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{\an8}♪
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In a Kentucky mall,
you can meet
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a very famous taxidermy bear.
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This is my first time
seeing the cocaine bear.
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The what bear?
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Yes, the cocaine bear.
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There's a reason why
he's called the cocaine bear.
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This story is amazing.
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{\an8}♪
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One day in the woods, a bear
finds a huge bag of drugs.
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And the bear got high.
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[ Bear growling ]
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The cocaine was 95% pure.
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No, really, they found him
laying there
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with the cocaine around him.
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[ Chuckles ]
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That's a very interesting
story in itself.
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But this is the origin
story of the cocaine bear,
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featuring the larger-than-life
man who started it all.
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He was mercurial
and mysterious.
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He lived on the edge.
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He had a James Bond wristwatch
that shot tear gas.
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These are Kentucky Blue Bloods
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that got together to go
into full-time smuggling.
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He was a bad dude!
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This is such a powerful story.
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It has corruption,
it has murder.
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Judge John Wood was fatally
wounded by a single gunshot.
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Drugs, murders, gun running,
you name it.
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Holy crap, you would
never believe it,
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but it did actually happen.
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Believe it or not,
this story even has cows...
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on drugs.
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Oh, come on!
[ Laughs ]
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This is the true story
of the cocaine bear.
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You wouldn't forget it.
Let's put it that way.
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{\an8}♪
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The backwoods of the
Chattahoochee National Forest
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00:02:03,359 --> 00:02:07,799
in North Georgia
are stark and remote.
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In December 1985, a hunter
finds something here
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that sparks a legend.
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{\an8}♪
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This legend has grown
to be quite a story.
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And in 2023, that legend
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is brought to life
by an incredible movie.
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[ Bear roars ]
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And soon the whole world
is talking about it.
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Number one trend on Twitter.
Everyone's talking about this.
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[ Bear roaring ]
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A bear did cocaine!
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This will be the winner
of the decade probably.
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Cocaine Bear, Fran.
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Take One. Mark.
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{\an8}♪
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Well, my name
is Francis Bishop Wiley.
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And in December of 1985,
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I was Assistant
Special Agent in Charge
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of the Georgia Bureau
of Investigation,
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00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:02,280
in Gainseville, Georgia,
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and right now I'm retired.
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I received a call at the office
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from a game warden
in Fanon County, Georgia.
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And he advised that a hunter
had found a bear
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in the woods on a mountain
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and that there was a parachute
and a duffel bag close by.
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I dispatched two of my agents
to the scene.
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They radioed back and advised me
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that there indeed was a bear,
parachute, and duffel bag.
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So I said,
well, this is very strange.
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I mean, very odd that we would
even find something like this.
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I told them to take it
to the Georgia crime lab
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in Atlanta,
and they did take the duffel bag
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and found residue
of cocaine on it.
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There was no cocaine
in the duffel bag,
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so where did the cocaine go?
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Well, the bear ate it.
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{\an8}♪
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{\an8}♪
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The bizarre story of this bear
and what happened
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00:04:05,439 --> 00:04:09,960
actually begins
three months before.
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[ Thud ]
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In the middle of the night,
a Knoxville resident
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is awakened by a sound
from his backyard.
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It wasn't until
the next morning
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that he looked in his driveway
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and immediately
called the police.
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{\an8}♪
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My name is Jimmy Jones.
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I'm a retired
Knox County sheriff.
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From the time
I was 16 years old,
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I knew I wanted to be
in law enforcement.
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We were just
in the office that day.
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It was a normal day,
just like any other day.
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The call came in from dispatch.
It was an elderly gentleman,
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and he said that there was
a gentleman out in his driveway
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who was trespassing,
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and if the police didn't come he
would take care of it himself.
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{\an8}♪
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00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:01,600
The "trespasser" is the dead
body of a skydiver,
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00:05:01,639 --> 00:05:04,839
and JJ is called
to the crime scene.
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{\an8}♪
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This is a very quiet
community, usually.
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There's very little crime,
very little happens.
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When we arrived on the scene,
the individual was found
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in the gravel driveway area
between the houses.
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{\an8}♪
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We were surprised to see
this individual here.
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His parachute was kind of
wadded up beside him,
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like it hadn't fully opened.
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The gentleman was deceased.
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There was a duffel bag that
was hooked to the individual.
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The duffel bag
contained somewhere
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between 30 and 40 packages
marked USA.
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All of them were labelled
the same way.
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We knew when we cut into it,
it was still moist,
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and the smell would just
hit you in the face.
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It was a very high quality
of cocaine.
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{\an8}♪
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Somewhere between 30
and 40 kilos of cocaine.
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It was probably worth
hundreds of millions.
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I was amazed.
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And I was just a kid. I mean,
I wasn't but 24, 25 years old.
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I had never seen
anything like that.
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It was like holy crap, you know?
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This-- You would never
believe this happened
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in sleepy, little, old
Knoxville, Tennessee.
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[ Laughs ]
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We continued to look
at the body to evaluate it.
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00:06:31,879 --> 00:06:35,680
There was at least one attack
knife along with some daggers
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or spears that were actually
in a sheath on his arm,
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night vision goggles.
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There was about $5,000
in US currency.
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There were precious
and semi-precious stones
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in a money belt.
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He had some gold Krugerrands.
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Nobody knew what
a Krugerrand was.
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We heard of 'em,
but nobody actually--
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I don't think anybody
had ever seen 'em.
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They were gold, and they have
like a little kangaroo
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or an animal on the front.
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{\an8}♪
142
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Initially we had no clue
what had happened.
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None of this is making sense
for JJ and his team.
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Who is this guy in the driveway?
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There's some questions that
really haven't been answered.
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He was mysterious.
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He looked a lot
like a soldier of fortune.
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He had a 9mm Browning
high powered pistol
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that was loaded
with Teflon-coated 9mm bullets.
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00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:37,800
Those are the bullets that will
penetrate a bulletproof vest.
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He also had a wristwatch
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that was like
a James Bond wristwatch,
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but it wasn't one that you would
get out of a cereal box.
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It was actually a high-quality
watch that shot tear gas.
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I was amazed every time
something came off his body,
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a piece of equipment
or whatever it was.
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I mean, it was just more
and more and more.
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He also had some
very expensive shoes.
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00:08:07,959 --> 00:08:11,000
In an odd fact that a lot
of people noted at the time,
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he was wearing Gucci loafers.
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[ Ding! ]
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{\an8}♪
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I mean, we were still trying
to put pieces together.
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We really didn't have anything.
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Then as more agencies
became involved,
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we ultimately found out
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that the plane had crashed
in North Carolina.
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{\an8}♪
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00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:38,639
The wreckage of the Cessna 404
is still scattered
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00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,600
across this ridge
of the Nantahala Mountains.
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We did hear that a body
had been found in Knoxville
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of someone who parachuted
out of a plane,
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and evidently,
the parachute didn't open.
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At this time, it kind of appears
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that that may be involved
with this.
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{\an8}♪
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00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:58,360
The location of the plane
in North Carolina
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is more than 100 miles
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from the body
of the mysterious parachutist.
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00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:06,279
The aircraft provides
a vital clue--
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00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,639
It's registered to a man
from Lexington, Kentucky.
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00:09:14,159 --> 00:09:16,399
In Lexington,
the information filters down
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00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:18,600
to the local papers.
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00:09:18,639 --> 00:09:23,200
{\an8}♪
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00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:27,519
I was a investigative reporter
at the Lexington Herald Leader
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in Kentucky
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from about 1979 to 1987.
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{\an8}♪
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The body was identified
as Andrew Thornton.
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00:09:37,519 --> 00:09:40,919
And that erupted the newsroom
at the time.
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{\an8}♪
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00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:44,799
Drew Thornton was someone
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00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:46,320
who had been
in a position of authority,
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00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:48,960
a police officer
who came from privilege.
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00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:52,159
He was a soldier, had, you know,
been wounded in combat.
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00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:54,480
Personally, I wasn't
all that surprised
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when I heard that he was dead
in Knoxville in a driveway,
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having fallen out of a plane.
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00:09:59,639 --> 00:10:03,000
He had lived on the edge
and was--
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00:10:03,039 --> 00:10:05,039
His luck had run out.
201
00:10:08,039 --> 00:10:13,159
{\an8}♪
202
00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:18,240
{\an8}♪
203
00:10:18,279 --> 00:10:20,799
With the body identified,
police trace Thornton's
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00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:24,639
flight path all the way back
to North Georgia.
205
00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:26,840
We started receiving
more information
206
00:10:26,879 --> 00:10:28,960
that there was more cocaine
that had been dumped
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00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:31,200
along the way of his journey.
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00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:34,799
{\an8}♪
209
00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:37,679
The duffel bag Drew Thornton
had strapped to his body
210
00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:39,000
when he died
211
00:10:39,039 --> 00:10:41,639
was of the same make,
color, and type
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00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:45,639
that they found close
to the bear in Georgia.
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00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:49,879
The incredible story is quickly
picked up by the TV networks.
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00:10:49,919 --> 00:10:52,320
The medical examiner says
the bear had been dead
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00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:54,200
for at least six weeks.
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00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:57,320
GBI agents recovered
none of the cocaine.
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00:10:57,360 --> 00:10:59,759
They said it could have been
blown away by the wind
218
00:10:59,799 --> 00:11:01,320
or simply dissolved.
219
00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:02,799
One thing's for sure--
220
00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:07,720
The bear did not eat
75 pounds of the stuff.
221
00:11:07,759 --> 00:11:11,240
We believe that the duffel bag
that was found in Fanon County
222
00:11:11,279 --> 00:11:12,840
next to the bear
223
00:11:12,879 --> 00:11:17,320
also had 75 pounds of cocaine.
224
00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:21,159
When we found it,
there was no cocaine.
225
00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:24,399
There was 75 pounds
found with Andrew Thornton
226
00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:28,039
in a similar duffel bag
when he jumped to his death.
227
00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:30,120
{\an8}♪
228
00:11:30,159 --> 00:11:32,440
So who really is
Andrew Thornton?
229
00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:35,600
And how is he
connected to the cocaine bear?
230
00:11:35,639 --> 00:11:37,799
To find answers, we need
to go back decades
231
00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:41,120
to the heartland of Kentucky's
blue-blood society.
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00:11:41,159 --> 00:11:48,480
{\an8}♪
233
00:11:48,519 --> 00:11:55,679
{\an8}♪
234
00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:57,200
My name is Ron Bryant.
235
00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:00,399
I was historian for
the Kentucky State Park System
236
00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:04,519
and director of Waveland State
historic site.
237
00:12:04,559 --> 00:12:09,399
My family has been in Kentucky
for over 200 years.
238
00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:11,159
Kentucky historian Ron Bryant
239
00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:14,080
is a distant relative
of Daniel Boone.
240
00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:17,320
He knows Kentucky.
241
00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:18,879
There was always old jokes
in Kentucky
242
00:12:18,919 --> 00:12:21,200
about everyone being related
to each other.
243
00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:24,320
Well, in some cases, the gene
pool was rather shallow,
244
00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:25,879
I've got to admit.
245
00:12:25,919 --> 00:12:28,279
{\an8}♪
246
00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:31,000
But not with Andrew Thornton.
247
00:12:31,039 --> 00:12:33,600
Andrew was a child of privilege.
248
00:12:33,639 --> 00:12:35,000
None of this should have
ever happened
249
00:12:35,039 --> 00:12:37,480
according to the way
he was raised.
250
00:12:37,519 --> 00:12:42,000
When the news came
that Andrew Thornton had died
251
00:12:42,039 --> 00:12:44,519
and how he died,
252
00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:48,000
society was not only
in a state of shock.
253
00:12:48,039 --> 00:12:51,120
It was in a state
of absolute shock.
254
00:12:51,159 --> 00:12:53,879
{\an8}♪
255
00:12:53,919 --> 00:12:57,519
Andrew Thornton II was the son
256
00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:01,240
of, uh, Andrew Carter Thornton.
257
00:13:01,279 --> 00:13:04,000
The Thorntons had
established themselves
258
00:13:04,039 --> 00:13:05,759
in the horse industry.
259
00:13:05,799 --> 00:13:07,960
And they knew their horses.
260
00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:11,000
And they, in fact,
had at least two derby winners.
261
00:13:11,039 --> 00:13:14,480
That's quite a feather
in anybody's cap right there.
262
00:13:14,519 --> 00:13:16,519
{\an8}♪
263
00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:22,399
Andrew Thornton certainly
had the breeding--
264
00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:24,440
[ Chuckles ] It's funny
to use the word breeding
265
00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:26,080
for someone
from Lexington, Kentucky,
266
00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:28,360
because that never hardly
ever talks about people.
267
00:13:28,399 --> 00:13:29,559
It's only about horses.
268
00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:32,639
But he really did
have the breeding.
269
00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:34,960
Andrew Thornton entered
the University of Kentucky,
270
00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:36,480
but his heart wasn't in it.
271
00:13:36,519 --> 00:13:38,039
So he left the University
of Kentucky
272
00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:42,960
after a short period of time
and volunteered for combat.
273
00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:47,399
{\an8}♪
274
00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:50,720
He went into the Army,
actually won a purple heart.
275
00:13:50,759 --> 00:13:55,960
And he particularly liked flying
and parachuting.
276
00:13:56,000 --> 00:14:04,639
{\an8}♪
277
00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:09,399
In 1968, Thornton returns home
a hero and gets married.
278
00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:10,840
But it doesn't last.
279
00:14:10,879 --> 00:14:14,639
This man of action is looking
for his next thrill.
280
00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:18,799
He wanted something
that was not staid and safe.
281
00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:24,480
He wanted something that was,
shall we say, nearly dangerous.
282
00:14:24,519 --> 00:14:26,399
{\an8}♪
283
00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:29,200
After having a very
distinguished military career,
284
00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:34,159
he came back, and he joined
the police department.
285
00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:39,279
Thornton liked the idea
of being a police officer
286
00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:42,440
because that was
an adventuresome life.
287
00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:44,720
{\an8}♪
288
00:14:44,759 --> 00:14:46,000
My name is Jim Huggins.
289
00:14:46,039 --> 00:14:47,720
I was a supervisory
special agent
290
00:14:47,759 --> 00:14:50,200
for the FBI
in Lexington, Kentucky.
291
00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:54,399
from 1986
to 1995 when I retired.
292
00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:55,840
I worked very closely
293
00:14:55,879 --> 00:14:59,000
with the Kentucky State Police
Intelligence Bureau.
294
00:14:59,039 --> 00:15:04,320
{\an8}♪
295
00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:06,799
In the '70s at that time,
there was a lot of
296
00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:08,600
drug activities
starting to show up,
297
00:15:08,639 --> 00:15:11,440
particularly around
the college campus area.
298
00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:13,679
It was becoming
a major crime problem
299
00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:17,799
for the local law enforcement
agencies at that time.
300
00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:19,399
The Lexington Police Department
301
00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:23,159
creates its first
narcotics squad.
302
00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,799
And the promise of action
is a huge draw
303
00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:29,159
for the young Andrew Thornton.
304
00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:31,519
He volunteered
for the Narcotics unit.
305
00:15:31,559 --> 00:15:34,559
His best friend, Bill Canan,
was already working there.
306
00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:37,080
Bill Canan came from
a much different background
307
00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:38,879
than Drew Thornton.
308
00:15:38,919 --> 00:15:41,200
His family was working class.
309
00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:45,200
Drew Thornton likes the fact
that Bill Canan is a tough guy.
310
00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:48,039
As a pair,
they're made for trouble.
311
00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:54,159
{\an8}♪
312
00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:57,080
They were trying to infiltrate
student groups
313
00:15:57,120 --> 00:15:58,519
out at the University
of Kentucky,
314
00:15:58,559 --> 00:16:00,480
and they would hang out in bars
315
00:16:00,519 --> 00:16:04,519
and dress like
a regular student.
316
00:16:04,559 --> 00:16:09,600
There also were accusations that
they would arrest a drug dealer,
317
00:16:09,639 --> 00:16:11,440
confiscate his drugs,
318
00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:14,639
and then instead of turning them
into the evidence locker
319
00:16:14,679 --> 00:16:19,440
like they should have,
they'd keep them for themselves.
320
00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:20,799
There were allegations that
321
00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:24,879
they did in fact resell
some of the drugs.
322
00:16:24,919 --> 00:16:28,559
It wasn't too big a leap for
someone in a new narcotics squad
323
00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:31,000
to think that maybe if they just
held back a little bit
324
00:16:31,039 --> 00:16:33,320
of what, uh,
they had confiscated
325
00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:34,679
and then turned it back out
on the streets,
326
00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:36,639
that they could
increase their income.
327
00:16:36,679 --> 00:16:39,840
But why would a wealthy member
of the Lexington elite
328
00:16:39,879 --> 00:16:43,440
stoop to stealing drugs?
329
00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:45,960
Nobody really,
really, really knew
330
00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:47,600
what Andrew Thornton was doing.
331
00:16:47,639 --> 00:16:51,240
There had been rumors
that were going around
332
00:16:51,279 --> 00:16:54,679
that something was bad wrong
with Andrew.
333
00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:57,000
For Thornton, it may not
have been simply
334
00:16:57,039 --> 00:16:59,200
just to get some extra money.
335
00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:02,200
It may have been to do something
336
00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:04,799
that other people
couldn't do or wouldn't do.
337
00:17:04,839 --> 00:17:08,799
It would go along with his whole
soldier of fortune lifestyle
338
00:17:08,839 --> 00:17:11,160
that he cultivated.
339
00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:13,400
That would be his downfall,
340
00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:16,240
changing him from
a pillar of society
341
00:17:16,279 --> 00:17:19,640
into a pariah in society.
342
00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:23,400
The charmed life of Drew
Thornton is about to get darker
343
00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:27,440
on the way to a rendezvous...
with the cocaine bear.
344
00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:42,319
In 1975, the cocaine bear
was just a cub
345
00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:45,519
learning the bear way of life
in the woods of Georgia.
346
00:17:45,559 --> 00:17:48,880
{\an8}♪
347
00:17:52,079 --> 00:17:56,400
Meanwhile more than 300 miles
away in Lexington, Kentucky,
348
00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:59,599
Drew Thornton is relishing
his role as a dirty cop
349
00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:02,319
with his tough guy partner
Bill Canan...
350
00:18:02,359 --> 00:18:04,680
a world away from his
respectable upbringing
351
00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:07,839
in Kentucky horse
breeding society.
352
00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:11,279
I think Andrew Thornton was one
of these types of individuals
353
00:18:11,319 --> 00:18:13,480
that's grown up
with a silver spoon,
354
00:18:13,519 --> 00:18:16,559
and they've gotten just about
anything they wanted.
355
00:18:16,599 --> 00:18:20,039
So to have this kind of thrill
356
00:18:20,079 --> 00:18:22,000
is something that excites them.
357
00:18:22,039 --> 00:18:24,359
[ Chuckles ]
He was a bad dude.
358
00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:27,200
I don't think Andrew Thornton
was rebelling
359
00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:29,720
against his position in society.
360
00:18:29,759 --> 00:18:33,839
I think Andrew Thornton wanted
a different type of life.
361
00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:35,079
That's all it was.
362
00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:38,160
He saw himself
as being an adventurer,
363
00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:41,960
a person that literally
lived on the edge.
364
00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:45,519
Thornton helped create the myth
of Drew Thornton.
365
00:18:45,559 --> 00:18:49,599
He tried to build an image of
himself that was the superman.
366
00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:53,079
But it went beyond what he was
really capable of.
367
00:18:53,119 --> 00:18:56,079
Always a show-off,
Thornton liked to demonstrate
368
00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:57,680
his athletic arrest techniques
369
00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:00,240
to his buddies
in the police department.
370
00:19:00,279 --> 00:19:02,160
And so he tried
to jump over a car,
371
00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:04,839
and at the same time,
he was wearing a weapon.
372
00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:08,880
And the weapon went off,
and it ricocheted and shot him.
373
00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:11,759
[ Laughing ]
374
00:19:11,799 --> 00:19:13,680
{\an8}♪
375
00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:16,759
It does no more than graze
his leg and his ego.
376
00:19:16,799 --> 00:19:19,440
But that doesn't stop him
from escalating his game
377
00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:23,079
from street dealing to flying
illegal drugs into Kentucky.
378
00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:27,240
{\an8}♪
379
00:19:27,279 --> 00:19:29,519
I've been a pilot
for over 40 years,
380
00:19:29,559 --> 00:19:30,720
and then later I became
381
00:19:30,759 --> 00:19:33,119
an aviation writer
and photographer.
382
00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:35,079
{\an8}♪
383
00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:37,440
I think one of the most
fascinating stories you'll find
384
00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:40,200
in drug smuggling
is the story of Drew Thornton.
385
00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:44,880
{\an8}♪
386
00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:48,079
{\an8}There's a personality type
who looks for a way
387
00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:51,039
to make life bigger.
388
00:19:51,079 --> 00:19:52,680
Sometime in the mid-'70s,
389
00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:56,920
Drew Thornton decided to move
beyond street level crime
390
00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:58,559
and become a smuggler.
391
00:19:58,599 --> 00:20:02,599
Drew was primarily bringing
really plane loads of marijuana
392
00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:05,400
into Kentucky for distribution
throughout the state.
393
00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:08,119
I mean, this was a big thing.
394
00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:10,799
They had devised a plan
that worked well.
395
00:20:10,839 --> 00:20:14,240
All they did was go get it,
transport it back,
396
00:20:14,279 --> 00:20:17,319
cut out the middle man.
397
00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:22,480
I would have never imagined
that this was happening.
398
00:20:22,519 --> 00:20:24,440
{\an8}♪
399
00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:27,240
Through their contacts
in the Lexington drug scene,
400
00:20:27,279 --> 00:20:30,079
dirty cops Andrew Thornton
and Bill Canan
401
00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:32,920
establish a network
of out-of-state wholesalers
402
00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:37,319
who supply them
with larger quantities of pot.
403
00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:39,799
Thornton would be coming in
on the weekend,
404
00:20:39,839 --> 00:20:42,880
when a lot of recreational
flyers would be coming back in,
405
00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:45,839
so the radar scopes
would be full of airplanes.
406
00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:49,160
And you could easily
unload your luggage into a car,
407
00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:52,400
head up the highway,
and you're done.
408
00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:57,319
Drew Thornton flew in
many, many loads of marijuana.
409
00:20:57,359 --> 00:21:00,079
He was making
a substantial amount of money.
410
00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:04,720
{\an8}♪
411
00:21:04,759 --> 00:21:09,880
As 1976 draws to a close, life
is good for the cocaine bear.
412
00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:12,960
But 200 miles away, things
are about to get complicated
413
00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:15,279
for our pair of dirty cops.
414
00:21:15,319 --> 00:21:21,880
{\an8}♪
415
00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:24,680
In the late '70s, when
the narcotics squad in Lexington
416
00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:27,440
was cultivating people
who could become informants,
417
00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:30,559
one of those people
was Melanie Flynn.
418
00:21:30,599 --> 00:21:33,240
Melanie Flynn met Bill Canan,
419
00:21:33,279 --> 00:21:35,559
who was trying to use her
as an informant.
420
00:21:35,599 --> 00:21:38,079
She was furnishing him
with information
421
00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:40,079
about drug users and purchasers
422
00:21:40,119 --> 00:21:42,680
around the University
of Kentucky.
423
00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:43,759
Melanie by all accounts
424
00:21:43,799 --> 00:21:46,519
was just helping out
the local cops.
425
00:21:46,559 --> 00:21:48,920
She felt like this was
the right thing to do.
426
00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:52,480
Melanie doesn't know she
is working with crooked cops.
427
00:21:52,519 --> 00:21:54,160
But soon she begins to suspect
428
00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:56,480
that the drugs
circulating in Lexington
429
00:21:56,519 --> 00:22:00,039
are being supplied
by Drew Thornton and Bill Canan.
430
00:22:00,079 --> 00:22:01,839
And I think
they became concerned
431
00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:04,240
that she may be a threat
to their operations
432
00:22:04,279 --> 00:22:05,440
and would go to the authorities
433
00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:09,359
and cause them
some major problems.
434
00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:14,119
She leaves work one day
and is going home
435
00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:16,519
and is never seen again.
436
00:22:16,559 --> 00:22:23,400
{\an8}♪
437
00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:25,400
Her car was later
found abandoned
438
00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:29,240
in an apartment complex
on the north side of Lexington.
439
00:22:29,279 --> 00:22:32,240
{\an8}♪
440
00:22:32,279 --> 00:22:36,240
She was last seen
about two blocks away
441
00:22:36,279 --> 00:22:37,599
parked at an intersection,
442
00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:41,240
talking to two people
in a dark van.
443
00:22:41,279 --> 00:22:45,000
An investigation later
by Kentucky State Police,
444
00:22:45,039 --> 00:22:48,119
there was some belief that
maybe those two individuals
445
00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:50,880
had been Drew Thornton
and Bill Canan.
446
00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:54,880
{\an8}♪
447
00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:56,559
When you go from drug smuggling
448
00:22:56,599 --> 00:22:58,839
and you escalate
to a crime of murder,
449
00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:01,880
that's really taken it
to a whole 'nother level.
450
00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:04,279
And that has not been proven yet
451
00:23:04,319 --> 00:23:07,640
of however Melanie Flynn
is still missing.
452
00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:14,480
{\an8}♪
453
00:23:14,519 --> 00:23:21,200
{\an8}♪
454
00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:23,400
After Melanie Flynn's
disappearance,
455
00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:24,720
a pocketbook
that she was carrying
456
00:23:24,759 --> 00:23:27,880
was found by a fisherman
in the Kentucky River.
457
00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:32,680
And in that were some
medications that were hers.
458
00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:36,319
Melanie Flynn is probably one
of the most tragic characters
459
00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:37,880
in all of this.
460
00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:40,799
To this day, we don't know
what really happened to her.
461
00:23:40,839 --> 00:23:46,000
And the rumor mill
was running very, very much.
462
00:23:46,039 --> 00:23:47,480
One rumor is that Drew Thornton
463
00:23:47,519 --> 00:23:50,880
is the subject of an internal
affairs investigation.
464
00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:52,559
He quits the police.
465
00:23:52,599 --> 00:23:55,640
Now he's free to move into
full-time smuggling...
466
00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:58,079
and the path is clearing
for his final flight
467
00:23:58,119 --> 00:24:00,519
over the woods of North Georgia.
468
00:24:06,319 --> 00:24:10,920
{\an8}♪
469
00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:15,039
In the woods of North Georgia,
an innocent bear has no idea
470
00:24:15,079 --> 00:24:19,680
that there is a man 200 miles
away plotting something so huge
471
00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:23,680
that their worlds
will one day collide.
472
00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:28,920
I have heard many people say in
talking about Andrew Thornton,
473
00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:32,519
they would relate him
to the myth of Icarus
474
00:24:32,559 --> 00:24:34,759
flying too close to the sun.
475
00:24:34,799 --> 00:24:36,759
And that's exactly what he did.
476
00:24:36,799 --> 00:24:38,400
[ Chuckles ]
477
00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:42,440
{\an8}♪
478
00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:46,680
By 1977, Drew Thornton
is no longer a cop
479
00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:49,519
and can now expand
his drug smuggling business
480
00:24:49,559 --> 00:24:52,880
with no one
looking over his shoulder.
481
00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:56,920
He thought of himself as
smarter than everybody else,
482
00:24:56,960 --> 00:24:58,200
had no fear.
483
00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:00,200
And he would push that envelope
484
00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:03,000
where many people
wouldn't do that.
485
00:25:03,039 --> 00:25:07,480
The only way for Thornton to
go big is to find new partners.
486
00:25:07,519 --> 00:25:10,279
He turns to an old friend
from Lexington,
487
00:25:10,319 --> 00:25:13,160
a man named Bradley Bryant.
488
00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:17,839
Bradley Bryant was a childhood
school friend of Drew Thornton.
489
00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:20,000
{\an8}They went to the same
private school in Lexington,
490
00:25:20,039 --> 00:25:22,240
{\an8}and they both went
to the military academy,
491
00:25:22,279 --> 00:25:24,480
{\an8}so they had a long history.
492
00:25:24,519 --> 00:25:28,119
{\an8}Bryant was even Thornton's
best man at his wedding.
493
00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:29,599
They were the salt of the earth.
494
00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:33,279
They were-- They were
the bastions of society.
495
00:25:33,319 --> 00:25:35,519
{\an8}♪
496
00:25:35,559 --> 00:25:39,000
Bradley Bryant isn't just
an old buddy of Thornton's,
497
00:25:39,039 --> 00:25:40,960
he's a successful businessman
498
00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:44,279
with links to organized crime
all over the country.
499
00:25:44,319 --> 00:25:47,799
And he wants to be a player
in Sin City.
500
00:25:47,839 --> 00:25:53,799
{\an8}♪
501
00:25:53,839 --> 00:25:57,240
Bradley Bryant
went to Las Vegas,
502
00:25:57,279 --> 00:26:02,799
and he met the Chagra brothers,
Lee and Jimmy Chagra.
503
00:26:02,839 --> 00:26:05,839
{\an8}♪
504
00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:08,559
The Chagras were major,
major players
505
00:26:08,599 --> 00:26:11,200
in the drug business.
506
00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:16,599
They had connections with
South America, Mexico, Colombia.
507
00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:18,839
{\an8}♪
508
00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:21,599
Jimmy and Lee Chagra
would allow Drew Thornton
509
00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:23,960
to import larger
amounts of marijuana.
510
00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:27,039
{\an8}♪
511
00:26:27,079 --> 00:26:30,119
Andrew wasn't afraid to,
to go to South America
512
00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:31,799
and risk his life doing it.
513
00:26:31,839 --> 00:26:34,359
But I think that was part
of the attraction for him.
514
00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:39,640
{\an8}♪
515
00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:42,200
If you're gonna bring in
tons of marijuana,
516
00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:45,720
you're gonna need an airplane
capable of hauling that.
517
00:26:45,759 --> 00:26:49,920
Drew Thornton was flying
a four-engine cargo aircraft,
518
00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:51,359
a World War II plane
519
00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:56,720
that was able to carry tons
of marijuana into Kentucky.
520
00:26:56,759 --> 00:26:59,519
Thornton's route takes him
from South America,
521
00:26:59,559 --> 00:27:04,240
up the coast of Florida,
and over North Georgia--
522
00:27:04,279 --> 00:27:06,960
the home territory
of the cocaine bear.
523
00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:08,599
[ Bear growls ]
524
00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:10,240
{\an8}♪
525
00:27:10,279 --> 00:27:13,440
He was bringing in what's
estimated to be 10,000 pounds,
526
00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:17,599
five tons of marijuana.
527
00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:23,119
In today's money,
that's $5 million.
528
00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:24,640
These are Kentucky Blue Bloods
529
00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:27,200
that got together to go
into full-time smuggling
530
00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:29,000
and were pretty
successful at it.
531
00:27:29,039 --> 00:27:33,039
People don't understand
what a process it would be
532
00:27:33,079 --> 00:27:35,000
to fly into a foreign country,
533
00:27:35,039 --> 00:27:39,640
with a load of drugs coming back
to the United States of America.
534
00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:41,920
That takes a unique individual.
535
00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:45,640
They quickly ratcheted up
their business,
536
00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:48,200
becoming a major organization
in the southeast,
537
00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:50,079
maybe the biggest at that time.
538
00:27:50,119 --> 00:27:52,880
I mean, it was-- it-- it--
539
00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:54,759
it was unbelievable.
540
00:27:54,799 --> 00:27:59,680
{\an8}♪
541
00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:02,960
Drew Thornton and Bradley
Bryant are raking in the cash
542
00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:06,880
on their way to the top of
the drug smuggling food chain.
543
00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:09,559
{\an8}♪
544
00:28:09,599 --> 00:28:11,680
But they're so busy
living the high life,
545
00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:13,519
they ignore the warning signs
546
00:28:13,559 --> 00:28:16,359
that it's all about
to come crashing down.
547
00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:21,240
{\an8}♪
548
00:28:21,279 --> 00:28:25,000
In 1978, Lee Chagra
was assassinated
549
00:28:25,039 --> 00:28:27,200
{\an8}in his office.
550
00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:30,319
{\an8}The suspicion was obviously
that it was a retaliation
551
00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:33,319
{\an8}for some crime
that had gone bad.
552
00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:34,680
{\an8}Lee Chagra's death brings
553
00:28:34,720 --> 00:28:37,680
{\an8}unwanted police attention
for Thornton.
554
00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:42,519
{\an8}Within months, Jimmy Chagra is
arrested for drug trafficking.
555
00:28:42,559 --> 00:28:45,000
And this sets in motion
a bizarre series of events
556
00:28:45,039 --> 00:28:49,200
that will send Thornton's life
into free-fall.
557
00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:53,519
Jimmy Chagra was to go on trial
for his criminal activities.
558
00:28:53,559 --> 00:28:56,400
That trial that would be under
the, uh, supervision
559
00:28:56,440 --> 00:28:59,039
of Judge John Wood.
560
00:28:59,079 --> 00:29:00,799
Was often known as Maximum John
561
00:29:00,839 --> 00:29:03,400
for the sentences
he would hand out.
562
00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:06,400
The day before the trial
was scheduled to start,
563
00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,799
Judge Wood was assassinated
in his driveway.
564
00:29:09,839 --> 00:29:13,240
{\an8}♪
565
00:29:13,279 --> 00:29:16,000
Judge John Wood was fatally
wounded by a single gunshot
566
00:29:16,039 --> 00:29:18,000
as he was getting in his car
this morning.
567
00:29:18,039 --> 00:29:19,920
Emergency attendants
worked on the judge
568
00:29:19,960 --> 00:29:21,799
but could not revive him.
569
00:29:21,839 --> 00:29:27,359
{\an8}♪
570
00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:30,519
John Wood was assassinated
by a hit man
571
00:29:30,559 --> 00:29:33,839
hired by Jimmy Chagra.
572
00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:36,240
It's hard to imagine
what Thornton's associate
573
00:29:36,279 --> 00:29:40,000
was thinking
when he ordered the hit.
574
00:29:40,039 --> 00:29:43,240
It didn't make a lot of sense
in many, many ways.
575
00:29:43,279 --> 00:29:46,559
It just simply wasn't done.
576
00:29:46,599 --> 00:29:50,519
People just didn't
do things like that.
577
00:29:50,559 --> 00:29:54,319
Perhaps it was scare tactics,
but it didn't work.
578
00:29:54,359 --> 00:29:57,680
Jimmy Chagra went down
for 30 years.
579
00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:02,200
But that's not the strangest
twist in this assassination.
580
00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:07,960
Chagra had hired a gentleman
named Charles Harrelson.
581
00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:10,759
If the name Charles Harrelson
is familiar,
582
00:30:10,799 --> 00:30:14,359
it's because the hit man
has a Hollywood connection.
583
00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:19,279
He's the father of actor
Woody Harrelson.
584
00:30:19,319 --> 00:30:23,000
{\an8}♪
585
00:30:23,039 --> 00:30:25,640
The Wood killing
was international news.
586
00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:27,359
Everybody in law enforcement
in the United States
587
00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:28,680
knew about it.
588
00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:30,640
That was a line
that had not been crossed.
589
00:30:30,680 --> 00:30:33,559
A lot of attention was on
anything that happened to do
590
00:30:33,599 --> 00:30:37,039
with the Chagra Brothers,
including Drew Thornton.
591
00:30:37,079 --> 00:30:41,079
Suddenly Drew Thornton of
little-old Lexington, Kentucky,
592
00:30:41,119 --> 00:30:43,519
is on the radar of the FBI.
593
00:30:43,559 --> 00:30:45,960
There's nowhere left to hide.
594
00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:58,160
{\an8}♪
595
00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:02,519
The cocaine bear was the second
case that was worked in Georgia
596
00:31:02,559 --> 00:31:06,839
where an animal had come
to its demise from cocaine.
597
00:31:10,039 --> 00:31:13,200
In September of 1982,
the sheriff's office had called
598
00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:18,039
and said a farmer had found
a blue canister cylinder
599
00:31:18,079 --> 00:31:21,519
in his pasture with his cows.
600
00:31:21,559 --> 00:31:24,880
And his cows had gotten
into the cylinder.
601
00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:25,920
[ Cow moos ]
602
00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:27,880
And I said are you crazy?
603
00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:31,279
The cows had white powder
all over their noses.
604
00:31:31,319 --> 00:31:35,039
{\an8}♪
605
00:31:35,079 --> 00:31:37,880
There's something going on here.
606
00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:41,279
But where did the cows
get their cocaine?
607
00:31:41,319 --> 00:31:43,079
[ Cow grunts ]
608
00:31:46,359 --> 00:31:50,599
Could it be the same supplier
to our legendary bear?
609
00:31:52,039 --> 00:31:56,759
{\an8}♪
610
00:31:56,799 --> 00:32:01,519
But back in 1980, Drew Thornton
isn't a cocaine smuggler.
611
00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:07,279
He's running marijuana
612
00:32:07,319 --> 00:32:09,319
and lots of it.
613
00:32:09,359 --> 00:32:12,480
{\an8}♪
614
00:32:12,519 --> 00:32:14,559
After the murder
of a federal judge,
615
00:32:14,599 --> 00:32:18,839
Thornton becomes a person
of interest for the FBI.
616
00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:20,680
{\an8}♪
617
00:32:20,720 --> 00:32:23,480
We got notified immediately
from FBI headquarters
618
00:32:23,519 --> 00:32:25,079
that a federal judge
had been murdered,
619
00:32:25,119 --> 00:32:29,279
and there might be a person
in Lexington involved in that.
620
00:32:29,319 --> 00:32:31,799
The FBI has the killer
621
00:32:31,839 --> 00:32:34,960
and the man who ordered the hit.
622
00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:38,920
Now they are shaking down
all of his criminal contacts.
623
00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:42,799
But despite the heat,
624
00:32:42,839 --> 00:32:45,039
Thornton and his old buddy
Bradley Bryant
625
00:32:45,079 --> 00:32:47,000
are still smuggling.
626
00:32:47,039 --> 00:32:50,400
Thornton was living
a very, very good life,
627
00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:53,880
and Bryant was after the money.
628
00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:55,480
So they gambled.
629
00:32:55,519 --> 00:32:58,519
And that's an old Kentucky vice,
of course.
630
00:32:58,559 --> 00:33:02,799
They gambled, and they lost,
and they lost big time.
631
00:33:02,839 --> 00:33:10,319
{\an8}♪
632
00:33:10,359 --> 00:33:15,279
In 1981 at a hotel
at the Philadelphia airport,
633
00:33:15,319 --> 00:33:18,559
Bradley Bryant's luck ran out.
634
00:33:18,599 --> 00:33:21,880
He was arrested
with a huge supply
635
00:33:21,920 --> 00:33:25,960
of automatic weapons,
night vision goggles,
636
00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:27,920
and sophisticated
communication gear,
637
00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:30,000
something that one
federal agent told me
638
00:33:30,039 --> 00:33:33,920
looked a lot like
a complicated assassination kit.
639
00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:36,759
Another weapons stash
is discovered by the feds
640
00:33:36,799 --> 00:33:39,880
in a Lexington warehouse
owned by Bryant.
641
00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:46,880
{\an8}♪
642
00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:51,880
He's sentenced
to 15 years in jail,
643
00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:55,680
and there's bad news for
the drug operation's star pilot.
644
00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,759
Hidden among the weapons
is a notebook.
645
00:33:59,799 --> 00:34:02,920
Written inside
is the name Andrew Thornton,
646
00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:07,319
along with code words for
marijuana smuggling missions.
647
00:34:07,359 --> 00:34:08,760
Thornton became fearful
648
00:34:08,800 --> 00:34:12,880
for the attention that was gonna
come to bear on him.
649
00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:15,039
He immediately
dropped outta sight.
650
00:34:15,079 --> 00:34:17,679
{\an8}♪
651
00:34:17,719 --> 00:34:20,079
It turned out
that he was on the run,
652
00:34:20,119 --> 00:34:23,840
and he was still up to his old
tricks, flying his airplane.
653
00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:28,159
{\an8}♪
654
00:34:28,199 --> 00:34:33,440
For months, Thornton flies
from airport to airport,
655
00:34:33,480 --> 00:34:36,880
staying under the radar
and avoiding capture.
656
00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:40,480
Thornton liked
the idea of risk.
657
00:34:40,519 --> 00:34:45,679
He loved excitement,
he loved adventure.
658
00:34:45,719 --> 00:34:49,440
He would have
enjoyed that immensely.
659
00:34:49,480 --> 00:34:56,079
{\an8}♪
660
00:34:56,119 --> 00:34:58,000
He landed at an airport
in North Carolina,
661
00:34:58,039 --> 00:35:00,920
and customs officials were
intercepting his communication
662
00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:02,400
and tracking his flights.
663
00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:05,719
[ Indistinct radio chatter ]
664
00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:07,480
And that's where they got him.
665
00:35:07,519 --> 00:35:14,480
{\an8}♪
666
00:35:14,519 --> 00:35:16,840
But he wasn't caught with drugs.
667
00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:18,679
{\an8}♪
668
00:35:18,719 --> 00:35:22,199
Thornton's plane
is completely clean.
669
00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:24,079
Someone could have
tipped him off...
670
00:35:24,119 --> 00:35:27,880
or he just got lucky.
671
00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:34,199
Thornton was a very, very, very
lucky man in many, many ways.
672
00:35:34,239 --> 00:35:36,119
The evidence against him
is thin.
673
00:35:36,159 --> 00:35:38,840
Thornton was under suspicion
for drug trafficking.
674
00:35:38,880 --> 00:35:41,440
He was indicted for
a conspiracy involving drugs,
675
00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:45,639
pleaded no contest to a single
count of marijuana smuggling.
676
00:35:45,679 --> 00:35:50,079
Thornton gets off easy
and only serves five months.
677
00:35:50,119 --> 00:35:53,639
{\an8}♪
678
00:35:53,679 --> 00:35:55,480
With all his friends in prison,
679
00:35:55,519 --> 00:35:58,639
Thornton's marijuana empire
has collapsed.
680
00:35:58,679 --> 00:36:01,920
But he's not ready
to give up just yet.
681
00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:04,039
{\an8}♪
682
00:36:04,079 --> 00:36:06,360
That's when Drew Thornton
became the lone wolf.
683
00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:08,599
He used what connections he had
684
00:36:08,639 --> 00:36:12,119
to start bringing in cocaine...
685
00:36:12,159 --> 00:36:14,079
[ Bear growls ]
686
00:36:14,119 --> 00:36:16,599
...which changed everything.
687
00:36:16,639 --> 00:36:18,800
[ Indistinct conversations ]
688
00:36:18,840 --> 00:36:21,239
{\an8}♪
689
00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:23,960
In the '70s, there was
a huge appetite for marijuana
690
00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:26,039
in the United States,
691
00:36:26,079 --> 00:36:30,760
but then in the '80s,
the appetite shifted to cocaine.
692
00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:31,960
It became the drug of choice.
693
00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:33,800
A lot of celebrities
were using it,
694
00:36:33,840 --> 00:36:38,079
and it was attractive
for the smugglers.
695
00:36:38,119 --> 00:36:40,599
I joined DEA in 1983,
696
00:36:40,639 --> 00:36:45,599
I was assigned to working
drug cases throughout Kentucky
697
00:36:45,639 --> 00:36:48,920
that took me to South America.
698
00:36:48,960 --> 00:36:54,480
Once I joined DEA, I learned
a lot about Andrew Thornton.
699
00:36:54,519 --> 00:36:57,280
Andrew went from flying
tons of marijuana
700
00:36:57,320 --> 00:36:59,920
to flying kilos of cocaine,
701
00:36:59,960 --> 00:37:01,920
because it took
a much smaller airplane,
702
00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:05,280
which was less noticeable
by law enforcement.
703
00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:08,519
You could make 10 times the
amount of money easily on a run
704
00:37:08,559 --> 00:37:10,280
that you would with marijuana.
705
00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:13,880
And a pilot like Drew Thornton
could do everything on his own.
706
00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:18,079
{\an8}♪
707
00:37:18,119 --> 00:37:23,159
By 1983, Thornton's using
his connections in Colombia
708
00:37:23,199 --> 00:37:26,559
to smuggle cocaine into America.
709
00:37:26,599 --> 00:37:29,480
I knew that he was
a major drug smuggler.
710
00:37:29,519 --> 00:37:31,760
And several agencies
were working
711
00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:35,280
to build a case
against Andrew Thornton.
712
00:37:35,320 --> 00:37:39,039
He's now set for the flight
that will make him infamous
713
00:37:39,079 --> 00:37:43,519
and forever connected
to the fate of the cocaine bear.
714
00:37:49,559 --> 00:37:53,800
{\an8}♪
715
00:37:53,840 --> 00:37:58,519
It's 1985, and Andrew Thornton
is back in the big time,
716
00:37:58,559 --> 00:38:01,880
smuggling cocaine into Kentucky.
717
00:38:01,920 --> 00:38:04,440
But in the legend
of the cocaine bear,
718
00:38:04,480 --> 00:38:06,800
his fate is sealed,
719
00:38:06,840 --> 00:38:09,280
and his end is fast approaching.
720
00:38:09,320 --> 00:38:16,599
{\an8}♪
721
00:38:16,639 --> 00:38:21,039
On the night of September
the 10th, 1985,
722
00:38:21,079 --> 00:38:25,199
he flew a load of cocaine into
the United States from Colombia.
723
00:38:25,239 --> 00:38:27,440
{\an8}♪
724
00:38:27,480 --> 00:38:32,440
His goal was to move cocaine
into the Lexington area,
725
00:38:32,480 --> 00:38:34,880
with an intermediate
stop in Georgia
726
00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:37,119
where he had
some co-conspirators
727
00:38:37,159 --> 00:38:39,239
waiting to offload
the airplane.
728
00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:40,920
You just don't get in a plane
and fly to Colombia
729
00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:43,039
and pick up a load
of cocaine and come back.
730
00:38:43,079 --> 00:38:46,840
This would have taken
some serious prior planning.
731
00:38:46,880 --> 00:38:48,679
{\an8}♪
732
00:38:48,719 --> 00:38:51,280
Thornton's journey
started as planned.
733
00:38:51,320 --> 00:38:53,679
He passed Cuba and navigated
the coast of Florida
734
00:38:53,719 --> 00:38:56,559
without incident.
735
00:38:56,599 --> 00:38:59,480
But what happened next?
736
00:38:59,519 --> 00:39:03,119
There are certain facts upon
which most investigators agree.
737
00:39:03,159 --> 00:39:06,719
{\an8}♪
738
00:39:06,760 --> 00:39:10,320
Thornton did not make
his landing in Georgia.
739
00:39:10,360 --> 00:39:13,039
Was flying over
the National Forest in Georgia
740
00:39:13,079 --> 00:39:16,440
and started throwing out
cocaine into the forest.
741
00:39:16,480 --> 00:39:18,960
{\an8}♪
742
00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:22,320
Probably worth
hundreds of millions.
743
00:39:22,360 --> 00:39:25,599
He attached the duffel bags
to parachutes,
744
00:39:25,639 --> 00:39:27,239
pushed them out of the airplane,
745
00:39:27,280 --> 00:39:31,360
and then he had about 75 pounds
of cocaine strapped to his body.
746
00:39:31,400 --> 00:39:33,280
{\an8}♪
747
00:39:33,320 --> 00:39:35,920
And then with the remaining
cocaine strapped to him,
748
00:39:35,960 --> 00:39:38,440
he put the airplane on autopilot
749
00:39:38,480 --> 00:39:42,199
somewhere near the Knoxville
downtown airport, jumped...
750
00:39:45,400 --> 00:39:50,159
And then something happened
that he didn't expect to happen.
751
00:39:50,199 --> 00:39:51,880
[ Thud ]
752
00:39:58,960 --> 00:40:02,679
How did Andrew Thornton
parachute to his death?
753
00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:08,039
People do have a number
of different theories
754
00:40:08,079 --> 00:40:10,559
to how this happened,
why it went bad.
755
00:40:10,599 --> 00:40:14,239
{\an8}♪
756
00:40:14,280 --> 00:40:15,559
The most common story I heard
757
00:40:15,599 --> 00:40:18,239
was that the main chute
did not fully open
758
00:40:18,280 --> 00:40:20,639
for unknown reasons.
759
00:40:20,679 --> 00:40:24,480
The reserve chute
also did not fully inflate.
760
00:40:24,519 --> 00:40:28,000
{\an8}♪
761
00:40:28,039 --> 00:40:30,760
People noted at the time
that there was an obvious cut
762
00:40:30,800 --> 00:40:34,119
or bruise on his head,
and so perhaps he hit his head
763
00:40:34,159 --> 00:40:37,320
going out the door
of the airplane.
764
00:40:37,360 --> 00:40:38,679
He was unconscious,
765
00:40:38,719 --> 00:40:41,760
didn't have an opportunity
to pull his chute.
766
00:40:41,800 --> 00:40:43,760
It also may have had
something to do with
767
00:40:43,800 --> 00:40:46,400
Thornton carrying
all that cocaine on him.
768
00:40:46,440 --> 00:40:49,519
{\an8}♪
769
00:40:49,559 --> 00:40:54,599
From the injuries to his face,
the medical examiner believed
770
00:40:54,639 --> 00:40:57,800
that load of cocaine
had swung back around
771
00:40:57,840 --> 00:41:00,039
and caught him in the face
and either knocked him out
772
00:41:00,079 --> 00:41:02,719
or addled him
to where he was confused.
773
00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:05,800
You know, so, it would be
a pretty good lick.
774
00:41:08,880 --> 00:41:13,039
But what compelled Thornton
to jump out of the plane?
775
00:41:13,079 --> 00:41:15,239
The word on the street was
he felt like
776
00:41:15,280 --> 00:41:18,440
he was being surveilled
by customs or DEA.
777
00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:20,480
[ Indistinct radio chatter ]
778
00:41:20,519 --> 00:41:23,440
Somewhere along the way,
he became paranoid
779
00:41:23,480 --> 00:41:27,199
that he were being followed
or being tracked by a DEA plane
780
00:41:27,239 --> 00:41:29,599
or Coast Guard or customs.
781
00:41:29,639 --> 00:41:31,840
A lot of people think
he probably jumped out
782
00:41:31,880 --> 00:41:35,440
of the airplane
because of his paranoia.
783
00:41:35,480 --> 00:41:38,039
{\an8}♪
784
00:41:38,079 --> 00:41:41,480
But we checked, and they did not
have any aircraft
785
00:41:41,519 --> 00:41:44,119
following him
into the United States.
786
00:41:47,880 --> 00:41:52,440
If law enforcement wasn't
on his tail, why jump at all?
787
00:41:52,480 --> 00:41:55,840
{\an8}♪
788
00:41:55,880 --> 00:41:59,639
I think this was his plan
all along.
789
00:41:59,679 --> 00:42:01,519
One of the stories
that was circulating
790
00:42:01,559 --> 00:42:05,440
was that he actually was ripping
off the Colombian suppliers
791
00:42:05,480 --> 00:42:07,960
by intentionally
crashing the airplane,
792
00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:10,280
claiming the cocaine
was destroyed in the crash,
793
00:42:10,320 --> 00:42:12,199
but keeping it for himself.
794
00:42:12,239 --> 00:42:14,840
Why would he have all those
parachutes in the airplane
795
00:42:14,880 --> 00:42:17,000
tied to duffel bags
full of cocaine
796
00:42:17,039 --> 00:42:20,239
if that wasn't
the plan originally?
797
00:42:20,280 --> 00:42:21,760
No, I don't think so.
798
00:42:21,800 --> 00:42:26,039
He was way too smart to steal
from the Medellin Cartel.
799
00:42:26,079 --> 00:42:27,639
They knew who he was.
800
00:42:27,679 --> 00:42:31,440
He-- He would have not lasted
very long at all
801
00:42:31,480 --> 00:42:34,440
if he had stolen from them.
802
00:42:34,480 --> 00:42:39,519
Whether Thornton was scamming
the cartels or just paranoid,
803
00:42:39,559 --> 00:42:41,239
there's one even more
shocking theory
804
00:42:41,280 --> 00:42:44,239
about what happened that night.
805
00:42:44,280 --> 00:42:45,440
One of the theories is that
806
00:42:45,480 --> 00:42:48,119
there was a second person
on the airplane.
807
00:42:48,159 --> 00:42:55,039
{\an8}♪
808
00:42:55,079 --> 00:42:58,199
We initially thought that
other people were involved,
809
00:42:58,239 --> 00:43:01,159
but we didn't have any proof.
810
00:43:01,199 --> 00:43:04,880
This is the downtown
Knoxville Island Home airport.
811
00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:08,920
Where Mr. Thornton parachuted
into the residential area
812
00:43:08,960 --> 00:43:12,239
is about 250 yards
as the crow flies
813
00:43:12,280 --> 00:43:15,000
above us on the hill.
814
00:43:15,039 --> 00:43:18,239
About two or three months
after Thornton was found,
815
00:43:18,280 --> 00:43:24,079
another parachute was found
on the far end of the runway.
816
00:43:24,119 --> 00:43:26,639
We theorized
that Andrew Thornton
817
00:43:26,679 --> 00:43:30,239
let the other individual
in the plane jump.
818
00:43:30,280 --> 00:43:33,039
And then Thornton put
the plane on autopilot.
819
00:43:33,079 --> 00:43:35,760
He would jump out of the plane
and let it go across
820
00:43:35,800 --> 00:43:39,679
the mountains
in North Carolina and crash.
821
00:43:39,719 --> 00:43:41,639
If there was one other person
on the plane,
822
00:43:41,679 --> 00:43:44,519
it would've to be someone
that Drew Thornton trusted.
823
00:43:44,559 --> 00:43:45,880
And I don't know
of anybody back then
824
00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:48,360
that he trusted
more than Bill Canan.
825
00:43:48,400 --> 00:43:50,199
{\an8}♪
826
00:43:50,239 --> 00:43:53,119
Canan's his very close friend
who worked alongside him
827
00:43:53,159 --> 00:43:55,719
{\an8}at the Lexington
Police Department.
828
00:43:55,760 --> 00:43:58,639
{\an8}Was Thornton's old partner,
corrupt cop Bill Canan,
829
00:43:58,679 --> 00:44:00,760
with him at the very end?
830
00:44:00,800 --> 00:44:03,239
Canan was
the most likely suspect
831
00:44:03,280 --> 00:44:07,199
until someone else came forward,
uh, also named Bill
832
00:44:07,239 --> 00:44:10,079
who, uh, professed
that he was on the plane.
833
00:44:10,119 --> 00:44:13,280
{\an8}♪
834
00:44:13,320 --> 00:44:17,239
In 1990, a man named Bill
Leonard told an amazing story
835
00:44:17,280 --> 00:44:20,320
to a journalist at
the Knoxville News Sentinel.
836
00:44:20,360 --> 00:44:23,000
{\an8}♪
837
00:44:23,039 --> 00:44:27,320
Thornton had talked Bill
Leonard into travelling with him
838
00:44:27,360 --> 00:44:29,519
to help provide
security for him.
839
00:44:29,559 --> 00:44:32,599
But apparently Leonard thought
that was gonna be in Florida
840
00:44:32,639 --> 00:44:35,039
or The Bahamas,
but Thornton kept flying,
841
00:44:35,079 --> 00:44:38,880
and they ended up in Colombia,
surprising Bill Leonard.
842
00:44:38,920 --> 00:44:42,159
{\an8}♪
843
00:44:42,199 --> 00:44:44,920
You have to ask yourself
how plausible that is.
844
00:44:44,960 --> 00:44:48,599
But, you know, the Bill Leonard
that I knew was a stand-up guy,
845
00:44:48,639 --> 00:44:51,840
and you could believe him.
846
00:44:51,880 --> 00:44:54,199
Leonard has never been
charged with a crime.
847
00:44:54,239 --> 00:44:56,599
And I spoke to former detectives
from Lexington
848
00:44:56,639 --> 00:44:58,440
who believe his story.
849
00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:01,800
They're convinced that he was
an unwitting accomplice
850
00:45:01,840 --> 00:45:05,159
in that smuggling run.
851
00:45:05,199 --> 00:45:07,039
I don't know how you account
for the fact
852
00:45:07,079 --> 00:45:09,920
that someone as experienced
as Drew Thornton
853
00:45:09,960 --> 00:45:12,639
as a paratrooper
did not survive that night
854
00:45:12,679 --> 00:45:16,280
and the totally inexperienced
Bill Leonard did.
855
00:45:16,320 --> 00:45:19,800
Pure luck? Perhaps.
856
00:45:19,840 --> 00:45:21,760
I've asked a number
of the investigators
857
00:45:21,800 --> 00:45:23,119
from the federal aviation
858
00:45:23,159 --> 00:45:25,840
to the FBI to the state police
in Tennessee.
859
00:45:25,880 --> 00:45:27,840
Nobody has any answer.
860
00:45:27,880 --> 00:45:29,400
{\an8}♪
861
00:45:29,440 --> 00:45:31,760
Much of what happened
in the skies over Knoxville
862
00:45:31,800 --> 00:45:35,039
remains a mystery.
863
00:45:35,079 --> 00:45:38,760
Can more answers
be found in North Georgia?
864
00:45:38,800 --> 00:45:41,880
And what really happened
to the cocaine bear?
865
00:45:49,760 --> 00:45:52,119
{\an8}♪
866
00:45:52,159 --> 00:45:55,880
On Andrew Thornton's
final flight in 1985,
867
00:45:55,920 --> 00:45:58,639
he drops several duffel bags
full of cocaine
868
00:45:58,679 --> 00:46:02,119
over the Southern United States.
869
00:46:02,159 --> 00:46:03,519
There was a map
870
00:46:03,559 --> 00:46:05,920
that showed where the cocaine
was found along the way.
871
00:46:05,960 --> 00:46:09,840
And you could just about
track his line of flight
872
00:46:09,880 --> 00:46:12,280
where the packages
were thrown out.
873
00:46:12,320 --> 00:46:18,679
{\an8}♪
874
00:46:18,719 --> 00:46:21,719
One lands in the woods that are
the home of the cocaine bear.
875
00:46:21,760 --> 00:46:23,119
[ Bear growls ]
876
00:46:23,159 --> 00:46:25,679
One of the DEA agents
called back and said,
877
00:46:25,719 --> 00:46:27,719
"You know that a bear
878
00:46:27,760 --> 00:46:29,960
got into that cocaine down there
in the woods."
879
00:46:30,000 --> 00:46:32,199
And I was like, "Oh, come on."
880
00:46:32,239 --> 00:46:35,360
And at first I thought that,
you know, that was, they were,
881
00:46:35,400 --> 00:46:37,719
they were kind of gigging me
a little bit,
882
00:46:37,760 --> 00:46:39,960
but actually, it did happen.
883
00:46:40,000 --> 00:46:45,000
{\an8}♪
884
00:46:45,039 --> 00:46:47,920
When Fran Wiley's officers
get to the scene,
885
00:46:47,960 --> 00:46:51,800
there is no cocaine left.
886
00:46:51,840 --> 00:46:54,920
She has her own theory
about what happened to it.
887
00:46:54,960 --> 00:46:58,840
There was no cocaine
in the duffel bag at the scene.
888
00:46:58,880 --> 00:47:01,679
So where did the cocaine go?
889
00:47:01,719 --> 00:47:02,960
Well, the bear ate it.
890
00:47:03,000 --> 00:47:05,760
Well, no,
the bear didn't ate it.
891
00:47:05,800 --> 00:47:07,719
The bad guys got it.
892
00:47:07,760 --> 00:47:10,800
{\an8}♪
893
00:47:10,840 --> 00:47:14,159
The bear would've never
been able to consume
894
00:47:14,199 --> 00:47:16,239
75 pounds of cocaine.
895
00:47:16,280 --> 00:47:19,800
The pathologist told me
that it had consumed
896
00:47:19,840 --> 00:47:22,840
about 3 grams of cocaine
897
00:47:22,880 --> 00:47:26,920
that was 95% pure.
898
00:47:26,960 --> 00:47:29,920
It would probably
would have been dead
899
00:47:29,960 --> 00:47:32,639
within the first or second bite.
900
00:47:32,679 --> 00:47:35,519
{\an8}♪
901
00:47:35,559 --> 00:47:41,400
My theory is that Mr. Thornton
had a predestined location
902
00:47:41,440 --> 00:47:46,719
for his ground crew
to pick up the cocaine.
903
00:47:46,760 --> 00:47:49,840
And I think that they did.
904
00:47:49,880 --> 00:47:52,679
They probably saw the bear
had got into it.
905
00:47:52,719 --> 00:47:56,119
{\an8}♪
906
00:47:56,159 --> 00:47:59,039
And they picked up
the remaining and left.
907
00:48:04,119 --> 00:48:12,880
{\an8}♪
908
00:48:12,920 --> 00:48:17,239
I've heard many variations
of this story
909
00:48:17,280 --> 00:48:19,639
about the bear
910
00:48:19,679 --> 00:48:23,280
in Lexington, Kentucky,
that is on display.
911
00:48:23,320 --> 00:48:25,280
{\an8}♪
912
00:48:25,320 --> 00:48:29,239
They are portraying it
to be Pablo EskoBear.
913
00:48:29,280 --> 00:48:35,360
{\an8}♪
914
00:48:35,400 --> 00:48:37,840
But that is not my bear.
915
00:48:37,880 --> 00:48:39,480
There's no way.
916
00:48:39,519 --> 00:48:41,360
{\an8}♪
917
00:48:41,400 --> 00:48:46,119
The bear was in no condition
to be taxidermied.
918
00:48:46,159 --> 00:48:48,840
I think the purveyors
of the display,
919
00:48:48,880 --> 00:48:50,360
if you press them,
they would tell you
920
00:48:50,400 --> 00:48:52,800
that it's not the same bear.
921
00:48:52,840 --> 00:48:54,880
It's symbolic.
922
00:48:54,920 --> 00:48:57,719
So, what do the mall's
owners say?
923
00:48:57,760 --> 00:49:00,159
They claim that
their "taxidermy bear
924
00:49:00,199 --> 00:49:03,840
is 100% Cocaine Bear,"
925
00:49:03,880 --> 00:49:06,159
{\an8}and that "if disbelief
is your choice,
926
00:49:06,199 --> 00:49:09,519
{\an8}then we created
the most fantastic story ever."
927
00:49:09,559 --> 00:49:15,760
{\an8}♪
928
00:49:15,800 --> 00:49:18,000
The whereabouts of
the real cocaine bear
929
00:49:18,039 --> 00:49:22,920
is as mysterious
as so much of this legend.
930
00:49:22,960 --> 00:49:26,239
The story begins with reports
of a dead parachutist
931
00:49:26,280 --> 00:49:28,719
found wearing Gucci loafers,
932
00:49:28,760 --> 00:49:31,760
and even that may be a myth.
933
00:49:31,800 --> 00:49:33,159
There were incorrect accounts
934
00:49:33,199 --> 00:49:37,679
as to what exactly
he was wearing on his feet.
935
00:49:37,719 --> 00:49:41,039
There was one indication
that he had Gucci loafers.
936
00:49:41,079 --> 00:49:44,239
In reality, Thornton's
shoes were described
937
00:49:44,280 --> 00:49:48,360
as the "Gucci loafers"
of the parachuting world.
938
00:49:48,400 --> 00:49:54,079
He had some very expensive
jumping shoes on.
939
00:49:54,119 --> 00:49:58,119
When I was told about them,
they were equated to Gucci.
940
00:49:58,159 --> 00:49:59,880
That's how they tried
to correlate it to me
941
00:49:59,920 --> 00:50:02,199
was this would be like Gucci.
942
00:50:02,239 --> 00:50:06,320
{\an8}♪
943
00:50:06,360 --> 00:50:09,599
I don't think we'll ever know
what really happened.
944
00:50:09,639 --> 00:50:12,599
I think we have
gotten pretty close
945
00:50:12,639 --> 00:50:13,960
with the bits and pieces
946
00:50:14,000 --> 00:50:15,719
and the puzzles
that we've put together.
947
00:50:15,760 --> 00:50:17,800
With the individuals
that are still alive
948
00:50:17,840 --> 00:50:20,800
and the agencies that did
the legwork that they did,
949
00:50:20,840 --> 00:50:24,480
I think we got as close
to knowing what happened
950
00:50:24,519 --> 00:50:27,760
as we ever will.
951
00:50:27,800 --> 00:50:30,719
A curtain was drawn
over the conspiracy,
952
00:50:30,760 --> 00:50:34,480
the drugs, the murders.
953
00:50:34,519 --> 00:50:37,920
If I had to go to my grave
with that on my conscience,
954
00:50:37,960 --> 00:50:40,199
I would not want
to stand very tall
955
00:50:40,239 --> 00:50:43,159
on the day of judgment
is all I can say.
956
00:50:43,199 --> 00:50:45,320
{\an8}♪
957
00:50:45,360 --> 00:50:49,559
Bradley Bryant served his time
and then dropped out of sight.
958
00:50:49,599 --> 00:50:54,840
Bill Canan was jailed in 1994
for federal drug charges.
959
00:50:54,880 --> 00:50:57,360
He passed away in 2020.
960
00:50:57,400 --> 00:51:02,960
{\an8}♪
961
00:51:03,000 --> 00:51:06,519
And as for Drew Thornton,
his myth lives on,
962
00:51:06,559 --> 00:51:10,599
alongside that
of the cocaine bear.
963
00:51:10,639 --> 00:51:12,239
He was a bad guy.
964
00:51:12,280 --> 00:51:16,079
These guys
did this stuff for fun,
965
00:51:16,119 --> 00:51:19,840
and, and that's kind of scary.
966
00:51:19,880 --> 00:51:23,119
Thinking about Andrew Thornton
and the cocaine bear,
967
00:51:23,159 --> 00:51:27,360
{\an8}would've Thornton liked to have
been associated with that?
968
00:51:27,400 --> 00:51:28,840
{\an8}I think he would've thought
969
00:51:28,880 --> 00:51:30,880
{\an8}the bear was getting
more attention than he did,
970
00:51:30,920 --> 00:51:33,400
{\an8}and I don't think he would've
liked that whatsoever.
971
00:51:33,440 --> 00:51:36,440
{\an8}But he probably would've been
amused by it.
972
00:51:36,480 --> 00:51:42,119
{\an8}♪
70782
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