1 00:00:02,990 --> 00:00:08,630 In this episode of American Greed, fugitive Jason Derrick Brown is a Mormon 2 00:00:08,630 --> 00:00:10,550 missionary turned party king. 3 00:00:11,590 --> 00:00:18,530 From ski trips on the boats to nights out at the bars to motorcycling and 4 00:00:18,530 --> 00:00:19,209 in the desert. 5 00:00:19,210 --> 00:00:20,850 He wanted to be the life of the party. 6 00:00:21,730 --> 00:00:27,070 Jason's playboy life is bankrolled by a series of scams. But when money gets 7 00:00:27,070 --> 00:00:30,110 tight, he plots his most elaborate scheme yet. 8 00:00:30,780 --> 00:00:33,800 When people are in desperate situations, they do desperate things. 9 00:00:35,780 --> 00:00:42,580 He was down that alley on his 10 00:00:42,580 --> 00:00:43,640 bicycle and long gone. 11 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:47,060 There's a ghost after that. 12 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:09,380 It's the morning of November 29th, 2004 in Phoenix, Arizona. 13 00:01:11,260 --> 00:01:16,620 A Dunbar armored car is making the rounds in a tony section of town called 14 00:01:16,620 --> 00:01:17,620 Ahwatukee. 15 00:01:19,300 --> 00:01:23,640 The truck's driver, James Duncan, has been on the job for just three weeks. 16 00:01:24,540 --> 00:01:29,020 He relies on his partner, Robert Keith Palomares, to show him the ropes. 17 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:32,880 It was my first time on that route, first time I'd met him. 18 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:36,880 I didn't know the area, so he'd be like, turn left here, turn right there, let's 19 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:38,920 go around here, park the vehicle here. 20 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:45,080 Palomares is the hopper, the employee who hops off the truck and collects 21 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:47,060 deposits from the stores and restaurants. 22 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:52,620 We talked in the whole way about everything that we both had going on in 23 00:01:52,620 --> 00:01:56,940 lives. He was from Southern California, he was about the same age as me, and he 24 00:01:56,940 --> 00:01:58,540 just really seemed like a really nice guy. 25 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:02,420 The route is busy this day. 26 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:06,860 It's the Monday after Thanksgiving weekend, the kickoff to the holiday 27 00:02:06,860 --> 00:02:07,860 season. 28 00:02:08,660 --> 00:02:12,660 The biggest collection of the day is expected to be the movie theater at the 29 00:02:12,660 --> 00:02:13,680 east end of the mall. 30 00:02:14,260 --> 00:02:17,800 The cinema's receipts could be as much as $100 ,000. 31 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:23,000 Palomares tells Duncan to pull into the theater's drop -off lane. 32 00:02:23,980 --> 00:02:28,380 He told me to, you know, go in, you know, through this little driveway area 33 00:02:28,380 --> 00:02:30,820 just park it here. He's like, I'm going to go through this door and I'll be back 34 00:02:30,820 --> 00:02:31,820 in a few minutes. 35 00:02:34,220 --> 00:02:38,860 The walk to the movie theater is winding, a 100 -foot journey across a 36 00:02:38,860 --> 00:02:40,760 and between some ticket kiosks. 37 00:02:43,660 --> 00:02:47,100 Paul Dalton is a detective with the Phoenix Police Department. 38 00:02:47,940 --> 00:02:51,860 Keith normally would have his bag, he's armed, he has his vest on. 39 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,680 Probably took one of these two routes around the center podium here. 40 00:02:56,420 --> 00:03:00,860 The walk to the door was just very far, so I lost... 41 00:03:02,030 --> 00:03:05,410 probably as he got closer and closer to the building itself. 42 00:03:07,050 --> 00:03:11,370 Since it's a Monday morning around 10 o 'clock, the courtyard is mostly empty, 43 00:03:11,530 --> 00:03:15,650 except for one particular man hanging around a nearby alleyway. 44 00:03:17,070 --> 00:03:21,890 He's wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses, but doesn't attract too 45 00:03:21,890 --> 00:03:22,890 much attention. 46 00:03:23,030 --> 00:03:26,070 People were saying that he was just standing here right on the corner by 47 00:03:26,070 --> 00:03:27,070 door. 48 00:03:28,190 --> 00:03:30,090 Palomares collects the theater's deposits. 49 00:03:31,329 --> 00:03:32,370 $56 ,000. 50 00:03:32,930 --> 00:03:35,970 Places it in the duffel bag and heads back out the door. 51 00:03:37,830 --> 00:03:40,550 But just as Palomares rounds the ticket booth, 52 00:03:40,950 --> 00:03:47,690 five of the six gunshots hit 53 00:03:47,690 --> 00:03:48,810 Palomares in the head. 54 00:03:49,850 --> 00:03:50,910 He had no idea. 55 00:03:51,290 --> 00:03:54,190 It came on him so quickly and was shooting immediately. 56 00:03:55,010 --> 00:03:56,090 He didn't have a chance. 57 00:03:58,850 --> 00:04:02,730 Police say the gunman grabs the money bag and sprints down the side alley. 58 00:04:03,030 --> 00:04:05,110 A mountain bike is waiting for him. 59 00:04:06,090 --> 00:04:08,010 Just ran, got on his bicycle. 60 00:04:08,310 --> 00:04:11,910 I mean, it's a perfect route down the alley, hang a right, and now you're on 61 00:04:11,910 --> 00:04:14,610 another street in the neighborhood, an industrial neighborhood. 62 00:04:16,370 --> 00:04:21,149 Back in the armored truck, James Duncan is unaware of his partner's fate. 63 00:04:23,150 --> 00:04:24,290 The trucks are armored. 64 00:04:24,730 --> 00:04:29,090 The glass on it is very, very thick, and you combine that with the diesel engine 65 00:04:29,090 --> 00:04:32,170 in there, and it's just so loud that you can hardly hear anything. 66 00:04:33,330 --> 00:04:37,290 Duncan says a man runs up to the truck and frantically points to the movie 67 00:04:37,290 --> 00:04:38,290 theater. 68 00:04:38,730 --> 00:04:40,230 But Duncan can't get out. 69 00:04:40,770 --> 00:04:43,510 Company protocol requires him to stay with the truck. 70 00:04:44,450 --> 00:04:47,350 He inches the vehicle forward to get a better look. 71 00:04:48,510 --> 00:04:50,290 I'm freaking out at that point in time. 72 00:04:51,050 --> 00:04:52,570 Like, my partner's down. 73 00:04:53,340 --> 00:04:55,980 I called the station, let them know what's going on. 74 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:59,240 The company dispatcher calls 911. 75 00:05:00,740 --> 00:05:01,920 911, what is the emergency? 76 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:03,800 One of my guys has been shot. 77 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:06,380 My driver just called and said our guard is down. 78 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:08,960 He's been shot, and he's been shot several times. 79 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:10,420 Please get somebody there. 80 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:13,620 I mean, there's all sorts of things that run through your head. 81 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:17,020 I wish I could have just drove the truck all the way over there. 82 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:21,140 I mean, it took a lot out of me to try not to do something. 83 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:22,520 That's for sure. 84 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:24,640 The armored car guy is here. 85 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,400 The guy has been shot at least six times. 86 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:29,880 I think he's dead. 87 00:05:30,540 --> 00:05:32,860 The officer, he's still moving. 88 00:05:34,060 --> 00:05:36,140 We'll get some help there, sir. 89 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:40,200 Within minutes, police converge on the site. 90 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:45,440 James Duncan's worst fear is confirmed when he finally exits the truck. 91 00:05:46,100 --> 00:05:47,600 His partner is dead. 92 00:05:50,150 --> 00:05:52,950 Keith Palomares is just 24 years old. 93 00:05:56,310 --> 00:06:01,250 First time I thought there'd be some hope, but he lost a lot of blood. 94 00:06:02,230 --> 00:06:05,590 And when they got him on the stretcher, it was pretty bad. 95 00:06:06,670 --> 00:06:07,770 It was pretty bad. 96 00:06:08,890 --> 00:06:12,950 Police cars spread through the Phoenix streets, but the authorities don't have 97 00:06:12,950 --> 00:06:13,950 much to go on. 98 00:06:14,330 --> 00:06:17,450 The murderer appears to have made a clean getaway. 99 00:06:18,940 --> 00:06:20,020 Very few witnesses. 100 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:24,240 Imagine just kind of wandering around and hear six gunshots. 101 00:06:25,100 --> 00:06:29,460 People turn and look, and then you see a guy in a hoodie just running. 102 00:06:30,180 --> 00:06:32,840 Nowadays, there's video everywhere. 103 00:06:33,380 --> 00:06:37,380 Back in 2004, there wasn't as much video as there is now, and it was difficult 104 00:06:37,380 --> 00:06:38,380 for us to gather. 105 00:06:39,840 --> 00:06:43,680 Lance Lysing is an FBI special agent brought in to work the case. 106 00:06:45,100 --> 00:06:47,500 Attacking an armored car is a federal crime. 107 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:54,280 We were getting tips and reports, dozens if not hundreds of them. Any mail on a 108 00:06:54,280 --> 00:06:56,460 bike was being called in at the time. 109 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:02,600 Later that afternoon, the cops finally catch a break when a police helicopter 110 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:05,100 spots a bicycle in an office park. 111 00:07:06,580 --> 00:07:11,700 The blue and silver mountain bike is found under bushes just a half mile from 112 00:07:11,700 --> 00:07:12,700 the murder scene. 113 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:15,780 The bike was huge. 114 00:07:16,750 --> 00:07:17,750 We needed evidence. 115 00:07:18,010 --> 00:07:19,490 We didn't have much at the scene. 116 00:07:19,730 --> 00:07:24,110 You can get any DNA or print evidence off that bike. We can try to track it to 117 00:07:24,110 --> 00:07:25,110 something. 118 00:07:26,850 --> 00:07:32,010 Investigators find exactly one fingerprint on the bike, but it's just 119 00:07:32,010 --> 00:07:33,010 they need. 120 00:07:33,950 --> 00:07:39,570 They enter it into the FBI's National Fingerprint Database, and by the next 121 00:07:39,570 --> 00:07:41,490 morning, they have a suspect. 122 00:07:44,780 --> 00:07:50,240 Next on American Greed, investigators learn that their number one suspect 123 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:52,140 your average street thug. 124 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:58,840 This was a guy who came from a decent family foundation, good life. 125 00:07:59,020 --> 00:08:00,520 It just makes no sense. 126 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:19,960 In Phoenix, Arizona, an armored car guard is dead, 127 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:22,620 and the murderer is on the loose. 128 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,940 But just one day after the killing, the police have a suspect. 129 00:08:28,460 --> 00:08:33,720 A fingerprint of the mountain bike is matched to 35 -year -old Jason Derrick 130 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:34,720 Brown. 131 00:08:35,140 --> 00:08:38,820 He got out cleanly as far as he was aware. He didn't feel like he left any 132 00:08:38,820 --> 00:08:39,820 evidence behind. 133 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:45,000 He missed wiping off one fingerprint off the bike, and that's what got us to 134 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:46,000 him. 135 00:08:46,500 --> 00:08:51,580 Brown's fingerprints are in the FBI database because of a petty theft he and 136 00:08:51,580 --> 00:08:53,680 brother committed four years earlier. 137 00:08:54,580 --> 00:08:56,300 They were at a golf shop. 138 00:08:56,780 --> 00:09:01,040 One of them would distract a clerk, and the other one would steal high -end golf 139 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:02,040 clubs. 140 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:06,820 Despite the one -time conviction, investigators learn that Brown's 141 00:09:06,820 --> 00:09:09,580 doesn't suggest a cold -blooded killer. 142 00:09:13,140 --> 00:09:18,420 Originally from the luxurious coastal town of Laguna Beach, Brown is the 143 00:09:18,420 --> 00:09:20,500 of a California golden boy. 144 00:09:21,220 --> 00:09:23,100 He looks like Sean Penn. 145 00:09:23,340 --> 00:09:25,840 He's got a typical California surfer boy look. 146 00:09:26,300 --> 00:09:29,980 He does not fit the profile of a typical criminal that I've seen. 147 00:09:30,350 --> 00:09:33,730 and that I've arrested and investigated. 148 00:09:34,090 --> 00:09:35,230 Not even close. 149 00:09:36,890 --> 00:09:39,630 Brown's family is active in the Mormon community. 150 00:09:41,150 --> 00:09:46,370 His dad was involved in some newspaper businesses, had other businesses there 151 00:09:46,370 --> 00:09:50,090 Laguna Beach. By all accounts, nice family. 152 00:09:50,950 --> 00:09:56,710 After graduating from Laguna Beach High School in 1987, Jason Brown spends two 153 00:09:56,710 --> 00:09:58,770 years as a missionary in France. 154 00:09:59,850 --> 00:10:04,230 He went on his Mormon mission to Paris, learned to speak French there, wrote 155 00:10:04,230 --> 00:10:08,210 letters back to friends and family, how he really loved his time there as a 156 00:10:08,210 --> 00:10:09,210 missionary. 157 00:10:10,190 --> 00:10:13,570 After his mission, Jason gets married and goes to college. 158 00:10:14,790 --> 00:10:19,310 He eventually enrolls in the master's program at the prestigious Monterey 159 00:10:19,310 --> 00:10:21,410 Institute of International Studies. 160 00:10:22,230 --> 00:10:25,550 Definitely had everything available to him. Didn't grow up impoverished, didn't 161 00:10:25,550 --> 00:10:28,570 grow up somewhere where he had to claw and scratch and fight to get out of. 162 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:30,980 With a silver spoon in his mouth. 163 00:10:32,460 --> 00:10:36,520 While he appears to be a privileged, clean -living Mormon on the outside, 164 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:40,400 Brown's home life isn't exactly as it seems. 165 00:10:43,140 --> 00:10:48,520 Jason's siblings tell investigators that their dad, John, had a warped view of 166 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:50,500 family road trips when they were kids. 167 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:55,260 A lot of trips to Tijuana, getting loads and loads of money and bringing them 168 00:10:55,260 --> 00:10:59,310 back. Some of those trips were reported to have organized crime ties. 169 00:10:59,530 --> 00:11:02,810 Not sure exactly if the money was related to gambling or drugs or what it 170 00:11:02,810 --> 00:11:07,450 related to, but there were some suspicious activity involving his 171 00:11:08,810 --> 00:11:14,270 In 1994, investigators say John Brown makes one final road trip. 172 00:11:15,390 --> 00:11:21,170 In the mid -90s, his father withdrew a large amount of money from his bank 173 00:11:21,170 --> 00:11:23,330 account, and his car and him were gone. 174 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:28,280 About four months later, his car was found in Brownsville, Texas, on the 175 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:29,219 -U .S. border. 176 00:11:29,220 --> 00:11:31,660 But he's never been seen from or heard from again. 177 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:38,100 Around the time of his father's disappearance, for reasons still 178 00:11:38,680 --> 00:11:41,020 Jason's life appears to change. 179 00:11:41,560 --> 00:11:45,080 It was sometime after, when he came back from being that missionary, that they 180 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:51,980 described him as becoming focused on monetary items, wealth, image, you 181 00:11:51,980 --> 00:11:53,560 know, toys in life. 182 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,480 Jason spends his days golfing. It's his obsession. 183 00:11:58,820 --> 00:12:03,000 He collects expensive cars and other big boy toys. 184 00:12:03,340 --> 00:12:10,260 He had beautiful cars, BMW, there was a 3 Series back then. He had motorcycles, 185 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:13,700 ATVs, jet skis, a ski boat. 186 00:12:15,780 --> 00:12:21,160 This formerly clean -living Mormon also discovers the joys of sin. 187 00:12:25,130 --> 00:12:30,030 Friends and family tell investigators that Brown loves to drink and take the 188 00:12:30,030 --> 00:12:34,110 party drug GHB, known for its sexual enhancement. 189 00:12:34,790 --> 00:12:37,510 Gambling in Vegas becomes a favorite pastime. 190 00:12:40,550 --> 00:12:44,070 I think he got kind of stir -crazy, his playboy life. 191 00:12:44,750 --> 00:12:50,310 And I think the playboy life took over him, divorced his wife, and then out 192 00:12:50,310 --> 00:12:51,310 the real Jason Brown. 193 00:12:54,030 --> 00:12:59,450 Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, Jason takes the party on the 194 00:13:00,290 --> 00:13:05,470 He bounces around several cities in the western United States, never staying in 195 00:13:05,470 --> 00:13:07,050 one location for too long. 196 00:13:07,950 --> 00:13:12,970 He would couch surf. He would just mooch off of roommates. 197 00:13:13,190 --> 00:13:14,190 Wouldn't pay rent. 198 00:13:14,470 --> 00:13:17,130 He had girlfriends in most of these places as well. 199 00:13:18,210 --> 00:13:23,850 For a surfer of ocean waves and friend couches, It might be surprising that 200 00:13:23,850 --> 00:13:27,630 Jason Brown is always flush with cash, according to investigators. 201 00:13:28,190 --> 00:13:31,650 What he did in each one of these places isn't quite sure. 202 00:13:32,210 --> 00:13:35,990 Nobody ever reported him having a legitimate job where he'd go to work, 203 00:13:35,990 --> 00:13:37,750 in, clock out, get a regular paycheck. 204 00:13:38,030 --> 00:13:39,030 That just didn't happen. 205 00:13:40,750 --> 00:13:45,890 Investigators say he likely funds his lifestyle through a series of scams. 206 00:13:48,190 --> 00:13:51,430 In Austin, Texas, Brown starts up the... 207 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:54,480 picture -perfect modeling agency with some friends. 208 00:13:54,900 --> 00:14:00,440 The feds say the company promises college students dreams of stardom for 209 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:02,420 price of just $5 ,000. 210 00:14:03,180 --> 00:14:09,120 They would try to advertise for college co -eds to get headshots and photos 211 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:13,760 taken by them, and they would take the fees that the girls would pay to get 212 00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:18,840 those photographs to start that modeling career, and they'd take it, and nothing 213 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:21,120 would happen with the headshots. They would just sit. 214 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:27,440 In Salt Lake City, Brown buys a bungalow in the trendy Sugar House neighborhood. 215 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:34,260 He officially registers two businesses to the home, On the Doorstep Advertising 216 00:14:34,260 --> 00:14:36,360 and Toys Unlimited. 217 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:41,180 But investigators say the companies don't actually sell anything. 218 00:14:41,820 --> 00:14:45,160 When asked about work or asked about his business, he would always kind of talk 219 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:49,760 in vague terms or, you know, change the conversation angle to go somewhere else. 220 00:14:49,780 --> 00:14:50,940 But he would never really... 221 00:14:51,390 --> 00:14:54,050 answer any question because it really didn't exist. 222 00:14:54,890 --> 00:15:00,530 One of Jason's favorite pastimes is telling people he sells expensive golf 223 00:15:00,530 --> 00:15:04,850 equipment. He loved playing golf, so he spent a lot of time in golf courses. He 224 00:15:04,850 --> 00:15:08,690 would say he was doing that to import and export golf supplies, high -end golf 225 00:15:08,690 --> 00:15:09,690 equipment. 226 00:15:10,610 --> 00:15:14,450 Authorities say Brown's ventures are mostly small -time cons. 227 00:15:15,410 --> 00:15:18,310 But things change when he moves to Arizona. 228 00:15:22,010 --> 00:15:23,490 Next on American Greed. 229 00:15:25,930 --> 00:15:30,330 Jason Brown's hunger for cash and the high life take a deadly turn. 230 00:15:31,050 --> 00:15:32,230 I think it was out of money. 231 00:15:32,770 --> 00:15:35,850 When you don't have any money, you can't play the role of the playboy. You can't 232 00:15:35,850 --> 00:15:36,850 be going to the clubs. 233 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:56,360 In May 2003, wandering con man Jason Brown needs a new source of revenue and 234 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:58,700 sets his sights on Phoenix, Arizona. 235 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:04,960 He attends an open house in the Ahwatukee Foothill, an isolated 236 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:06,580 the shadow of South Mountain. 237 00:16:07,140 --> 00:16:09,500 It's a pretty nice neighborhood. 238 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:15,020 I think he fit in in that area and drove the nice cars and kind of a cool guy. 239 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:20,320 Ellen Robinson is the realtor tasked with finding a renter for the house. 240 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:24,740 She says Brown is intrigued by the home's three -car garage. 241 00:16:25,420 --> 00:16:28,900 Just that he had a lot of toys and things that he needed storage. 242 00:16:29,260 --> 00:16:34,000 You know, a lot of times people will walk around and open cabinets, and he 243 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:35,120 didn't do that. It was fast. 244 00:16:36,500 --> 00:16:38,680 Ellen is quite familiar with the house. 245 00:16:38,980 --> 00:16:40,620 She lives right next door. 246 00:16:42,060 --> 00:16:47,100 Brown tells her that he's an exporter of golf equipment to Asia. He wastes no 247 00:16:47,100 --> 00:16:49,540 time moving his toys onto the property. 248 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:54,880 He had a Jeep Rubicon, the big black Escalade. 249 00:16:55,080 --> 00:17:01,980 He had the BMW, three ATVs for adults, and then he had a small 250 00:17:01,980 --> 00:17:03,000 one for children. 251 00:17:03,780 --> 00:17:09,260 While Jason's sweet rides make him look like a success, investigators say 252 00:17:09,260 --> 00:17:11,160 they're the product of yet another scam. 253 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:13,040 Bank fraud. 254 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:15,000 Everything was underwater. 255 00:17:15,300 --> 00:17:18,200 Everything, the banks wanted them back. 256 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:24,819 The least BMW, the least Cadillac, all the toys were never paid for. 257 00:17:26,839 --> 00:17:31,740 The feds say he routinely uses fake addresses and P .O. boxes to secure bank 258 00:17:31,740 --> 00:17:32,740 loans. 259 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:35,480 Creditors have been on his trail for years. 260 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:37,220 If you're a... 261 00:17:37,530 --> 00:17:38,509 It's a con man. 262 00:17:38,510 --> 00:17:42,870 And you've defrauded all his bank loans, and you've got this Jeep Rubicon that 263 00:17:42,870 --> 00:17:44,050 you don't want anybody to find. 264 00:17:44,270 --> 00:17:47,630 You're not going to give them your real address. You're just going to keep them 265 00:17:47,630 --> 00:17:49,270 hidden so they don't get repossessed. 266 00:17:51,210 --> 00:17:54,230 Brown's toys help endear him to his new neighbors. 267 00:17:54,490 --> 00:17:59,150 He offers to take Ellen's family out for a ride on his Mastercraft speedboat. 268 00:18:00,010 --> 00:18:03,630 And he'd have it in front of the house getting ready for whatever boating 269 00:18:03,630 --> 00:18:07,510 expedition with his friends and stuff. And he just invited us one day, and, 270 00:18:07,530 --> 00:18:09,090 yeah, it was a fun time. 271 00:18:11,350 --> 00:18:13,390 Ellen's family becomes close with Brown. 272 00:18:13,710 --> 00:18:18,490 Her 10 -year -old son, Tyler, is especially fond of his cool new friend. 273 00:18:19,470 --> 00:18:23,530 Tyler would, you know, go there and hang out to watch sports on TV because he 274 00:18:23,530 --> 00:18:24,930 had, you know, big screen TVs. 275 00:18:25,690 --> 00:18:28,730 They'd play catch in the street, and, yeah, they hung out. 276 00:18:30,050 --> 00:18:31,670 And what's not to like? 277 00:18:32,210 --> 00:18:34,390 Jason Brown acts like a big kid. 278 00:18:34,610 --> 00:18:39,270 He loves to water ski, ride ATVs in the desert, and go mountain biking. 279 00:18:41,050 --> 00:18:47,990 Escalade had a DVD player, PlayStation in it, and we'd sit 280 00:18:47,990 --> 00:18:53,050 there and play PlayStation and listen to music and drink all night long. 281 00:18:55,630 --> 00:18:58,550 Michael Campbell lives across the street from Brown. 282 00:18:59,100 --> 00:19:02,420 He says partying with his neighbor is always an adventure. 283 00:19:03,380 --> 00:19:05,560 Jason loves to be the center of attention. 284 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:11,000 He insists on buying everyone drinks at the bar, and he always carries a lot of 285 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:12,000 money. 286 00:19:12,580 --> 00:19:16,140 There's probably a lot of cash about being around. 287 00:19:16,980 --> 00:19:20,080 That seemed to be his main reason for living, is to maintain that lifestyle, 288 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:25,620 maintain that image of wealthy, outgoing, charismatic, the party guy. 289 00:19:27,050 --> 00:19:30,390 But in early 2004, the party ends. 290 00:19:32,050 --> 00:19:37,030 After less than a year in Arizona, Brown tells neighbors that he needs to leave 291 00:19:37,030 --> 00:19:43,830 immediately. He told me that his brother's wife was diagnosed with cancer 292 00:19:43,830 --> 00:19:47,750 needed to move back to California to be there to support the family during this 293 00:19:47,750 --> 00:19:48,750 time. 294 00:19:48,850 --> 00:19:51,110 He packed all his belongings up. 295 00:19:51,350 --> 00:19:57,930 He slept on an extra couch that we had upstairs, and the next morning, he was 296 00:19:57,930 --> 00:19:58,930 gone. 297 00:20:00,710 --> 00:20:05,630 Investigators say they aren't sure what Jason does in the following months, but 298 00:20:05,630 --> 00:20:07,910 they do know where he eventually turns up. 299 00:20:10,330 --> 00:20:17,330 On Monday, November 8, 2004, Jason Brown is back in Utah, visiting a gun shop in 300 00:20:17,330 --> 00:20:18,910 suburban Salt Lake City. 301 00:20:21,100 --> 00:20:25,480 He pulls up, and it was a silver BMW. I remember we noticed that because it was 302 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:26,640 kind of out of place in that neighborhood. 303 00:20:28,660 --> 00:20:31,880 Clark Apotian is a firearms instructor at the store. 304 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:37,380 He says Jason is insistent on taking a concealed carry class that day. 305 00:20:37,700 --> 00:20:42,460 And we have a regular classroom, and he's taught everything from firearm 306 00:20:42,460 --> 00:20:46,300 handling, you know, the grip, the stance, the loading, the unloading, the 307 00:20:46,300 --> 00:20:48,000 alignment, that type of thing. 308 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:52,200 The four -hour class ends with a session at the gun range. 309 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:55,740 Clark says Brown's skills are shaky. 310 00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:00,700 I could tell just by the way he was handling it, where his trigger finger 311 00:21:00,700 --> 00:21:04,600 going, where the muzzle direction was going, just the basic safety concerns 312 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:10,600 he hadn't had much experience, if any, he hadn't had good experience. 313 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:16,380 After a half -hour of instruction, Clark says Brown's skills improved 314 00:21:16,380 --> 00:21:17,380 significantly. 315 00:21:18,110 --> 00:21:21,970 When the class finishes, Jason is eager to buy a gun of his own. 316 00:21:22,990 --> 00:21:28,990 Now, having just seen him shoot and knowing what his limitations were, I 317 00:21:28,990 --> 00:21:34,150 suggested that he get a 9mm, somewhat like he had just fired. 318 00:21:34,690 --> 00:21:39,090 He was insistent, no, he wanted a smaller gun and a more powerful gun. 319 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:46,800 Brown buys a .45 caliber Glock Model 30, a compact yet powerful handgun popular 320 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:49,020 with plainclothes police officers. 321 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:55,260 He asked, you know, what is the most powerful handgun ammo for this gun? 322 00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:59,540 And the top of the line at that time was Corbin ammunition. 323 00:22:00,420 --> 00:22:03,840 It's a very high pressure, light bullet weight load. 324 00:22:04,060 --> 00:22:06,160 So it goes very fast, has a lot of power. 325 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:09,780 Brown buys two boxes. 326 00:22:10,540 --> 00:22:14,240 But before he can be on his way, he must first take care of some paperwork. 327 00:22:16,460 --> 00:22:19,360 Clark photographs Jason and gets his fingerprints. 328 00:22:19,940 --> 00:22:22,600 He must also fill out a background check. 329 00:22:23,360 --> 00:22:27,080 We call into the state the Bureau of Criminal Identification, and they'll run 330 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:30,360 that to see if he has any criminal history or is prohibited from purchasing 331 00:22:30,360 --> 00:22:34,560 firearm. And it came back affirmative that he could purchase it, and so he 332 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:35,560 walked out with that gun. 333 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:39,480 Next on American Greed. 334 00:22:40,430 --> 00:22:44,810 Jason Brown sets his sights on something other than paper targets. 335 00:22:45,830 --> 00:22:52,330 Brown, it appears, had been planning and plotting and literally hunted a human 336 00:22:52,330 --> 00:22:55,010 being simply to score some cash. 337 00:22:55,250 --> 00:22:57,970 I mean, that is just, it's horrifying to think about. 338 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:11,620 Late November 2004. 339 00:23:13,780 --> 00:23:19,240 Just two weeks after purchasing a gun in Utah, Jason Derrick Brown returns to 340 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:20,240 Arizona. 341 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:25,060 He calls his former neighbor, Ellen Robinson, and asks a favor. 342 00:23:25,900 --> 00:23:30,260 He called me to say he was driving down from Vegas, and he said, can I come stay 343 00:23:30,260 --> 00:23:31,400 with you? And I'm like, of course. 344 00:23:32,780 --> 00:23:36,280 Jason lives in Ellen's spare bedroom for about a week. 345 00:23:36,970 --> 00:23:39,490 He tells her he's in town for business. 346 00:23:40,210 --> 00:23:45,770 But rather than exporting golf clubs, investigators say Brown is working on 347 00:23:45,770 --> 00:23:46,770 other plans. 348 00:23:47,030 --> 00:23:50,530 What he was doing was conducting surveillance of the armored car in the 349 00:23:50,650 --> 00:23:53,170 trying to determine where the armored car routinely goes. 350 00:23:54,110 --> 00:23:55,990 Copy times, copy dates. 351 00:23:56,570 --> 00:23:59,990 Monday mornings, what time do they get here? Tuesday, what time do they get 352 00:23:59,990 --> 00:24:00,990 here? 353 00:24:01,660 --> 00:24:06,580 The day before Thanksgiving, Jason moves out of Ellen's house and into a hotel 354 00:24:06,580 --> 00:24:09,060 room just south of the movie theater. 355 00:24:09,460 --> 00:24:13,300 I offered him to stay and have Thanksgiving with us, but he said no, he 356 00:24:13,300 --> 00:24:14,340 going to get back to his family. 357 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:21,860 On Sunday, the FBI says he grabs his gun and drives out to the Tonto National 358 00:24:21,860 --> 00:24:24,940 Forest, about 40 miles northeast of Phoenix. 359 00:24:25,770 --> 00:24:30,950 He places paper plates in mesquite trees and practices target shooting with his 360 00:24:30,950 --> 00:24:31,950 new weapon. 361 00:24:34,910 --> 00:24:39,270 In Arizona, as long as you're in certain areas of the desert away from roads, 362 00:24:39,490 --> 00:24:41,210 you can shoot anywhere out there. 363 00:24:41,810 --> 00:24:45,070 The National Park is a popular recreation spot. 364 00:24:45,390 --> 00:24:50,050 The rolling hills and rugged beauty make it ideal for camping and off -roading. 365 00:24:50,740 --> 00:24:55,500 That's one of the major areas I go to. There's lakes up there and lots of 366 00:24:55,500 --> 00:24:56,500 trails. 367 00:24:58,060 --> 00:25:01,980 I love to camp out. My son, he likes to do it just as much. 368 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:08,180 Max Newton and his 10 -year -old son have spent the long holiday weekend 369 00:25:08,180 --> 00:25:09,540 ATVs in the desert. 370 00:25:09,940 --> 00:25:14,300 But just as they're packing up their gear and preparing to head back home, 371 00:25:14,300 --> 00:25:16,420 is startled by a familiar sound. 372 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,960 It's kind of like a whizzing sound flying through the camp. 373 00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:25,300 Bullets whistle when they come close to you, especially if they start skipping 374 00:25:25,300 --> 00:25:26,460 off the ground. 375 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:33,060 Jason Brown is unknowingly shooting at their campsite 200 yards away. 376 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:37,820 Max Newton grabs his son and takes cover behind his truck. 377 00:25:38,180 --> 00:25:40,780 One bullet strikes the driver's side door. 378 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:44,200 I was yelling, stop shooting. 379 00:25:44,900 --> 00:25:46,240 There's people up here. 380 00:25:46,860 --> 00:25:48,200 Quit shooting, you're gone. 381 00:25:49,870 --> 00:25:55,610 When the gunfire ends, Newton hops on his ATV and rides toward a silver BMW 382 00:25:55,610 --> 00:25:57,630 parked along the dirt road. 383 00:25:58,170 --> 00:26:04,550 He was taking a paper plate out of a bush, and his trunk was open. 384 00:26:06,010 --> 00:26:09,610 I confronted him, said, look, you hit my truck. 385 00:26:10,490 --> 00:26:13,230 I said, you know, a bush is not a good backstop. 386 00:26:14,990 --> 00:26:17,150 Brown apologizes profusely. 387 00:26:17,500 --> 00:26:20,900 and tells Newton that he'll gladly pay for any damage to his truck. 388 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:26,000 Jason Brown proceeds to write down his name, address, and phone number on the 389 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:27,380 back of a paper plate. 390 00:26:27,700 --> 00:26:31,240 He even showed me his driver's license so that I could see that he was writing 391 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:33,940 down the actual information that was true. 392 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:39,960 Brown tells Newton to call him when he gets an estimate of the damage, and then 393 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:41,440 makes a curious request. 394 00:26:42,300 --> 00:26:46,800 Brown specifically asks him not to remove the bullet from the truck. 395 00:26:47,900 --> 00:26:52,700 And he said, no, you don't need to get that thing out of there. Just leave it 396 00:26:52,700 --> 00:26:53,519 be. 397 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:57,380 He kind of wanted that bullet to be forgotten about, I think. 398 00:26:59,540 --> 00:27:04,920 The following day, after extensive preparation, investigators say Jason 399 00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:07,800 finally ready to put his plan in motion. 400 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:11,180 So what he did that morning, likely, was that he... 401 00:27:11,450 --> 00:27:15,290 left his hotel room. He had a BMW and a mountain bike. A lot of people said they 402 00:27:15,290 --> 00:27:19,590 saw him shoving this mountain bike in the back of this little two -seater BMW. 403 00:27:22,030 --> 00:27:27,570 Officers say Brown parks the BMW at an office park, then rides his mountain 404 00:27:27,570 --> 00:27:28,570 to the strip mall. 405 00:27:29,090 --> 00:27:33,410 According to investigators, Brown knows the armored car should arrive at the 406 00:27:33,410 --> 00:27:35,490 movie theater around 10 a .m. 407 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:38,640 This was a really good plan on Jason's part. 408 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:43,160 Unfortunately, a lot of people, you know, hate to say it, got caught with 409 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:44,160 hands down on this one. 410 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:51,060 There was no demand for money. There was no struggle with the guard. It was just 411 00:27:51,060 --> 00:27:52,560 boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. 412 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:54,760 Five rounds from the block 45. 413 00:27:55,980 --> 00:27:57,320 The victim was hunted. 414 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:03,420 This was a planned premeditated attack on a young guy who was just doing his 415 00:28:03,420 --> 00:28:05,640 job. For one reason, for money. 416 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:12,540 With the $56 ,000 in hand, investigators say Jason rides his bike to where the 417 00:28:12,540 --> 00:28:14,140 BMW is stashed. 418 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:21,560 I believe his car was parked under here and came around with his bike to 419 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:22,560 this area. 420 00:28:23,100 --> 00:28:28,240 And from here, the way we found the bike, most likely just tossed the bike, 421 00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:33,200 drives away very quietly without knowing he was here. 422 00:28:35,370 --> 00:28:40,050 Police say Brown is back at his hotel room in minutes, before emergency crews 423 00:28:40,050 --> 00:28:41,490 even arrive at the murder scene. 424 00:28:41,950 --> 00:28:47,070 By the time the investigation starts, detectives say Brown is already on the 425 00:28:47,070 --> 00:28:48,070 for hours. 426 00:28:48,350 --> 00:28:52,810 Surveillance cameras at the hotel eventually show Jason lingering at the 427 00:28:52,810 --> 00:28:56,410 desk. From there, he drives to a nearby health club. 428 00:28:56,870 --> 00:29:01,990 Investigators say he carries a black bag inside, then likely showers and changes 429 00:29:01,990 --> 00:29:02,990 clothes. 430 00:29:04,730 --> 00:29:08,590 Drop the bag in a locker, and we have film of that. And then he leaves, and 431 00:29:08,590 --> 00:29:11,750 he comes back a couple hours later, picks up the same bag, and that's 432 00:29:11,750 --> 00:29:12,750 the money bag. 433 00:29:13,710 --> 00:29:18,810 After leaving the gym, Brown drives nearly 300 miles to Las Vegas, where he 434 00:29:18,810 --> 00:29:20,230 keeps a storage unit. 435 00:29:20,890 --> 00:29:26,430 In that storage unit were his Cadillac Escalade, a boat, various other items. 436 00:29:26,430 --> 00:29:30,950 parked the BMW in that storage unit and took the Cadillac Escalade and then 437 00:29:30,950 --> 00:29:31,950 drove to Orange County. 438 00:29:32,690 --> 00:29:34,130 As Brown is driving... 439 00:29:34,510 --> 00:29:38,470 He makes and receives numerous phone calls from family and friends. 440 00:29:40,550 --> 00:29:45,130 One of the calls is from Max Newton, who got an estimate on his truck that 441 00:29:45,130 --> 00:29:46,130 morning. 442 00:29:46,190 --> 00:29:50,830 Jason's bullet from the previous day did $1 ,300 worth of damage. 443 00:29:51,410 --> 00:29:57,650 I immediately called his cell phone, and he said, no problem, I'm going to get a 444 00:29:57,650 --> 00:30:00,070 check, and I'll send you the check to take care of the damages. 445 00:30:01,409 --> 00:30:04,930 Newton says Brown is calm and collected on the phone. 446 00:30:05,390 --> 00:30:09,150 Yeah, he talked to me right after he'd already killed that guy. 447 00:30:09,990 --> 00:30:15,250 Some of the things I think about in retrospect are very disturbing. 448 00:30:18,090 --> 00:30:19,710 Next on American Greed. 449 00:30:20,970 --> 00:30:26,970 The feds zero in on Jason Brown, but this slippery con man catches a lucky 450 00:30:26,970 --> 00:30:29,700 break. In hindsight, it wasn't a mistake. 451 00:30:30,020 --> 00:30:32,400 If we only waited an hour, we would have had him. 452 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:34,480 Feeling greedy? 453 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:37,660 Want more than your share of behind -the -scenes dirt? 454 00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:41,020 Follow us at AmericanGreedTV on Twitter. 455 00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:42,560 We'll be right back. 456 00:30:49,980 --> 00:30:53,280 The day after the brutal murder of Keith Palomares... 457 00:30:53,990 --> 00:30:57,370 Jason Brown kicks back in Orange County, California. 458 00:30:58,670 --> 00:31:04,070 He crashes with his sister, who lives in a townhouse in Rancho Santa Margarita. 459 00:31:04,690 --> 00:31:07,450 Unexpected visits from Jason are not unusual. 460 00:31:08,410 --> 00:31:11,290 He went out to eat a couple times, I know, with his sister. 461 00:31:12,370 --> 00:31:15,810 His sister described sitting on the couch watching movies with him at night 462 00:31:15,810 --> 00:31:16,990 there in Orange County. 463 00:31:19,050 --> 00:31:22,830 Investigators believe Jason's sister has no idea what he has done. 464 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:28,200 He acts casual. He visits their brother David, who lives nearby in Laguna 465 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:33,240 Niguel. The two men play golf and visit an indoor firing range. 466 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:38,200 Jason even does some banking. 467 00:31:38,820 --> 00:31:44,520 He did make some deposits into his Wells Fargo bank account, small deposits, $2 468 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:46,520 ,000, $3 ,000 at a time. 469 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:52,380 Thanks to the fingerprint on the bike, investigators have a solid lock on Jason 470 00:31:52,380 --> 00:31:53,380 Brown's identity. 471 00:31:54,420 --> 00:32:00,200 The FBI knows he has family in Orange County and notices the bank activity. 472 00:32:00,780 --> 00:32:05,780 We knew he was in California very quickly. We knew the area he was in, and 473 00:32:05,780 --> 00:32:09,760 were getting very, very close at pinpointing exactly where he was to put 474 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:10,960 handcuffs on him and arrest him. 475 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:17,140 But as the feds close in on Brown, their pursuit hits an unexpected snag. 476 00:32:18,830 --> 00:32:23,430 On December 6th, exactly one week after the murder, the Phoenix Police 477 00:32:23,430 --> 00:32:25,350 Department holds a press conference. 478 00:32:26,130 --> 00:32:31,490 They announce Jason Derrick Brown as the main suspect in the murder and ask the 479 00:32:31,490 --> 00:32:33,730 public to keep an eye out for the fugitive. 480 00:32:34,270 --> 00:32:37,590 We had his information. We knew who he was. We're working it. 481 00:32:37,910 --> 00:32:44,850 And it was decided to release that information to the media. A high 482 00:32:44,850 --> 00:32:46,750 -profile case like this, the public wants to know. 483 00:32:48,110 --> 00:32:53,210 But unfortunately, publicity can sometimes be a double -edged sword. 484 00:32:53,790 --> 00:32:59,330 I got home from work, and I turned the TV on, and the news was on, and there 485 00:32:59,330 --> 00:33:00,089 this picture. 486 00:33:00,090 --> 00:33:01,930 And I didn't believe it. 487 00:33:02,750 --> 00:33:05,410 Ellen and other friends try calling Brown. 488 00:33:06,610 --> 00:33:09,950 TV and newspaper reporters also work the phones. 489 00:33:10,860 --> 00:33:14,960 Part of the job as a reporter is to look for connections to both the victim and 490 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:17,760 the suspect. So we have been calling a variety of people. 491 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:23,240 Unfortunately, word got to Jason that an arrest warrant had been issued for him, 492 00:33:23,260 --> 00:33:25,140 and he was a suspect in this homicide. 493 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:32,400 By the time FBI agents converge on his sister's house, Jason Brown is gone. 494 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:36,160 The feds miss him by less than two hours. 495 00:33:37,310 --> 00:33:38,309 It's frustrating. 496 00:33:38,310 --> 00:33:39,310 It's very frustrating. 497 00:33:39,950 --> 00:33:43,710 Again, looking back, and I remember when it was released, I'm like, oh, we 498 00:33:43,710 --> 00:33:47,470 shouldn't release this, you know. But, you know, it's out of my hands. 499 00:33:47,950 --> 00:33:51,590 And that decision was made, and we have to live with it. 500 00:33:52,890 --> 00:33:56,170 It's hard to think about because I believe Jason could have been brought to 501 00:33:56,170 --> 00:34:02,550 justice back then. He could easily be in front of a judge, and justice could be 502 00:34:02,550 --> 00:34:04,830 served. But it didn't happen that way. 503 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:10,980 Back in Arizona, Max Newton is stunned when he watches the news that night. 504 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:17,840 So I went over and I got the paper plate that he'd written his name on, and I 505 00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:20,460 just looked at it and said, that was him. 506 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:26,760 He calls the Phoenix police and tells them of his encounter with Brown the day 507 00:34:26,760 --> 00:34:27,760 before the murder. 508 00:34:27,960 --> 00:34:32,719 He shows them the paper plate with Brown's name, address, and phone number, 509 00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:35,219 the bullet that he dug out of his truck's door. 510 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:42,139 Unbelievable. A great part of this investigation relies with that. The 511 00:34:42,139 --> 00:34:45,100 ammunition used in the crime is unique in itself. 512 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:51,340 And with that information, we were able to compare the crime scene evidence to 513 00:34:51,340 --> 00:34:53,040 that evidence, and it matched. 514 00:34:55,080 --> 00:35:00,700 Remarkably, just days after Max Newton contacts the police, he receives an 515 00:35:00,700 --> 00:35:04,340 envelope in the mail. It's a check for $1 ,300. 516 00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:07,860 sent from Jason Brown while he was on the lam. 517 00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:12,360 I opened it up, and it was a cashier's check for the exact amount. 518 00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:16,920 I couldn't believe that he'd actually still mailed me the check. 519 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:20,500 But that's not all that's in the envelope. 520 00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:26,140 Jason includes a $50 gift card for Max's son and an apology note. 521 00:35:27,220 --> 00:35:29,840 He said how bad he felt that he scared my son. 522 00:35:30,360 --> 00:35:34,140 And, you know, he hoped that my son would get himself something nice. 523 00:35:37,450 --> 00:35:41,070 So it's definitely a Jekyll and Hyde kind of move here. I mean, you have a 524 00:35:41,070 --> 00:35:45,350 who just shot a young armored car guard five times in the head with a .45 525 00:35:45,350 --> 00:35:50,350 caliber handgun who's still concerned about buying a gift card for a child and 526 00:35:50,350 --> 00:35:54,990 paying the retribution for the door that he accidentally shot from a stranger in 527 00:35:54,990 --> 00:35:55,990 the desert. 528 00:35:58,010 --> 00:36:03,990 Next on American Greed, Jason Brown sends another package in the mail, one 529 00:36:03,990 --> 00:36:06,030 that's even more perplexing. 530 00:36:07,279 --> 00:36:11,540 This is the end of Jason Derrick Brown as you know him package, which you have 531 00:36:11,540 --> 00:36:14,220 to do. If you're going to get a new identity, you cut all your ties with 532 00:36:14,220 --> 00:36:15,220 family. 533 00:36:27,460 --> 00:36:31,000 In Southern California, Jason Derrick Brown is on the run. 534 00:36:31,620 --> 00:36:34,500 But FBI agents are now tracking his movement. 535 00:36:35,850 --> 00:36:38,670 Once again, Brown leaves an electronic trail. 536 00:36:39,290 --> 00:36:44,690 He gets cash from an ATM in South Orange County, then stops at a gas station. 537 00:36:45,090 --> 00:36:51,130 He used the card to fill up with gas there, somewhere near Dana Point's close 538 00:36:51,130 --> 00:36:54,230 where his sister was, and a video of him filling up his Cadillac. 539 00:36:55,850 --> 00:37:00,610 Sixty miles south in San Diego, Brown uses another ATM. 540 00:37:01,510 --> 00:37:03,370 He's headed straight for Mexico. 541 00:37:04,010 --> 00:37:08,510 We put APBs out all over California, California Highway Patrol, all the 542 00:37:08,510 --> 00:37:12,150 checkpoints, all the border crossings, Border Patrol customs. They were all 543 00:37:12,150 --> 00:37:14,370 aware that we were looking for them. 544 00:37:15,750 --> 00:37:18,210 But suddenly, the trail goes cold. 545 00:37:20,510 --> 00:37:24,610 Eventually, they stop using the credit cards, stop using the phones. 546 00:37:27,170 --> 00:37:29,850 There's no sign that Jason ever gets to the border. 547 00:37:30,570 --> 00:37:34,450 But in a few days, he sends a mysterious package to his brother. 548 00:37:35,070 --> 00:37:39,910 The package is mailed from San Diego and contains a bizarre assortment of items. 549 00:37:40,450 --> 00:37:45,270 A cell phone, his fitness club membership card, and walkie -talkies. 550 00:37:46,570 --> 00:37:49,530 A few days later, a second package arrives. 551 00:37:50,970 --> 00:37:56,070 Surprisingly, this one is postmarked Portland, Oregon, 1 ,000 miles to the 552 00:37:56,070 --> 00:37:57,070 north. 553 00:37:57,170 --> 00:37:58,910 Jason didn't like Mexico very much. 554 00:37:59,530 --> 00:38:02,890 He probably had second thoughts, changed his mind and thought, maybe I can make 555 00:38:02,890 --> 00:38:03,890 it to Canada. 556 00:38:03,950 --> 00:38:10,250 The package from Portland contains a laptop computer, more clothing, and a 557 00:38:10,250 --> 00:38:11,250 handgun. 558 00:38:11,750 --> 00:38:17,110 He sent the 9mm Glock, not the Glock used to kill Keith, but a Glock that his 559 00:38:17,110 --> 00:38:20,510 brother had had at his house and claimed that Jason had stolen from him. 560 00:38:21,150 --> 00:38:27,410 Also included are videos featuring Jason's favorite subject. 561 00:38:30,220 --> 00:38:33,200 All his escapades. 562 00:38:33,540 --> 00:38:40,020 I love me pictures of me on a boat and water skiing and all the toys and girls 563 00:38:40,020 --> 00:38:41,960 and friends and partying. 564 00:38:42,460 --> 00:38:46,480 This is the end of Jason Derrick Brown As You Know Him package. 565 00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:55,860 In January 2005, Jason Brown's black Escalade is found at the Portland 566 00:38:55,860 --> 00:38:56,940 International Airport. 567 00:38:57,920 --> 00:39:01,020 Authorities say it's been sitting there for nearly a month. 568 00:39:01,260 --> 00:39:05,280 It was in disrepair. The life plate was taken off the back. The window was 569 00:39:05,280 --> 00:39:06,138 broken out. 570 00:39:06,140 --> 00:39:10,880 It looked like somebody wanted us to think it was broken into, but it didn't 571 00:39:10,880 --> 00:39:12,020 look ransacked inside. 572 00:39:14,220 --> 00:39:18,860 Around the same time the escalators found, the feds say Jason's brother 573 00:39:18,860 --> 00:39:20,300 travels to Las Vegas. 574 00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:25,480 Agents say David Brown cleans out his brother's storage unit and the missing 575 00:39:25,480 --> 00:39:26,480 silver BMW. 576 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:33,200 David goes to Las Vegas, takes the BMW that Jason used during the homicide, and 577 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:36,520 completely has it detailed inside and out, cleans it out completely, and 578 00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:40,560 destroys any potential DNA, hair, fiber evidence that could be in there for us. 579 00:39:41,500 --> 00:39:47,280 The FBI says David Brown previously told them he didn't know what the BMW was. 580 00:39:47,580 --> 00:39:52,480 He eventually pleads guilty to felony obstruction of justice and receives 581 00:39:52,480 --> 00:39:54,180 years of supervised probation. 582 00:39:54,970 --> 00:39:56,830 As investigators, we try to be objective. 583 00:39:57,090 --> 00:40:01,710 But, yeah, I mean, there are facts here that indicate that David didn't know 584 00:40:01,710 --> 00:40:06,210 what was going on or didn't know at least immediately after it happened. I 585 00:40:06,210 --> 00:40:07,210 be shocked. 586 00:40:07,690 --> 00:40:12,590 The BMW was one of the last good chances of gathering clues about Jason's 587 00:40:12,590 --> 00:40:13,590 whereabouts. 588 00:40:14,190 --> 00:40:20,170 After his adventures in Portland, the FBI says he likely crosses into Canada 589 00:40:20,170 --> 00:40:21,690 ultimately vanishes. 590 00:40:22,250 --> 00:40:23,910 So we think that's a likely route? 591 00:40:24,250 --> 00:40:28,850 Can I say it absolutely happened? I can't. But the tips do lead us to 592 00:40:28,850 --> 00:40:34,870 that he did cross the border and he was traveling east through Canada towards 593 00:40:34,870 --> 00:40:35,930 the French -speaking portions. 594 00:40:37,790 --> 00:40:43,890 In December 2007, the FBI places Jason Brown on their 10 most wanted list, 595 00:40:43,890 --> 00:40:45,370 he remains to this day. 596 00:40:46,110 --> 00:40:49,650 For a period of time, Osama bin Laden was on the list right next to Jason 597 00:40:53,070 --> 00:40:58,070 They're offering $200 ,000 for information that leads to his capture. 598 00:40:58,430 --> 00:41:02,670 Jason fit well within the profile of the FBI's top ten list, mainly because of 599 00:41:02,670 --> 00:41:08,010 his background. He has a high education, graduate classes in international 600 00:41:08,010 --> 00:41:12,230 business, speaks fluent French. The ability of him to be international is 601 00:41:12,310 --> 00:41:13,850 very likely. 602 00:41:14,290 --> 00:41:20,750 I believe he's out of the United States. I believe he's living a false life, 603 00:41:20,910 --> 00:41:22,270 probably scamming. 604 00:41:22,710 --> 00:41:23,710 the person he's with. 605 00:41:24,010 --> 00:41:27,470 It's hard to believe, but you may be that person sitting behind a computer 606 00:41:27,470 --> 00:41:32,430 collecting a salary every day, hoping that no one will recognize him. 607 00:41:34,330 --> 00:41:39,750 Anyone with information on Jason Brown should call the FBI's tip line at 1 -800 608 00:41:39,750 --> 00:41:43,030 -CALL -FBI or visit their website. 609 00:41:45,090 --> 00:41:49,050 These artist renderings show how Jason may have aged over the years. 610 00:41:49,470 --> 00:41:54,030 He's now in his mid -40s and could possibly have darker or longer hair. 611 00:41:54,710 --> 00:41:56,950 And he still resembles a certain actor. 612 00:41:57,790 --> 00:42:01,190 We've detained two different individuals who have worked as Sean Penn's body 613 00:42:01,190 --> 00:42:04,150 double, thinking they were Jason Brown in the San Francisco area. 614 00:42:05,170 --> 00:42:10,190 There's a theory that Jason may have reunited with his father, who 615 00:42:10,190 --> 00:42:13,590 decade before him. But the feds aren't buying it. 616 00:42:13,830 --> 00:42:15,910 Both Jason and his dad had a motivation to flee. 617 00:42:17,240 --> 00:42:21,160 I guess that's a conspiracy theory that they're somewhere together, but we 618 00:42:21,160 --> 00:42:23,220 haven't determined that to be a fact. 619 00:42:24,080 --> 00:42:29,400 Authorities say just one good tip is all it would take to bring this mystery to 620 00:42:29,400 --> 00:42:30,098 an end. 621 00:42:30,100 --> 00:42:32,580 We're not going to stop. We're going to keep looking for him. He's going to stay 622 00:42:32,580 --> 00:42:34,740 on that top ten list, and we're going to find him.