All language subtitles for Unsolved.Mysteries.S04E13.480p.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-PLAYREADY_track3_[und]

NARRATOR: This program is
about unsolved mysteries.

Whenever possible, the
actual family members

and police officials
have participated

in recreating the events.

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

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
Tonight, on a special edition

of Unsolved Mysteries.

Meet Todd Mueller,
an accused con man

with a twisted sense of humor.

His escapades have bewildered
and frustrated police

investigators in
Honolulu and Chicago.

Not content just
to break the law,

Mueller has mercilessly taunted
authorities with a series

of practical jokes.

Chad Mower of
Madison, Wisconsin,

was an active popular
teenager, the All-American boy.

Then in 1990, he was found
asphyxiated in an abandoned

garage in Chicago.

What could have
taken Chad Mower,

to Chicago's seamy South
Side, and ultimately

led to his death?

As a young single mother,
Noreen Roberts was so destitute,

she felt compelled to put her
three children up for adoption.

Now, she is one of the
heirs to a $1 million estate

and doesn't even know it.

In 1974, the violent
murder of their mother

ripped apart the nine
children of the Vess family.

17 years later, one of
them is still missing.

Join me for this intriguing
addition of Unsolved Mysteries.

Perhaps you can help
solve a mystery.

[theme music]

OK, I've got this great
bike I want to show you.

It's just-- it's perfect
for what you're looking for.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
19-Year-old Chad Mower

worked in a bike shop
in the Midwest college

town of Madison, Wisconsin.

He was a typical boy next door,
a popular, well-rounded athlete

who hoped to save
up enough money

to attend college in Colorado.

So Chad, how were things
at the bike shop today?

Packed, you
wouldn't believe it.

Oh, really, have
you sold anything yet?

Yeah, I sold my first bike.

Oh, great.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): On
the afternoon of May 19th, 1990,

Chad returned home to
grab a quick lunch.

You know, it's
packed over there.

So I got to going.

See ya.

OK, see you, Chad.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): It
would be the last time Chad's

parents would ever see him.

Dad, can I borrow
some money for gas?

DAD: Be right out.

OK, thanks.

DOLLY (VOICE OVER):
There was nothing

about him that was different.

I mean, he wasn't on edge.

Chad, do you want me to get
a jacked to take with you?

No, that's all right.

Thanks, bye bye.

DOLLY (VOICE OVER):
You know, he was just

so excited about the job and
he had a big smile on his face,

as usual.

[engine starts]

All I've got's a
twenty, Chad, OK?

Fill it up.

Have a good day, OK.

Thanks, dad.
Bye.

Catch you later.
Bye.

JOHN (VOICEOVER):
I'm standing right

outside, saying goodbye to him
and have a good one, you know.

I didn't notice anything
different either about--

or anything in the car.

It was kind of cool
out that day and stuff.

I just don't think
he had any intentions

of going anywhere
or else he would

have had a jacket with him.

About an hour, an
hour and a half later,

John needed something
at the hardware store

that's near the bike shop.

As a matter of fact, it's
two doors down from it.

So we headed up to
the hardware store

and we noticed the
car, Chad's car,

was not in the parking lot.

So we decided instead of
going to the hardware store,

to stop there and
see where Chad was.

It's been an hour and a
half since he left the house.

Thank you.

George, do you
know where Chad is?

He's car's not out front.

Well, he better be here.

He may have a
customer in the back.

DOLLY (VOICE OVER): I knew
there was something wrong,

but I just couldn't imagine.

So we just thought
Chad will show up.

I hardly slept at
all that night.

I probably got about five hours
sleep, and I got up at 6:00,

and I knew it was too early
to start calling the kids,

but I started calling kids about
7:30, and nobody knew anything.

The last time
anybody saw Chad was

Friday night at a party
for a couple of hours,

and that was it.

[train going by]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
The South Side

of Chicago was one of the
roughest neighborhoods

in the country.

It is just a three
hour drive from Chad's

home in Madison, Wisconsin.

[garage door clanking open]

Two days after
Chad was last seen,

a maintenance worker
found Chad's car

abandoned in the garage of a
South Side housing complex.

Oh my God.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
Inside the car

was Chad Mower, dead from
carbon monoxide poisoning.

The Chicago police contacted
the Mowers with the tragic news

that their son had
committed suicide.

My system went into shock.

My brain went into shock
and I was not thinking

until the kids started calling.

I don't even know how
the kids found out,

but the kids started
calling, and they

were screaming over the phone.

Did Chad commit suicide?

Well, he died of Carbon--
no, no, not Chad, not Chad.

DOLLY (VOICE OVER): Chad
had too much going for him.

Chad had all his friends
and Chad loved life.

Chad was not depressed.

Chad was not down.

He had all these goals.

John, look at Chad's knuckles.
It looks like--

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
John and Dolly

viewed Chad's body for the first
time just prior to the funeral.

Look at his face
too, it looks all--

They were startled
by his appearance.

But the Chicago
police had said there

was no evidence of foul play.

The knuckles on both hands
had been skinned to the bone

and there were
bruises on his face.

Is there anything else
we should be aware of here?

Well, we did receive his
clothing, and that was soiled.

Soiled?

Yes, would you like to see it?

Most definitely.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
Moments later, Chad's father

got his first look
at the clothes

Chad was wearing when he died.

Oh no, Chad.

MAN: Front and back.

Oh, what happened?

What happened?

ROBERT STACK
(VOICEOVER): He could

not understand why there were
blood stains on the t-shirt.

Now convinced that Chad's
death was not a suicide,

the Mowers contacted
the local authorities.

I'll show you
the uh, crime scene

photographs that were sent up
by the Chicago authorities.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
Together with Detective David

Bongiovanni, they studied the
police report filed in Chicago.

John and Dolly
immediately noticed

yet another suspicious clue.

DETECTIVE DAVID:
--surrounding Chad in the car.

Speaking of Chad, what the
heck is that next to him there?

The jacket?

JOHN: Yeah.

Chad didn't take
a jacket with him

and he didn't own
a jacket like that.

And you're positive of that?

Yes, I'm positive.

DETECTIVE DAVID
(VOICEOVER): The parents

noted the jacket
on the front seat

was not a jacket they
knew Chad to own.

It would be interesting to
know the size of the jacket,

if it's consistent
with Chad's size,

or it may give us
an idea of the basic

build of somebody that may
have been in the car with him.

It may have given us an idea
of where in fact the jacket was

purchased, which would give us
possibly a location, assuming

it's not a real common brand.

But the parents had pointed out
that article in the photograph,

and when I checked
with Chicago, they

had noted the jacket
as well, but were

not sure where the jacket was.

They were going to
check into that.

The best thing I can determine
was that the jacket remained

in the car, and before
the car was towed,

somebody took the
jacket from the vehicle

because we couldn't secure it
with the window being locked.

So now I wish we had the
jacket, but we have no jacket.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
The autopsy report

also suggested that Chad
had not taken his own life.

The level of carbon
monoxide in his body

was 74%, a figure much
higher than usually

found in a suicide.

It's my understanding
that levels where they're

conscious at the time they
succumb to carbon monoxide

is about 50% to 60%.

Levels that get up
to about 74% to 80%

are more consistent with
a person being unconscious

or sleeping at the
time they succumb

to carbon monoxide poisoning.

And that's because people
naturally have a tendency

to breathe deeper
and more methodically

when they're sleeping then
possibly when they're awake.

ROBERT STACK
(VOICEOVER): The cause

of Chad's death was changed
from suicide to undetermined.

Authorities began a full
blown investigation.

Do you have an opinion as
to what happened that day?

ROBERT STACK
(VOICEOVER): The bike

shop owner was quoted
in a local newspaper

regarding Chad's case.

And something or
someone spooked him.

ROBERT STACK
(VOICEOVER): Nine days

later, the shop was vandalized.

[gun shots]

[glass breaking]

[car tires screeching]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
No other stores

in the area was hit.

It now appeared that someone
was sending a message.

MAN (ON TV): The following
is a message from the Madison

area Crime Stoppers.

On October 22nd,
1990, Chad's story

was aired on a local Crime
Stoppers program in Madison

and a disturbing
scenario emerged.

--teenager last spring.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
After the broadcast,

an anonymous tip alleged that
Chad was involved in a drug

deal with people who lived
in his apartment complex

in Madison.

These same people
had previously lived

on the south side of Chicago.

We know through our
intelligence sources

that there is a pipeline
of narcotics trafficking

from Chicago to Madison.

Now, there's nothing
in Chad's background

that would really suggest that
he's involved with narcotics.

His toxicological analysis came
back pure of any narcotics, not

even any alcohol.

But because of this conduit,
there's a possibility

that he might have been
tricked or enticed in some way

to be involved in narcotics
and narcotics trafficking.

DETECTIVE DAVID (VOICEOVER): Is
it possible that somebody else

offered him money?

Chad was looking for money.

He wanted to move to Colorado.

He was hoping to get a
couple of thousand dollars

to go to Colorado for
snowboarding and BMX, a future.

Is it possible that
somebody offered him $500

to make the trip and then
when they got to Chicago,

reneged on that and an
altercation occurred,

and Chad obviously being the
loser of that altercation.

[punch thuds]

[grunts]

[grunting in pain]

THUG: Get him!

Get him, get him!

[fist fight]

Just leave him there.

Let's go!

[scuffling]

Shut off the lights!

Most all of our
homicides in Chicago

have a common denominator
of drugs in it

somewhere, whether they're
selling it, whether they're

fighting over the territory,
whether they're using it,

drugs seems to come up in a
great majority of our cases.

JOHN RIDGES: So this
is also a reason

that we're inclined to lean
towards this drug angle

a little bit more because
we see so often here.

We feel that there are people,
probably in the Madison area,

that probably know more than
they're coming forward with.

And I think probably that's
who we're trying to reach out

to now because we're not
going to know what happened

inside that garage unless
we know the circumstances

surrounding how he got there,
and that's what we're really

after, I think, at this point.

All we know in Chad's
case is Chad is dead

and he ended up in Chicago.

That's all we know in this case
and we know he was beaten up.

But why was he beaten up?

How did he end up in Chicago?

There are so many questions
and every day we wake up

and we think a
different thing that

could have happened to Chad.

I know it won't bring Chad
back, but we cannot rest,

and we cannot put Chad
to rest until we really

have the answers to this case.

[theme music]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): In
1971, Big Brothers of America

opened a chapter in
Elkhart, Indiana.

Their first little brother
was 7-year-old Jeff Fisher.

Jeff's big brother
was John Novotny,

a local salesman and father
of a two-year-old daughter.

I play shortstop on it.

You do?
Well that's nice

John gave me the
companionship that I

really needed at that time.

Just the fact that this was
an older guy that I could

hang around with, and not have
him to tell me to go away,

and come back later, and stuff.

A guy that wanted to
spend some time with me.

It made me feel really good.

Yeah.

So I can get this tied up and
then we're just about ready--

LINDA: After Jeff and John
started seeing each other,

I noticed that Jeff had a lot
more confidence in himself,

and he was very proud of the
fact that he had a big brother,

and he would tell
the other kids well,

John and I are going to go this.

Or my big brother and
I are going to do this.

He was very proud of the fact
that he had a man in his life.

I think it's ready to light.

Yeah.

OK.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
A year and a half later,

John and his family moved away.

Although Jeff never
saw John again,

he never forgot the warmth and
kindness that changed his life.

JEFF (VOICEOVER): He just
introduced me to a world

that I had never seen before
and if I finally see him again,

I just want to thank him.

He made a lasting impression.

It's been 20 years and
he's still a really

vivid part of my memory.

Thanks to our viewers,
Jeff Fisher's search

for his big brother ended
the night of our broadcast.

Nine days later,
Jeff and his mother

traveled to John Novotny's
home in Tacoma, Washington

for an emotional reunion.

There they are!

[laughter]

There they are!

Hi, guys.

[laughter and talking]

You look just like
your picture, man.

How are you doing?

Great, great.

JOHN NOVOTNY: It's unbelievable.

I was absolutely stunned.

I had absolutely no idea
that Jeff was looking for me

and then as the show
aired, people from Elkhart

and from Michigan started
calling me on the phone,

telling me that I
was on television,

and that Jeff Fisher
was looking for me.

We must have got
35 calls that night

and at least that
many the next night.

I've been wanting to say
thanks to this guy for 18 years

and whatever it took to
come out and say that,

I was willing to do.

This is when we were down
in Lexington, Kentucky

for a John Mellencamp show.

JOHN NOVOTNY: When I first
started being a Big Brother

the question was
would I really have

enough time to do it right?

And then 20 years later,
to find out that I really

did make a difference,
I mean, it brings

the whole thing to reality.

[laughter]

[theme music]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
The homeless,

estimates of their numbers
go as high as $7 million

in the United States alone.

Sadly, many of us tend
not to see the individuals

in the faceless mass.

We forget that for
each man, woman,

and child on the streets,
there's an untold story.

There ain't no apartments.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): This
is a story of a woman named

Lorene Roberts, who maybe
lost among the homeless.

Her family has not seen or heard
from her in more than 30 years.

Lorene has no way of knowing
that she is one of the heirs

to a million dollar estate.

Lorene grew up in
Dripping Springs, Texas.

She was on the high
school basketball team

and a member of the pep club.

But at 16, Lorene inexplicably
dropped out of school.

Her family believes
this may have

been the beginning of a slow
descent into mental illness.

VIRGINIA: Lorene was very quiet.

She would just be yourself
with her own thoughts

and her own world.

It's as if she wasn't there
with you most of the time.

Hey, Hey, little lady.

Can we get some
coffee over here?

Yeah, you, the pretty one.

You want to take our order?

Uh, I'll be with
you in just a minute.

ROBERT STACK
(VOICEOVER): In 1949,

just after she dropped
out of high school,

Lorene moved to Austin and
soon found work as a waitress.

She also found love.

Write that down,
coffee, pie, and how

about I take you for a whirl.

I don't know what you mean.

Let me show you.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
Just 10 days after they met,

Lorene and the young
serviceman were married.

[romantic music playing]

Lorene and her husband had three
children in quick succession.

In 1956, they moved to his
hometown in New Jersey.

That decision would
prove to be the undoing

of the young couple.

[children yelling]

RUBY: And Lorene told me
that she wasn't happy there,

his family didn't accept her,
and that his mother bought her

and the children a
train ticket, and put

them on the train to
come back to Austin,

sent her back to Austin.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
Lorene's husband

filed for divorce.

With no money and
no means of support,

Lorene and her
three young children

returned to Texas and
an uncertain future.

I'm tired, when are
we going to go home?

Soon.

Michael, sweetheart would
you put this on for me?

That other one's dirty.

Come here, put
this on for mommy.

OK?

I'm hungry, who's--

who's going to feed us?

There's bread in
the kitchen, OK?

I need you-- I need
you to help me out.

Mother!

Can you do that?

But who's going
to take care of us?

You.

I need you to be the
man while I'm gone.

Is that OK?
Can you do that?

Will you be in charge for mommy?

Will you do that for me?

I got to go now.

I got to go.

Will you watch after
them for me, OK?

OK?
- OK.

Bye.

RUBY: Lorene tried.

She worked and she tried
to handle her situations.

And she loved her
children very much,

but that was just something
she couldn't handle

and she seen she
couldn't handle it,

and she tried to get help
from her husband, but no help.

She got no help.

She decided the best thing
to do was to just give them

up and let them be
adopted out where

they would be taken care of.

Come along.

Now, just get into the car.

Now don't-- now don't fuss.

I'll-- we'll get--
we'll get you some food.

Now, don't fuss.

I want you to sit there quietly.

Yes, yes you.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): After
the children were adopted,

Lorene's emotional state
grew increasingly fragile.

RUBY (VOICEOVER): She came to
me and she admitted that she

was sick to me, and
said she needed help,

said she needed a doctor.

And my dad said we would
take her to the psychiatrist,

and I did, and he
gave her admittance

to the state hospital.

So I took her out there and she
cried and everything when she

hugged my neck, and
loved me, and everything,

and it was so hard to see--
to have to leave her there.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
Between 1957 and 1961,

Lorene was admitted to
the state mental hospital

on five separate occasions.

Each time she was released,
she found work as a waitress,

but each time when the
pressure became too great,

Lorene would check herself
back into the hospital.

In 1959, on one of her
furloughs in the state hospital,

Lorene showed up at
Ruby's house unannounced.

Lorene.

Hi, it's so good to see you.

Get up here and let me
give you a big old hug.

Oh.

How are you doing?

Oh, I'm just fine, Ruby.

Well, you look thin.

Can I fix you something to eat?

Oh, no, no, no, nothing.

I can only stay a few minutes.

Well, then sit down here and
tell me what's been going on.

Well, I'm getting married.

Married?

Uh-huh.

That's great.

Who to?

College professor.

A college professor.

Well that's great.

I came to show you my ring.

Well, that's
mighty pretty, honey.

Where'd you meet a
college professor?

It's pretty, isn't it?

Lorene.

Hm?

Where'd you meet
a college professor?

The college.

RUBY (VOICEOVER):
At that time I was

just hoping the best for her.

So I didn't question
too much or anything.

I just hoped the best, you know?

And that's the last
time I saw Lorene,

and I haven't heard from
her or anything since.

Well, I've got to get going.

Well, can I take
you somewhere?

Oh no, no.

I came in a cab and I'm
going to leave in a cab.

Take care now.

OK, you too.

ROBERT STACK
(VOICEOVER): Two weeks

later, Ruby received a bill
for Lorene's engagement ring.

Lorene had bought
the ring herself,

then failed to
make the payments.

ERIC TUCKER: We have searched
everything looking for Lorene.

All the public records
have been searched.

No one has any records
of Lorene being

alive for the last 25 years.

Her mother died in 1988
and her will provided it

for the distribution of her
estate, which was valued

at about $1 million,
to her children

and Lorene was one
of the children.

And so since no one
knew where she was,

the court appointed
me to represent her

and to try to locate her.

I don't think it's going
to be easy to find Lorene,

but I also don't think
she's disappeared

off the face of the earth.

I think she's out
there somewhere.

She's either on the
street, or in a hospital,

or under some new identity,
but I think she's out there.

There's a big void in
our life without her,

and not knowing whether
she's alive or dead,

and we want that filled.

I would share her
children that have

found us and her grandchildren.

That would be the first thing
I'd want her to know about.

She would be so happy.

When we aired
this story, we never

imagined that Lorene
would call our telecenter

and solve her own mystery.

Lorene's family was
overjoyed to learn

that she was alive and well.

Her sister, Ruby, immediately
flew to Little Rock, Arkansas,

where Lorene had been
working as a housekeeper

for just room and board.

[people conversing]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): A few
days later, Ruby brought Lorene

back home to Austin, Texas
for a poignant reunion

with the rest of her family.

[happy crying]

Oh, Lorene!

It was unbelievable.

I could hardly believe it
because I guess for so long we

have searched and
searched for her,

and we couldn't find a lead.

I was so enthused, I cried,
I laughed, I did everything.

[cheering and crying]

[applause]

Yes, it's nice to be back.

They're Real nice.

They've always been.

They're original people that
are very darling people.

Well, you know
better than we do.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
After we filmed this reunion,

Lorene remained in
Austin for three months.

She received her
$105,000 inheritance

and has since returned
to her home in Arkansas.

This is the wonderful person
we looked for for 30 years.

We're going to be happy and
just do all the things we can

to be together, and
love each other,

and include her children
and her grandchildren.

[laughter]

And which I think will be real
good for Lorene and all of us.

[theme music]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
August 29th, 1990,

the Hawaiian island of Maui.

A man arrived at a local
bank and introduced

himself as Pepito D'Bayan.

I've been named representative
to my aunt's estate,

and what I'd like to do is take
the funds from her account,

and open up a new account.

In addition to the
$52,000 from her account,

I'd like to deposit
this check also.

Do you have some
identification?

And also, I'd like to
transfer $20,000 to my associate

in Honolulu, Julian Bellemont.

I see.

That's $20,000 to--

Julian Bellemont.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
Although the documents appeared

in order, something about
the smooth talking customer

put the bank manager on guard.

I tell you what, all this
is going to take some time.

If you could come
back in an hour,

we'll be all ready for you
to go when you come back.

OK, great.

Then I guess I'll see
you in around an hour.

Yes, thank you Mr. D'Bayan.

Thank you.

So long.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
An hour later, Pepito

D'Bayan returned to schedule.

Hi.

Are you Pepito D'Bayan?

Yeah, that's me.

We believe this
check is a forgery.

ROBERT STACK
(VOICEOVER): D'Bayan

was arrested on the spot
for suspicion of forgery.

[hand cuff clicks]

[photo snapshot]

MAN: Turn to your right.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): At
first, Maui police had no idea

who they had in custody.

The suspect carried 15
identification cards,

each with a different alias.

Eventually, authorities identify
the prisoner as an elusive

conman named Todd Mueller.

Todd Muller is not your
run of the mill criminal.

He specializes in forging
court documents, which

give him free reign
to plunder the estates

of the recently deceased.

His many escapades have
confused and frustrated

authorities, often
leaving them shaking

their heads in disbelief.

As it turns out, Todd Mueller is
something of a practical joker

who delights in
taunting those who are

trying to keep him behind bars.

ROBERT STACK
(VOICEOVER): December

3rd 1991, Honolulu, Hawaii.

- Hello, my name is Clara.
- Hi, Clara.

How are you?
I'm Arthur Iona.

ROBERT STACK
(VOICEOVER): Three months

after his arrest in
Maui, Todd Mueller

was out on bail and
back on the scam,

calling himself Arthur Iona.

What may I do for you today?

Well, Clara, I've been
a personal representative

to the estate of
George McLaughlin,

and what I'd like to do is take
the funds from this account,

and open a checking
account in my name.

May I see some ID?

Absolutely.

We think Todd Mueller
looked in a newspaper

in the obituary section.

From there, he would get
names of deceased persons,

their accounts being
in probate court.

HENRY NOBRIGA (VOICEOVER):
He would then go over

to the copying machines,
located right in Circuit Court,

take these photocopies
home, and he

would make of letters
of administration,

naming him a trustee
for the account.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
The fictitious documents

and phony checks enabled Mueller
to steal thousands of dollars

from banks throughout Hawaii.

He had created a lucrative
cottage industry right

in his own apartment,
but his work was

sometimes less than perfect.

HENRY NOBRIGA: One
particular check,

the bank listed on the check
was a bank of Iowa, Boise, Iowa.

There is no Boise Iowa.

Instead, it should
be Boise, Idaho,

and we thought that was
pretty hilarious with him.

You know, just
making up any name.

I guess he didn't realize
it was Boise, Idaho.

[car whirring by]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
Todd Mueller was not only

a bit sloppy, he was greedy.

During the next three days,
he returned to the bank

in Honolulu and withdrew
more than $31,000,

arousing the suspicions of
yet another bank manager.

HENRY NOBRIGA
(VOICEOVER): She called

me to tell me that she
thought these probate

documents were false.

She described the
individual to me.

I immediately
thought Todd Mueller.

Mr. Mueller?

Todd Mueller, Detective Nobriga.

We finally meet.

Hi.

You're under
arrest for forgery.

Put your hands behind your back.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
After the arrest,

Detective Nobriga
proceeded to an address

given to him by Mueller.

Once he determined that
Mueller did live there,

Nobriga left to obtain
a search warrant.

OK, this is it.

Meanwhile, Todd Mueller
posted bail and was released.

Todd Mueller calls
me in my office.

He invites me over to his house.

He tells me, you don't have
to make any search warrants.

Just come over to my house
and I'll let you look around.

Hello?

[dog barking in distance]

HENRY NOBRIGA
(VOICEOVER): I just

kind of smiled and
thought he's leading

me on a wild goose chase.

I walked over and checked
with some of the neighbors,

and they told me just about
an hour before I arrived

there, there was a flurry of
activity where guys were moving

stuff out of the house,
throwing it onto a truck,

and they took off and left.

[typing]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
One week later,

at the Oahu
Correctional Facility,

a former cell mate of Todd
Mueller's, Roy Hartsock,

received a welcomed surprise.

MAN: Pack your stuff up, man.

Today's your lucky day.

You're being paroled.

What?

MAN: You're being paroled.

Pack your stuff up.

Nah, I don't get
paroled until February.

ROBERT STACK
(VOICEOVER): A court

order had been issued for
Hartsock's immediate release.

Roy Hartsock left the
island for parts unknown.

Three weeks later,
authorities discovered

that Hardtsock's release
documents had been forged.

Todd Mueller had
apparently struck again.

At about the time we were
looking for Todd Mueller,

I got a phone call
from a New York police

Sergeant saying that
they had arrested

Todd Mueller in New York.

When I tried to call this
New York Sergeant back,

we learned that there was no
such person, no such department

there in New York.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): And
where it was Todd Mueller?

Living it up at an exclusive
hotel in Chicago, Illinois.

Hi.

Give it 1720.

I want to pay for
tonight and tomorrow.

I'm not sure when
I'll be checking out.

Mr. Mueller?

We became suspicious of Mr.
Mueller because of the activity

that was taking
place in the lobby.

He had very suspicious looking
people coming to the hotel

and he was giving large
sums of money to them.

And I informed the front
office manager that we

should not extend hi stay.

The hotel's booked?

That's correct.

Are you sure there
isn't some mistake?

I've been here all week.

I'm afraid not.

We have a convention coming in.

The entire floor is booked.

I see.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
Mueller, however,

wasn't quite ready to leave.

I guess in that case,
I'll be checking out.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): He
simply called the hotel's toll

free reservation
service and booked

another room across the hall.

That irked me,
to say the least.

And at that point, that's when
I felt that we should take

some sort of action
as to at least check

on his identity of who
Mr. Mueller actually was.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
Pat Ammiano searched

Mueller's vacated room.

He found several
discarded checks, which

later proved to be forgeries.

Ammiano also
discovered that Mueller

had placed several calls
to Honolulu, Hawaii.

HENRY NOBRIGA (VOICEOVER):
On the off chance,

he called one of
the phone numbers,

and it happened to be my office.

I think he just has
this penchant for making

everyone chase him around.

I guess he's sort of like a
cops and robbers kind of thing.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
When Chicago police arrived

to arrest Mueller, they were
met by his former cellmate

from Hawaii, Roy Hartsock.

Chicago PD.

We're looking for Todd Mueller.

He's not here.

And you are?

Roy Hartsock.

ROBERT STACK
(VOICEOVER): Hartsock

was surprised to learn that
his early release from prison

had been secured with
forged documents.

You have any identification?

Yeah.

Todd Mueller?

Chicago PD.

You're under arrest.

ROBERT STACK
(VOICEOVER): Once again,

Todd Mueller was in custody.

But this time, there
would be no bail.

You have the right
to remain silent.

Anything you say
or do can be used

against you in a court of law.

Do you understand that?
- Yes, I do.

Todd was parading around
town prior to his arrest,

pretending to be someone
other than what he was.

He committed several burglaries,
stole mail, federal mail theft

charges, opened bank accounts,
and attempted to withdraw a sum

of $204,000 from one account.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Roy
Hartsock was returned to Hawaii

to complete his sentence.

Todd Mueller was
booked on charges

of forgery, fraud, and robbery.

He was held in the Cook
County jail, pending trial.

[gurney wheels rolling]

But Mueller had one more
trick up his sleeve.

After six months behind bars,
he was rushed to a hospital

emergency room
after telling guards

he had swallowed a razor blade.

Mueller was handcuffed
to his hospital bed.

A guard was posted
outside the door.

It didn't do a bit of good.

Authorities still cannot explain
how Todd Mueller got away.

WOMAN (ON SPEAKER):
Doctor Kravitz,

a visitor in the main lobby.

HENRY NOBRIGA (VOICEOVER):
Since Todd Mueller escaped,

he would call me
just to say that he

wanted to turn himself into me.

Some all of his phone calls
claimed to be on the plane

itself, coming into Hawaii.

Saying I'm on my way in.

I'm on so and so flight.

Why don't you meet
me at the airport?

You go down there.

He's never there.

I don't think my sense of
humor is any worse for it.

I don't particularly
enjoy what he's doing

but I just think what
he's doing is silly.

Eventually, he's
going to get caught.

[theme music]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
Next, a woman's

poignant search for her
brothers and sisters,

torn apart by tragedy.

[theme music]

James and Wanda Vess
were married in 1956.

17 years later, they
had nine children;

six sons and three daughters.

The oldest child was 16,
the youngest just 10 months.

James worked in the
construction business,

and for the Vess children, life
at home seemed safe and secure.

OK, everyone got
their spaghetti?

OK, let's say grace, folks.

Russell, get your
elbows off the table.

Bless us, oh Lord--

SHARENE (VOICEOVER): We
would eat dinner every night

together at the table.

My mother would
have everything done

before my father got off work.

--Christ our lord, amen.

Good.

SHARENE (VOICEOVER): My
mother set at one end,

my father sat at the other end,
and the kids sat on the sides.

And I think that was
something that was really

important to my father,
you know that the family

be together at dinner time,
and sit there and eat.

Yeah.

OK, again.

Get We had an ideal life.

We would go to
church on Sundays.

We would get up on the
stage of the church

and sing with my mother because
she played the accordion.

We would sing at home together.

We would have fun.

It was a typical American
family life that you

see on "Leave it to Beaver."

[church organ playing]

The Lord is my shepherd.

I shall not want.

He maketh thee to lie
down in green pastures.

In

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
May of 1974, the Vess family

was ripped apart by tragedy.

He restored my soul.

He leadeth me in the paths of
righteousness, for his name's--

ROBERT STACK
(VOICEOVER): Wanda Vess

had died on her 34th birthday.

-- Though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil.

For though art with me.

Thy rod and thy staff,
they comfort me.

I think I felt more
cheated than anything.

I remember my little sister
tried to touch my mother

and I pulled her hand back.

And then she went
up there, and I

guess she touched her
because she came back

and she goes, sissy,
why is mama so cold?

And I couldn't answer her.

I didn't know what to say so
I just set her down on my lap

and just held her there.

Now prepare us the
table before me--

James Vess did not
attend the funeral.

He was in jail, charged
with the murder of his wife.

My cup overflowed.

What could bring a
man to kill his own wife

and leave his
children as orphans?

The answer in this isolated
case may be hauntingly simple.

James Vess was an alcoholic.

The nine Vess children not
only lost both of their parents

to this devastating
disease, they also

lost each other for 17 years.

This is a story of one
woman's determination

to find her brothers
and sisters,

and one family's
resilience in the face

of overwhelming tragedy.

[car whirring by]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): By
1973, years of drinking binges

had steadily eroded James
and Wanda Vess's marriage.

[car door slams shut]

James is often
too drunk to work.

He also became increasingly
violent towards his wife.

[plastic bouncing on counter]

Wanda!

WANDA: Yeah?

Hey, Wanda, where's that bottle?

SHARENE (VOICEOVER):
I remember on one

occasion, my father coming
home, looking for his bottle

of liquor.

And my mother had hid it
so he couldn't find it.

No I didn't.

- You hid that bottle, Wanda.
- You probably drank it.

(ANGRILY): I didn't
drink the bottle.

It was a full
bottle this morning.

Where the hell is it?

SHARENE (VOICEOVER):
And he got really upset

and wanted his liquor, and my
mother wouldn't give it to him,

he was beating her up.

[screams]

And he was hitting
her and choking her.

[yelling]

And so my brothers
would go over there

and try to get him off of her.

Just leave her alone!

SHARENE (VOICEOVER): I was
always more quiet and afraid.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Wanda
Vess had finally had enough.

James soon moved
out of the house

and Wanda filed for divorce.

She was determined to make a new
life for herself and the nine

children, but with no formal
training and little work

experience, Wanda was
forced two wait tables

and tend bar at a local tavern.

May 27th, 1974.

At around 1:00 AM, James
Vess wandered into the tavern

where his wife worked.

It was Wanda's 34th birthday.

Oh, I just came to buy you a
drink for your birthday, babe.

I don't want
anything from you.

Get out.

Come on, we do
this every year.

Get out.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
According to witnesses,

James had been drinking heavily.

OK.

[shotgun loads]

Get out of here.

(YELLING): Get out of here!

What are you doing?

Put that thing down.

Put the gun down,
James Put it down!

(SCREAMING): Put the gun down!

[gunshot]

[shotgun reloaded]

I love you, Wanda.

[gunshot]

[POLICE CHATTER ON WALKIE
TALKIE]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
Approximately an hour

later, James Vess was
arrested at a nearby tavern.

Minutes after
killing Wanda, James

had swaggered into the
bar and openly boasted

that he had just shot his wife.

He said he needed a drink.

Vess later plead guilty
to first degree murder

and was sentenced to life in
prison, where he died in 1983.

In one senseless
and violent moment,

James Vess had shattered
his entire family.

Within days of their
mother's funeral,

the Vess children were sent
to live in separate homes.

SHARENE (VOICEOVER): I
think for some reason,

I felt we had enough family
that some kind of way

we would all be kept
together, but I was wrong.

It was like nobody wanted us.

We were taboo.

To be around us
would be to remember

what happened, to have to accept
it, and they didn't want that.

So to me, we were
punished for what

my father did because
we weren't even

allowed to have each other.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
The oldest boy, James Jr,

Was taken in by his grandmother.

Sharene and three brothers,
Russell, Kenneth, and Wayne,

were placed in foster homes.

Her sister, Kendra, and
the three youngest children

Heath, Dawn, and Kevin,
were put up for adoption.

Excuse me, do you
have any spare change?

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
For 14-year-old Sharene,

the tragic loss of
an entire family

marked the beginning
of a cycle of despair.

Just three months after
her mother was murdered,

Sharene ran away from her foster
home and took to the streets.

SHARENE (VOICEOVER):
In the very beginning,

sometimes I would sleep in the
apartment building hallway,

and a couple of times
I slept outside.

It was cold.

I was scared.

I had a backpack that
had some clothes in it.

I used that for a pillow.

You lay there and
half way sleep,

and hope that no
one comes around.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER):
Remarkably, Sharene

managed to escape the streets.

Eventually, she enrolled
in business school

and later got a job
as an office manager.

Today, Sharene
lives in San Diego,

California with her
husband and two daughters.

Four years ago, with the
love and encouragement

of her new family,
Sharene began searching

for her missing
brothers and sisters,

whom she had not
seen in 11 years.

Incredibly, it took Sharene
less than two months

to find four of her brothers.

Two years later, she was
reunited with her oldest sister

and just last Christmas,
Sharene finally

made contact with her
youngest sister and brother.

But one of the Vess children
still remains unaccounted for.

Sharene's brother,
Heath, who was 6 years

old when they were separated.

I actually had
a dream one night

that there was all
nine of us in a room,

and I was actually counting
them all down the line,

and I couldn't believe it.

It's like something
that you want,

but it's just out of reach.

You'll never get it.

But I believe enough in
that because I will not

take no for an answer
because I just know that I'm

going to get them all together.

The night of our
broadcast, Sharene's dream

of finding her brother,
Heath, came true

when he called our telecenter.

Heath, who is now married
and living in Ohio,

was shocked to learn
he been featured

on national television.

The next day, he
spoke with his sister

for the first time in
more than 17 years.

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): Four
weeks later, Heath, accompanied

by his wife Robin,
arrived in Los

Angeles for a special
reunion with five

of his brothers and sisters.

[door closes]

[happy screaming]

HEATH (VOICEOVER): I
was really excited.

I just wanted to
get out of the car.

I just think, who am
I going to hug first?

And I didn't want anybody to
start bawling or anything.

I just wanted to get out and hug
everybody at once, basically.

SHARENE (VOICEOVER): When
I heard Heath was found,

I was actually kind of numb.

I thought it would take months.

I didn't know that
people would just call in

and it would be that easy.

I'm glad it was because
it's been a long wait.

[chuckling]

I was born with it.

HEATH (VOICEOVER):
Meeting everybody,

it's changed my
attitude a lot. it's

picked up my attitude because
I've had a lot of feelings.

I had that unwanted feeling
and I never really knew

why, but now since they
found me, I have that

wanted feeling now.

It's a good feeling
because I never really knew.

Finding Heath and this
reunion is the first day

of a new beginning.

I know when we all leave
here that we're all going

to leave here differently.

It's going to be
better for all of us.

Cheese.

[photograph snaps]

[theme music]

ROBERT STACK (VOICEOVER): On
our next Unsolved Mysteries,

the final appeal of Larry Race.

In 1982, Race took his wife
for a moonlight boat ride

on Lake Superior.

The next morning, Debbie Race's
lifeless body washed ashore.

Larry Race was convicted of
murder and sent to prison.

To this day, Race
maintains his innocence,

and the family of his
dead wife believes

he is telling the truth.

At the outbreak of World War
II, a young woman of the Ojibwe

Indian nation was
banished by her father

when she joined the
Royal Canadian Air Force.

Her brothers and
sisters have not

seen her in nearly 50 years.

Join me next time for
another intriguing addition

Unsolved Mysteries.

[music playing]