Casefile True Crime - 338: Case 291: David Pauley, Ralph Geiger & Timothy Kern

Episode Date: July 6, 2024

In October of 2011, an advertisement was posted on the website Craigslist. It read: Wanted: Caretaker For Farm. Simply watch over a 688 acre patch of hilly farmland and feed a few cows. You get 300 a week and a nice 2 bedroom trailer. Someone older and single preferred but will consider all. Relocation a must. You must have a clean record and be trustworthy—this is a permanent position. --- Narration – Anonymous Host Research & writing – Erin Munro Creative direction – Milly Raso Production and music – Mike Migas Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn Sign up for Casefile Premium: Apple Premium Spotify Premium Patreon For all credits and sources, please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-291-david-pauley-ralph-geiger-timothy-kern

Louisa Ewanitis was just 24 years old, yet her untimely death in 2011 received little more than a brief mention in a local newspaper. Found in a creek, police quickly dismissed any suspicion, despite her being a strong swimmer. This is the story behind Troubled Waters, the latest original podcast from Casefile Presents. Led by seasoned private investigator Julia Robson, the podcast uncovers a gripping narrative full of intrigue. From an international kidnapping and a daring escape, this is like no story you've ever heard before. The entire Troubled Waters series is available now.

Listen to all 10 episodes of Troubled Waters wherever you get your podcasts. Stay tuned to the end of today's episode to hear the trailer. Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support and for a more detailed list of content warnings, please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website. 37-year-old Jeff Shockling was watching television at his mother's house shortly after 7pm on Sunday November 6 2011 when he heard the doorbell ring. It was an unexpected sound to hear at that time of day. Jeff's mother lived in a rural area in Caldwell, Ohio. Strange visitors to the home were rare and no-ones would just let themselves in

rather than knock or ring the doorbell first. Jeff also thought it was odd that he hadn't heard a car pull up, meaning that whoever was at the door had arrived on foot. Suspecting that another member of the family was playing a prank on him, Jeff asked his nine-year-old nephew to go and see who was there. The boy got up and went to the door while Jeff continued watching the game show Jeopardy. A moment later, Jeff's nephew came running back and told Jeff, there's a guy at the door, he's been shot and he's bleeding right through. Still believing this was part of a prank his younger relatives had come up with, Jeff nevertheless went to the front door. Standing in the doorway was a man Jeff had never seen before. He looked to be in his late

40s with a solid build, a short, salt and pepper beard, and shoulder-length grey street hair. The man's face was pale and he fidgeted anxiously while holding his right arm across his body. His right shirt sleeve was soaked in blood and so was his pant leg below. David Pawley was ready for a fresh start. For many years he had been a man of consistency. The 51-year-old from Norfolk, Virginia had married his high school sweetheart Susan after the two had parted ways for a time. David adopted Susan's son Wade and became a stable influence in the boy's life. David modelled to Wade what a regular routine looked like, eating the same breakfast every day and then going to work his 9-5 job as a warehouse manager and truck driver for a building

materials distributor. But after almost 20 years of working for the same company, David was suddenly left adrift after they had to downsize. He struggled to find another long-term position, instead working various jobs here and there. This became even harder after the financial crisis of 2007 to 2008, which was the most severe global economic crisis since the Great Depression almost a century earlier. The subsequent recession led to companies going out of business and a shortage of jobs for blue collar workers like David. David's personal relationships also began to suffer. Eventually, in 2009, David and Susan divorced. David moved in with his older brother Richard and his sister-in-law, sleeping in their spare bedroom.

The trio got along well, but David was looking for something more permanent. He was eager to get back on his feet and find a place of his own so he could properly begin the next chapter of his life instead of feeling like a guest in someone else's home. While working short-term temp roles and occasionally having to borrow money from friends and family, David kept his hopes up for something better. At the men's Bible study sessions he attended regularly, he prayed to find a steady job. He also searched actively, turning to the internet to look for his next possible career.

On Sunday October 9, 2011, David was trawling job listings on the website Craigslist when one in particular caught his eye. Wanted Caretaker for farm. Simply watch over a 688 acre patch of hilly farmland and feed a few cows. You get 300 a week and a nice two bedroom trailer. Someone older and single preferred but will consider all. Relocation a must. You must have a clean record and be trustworthy. This is a permanent position. The farm is used mainly as a hunting preserve, is overrun with game, has a stocked three-acre pond, but some beef cattle will be kept.

Nearest neighbour is a mile away. The place is secluded and beautiful. It will be a real getaway for the right person. Job of a lifetime. If you are ready to relocate, please contact ASAP. Position will not stay open." The job ad immediately appealed to David Pawley. It would provide accommodation and enough income to live off. Plus, David loved the outdoors and a quiet life. Although he had close friends and family members he loved, he was content with being left to his own devices. The ranch was situated in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, a scenic location where David could enjoy the natural world. a scenic location where David could enjoy the natural world. David also had a slightly hippie-ish look with wavy shoulder-length hair and a bushy mustache, and he wasn't keen on changing his style for a more straight-laced position. If he was living alone on a ranch, then it wouldn't

matter how he looked. The only catch was that the ranch was in the southern part of Ohio, two states away from where David currently resided in Virginia. But this didn't deter David at all. His lifelong best friend, Chris Mall, had moved to Ohio a couple of years earlier after his own divorce, and was happy there. David and Chris had been friends since high school and always remained in contact despite life taking them in different directions. The men were so close that they talked up to 50 times a day. They spoke so frequently that they even purchased walkie-talkies for the sole purpose of chatting with each other.

If David moved to Ohio, he'd be able to see his friend more often. David replied to the job listing, writing, I'm 51 years young, single male, I love the outdoors. I currently live in Virginia, have visited Ohio and I really love the state. Being out there by myself would not bother me, as I like to be alone. I own my own pick-up truck, so hauling would not be a problem. I can fix most anything, have my own carpentry tools. If chosen, I will work hard to take care of your place and treat it like my own." A few days later, David received a reply from the ranch owner, a man named Jack, who was

also a preacher. Jack said that he'd received more than a hundred applications for the job and had narrowed his list down to three candidates. David was one of them. Jack had a few more questions for David, including whether he'd ever been arrested for a felony. David assured him that he had a clean record. Jack warned that the ranch didn't have cell coverage and asked if David was okay living in relative solitude.

David confirmed that he was. Jack said that he'd let David know if he'd gotten the job by 2pm that Friday, making it clear that if David was hired, he'd need to start right away. David's excitement at learning he'd made the shortlist was visible to those around him. His brother Richard noticed how David looked happier and more animated than he had in a long time. When Friday came, David sat waiting by the phone. It didn't ring. David resigned himself to the fact that Jack must have chosen someone else. Then, hours after the deadline had passed, a call came through. It was Jack. David had the job. David was ecstatic. Wasting no time, he packed all of his clothes and most treasured possessions

into a U-Haul trailer that his church had lent him the money to rent. Then on Saturday October 22, he hopped into his Blue Dodge pickup truck and started the drive north to Ohio. David spent the night at a hotel in the neighboring state of West Virginia. The plan was to meet Jack for breakfast the following morning at a chain restaurant in the Ohio town of Marietta. From there, Jack would take David to the ranch and show him around. Before going to sleep that night, David called his friend Chris Moore for a chat. Chris wished David good luck for his first meeting with his new employer and asked him to get in touch after he was settled in. He also told David to forward on his address as soon as he had it. David still didn't know exactly where the ranch was located,

just the general area, and Chris wanted to drive down to visit the following weekend. But the next day, Chris didn't hear anything from David. He tried reaching out to him via his walkie-talkie and was met with silence. For two friends who spoke dozens of times every single day, this was a sudden and unexpected change. When David found out he'd gotten the job, Chris was the first person he called, saying it was the best thing to ever happen to him. The fact that he wasn't reaching out to let Chris know how the job was going raised immediate

alarm bells. Chris called David's brother and got a contact number for David's new boss, Jack. He then called Jack to ask how David was doing. Jack reassured him that David was settling in well and he just left him with a list of chores to take care of. He said he'd let David know that Chris had called when he saw him the next day. Despite this reassurance, several more days went by with no word from David. Chris called Jack again, and this time he had some unexpected news.

Jack said that when he'd arrived at the ranch that day, David had repacked all of his belongings into his pickup truck. David told Jack that he'd met a guy in town who was going to work on a drilling rig in Pennsylvania and David had decided he'd do the same. Chris didn't believe this for a second. He knew there was no way David would have left Ohio without letting him know. By the time two weeks had passed with no word from David, Chris phoned David's twin sister, Deborah. The two siblings had always been close.

After Deborah married her second husband, she relocated interstate but always stayed in touch with David. She was one of the first people he called after receiving his new job. David had told her his new boss was a preacher and it felt like he was being spiritually directed towards finding peace. Debra was happy for David, but she'd made him promise to visit her for Christmas in two months' time as she didn't like the idea of him spending the holiday alone. two months time as she didn't like the idea of him spending the holiday alone. When Debra received Chris' call, it underscored her own growing concern. David had stayed in touch with Debra during his journey to Ohio and she'd asked him to phone her after he was settled in at the ranch. She hadn't heard from him since.

Debra tried calling David, but all of her calls went through to voicemail. She left several messages, which became increasingly panicked and desperate as time went on. Deborah promised David she would find him, saying, ''I'm gonna bring you home, no matter what it is." The stress of the situation caused Debra to lose her appetite and she struggled to sleep. She spent several days trying to track her brother down by calling the hotel he'd stayed at on his way to Ohio and the business he'd hired the U-Haul trailer from. Neither were able to shed any light on David's whereabouts.

Without a location for the ranch, Debra was unable to progress further in her search. Then, about a week after receiving Chris' call, Debra suddenly recalled something. David had told her that the ranch was in a town called Cambridge. David had told her that the ranch was in a town called Cambridge. Deborah went to her laptop computer and typed Cambridge, Ohio into Google. A website for the town's local newspaper popped up and Deborah clicked on it then started scrolling through recent articles. One that was published three days earlier on Tuesday November 8 caught her eye. The headline read man says he was lured here for work then shot. Casefile will be back shortly. Thank you for supporting us by listening to this episode's sponsors.

This episode of Casefile is sponsored by BetterHelp. It's easy to envy others, especially when social media only seems to show people's highlight reels. especially when social media only seems to show people's highlight reels. Comparison is the thief of joy, and in truth, everyone has their own challenges despite what it might look like on Instagram. Therapy can help redirect your focus from others' lives to your own aspirations, enabling you to live your best life. The team at Casefile are firm believers in the benefits of therapy. It's not just for those who have experienced major trauma. Therapy can teach you coping skills, help you set boundaries, and give you the space to explore your thoughts and feelings without judgement.

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On Sunday October 9 2011, 48-year-old Scott Davis was scrolling through Craigslist when he came across the same job ad that had caught David's eye. For the past 15 years, Scott had been living in South Carolina, but he'd grown up in Ohio and his mother still lived there. Her house was run down and in desperate need of repairs. Scott and his fiance both agreed that he should move back to Ohio to assist his mother for a while. Scott ran a landscaping business and as it was getting close to winter, there would be little landscaping work in South Carolina anyway. When Scott spotted the Craigslist ad seeking a living caretaker at a 688-acre cattle ranch

in Ohio, it sounded perfect. The work sounded easy enough that he'd still have time to help out his mother. Scott typed a reply to the ad. Just over a week later, on Monday October 17, he received a response from the ranch owner, Jack. Jack liked the sound of Scott and said it would be fine if he spent the weekends at his mother's. He asked Scott whether he owned a truck or any farm tools and also requested a photocopy of his driver's licence for a background check. Scott provided the copy and assured Jack that he had everything required. After a few more emails back and forth, Jack offered Scott the job.

Scott packed a trailer with his belongings, including clothes, stereo equipment, tools, and his beloved Harley Davidson. Jack had encouraged him to bring the Harley, telling Scott the area around the ranch was gorgeous and perfect for motorcycling. In early November, Scott hitched the trailer to the back of his pickup truck and headed for Ohio. On the morning of Sunday, November 6, Scott pulled up at a diner called Shoney's in the town of Marietta. He'd made plans to meet Jack there for a breakfast meeting before heading to the ranch where he'd be living and working. When Scott entered the diner, Jack was already waiting with a tall young man

who looked to be in his mid to late teens. Jack introduced the boy as his nephew. Jack was tall too, with a solid build. He was middle-aged, perhaps around 51 or 52, with wispy salt and pepper hair that was longer at the back. He had a mustache and it looked like he'd recently shaved his beard. He'd missed a couple of spots where patches of facial hair remained. Jack was chatty over breakfast, asking Scott what belongings he'd packed for his new life. His nephew didn't say much, instead focusing on his food. After they finished eating, they prepared to go to the ranch. Jack explained that the small road leading to the ranch was damaged and needed to be repaired before Scott

could drive his truck on it. Scott was to leave his vehicle in a parking lot in the town of Caldwell for the time being while Jack showed him the ropes. Scott got in the back seat of Jack's white Buick LaSaber while Jack took the passenger seat and his nephew drove. sabre, while Jack took the passenger seat and his nephew drove. Jack chatted while his nephew kept his eyes on the road, telling Scott about foods he liked, the church he preached at, and his ex-wife. The surrounding landscape became increasingly rural. Soon enough, they were driving on a dirt road and Scott had no signal on his cell phone. After driving for about 15 minutes they reached a heavily wooded area and Jack asked his nephew to pull over, saying quote, "'Drop us off where we got that deer at last time.'

Jack told Scott he'd left some equipment they needed to repair the road down a hill near a creek, and he needed Scott's help to get it. The two men hopped out of the car while the teenager did a U-turn, then headed off again. Scott followed Jack down the hill into the woods. Soon they reached the creek, but Scott didn't see any equipment. Jack appeared to be lost and soon gave up, telling Scott, forget this, let's turn around and take the roadway. Scott turned and began to retrace his steps, this time walking in front of Jack. Then he heard a click behind him, followed by the word, fuck. Scott thought the click sounded like a gun misfiring. He spun around and saw Jack, his eyes cold, aiming a revolver directly at him. Jack pulled the trigger again, right as Scott impulsively reached out and tried to grab

the weapon. The bullet hit Scott in his right elbow. He began to run, the black leather baseball cap he was wearing falling off as he did so. He raced deeper into the woods with the Jack in hot pursuit, firing at Scott again and again. Scott heard four gunshots, but none of them hit him. He ran until he couldn't go on anymore. It appeared that he'd lost to Jack. Scott found a ravine and decided to hide there. Scott found a ravine and decided to hide there. As he sat low in the ravine, he heard a car passing back and forth on the nearby road. He had no doubt it was Jack looking for him. Scott was bleeding heavily, but he continued to hide. As the day drew on, Scott grew cold and hungry, yet was too scared to emerge in case his attacker was waiting for him. Finally, after about seven hours had passed, he knew he needed to move if he wanted to live. Night had fallen and Scott walked several miles in the dark before coming

across a farmhouse. He approached the house, terrified that it might belong to Jack. Knowing he had no other option, he knocked on the door. It was answered by a young boy who was there visiting his grandmother. He alerted his uncle, 37-year-old Jeff Shockling, who came to the door and called 911. As they waited for the police to arrive, Scott told Jeff that he'd been attacked by a man who'd offered him a job. Scott believed that the man intended to rob him. After all, he'd known that all of his most prized possessions, including his Harley Davidson, were piled up in a trailer attached to Scott's truck. The county's Sheriff, Stephen Hannam, arrived about 15 minutes later and Scott repeated his

story. But Sheriff Hannam was doubtful of Scott's claims. For starters, Scott said he'd been hired to work on a 688-acre cattle ranch, but there were no ranches even remotely close to that size in Noble County. There were plenty of large rural stretches of land, but they mostly belonged to mining companies. The sheriff was also slightly suspicious of Scott Davis himself. His long hair, scruffy beard and denim jacket, combined with references to his Harley Davidson, all pointed to him being a biker. Maybe he'd gotten caught up in a drug deal that had gone awry. While Scott was taken to hospital in an

ambulance, investigators began following up on his claim. They called some local informants to see if they knew anything about the case. They didn't. Investigators then went out to the Caldwell parking lot where Scott said he'd left his truck and trailer. Both were still there, exactly as he'd described. On the dashboard of the truck were printouts of the emails Scott had exchanged with his prospective employer, Jack. All the details were pointing to his story being true. Based on the detailed descriptions of Jack and his nephew that Scott had provided, Sheriff Hannam wondered if the culprits could be a father and son who were known

as Country and County. Country, whose real name was Jerry Hood Sr, lived on a farmhouse with his wife in the rural area Scott had detailed. The Sheriff headed out to Country Hood's property. About half a mile from his residence, there was some heavy equipment by the road that Scott had described seeing. Sheriff Hannam decided to visit Hood's wife Lois at the tavern where she worked to see if she could shed any further light on the matter. Lois explained that her husband had been in hospital for the past two months after he slipped and hit his head. The sheriff also spoke with Hood's son, County. Scott had described Jack as having a mustache with a recently shaved beard, yet County Hood had a

full beard. It was clear that the two men who'd first come to the sheriff's mind were both innocent. Investigators contacted the Shoney's Diner where Scott Davis had met Jack and his nephew and obtained security footage from inside the venue. It showed the two men who had met Jack and his nephew and obtained security footage from inside the venue. It showed the two men who had met up with Scott standing and waiting for a table, their faces visible. The older man wore a dark jacket and a black baseball cap with a logo on the front. The teenager wore a light-coloured button-down shirt and stood with his arms crossed. On Tuesday November 8, two days after Scott was attacked, investigators located the baseball cap that Scott had lost while fleeing from Jack. It was lying in the shallows of a creek that intersected the dirt road Scott and Jack had

walked along. The land there wasn't part of a ranch, but was owned by a coal company and sometimes leased to hunters. Investigators had identified the crime scene. The investigation was progressing well, but without urgency. That suddenly changed on the evening of Friday, November 11 when the Sheriff's Office received a call from a woman named Debra Bruce. Debra had been trawling the website of Noble County's local newspaper looking for clues about her missing twin brother, David Pawley, when she came across an article detailing Scott

Davis' ordeal. The article explained how Scott had been lured in with the promise of a job on a 688-acre cattle ranch, exactly like the job David had set out for three weeks earlier before disappearing completely. Realising this couldn't be a coincidence, Deborah immediately called the Noble County Sheriff's Office to tell them about her brother and how he'd replied to the same Craigslist ad as Scott Davis. The team immediately fast-tracked the investigation. It looked as though they might have an actual murder to solve as well as an attempted one. On Monday November 14, a search team composed of local law enforcement and FBI agents went

back to the site in the woods where Scott's baseball cap was found. They spanned out from the creek bed and carefully scoured the area. About 100 to 150 feet from the spot where the hat was recovered, searchers discovered an empty hole that appeared to have been dug by hand. It was a couple of feet deep and approximately 80 inches long. The first impression of the investigators present was that the hole was actually an intended grave. The next day, cadaver dogs were dispatched to the same location. It was pouring rain and coyotes could be heard howling in the distance. Several hours before nightfall, one of the dogs alerted at a patch of disturbed soil

about 80 feet from the empty grave. The patch was at the bottom of a hillside and had several tree branches lying on top. Investigators began digging at the wet soil with their hands. The heavy downpour of rain had led to puddles dotting the ground. As they clawed at the dirt, blood began bubbling up from the ground into the muddy water. Then a foot wearing a sock emerged. Investigators formally excavated the area and two feet beneath the surface, they uncovered the body of a man lying face down. He had been shot in the back of the head with either a.32 or.38 calibre firearm. The man was almost completely naked, but tied around one of his wrists was a black leather

bracelet with a silver clasp. A detective called Deborah Bruce and described the bracelet to her. She began to shake. She knew that the bracelet belonged to her twin brother. The man lying in the muddy grave was David Pawley. poorly. In a bid to track down the mysterious Jack, investigators requested assistance from an FBI cyber crimes expert. Using Jack's job ad, they were able to obtain information from Craigslist that led to the user's IP address. In turn, this led to a physical address of a house in the Ohio city of Akron. Detectives obtained a search warrant and made the 100 mile journey north to visit the home. When they knocked on the front door, it was answered by the homeowner, a man named Joe Bayes. Joe said he lived at the house with his wife and young child. He insisted that he hadn't posted

anything on Craigslist and he didn't know anyone named Jack. However, when detectives showed Joe a photo of the man they were looking for taken from the CCTV footage at Shoney's diner, Joe recognised him right away. Joe identified the man as Ralph Geiger, who went by the nickname Dutch. Joe had turned his basement into an apartment, which Dutch had started renting in either August or September for 100 a month. However, he'd moved out at the end of October, just two weeks prior. Joe described Dutch as a real nice guy and a good housemate. He was a churchgoer and hadn't been prone to drinking, smoking or swearing. During his time at the house, he was given access to Joe's computer and internet connection. The detectives asked Joe if there was anything in the house that had belonged to Dutch. Joe said yes. He'd traded his computer with Dutch

in exchange for some boxes of miscellaneous items. He gave the boxes to detectives. Amongst the contents were personal items belonging to David Pawley. Detectives searched the basement apartment and found a few possessions Dutch had left behind, including prescription pill bottles with the name Ralph Geiger printed on them. Investigators were just as eager to track down the teenager that had accompanied their prime suspect. Jack had told Scott Davis that the boy's name was Brogan. Investigators were able to identify the teen as 16-year-old Brogan Rafferty, who was a student at Stowe Munro Falls High School, just outside of Akron. On Wednesday November 16, the day after the discovery of David Pawley's body, an FBI agent and a detective went to Brogan's high school and spoke with him in the principal's office. Brogan appeared

completely calm. He admitted to having met with Scott Davis at Shoney's diner but denied any knowledge of Scott being shot. He also denied knowing anything about what had happened to David Pawley. Brogan said he didn't want to speak further without an attorney and he was permitted to leave. However, a sheriff's deputy monitored him at the school for the remainder of the day to ensure he didn't attempt to flee. Meanwhile, a group of investigators headed to the Rafferty residence to conduct a search of the home. In Brogan's bedroom, they uncovered a briefcase containing a sawed-off shotgun, a 22 gauge semi-automatic pistol, a knife, bullets, and several shotgun shells. On Brogan's computer was a Word document dated Tuesday August 16, 2011,

several months before David Pawley and Scott Davis had been attacked. The document appeared to be a poem that Brogan had written. It read, in part, We took him out to the woods on a humid summer's night. I walked in front of them. They were going back to the car. I didn't turn around. The loud crack echoed and I didn't hear the thud. The two of us went back to the car for the shovels. I dug the hole. We put him in with difficulty. They called them stiffs for a reason. When I got home, took a shower hotter than hell itself. Prayed like hell that night. Later that evening, police returned to Brogan's home and placed him under arrest. Casefile will be back shortly. Thank you for supporting us by listening to this episode's sponsors. Thank you for listening to this episode's ads.

By supporting our sponsors, you support Casefile to continue to deliver quality content. After being taken into custody, Brogan Rafferty initially said little. But a week after his arrest, he was persuaded to talk. Brogan's childhood hadn't been easy. His mother struggled with the drug addiction and had lost custody of Brogan and her three other children. Brogan lived with his father, Michael, who worked an early shift at a machine shop. Michael did his best, but Brogan had to be somewhat self-sufficient from a very young age, getting ready for school alone at just five years old and walking to the bus stop

by himself every day. When Brogan was eight years old, he told his father he wanted to attend church on Sundays. Michael wasn't keen to wake up so early on the weekend, but he gave Brogan permission to attend church with a good friend of his named Richard Beasley. Beasley was a bit of a rough character, and Michael knew him to be something of a, quote, scam artist. But Michael had never seen him be angry or aggressive, and thought he was a safe person for his son to spend time with.

Brogan began attending church with Beasley every week and came to enjoy spending time with the older man. Unlike his own father who could be impatient and quick-tempered, Beasley was calm with a hearty laugh. Sometimes Brogan felt certain that Richard Beasley was actually Santa Claus. He physically resembled the legendary figure and carried lollies in his pocket that he would share with Brogan. Sometimes Brogan's half-sister would join the pair at church, along with Beasley's own daughter. After the sermons ended, Beasley would take them out to McDonald's or get them donuts and offer advice on how important it was to stay in school and avoid drugs. Beasley had his own checkered past that gave these lessons credibility.

He'd been a bright child with a charismatic personality, but he'd grown up in an abusive household. Eager to leave his Ohio hometown once he was an adult, he relocated to Texas, where he began committing crimes, specifically burglary. He wound up in prison in the 1980s and moved back to Akron after he was released in 1990. A motorcycle enthusiast, he met his future wife at a biker event and the couple soon had a daughter. While he kept up a respectable front, he was burglarising homes behind his family's back while also illegally dealing weapons. In 1996, Beasley was arrested again and sentenced to seven years. His wife divorced him, but Beasley maintained a relationship with his daughter. It was during this incarceration that Beasley found God and became a born-again

Christian. After his release, he began spending lots of time at an Akron church known as the Chapel. His newfound faith prompted him to attend Bible study classes and volunteer at a soup kitchen. Beasley was an example of how religion could reform a person. When he gifted Brogan Rafferty a Bible, he wrote a message inside that read, inside that read, "...the Bible is the key to peace of mind and a roadmap to salvation." Over the course of almost a decade, Richard Beasley became like an uncle to Brogan. But there was another side to him beneath the clean living church-going exterior. In the mid-2000s he was in a car accident that left him with several injuries. He began taking opiates for neck and back pain, stopped working consistently and withdrew

from his family. At the same time, his relationship with a Brogan Rafferty remained strong. Using money he'd received from a settlement relating to his car accident, Beasley founded a halfway house. It was ostensibly a place where those overcoming substance addiction or reintegrating with society after serving time could get back on their feet. Beasley told people he wanted to help drug users, sex workers, and teenage runaways. At night, he drove around Akron, his eyes peeled for people who needed assistance. He preached the Bible to his halfway house residents and helped those with court appearances by vouching on their behalf. These good deeds

led to him being nicknamed Chaplain Rich. In reality, Beasley took advantage of the people who moved into his halfway house. At one stage, there were five or six sex workers living there, and Beasley began acting as their pimp. He purchased cell phones for them, drove them to meet clients, and posted ads for them online. While he was never physically violent towards these women, he exerted a lot of control over them. If any ever spoke of wanting to leave, Beasley fought to keep them there by giving them drugs. He also dealt drugs as a way to make cash. In February of 2011, Beasley was arrested on drug charges. As this was in violation of his parole, he was held on remand in the county jail.

It turned out that some of the women Beasley had abused had gone to the police, and for the past two years, prosecutors had been building a case against him for pimping sex workers at his halfway house. If convicted, he faced spending the rest of his life in prison. Five months later, in July 2011, he was released on bail but subsequently failed to check in with authorities, which led to a warrant being issued for his arrest. Richard Beasley was officially fleeing from the law. By this point, he'd isolated Broken Rafferty from other loved ones and made him entirely dependent on Beasley's affection and approval. Beasley had gone from being a mentor

to the teenager to a father figure who Brogan's life revolved around. Meeting up with Beasley and helping him out with whatever he asked was Brogan's primary focus. The pair spoke every other day and spent time together several times a week. In early August 2011, Beasley confided in Brogan that he was on the run from the law. There was a warrant out for his arrest and he was being framed for a crime he didn't commit. Beasley didn't want to go back to prison and said he needed Brogan's help to survive. Brogan was upset to hear that his mentor was being unfairly persecuted by law enforcement and agreed to help where he could. Beasley decided he needed a whole new identity and he planned to obtain one by any means necessary. He began lurking around a homeless

shelter, keeping an eye out for middle-aged men who bore a resemblance to him. Soon, he honed in on one particular individual who seemed to fit the bill, a man named Ralph Geiger. named Ralph Geiger. At 56 years old, Ralph Geiger was doing it tough. He once had a successful construction business, but he'd been hit hard by the recession and by August 2011 he was unhoused and staying at a shelter in Akron. Eager to get back on his feet, Ralph felt a sense of renewed hope when he met Richard Beasley and was offered a caretaker position on his large cattle ranch. Ralph had grown up on a farm and would be in his element in such a role. He told staff at the shelter about his new job, as well as a close friend named

Summer Rowley. Although Ralph and Summer spoke daily, he warned her that he wouldn't have cell phone reception on the ranch and therefore wouldn't be in contact as much. On the night of Monday, August 8, 2011, Ralph checked into a best western motel in Caldwell, the town Beasley said was near his ranch. No one ever heard from him again. According to Brogan Rafferty, he and Beasley had met up with Ralph Geiger on Tuesday August 9. With Brogan acting as Beasley's driver, they took him out to the same wooded area where they later took David Pawley and Scott Davis. They all got out of the car, and Beasley used a pistol to shoot Ralf in the back of the

head. Brogan then helped him bury the body nearby. He later said that he felt like he had ice in his veins and was in a state of shock. Afterwards, Beasley dyed his white hair dark so it looked like Ralph's and applied for multiple jobs under Ralph's name. He also moved into Joe Bayes' house, giving him Ralph's name instead of his own. On Monday September 19, Beasley opened a bank account as Ralph Geiger. The following day, he used Ralph's name to visit a doctor and obtain prescription painkillers. While Beasley got on with his new life, Brogan said that he was terrified. Knowing that the man he'd built his life around was a killer, he was scared that he or someone he loved might be next.

Brogan claimed that Beasley had warned him, I know where your mother lives. I know where your sister lives. mother lives. I know where your sister lives." In September 2011, Richard Beasley was hired to be a quality inspector at a manufacturing plant but due to his chronic back pain, he found the work difficult. As his first attempt at killing someone for personal gain had gone off without a hitch, he decided to do it again. This time, instead of just stealing his victims' identity, he would also rob them for financial gain. Richard Beasley had learned about Craigslist from his daughter, who had helped him catch up on all things technology after his release from prison.

She'd helped him set up an account so he could sell some old furniture. Arnt, with this knowledge, beastly used the site to craft a job ad offering an idyllic lifestyle for someone down on their luck. He specified that older and single candidates were preferred because he was hoping for victims with few personal ties. Beasley wanted people who could disappear without raising suspicion. It was also crucial that they have no criminal record so as to avoid any trouble with the police. Over 100 applications quickly flooded in, including responses from David Pawley and Scott Davis, who both emailed Beasley on the same day. Beasley weeded through them to find the right, quote, candidates. Any applications from women or from men with partners were ignored and deleted. After his initial screening process, Beasley called his potential victims for a telephone interview,

claiming his name was Jack. He used these calls to clarify further details, such as the applicant's marital status and any possible criminal background. He also sussed out what personal belongings they intended to bring with them if hired. Not all of those interviewed made it through to the next round. In October, Beasley met with a candidate named Daniel to discuss the job in person. Daniel was offered the position and began preparing for the move. Daniel mentioned that he'd be bringing a pistol with him. Beasley initially said that was fine, but later changed his mind, telling Daniel, I am the only one with a gun. Daniel found this suspicious.

He tried to find the ranch's details on the Noble County Auditor's website, but nothing came up. Concerned, Daniel told Beasley, quote, "'This ain't adding up.'" The final straw came when Beasley offered to buy Daniel's SUV and pick-up truck. He said he'd pick them up and then give Daniel the money once he arrived at the ranch. Daniel disliked this plan, saying to Beasley, "...what if somebody is trying to get my vehicles before I come down there and then when I get

down there they shoot me and take my stuff." Beasley responded, "...you shouldn't have said that." He then sent Daniel an email formally rescinding the job offer. Around the same time, Beasley was also talking to another man named George. Beasley was also talking to another man named George. Semi-retired and seeking an easy job to supplement his income, George thought Beasley's ad sounded ideal. The two met at a food court to talk specifics. The interview was going well until George mentioned that he'd been involved with martial

arts for almost his entire life. Beasley suddenly sat back in his chair. When George added that he'd previously worked as a security guard, Beasley put George's application away and abruptly ended the interview. George never heard from him again. never heard from him again. David Pawley was the first successful candidate. Early on the morning of Sunday October 23, mere hours before David was set to meet them in Ohio, Richard Beasley enlisted Brogan Rafferty's help once again. They bought some shovels and drove out to the general area where Ralph Geiger was buried. While Beasley supervised, Brogan dug a grave. Later that morning, Beasley and Brogan headed to the chain restaurant where they'd arranged

to meet David. Afterwards, the duo embarked on what would become a pattern. Beasley explained that the road to the ranch was damaged so they'd have to repair it before coming back for David's things. Brogan then drove Beasley and David out to the location of the pre-dug grave. After Brogan pulled over, the three got out of the car and Beasley asked Brogan and David to follow him up a hill. Brogan stopped to urinate and as he was finishing, he heard a cracking sound. He turned around and saw David poorly lying face down on the ground, having been shot in the back of the head. After Brogan buried David, he and Beasley returned to the parking lot where David's blue Dodge pickup truck and trailer were parked. Beasley told acquaintances that he'd acquired

the items by bidding on a storage unit and winning its contents. He gave some of David's less valuable possessions away and sold others to neighbours and at flea markets. None of them were particularly high value. David had packed some model trains, fishing tackle boxes, a laptop, and a bit of NASCAR memorabilia. Beasley also sold David's truck for $1,000 and made sure to return David's rented trailer to a U-Haul facility. Two weeks later, Brogan accompanied Beasley to a breakfast meeting with 48-year-old Scott Davis. Beasley was particularly excited about this candidate given that he owned a Harley Davidson which Beasley had told him to bring to Ohio. The plan proceeded much like the

previous one had until Beasley went to shoot Scott and his revolver jammed. Hearing the weapon misfire gave Scott a heads up and time to run away. Beasley raced back to the road where Brogan was waiting in his car and told the team that if they saw Scott, they had to run him down. The pair drove back and forth looking for Scott but eventually gave up. As they headed back home, Beasley threw some of the car's contents out the window so that his vehicle would be less recognisable if Scott described its contents to investigators. Beasley was devastated that his plan had gone awry. As well as the Harley, Scott had packed some high-end electronics and Beasley had estimated he'd make about $30,000 from selling it all.

Despite the likelihood that police would soon be investigating the attempted murder, he decided he needed to make up for his unexpected loss. Richard Beasley went looking for another victim. Richard Beasley went looking for another victim. 47-year-old Timothy Kern was going through a rough period. The divorced father of three from Akron had once been a successful club DJ but had been let go in 2001. In the years that followed, he'd struggled to find consistent work. He eventually found a job as a street cleaner, but by November 2011 he was unemployed again and had no fixed address. He alternated between staying with friends and living out of his car while searching for a new job. When he came across Richard Beasley's Craig's

List ad, he described it as a good offer, but strange, and wasn't as immediately enthusiastic as some of the other applicants. The job would mean relocating to an area with limited soul service and a significant distance from his sons. Although Timothy hadn't lived with his sons since his divorce 14 years prior, he remained a huge presence in their lives. He called and texted them almost every hour of every day, and did his best to see them every single day, even if their visits were sometimes fleeting. On Wednesday November 9, 2011, three days after the attack on Scott Davis, Timothy Kern met Richard Beasley for a job interview.

He got the job and on Sunday November 13, he set off to start his new position. to start his new position. Beasley and Brogan picked Timothy up in a parking lot in Canton, Ohio early the next morning. Beasley began asking Timothy about the items he'd brought with him, having previously established that Timothy owned a laptop and a flat screen TV. Timothy said he just had an old television and some garbage bags filled with clothes and cassette tapes. He explained that he'd given the laptop and more expensive television to his sons. Beasley asked Timothy how much cash he had on him to get by until his first paycheck. Somewhat sheepishly, Timothy said he only had five dollars. Brogan later told investigators that he felt a pit in his stomach at this point,

realising that they were about to murder Timothy Kern for absolutely nothing. But they still went ahead with the plan. It was still dark when the trio headed off in Beasley's vehicle at around 6am. This time Brogan drove them to a wooded area behind a disused mall in Akron which had gone out of business during the recession. The previous killing site was too dangerous given there had been several news articles published about the attempt on Scott Davis' life. Beasley explained to Timothy that they'd been squirrel hunting behind the mall earlier and he'd lost his watch. He wanted to find it as it had sentimental value.

Timothy followed Beasley into the woods and not long after, Brogan heard a gunshot. He looked over and saw Timothy on his knees, a hand clutching one side of his head. Are you okay? Beasley asked in a concerned sounding voice. He then fired four more times, hitting Timothy in the head and killing him. He then fired four more times, hitting Timothy in the head and killing him. They buried his body in a shallow grave Beasley had Brogan dig the night before. Brogan described to investigators where the bodies of Timothy Kern and Ralph Geiger were buried. Officers recovered them both and found that their injuries matched Brogan's version of events. Ralph had sustained one gunshot wound to his head while Timothy had sustained five.

By the time this information came to light, Richard Beasley was already in custody, having been arrested on his outstanding warrants on November 16, the same day that Brogan Rafferty was arrested, and just two days after Timothy Kern was killed. Investigators were able to track him down after he left a note for his former landlord, Joe Bayes. In it, Beasley said he'd heard that police had been sniffing around and wanted to know what Joe knew. He'd asked Joe to call him and provided his cell phone number. Detectives had Joe phone Beasley for a chat while they hurriedly traced the call to a house in Akron. It turned out Beasley had been renting a room he'd found by placing a room wanted ad on Craigslist. Beasley wasn't talking, but a search of his new residence uncovered a number

of items belonging to David Pawley as well as mail addressed to Ralph Geiger and prescription bottles with Ralph's name on them. While Beasley was held on remand, he sent a letter to a woman he was friends with. He asked her to go to his former residence at night time, where he'd hidden two laptops under some leaves in the corner of the yard. Beasley wanted her to destroy both computers as well as a wallet he'd hidden in another area of the yard. He included a hand-drawn map of where to find these items.

Beasley asked his friend not to tell anyone about his letter and even concocted a secret code she could use to communicate whether her mission had been successful or not. Instead of doing as requested, Beasley's friend handed the information over to the police. They retrieved the items, which turned out to be Ralph Geiger's wallet and David Pawley's laptop as well as Beasley's own laptop with a record of his Craigslist activity. Richard Beasley maintained his innocence, a claim which was publicly supported by his mother. She told the Associated Press that her son had a very caring heart and was a mentor to Brogan Rafferty. As far as she knew, the two spent their time together going to church, fishing, playing video games, and delivering food to people in need. At Richard Beasley's trial in late February 2013, prosecutors presented an abundance of evidence they'd gleaned from electronic devices. They also had the victims's belongings that were found in Beasley's possession, as well

as numerous witnesses who could link Beasley to the crimes. Several candidates who'd interviewed with Beasley for his phony job also testified against him, as did friends and acquaintances who knew him as Ralph Geiger. A former landlord and an ex-housemate testified that Beasley had been talking about Scott Davis' possessions, including his Harley Davidson, before Scott had even left for Ohio. Beasley had told them he'd bid on a storage unit that contained the items, and he was hoping to win them. Investigators had learnt that Beasley used at least seven prepaid cell phones to conduct his crimes, but they were unable to recover most of these,

nor were they able to conclusively find the murder weapon. One of the guns found in Brogan Rafferty's bedroom could have been used to kill Timothy Kern, but that couldn't be determined for certain. At least two other guns were used to shoot the other three victims, but these were never found. Richard Beasley took the stand in his own defence. He claimed that he'd known Ralph Geiger from a biker clubhouse and had told Ralph about his desire to change his identity. Ralph had supposedly offered up his own identity in assistance. Beasley claimed he didn't know what happened to Ralph Geiger after that, but hinted he may have been killed by a motorcycle gang that included Brogan Rafferty's father and a local father and son known as

Country and County Hood. This was the same duo that police had initially suspected in the very early stages of the investigation into Scott Davis' attempted murder. Beasley claimed that after Country Hood was hospitalised due to an accident, his son County decided to hire a caretaker to look after the family farm. He borrowed Beasley's computer to post an ad on Craigslist and asked Beasley to interview candidates on his behalf because he thought Beasley would make a better impression. Beasley claimed he used the name Jack in communications with the job applicants because he didn't want to risk his newly acquired Ralph Geiger identity. Beasley insisted the only

candidate he'd met with was Scott Davis. He claimed that Scott was actually the one who pulled the gun and that the two had begun to struggle when the weapon went off, hitting Scott in the arm. The jurors didn't buy Richard Beasley's story. They found him guilty on 27 counts, including three counts of aggravated murder with prior calculation and design and one count of attempted murder. The jury recommended that Beasley received the death penalty, which still exists in Ohio. As the family members of the victims embraced and wept, Beasley sat in a wheelchair he used due to his back pain, with his head facing down and his chin pressed against his chest.

The judge upheld the jury's recommendation, sentencing Richard Beasley to three death sentences for the murders of Ralph Geiger, David Pawley, and Timothy Kern. Beasley unsuccessfully appealed his sentence all the way up to the US Supreme Court. As of the release of this episode, Richard Beasley remains in prison on death row, with his sentence yet to be carried out. One week after Brogan Rafferty was arrested, he agreed to turn state's witness against Richard Beasley and give a full and detailed confession to law enforcement in exchange for receiving reduced charges. Instead of being charged for crimes against each of the four victims,

he agreed to plead guilty to one count of complicity to murder for David Pawley and one count of attempted murder for Scott Davis. However, Brogan later changed his mind about the deal and decided to go to trial instead. The judge allowed a recording of Brogan's confession to be played at his trial. Those close to Brogan had wondered whether Richard Beasley had achieved influence over the teenager by grooming and sexually abusing him. In court, his lawyers hinted at this possibility, but it was a claim Brogan adamantly denied. Any grooming had only been about presenting Brogan with the father figure he'd always wanted. The jury found Brogan Rafferty guilty on 24 counts, including one count of attempted murder and three counts of murder. As Brogan had only been 16 at the time of the crimes,

he was too young to receive the death penalty. Instead, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The judge stated that while Brogan was dealt a lousy hand in life, he had chosen to, quote, embrace the devil. Brogan Rafferty appealed his sentence in 2015, arguing that his confession had been coerced and he was denied a chance to argue that he'd acted under duress. His appeal was rejected. In September 2013, The Atlantic published a feature article about the case written by journalist Hanna Rosen. Rosen interviewed Brogan Rafferty at length via a series of letters. A transcript of their conversation was also published by The Atlantic.

In it, Brogan explained how he came to be so manipulated by Richard Beasley and of the great remorse he had for the victims. He spoke of how he had always felt things very deeply, but his difficult upbringing made it hard for him to express emotions. The interview concluded with Brogan reflecting, quote, Someday I'll have to sit down and make sense of these murders for what they were. As of now, it is beyond me. Someday I'll be able to put the pieces together in my own mind and understand the meaning behind such horror, such evil, such unnecessary pain. Someday I will do this and it

shall kill me." Multiple journalists who covered the murders of David Pawley, Ralph Geiger and Timothy Kern have reflected on how the men were all part of a vulnerable group. They were middle-aged and somewhat on the margins of society. The global financial crisis had left them with few resources or prospects, making them susceptible to an opportunity that sounded too good to be true. While Richard Beasley had correctly identified some of their vulnerabilities, he had also underestimated his victims by believing no one would care when they disappeared. As journalist Hannah Rosen pointed out in her 2013 feature about the case, quote,

Richard Beasley had believed that no one would come looking for the divorced, unsettled, middle-aged men he was targeting. But he should have known better. Like his victims, Beasley was himself divorced and lived apart from his child and was only sporadically employed. And like them, he too had created an intense surrogate family relationship with Brogan Rafferty. All of Beasley's murder victims had people who loved them, missed them, and definitely noticed when they stopped making contact. David Pawley had been planning to visit his twin sister Debra for Christmas and spoke to his best friend Chris 50 times a day. When he disappeared from their lives, both were quick to make inquiries and start investigating. Debra addressed Richard Beasley directly in court, telling him,

you took my best friend, confidant, and my twin. Ralph Geiger had a sister named Cathy whom he always made contact with on birthdays and holidays. When her birthday passed with no call from Ralph, Cathy phoned Ralph to check on him. The call went straight to voicemail. Cathy followed up with other family members and Ralph's friends to see if anyone had been in touch with him. Someone told her about Ralph's new job and how he didn't have cell service there. When police later called Cathy to inform her that Ralph had been murdered, it was the worst phone call of Cathy's life.

Ralph also had a close relationship with a friend named Summer Rowley, who was like a daughter to him. Summer was 30 years younger than Ralph and had met him when she was a rebellious teenager. Ralph had taken Summer under his wing, teaching her how to cook nutritious meals for herself and do minor construction work. Soon, she'd started working alongside him. By the time Summer was 25, she had gotten engaged and had a baby girl, to whom Ralph was like a grandfather. Summer still keeps a photo of Ralph

and her daughter on a mantle in her home. Timothy Kern's disappearance was immediately noticed by his children who started calling and texting him frantically. Timothy had an incredibly close bond with his sons. Even though they were almost grown up, he still referred to them as my babies. Making the decision to move far away from them had been painful and he repeatedly told them that he didn't want to leave them. He was so proud of his children that he bragged about them to everyone he met. After he left for his new job, one of Timothy's sons sent him a text that read, I love you.

I miss you. I'm proud of you. Good luck. The next morning, Timothy messaged back, Text me when you wake up. Love you. Leaving soon." Richard Beasley's sole surviving victim, Scott Davis, has been left with chronic pain and a plate in his arm from the injury sustained when Beasley tried to kill him. He faced his would-be

killer twice in court, testifying as a witness and later delivering a victim impact statement. Scott said that the families of Beasley's murdered victims had become like family to him. In a reference to Beasley's supposed faith, Scott stated, I'm sure you know the Ten Commandments. You've broken all of them, but three come to mind. You're a liar, a thief, and a murderer. You say you know God. Not yet. I am the one that got away. By the grace of God, that will haunt you the rest of your life in your 4x8 cell. In 2011, a tragedy unfolded along the banks of a quiet suburban creek in Melbourne, Australia. Emergency services. Hello, where do you need the police? I think I've seen what looks like a dead body in...

Where? In the creek was the body of a young adult female clad in a pink dressing gown. He assumed that she just threw her robe off and just threw in the water. But little did he know that that was actually a lifeless body. Police were quick to rule out any suspicious circumstances

while others weren't so sure. Louise was a very, very good swimmer. We'd gone to the beach, we'd gone to the pools. You cannot just look at a body and say, oh, they drowned or no, they didn't drown. It's based on the circumstances. Her death is a case you've never heard of before, but her life is a story you'll never forget.

I kept a tone on my, listen, mum, be careful going there, because one day, you know, you might decide to not wanna come back. Or for living conditions, and he would just give her food like she was a prisoner. They were big tough guys though, they looked really mean, but they wanted to help her. As a fresh investigation into her death begins, startling revelations come to light. I collected a female from the Melbourne airport, she was upset and crying.

Looking at her lungs right now. And her lungs? Aha! Never once in my life have I ever rang anyone and offered them drugs. Is that ridiculous? It is like to say that this case is consistent with drowning. This is not love or kindness or respect. We've got you. I'm Julia Robson,

and this is Troubled Waters, a Case File Presents production.