Original subtitles

(eerie music)

(birds chirp) (water ripples)

(eerie music)

(camera clicks)

(mysterious music)

(dramatic music)

- Police say the body was found early this morning

by a wildlife photographer in a mangrove swamp

off Key Biscayne.

The victim's clothes were in disarray and police believe

she may have also been the victim of an assault.

This is possibly the third rape-murder in as many weeks.

However, police are not willing to say

the murders are connected.

Jane.

- Thank you, Mona.

Roger, in a situation like this, with the possibility

of a mad killer roaming our city,

even the slightest suspicion should be reported

to the police.

- I couldn't agree with you more, Jane.

Coming up next on News-point

- Once again, Roger, I think it's important

for the people themselves to demonstrate their concern

over this situation.

We've got a psychopath running around out there.

Every woman should report anything unusual,

any odd encounter or situation.

- Yes, I couldn't agree with you more, Jane.

And coming up next on News-point, is Dr. Bob and the weather.

Bob, what have you got for us today?

- Well, are you ski fans?

You're in luck today.

It's snowing. (laughs)

Only 2000 miles away in Aspen, Colorado.

Quasimodo, that's enough.

Where they had three inches of that white stuff today.

- You better watch yourself going home tonight, Deb.

- Don't worry, Al.

If I can handle this place,

I can get myself home in one piece.

(roadhouse music)

(eerie music)

(thud) (gasps)

(eerie music)

(door lock clicks)

(suspenseful music)

(TV clatters)

(phone rings)

Hello?

(heavy breathing)

Is someone there?

- Is that you, Debbie?

- Is this somebody's idea of a bloody joke?

(man laughs)

Who the fuck is there?

(click)

(phone rings)

- Debbie?

Debbie?

I know you're not wearin’ a bra, Debbie. (laughs)

- Fucking creep.

(suspenseful music)

(phone rings)

- I'm gonna fuck you, Debbie.

Fucking bitch.

Bitch.

(eerie music)

(phone rings)

I'm gonna kill you, Debbie. (laughs)

(phone dial clicks)

(phone rings)

- [Sergeant] District four, Sergeant McGuire.

- Yes, I live alone.

I keep getting these calls.

- [Sergeant] Obscene calls?

- Yeah, they were awful, sick.

- [Sergeant] You've been watchin’ the TV news, huh?

- Huh?

- [Sergeant] Well, you're the sixth complaint this evening.

Since those murders started, every weirdo in town

has been jumpin’ on the bandwagon.

Every one from boyfriends playing jokes

to certified psychopaths.

- Oh? - That's right.

Those TV people don't do us any favors.

- But this was for real.

I didn't know his voice, yet, he knew me.

It was almost as if he could see me.

- [Sergeant] Did he threaten you?

- Yes, yes he did.

He kept saying things.

- Well, like I said, Miss, this sorta thing's

been happenin’ all night.

Listen, if it'll make you feel better, I'll have someone

come out tomorrow to take an official report.

If it keeps happening, we'll have a tap put

on your phone, okay?

- Yeah sure.

- Now what's your name?

- Walmsley, Debbie Walmsley, 1111 Marine Circle,

off the beach, apartment 104.

- [Sergeant] Got it.

You'll hear from us in the morning.

Have a good night.

- Yeah, thanks.

(startling music)

(dogs bark)

(eerie music)

(floorboard creaks)

(eerie music)

(floorboard creaks)

(eerie music)

(knocks on door)

Who is it?

- [Jeff] It's me, Jeff.

- Jeff, thank God.

(Debbie gasps)

- What the hell are you doin'?

- Have you gone totally nuts?

- Hey, this thing's only a joke.

It was left In my cab.

What the hell is goin' on around here?

- Some creep's been calling me all night.

Can I stay at your place?

- Sure, baby.

- Oh, thanks, love.

I'll just be a sec, okay?

- Yeah, yeah.

(dramatic music)

(eerie music)

(suspenseful music)

(glass shatters)

- Can't leave you alone for a minute.

What have you knocked over now?

Jeff?

Enough's enough.

The joke's over.

Now listen.

Jeff?

(terrorizing music) (Debbie screams)

(suspenseful music)

(thuds)

(Debbie screams)

(thuds) (screams)

(dramatic music)

(screams)

(dramatic music)

(he yells) (she gasps)

(chuckles)

- Oh my God.

- What's the matter?

- The time, I didn't realize it was this late.

- You know, you could help me solve a big problem.

- What's that?

- I don't know what to do with the left side of my closets.

There's plenty of space.

And you can have it with an open-ended option

and no binding clauses.

- I'm afraid I'm gonna have to take a postponement

on that one, counselor.

I think you're trying to influence the decision

of the court.

- I can always serve you with a restraining order.

Hey, I was just about to go into my final argument.

- Well, we're gonna have to discuss this later

because night court is adjourned.

- I'm at the end of my probationary period.

- David, I thought we agreed there wasn't gonna be

any time schedule.

- And we did.

But I seem to recall we also agreed that we'd talk

about your sister.

- Not right now.

- All right.

We can't keep putting it off forever.

- Do you have any idea how long it's taken me just

to establish a home for Tracy?

I can't just change that on her.

It wouldn't be fair for her or for us.

- Look, I'm not asking you to do that.

You know how I feel about you.

- But that's not the point.

She would be a burden to you.

You would grow to resent her and then you'd resent me

and then it would just be over for all of us.

- How do you know?

- I know.

Believe me, I know.

Goodnight.

(eerie music)

Damn. (tires screech)

(suspenseful music)

(car door bangs)

(suspenseful music)

(car door bangs)

(birds chirp)

(claps)

- [Radio] And more disheartening news,

the Labor Department reports that the national unemployment

rate has remained unchanged for the last four months.

More world and national news coming up.

(fanfare)

Preliminary projections for next year's budget

show a probable 16% tax hike for homeowners

in Broward County.

Commissioner John Frankel says the increase has been

brought on by two main factors.

One is the impact of inflation.

The other is the lack of a cash surplus for the first time

in three years.

WXXI All News Time - No, disco.

- [Radio] is 8:42, and turning to local news,

police report The Miami Strangler has struck again.

The bodies of Debbie Wamsley, a South Beach waitress,

and an unidentified male companion were found

early this morning in her South Beach apartment.

(knocks on table) Dade County

investigators are awaiting the coroner's report

in order to fix the exact time of death.

(doorbell chimes) - Nothing.

Kinda nice around

South Florida this morning. - There's somebody

at the door. - 86 degrees in Miami.

82 at the beach.

In West State at the Tamiami airport, rather warm, 90.

(knocks on table)

- I think someone wants you over there.

- Right.

Let me tell her you're here.

- No, wait.

Can I?

- Well, sure.

Does David want some coffee?

- Well, sure.

You know, I'd really like to be able to talk with her.

- It's not something you can just learn overnight.

You have to live with it.

- No more excuses, remember?

- Okay.

That wasn't so hard, was it?

(knocks on table)

- I really blew it at work yesterday.

This rapist thing is really getting to me.

- Well, I think you're being way too hard on yourself.

I mean, you've got to put the whole thing out of your mind.

Why waste time on something you can't do anything about?

Where's she going with those bags?

- To the laundry.

- Tracy does the laundry?

- Among other things.

- Ward, go to a CU on Jane.

- Police say the two had been dead for at least 12 hours.

Ironically, the bodies were discovered by detectives

following up a complaint of obscene phone calls

received last night.

Although an autopsy is being performed at this time

by the Dade County Medical Examiner, a preliminary report

indicates that the woman was sexually molested,

then strangled to death with a belt found at the scene.

- Well, apparently Metro police have assigned

at least 15 detectives full-time to this case

and they are expecting a break very shortly.

We'll be right- Unfortunately, Roger,

it's too late for one more victim.

- Uh oh, there she goes again.

- Well, I'm sure the police are doing everything they can.

We'll be right back after this.

You okay?

- Yeah, I'm fine.

(suspenseful music)

- [Child] Everybody's getting killed.

(mysterious music)

- Come on, Tracy.

Come on.

(mysterious music)

Tracy, you stay here.

(mysterious music)

Tracy, you stay here.

(suspenseful music)

(door bangs) (engine roars)

(horn honks)

(car door bangs)

(eerie music)

- [Jimmy] Hello, Management Office, Jimmy here.

- Hi, Jimmy.

I bumped into a car last night in the garage

and I don't think there was any damage but I wanted

to leave a note just to be sure.

It's space 23.

Can you tell me whose that is?

- [Jimmy] Anything you say, Miss Harris.

Let's have a look.

21, 22, 23, (speaks In foreign language)

That's Mr. Stanley Herbert, apartment 1204,

over in the North Tower.

Hello, Miss Harris?

- 1204?

- [Jimmy] Yeah, 1204, you're almost neighbors.

(eerie music) You should be able

to see each other.

(suspenseful music)

(typewriter keys clack)

(phone rings)

- Hello, Rogers, Richardson, and McGowan.

I'm sorry, but everyone's gone home for the evening.

Is there anyone there?

Hello?

(typewriter keys clack) (phone rings)

Hello?

- [Man On Phone] Is that you, Annette? (laughs)

- Look, why don't you go stick it in your ear

and then go jump in the Bay.

- I'm gonna stick it in you, Annette.

(dial tone buzzes)

(phone rings)

(music box music)

This is our song, Annette.

- Why don't you leave me alone, will ya?

I'm not interested.

I don't wanna hear it.

(suspenseful music)

(phone rings) (eerie music)

- [Susan] Hello.

- Susan, I'm scared to death.

Somebody keeps calling me.

- [Susan] Annette?

- He knows my name.

He knows where I work.

- [Susan] Hey, hey, calm down.

You okay?

- Look, I can't take much more of this creep.

He's really getting to me.

He plays music.

- [Susan] Music, what kind of music?

- I don't know.

It sounds like something out of a music box.

- [Susan] You call the cops?

- No, I don't want any hassles.

I just wanna get out of here.

He's driving me crazy.

What are you up to?

Are you alone tonight?

- [Susan] Yeah, like a good girl.

- Well, do you mind If I come over?

- [Susan] Sure, come on.

- I'm on my way.

(eerie music)

(elevator dings)

(eerie music)

(phone rings)

(sobs)

(eerie music)

(engine roars) (eerie music)

(yells) (car horn honks)

- Herbert, Stanley Herbert, and he wasn't wearing a belt.

Can you imagine a guy in a three-piece suit

and he wasn't wearing a belt?

David, are you listening to me?

- How does she do that?

- What?

- Make that turn like that.

- Oh, it's like putting your shoes on without looking.

- That makes sense.

- Yeah well, a guy changing his clothes in the garage

before he goes up to his apartment doesn't.

- Huh?

Come on, maybe this guy, Hubert.

- Herbert.

- All right, maybe this guy, Herbert.

Well, maybe he's a married man, and you know,

maybe he's having an affair with another woman.

Has that ever occurred to you?

- Come on, this is only hours after the police found

that couple killed, and the girl was strangled with a belt.

- That is known as circumstantial evidence.

Look, if the police went around arresting everybody who

wasn't wearing a belt, they'd run outta space in no time.

So what else?

- His shirt, it had stains on It.

- So maybe he's a slob.

- David.

- Look, if I were defending this guy, I could have him

outta jail before the judge ever banged his gavel.

Look, don't worry about it.

They'll catch this psycho, whoever he is.

Guys like that always make a mistake, and when they do-

- Now you're a psychologist.

- Look, I don't have to be one to see

that you're torturing yourself.

- David, I made a promise to myself that I'd never let

anything happen to Tracy again, no matter what I had to do.

- Well before you start to take the law into your own hands,

think for a minute.

I mean, Tracy gets along just fine.

Your building is secure.

- Come on, you can't be serious.

Nobody's really safe.

You know that.

(eerie music)

(car door bangs)

(engine roars)

(tires whine)

(soft rock music)

- What's the matter?

- That car over there, it's really gettin’ to me.

- Forget about it.

(tires whine)

- Damn, I can't take this guy all night.

I'm gonna go out and give him a push.

- All right, but make it fast.

- Yeah, okay.

I'll be right back.

(soft rock music)

(knocks on window)

(knife clicks)

Hey, man, I think you could use a push.

(thuds) (eerie music)

(soft rock music)

(dog barks)

(gags)

(car door bangs)

(suspenseful music)

(intense music)

- You can come in now.

- [Doctor] The test shows that the ocular nerves are normal

and there's no damage to the head.

- [Woman] I don't understand.

What's wrong with her?

- [Doctor] We have conclusive evidence that the brain

has not been damaged.

- [Woman] Oh, thank God.

- [Man] Then why can't she see or hear?

- [Doctor] We're really not sure.

- [Woman] That's my baby, doctor.

You've got to do something.

- Tracy!

(eerie music)

(phone rings)

- Hello?

- [Roger] Jane, Roger here.

I just came in and checked the news desk.

There's been another one.

I thought you'd wanna know.

- When?

- [Roger] Last night, a secretary on her way home from work,

grabbed right out of her car.

They found her five miles away at a gravel pit

face down in the mud.

There were two other murders nearby.

- [Jane] Did you say that she was found in the mud?

- [Roger] Yeah, why?

- [Jane] Nothing, I'll see you later.

(eerie music)

- [Operator] (indistinct) May I help you?

- Yes, may I have the number for Mr. Stanley Herbert please?

- [Operator] One moment.

Stanley Herbert, H-E-R-B-E-R-T?

822-1076.

(phone buttons beep)

(phone rings) (suspenseful music)

(eerie music)

- Good morning, Jimmy.

- Oh, hello, Miss Harris.

Sit down, please.

- Thank you.

- Would you like a cafecito?

- No thank you, but the juice machine is jammed again.

Can you help me out?

- No problem.

(speaks in foreign language)

[I'll open it up for you.

- Oh, thank you.

It's those damn kids again.

They're always messing up that machine.

(speaks in foreign language)

I'll be back with the juice just like that.

Don't go away.

- Okay.

- It will only be a minute.

(eerie music)

(suspenseful music)

(cuckoo clock dings)

(eerie music)

(clock ticks)

(dramatic music)

(phone rings)

(suspenseful music)

(elevator dings)

(door clicks)

(suspenseful music) (door bangs)

(eerie music)

(suspenseful music)

(suspenseful music)

- Excuse me.

When you spoke with her, did she seem upset?

- Yeah, she was upset, but I don't think that she ever

believed that she was in any immediate danger.

I mean, we all get calls like that at one time or another.

- Did she say anything else about the calls in particular?

- I don't think so.

Wait a moment.

She did mention something.

She said it was kind of eerie.

- What?

- There's some kind of music in the background like

a music box, or something like that.

- Stop it there.

This is a crazy question, but can a cuckoo clock make music

or does it just go cuckoo?

- I don't know.

I can't see why not.

Why?

- No special reason.

Now let's take five, okay?

- Jane, you are 20 minutes late.

- David, you won't believe it.

David.

(movie audio in background)

David.

- What?

- There's something I wanna show you.

- What is this?

- It's his shoe.

- Shh.

- Sorry.

- Whose shoe?

- Stanley Herbert's.

- How did you get this?

- I took it from his apartment.

- You mean, you took this from his apartment?

- Right. - Shh.

- And David, look how muddy It Is.

- My God, Jane, are you nuts?

- Shh! - Shh!

- David.

David, you needed more proof so I searched his apartment

looking for something and this is what I came up with.

And I figure you must know somebody downtown who can compare

mud samples for you to prove to you that I'm right.

- You actually expect me to take this to the police?

- Yes.

- And just how do I explain your having it?

- Well, you'll think of something.

- Breaking and entering, burglary,

and I'm supposed to explain it.

Me, a criminal lawyer, explain this to the police.

- David, I need your help with this.

Now Tracy's home alone most nights and she's not

the only defenseless woman in this city.

- Well, has it ever occurred to you

that you're Mr. Herbert just may be innocent?

- No.

- You know, I can't believe you're doing this.

- Why can't you stop being an attorney long enough

to let yourself trust me?

- Why don't you stop being a reporter long enough to see

that you're getting in this too deep.

You're gonna get yourself hurt.

- I got that shoe to convince you.

- The only thing I'm convinced of is that you've gone

off the deep end.

Hey wait.

Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that.

- David, you're usually very clear.

- Come on, what are you doin’?

Wait a minute, Jane.

(suspenseful music)

(dramatic music)

(dial tone buzzes)

(phone buttons ding)

(phone rings)

- Yes?

Is anyone there?

- I know what you're doing

and I know it's you, Mr. Herbert.

- Who is this?

- Never mind.

Let's talk about you, Mr. phone freak.

How does it feel to have the tables turned?

- I think you've got the wrong person.

- Oh?

If that's so, how come you haven't hung up yet?

(phone clicks)

(dial tone buzzes)

(phone buttons ding)

(suspenseful music)

(phone rings)

What's the matter?

Cat got your tongue?

- What do you want?

- I want you to turn yourself in.

- Look, I don't know what the hell you're talking about.

Leave me alone.

(phone clatters)

(dial tone buzzes)

(phone buttons ding)

(phone rings)

- Goddammit, I had enough of this crap!

Stop calling me!

Stop calling me!

- You don't understand Mr. Herbert.

It's not up to you to decide.

(dial tone buzzes)

(suspenseful music)

(eerie music)

(disco music)

(eerie music)

(shower water splashes)

(screams)

(glass shatters)

- I was touched most by the victim's parents I talked to.

I don't think there's any way for me to convey the pain

and sense of loss these people must bear.

And it's not just until tomorrow's news overshadows

these tragedies, it's for the rest of their lives.

This segment is at an end, but the story isn't,

and it won't be until this killer is apprehended.

You, me, the authorities, all of us must work together.

The effort has to be made before this phone freak

strikes again, before another innocent woman falls prey.

This is Jane Harris reporting.

Back to you, Roger.

- That was a terrific report, Jane.

Is there anything - The effort has to

- Else our viewers - be made before this

phone freak strikes again.

Before this phone freak strikes again.

Before this phone freak strikes.

This is Jane Harris reporting.

This is Jane Harris reporting.

- It's not rainy, it's beautiful outside.

You don't believe me, you just open up your window

and say it's beautiful.

(water splashes)

It starts at 6:04 in the morning and 11:30 PM at night.

Now let's go to the weather.

(eerie music)

(eerie music)

(dial tone buzzes) (phone buttons ding)

(phone rings)

(eerie music)

(car door bangs) (eerie music)

(dramatic music)

(phone rings)

- [Answering Machine] Hi, this is Jane Harris speaking.

Sorry I'm not home at the moment,

but your message is being recorded electronically.

At the sound of the tone, speak as long as you like.

(beeps)

- [David] Jane, David.

Listen, I just got the lab report on the shoe.

The mud samples match.

Jane, please don't do anything until I get there.

(claps)

(dramatic music)

(claps)

(suspenseful music)

(claps)

(claps)

(eerie music)

(plate scrapes)

(eerie music)

(dramatic music)

(intense music)

(yells)

(Herbert groans)

(clock ticks)

(clock dings)

(music box music)

(doors bang)

(dramatic music)

(slaps)

(dramatic music)

(Herbert screams)

(eerie music)

(thuds) (groans)

- Oh, Tracy!

(suspenseful music)

(gunshot)

(gunshot)

(intense music)

(gunshot)

(thuds) (groans)

(thuds)

(yells)

(dramatic music)

Tracy!

Tracy!

(dramatic music)

(gunshot) (glass shatters)

Oh, Tracy.

- Jane?

- Tracy.

(sobs)

(eerie music)