All language subtitles for Unsolved.Mysteries.S01E19.480p.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-PLAYREADY_track3_[und]

NARRATOR: This program is
about unsolved mysteries.

Whenever possible, the
actual family members

and police officials
have participated

in recreating the events.

What you are about to see
is not a news broadcast.

[theme music]

ROBERT STACK: In 1986, a bank
vault in Hollywood, California

was emptied by a cunning
group of burglars.

The bandits tunnelled
hundreds of feet underground

and escaped with $2 million.

The police call it, the
crime of the century.

In 1982, a 46-year-old
appliance repair man

was brutally murdered.

Three theories have surfaced.

Was this seemingly
ordinary father of four

killed by angry drug runners?

Or by vengeful crime bosses
against whom his brother

was called to testify?

Or was it a crime of passion,
committed by a jealous husband?

In 1982, seven-year-old
Kristle Merzlock drowned

in a swimming pool accident.

Crystal was clinically dead.

But after 15 minutes, doctors
brought her back to life.

Crystal is one
millions of Americans

who's undergone
what psychologists

call a near-death experience.

An intriguing,
mystifying phenomenon

in which they describe
a peaceful journey

after death, which
old friends lead

them towards a white light.

Proof of life after life or
simply a mass hallucination?

ROBERT STACK: 8:00 P.m.

Friday, June 6th, 1986.

An alarm sounded at the
First Interstate Bank

in Hollywood, California.

A police patrol was
dispatched to investigate.

When they arrived, they found
no evidence of a break in.

Good morning.

Hi, Gerald.

ROBERT STACK: On Monday
morning, bank employees

arrived for work.

It was business as usual.

A few minutes later, when a bank
officer opened up the vault,

she made a shocking discovery.

Incredibly, someone
had tunneled 30 yards

from under a nearby
street, ending up precisely

underneath the vault.
Using hand tools,

they patiently sliced through
the 18- inch thick, steel,

reinforced concrete floor.

Once inside, they made
off with over $2 million

in cash, jewelry and rare coins
Detective Dennis Pegankopp

was assigned to the case.

DENNIS PEGANKOPP:
My initial feelings

that morning, when we
first arrived at the scene,

was one of awe.

I realized the fact
that these suspects

were excellent burglars.

They would be extremely
difficult to catch.

They'd gone to a lot of work.

And it was awesome.

And you want to get
this one out of here too--

DENNIS PEGANKOPP: We view
this burglary, in the city,

as the crime of the century
as far as burglaries go.

The method of attack and
the fact they got $2 million

plus-- their ingenuity.

I had never seen a burglary
like this in 27 years.

Let's work this one
about 100 yards up.

ROBERT STACK:
Underneath the streets

of Los Angeles, a subterranean
highway of storm drains exists.

Detective Pegankopp
discovered that the burglars

had used these drains to
secretly travel to the bank.

Where they, then, could tunnel
undetected to the vaults.

I don't see any dirt yet.

ROBERT STACK: They dug 95
feet from a drain to the bank.

The extraordinary tunnels were
approximately 3 and 1/2 feet

wide by 4 and 1/2 feet high.

All dug by hand but finished
with electric tools.

A remarkable feat of
precision engineering.

DENNIS PEGANKOPP:
The experts tell

us that the type of tunnels
they dug were very safe runnels.

The size of the tunnels,
the shapes of tunnels,

were extremely expertly done.

And the contour of
the tunnels were

done as such to add extra
strength and protection

to those digging.

ROBERT STACK: Police
searched underground

in a three mile
radius of the bank,

looking for signs
of the robbers.

DENNIS PEGANKOPP: When we
concluded our investigation

at First Interstate
Bank, basically we

were left with no clues at all.

There was no physical
evidence left.

The suspect's left us
nothing to work with.

And we were
basically handcuffed.

Police had run out of clues.

It seemed as if the perfect
crime had been committed.

14 months later, the
daring bandit struck again.

They must have known that
their extraordinary tactics

were known to the authorities,
but that didn't deter them.

What is more surprising,
tunneling burglars came

within minutes of succeeding.

ROBERT STACK: On Saturday
morning, August 22 1987

the alarm system went
off at a Bank of America

in West Los Angeles.

Police were called
in to investigate.

The assistant bank
manager opened the vault.

They discover the vault
had been broken into.

Apparently the burglars
had fled while a robbery

was in progress.

On the floor, an 18 inch hole
was cut through the concrete.

When I got a phone call
from the officer at the bank

and he explained to me
a hole in the floor.

All I could think of
was, they're back.

They've done it again.

And how much money did
they get this time.

ROBERT STACK: Because
they were interrupted,

the thieves are only
able to steal $90,000.

They left behind their
tools and some work clothes.

Chisel.

This is the
diamond-tipped drill.

ROBERT STACK: The robbers
also left an 18 inch core bit,

a cutting tool used in
construction to bore

large holes through cement.

Lay it down and we'll roll it.

DENNIS PEGANKOPP: This was
purchased in the San Francisco

Bay Area, by a construction
company using a fictitious name

and address in San Diego
and they paid cash.

So basically we knew
that it was probably

a white male that purchased
it, but no other information.

There's a buildup
of dirt on this side.

That's it?

ROBERT STACK: Again detectives
searched miles of storm

drains for some clue as to
the identity of the bandits.

Approximately three
miles from the bike,

they found a four wheel vehicle
called a quad runner, just

inside a storm drain entrance.

Detective Pegankopp
believes the tunnels

were dug by just two men.

Apparently they
used their vehicles

to carry their heavy
equipment underground.

Their core bit and
drill alone required

a drill press that weighed
an excess of 100 pounds.

DENNIS PEGANKOPP: We
came to the conclusion

that the suspects were very
close friends, possibly army

buddies, able to work
together for long periods

of time in very confined areas.

Taking up three to
six weeks, probably,

to dig that one tunnel.

ROBERT STACK: Detective
Pegankopp also

believes a third
man was involved,

since clearly the burglars
must have been warned

by someone outside the bank.

MAN: (ON PHONE)
It's time to move.

ROBBER 1: Cops?
- I don't know.

I gotta go. .

ROBERT STACK: In their
escape, footprints

indicated that the burglars
ran through the tunnel, one

barefoot, one in stocking feet.

They abandoned one
of their vehicles

and apparently escaped on foot.

For all of their labors,
$90,000 must have

been a disappointing reward.

DENNIS PEGANKOPP: Of all
the evidence we recovered.

The tools, ladders,
clothing, we had developed

no fingerprints whatsoever.

The only fingerprint
we developed

was on the quad runner itself.

We got one latent print
from that vehicle.

That print has been run through
and compared with all arrestees

and it's our opinion
that this individual

has never been arrested.

ROBERT STACK: Police
again went underground,

looking for more evidence.

I don't know what that is.

POLICE OFFICER 1:
That's hollow, isn't it?

POLICE OFFICER 2: That's hollow.

ROBERT STACK: About a mile and
a half from the Bank of America,

they found another tunnel,
completely finished.

This 102 foot tunnel ended
beneath a Beverly Hills bank

and the mounding
bolts for the drill

were already in place
under the vault.

DENNIS PEGANKOPP: If they'd
have been able to accomplish

both burglaries that
week, it's told to me,

by the people in the
banking industry,

that they probably would have
gotten away with between $10

and $20 million.

ROBERT STACK: Police learned
that the quad runner was

purchased by a man
using the name David

Spaulding, his
only known address

a post office box in Hollywood.

One or two people
using this name,

apparently purchased five of
these distinctive vehicles.

Salespeople created two
composites of the same man.

He is a male Caucasian
around 35 years of age.

He's about six feet
in height and rugged

looking, as if used
to outdoor labor.

Next, the story
of two people who

have been pronounced clinically
dead and brought back to life.

The experience has profoundly
changed their lives.

The stories they
tell may suggest

what lies ahead after death.

[theme music]

ROBERT STACK: Seven years
ago on March 13th, 1982,

a just girl named
Kristle Merzlock was

attending a children's
birthday party

held at a local swimming pool.

Though she had just
recently learned to swim,

Kristle felt comfortable
in the water.

KRISTLE MERZLOCK: We
went into the pool

and we were just playing down
at the shallow end for a while.

And then, I don't know
why, but for some reason

I went out to the deep end where
a group of boys pushed me in.

But they didn't know it.

And I just started swallowing
water, gasping for air,

trying to grab on to
the top of the water.

I couldn't get any air.

And so I just fell unconscious.

And then I was just in darkness.

DOCTOR: Can we get some
breath sounds here, please?

[interposing voices]

DOCTOR: How are
the breath sounds?

MAN: OK, she has breath
sounds on the right side.

ROBERT STACK: Paramedics rushed
Kristle to a local hospital,

where a team led by Dr.
Melvin Morse feverishly

worked to save her life.

DOCTOR: Go ahead
and draw up again.

MELVIN MORSE: When she
came in, her pupils

were fixed and dilated.

I mean, she probably
had no brain activity.

She had none of
the normal reflexes

that we associate
with surviving.

She had what's called a
Glasgow Coma Score of three,

which very few people survive if
they have such a profound coma.

She's not coming around.

She's not coming around.

MELVIN MORSE: I did not
think that she would survive.

MICHAEL MERZLOCK: Dr.
Morse said that she

was so close to death
that-- to prepare

yourself for her demise.

That she could
expire at any time.

There wasn't much chance
given to her for prolonged

life after that event.

DOCTOR: OK, did you
check her blood pressure?

ROBERT STACK: At 3:30 p.m.

Kristle Merzlock
was clinically dead.

20 minutes later, she
was brought back to life.

During the period of time
she was being revived,

Kristle shared a common
experience with thousands

of other Americans.

A near-death experience or NDE.

Almost, without exception,
these people describe a journey

to a land with beautiful light.

A trip accompanied by
an overwhelming sense

of well-being.

Is this experience an
hallucination or evidence

of a life after death.

ROBERT STACK: As
Kristle lay near death,

she found herself
moving into darkness.

Then her eyes opened.

And she beheld a wondrous sight.

KRISTLE MERZLOCK: I didn't
really know where I was.

It's just, I looked up and
I saw this bright light

at the end of the tunnel.

And there were colored bricks
on the walls of the tunnel.

The light, kind of,
pulled me toward it.

It was just the most loving
light I've ever seen.

And then I saw this lady.

She came toward me really
soft and really slow

and she took my hand and
she said, "I'm Elizabeth

and I will help you."

She just led me into the
light and through the light.

And into heaven.

I just felt that this was
the place I wanted to be.

ROBERT STACK: Kristle senses
she was floating over her body,

observing the
medical team as they

attempted to save her life.

KRISTLE MERZLOCK: When I was
up there, I saw the doctors.

They were working on me.

They were sticking
things on my arm

and up my nose to
help me breathe.

And I didn't like it.

That was one of the reasons
I wanted to stay up there.

[beeping]

KRISTLE MERZLOCK: But--

[flat line]

KRISTLE MERZLOCK:
When I got thinking

about how I wouldn't be able
to really hug my mom again.

Or anybody I really loved and I
said, "No, I want to go back. "

And then I was back in my body.

I wasn't dead.

I was still alive.

There was still a part
of me, like my soul

my spirit, was still alive.

I wasn't dead at all.

ROBERT STACK: For
at least 20 minutes,

Kristle was, for all
intents and purposes, dead.

Even after she was
revived, the child

was in a coma for three days.

Fortunately, once
she returned home,

Kristle completely
regained her health.

Kristle had never met Dr. Morse,
the man who saved her life,

but when they were introduced
he seemed familiar.

MELVIN MORSE: The last
time I had seen her,

she was profoundly comatose.

She could not have been in a
deeper coma and still be alive.

And then I saw her at
follow up two weeks later.

I said, you know,
Hi I'm Dr. Morse.

You probably don't remember me,
but I sure know you, Kristle.

Because I spent a grueling
four hours trying to bring

you back to life.

And then she turned to
her mother and said,

well, no I have seen him before.

She stated that she
remembered seeing

me from the emergency room.

KATHY MERZLOCK: She said,
oh yes I've met you.

I saw you.

You were putting
something in my throat,

you were working with my neck.

And she scowled at him.

I saw his face and I knew him.

It was just, like, I'd
never seen him before.

And I knew him.

She also described other
elements of her resuscitation.

She described us
pushing on her chest

and putting various
lines in her.

She described
that-- she told me,

first you worked on me
in the emergency room.

And then you took
me to another room.

You know, which
was, in fact, true.

And when you see a
seven-year-old talk like that

and say things like
that, there is no reason

for you not to believe it.

You know, it comes
straight from the heart.

ROBERT STACK: Dr.
Gabbard has studied

these near-death
experiences and believes

they may be physical, not
metaphysical, phenomena.

GLEN O. GABBARD: The
near-death experience

can be understood
as deriving from

a fundamental,
psychological need

to deny the reality of death.

Because it's too horrible
to face the prospect

that, when the
body goes, that it.

It's very tempting,
of course, to suppose

that these experiences are
explainable by some sort

of physiological events or
biochemical events going on

in the brain at
the point of death.

Or perhaps, by psychological
principles, that this is just

wish fulfillment.

That the mind is unable
to accept final death so

makes up this beautiful fantasy.

But, in fact, when you look
carefully look at the reports,

I think we've all concluded
that something very different

is going on.

One reason for this is that the
patients are able to tell us

things about the
resuscitation attempt

that they wouldn't have
any way of knowing.

My own subjective
feeling, after 23 years

of working with
these patients, is

that, I have no
doubt whatsoever,

that they had a glimpse
of the life hereafter.

[music playing]

ROBERT STACK: Kristle
has been to a place

where her friends and
family have never gone.

She is certain that this
experience will stay

with her the rest of her life.

KRISTLE MERZLOCK:
I have remembered

this for seven years.

I cannot forget it.

It's always there.

It's always been
very real to me.

And it's always
very clear to me.

When we return, the
story of a man who may

have passed through
death to the other side.

Today his life has
been transformed.

He believes that
life after death

is a very real possibility.

[theme muisic]

Many thousands
of people have died

and lived to tell the tale.

An overwhelming number
describe the same phenomena,

a tunnel of light and a sense
of floating over their body.

One of the strangest
stories connected

with a near-death
experience was told by a New

York man named Thomas Sawyer.

10 years ago, his life was
transformed by an accident

that occurred in his garage.

Today, Tom Sawyer is,
literally, a new man.

[music playing]

ROBERT STACK: Tom Sawyer
lives in upstate New York

and works as a
snowplow operator.

For 33 years he lived a
normal, uneventful life.

THOMAS SAWYER: I'd have to
describe myself as, pretty

much, an All-American boy.

You know, with a
name like Tom Sawyer

you have one of two choices.

You can become a
comedian and outgoing

or end up being an introvert.

ROBERT STACK: Tom turned to
athletics during high school

and that propelled
him to popularity.

However his academic record
was lackluster for good reason.

THOMAS SAWYER:
From seventh grade

in grammar school,
right through age 33,

I never read a book
cover to cover.

I just dislike reading
immensely and I read nothing.

ROBERT STACK: In his late
teens, Tom raced bicycles.

And, in 1968, qualified
for the Olympic team.

In 1967, he married
Elaine and they

had two sons, Tim and Todd.

Tom was a family man.

A blue collar worker who prided
himself on his practicality.

Prior to this experience, I
had thought about such things

as religion and so on
and I thought that it was

just a bunch of foolishness.

I would describe
myself as an agnostic.

What I had figured out was
that when you die, you die.

The show was over.

Everything goes
black and that's it.

Just bring the whole box and
sort some of the tools out.

Hand me the needle nose pliers.

Hold on.

THOMAS SAWYER: When I
had this experience,

I was repairing my pickup truck.

I had the front wheels off
it and was lying on my back.

And the truck suddenly
started to move.

Oh my God!

Dad!

THOMAS SAWYER: When Todd ran
in and made the phone call,

I heard it very
clearly and vividly.

Hello.

My name is Todd Sawyer--

THOMAS SAWYER: There
are other things

that I was able to hear
that were impossible for me

to hear with my ears and
others with my normal hearing.

Such as, the conversation
of the paramedics

getting into the ambulance
3 and 1/2 miles away.

ROBERT STACK: His wife's
screams brought the neighbors

and they worked
desperately to free him.

Lift, lift.

One, two, three!

THOMAS SAWYER: As
I went unconscious,

I then, experienced a
sensation or a feeling

of absolutely waking up.

It wasn't anything at all like
waking up from a sleep state.

It was like being unconscious
or absolutely asleep and then,

like a click of the
fingernail, absolutely awake.

The only problem with
this feeling of waking up

was that all I saw was darkness.

That darkness gradually
took the shape of a tunnel.

And way off, absolutely,
positively to infinity,

appeared this little
speck of white light.

This was the most
beautiful thing that I had

ever experienced in my life.

It was just extraordinary.

All the pressure
of the trunk being

on me and the horrendous
pain, that was gone.

And I felt very comfortable.

The next thing
that I realized was

that I was motionless at
the end of the tunnel.

Confronted by the light of God.

I was confronted by heaven.

That light included
absolutely everything.

It was the entire universe.

It was absolute total knowledge.

I had the opportunity to
ask any question at all

and the absolute,
unequivocal, correct answer

would be emanated to me.

I then experienced a
complete, total life review.

It was every day, every event,
every minute and second.

In other words, I relived
the Olympic trials,

my marriage, all of these
things at the same time.

I was then given a choice.

To return to normal life or stay
and become part of this light.

I chose to stay and
become part of that light.

But I then had a
feeling of going exactly

reversal through the tunnel.

And slamming back into my body.

ROBERT STACK: Finally
as paramedics arrived,

the truck was lifted off.

And Sawyer was taken
to the hospital.

- You'll be all right, Tom.
- On three.

One, two, three.

THOMAS SAWYER: Well I'm
probably the only one

you'll ever meet that's
been kicked out heaven.

Because, since I chose to stay
and become part of that light,

and I am back here without
any explanation at all.

One of the logical, deductive
things that you could assume

was that I got kicked out
for some reason or another.

ROBERT STACK: Surprisingly
Sawyer left the hospital,

the same day of his accident.

He had no broken bones,
though he suffered

from some internal bleeding.

According to medical reports,
Tom had been deprived

of oxygen for 15 minutes.

I vaguely recall
the ride home.

I was in extreme
pain, of course.

And I was just sitting in
the back seat, by myself,

moaning and groaning
from the pain.

But, apparently, when I was
riding home, all of a sudden,

I blurted out and said--

Oh, it was so beautiful.

THOMAS SAWYER: And Elaine
turned around and said,

what was so beautiful?

What are you talking about?

Well I didn't answer her at all.

And I just continued
to moan and groan

for the rest of the ride home.

Elaine said to me, don't
you know what's happened?

Don't you know what you've had?

That's called a
near-death experience.

Whereupon my response was,
well, I don't believe in any

of that hocus pocus baloney.

But, shortly after I
recuperated from the injuries

from this accident, I
started saying things

that I didn't understand.

And my wife Elaine
didn't understand.

And one particular day,
I was watching television

and I kind of blurted out--

Max Planck.

THOMAS SAWYER: And I
said it just like that.

Who?
Who's that?

THOMAS SAWYER: So, of
course, I asked my family

if they knew who that was.

And Elaine said, no, I
don't know who it is.

And then she asked me,
do you know who it is?

And my answer was, well, no,
but you'll be hearing more

about him in the near future.

I don't understand that.

ROBERT STACK: Elaine encouraged
him to write down his thoughts.

Tom began to jot down
complex equations.

Equations that could
only have been understood

by a master of quantum physics.

Tom also drew symbols like
the Greek letter, psi.

THOMAS SAWYER: Sometimes
I would write something

down and know that
it was correct

but have no idea what it was.

In other words, I would write
down a mathematical equation.

Well I had geometry and
some algebra in high school.

But this had symbols,
like triangles,

and things like that in it.

ROBERT STACK: In an
attempt to find out

the meaning of these
arcane symbols,

Sawyer went to the
Rochester library.

He was directed to the physics
section and asked for guidance

from a man he met at the stacks.

The man suggested a textbook
that contained information

on quantum physics
and biographies

of its pioneering founders.

Well, yeah I think,
possibly, you might

find this one interesting.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

THOMAS SAWYER: When I opened
it, there were two things

that stood out on that page.

There was the symbol, psi, in
the middle of the paragraph.

And there was a title, just
underneath a picture of a man.

And it said Max Planck.

BRUCE GREYSON: The
most common things

we hear from people who have
had near death experiences are

that they have a
much greater sense

now of being part of something
larger than themselves.

They become interested
in, what can be called,

the spiritual aspects
of their lives.

They are no longer
invested in things,

like, individual fame,
fortune, material

rewards, competitiveness.

They're much more involved in
cooperation, in helping others,

than they were before.

ELAINE SAWYER: He started
being a more loving person.

He started caring about myself
and a lot of strangers, a lot

of people he helped a lot.

Anybody that needed
help, he would help.

These people have undergone
profound and dramatic changes

in their personality.

And their lifestyle.

And their values.

All of them talk
about the importance

of interpersonal relationships,
learning how to love others.

A great sense of the importance
of wisdom and understanding.

And, certainly, a renewed
appreciation of life.

This is a genuine
spiritual experience

which profoundly and
dramatically changes the way

they are from then on out.

One of the real dangers of all
the attention that near-death

experience is getting
in the media is that

it might romanticize death.

It might lead people
who are contemplating

suicide to think that death
is a wonderful experience.

I suppose the near-death
experience does romanticize

death in that regard.

But if you listen to what
near-death experiences

are saying, they're saying
it also romanticizes life.

It makes life so much more
meaningful, more purposeful,

more beautiful
than it was before.

That suicide just becomes
not an option anymore.

People have asked me, if
death is so wonderful and so

sensational and you want
to be part of that light,

why don't you kill yourself?

It's very important to
me to state to everybody

that suicide is an absolute
impossibility for me.

You know, it's not only
a social and legal no no.

It's a moral and
spiritual no no also.

To even think of or
consider suicide.

I think the way these people
respond to the experience

and the degree of
change that they

experience after it, points to
a tremendously powerful force.

The types of changes they
experience afterwards,

the unusual abilities
they have afterwards,

point to something far greater
than we're aware of now.

Our usual explanations
of the way the brain,

the way the mind works,
in terms of physiology,

just don't explain
what's going on.

Something larger at work
here than we're aware of yet.

[music playing]

ROBERT STACK: Are these
strange journeys only a prelude

to a life after death?

Or are they hallucinations?

Religions around the
world have grappled

with metaphysical aspects
of these questions.

And scientists have tried to
explain it in physical terms.

Clearly death, and
what comes after,

is the most profound
unsolved mystery of them all.

[theme music]

ROBERT STACK: On a
previous broadcast,

we examined the story
of Dan Willains,

a mysterious
prospector who spent

his life searching for gold
in the Canadian wilderness.

We asked our audience to help
locate his unknown heirs.

In 1926, Willains was
panting at Red Lake

in the province of Ontario,
when he found gold.

He and his partner
staked their claim

and established one of the most
profitable small gold mines

in Canadian history.

In 1936, Dan Willains set
out into the wilderness

to do some solitary prospecting.

He was never seen again.

Willains left behind an
estate of almost $100,000,

which today may be worth as
much as $3.5 million dollars.

It has remained unclaimed
for more than 50 years.

Update.

Within days of our broadcast,
Davey Willains, a New York

businessman, called
our 800 number,

claiming he might be one of the
heirs to Dan Willains' fortune.

DAVEY WILLAINS: My grandfather,
we have determined,

came from the UK
to Ontario in 1895.

At that time, he
was 11 years of age.

We believe he traveled
with another family member.

And we also have been told that
there was a cousin someplace

up in the outback of Ontario.

But there was never any
contact with that individual

through the years.

So when this Unsolved Mysteries
program aired and this Dan

Willains a bushmen from
Ontario, was disclosed,

it certainly was an
exciting possible link

for our family-tree searching.

ROBERT STACK: Davey
Willains flew to Toronto

to meet Joe Perkins,
one of Dan Willains

last surviving friends.

He brought along photographs
of his grandfather, Harold

Willains, and his
great-grandfather,

John Willains, to see if there
was a family resemblance.

JOE PERKINS: It was uncanny.

I couldn't believe it.

The similarity of the face, the
nose, the spacing of the eyes,

forehead, and, I think if you
took the beard off the old man,

they'd look like twins.

ROBERT STACK: Indeed
there does seem

to be a strong resemblance.

Our great grandfather,
John, grandfather,

Harold, and prospector, Dan
Willains, all blood relatives.

Is Davey an heir to
Dan Willains' fortune?

DAVEY WILLAINS: Certainly money
is important to everybody.

And if the Ontario government
is holding considerable assets

that could rightfully be
claimed by a Willains,

then I'd like to
see that happen.

I don't know if it'll be
me and my cousins or not.

But maybe now we can get some
Willains to come forward.

And maybe we do have a
strong case to be made.

And certainly we are going
to take the next steps

to pursue that possibility

[music playing]

ROBERT STACK: In a
moment, the story

of a 46-year-old repairman
who was brutally murdered

in a quiet town in rural Ohio.

Police have three bizarre
theories, but no suspects.

[theme music]

ROBERT STACK: May
the 23rd, 1982.

In the small town of
Hammersville, Ohio,

a 15-year-old boy
riding his parents lawn

mower back home after a mowing
job made a terrible discovery.

It was a man's body,
nude and beaten.

That night the man would be
identified as 46-year-old

Perman Gilbert, an
appliance repairman

who lived just seven miles from
the place his body was found.

The most puzzling thing
about Perman Gilbert's murder

is that he appeared,
to those who know him,

to lead such a normal,
non-controversial life.

Yet some believe that just
beneath a comforting small town

facade, dark forces swirled.

As the citizens of
Clermont County,

Ohio discussed Perman
Gilbert's murder,

phrases like
organized crime, drug

trafficking, and jealous
husband began to surface.

Gilbert was a beloved
husband and father of four.

He and his family belong
to the Church of Christ

and participated in the civic
life of the rural Ohio county

where they had lived
their whole lives.

Perman Gilbert remained close
to his siblings, especially

his youngest brother who was
always in and out of trouble

with the law.

Perman's hobby was flying,
but he was employed

as an appliance repairman.

Assigned by a
nationally known company

as their troubleshooter.

He worked for the large
firm during the week,

but on Saturdays Perman made
independent service calls,

answering only to himself.

JOANN GILBERT: When he
left that Saturday morning,

it was probably 8:30.

And he said he
didn't want to go.

And it just, now it bothers me.

That's what I remember about
him leaving that morning.

ROBERT STACK: Perman
Gilbert's service

appointments that
Saturday morning

took him to Mount Orab, Ohio.

And also further south to
Georgetown and Aberdeen, Ohio.

Hi, Mr Gilbert, how are you?

Fine, just call me Perm.

Perm, I keep smelling
gas in my kitchen.

I think it's my pilot light.

ROBERT STACK:
Gilbert's service calls

had put him at the
southernmost tip of Ohio.

When the calls were completed,
he crossed the Simon Kenton

bridge into Maysville,
Kentucky and stopped in

at a large market
and variety store.

Ann Breeze, who works at
the market checkout counter,

remembers his visit
that Saturday.

- Hi, Ann, how are you today?
- Just fine, how are you?

He was tall.

A nice looking man, he
was always very neat.

Greeted you, you
know, very friendly

every time you saw him.

I never saw the man
down or act like he

had a care in the world.

You going to have
lunch with me today?

No, I can't have
lunch with you.

Well I guess I have
to eat that bologna

and cheese by myself.

ANN BREEZE: He would
usually say that to me.

And he knew that I wouldn't
go to lunch with him.

You know, just
usual chit chatter.

ROBERT STACK: When Perman left
the market checkout counter,

he walked into the
flower shop next door.

DONNA PHIPPS: He
pushed the buzzer.

And I came from the back.

And I asked if I could help him.

He said he'd like to know if
another employee was here.

And I said no she
doesn't come until 4.

And if I could help him, anyway.

And he said, no, he wanted
to order some flowers.

And they knew what he
wanted and everything.

And he said he would
come back later.

She knows what I wanted.

OK.

Thank you.

There was nothing
unusual about him.

He was just a normal customer.

He wasn't nervous or
anything when I met him.

ROBERT STACK: No one can account
for Perman Gilbert's movements

after he left the flower shop.

He had told his wife he'd
be back home around 3:00 PM,

but he did not arrive.

Then it got to be
dark and he wasn't here.

Then it got to be midnight.

And I was scared.

And I was afraid
to go out, even.

I had a small child and I was
afraid to put her in the car

and go out looking.

And then, I think, about
3:00 in the morning,

I called one of our friends.

And, you know, have
you seen Perman?

Do you know where he's at?

Anything like that.

And they didn't.

ROBERT STACK: Joann
Gilbert called the police.

They were unable to
turn up any leads

until late the
next afternoon when

her husband's body was found.

He was completely nude.

He didn't have any clothes on.

That bothered me.

I would like to know
why that was done.

I've heard it's to
humiliate the family.

I don't know that's
why it was done.

Maybe it was done to make
it longer to identify him.

ROBERT STACK: Because no clothes
fibers were found in the two

bullet wounds,
Clermont County police

believe that Perman had
been naked above the waist

at the time he was shot.

Perman's billfold, carrying
the symbol of the Masons,

was missing, along
with his clothes.

So was the Masonic belt
buckle he always wore.

Although Perman's
clothes were never found,

his van was located
the next day.

22 miles away from
the spot where

his body had been discovered.

JOHN VAN CAMP: Perman
Gilbert's watch was still

hanging on the gearshift lever.

His toolbox was in there.

Parts and supplies was
in place in the van.

We did do an
inspection of the van

and recover fingerprints
and hair samples.

And, at this time,
we have not been

able to match the fingerprints
and hair samples to anyone.

ROBERT STACK: In
the investigation

that followed Perman Gilbert's
death, three theories evolved.

I think that whatever
happened to him

had something to do with drugs.

ROBERT STACK: Perman
was a licensed pilot.

He owned a small plane which he
flew out of a makeshift landing

strip on his farm.

Perman told me that he had
been approached to fly drugs.

How's it going?

OK, What's happening?

Well we had a little
favor we'd like you

to do for us if you don't mind.
- No.

It's just a little trip.

JOANN GILBERT: And all he had
to do was to take the airplane

and fly it to a certain airport.

Go in and have a cup of
coffee, come back out,

and there'd be money laying
on the seat or under the seat.

I don't want
nothing to do with it.

Just forget it.
- It's good money.

No, that's all right.

If these guys don't
quit bugging me,

I'm going to call
the authorities.

And it would have
been easy money,

but that's against the law
and it was against everything

that we believed in.

I believe that he
knew too much about what

was going on as far
as who was involved

with drugs and who wasn't.

Because he would not go
along with their plan,

that he was beaten and
killed because of it.

ROBERT STACK: The
second theory revolves

around Perman Gilbert's
youngest brother, Vernon.

Vernon was 12 years
younger than Perman

and they were devoted
to one another.

You sure you can't
stay the night then?

ROBERT STACK: No, I
want to be getting back.

ROBERT STACK: In
February of 1982,

when Vernon was called to
testify in an organized crime

case, Perman stood by him.

--from there, it'll
take a little while.

OK, it should be
about an hour or so.

OK?
- About an hour?

OK.
I'll be around.

See you in an hour.
Good luck to you.

Thanks

ROBERT STACK: The
actual hearings

were closed to the public.

And Perman had to kill
time while his brother

was testifying.

He began to suspect that
he was being followed.

JOHN VAN CAMP: Perman Gilbert
had told acquaintances

that he felt at the day at
the federal court building,

that a man was
following him around.

I don't know of any
person that might have

been following
Perman Gilbert and it

was not any of our personnel.

ROBERT STACK: Perhaps
Perman Gilbert had become

a target of organized crime.

JOANN GILBERT: Maybe my
husband knew too much.

Maybe Perman was killed who
to lure his brother back

to the funeral.

And because they were
after him, really.

But then his brother
didn't come to the funeral.

ROBERT STACK: The
third theory is

that Perman Gilbert
may have been

involved in a crime of passion.

Oh.

Hi, Perm.

Thanks for coming
over right away.

Hi.
It's no problem.

How you been?

What's your problem?

The washing machine is
making this grinding noise.

The very nature of Perman
Gilbert's home appliance repair

business placed him into
many, many households,

alone with a family member.

Yes, I thought he
was very attractive.

And I know other women were
very attracted to him too.

He was tall, about six, two.

Well-built. Had nice
hair, pretty eyes.

And a nice looking man.

I really didn't
know about his death

until someone from
in his home area

came through and said there
was one or two theories.

But one was that they
thought a jealous boyfriend

or husband had killed him.

I feel that the crime of
passion theory doesn't hold up.

Because that's supposed to be
something that's very swift.

And they beat around
on him like someone

was trying to get information
out of him or something.

What we need
now is for someone

to come forward and
help us trace Perman

Gilbert from that flower shop.

Anyone that has seen him
around the flower shop

or in the parking lot with
his cream and brown van,

at that time or
later in the day.

We'd like to hear from.

And I feel like
there are people

out there, in the
community, that know

what happened to my father.

And for fear of their own
lives, or other people,

they're afraid to speak up.

I wish that they would come
forward and fill in those bits

and pieces for us.

[theme music]

ROBERT STACK: Next week
on Unsolved Mysteries,

an examination of
the legend of Billy

the Kid that suggests history
may have to be rewritten.

Most historians and
Hollywood screen versions

claim that Billy
was dramatically

gunned down by his friend
Sheriff Pat Garrett in 1881.

But the people of tiny Hico,
Texas say that's all bunk.

That one of their
own citizens, a man

named Brushy Bill Roberts,
was the real Billy the Kid.

And that he died
in 1950, 69 years

after the famous gunfight.

We'll examine the evidence next
week on Unsolved Mysteries.

[theme music]