING.

I FOUND HER, OVER HERE!

A WOMAN'S FOOT IS STICKING OUT

FROM THE UNDERGROWTH.

THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A CAMERA.

SO I WAS TAKING PICTURES.

MY GOD.

LIKE THE FIRST BODY, THE MARKS ARE FROM STRANGULATION.

SHE'D BEEN DEAD AT LEAST A WEEK AND HIDDEN IN THE BRUSH

LIKE SHE WAS SOMEONE OR SOMETHING'S SECRET.

THE OTHER GIRL HAD BEEN KILLED JUST YESTERDAY

AND WAS LEFT OUT FOR THE WORLD TO SEE.

IT SEEMED LIKE THE DEVIL WAS MOVING CLOSER TO GAFFNEY

AND GETTING BOLDER.

SHE'S JUST A TEENAGER.

THE RHINEHART GIRL?

YEAH, I THINK SO.

DAMN IT.

THE VICTIM IS NANCY CHRISTINA RHINEHART.

TINA, SHE'S 14.

THE RHINEHART GIRL WAS TINA RHINEHART.

HER MOTHER HAD REPORTED HER MISSING A WEEK AGO,

BUT THE SHERIFF JUST THOUGHT SHE WAS A RUNAWAY.

WHAT THE SHERIFF DIDN'T KNOW

WAS THAT HER CHRISTIAN NAME WAS NANCY CHRISTINE.

SO WHEN THEY SAW BILL GIBBON'S NOTE WITH THAT NAME ON IT,

THEY NEVER PUT IT TOGETHER.

BILL AND TOMMY DOWN AT THE LEDGER.

THE CALLER SAID THE THIRD VICTIM

WAS OUT NEAR JERUSALEM ROAD,

WHICH IS A ROAD IN UNION COUNTY, WHICH IS A NEIGHBORING COUNTY.

ANN DEDMOND.

SO THEY CALLED,

THE SHERIFF IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OVER THERE.

AND HE SAYS, "WELL, THAT'S WHERE MISS DEDMOND WAS FOUND."

A LADY NAMED ANNIE DEDMOND

WAS FOUND OVER IN UNION COUNTY 6 MONTHS EARLIER.

THEY FOUND HER JUST LIKE OUR TWO GIRLS,

UNDRESSED AND STRANGLED.

WE GOT A PAIR OF LOCAL GIRLS WITH THE SAME THING...

NO, NOT LAST YEAR, TODAY.

YOU KNOW THAT SINKING FEELING YOU GET

IN THE PIT OF YOUR STOMACH WHEN YOU GET BAD NEWS?

THANKS, TOM.

WELL, I IMAGINE THAT'S WHAT THE POLICE

FELT WHEN THEY HEARD SOMEONE WAS ALREADY SITTING IN JAIL

FOR ANNIE DEDMOND'S MURDER.

HER HUSBAND IS SERVING TIME FOR THAT NOW.

HE'S BEEN CONVICTED FOR 9 MONTHS.

IS THE WRONG MAN IN JAIL FOR THIS MURDER?

DID WE ARREST THE WRONG GUY,

AND LEAVE THE MURDERER OUT TO KILL THESE TWO WOMEN

WE JUST FOUND?

IN VIETNAM, KHE SANH CONTINUES TO BE UNDER SIEGE.

THERE, THE FIRST...

IT SEEMED LIKE BILL GIBBONS HAD FOUND HIMSELF

SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF A REAL-LIVE NEWS EVENT.

A MONSTER WAS LEAVING A TRAIL OF WOMEN

AS HE MARCHED FROM UNION COUNTY INTO THE HEART OF GAFFNEY.

AND HE WANTED US TO KNOW HE WAS COMIN'.

WHO IS THIS CALLER? IS HE TOYING WITH THE POLICE?

ARE THERE MORE VICTIMS OUT THERE?

IS THERE GOIN' TO BE MORE?

IN A SMALL SOUTHERN TOWN, FOLKS CAN FOOL THEMSELVES

INTO THINKING THAT THEY KNOW THEIR NEIGHBORS.

BUT WHO ARE THEY, REALLY,

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS OR ALONE IN THE WOODS?

WE WOULD ALL COME TO LEARN

THAT PUTTING YOUR TRUST IN THE WRONG PERSON

MIGHT JUST BE THE LAST THING YOU EVER DO.

...IT GIVES COMFORT TO ALL WHO MOURN...

THREE GIRLS MURDERED --

IT WAS THE MOST TERRIFYING THING

ANYONE GAFFNEY COULD REMEMBER.

FOLKS FROM ALL OVER TURNED UP FOR TINA'S FUNERAL.

SHE WAS JUST 14, AFTER ALL.

IT WAS A BONDING FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

LOOK NOT ON IT AS GOING TO ASHES,

BUT INSTEAD TO A FREEDOM.

SORRY FOR THIS.

MY CONDOLENCES.

SHE WAS SUCH A PRETTY LITTLE GIRL.

WE'RE HERE FOR YOU.

PEOPLE SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW,

NEVER MET IN HER LIFE,

SAID HOW BEAUTIFUL TINA WAS.

AND, "WE'RE SO SORRY.

ANYTHING WE CAN DO FOR YOU, JUST LET US KNOW."

SHE'S IN GOD'S HANDS NOW.

GAFFNEY POLICE.

UP UNTIL THEN,

THE MOST THE SHERIFF WAS USED TO DEALING WITH

WAS EXPIRED FISHIN' PERMITS.

BUT NOW THE POND HAD GOTTEN A WHOLE LOT BIGGER.

IT WAS TIME TO CALL IN THE BIG FISH, STATE POLICE.

I TRULY APPRECIATE YOU COMIN' DOWN HERE AGAIN, MRS. RHINEHART.

I KNOW YOU BEEN THROUGH A LOT.

EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMED AWFUL TO MAKE TINA'S MOTHER

GO THROUGH HER STORY AGAIN AND AGAIN,

THE STATE POLICE HAD A JOB TO DO.

THEY BELIEVED THAT IT WOULD BE SOMEONE THAT THE VICTIM KNEW.

MRS. RHINEHART, DOES SHE HAVE A -- A BOYFRIEND, OR SOMETHIN',

SOMEBODY SHE'S SEEIN'?

NO.

SHE TOLD HER SISTER SHE WAS COMING OVER

TO SEE ME AT WORK, LEFT AROUND 5:30 IN THE MORNING,

AND THEN SHE JUST NEVER SHOWED UP.

EACH OF THESE WOMEN WERE KILLED FROM

LIGATURE STRANGULATION.

SOME KIND OF A INSTRUMENT WAS USED, NOT THE OFFENDER'S HANDS.

ALSO, BOTH VICTIMS, BOTH TINA RHINEHART

AND MISS PARRIS, HAD BEEN RAPED.

YOU TALK TO HER HUSBAND YET?

MONROE? NO.

WE, WE AIN'T TALKED TO HIM YET.

NANCY PARRIS,

THE LADY THEY FOUND IN THE WATER BELOW FORD BRIDGE,

WAS A YOUNG HOUSEWIFE.

AND YOU KNOW HOW PEOPLE GET TO GOSSIPIN'.

WORD WAS THAT SHE AND HER HUSBAND, MONROE,

WERE KNOWN TO GET INTO IT FROM TIME TO TIME.

MONROE PARRIS?

DETECTIVE JAMES, DETECTIVE RILEY.

NEED TO ASK YOU A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT NANCY.

WHAT Y'ALL WANNA KNOW?

WELL...

I NEED YOU TO WALK ME THROUGH THE DAY NANCY DISAPPEARED.

WELL...

YOU KNOW, WE -- WE FOUGHT LIKE A NORMAL MARRIED COUPLE.

WHAT'D Y'ALL QUARREL ABOUT?

NANCE, HONEY,

WHY DON'T YOU COME BACK INSIDE? WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT.

NO, MONROE, I'M TAKING JUNIPER FOR A WALK, A LONG ONE.

OUR MARRIAGE HAS ITS PROBLEMS.

SHE TOOK JUNIPER AND WENT ON DOWN THE STREET.

AND...

THAT WAS THE LAST TIME THAT I SAW HER.

THEN I SAW HER ON THE --

ON THAT TABLE.

THEY TALKED TO THEIR NEIGHBORS.

AND THEY GAVE HIM A PRETTY GOOD ALIBI,

SO HE WAS DISCOUNTED PRETTY QUICK.

CAN YOU THINK OF ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD WANNA HARM NANCY?

NO.

LIFE WAS SIMPLE IN GAFFNEY,

SO I THINK WE ALL WERE HOPING IT'D BE A SIMPLE ANSWER --

JEALOUS HUSBAND, MAYBE THE JILTED BOYFRIEND.

BUT THE ONLY THING THESE GIRLS HAD IN COMMON

WAS THAT THEY HAD ALL GONE OUT FOR A WALK AND NEVER COME HOME.

CHANCES ARE BETTER THAN EVEN

THAT YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF GAFFNEY, SOUTH CAROLINA.

BUT A BIZARRE MURDER CASE

IS IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING ALL THAT.

YOU'VE LIVED HERE 65 YEARS,

YOU PROBABLY KNOW EVERYONE IN TOWN ABOUT AS WELL AS ANYONE.

YOU THINK THE TOWN'S RUNNING SCARED?

YEAH, THEY'RE SCARED.

THEY'RE SCARED.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE HE GONNA STRIKE NEXT,

AND, Y'KNOW, HE SAID HE WOULD.

GAFFNEY POLICE.

HELLO, MRS. WATERSON.

YOU SAW SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS?

AFTER THAT, YOU COULDN'T TIE YOUR LACES

TWICE WITHOUT SOMEONE REPORTING IT TO THE SHERIFF.

POLICE BEGIN FIELDING CALLS --

GIRLFRIENDS SUSPECTING THEIR BOYFRIENDS,

NEIGHBORS CASTING SUSPICION ON THEIR NEIGHBORS.

- JAMES. - YEAH, HELLO.

UM, I THINK I SAW THE STRANGLER.

COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER THE BODIES WERE FOUND,

THE POLICE GET CONTACTED BY A LOCAL MAN.

THE OTHER NIGHT OUT ON THE BRIDGE ON FORD ROAD.

HE WAS PARKED NEAR THE BRIDGE

WHERE MISS PARRIS WAS THROWN OFF.

HIS DESCRIPTION WAS A TALL, SKINNY, WHITE MAN.

W -- WHAT ABOUT THE CAR?

HE WAS PRETTY SURE IT WAS A SEDAN

BUT COULDN'T TELL THE COLOR, OR THE MAKE, OR THE YEAR.

THE POLICE ARE GOIN',

"WHY'S IT TAKE 2 DAYS FOR YOU TO COME FORWARD?"

IS THIS ACTUALLY THE KILLER CALLIN' THEM UP?

THE MAN HEMMED AND HAWED AND FINALLY SAID,

"WELL, I'M MARRIED.

AND I WAS PARKED OUT THERE WITH A MARRIED WOMAN."

SO HE WAS PROTECTING HIMSELF,

BUT HIS CONSCIENCE MADE HIM TELL THE POLICE WHAT HE KNEW.

THE LAST FEW YEARS THINGS BETWEEN FOLKS IN GAFFNEY

HAD BEEN STRAINED.

BUT ADD A KILLER INTO THE MIX,

AND IT WAS LIKE THROWING HOT SAUCE ON A FRYING PAN.

EVERYONE WAS ON EDGE,

BUT THERE WAS ONE MAN IN PARTICULAR

WHO WAS FEELING THE HEAT MORE THAN ANY OTHER...

MR. BILL GIBBONS.

WITHOUT BILL GIBBONS TELLING THE POLICE ABOUT

THIS PHONE CALL, THERE WAS NO STORY.

THE BODIES MAY BE THERE, BUT NOBODY HAD FOUND 'EM YET.

MR. GIBBONS, SHERIFF CALL YOU UP?

YEAH, HE DID. HE DID.

YOU'LL BE LISTENIN' IN FROM HERE?

YOU GET ANOTHER ONE OF THESE CALLS,

WE'LL BE RECORDING IT ON THIS THING RIGHT HERE.

INVESTIGATORS DECIDE THAT THEY'LL PUT A TRAP

ON BILL GIBBON'S, OFFICE PHONE.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU KEEP HIM ON THE LINE

AS LONG AS YOU CAN, THOUGH.

FOR THE TRACE TO WORK?

AND FOR US TO HEAR WHO'S TALKIN' 'BOUT WHAT.

DETECTIVES INFER EITHER HE HAD

THIS CONNECTION TO THE KILLER,

OR HE HAD INFORMATION THAT ONLY THE KILLER WOULD KNOW.

I'D BE PERFECTLY HAPPY

IF HE, IF HE NEVER CALLED AGAIN.

I'M NOT SURE THAT WOULD BE THE BEST THING FOR YOU,

MR. GIBBONS.

EXCUSE ME.

THEY'RE WAITING. THEY'RE WAITING.

GIBBONS GOT THE CALL.

WELL, IT CAN'T BE.

WE HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING HERE FOR HOURS.

NO, NOT THAT PHONE, HIS PHONE AT HOME.

AT HIS HOME?

GIBBONS CALLS THE SHERIFF

AND SAYS, "I HEARD FROM THE KILLER AGAIN.

HE CALLED ME AT HOME."

IT -- IT WAS DEFINITELY HIM.

THERE'S NO MISTAKING HIS VOICE.

HE SAID, "WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE MAN

DOWN THERE SERVING MY SENTENCE."

I TOOK NOTES ON A PAPER BAG.

BILL GIBBONS SAYS,

"THE UNIDENTIFIED CALLER

SAID THERE'S BEEN A WRONGFULLY CONVICTED MAN IN PRISON

FOR THE MURDER OF ANNIE DEDMOND,

AND I DID IT."

WHY WOULD ROGER DEDMOND MATTER TO HIM?

I DON'T KNOW, BALANCIN' THE SCALES OF JUSTICE MAYBE?

AND HE GAVE ME A WHOLE SLEW OF PHYSICAL DETAILS.

BLUE SHOES, RED FORD FALCON

WITH THE LEFT TAILLIGHT OUT.

HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE HE KNOWS TO CALL YOU HERE AT HOME?

WE'RE IN THE BOOK, SAME AS ANYBODY.

BUT HOW WOULD HE KNOW?

HOW WOULD HE KNOW THAT WE'RE LISTENIN' ON THE PHONE

HE ALREADY CALLED?

IT WAS DEFINITELY HIM. THERE'S NO MISTAKIN' HIS VOICE.

BILL GIBBONS WAS THE MOST TRUSTED MAN IN TOWN

UNTIL HE STARTED CLAIMING

THAT A MURDERER WAS CALLING HIM ON THE PHONE

TO TELL HIM WHERE BODIES COULD BE FOUND.

THING WAS, NO ONE BUT BILL GIBBONS

HAD ACTUALLY SPOKEN TO HIM.

HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE HE KNOWS TO CALL YOU HERE AT HOME?

HOW WOULD HE KNOW THAT WE'RE LISTENIN' ON THE PHONE

HE ALREADY CALLED?

JOHN, YOU REALLY BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?

YOU THINK I COULD DO THIS?

HELLO?

THERE'S SOMETHING I FORGOT TO TELL YOU

ABOUT THAT DEDMOND GAL.

SHE HAD TRADIN' STAMPS IN HER POCKET BOOK.

SHE WORE A -- AN OPEN-BOTTOM DRESS WITH FRILLS, NO COAT.

OKAY, I -- I -- I GOT THAT.

SIR...

WHY DON'T WE MEET, FACE-TO-FACE?

YOU COULD --

YOU COULD GIVE YOURSELF UP TO --

TO ME OR TO -- TO ANYONE YOU LIKE.

I'M PSYCHO, MR. GIBBONS.

IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

NO, YOU -- YOU NEED HELP.

NOW, PLEASE, LET ME HELP YOU.

I'LL GET YOU HELP -- LISTEN...

THE POLICE JUST AREN'T SMART ENOUGH TO CATCH ME.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, IF THEY DON'T,

THERE'S GONNA BE MORE AND MORE DEATHS.

COUNT ON IT.

A KILLER REACHING OUT THROUGH A REPORTER,

TAUNTING THE POLICE.

THEY HAVE NO POINT OF REFERENCE FOR THIS.

THEY'RE OUTSIDE OF THEIR AREA OF EXPERTISE.

BILL,

THE NEXT LEDGER COMES OUT...

TOMORROW.

YOU NEED TO KEEP THESE CALLS TODAY OUT OF IT.

I CAN'T DO THAT, JOHN.

WE NEED HIM TO KEEP CALLIN' BACK.

I RECOGNIZE, BILL, THAT I'M ASKING FOR A HELL OF A LOT HERE.

YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY COULD BE IN DANGER?

IF HE CALLS AGAIN, WE'LL BE READY ON BOTH PHONES.

YOU'LL HAVE YOUR STORY ONCE WE CATCH HIM.

IT WASN'T ABOUT THE STORY.

SCHOOLYARD BULLIES AND CRANK CALLERS

WERE TORMENTIN' GIBBONS AND HIS FAMILY.

BUT HE SHOOK HIS SHOULDERS STRAIGHT,

AND PROMISED TO KEEP THE CALLS SECRET IF IT WOULD HELP.

IF ONLY IT HAD.

THE VERY NEXT MORNING, THE STRANGLER KEPT HIS PROMISE.

MR. BUCKSON.

SIR.

CAN YOU TELL ME SOMETHIN' ABOUT WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE?

HE WAS WHITE.

OPAL BUCKSON'S SISTER, GRACIE, TELLS THE POLICE THE STORY.

OPAL WAS ON HER WAY TO SCHOOL.

SHE AND HER SIBLINGS HAVE A HALF A MILE WALK TO THE MAIN ROAD

WHERE THE BUS STOP WAS.

HER SISTER IS ABOUT 50 YARDS BEHIND.

HER SISTER SEES A MAN GRAB OPAL,

TOSS HER INTO THE TRUNK OF THE CAR,

SLAM THE TRUNK AND SPEED OFF.

GRACIE, TELL ME 'BOUT THE CAR.

DARK -- DARK-COLORED...

CHEVROLET, I THINK.

WHEN I SAID GAFFNEY WAS A SMALL TOWN,

I SHOULD'VE SAID GAFFNEY WAS TWO SMALL TOWNS --

BLACKS AND WHITES LIVED IN SEPARATE WORLDS.

AND I HATE TO SAY IT NOW,

BUT SINCE HE ONLY PREYED ON WHITE GIRLS,

HE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE MUCH OF A THREAT TO ME.

BUT WHEN OPAL WAS KIDNAPPED?

WE KNEW WE WERE ALL IN DANGER.

BUT THE FEAR THAT COULD'VE TORN THE COMMUNITY APART

LED TO SOMETHING ALMOST UNIMAGINABLE.

I WANNA REMIND EVERY CITIZEN THAT WHOEVER TOOK OPAL BUCKSON

IS STILL HOLDING HER AGAINST HER WILL.

THIS HAD JUST HAPPENED.

SO THE URGENCY IS SHE MAY STILL BE ALIVE.

THIS MAN IS A MALE CAUCASIAN, EARLY 30s,

SLENDER BUILD, MEDIUM HEIGHT.

HE IS BELIEVED TO BE DRIVING A LATE-'50s

FOUR-DOOR CHEVROLET SEDAN, DARK IN COLOR.

IT WASN'T BLACK AND WHITE THING IN ANY WAY.

WE WERE ALL IN THAT TOGETHER IN GAFFNEY.

WE APPRECIATE THE COOPERATION OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.

TOGETHER, WE'RE GONNA FIND OPAL.

LET'S GO GET HIM.

I REMEMBER MY MAMA SAYIN' SHE'D NEVER SEEN THE LIKE --

ALL OF GAFFNEY WORKING TOGETHER,

AND TO SAVE THE LIFE OF A LITTLE BLACK GIRL?

EVERYBODY WHO LIVES IN TOWN VOLUNTEERS TO HELP.

SO THEY HAVE MEN IN CARS DRIVING THE BACK ROADS.

POLICEMEN DRIVING THE BACK ROADS, LOOKING FOR THAT SEDAN.

IT'S A TICKING CLOCK,

AND THEY WANT TO SEE IF THEY CAN CATCH HIM AND SAVE HER LIFE.

I'M GONNA JUST KEEP ON A WHILE LONGER, OKAY?

LESTER SKINNER AND HENRY TRANSOU

WERE LOCAL GUYS, ONE'S A GAME WARDEN,

ONE WAS A GOLF PRO.

THEY TURN RIGHT OFF A DIRT ROAD,

AND, UM, AS THEY GET DOWN INTO THE WOODS...

JESUS, IS THAT HIM?!

HE FITS THE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION.

AND HIS CAR FITS THE DESCRIPTION.

THEY GET TO A POINT WHERE THEY CAN TURN AROUND,

AND AS THEY TURN AROUND...

HE PULLS OUT.

THE HELL WAS HE DOING IN THE WOODS LIKE THAT?

SEE IF YOU CAN WRITE DOWN HIS LICENSE PLATE.

YEP.

HE'S GOING FASTER.

THINK HE KNOWS WE'RE FOLLOWING?

IT'S 1968.

THEY'RE IN THE WOODS.

THERE'S NO PAY PHONE AROUND.

"WHAT'RE WE GONNA DO?"

DO WE TRY TO RUN HIM OFF THE ROAD TO BE HEROES?

IF HE'S THE KILLER,

HE'S KILLED THREE WOMEN AND ABDUCTED A GIRL.

HE MIGHT DO ANYTHING.

THEY TAKE DOWN HIS LICENSE PLATE.

SKINNER AND TRANSOU GO TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT

AND TELL HIM, "THIS IS THE CAR. THIS IS WHERE HE LIVES."

AND THE POLICE GO BACK TO THAT HOUSE IMMEDIATELY.

RIGHT HERE, COULDN'T HAVE BEEN 15 MINUTES.

ALL RIGHT.

STAY BACK, STAY BACK.

GAFFNEY POLICE, COME OUT OF THAT DOOR!

WHAT?

OKAY.

THAT THE MAN YOU SAW?

DON'T THINK SO, NO.

THERE A MAN PULLED IN THIS DRIVEWAY ABOUT 15 MINUTES AGO?

YES, SIR.

NEVER SEEN HIM BEFORE.

CAN YOU GET US TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU FIRST SPOTTED THE CAR?

YEAH, BUT YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO FOLLOW US.

YEAH.

SKINNER AND TRANSOU

SHOWED WHERE THEY SAW THE CAR BACKED INTO THE WOODS.

OPAL, ARE YOU HERE?

IT WAS ALWAYS SO SPOOKY

BACK IN THOSE WOODS WHERE THE CAR WAS SPOTTED.

IT WAS VERY HEAVY BRUSH, ISOLATED.

OPAL!

THERE'S NO SIGN OF OPAL BUCKSON.

THEY DON'T FIND ANYTHING.

SO THE POLICE RAN THE TAG NUMBER.

ALL RIGHT. E G SIX NINE ONE ONE.

LEE ROY MARTIN.

I KNOW LEE ROY.

LEE ROY MARTIN WAS HIS NAME.

GO, GO, GO, GO, GO, GO, GO.

WORKS IN THE MILL, LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW HIM.

HE HAD BEEN ARRESTED FOR ASSAULTING A TEENAGE GIRL,

BUT THAT WAS 10 YEARS AGO.

HE FINISHED THAT SENTENCE,

CAME BACK HOME, MARRIED, HAD CHILDREN.

IF HE STILL HAD OPAL ALIVE, HE WAS NOT HIDING HER AT THE HOUSE.

THERE'S NO HIDING PLACE IN A HOUSE THAT SMALL,

PARTICULARLY WITH A WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN IN THE HOUSE

WITH HIM.

LEE ROY MARTIN WAS A REGULAR PERSON, A FAMILY MAN.

SHOOT, HE EVEN USED TO DRIVE US TO THE TRAIN STATION BACK

WHEN HE WAS DRIVING TAXIS.

IT SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE.

COULD LEE ROY REALLY HOLD THE KEY TO IT ALL?

DID HE KNOW WHERE OUR OPAL WAS?

THE GAFFNEY STRANGLER CLAIMED THREE VICTIMS SO FAR,

AND PROMISED A FOURTH.

OPAL BUCKSON HAD BEEN SNATCHED JUST YESTERDAY.

POLICE IN GAFFNEY WERE HOPIN' SHE WAS STILL ALIVE,

AND THAT LEE ROY MARTIN MIGHT LEAD THEM TO HER.

HE HAD A NUMBER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE

THAT WERE WATCHING HIM

AND THAT WERE FOCUSED EXACTLY ON HIM

AND WATCHING EVERY MOVE HE MADE.

ONE CAR WOULD GO ABOUT TWO BLOCKS AND TURN OFF.

AND ANOTHER CAR WOULD PICK HIM UP

AND GO ABOUT TWO OR THREE BLOCKS.

THERE IS THIS CAREFULLY CHOREOGRAPHED

BALLET OF SURVEILLANCE.

HEY, LEE ROY.

MORNIN'. HOW YOU DOIN'?

HE STOPS IN THE CAFE. LEE ROY PICKS UP THE PAPER.

'COURSE, THE PAPER IS THE GAFFNEY NEWSPAPER TALKIN' 'BOUT

THE MURDERS, TALKIN' 'BOUT THE STRANGLER.

AND LEE ROY SAYS...

SO WHAT'S NEW, LEROY?

WELL, SOMETIMES THERE AIN'T NO NEWS,

AND THEN SOMETIMES PEOPLE GO AND DO THINGS TO MAKE NEWS.

THAT SURE IS SOME DEAL?

LOOKS LIKE HE WAS UNACCOUNTED FOR.

WHEN?

EVERY TIME.

EVERY TIME ONE OF THEM WENT MISSING,

LEE ROY MARTIN WAS NOT AT WORK:

SICK CALLS, SHIFT CHANGES,

NO-SHOWS.

LEE ROY WAS LOOKING MORE AND MORE SUSPICIOUS.

BUT WHAT COULD THE POLICE DO?

IF THEY ARRESTED HIM NOW,

HE MIGHT NEVER LEAD THEM TO OPAL.

ALL THEY COULD DO WAS WAIT.

AND NOW, HE DOES A VERY ODD THING FOR A FEBRUARY

IN GAFFNEY, SOUTH CAROLINA.

HE WASHES HIS CAR.

WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOIN'?

GETTIN' RID OF EVIDENCE.

HE'S WASHIN' FINGERPRINTS,

HANDPRINTS, OFF HIS WINDOWS.

AND THEY'RE THINKING,

"DID HE HAVE HER IN THE BACK OF THE CAR?

IS THAT WHERE THE HANDPRINTS COME FROM?"

IT HAD BEEN 5 DAYS.

THEY HAD TO ADMIT

THAT OPAL WAS ALMOST CERTAINLY DEAD.

AND NOW WHAT MIGHT BE EVIDENCE

WAS VANISHING BEFORE THEIR EYES.

SO POLICE GO OUT THERE WHERE SKINNER AND TRANSOU

SAW LEE ROY MARTIN STANDING OUT BY THE CAR IN THE WOODS

'CAUSE THAT'S AT LEAST ONE SPOT WE KNOW HE WAS.

IF POOR OPAL WAS OUT THERE,

IT WOULD STAND TO REASON THAT LEE ROY MARTIN

HAD PUT HER THERE.

THE STRANGLER SOUGHT TO TERRORIZE

THE WHITE AND BLACK FOLKS OF GAFFNEY,

TO MAKE US HUDDLE IN OUR HOMES IN FEAR.

BUT WHAT HE DID WAS UNITE US,

EVEN IF JUST FOR A MOMENT.

WE START DOWN THROUGH THE WOODS.

IT'S A PRETTY VAST AREA.

I FOUND HER!

THEY FIND THE BODY OF OPAL.

NO! NO!

NO!

WE FOUND HER. IT'S HIM.

LET'S GO GET HIM.

THERE WAS NO REASON TO WAIT ANY LONGER.

IT'S NO PROBLEM AT ALL.

I'M HEADIN' OUT THAT WAY, ANYWAY.

AREN'T YOU SWEET, LEE ROY?

NOW, IT'S NO TROUBLE AT ALL.

JUST WANT YOU TO BE SAFE.

NOW, THEY JUST HAD TO HOPE

THEY COULD GET HIM BEFORE HE KILLED AGAIN.

FOLKS WHO WERE DOWN AT THE MILL

THAT DAY SAID IT WAS THE STRANGEST THING,

THEM COMIN' TO ARREST LEE ROY MARTIN

FOR THE STRANGLINGS.

AND ONE OF THE POOR GIRLS WHO WORKED THERE

JUST ABOUT FELL OVER DEAD WHEN SHE REMEMBERED HER CONVERSATION

WITH LEE ROY THE NIGHT BEFORE.

I'M HEADIN' OUT THAT WAY, ANYWAY.

AREN'T YOU SWEET, LEE ROY?

NOW, IT'S NO TROUBLE AT ALL. JUST WANT YOU TO BE SAFE.

YOU SURE IT'S NO TROUBLE? OF COURSE, YEAH.

COME ON.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL RIGHT, LEE ROY.

MY BROTHER-IN-LAW SAID HE'D BE HERE ANY SECOND NOW.

YOU SURE? YES, THANK YOU. I'M FINE.

ONE OF HIS COWORKERS TELLS THEM THAT HE HAD TRIED

TO GET HER TO TAKE A RIDE WITH HIM AFTER WORK YESTERDAY.

SO, SHE WAS PROBABLY HIS NEXT VICTIM.

I'M TELLIN' YOU BOYS, YOU GOT THE WRONG MAN HERE.

I AIN'T KILLED NOBODY, YOU HEAR ME?

NOW, REMEMBER, THE POLICE

BELIEVED MARTIN WAS THE STRANGLER.

BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY ACTUAL PROOF.

IF THEY WERE GOING TO PUT HIM AWAY FOR GOOD,

THEY WANTED A CONFESSION.

AND IF THERE'S ONE THING THEY'D LEARNED

FROM THOSE PHONE CALLS...

IT'S THAT THE STRANGLER WANTED ATTENTION.

HEY, WHERE'RE WE GOIN'?

THIS AIN'T THE WAY TO THE COURT HOUSE.

AND THE THING ABOUT SOMEONE WHO WANTS ATTENTION

IS IF YOU REFUSED TO GIVE IT TO HIM,

HE'LL DO ANYTHING TO GET IT.

YOU'RE TAKING ME TO STATE CAPITAL, AIN'T YOU?

Y'ALL MUST'VE THOUGHT I DID SOME AWFUL THINGS

TO THOSE WOMEN.

SOME AWFUL THINGS.

WHATCHA THINK HAPPENED TO THOSE WOMEN?

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT,

THAT FIRST ONE WAS THE EASIEST...

AND THE HARDEST.

THEN HE SEEMED KINDA PROUD.

I'VE DONE 'EM ALL THE SAME WAY, WITH MY BELT.

HE JUST OPENED UP

AND STARTED FREELY TALKING ABOUT THE MURDERS.

WHAT ABOUT THAT DOG?

THAT DOG RAN AWAY.

I TOLD HER, I SAID, "DON'T WORRY, DON'T WORRY.

I'LL GO GET HIM." I FOUND HIM.

I CHOKED HIM.

I CAME BACK AND TOLD HER HE GOT AWAY.

MARTIN LOVES ATTENTION.

HE WANTED TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THESE MURDERS.

I JUST GO DRIVING AROUND LOOKIN' FOR WOMEN

WHO'S OFF BY THEMSELVES,

LIKE THAT RHINEHART GIRL.

KILLIN' THOSE GIRLS WAS BAD ENOUGH.

BUT WHAT HE TOLD THE POLICE ABOUT WHAT HE DID

AFTER HE STRANGLED THEM MADE ME WONDER

IF HE WASN'T JUST SOME KIND OF A DEMON AFTER ALL.

MARTIN, BY HIS OWN ADMISSION,

HAD GONE BACK TO THE BODY OF TINA RHINEHART.

AND OVER THE COURSE OF 7 OR 8 DAYS

HE HAD SEXUALLY MOLESTED THE CORPSE.

THE OTHER VICTIMS HAD BEEN VISITED FOR SEX, ALSO.

AND IT'S LIKELY THE STRANGULATION PART

OF HIS CRIME

WAS WHEN HE WAS SEXUALLY AROUSED.

WITH ITS SUFFERINGS...

HIS DEPRAVITY KNEW NO BOUNDS.

I THINK HE WOULD'VE DRUNK OUR TEARS IF HE COULD HAVE.

LEE ROY MARTIN HAD ACTUALLY COME TO TINA'S FUNERAL.

SHE WAS SUCH A PRETTY LITTLE GIRL.

THAT'S SO KIND OF YOU TO SAY.

TINA'S SISTER TOLD ME

THAT LEE ROY MARTIN HAD COME BY

AND STAYED A LENGTHY PERIOD OF TIME.

ANYTHING YOU NEED, ANYTHING AT ALL, PLEASE

DON'T HESITATE TO ASK, ALL RIGHT?

THANK YOU, LEROY.

FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE, THIS WAS EXHILARATING.

"LOOK HOW SMART I AM BECAUSE NONE OF YOU

KNOW THAT I'M THE ONE THAT PUT HER THERE."

BEFORE HIS ONE BRUSH WITH THE LAW 10 YEARS EARLIER,

THERE AIN'T MUCH TO KNOW ABOUT LEE ROY MARTIN.

BORN AND RAISED IN GAFFNEY,

HIS TROUBLES WEREN'T WORSE THAN ANYONE ELSE FROM AROUND HERE.

HIS DADDY DIED YOUNG,

AND HIS STEP-DADDY HAD A TEMPER.

BUT HE CLOCKED IN ON TIME AND ALWAYS PAID HIS DEBT.

HOW COULD ANYONE HAVE KNOWN?

O'Toole; LEE ROY MARTIN HAS THESE EXTERIOR, UM,

TRAPPINGS OF NORMALCY.

HE'S A NICE GUY, HE'S QUIET, DOESN'T DRINK.

BUT UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE, THIS WAS AN INDIVIDUAL

WHO WAS DEVELOPING INTO A VERY DANGEROUS,

SEXUALLY DEVIANT SERIAL KILLER.

BUT HIS DEVELOPMENT WAS SUBTLE,

AND IT OCCURRED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.

JUST LIKE THE BOGEYMAN

FROM THE STORIES MY BROTHER USED TO TELL,

LEE ROY MARTIN HAD STARTED TAP, TAP, TAPPIN' ON THE WINDOWPANE.

AND AS HIS BLOODLUST GREW,

THE TAPPING GOT LOUDER, CLOSER TO OUR HOMES.

AND THAT MIGHT BE THE SCARIEST THING ABOUT LEE ROY MARTIN.

HE WAS SO ORDINARY THAT EVEN WHEN THE MONSTER

WAS BANGIN' ON OUR FRONT DOOR, DEMANDIN' TO BE HEARD,

NO ONE COULD EVER'VE IMAGINED IT WAS HIM.

LEE ROY MARTIN WAS CONVICTED OF FOUR MURDERS,

FOUR LIFE SENTENCES WITHOUT PAROLE.

THE ULTIMATE LEGACY

IS THE STORIES THAT STILL PERMEATE THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA.

THE BRIDGE IS A SPOT THAT PEOPLE GO TO A LOT.

THERE'S ALWAYS THESE STORIES THAT THERE'S SCREAMS OF GIRLS.

IT'S REALLY STRANGE.

I CAN JUST BE WALKIN' AROUND TREES OR NEAR A WOOD,

AND I -- I THINK ABOUT IT.

IT WON'T EVER LEAVE ME,

AND I'M -- I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN GAFFNEY.

ALL THE FAMILIES,

EVEN LEE ROY'S FAMILIES HAVE BEEN VICTIMS

AND THAT TOUCHES A LOT OF PEOPLE.

THOSE TYPES OF THINGS IN SMALL TOWNS

TAKE A LONG TIME TO DISAPPEAR.

* WENT OUT ONE NIGHT TO MAKE A LITTLE ROUND *

* MET LITTLE SADIE AND I SHOT HER DOWN *

* WENT BACK HOME GOT INTO BED *

* FORTY-FOUR PISTOL UNDER MY HEAD *

* JURY SAYS "MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE" *

* I SAYS, LORD, HAVE MERCY ON ME *

* OLD JUDGE BLACK PICKS UP HIS PEN *

* SAYS YOU'LL NEVER KILL NO WOMAN AGAIN *