Original subtitles

CHRISTMAS IN FLORIDA,

WE ALWAYS KNEW IT WASN'T GOING TO BE A SNOWY, WHITE HOLIDAY,

SO THE THINGS YOU REMEMBER INSTEAD ARE THE TRADITIONS.

I KNEW BARBARA SINCE WE WERE KIDS.

WE WOULD SPEND OUR CHRISTMAS VACATIONS

PLAYING TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER GIRLS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

LIKE, WE USED TO HAVE THIS ONE HOLIDAY TRADITION,

A SILLY GAME, REALLY, WHERE ONE OF US WOULD LAY DOWN,

AND WE'D SAY, "YOU'RE DYING. YOU'RE DYING.

OKAY. NOW YOU'RE DEAD."

- NO, BARBARA. - POOR BARBARA.

ALL OF US WOULD CONCENTRATE.

WE HAD TO REALLY FOCUS TO MAKE IT WORK.

POOR, POOR BARBARA.

COULD ALL OF US HELP OUR FRIEND RISE FROM THE DEAD

LIKE THE HOLY SPIRIT AND LEVITATE OFF THE GROUND?

LIGHT AS A FEATHER, STIFF AS A BOARD.

LIGHT AS A FEATHER, STIFF AS A BOARD.

LIGHT AS A FEATHER, STIFF AS A BOARD.

LIGHT AS A FEATHER, STIFF AS A BOARD.

- IT WAS JUST A GAME... - BARB?

...JUST A WAY FOR CHILDREN TO PASS THE TIME.

- BARB? - WAIT!

WAIT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

WHAT ARE YOU -- PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T DO THIS!

BUT THIS TIME, WHAT HAPPENED TO BARBARA

WASN'T A GAME AT ALL.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

ON DECEMBER 17th, 1968, AROUND 4:00 A.M.,

DEKALB COUNTY AUTHORITIES ARE CALLED TO THE RODEWAY INN

NEAR EMORY UNIVERSITY OUTSIDE OF ATLANTA.

THEY FIND MOTEL GUEST JANE MACKLE.

SHE EXPLAINS THAT HER DAUGHTER, BARBARA MACKLE,

AN EMORY UNIVERSITY STUDENT,

HAS JUST BEEN KIDNAPPED.

THEY TOOK HER.

IT'S BELOW 101 NOW.

REALLY, I JUST NEED A NEW NOSE.

I CAN'T BREATHE THROUGH THIS ONE.

BARBARA CAME DOWN WITH THE FLU, BUT IT'S FINALS WEEK,

AND SHE WAS DETERMINED TO SIT FOR HER TESTS.

SHE'S SICK, AND HER MOTHER HAS FLOWN UP TO BE WITH HER,

AND HER MOTHER HAS TAKEN HER OUT OF THE UNIVERSITY,

AND SHE'S STAYING AT THE RODEWAY MOTEL.

THIS IS THE POLICE.

THERE WAS A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.

IT WAS A POLICE OFFICER.

SHE SEES A GUY WEARING A POLICE CAP.

WE'RE SORRY TO BOTHER YOU, BUT THERE'S BEEN AN ACCIDENT...

THE POLICE OFFICER SAYS THAT IT WAS AN ACCIDENT OF A FRIEND.

...A BOY IN A WHITE FORD.

HE'S AT THE HOSPITAL, AND HE'S LOOKING FOR YOU.

ISN'T THAT STEWART'S CAR?

SHE THINKS THERE'S AN EMERGENCY.

- MY GOD. - GET DOWN!

- WHAT ARE YOU DOING? - GET DOWN ON THE BED!

GET DOWN. - MY GOD!

SHE OPENED THE DOOR, AND SHE WAS OVERWHELMED

BY THIS PRETTY LARGE GUY.

HE'S FOLLOWED BY A SLIGHT FIGURE WEARING A SKI MASK.

THIS PERSON WAS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A TEENAGE BOY.

JANE IS TIED AND BOUND BY THE SMALLER OF THE TWO ASSAILANTS.

A CLOTH IS PUT OVER HER FACE THAT SMELLS LIKE CHLOROFORM,

BUT SHE DOESN'T PASS OUT.

SHE LOOKS UP TO SEE HER DAUGHTER BEING FORCED

OUT OF THE ROOM AT GUNPOINT.

BARBARA!

JANE JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT WAS GOING ON.

IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY, AND IT WAS SO UNEXPECTED.

- MRS. MACKLE? - STEWART!

I'M SORRY. I CAME AS FAST AS I COULD.

THANK GOD.

WHY WOULD SOMEONE DO THIS TO HER?

WHY WOULD SOMEONE TAKE...

THE FIRST PERSON TO ARRIVE AT THE MOTEL IS BARBARA'S FRIEND,

STEWART WOODWARD.

STEWART WAS THE BOY WITH THE WHITE FORD.

HE WAS THE REASON BARBARA'S MOTHER OPENED THE DOOR,

BUT SHE WAS STILL COMFORTED TO HAVE HIM THERE.

HE WAS BARBARA'S BEST FRIEND, AFTER ALL,

AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT MRS. MACKLE

MUST HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH ON HER OWN LIKE THAT,

WAITING FOR BARBARA'S DAD TO COME UP FROM MIAMI.

- JANE. - ROBERT.

IN THE EARLY-MORNING HOURS, BARBARA'S FATHER, ROBERT MACKLE,

ARRIVES TO BE WITH HIS WIFE IN ATLANTA.

ROBERT RUNS A PROMINENT REAL-ESTATE COMPANY IN MIAMI.

ROBERT MACKLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MAN

THAT'S IN CONTROL OF HIS EMOTIONS.

HE WOULD DO ANYTHING, MOVE A MOUNTAIN, TO FIND HIS DAUGHTER.

THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT HE CAN DO AT THIS POINT.

LISTEN TO ME.

THE BEST PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE ON THIS.

- THANK GOD. - DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?

YES. THANK GOD.

BARBARA'S FATHER IS ALSO GOOD FRIENDS

WITH FBI DIRECTOR J. EDGAR HOOVER.

BLOCK.

I HAVE DIRECTOR HOOVER ON THE LINE FOR AGENT SCHROEDER.

IS HE IN? - YES, HE'S HERE.

SCHROEDER HERE.

PLEASE HOLD FOR DIRECTOR HOOVER.

EVER SINCE CHARLES LINDBERGH'S SON WAS KIDNAPPED IN 1932,

KIDNAPPING ISN'T CONSIDERED A LOCAL OR STATE OFFENSE.

IT'S A FEDERAL CRIME,

AND SO THE FBI GETS INVOLVED IMMEDIATELY.

AGENT SCHROEDER, THERE'S BEEN A KIDNAPPING IN ATLANTA,

AND I WANT YOU AND BLOCK TO PERSONALLY ATTEND TO IT.

YES, SIR.

NEXT FLIGHT TO ATLANTA.

A COUPLE HOURS LATER,

VETERAN FBI AGENT REX SCHROEDER

ARRIVES TO LEAD UP THE INVESTIGATION.

AT THIS POINT, THIS CASE HAD BEEN BUMPED UP

TO THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.

MRS. MACKLE, YOU SAID THE INTRUDERS

MENTIONED A WHITE FORD.

THAT MATCHES THE DESCRIPTION OF BARBARA'S FRIEND'S CAR,

STEWARD WOODWARD.

DO YOU THINK HE COULD BE INVOLVED WITH THIS?

NO. HE'S LIKE FAMILY TO US.

THIS CASE ALSO STRIKES A PERSONAL CHORD WITH SCHROEDER

BECAUSE HE HAS TWO DAUGHTERS OF HIS OWN.

SO, WHAT'S YOUR FRIENDSHIP WITH BARBARA MACKLE?

IS SHE YOUR GIRLFRIEND? - NO.

SHE'S MY BEST FRIEND.

I KNOW THAT SOUNDS STRANGE.

SHE'S HAD BOYFRIENDS.

WE JUST REALLY LIKE EACH OTHER.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHY ANYONE WOULD DO THIS TO HER?

ISN'T IT OBVIOUS?

SHE IS WORTH A LOT OF MONEY.

EVERYONE I KNOW AT SCHOOL HAS HEARD ABOUT HOW HER DAD

IS BIG IN REAL ESTATE DOWN IN FLORIDA.

THE MACKLE FAMILY IS THE MOST PROMINENT DEVELOPER

IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

THEIR OWN WEALTH WAS SOMETHING LIKE $60 TO $65 MILLION,

WHICH IS AN ASTRONOMICAL SUM OF MONEY.

YOU SEEM TO KNOW A LOT ABOUT THIS FAMILY.

YEAH, WELL, I DO, SIR, BECAUSE I CARE, I GUESS.

STEWART IS THE FIRST PERSON TO SUGGEST

THAT BARBARA MAY HAVE BEEN TAKEN FOR A RANSOM.

THAT MAKES REX AND HIS COLLEAGUES

A LITTLE BIT SUSPICIOUS.

MY PARENTS ARE WAITING FOR ME.

STEWART SAYS THAT HE'S GOING TO DRIVE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS BREAK.

THE FBI LET HIM GO, BUT THEY DECIDE TO SURVEIL HIM.

STEWART IS GONNA REMAIN ON THE SUSPECT LIST

UNTIL WE'VE GOT OUR VICTIM BACK.

YOU GUYS ARE WELCOME TO LOOK AROUND AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE

AND GATHER ANY CLUES YOU CAN.

BY THIS TIME, FBI AGENTS ARE ALREADY STATIONED

AT THE MACKLE HOUSE IN MIAMI.

AT 10:00 A.M., A CALL IS RECEIVED BY A FAMILY FRIEND.

- HELLO? - THIS REGARDS BARBARA.

PLEASE LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY.

- WHO IS THIS? - TELL THE POLICE TO LOOK

UNDER A TREE IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE HOUSE.

AND UNDER A VERY SPECIFIC TREE...

...THEY DIG UP A BEAKER...

...AND IN IT, THERE'S A RANSOM NOTE.

THIS IS A COPY OF THE NOTE.

SCHROEDER IS STRUCK BY THE FACT THAT THE RANSOM NOTE

IS FOUND 700 MILES AWAY FROM THE KIDNAPPING SITE.

GO GET MR. MACKLE.

SO, THE KIDNAPPERS EITHER HAVE AN ACCOMPLICE IN MIAMI,

OR THEY PLANTED IT IN ADVANCE,

WHICH MEANS THAT THEY'VE BEEN PLANNING

THIS KIDNAPPING FOR A WHILE.

THE NOTE STARTS OUT, "ROBERT MACKLE, SIR,

YOUR DAUGHTER HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED BY US,

AND WE NOW HOLD HER FOR RANSOM FOR $500,000."

SO, AT LEAST SHE'S ALIVE,

BUT THE NEXT PART OF THE RANSOM NOTE IS REALLY DISTURBING...

...BECAUSE IT SAYS THAT BARBARA IS BURIED IN A SMALL CAPSULE

IN A REMOTE PIECE OF SOIL.

PLEASE, PLEASE, DON'T DO THIS!

PLEASE, DON'T! PLEASE!

PL-- WAIT, WAIT, WAIT! WAIT, WAIT!

WAIT, YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME HERE!

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!

PLEASE, YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME HERE!

PLEASE, WAIT!

WHY?!

DON'T BE SUCH A BABY.

- PLEASE! - TURN ON THE FAN.

THE SWITCH IS BEHIND YOUR HEAD. - I DON'T -- WHERE?

THIS WILL BRING IN AIR AS LONG AS THE BATTERY LASTS.

THE NOTE SAYS SHE HAS ENOUGH AIR AND FOOD AND WATER

FOR A FEW DAYS,

BUT AT THAT POINT, THE AIR SUPPLY WILL BE CUT OFF.

ROBERT MACKLE THEN UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS REALLY A TIME BOMB,

AND THE CLOCK IS TICKING.

CAN ANYONE HEAR ME?

CAN ANYONE HEAR ME?

CAN ANYONE HEAR ME?!

PLEASE!

CAN ANYONE HEAR ME?!

WAIT, DON'T LEAVE ME! DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!

CAN ANYONE HEAR ME?

IT WAS FUN TO PLAY DEAD AND SEE IF WE COULD LEVITATE.

WE KNEW THE ONLY WAY IT WOULD WORK

WAS IF YOU CONCENTRATED REALLY HARD.

BARB?

FOR SUCH A SWEET GIRL, BARBARA COULD BE SO INTENSE ABOUT IT.

SOMETIMES SHE WOULD SPOOK US OUT.

BARB?

GIRLS!

AFTER OUR GAMES, I REMEMBER HOW GIDDY WE WERE.

IT WAS EASY FOR US TO PLAY GAMES ABOUT DEATH.

ALL OF US TOOK IT FOR GRANTED THAT WE WERE YOUNG AND WEALTHY

AND HAD A PILE OF CHRISTMAS PRESENTS

WAITING FOR US UNDER THE TREE.

WE THOUGHT THE DARKNESS OF THE WORLD WOULD NEVER TOUCH US.

CAN ANYONE HEAR ME?!

CAN ANYONE HEAR ME?!

PLEASE!

PLEASE, CAN YOU HEAR ME?!

BUT THEN THE DARKNESS FOUND BARBARA.

SHE HAD BEEN MISSING FOR OVER 10 HOURS.

WERE OUR PRAYERS REACHING HER?

DID SHE KNOW, WHEREVER SHE WAS,

THAT WE WERE ALL COMING APART WITH WORRY?

WHEN THE MACKLES RETURNED TO MIAMI,

THEY FIND THAT THE STORY IS ALREADY FRONT-PAGE NEWS.

I WAS ALREADY HOME FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY

WHEN I FOUND OUT.

HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED TO BARBARA?

SHE WAS THE MOST INNOCENT OF ALL OF US.

EVEN IF SHE SURVIVED,

GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT THIS EXPERIENCE MIGHT DO TO HER.

HERE AT THE MACKLE HOME IN CORAL GABLES,

THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE ACTIVITY THROUGH THE DAY.

THEN LATER IN THE AFTERNOON --

WE ALL KNEW BARBARA'S DAD WAS A BIG DEAL AROUND TOWN.

IF HE NEEDED THAT KIND OF CASH FOR THE RANSOM,

HE WOULD GET IT DONE.

I BET HE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN 10 TIMES AS MUCH

IF THEY'D ASKED FOR IT, JUST TO GET HIS LITTLE GIRL BACK.

HE WOULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING FOR BARBARA.

$500,000 IS $3.6 MILLION IN TODAY'S MONEY.

PER THE KIDNAPPERS' INSTRUCTIONS,

ROBERT MACKLE CALLS THE MIAMI HERALD,

AND HE PLACES AN AD TO RUN ON DECEMBER 18th.

THE AD READS, "LOVED ONE, PLEASE COME HOME.

WE WILL PAY ALL EXPENSES."

AND THEN THEY JUST HAVE TO SIT AROUND AND WAIT.

THEY WAITED ALL DAY INTO NIGHT.

IT HAD BEEN NEARLY TWO WHOLE DAYS.

WE WERE ALL SCARED, BUT I CAN ONLY IMAGINE

HOW HARD IT MUST HAVE BEEN FOR HER PARENTS.

THEY WORRY THAT, "WHAT IF HE DOESN'T CALL?

WHAT IF THIS IS A HOAX?"

AT 3:47 A.M., DECEMBER 19th,

THE MACKLES' HOME PHONE FINALLY RINGS.

HELLO?

ROBERT MACKLE,

YOU WILL PROCEED DOWN BIRD ROAD TO 27th AVENUE.

TAKE A RIGHT.

YEAH, I GOT IT.

THE CALLER GIVES ROBERT MACKLE DIRECTIONS

TO A CAUSEWAY ABOUT FIVE MILES FROM THE MACKLES' HOUSE.

THAT'LL BE THE RANSOM DROP POINT.

HOW DO I KNOW BARBARA IS WELL?

YOU DON'T.

SO, ROBERT MACKLE DRIVES OFF

WITH A SUITCASE FILLED WITH MONEY.

THE NOTE SPECIFIES THAT ROBERT HAS TO BRING THE MONEY HIMSELF,

WEAR A WHITE SUIT,

AND HE HAS TO DRIVE HIS LINCOLN TO THE RANSOM DROP.

ROBERT IS A GUY THAT IS MAKING MILLION-DOLLAR DECISIONS

ALL THE TIME,

BUT THIS IS ONE TIME WHEN HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY CONTROL.

HE JUST WANTS TO DO EXACTLY WHAT THE KIDNAPPER ASKS.

AFTER THE DROP, EVERYBODY IS RELIEVED

THAT THEY'VE GOTTEN THIS FAR,

BUT YOU'VE STILL GOT A LIFE IN THE BALANCE.

WE HAVE A POSSIBLE 1027 HEADING SOUTH ON FAIR ISLE.

A REQUEST FOR BACKUP, A POSSIBLE 1027 IN PROGRESS.

THE FBI HAD NOT TOLD THE LOCAL POLICE

THAT THIS RANSOM DROP IS HAPPENING.

BECAUSE THERE'S A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE

THAT THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES WOULD LEAK THE INFORMATION

TO THEIR CONTACTS IN THE PRESS.

SUSPICIOUS MALE FIGURE WITH A SUITCASE,

APPEARS TO BE ARMED.

PROCEED TO APPREHEND.

TWO POLICEMEN HAD COME UPON A MAN HOLDING A SUITCASE

AND A GUN.

THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY'VE INTERRUPTED.

THIS MAN DROPS THE SUITCASE, AND HE RUNS AWAY.

MONEY HAS BEEN RECOVERED.

MONEY HAS BEEN RECOVERED.

IN THAT MOMENT, THEY REALIZED THAT THAT WAS THE KIDNAPPER,

THAT HE DOES NOT HAVE THE MONEY,

AND NOW HE HAS NO INCENTIVE TO TELL THEM WHERE BARBARA IS.

MY GOD. THEY'RE GONNA KILL HER.

REX SCHROEDER HAS THE FBI ISSUE A PRESS RELEASE

THAT'S A DIRECT PLEA TO THE KIDNAPPER FROM ROBERT MACKLE.

I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ACTION THURSDAY MORNING

OF THE MIAMI POLICE.

THIS HAS ALL JUST GONE AS BAD AS IT POSSIBLY COULD.

THERE'S NO LOGICAL REASON FOR THE KIDNAPPER TO RESURFACE.

WITH THAT CLOSE OF A CALL, IT'S POSSIBLE

THAT HE'S GONNA HEAD FOR THE BORDER AND NEVER COME BACK.

PLEASE, CONTACT ME AGAIN THROUGH ANY CHANNEL.

THE STATEMENT IS RELEASED THE MORNING OF THE 19th

AND IS PUBLISHED EVERYWHERE,

AND IT'S BROADCAST ON RADIO AND TV REPEATEDLY.

I'M TRIMMING A TREE.

START AT THE BOTTOM.

DO THE BIG BRANCHES FIRST.

NOW CLIMB A LADDER TO THE TOP

AND PUT THE ANGEL ALL THE WAY UP THERE.

YES.

THEY FOUND THE CAR.

NEAR THE RANSOM DROP-OFF SPOT, THE MIAMI POLICE FIND A CAR

THAT WAS LEFT BEHIND --

A 1966 STATION WAGON WITH MASSACHUSETTS PLATES.

THE INVESTIGATORS FIND SEVERAL INTERESTING OBJECTS,

INCLUDING ROPE AND MASKING TAPE AND A SKI MASK.

THEY ALSO DISCOVERED A KEY TO THE RODEWAY MOTEL

WHERE THE ABDUCTION TOOK PLACE.

WHAT'D YOU FIND HERE, SON?

THE AGENTS ALSO DISCOVER INTIMATE PHOTOS

OF A MAN IN HIS 20s.

IN ONE OF THEM, HE'S NUDE

EXCEPT FOR A STRATEGICALLY-PLACED POLICE CAP.

THAT STRIKES A CHORD WITH THE AGENTS

BECAUSE THEY REMEMBER JANE MACKLE

REPORTING THAT THE KIDNAPPER WAS WEARING A POLICEMAN'S CAP

WHEN HE CAME INTO THEIR MOTEL ROOM.

AT THIS POINT, THEY DETERMINE THIS WAS THE VEHICLE

THAT BARBARA WAS ABDUCTED IN.

WHAT YOU'RE REALLY LOOKING AT IS THE MOBILE COMMAND POST

OF THE KIDNAPPERS.

SO, THEY VACUUM UP EVERY PIECE OF EVIDENCE THAT THEY CAN FIND.

AGENTS CONTACT THE MASSACHUSETTS FBI,

AND THEY FIND OUT THAT THE CAR IS OWNED BY A GEORGE DEACON.

SO, AT THIS POINT, THEY BELIEVE GEORGE DEACON

MIGHT BE THE KIDNAPPER.

BUT THE MACKLES DON'T RECOGNIZE THE MAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPH.

AND NOBODY IS FAMILIAR WITH ANYONE

BY THE NAME GEORGE DEACON.

HE'S ALSO NOT ASSOCIATED WITH ANY CRIMINAL RECORD.

THERE SEEMS TO BE VERY LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT GEORGE DEACON.

HOOVER HERE.

SO, REX SCHROEDER COMMANDEERS 125 FBI AGENTS

TO COMB MIAMI, LOOKING FOR GEORGE DEACON.

HELLO.

THE NEW PICKUP SITE IS 2.2 MILES OFF THE LEFT-HAND SIDE

OF THE ROAD ON SOUTHWEST 8th STREET.

THE KIDNAPPER GIVES ROBERT MACKLE DRIVING DIRECTIONS

TO AN UNPAVED ROAD ON THE EDGE OF TOWN.

ALL UNITS IN THE VICINITY, STAND DOWN.

REPEAT, STAND DOWN.

THIS TIME, REX SCHROEDER INFORMS ALL THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES

THAT THIS DROP IS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE.

THIS TIME, THE DROP-OFF GOES AS PLANNED,

BUT THERE'S THIS FEAR THAT THE LONGER THIS THING GOES ON,

"IF WE CAN'T GET IT TOGETHER AND MAKE THIS WORK,

SHE'S GONNA DIE.

WHERE WAS OUR FRIEND, BARBARA MACKLE?

IT HAD BEEN HOURS SINCE THE KIDNAPPER GOT HIS MONEY,

BUT SO FAR, IT WAS STILL AGONIZING SILENCE.

EVEN WITH THE FBI ALL OVER MIAMI

LOOKING FOR THIS BOGEYMAN, GEORGE DEACON,

IT DIDN'T MAKE ANY OF US FEEL BETTER.

IT DIDN'T BRING OUR FRIEND, BARBARA, BACK.

YOU GOT TWO PRIMARY GOALS THE ENTIRE TIME --

SAVE THE HOSTAGE, CATCH THE KIDNAPPER.

AND THEY'RE SO INTERTWINED...

HAVE A NICE DAY.

...THAT ONE REALLY PLAYS TOWARDS THE OTHER.

THEY FIND OUT A GEORGE DEACON WORKS AT

THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI INSTITUTE OF MARINE SCIENCE.

SO, THEY TRACK DOWN GEORGE DEACON'S BOSS.

I HIRED GEORGE SIX MONTHS AGO. HE'S VERY SMART.

HIS CREDENTIALS WERE IMPECCABLE.

THE BOSS SAYS THAT HE HAD HIRED HIM IN JUNE OF 1968

TO PILOT THESE BOATS FOR MARINE-RESEARCH EXPEDITIONS.

HE TELLS THEM THAT GEORGE DEACON COULD PILOT A BOAT.

HE COULD BUILD ANYTHING. HE COULD REPAIR ANYTHING.

WOULD HE BE ABLE TO MAKE A VENTILATED BOX?

THAT'S WHAT HE DOES.

HIS BOSS ACTUALLY SAYS THAT HE HAS TO BUILD VENTILATED BOXES

FOR THESE MARINE RESEARCH EXPEDITIONS TO PUT SPECIMENS IN.

DOES ANYONE ELSE KNOW HIM WELL?

RUTH. SHE'S A POST-GRAD STUDENT.

THEY'RE ALWAYS TOGETHER.

SHE'S TINY, MAYBE JUST A LITTLE OVER FIVE-FEET TALL.

- MY GOD. - GET DOWN!

- WHAT ARE YOU DOING? - GET DOWN ON THE BED! GET DOWN!

RUTH IS A VERY SMALL WOMAN, AND THEY RECALL MRS. MACKLE

DESCRIBING THE SECOND KIDNAPPER AS BEING SMALL,

LIKE A TEENAGE BOY.

HE ALSO MENTIONS THAT SHE SPEAKS SPANISH.

THEY THINK BACK TO THE FIRST PHONE CALL

WHEN THE WOMAN ON THE OTHER LINE HAD A SPANISH ACCENT.

THIS MAKES THE AGENTS WONDER, "COULD RUTH BE THIS ACCOMPLICE?"

WE'D ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS TWO MEN WHO HAD TAKEN BARBARA.

TO HEAR THAT A WOMAN MIGHT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED, WHOEVER SHE WAS,

I COULDN'T IMAGINE HOW SHE COULD GO THROUGH

WITH SUCH A THING.

I DIDN'T EVEN WANT IT, BUT FOR $35, I COULDN'T SAY NO.

DURING THAT TIME, A MAN CAME FORWARD TO SAY

THAT HE HAD JUST BOUGHT A DETACHABLE TRAILER FROM DEACON

IN A THRIFT-STORE PARKING LOT JUST THE NIGHT BEFORE.

THE GUY WAS IN A REAL HURRY.

WHEN I SAW THIS, I JUST GOT A CREEPY FEELING.

INSIDE THE TRAILER, THEY FOUND SOME LETTERS...

GEORGE DEACON.

...AND AS THEY LOOKED THROUGH THEM,

SOME LETTERS REFERENCED A GEORGE DEACON...

GARY KRIST?

...BUT OTHER LETTERS REFERENCED A GARY KRIST.

WHEN THE FBI LOOKS UP THE NAME "GARY KRIST,"

THEY FIND THAT HE'S A 23-YEAR-OLD

THAT'S BEEN ARRESTED SEVERAL TIMES FOR CAR THEFT.

HE'D ESCAPED FROM A NORTHERN CALIFORNIA PRISON

IN 1966, AND HE'D BEEN ON THE RUN FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

AGENTS RUN THE FINGERPRINTS THAT THEY FOUND IN THE CAR

WITH THE ONES THAT THEY FOUND IN GARY KRIST'S FILE.

AND IT TURNS OUT THEY'RE IDENTICAL.

GEORGE DEACON WAS INDEED GARY KRIST.

THE MADDENING THING WAS THEY KNEW WHO DID IT,

AND THEY'D GIVEN HIM HIS MONEY,

BUT HE STILL HADN'T TOLD THEM WHERE TO LOOK FOR BARBARA.

IT HAD BEEN ALMOST FOUR DAYS,

AND SHE WAS STILL OUT THERE SOMEWHERE UNDERGROUND

IN THAT TINY BOX ALL ALONE.

SHE'S DEAD.

I THINK SHE'S DEAD.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT FOR ME,

I KNOW I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SURVIVE THAT.

FBI.

I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION ON THE MACKLE GIRL.

COULD YOU HOLD WHILE I TRANSFER YOU?

NO. WRITE THIS DOWN.

THE MAN ON THE OTHER END OF THE LINE

GIVES A SET OF DRIVING DIRECTIONS

TO A RURAL AREA OUTSIDE ATLANTA,

24 MILES AWAY FROM WHERE SHE WAS KIDNAPPED.

THEN HE JUST HANGS UP.

FBI AGENTS IMMEDIATELY DRIVE TO THE SITE.

THE FBI AGENTS ARE SKEPTICAL.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET YOUR HOPES UP

IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS.

EVEN IF THEY GAVE YOU GOOD INFORMATION,

YOU DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT YOUR VICTIM

IS STILL GONNA BE ALIVE.

THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF WHERE BARBARA IS BURIED,

AND THESE WOODS GO ON FOR MILES.

SHE'S BEEN BURIED ALMOST FOUR FULL DAYS.

THERE IS A VERY GOOD CHANCE THAT IF THEY DIG HER UP,

THAT THEY COULD BE DIGGING UP A BODY.

HEY! HEY, I FOUND SOMETHING!

DIG! DIG! DIG!

COME ON!

THE AGENTS DIG ABOUT A FOOT AND A HALF, AND THEY START YELLING.

BARBARA, ARE YOU THERE?!

BARBARA, KNOCK IF YOU CAN HEAR US!

BARBARA, CAN YOU HEAR ME?

BARB?

I'M HERE.

WE'RE COMING FOR YOU, BARBARA!

HANG ON! HANG ON! WE'RE COMING!

COME ON!

I'M HERE.

I'M HERE!

ALL RIGHT. COME ON.

IT'S OKAY. IT'S OKAY.

COME ON. COME ON. WE'VE GOT YOU.

WE'VE GOT YOU, BARBARA. COME ON.

COME ON. COME ON. WE'VE GOT YOU.

THANK YOU.

WE'RE VERY GLAD TO SEE YOU, MISS MACKLE.

- YES? - BOB, THIS IS EDGAR.

I'VE GOT SOME VERY GOOD NEWS.

BARBARA IS ALIVE AND WELL AND IN FBI...

J. EDGAR HOOVER, THE HEAD OF THE FBI, CALLED ROBERT MACKLE

AND SAID, "WE FOUND YOUR DAUGHTER, AND SHE'S OKAY."

THEY GOT HER! THANK YOU.

OUR FRIEND, BARBARA, WAS FINALLY SAFE,

BUT WHAT ABOUT THAT HORRIBLE MAN WHO TOOK HER?

TWO DAYS LATER, THE KIDNAPPER, GARY KRIST,

WAS CAUGHT IN A SWAMP LIKE A MANGY DOG.

BY THIS POINT, HE DIDN'T DENY MUCH...

I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS.

...AND ADMITTED THAT HIS GIRLFRIEND, RUTH,

OF ALL PEOPLE, HAD INDEED BEEN HIS ACCOMPLICE.

KRIST TELLS THEM THAT RUTH EISEMANN-SCHIER

HAS GONE ON THE RUN.

RUTH BROKE THE GLASS CEILING IN A VERY DUBIOUS WAY.

SHE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN ON THE FBI'S MOST WANTED LIST.

WE ALL THOUGHT WHEN THEY FOUND KRIST,

THEY WOULD ALSO FIND RUTH.

THEY WERE A TEAM, RIGHT?

BUT THEN WHEN THEY FINALLY FOUND HER, THREE MONTHS LATER

AND 800 MILES AWAY, YOU COULDN'T HELP BUT WONDER,

"WHAT HAPPENED?

WHO IS THIS WOMAN?"

SHE IS EVENTUALLY APPREHENDED IN NORMAN, OKLAHOMA.

I HAVE A STATEMENT.

I MET GEORGE WHEN I BEGAN WORKING WITH HIM

WHEN WE WERE ON A MARINE EXPEDITION IN SEPTEMBER OF 1968.

WE FELL IN LOVE.

WITHIN TWO OR THREE WEEKS,

WE TALK ABOUT RUNNING AWAY TOGETHER.

HE TOLD ME HE HAD DREAMS OF THE PERFECT CRIME.

THE GUY SHE KNEW AS GEORGE DEACON TOLD HER

THEY COULD KIDNAP SOME SPOILED, RICH GIRL FOR RANSOM

AND NEVER GET CAUGHT.

THEY'D RUN AWAY TOGETHER AND LIVE LIKE KINGS.

RUTH GOT SWEPT UP BY THE FAIRY TALE.

AND SO SHE BECAME HIS ACCOMPLICE.

HE WENT DOWN TO THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY,

AND HE CHECKED OUT THE SOCIAL REGISTER,

WHICH IS A BOOK THAT LISTS THE PROMINENT FAMILIES.

AND HE DECIDED BARBARA MACKLE

WAS THE PERFECT PERSON TO KIDNAP.

ON THE WAY OUT OF MIAMI, THEY STOP BY THE MACKLE HOUSE.

AND THEY BURIED THE RANSOM NOTE ON THE MACKLE LAWN.

THEY ARRIVE IN ATLANTA WITHIN A DAY OR SO OF LEAVING MIAMI.

THEY LEARN THAT BARBARA IS SICK,

AND HER MOTHER HAS FLOWN UP TO BE WITH HER,

AND HER MOTHER HAS TAKEN HER OUT OF THE UNIVERSITY.

WE FIND OUT THEY'RE STAYING AT THE RODEWAY INN

ON CLAREMONT DRIVE.

WHERE'D YOU GET THE POLICEMAN'S CAP?

HE STOLE IT FROM A COP AT A RESTAURANT.

THEY'D OBSERVED BARBARA WELL ENOUGH

TO KNOW ABOUT HER FRIEND STEWART...

THIS IS THE POLICE.

...AND THAT HE DROVE A WHITE FORD.

WE'RE SORRY TO BOTHER YOU, BUT THERE'S BEEN AN ACCIDENT,

A YOUNG BOY IN A WHITE FORD.

ISN'T THAT STEWART'S CAR?

- MY GOD. - GET DOWN!

- WHAT ARE YOU DOING? - GET DOWN ON THE BED! GET DOWN!

MY GOD!

PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!

PLEASE! PLEASE!

PLEASE, YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME HERE!

WHY DID YOU LEAVE MIAMI?

RUTH SAYS AFTER THE FIRST PICKUP OF THE MONEY,

THEY BECAME SEPARATED.

THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO MEET UP WHERE THE CAR WAS,

BUT BECAUSE THE POLICE HAD INTERVENED,

GARY NEVER QUITE GOT OVER THERE TO IT,

AND HE JUST RAN TO SEEK REFUGE,

AND SO AT THIS POINT, SHE'S ON HER OWN,

AND SHE FEELS AS IF HE'S PROBABLY ABANDONED HER.

I WALKED INTO MIAMI AND GOT ON A BUS TO HOUSTON.

WHY DIDN'T YOU THINK KRIST WOULD FIND YOU?

RUTH HAD A VERY DIFFICULT CHILDHOOD,

SO SHE REALLY DEVELOPED A SURVIVOR MENTALITY.

SHE WAS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SURVIVE,

AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR HER,

SHE KIND OF HOOKS HER STAR TO THE WRONG WAGON.

NOW THAT HE HAD THE MONEY...

I THOUGHT HE DIDN'T NEED ME ANYMORE.

I REMEMBER WHEN BARBARA FINALLY CAME HOME

FOR CHRISTMAS THAT YEAR.

WE WERE ALL WORRIED ABOUT HER, BUT THEN SHE WAS SO PEACEFUL,

AS IF SHE'D LEFT ALL THE DARKNESS

BURIED DEEP UNDERGROUND.

HOW COULD OUR SWEET, INNOCENT FRIEND

SURVIVE SOMETHING SO HORRIFIC?

HOW DID SHE STAY SO STRONG?

HI, SWEETIE.

I'M SO EXCITED FOR CHRISTMAS.

WELL, HOW ABOUT WE COUNT CHRISTMAS INSTEAD OF SHEEP?

OKAY.

I'M TRIMMING THE TREE. - I'M TRIMMING THE TREE.

START AT THE BOTTOM.

DO THE BIG BRANCHES FIRST,

NOW THE ORNAMENTS,

ESPECIALLY THE ONES I MADE...

IT'S JUST UNIMAGINABLE HOW THIS WONDERFUL, YOUNG WOMAN

COULD GO THROUGH 83 HOURS LIKE THIS, SURVIVE,

AND THEN LEAD A SEEMINGLY NORMAL LIFE IN THE AFTERMATH.

...NOW ALL THE TINSEL,

AND LEAVE THE LIGHTS FOR DADDY. THAT'S ALWAYS HIS JOB.

BUT BARBARA, HAVING A BRIGHT OUTLOOK ON LIFE,

IT'S CLOSE TO CHRISTMASTIME.

SHE KEPT THINKING ABOUT WHEN SHE WOULD BE FREE

AND HELPING THE FAMILY DECORATE THE CHRISTMAS TREE.

SHE ATTRIBUTES THAT TO GETTING HER THROUGH THIS ORDEAL.

SHE'S UNPRETENTIOUS. SHE'S STUDIOUS.

SHE'S SWEET.

SHE'S JUST A LOVELY GIRL,

AND SHE HAD A PERFECT CHARACTER TO SURVIVE THIS.