My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark - 333 - Spiritual Brag

Episode Date: June 30, 2022

This week, Georgia covers the mysterious disappearance of Jean Spangler and Karen tells the story of Colton Harris-Moore, the "Barefoot Bandit.” This episode was recorded prior to June 24, 2022. For more information on how to take action after the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, visit https://choice.crd.co/.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We at Wondery live, breathe, and downright obsess over true crime. And now we're launching the ultimate true crime fan experience, Exhibit C. Join now by following Wondery, Exhibit C on Facebook, and listen to True Crime on Wondery and Amazon Music. Exhibit C. It's truly criminal. Hey everybody, before we start the episode today, we want to take a moment to address the June 24, 2022 Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. This decision stripped away the right to have a safe and legal abortion.

Everyone should have the freedom to decide what's best for themselves and for their families, including when it comes to ending a pregnancy. This decision has dire consequences for individual health and safety, and could have harsh repercussions for other landmark decisions. Restricting access to comprehensive reproductive care, including abortion, threatens the health and independence of all Americans. Learn more by visiting choice.crd.co. That's choice.crd.co. And if you're able to support others, please consider donating to abortion funds.

And thank you to Ariel Nysenblatt, the founder of Earbuds Podcast Collective, for starting this movement of podcasters making this announcement at the top of their podcasts in a time where people really are looking for help, looking for unity, looking to know what to do. This is an amazing movement to show how many there are of us, and how important coming together and unifying over this very important topic is. We encourage you to speak up, take care, and spread the word. Hello, and welcome to my favorite murder.

That's Georgia Hartstark. That's Karen Kilgariff. And we're here to present a podcast to you where we talk about true crime stories. Yep, we made a diorama for our book report, podcast book report. Just trust us. Yeah, it looks great. It's going to win the science fair. It's a Birkenstock shoebox.

There's thread hanging from the top, down into a little lamp. There's people. Tassels. It's all in there. We're represented by Troll dolls. Remember Trolls? I used to collect those. Did you know that about music?

Where you spin them and the hair goes out. Oh, sorry. I was combining Troll dolls and those pencil tops. Did you ever have the pencil tops with the long Troll hair? Oh, then you just put the hair on it. It was like, I think they also had googly eyes. Oh, man. 70s.

You know, the 80s. Things were simpler. We were happy with simple things. We didn't need if I can, you know, what, electronic? You just spit Diet Coke on your shirt. No, it's kind of laughing because when we were trying to talk about the diorama, I could think of a lamp and that was it. That was my idea of what could be in a diorama.

That was the extent of my creativity and my imagination. Well, I think I took that and went to the little houses I used to make, like doll houses I made for my Troll dolls out of shoeboxes. Oh. Oh, and what would you put in those? I'd put like a little, they had a little bed and I'm sure there was a lamp. Really? Are you just telling me that to make me feel better?

I swear. I mean, I don't know what I would have made a lamp out of. You know, it was all like homemade stuff. Thread coming out of the ceiling. Oh, okay. I'm thinking of a pendant lamp. Should we try it again? In five, six, seven, eight.

A pendant lamp. Got it. Okay. Because I was thinking of a bedside lamp. Right. But it could have been a sconce. It could have been a sconce. It could have been a flush light lamp.

Did you say a flush light? No. That's filthy. Flush, flush pendant. Oh my God. No, I'm flushing. Flush? Yeah.

Like flush against the wall? Like flush against the ceiling. I think this is our best episode yet. I feel like it's so clear that we have aged like fine wine over the years and just gotten great at it. Do you know why? Because Stephen, before we got on, Stephen let me know that this is our 333rd episode.

So it's like half of the devil. But they say actually numerology style 666 is a good number. It's a great number because Satan isn't real. I mean, I'm sorry. He's not. Oh. He makes a great deviled ham, but other than that, it's not an issue. On the positive side.

Okay. I watched the show You Recommended and it might not be last week because I think right now we're taping out of order, but All right. You recommended the last chronological for our world time pistol. Oh, the Sex Pistol show. And it is, I think it's on Hulu, right? Hulu or Prime.

Yeah. It is so good. I bingeed the entire thing. It was delightful. Is it true that Chrissy Hind? Yeah. Chrissy Hind hung out the Sex Pistols and worked at that store? That blew my mind.

It's all true. Yeah. Shit. I love it. And can you believe the girl who plays Jordan, the punk rock icon with the white hair standing straight up in the pleather body? Kate Meiser, yeah. Is Macy Williams.

This is Macy Williams. Yeah. From Game of Thrones, Full Circle. And Full Circle too. I've totally got to mention this. On the staircase, the girl who plays one of the daughters is her sister from Game of Thrones. Sansa Stark? Yes.

With the red hair? Yes. Wow. So they're in shows together at the same time. And that real life person who, if you give me three minutes, I'll be able to come up with it, she's married to a Jonas brother in real life. Really? Yes.

She's pop culture icon status. I had no idea. And her name is? Sansa Stark. It's Sansa Marie Stark. So you like the Sex Pistols show? It's good. It's good.

It's interesting. It's like a time and a place that's really fascinating. I think what's his face from the little kid who became an adult actor? Yes. And played Malcolm. McLaurin. McLaren. McLaren.

So great in that role. He was so good. And the kid that played Johnny Rotten is amazing. Oh, incredible. And the guy that's played Steve Jones. Let's not forget. He's holding down the whole thing. He was delightful and so cute.

And so it was such a... I loved watching that. And it went really fast. I was like, oh, no, it's already over. It was great. It did give me trouble about the punk rock scene in general and the female. Like, for example, how they show Chrissy Hines characters being so dismissed. Even though she's probably the most talented one of them all.

And... It's a very valid point. It makes me think of the Linda Ronstadt documentary where she is touring. She has the biggest album in the country. The dudes in her band are basically the Eagles. And they finally... They tour with her once. And then they're like, yeah, we want to be in a real band.

It's not a girl band. And meanwhile, like... So that's... It's like this gut punch of like, God, it's always like this. It doesn't matter what style of music or what style, whatever. It's hardly. It just really is second class citizenry of women. And then it goes on to have Jackson Brown be like, yeah, no one could follow her.

We would go on these arena tours where it would be like a double headliner. And every night we'd switch off. But like halfway through the tour, we were like, she's the headliner because no one could follow her. Her voice was so amazing. And it's like, and they still go... They still discount it in that way. It's like, that's what it's all about.

It didn't, even though that part was really heartbreaking where she's like, why don't, wouldn't you put me in the band? It's like, no, it's not like that. Right, right. And it's just like, of course it's not. But then she went on to fucking found the pretenders, which... Rolled the world. Is the coolest band of all time.

Apps fucking literally turned out good. She's so badass. Yeah. What else? I watched, oh, did you watch the document? Or the not... Yeah. Then four part like docu series that came out recently on Netflix called Keep Sweet.

I saw the ads for it. It's, I can't, I can't, I can't right now. Yeah, this couldn't either. So gross, such a bummer. So it's about the FLDS and specifically about Warren Jeffs taking over from his fucked up dad as basically God and what... And the things, I mean, it's troubling. However, the silver lining is these incredible handful of women who basically took him down,

who escaped. Like jumped over a fence and ran and escaped and then single-handedly took him to court for rape of a child and took him down on their own. These brave women and they had the entire church against them and did it. So it is the women they interview is, I mean, this is their story. The thing I have been listening to and so into lately is, and please tell me if I've said this already. I hope I didn't.

It's a podcast called Very Scary People and it's the true story of the Amityville murders and the host is Donnie Wahlberg. Because that's from his hometown? Well, yeah. No, Amityville's in Long Island, I think. Upstate New York. And he's from Boston, Massachusetts. All right.

So it's just random. We just got a Donnie Wahlberg in there. I think Donnie Wahlberg was the TV show host and then they made of the, there's like a series of Scary People. But then this is basically, and I think this is why you'll enjoy it, it's like everybody knows this, like what this house is famous for or whatever. Here's the real, here's what happened behind the scenes. And it's like the reporters from the 70s that lived in Amityville or live nearby,

the people who first investigated it, like the whole thing. So it's basically what happened before then the Amityville horror essentially hoax, which is what it turns out to be happens. And basically that family and the abuse in that family and what was actually going on in the house. It's pretty. Of the murdered family. Correct. And so the reporters who reported on the murder and then also on the haunting as well.

There's only a couple of people that cross over into both. Most of them are the reporters who are like, on the news that night when the family murder took place, which is horrifying enough by itself. Yeah. I mean, it's crazy that that story is still fascinating. It's not, it's been told a million ways. And that sounds, I want to hear that version of it.

It's so good. I really loved it. It was a very fast binge. And what's really fascinating, it's right in there with like that and Rosemary's baby. And there's like a series of stories or books or movies or whatever that came out in a row right around satanic panic. Right. And it is basically this very strange late seventies, early eighties time

where everyone was just like devil worshipers in the forest. Yeah. And they're like a hundred percent. It's happening. It's a, and, and yeah, those teenagers are who are doing that. They're definitely talking to Satan. There's no like, they're like, they think they are. No.

They're like picking up their fucking rotary dials and like chatting with Satan for sure. Beelzebub. Yeah. Are you there? Meet me in the, meet me in the forest. But it's like, it, it, I don't know. It was just such a good, I really appreciate that thing that's starting to happen. I think in true crime where it's like, this is what everybody ingested the first time around.

Right. Now we're going back and actually let's really look at this, you know, like crazy media aside. Yeah. That's how it felt. I like it. Yeah. It's good. You know who I met?

Who? This is a rando thing, but I took a yoga class. Bragg, bragg, bragg, it was the first one I've taken in like a year. Spiritual Braggs. Yeah. Spiritual Bragg and bendy and flexible Bragg. That's not true. I could barely walk the next day.

And the teacher of my yoga class here in my neighborhood turned out to be the little girl from the hometown story that wrote in that she was scared to go into the haunted house at Halloween. Oh yeah. And then the haunted house leader guy pulls his mask down, whispers to her, it's, don't worry, it's just me, Bill Pullman. I got, remember, I talk about that story. Like I share that one more than any other because at parties and people like, do you, which celebrity have you heard is cool?

Or like when someone's like, I worked with this celebrity, like, are they cool? Yes, they're cool. And like this one sucks. That's the story I pull out about Bill Pullman being a coolest fucking celebrity. He's the best one ever. On the planet, I share her story. My yoga teacher. So I got all flustered and like weirdly like starstruck that I'm like, oh my god, that's you.

That's so funny. To meet someone from a hometown, that's hilarious. Her name was Randy with an I. So hi, Randy. And she also said, I forgot to tell, I forgot to write in that I was dressed as Sally from Nightmare Poor Christmas while it was happening, which is. So she was kind of scary too in her own way. She just couldn't see it.

Right. She didn't have to be scared because she had to stitch together mouth, which is one of the scarier as a child would really be a scary thing. Oh, what is it about that? Stitches. Stitch mouth. Stitch eyes, stitch mouth. And no, no, no, no.

Please, no, please, no. Please. That's, that's bad. Well, that's a fun one. Should we do some network highlights? Let's do that. Over and I saw what you did. Million Danielle are covering the 80s double feature, the most 80s double feature ever.

Mr. Mom and three men and a baby. Two of my like a nine year old favorites. Truly the best. Also, Mr. Mom is the movie I think we quote the most to this day in our house. We watched it so many times. Really? Yes. What's a quote that you guys will bring up?

He's trying to do there. There's a part where so he stays home and watches the kids and Terry Garth goes and starts working and advertising. Can you believe it? The dad stays home. It's crazy. And Martin Mull is her like weird boss and he comes over to pick her up to go on like a trip and he looks like shit and is just laying around the house.

So he really quick runs and puts on overalls and like goggles and goes and gets a chainsaw and pretends like he's redoing the front room. And then Martin Mull is like going along with it. And he's like, he's like, yeah, we're going to rip all this out. Totally new electric and he goes, oh, you're going to go with a, what are you going to go with a 220 and he goes 220, 221, whatever it takes. And my dad and my uncle laughed so hard the first time we saw that and I was just like, why is that funny?

And he's like, it's the voltage. It's either 220 or 330 or 440. There's no 221 or I'm like, yes. So then we just such a dad joke. Yes, completely. So you now make your dad laugh by saying it. 220, 221, whatever it takes. It's a great reference makes you feel like you know about electricians and their comedy.

Love that movie. I told you when I was in elementary school and all the girls were like starting to wear bras, but I didn't and wasn't going to for a very long time. Would pretend that I knew what I was talking about. And they're like, oh, you know, what size are you? And when girls like, I'm a 32A. And I was like, oh, I'm a 33A or like didn't know what it was like, but needed to be a little bigger.

And then that's not a thing. So 20, 21, I feel that. 220, 221, whatever it takes. 220, 221, whatever it takes. And then I said, no gifts this week. Bridger is joined by comedian, artist and writer, Sophia Cleary. And then in the MFM store, you guys, you got to drink your water and stay hydrated. So we have water bottles for you with all our fun, exciting, funny things that we've said, you know, in the past 333 episodes.

333. Yeah. So angel numbers. Yes. Go get a water bottle for this summer's intense hydration needs. Yeah. This might be luminol. Go get a water bottle. It's my favorite murder.com in the store. Is that it? I think that's it. Let's kick this thing off. Let's get this fucking party started.

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Now you can enjoy Hello Fresh's expanded menu of quick lunch solutions, weekend brunch, simple side dishes and amazing desserts. Karen January is going to be my month for Hello Fresh. I am so sick of takeout. I miss cooking so much I haven't lifted a knife or a pan since like early fall. So I can't wait to get back in the kitchen and Hello Fresh makes it so easy and also makes it so that my food tastes good, which is hard to do on my own. It gives you everything, everything you need.

So get up to 20 free meals with purchase plus free shipping on your first box at hellofresh.ca slash murder20 with code murder20. That's up to 20 free meals plus free shipping on your first box when you go to hellofresh.ca slash murder20 and use code murder20. Goodbye. What makes a person a murderer? Are they born to kill or are they made to kill? I'm Candice DeLong and on my new podcast Killer Psyche Daily,

I share a quick 10-minute rundown every weekday on the motivations and behaviors of the criminal masterminds, psychopaths, and cold-blooded killers you hear about in the news. I have decades of experience as a psychiatric nurse, FBI agent, and criminal profiler. On Killer Psyche Daily, I'll give you insight into cases like Ryan Grantham and the newly arrested Stockton Serial Killer. I'll also bring on expert guests to dive deeper into the details, share what it's like to work with a behavioral assessment unit at Quantico, answer some killer trivia, and even host virtual Q&As,

where I'll answer your burning questions. Hey, Prime members, listen to the Amazon Music exclusive podcast, Killer Psyche Daily, in the Amazon Music app. Download the app today. So today, I'm going to tell you the story of a classic old-school Hollywood murder mystery or just mystery. We don't really know. That's how mysterious it is. I'm going to tell you about the bizarre disappearance of actress Jean Spangler. Oh.

Which we've talked about before, back when we did an episode about the Black Dahlia. And so I'm going to tell you Jean's story. So the sources used in today's episode are The Doe Network, The Charlie Project, a court TV news article by Davina Willett, two Los Angeles Times articles, one by Cecilia Rasmussen, and then a staff article, and then a Palm Springs Life article by Arthur Lyons, an article from The Line Up by Jesse Fieri. F-E-R-R-I, Fieri.

Fieri. Fuck. By Jessica Fieri. Oh, no, it's just Fieri. Oh. An article from the Capitol Journal, the blog by writer and ex-detective Steve Hodle. Oh, yeah. Yeah.

We know that guy. Exactly. An entertainment weekly article by Maureen Lee Linker, and a nine news article by Nick Pearson. All right. So let me tell you a little bit about Jean Spangler. Jean Elizabeth Spangler, she's born on September 2nd, 1923 in Seattle, Washington. She's the youngest of four children.

And actually, randomly, and our lovely researcher, Gemma, just put a little note that according to findagrave.com, the kids are fourth cousins to Abraham Lincoln. Oh, isn't that interesting? That's a good, would have been a good brag for her. Right. Not for this story. I didn't mean it like that.

I wish you would have kept that out of this story. Guy Fieri would have kept that out of the story because he's got class. In the 1930s, the Spangler family relocates to Los Angeles. And Jean is a gorgeous, you know, classic beauty that old school Hollywood actress look. So once she graduates from high school in 1941, she gets a job working as a model for a local department store. And her friends and colleagues say that she's friendly, vivacious,

she's energetic, and she has a really good work ethic, which no one would say about me. I like the idea that it's long ago enough that she just is a model for one department store. Right. Where you go out and get that job directly yourself. Yeah. And you probably go to like the customer service counter there. And you're like, hey, what's up? Check this out.

Yeah. You hold up both hands. So then when she's 18, she gets a job dancing at the iconic Earl Carroll Theater, which is like a nightclub. Wikipedia calls it a popular night spot for many of Hollywood's most glamorous stars and powerful film industry moguls. What year is it? Sorry. She graduated high school in 1941.

So when she was 18, so around then. So it's like heyday of fucking going to these amazing places, right? Yes. Meeting the most incredible people. You're a dancer. You're beautiful, glamorous. Everyone wants to hang out with you. She gets to meet all these interesting people.

And it was like the being a chorus girl was your way to get like screen tests and meet executives and all that. Exactly. So much Los Angeles lore and history here. It's, I don't know, I just wrote this for you, really, that it's on Sunset Boulevard where the Nickelodeon is now. Oh, across from the Coffee Bean? Yeah, across from the Coffee Bean and the Waffle

where the Nickelodeon studios are is where. Coming down by the out of the closet. Exactly. There's a good car wash. And there's that really old hotel that totally looks like a horror movie. It's set back from the street. That's on Hollywood Boulevard, I think, isn't it? Got it.

But it's in the same spot, but a block away. A block up. Yes. Or down. God, I wonder if it's still there. They have like the original like soda machines. It's the creepiest fucking place. Anyway, yes.

OK, that was an aside. Yeah, that should all be cut. No, leave it. Leave it. Listen, maybe someone's coming to CLA and they want to see the sights and the things that don't exist anymore. What we should have said is near the palladium, which is still there.

It's where we saw Lizzo. That's right. Oh, yeah. So she gets to rub shoulders with prominent Hollywood figures and not only an entertainment industry, but also organized crime. Love it. So exciting. Love to rub shoulders with the mafia.

He loved them. In 1942, through her job at Earl Carroll, 19-year-old Jean meets and then marries 22-year-old plastics manufacturer Dexter Benner. Six months later, though, she files for divorce, citing cruelty and moves back in with her parents. And it sounds like it was a really tumultuous relationship because even after she moves, they have an on again, off again relationship. But on April 22nd, 1944, she gives birth to a couple's first and only child, Christine.

But the marriage is still turbulent. And when Dexter is drafted to go to the Pacific on military service, Jean begins dating other men. And they finally divorce in 1946. And Jean takes Christine to live with her family in the Park Le Brea residential complex. Oh. Famous historic apartment complex.

God, that's things been there for a long time. I just drove by the other day and it has that amazing pre-post-war look. It's so cool. It's right by the Le Brea tarpets, everyone. And the Beverly Center. I've lit it. I mean, if we should just keep naming things. Yeah.

And is it Lachma that's there now? On down on Wilshire. Yeah. Yes. That's where the Park Le Brea is. It's on Wilshire? Yeah. Near Wilshire.

Listen, take the 10 to the 210 and then get off on the five. Then you want to do a detour. Like I really highly recommend a detour around Wilton. Try to get on San Vicente. San Vicente or Wilton. That's right. It's, you know, it's a nightmare. LA times.

LA. Baby. Jean continues with her modeling and also gets a job dancing at another popular Hollywood nightclub, Florentine Gardens to help support her daughter. Was it Yield Spaghetti Factory there for a little while? I think so. God, I missed the Yield Spaghetti Factory.

Sitting in a train car, eating a big loaf of bread, sticking another one in your purse for later. Did you ever do that? Just steal those loaves of bread? No. Could we get more bread? Because it was like bottomless loaves of sourdough bread. Because they had one in Sacramento.

We'd go to all the time and you just, everyone would stick the first three loaves in their purse. And then be like, we'd love more bread. Whatever you get. Sorry, we're getting so full on bread. Now again, we get pasta. Now can we get spaghetti? No, just a ton of spaghetti, please.

Carps. I love them. So then Jean decides she wants to make it in Hollywood and starts working as an extra, which I did as well. That's right. Darman Greg, 95. Clueless TV show. The movie Sleep Over.

A couple of weird things. She joins the Screen Actress Guild and gets bit parts in films. No credited roles, but she appears in eight films over her acting career, including a Three Stooges movie. Oh. And another starring Frank Sinatra.

So she's like on the up and up, and she's so fucking statuesque and beautiful. Like she clearly probably would have had a career, had tragedy not struck. So Jean is going through a crazy, ugly, long custody battle with Dexter over their daughter. And in 1948, she's finally awarded custody of their now four-year-old daughter Christine

and Dexter's ordered to pay child support. So we get to Friday, October 7th, 1949, and Jean, who's now 26 years old, tells her sister-in-law Sophie that she's going to meet Dexter to discuss a late child support payment. And she says from there, she's going straight to work on a night shoot for a film.

So she's not going to be home all night, and her sister-in-law agrees to watch Christine. And at that time, Jean's mother Florence is out of town visiting family. So she leaves Christine with her sister-in-law and leaves home around 5 p.m. that evening. And around 7 p.m., calls home and tells her sister-in-law that she has to, quote, work a full eight hours.

And so she won't be back that night. Then she also speaks to Christine, her daughter, as she does every night when she's not home before bedtime to say good night. And the following morning, when the sister-in-law Sophie wakes up and finds that Jean still isn't home and hasn't made any contact,

which is totally out of character, she goes to the police station to file a missing persons report. So when the police find out what Jean was supposed to be doing that night, they go around and make inquiries to the local movie studios and find that there are no records indicating Jean worked at any chute that night.

And in fact, there weren't any chutes that night. So it was impossible. And so nearby at the Fairfax Farmers' Market. Well, so where Dupars used to be? Where Dupars used to be. And my grandma worked at a bakery stall until she died in the 90s. Yeah. In the Fairfax Farmers' Market?

Fairfax Farmers' Market. That's where the grove is everyone nowadays, but I highly recommend going to the Fairfax. It's a piece of LA history. It's incredible. It's one of my favorite places in LA. And my grandma, yeah, there was like a little Jewish bakery stall,

and my grandma worked there when I was a little kid. Yeah. It's like a family fucking legendary place. In the 90s, it was where we would always go when everyone was hungover for breakfast. There was that really good breakfast place that was kind of near Dupars, but still outside. Yeah.

And then there's also, they still do it, I think. Oh, Jazz Nights. Or karaoke. Oh. There's that bar, and you can go sing karaoke at the Farmers' Market. Oh God, I feel bad for everyone who'd have to hear me do that. They also have Jazz Nights, though, if you don't want to sing.

Oh, that's good. Okay. You can switch it up. I fucking love that place. So that's where Park Libre is, so she would go there all the time. And so a clerk tells police that it's, he had seen Jean that evening at 6 p.m. in the area.

And he said that it looked like, the clerk said it looked like Jean was waiting for someone, and this is kind of the last, like most likely confirmed sighting of her. Then other witnesses come forward, saying they saw Jean around 2 a.m. that morning, sitting at a table at the Cheese Box Restaurant on Sunset Strip, which I have no stories to tell you about.

Oh, I wish I had a story that sounds so awesome. I think the Cheese Box might be one of the best restaurant names I've ever heard in terms of luring someone in from off the street. Because doesn't it seem like, you'd get like a very well-constructed sandwich there? Oh yeah, they must do sandwich as well. Like you can sit around and bullshit at the Cheese Box? Yeah, doesn't it sound like Chinette?

Yes, it sounds like slang for something in the 40s. Get your Cheese Box down here. Get your Cheese Box down to the Cheese Box. Meet me at the Cheese Box with a ton of fish sandwich. Okay, this is creepy. Okay, so they say the witness says they see her sitting at our favorite restaurant, the Cheese Box, which is on the Sunset Strip,

and they see her arguing with a man at two in the morning. And the couple, the two of them soon leave the restaurant and are seen at a nearby gas station, where the male of the two, and they say the female, is Jean, tells the attendant to fill the gas tank, we're going to Fresno. And then the attendant, who later identifies Jean as the woman, he sees slump down in the front passenger seat, says that as the car pulls away,

she calls up to the attendant, get our license plate and call the police. Holy shit. Yeah, and you're like, but did he? He must not have. Maybe he tried and... Or that's how they tracked her down, maybe, is he finally? I mean, that's so creepy.

Yeah, so, but we don't know it's her, you know what I mean? It could be anyone. Yeah, that's quite a lie. I don't know, I think, right? No, no, but I mean, that could have been some other woman in peril. You know what I mean, which is true. The sad fucking state of the world. Yeah.

Meanwhile, the ex-husband Dexter, of course, they questioned him. He tells the officers that he hasn't seen Jean for several weeks, and his new wife, Lynn, supports that claim. And then the police obtained a document indicating that Dexter had been out on a boat on the night that Jean disappeared, which is obviously unusual. The weather was weird, it was blustery and choppy waters. Not good for boating.

Mm-mm, and then Dexter's also seen with scratches on his face in the days following Jean's disappearance, which he says what happened when he dropped a case of glass bottles at his work. A glass of fingernails. But doesn't he work in plastics? Hey, guess what, Dexter? You're full of shit. Good memory, Jesus.

Plastics. Well, because I was like, she married someone in plastics. Does that mean he's rich? That sounds like, especially in the 40s. Yeah, no, I think he's not. I think they married for love. Okay. But scratches on the face, man.

It took the authorities years and years to put that together, where it's just like, it's rose bushes. It's glass bottles from my work. It's like, it's not. It's not. Scratches on the arms and face. Like, if you have those post someone mysteriously disappearing, sorry. Yeah, sorry.

You're a fact. Yeah, the same good. No. So on October 9th, less than 48 hours after Jean's disappearance, her black purse containing her ID and a bunch of other things is found near the Ferndale entrance to Griffith Park in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles. Yeah, right by the Greek.

That's right. It's about five and a half miles from where Jean lives and in the Los Feliz neighborhood, as I mentioned, my old neighborhood, where we started this 333 episodes ago, started this podcast. 333. That's too many. That is insane.

Wow. Should we start a law that podcasts, any podcast, can't go over 300 episodes? Let's run on that platform. We're like, look, it's what's best for everybody. Listen to the daily. I'm sorry, but no one wants to hear it anymore. Just wrap it down. Yeah.

What I was going to say about her stuff being found there is it's a very surprising part of Los Angeles because suddenly you're in this very beautiful, very hilly park that's almost like all of a sudden you're in the unpopular part of Yosemite. There's mountains and foothills right there. The closest you can get to immediate nature in the city. Totally. So that's a place where people would dump a body for sure.

Right. And I wonder what it was like back then, because the houses there are very, like that little area there is like the Hollywood Hills, basically. So it's probably a really rich area at the time where only really rich people lived. And so, and then that's a good place to toss a purse out of your car window too. Yeah. Right. I don't know exactly where it was found.

It seems maybe a little not off the road. So someone drove up into and then through a purse. Maybe. Maybe toward the observatory, maybe a public place that you can access day and night. Right, right. So you'd have an excuse as to why you're up there. Right. Yeah.

It is a weird, it is a weird, but it makes sense that something was discarded there kind of, right? Yeah, I think so. Yeah. Okay. And the park is huge. So searching that area or searching for clues after finding that purse is very hard. But up to 200 police officers and volunteers do spread out to search Griffith Park over the next week, hoping they'll find anything additional, but they don't.

It sounds like someone just discarded her purse there. Yeah. And one of the straps on the purse has been completely torn loose as if someone yanked it from her and maybe during a struggle. And inside the purse is a note in Jean's handwriting, which is so creepy and you can find it online that says, quote, Kirk, can't wait any longer going to see Dr. Scott. It will work best this way while mother is away. Huh.

Yeah, because remember, her mom was out of town. Oh, okay. So none of her friends or family know anything about anyone in Jean's life named Kirk or Dr. Scott, you know, supposedly. However, investigators learned that just before Jean's disappearance, she wrapped working on a film called Young Man with a Horn starring Kirk Douglas. Oh, yeah. So he finds out about the note while he's away on vacation in Palm Springs and calls the police.

He tells them he doesn't know that even though he and Jean worked on the same film, he doesn't know her personally, you know, she was just an extra. And at this point, Jean's mother Florence has returned to Los Angeles and she tells the police on two occasions, someone named Kirk had picked Jean up at her house, but he never came in. He had stayed in his car when he picked her up, so I shouldn't know who he was. Then Kirk Douglas changes his story a little bit and he says later that, oh, he did interact with her. He realized who she was, but he had just had a little conversation on set with her and,

you know, no big deal. Police track down and question any doctor in LA they can find with the last name Scott. And none have a patient or admit to having a patient with Jean's last name or made a name. And then police then refocus on Dexter, the ex-husband, and they end up excavating part of the floor in his garage looking for any evidence, but they come up empty-handed and eventually on October 27th, custody of their daughter Christine is temporarily awarded to Dexter. Because they can't find her?

Yeah. So they just, oh, power. Oh, pass them over. You know, it's like, if he did it, he got what he wanted, you know? Oh, I didn't even think of it that way. Yeah. Wow. Immediately.

Yeah. Meanwhile, the investigation then takes a turn when police speak to Jean's close friends and they reveal that at the time that she disappeared, Jean was three months pregnant, but they didn't know by whom. Jean had spoken to her friends about seeing a doctor for an abortion, but, of course, procedure at the time is very risky because it's illegal. And when it's illegal, it's very dangerous for a woman to get an abortion. Even if some dude knocks her up and she gets to walk away, Scott, free.

And then she's got all the risk. She's actually quote-unquote breaking the law. Right. And of course, her actual health is on the line. Right. Yeah, you know, it's so funny, I saw this quote on Instagram a while ago in one of those quote-unquote memes that said that outlawing abortions doesn't make abortions not happen, it makes safe abortions not possible, which is so powerful.

And in fact, I looked it up in California, didn't pass a law guaranteeing women the right to have an abortion until 2002. What? Yeah. I think before that it was legal, but it wasn't a law that they were allowed, that we were allowed to. It wasn't a right. Exactly. Yeah.

Anyway, some of Jean's friends explained that they'd heard around the nightclub scene of a former medical student known only as Doc, who actually performed paid abortions secretly, but police are unable to find evidence sustaining this claim. And given the revelation that Jean is pregnant, police suspect she may have been a victim of an illegal abortion and then died during the procedure. But why would someone who may have accidentally killed her then dispose of her purse in a place where someone could find it with her information in there? That doesn't make any sense.

Right. But then, another direction you could go in is that Jean is familiar with some particularly shady people in the nightclub scene. So people like Mickey Cohen and Anthony Corneo, mob people, I don't know, this just seems like such a fucking red herring to me, like this whole mob thing is possibly involved, but there's some little details here and there. Well, the funny thing is that like most of back then, a lot of actresses started in those nightclubs, which were run by the mafia, but then when they kind of quote-unquote graduated

up to being like studio girls somehow or like, you know, bit part actresses, the studios were won by the mafia as well. It was just a different kind, but it was exactly the same thing. Or not even a different kind, I mean, some of the funding probably came from the actual mafia as well, that's so true. And they were, it was like you were strong armed. I just listened to, you know, Jake Brennan does now Hollywood land where he tells like disgrace land stories, but they're all Hollywood and there's one about Judy Garland and it

just is such a bummer. They like, the second she got even slightly like an adolescent, the studios just put her on uppers and then she was too keyed up all the time. So then they put her on counters and she was like that basically from when she was 13 years old. Yeah. And she, they just, she had to do what they said. It's so crazy to see old Judy Garland, like when towards the end of her life, like video,

you know, the videos of her on like TV and she's, she looks like a old woman and she's like 36 because all she's ever done has been on fucking stimulants and. I'm trying and just a little booze to cut the light. Right. Yeah. And cigarettes. It's so sad. But then you got it.

There's a couple like that, like there's a performance that she gives on the blocking rehearsal. So she doesn't realize it's being filmed and her hair is kind of screwed up and it's the man who got away, I think. And it's one of the most like, she sings and it makes me start crying. She's so amazing. So talented. Always was.

Yeah. Her and then Liza. My God. Legendary. Okay. So like, you know, the Palm Springs and the mob are involved because it's glamorous and it has to be. I just, I think it's a red herring.

Yeah. And the same day that Jean's purse was found in Griffith Park, this dude that she maybe had been seeing named Davey Ogle, who's one of Mickey Cohen's associates. He disappears. He'd been indicted on a conspiracy charge, but he's out on bail and they suspect that maybe he went on the lamb with Jean as well. And then there's like a witness saying that they saw them together, like nothing comes out of it.

So after three weeks, this is only three weeks of them chasing down leads because it is a really high profile story because it's gorgeous, you know, girl in trying to make it in Hollywood who disappears. So of course, the press loves it. One detective says, quote, the only thing we've been able to find out is that this girl really got around. Literal quote. Wow.

Yep. Yeah. What's that? Nicton Blaming. Oh my God. So in 1950, Dexter, the ex and Jean's mother Florence get, they get into this big custody battle, you know, her mother's heart broken that her daughter was missing and I'm sure suspects the ex and wants her, her granddaughter and, you know, with her.

So they get in this huge custody battle, Dexter refuses Florence, her court ordered visitation with her granddaughter and Jean's older sister tells police that as far as she knows Jean had no affiliation with any mob associates at all. And so that's all slander. So Florence tells reporters, quote, Jean was not the kind of girl to get mixed up with people like that. I'm sure she would have communicated with us if she is alive and free and nobody can tell me that she would have left her baby unless she was forced to do so.

She loved her too much. So the court sentences Dexter to 15 days in jail for contempt of court for not letting the grandmother see her, her granddaughter. But then he flees to Florida and takes Christine with him. Then anyways, LAPD keeps looking in the two years following the disappearance. People come forward with sightings of Jean from like California to Arizona to Mexico. Jean can be corroborated. And then Florence and the influential screenwriter and movie columnist Luella Parsons each offer

a thousand dollar reward for information, but nothing comes up. And eventually detectives clear both Dexter, the ex-husband and Kirk Douglas. Don't know why. So then a theory emerges years after Jean's disappearance that she's fallen a victim to the man who is suspected of committing the infamous murder of 22 year old Elizabeth Short, AKA the Black Dahlia. That happened in early 1947, so around the same time. So we covered that case in episode seven.

So I'm sure it was a great, clean, clear, well researched episode story. I'm sure it wasn't inappropriate or disrespectful at any point. But we also did it when we did that live show. Yeah. I am the knight. Is that it? Yes. It is.

Yeah. That was what it was called. Yes. So you'll remember then that in recent years retired LAPD detective Steve Hodel thinks, and I think it's a really compelling case that his father, Dr. George Hodel, is Elizabeth Short's killer. And they lived in that incredible house on Franklin Boulevard in Los Feliz, like literally a few blocks from Ferndale where the purse, where Jean Spangler's purse was found.

That's right. It was a crazy old art deco in St. House that you and I went to. Remember? For the I am the knight party. That's right. That's right. It was crazy. It's an insane house.

Did you know Laura Prypon owned that fucking house in cell 2021? Nice. I would not spend a night in there personally. Too scary? Yeah. Hmm. Yeah. Too scary.

I don't know. So and actually in February of 1950, George Hodel is LAPD's prime suspect in 10 other unsolved murders of young women in LA. And actually if you listen to the podcast, Root of Evil, you'll find out all this crazy information about Dr. George Hodel. It's a great podcast made a couple of years ago and this person is just a fucking monster. So it's crazy. Yeah.

So what's interesting about this is that Steve Hodel believes Jean is most likely one of his father's many alleged victims. So he believes that at the time that Jean disappears, George Hodel is illegally working as a abortion doctor in Los Angeles, like out of his home or out of his office. And he lives only, it's a quarter mile from Ferndale Park where Jean's purse was found. Wasn't there and maybe I, this could have been from any number of the things you just mentioned that we have looked into for Black Dahlia before. So I believe his office and where he performed the abortions was in the basement of that

house. Isn't that right? He had an office and then he also had like a secret room in the house and that's where they think maybe he did like late night abortions for actresses and stuff or like high profile clients maybe who couldn't go to the office. Right. Exactly. But then like when you were there, then he was the only one that knew you were there

right. Like whatever you wanted and it was all very like dark. Yes, exactly. Yeah. It's all very, very creepy, which is what happens when you don't have access to safe and legal abortions. If abortion is illegal, then you add all kinds of danger to something that's already difficult and upsetting.

Yeah. Nefarious people. So it's possible that Jean may have gone to see Dr. George Hodel and died accidentally during or after the procedure and Steve Hodel also names Dr. Eric Kirk as the Kirk referenced in the genes and genes note because there was a man named Dr. Eric Kirk who performed abortions at the time, but he had been arrested for this days before Gina disappeared. So the note might have been to this Dr. Kirk, like he were going to perform this abortion on me, but I'm instead going to see this other doctor while my mom's out of town because

this is the best time to do it. My mom will not be there to ask questions, which to me makes the most fucking sense. That makes perfect sense. Yeah. But according to Steve Hodel, it may also have nothing to do with abortion because apparently his father was dating a, quote, gorgeous actress type named Jean around the time of her disappearance. And you'll remember that Jean had been spotted at our family cheese box restaurant and a gas station with an unidentified man and the man had been described as around 35 years

old tall, clean cut with dark hair. And at the time, 41 year old George Hodel looks young for his age. It's, you know, same description. Yeah. In the 1950s, actually the LAPD had bugged George Hodel's house as part of their investigation into several murders, but didn't get any information. And as recently as 2014, a cadaver dog had gone over to that crazy Art Deco home on Franklin Avenue and had alerted its scent of human remains.

Yeah. Wow. In the house? In the soil from the exterior of the home. Wow. So like the backyard. And there's no indication that it had or it will be excavated, but that's all. Jean's parents eventually decided to buy a burial plot next to theirs in case Jean's

remains are ever found, in case their daughter can be buried next to them. And father passes away in 1962 and Florence dies in 1991. And the ex-husband Dexter, he dies in 2007. And Jean's case is cold and it remains open and it's not officially designated a homicide. And therefore no case files remain based on previous investigative protocols around record keeping. She was missing not designated homicide. So they don't keep anything.

Yeah. The LAPD homicide detective Rick Jackson told Entertainment Weekly, quote, nothing I've ever read would indicate Jean skipped town. People generally don't do that kind of thing unless there's a motive or a unique set of reasons. Obviously, she cared for her daughter enough to get custody back. It just makes sense that she met with foul play. There's no doubt she was dead and that's why she never surfaced.

And if she had been alive today, Jean would be 99 years old. And that is the mysterious disappearance and likely death of Jean Spangler. The idea that the Black Dahlia killer was a serial killer who was active and there were lots of cases beforehand only makes sense. Absolutely. Very standard. Like you don't start off with a murder that horrifying nightmarish extreme. And the idea that if someone has, I mean, who knows, but we all have discussed Dr. George

Hodel into the ground, I think, but it is compelling in terms of the fact that he had these private spaces and was a doctor. It's just- And was evil. Like he was an evil person in his normal life to his children and to his family. It's not like people are putting on him being someone who's capable of murder. No. Yeah.

It's his own family members going, this guy was super fucked up. Yeah. I mean, listen to Root of Evil podcast. It's just fucking mind blowing. Yeah. Very upsetting. Yeah. Wow.

Great job. Thank you. That was very long. I just realized we're an hour in. I know, but when it's something old and like LA based, then it's fun to kind of like think about and talk about. And it is like, and these are the people and the stories that Hollywood has been built on.

Yeah. Well, then the story I'm going to follow that one up with is basically Hannah suggested this to me because it's basically kind of her hometown. It's a story she remembers happening. She's from basically Washington state and she remembers this kicking off. And it was basically one of those things that took over. Everybody knew about it. People were following it in the news.

It's this crazy story. So thanks Hannah for the suggestion. So the sources for this story today, there's a bunch of articles from heraldnet.com, one by Jackson Holtz, one by Eric Stevick, one by Noah Haglund. Then there's an article by Ryan Owens and Sarah Netter for ABC News, an article by Patrick Oppmann, CNN. There's a New York Times article by William Yardley. There's a KOMO TV staff article and there's a CR Douglas article for Fox 13 Seattle.

There was an episode of 48 hours about this case, CBS News article written by Paula Rosa, Sarah Pryor, and there's an article from the Seattle Times by a writer named Evan Bush. And there's more sources you can check the show notes for. This is the story of Colton Harris Moore, also known as the Barefoot Bandit. Colton Moore is born March 22, 1991 in Mount Vernon, Washington. He grows up in a trailer in the woods on southern Camino Island, which is about an hour north of Seattle on Puget Sound. So his home life's chaotic.

His mother, Pam, drinks while she's pregnant with Colt. This impacts his neurocognitive development. His father, Gordon, is a drug user who gets sent to prison when Colt is still a toddler. Then when Colt is four, his mom remarries to a man named William Kohler, who, according to Pam herself, had a criminal history and a heroin addiction. So not great stuff happening in that trailer in the forest. So all of that would be hard enough to deal with, but then Pam is said to be verbally, physically, and emotionally abusive all throughout Colt's childhood.

According to his aunt Sandra, who is Pam's sister, when Pam drinks, she gets belligerent and violent and is known to break her son's toys as a punishment to him. So not great stuff. Their neighbors hear Pam screaming at Colt all hours of the day and night. She's also a neglectful parent. Colt as a child often asked the adults in his life, like teachers and his friend's parents, if he could have food. And court records indicate that Pam basically did not make sure that Colt went to school,

so he missed a ton of school. All this has a negative effect on him growing up. When he does go to school, he bullies other students. He defies his teachers. A psychological evaluation years later states that Colton has a long-term history of psychiatric and behavioral difficulties. He's also been prescribed a wide range of psychiatric medications, including antidepressants, stimulant medications, mood stabilizers, and even antipsychotic medication.

And he was also a different point diagnosed with depression, attention deficit disorder, and intermittent explosive disorder. So when CPS gets called in, which they did, they were multiple times throughout Colt's childhood, the case workers would recommend that Pam seek counseling for her son, she would decline. When he's 10 years old, he's removed from the home for three days, but the CPS has to close the investigation due to lack of cooperation from Pam. Yeah, that seems against, like, yeah, we get that she's not cooperating.

That's why CPS got called in the first place. Right, like lack of cooperation by the abuser isn't a reason to cancel the case. So that second husband, William, dies when Colt is 11, and then Pam soon enters another relationship with a man who moves into the house, who Pam would later describe as not playing with a full deck, he was an alcoholic, and ultimately Pam ends the relationship. At some point, Colt's biological father, Gordon, returns to the home after he's released from prison, and in May 2003, when Colt is 12, he calls 911 reporting Gordon pushed him to the ground and grabbed him by the throat.

And when police arrive, Gordon flees to the woods nearby, but the police end up arresting him and taking him to jail. And after that, Gordon cuts off contact with Pam and Colt, and he moves to Las Vegas. And Pam basically blames Colt for that happening. So by the time Colt is 15 years old, CPS has responded to 12 separate incidents at the Moore home. So really rough childhood. Later that same year, in November of 2003, 12 year old Colt is accused of breaking into

a business in the city of Stanwood, and then breaking into Stanwood Middle School, stealing a laptop and CDs, and defacing a bulletin board, which sorry, it just sounds funny. He wrote, fuck you, on like some kind of a bulletin board in a way that they couldn't get off. Pretty sure I did something like that as a kid too, you know? You know, if you can't stay home and everything really sucks there and people are really shitty there, you're going to go fuck some stuff up as a kid as a way of saying, will someone please step in?

Totally. Totally. So he pleads guilty to possession of a stolen property. He sentenced to six months supervision and 56 hours of community service. Social workers report notes Colton wants mom to stop drinking and smoking, get a job and have food in the house. Mom refuses. So that's a rough encapsulation of what life is like for a 12 year old Colt.

In 2004, so it's a year later, Colt's probation officer writes, Colt and his mother share a tumultuous relationship. Colton's mother reported to me that he is violent at home on a near daily basis. He recently broke the telephone in order to prevent her from calling the police. She then showed me a mark on her forearm of how he had bit her and went after her with a boat ore. His mother reported how Colton is now medicated and complying with taking his medications and his behavior has not been hostile toward her.

He's 13 years old. So basically he's giving what he's gotten and then he's in trouble for it. He's reacting. In December 2005, a police report has made alleging that 14 year old Colt assaulted his mother. In the summer of 2006, Colt's due to appear in court at Denny Juvenile Justice Center in Everett, but he's so scared of going back into detention that he runs away the day before his hearing.

He starts breaking into homes on Kameno Island and watching internet porn on the resident's home computer. Yeah. That sounds great. Right? Honestly. He's like, I'm not going to get in trouble for this. All right.

Yeah. He breaks into unoccupied vacation homes through skylights and then squats in the homes for several days before moving on and taking food and portable electronic devices with him. When he's not vacation home squatting, he camps out in the woods. And by this point, he's dropped out of school. He's only in the ninth grade. Oh my God. He's a child still.

Yeah. He's a baby. In January 2007, after six local burglaries, the Island County Sheriff's Office puts up wanted posters with Colt's picture and his information. Basically, there's 15,000 people on this island and that's usually when the vacation people are there. Yeah. There's 5,000 households.

So it's a tiny place. Wow. Like, you know, everyone knows that this is Colt doing it. Right. Right. It starts appearing in the media and within a matter of weeks, a local resident notices that there are lights on inside what should have been an empty vacation home. The police are alerted and when they arrive, they tell Colt that the house is surrounded.

Even though it's actually not, they had just set up flashlights to make it look like there was cops all around the house. Oh my God. But there weren't. So Colt falls for it and he comes out and gives himself up. In court, he pleads guilty to three of the 23 felony charges against him. His aunt Sandra writes to the court in support of her nephew saying, quote, I love that boy like one of my own kids.

I think he got mixed in with the wrong crowd and he got himself in too far. Colt is sentenced to three years confinement and ordered to stay in a group home in Renton, Washington. So on April 22, 2008, 17-year-old Colt like basically breaks out of this group home. He sneaks out a window and he goes on the run. And soon South Camino Island residents are reporting break-ins to the police. So a couple months later, he allegedly steals his neighbor's Mercedes and crashes it into a propane tank behind a cafe.

Who? Who? This is, what's the, can you think of the word for it where it's like when you're doing bad, but it doesn't hurt anybody. They have that word for it. It's like reckless, non-Hodgkins, reckless, non-Hodgkins, yeah, like there's no direct victim. But it's like exploits.

It's not hijinks or exploits. Would you say, Stan? Shenanigans. Yeah, but no, but yeah, official police shenanigans. There's a term for it that's essentially like you're behaving badly and like knock it off. I just think it's funny that you like, I'm just going to, there's all these rich people everywhere. I'm just going to steal their shit and fuck it up and like just do what I want because

fuck everything. He flees the scene, but he leaves behind his backpack containing his journal, stolen credit cards, a GPS, his cell phone, and a digital camera that he used to take selfies with. They kind of know it's him. So a couple months later, he steals money from an ATM, but they still haven't caught him. They just know they find his stuff there basically. In September of the same year, he steals money from an ATM on Orcus Island and in the

process cuts himself and leaves blood on the machine. So they're able to take DNA like basically to later compare it with other crimes because he is breaking the law. It isn't hijinks or shenanigans. On November 12th of the same year, he breaks into a locked airplane hangar on Orcus Island and he steals a Cessna 182 airplane worth about $150,000. He has never had a flying lesson. He doesn't even have his driver's license and the plane belongs to Seattle Radio personality

Bob Rivers at 102.5 KZOK. So he somehow figures out a way to fly it over the Cascade mountain range. What? Yes. He's threw a whiteout at 13,000 feet and all these wind gusts. It was not ideal. Okay. How do you even get a plane off of the fucking runway?

They think that he taught himself how to fly using simulation software on laptops and studying plane manuals for hours. For hours. So what usually takes people fucking months and months probably. Yeah. I bet you this kid was very smart. Right. It's one of those annoying things where it's like if you had had a shot in life, you would

have. Yes. Made something of yourself. Right. Or been a way better burglar, but either way, once I got to this part, I was just like a 17 year old steals a Cessna and is able to fly it somewhere. Oh my God. Like what 17 year old do you know that could like steal a car and drive it down the street

much less? No. An airplane. He's never flown before. Okay. So he ends up crashing the plane 300 miles away on the Yakima Indian Reservation. When police get to the scene where the plane crashes, they don't find colt, but there is vomit inside the plane.

And they take a sample, compare it to the DNA. And now they know that the ATM crime and this airplane stealing is colt. Okay. I guess this police department is too well funded if they're doing DNA tests on what is clearly fucking 17 year old. It's clearly him. You don't need to DNA test it. But they get that proof.

They've got that locked in proof, but here's what I love more than that. He stole the plane, he's flying the plane, and then he gets like basically so nervous he barfs while he's flying in like bad weather. Or he just had actual sea sickness. What's it called in the air? Motion sickness. Yeah. I mean, if it was bad weather, turbulence could have made him throw up.

It's pretty amazing. So the investigators look into more unsolved cases of burglaries and associated offenses that colt could have been responsible for. And there are over 70 cases throughout the Pacific Northwest. And that includes Washington state, Idaho, Oregon, and several locations in Canada. It's basically residential and commercial burglaries, bank burglaries, vehicle thefts, boat theft, aircraft theft, and assault to police officers. Colt is alleged to have stolen or destroyed around $3 million worth of property.

Wow. You have a rich people have insurance. I don't feel bad. That's right. There was probably a couple of like the whatever boats he stole that the people were like, oh, thank God. Yeah. We're like, I had my laptop on there and like they get an extra thousand bucks or whatever.

My Krugerans. Right. They're also missing. We're on there. So finally on March 12, 2009, a felony warrant is issued for his arrest. So now it's big time. But before that, they can exercise that warrant. They have to find him first.

On September 11, 2009, Colt steals a Cirrus SR-22 plane worth about a half a million dollars from a town called Friday Harbor, also in Washington state. Oh my God. And he crash lands the plane back on Orcus Island. So he's kind of doing it all around in the same area. My God. He's, you know, I'm just picturing Bart Simpson this entire fucking time. Yes.

Yes. Complete. He does, he's just like, how else can I show that I don't give a fuck? Right. Right. Yeah. I'm just going to do what I want. Okay.

So after the crash, Colt is seen walking away from the wreckage by a police officer. And for some inexplicable reason, the cop fails to detain Colt. He like fist pumps him as he walks away. Yeah. He's kind of like, you walked away from that? Amazing. Hero. Hero.

The same month, Colt makes his way to Canada in a stolen boat, subsequently making his way back to the US through British Columbia. And so obviously undetected, like how did he do that? Yeah. A couple of weeks later on September 29th, Colt steals a Cessna T182T from a hangar in Bonner's Ferry, Idaho, and he leaves bare footprints on the ground. He takes off in the plane in Idaho and he again flies back over the Cascades, but he crash lands 60 miles away near Snohomish, Washington, because he runs out of fuel while

he's flying. On October 1st, 2009, a logger near Granite Falls finds that plane wreck. The police trace bare footprints from the crash site to a camp in the woods, but there's no sign of Colt. The next day, a second local felony arrest warrant is issued for Colt, and he's charged with forced entry burglary in the second degree. A few days later, SWAT officers searching the area for Colt are fired at by an unknown assailant.

Okay, that's bad. So now, Colt, this is going on and building to such a degree that now in the media, Colt is being called the barefoot bandit. Okay. I can't imagine being from one of these small towns and knowing that this person is... Yeah, he's just going to steal your shit and he's going to do what he wants with it. Kind of exciting for if Hannah is young and reading about this being like... Oh my God.

So exciting. She said they tracked it. They paid attention to it and they're watching on the news and it's crazy. Even though he usually wears shoes, the moniker sticks. So the barefoot thing only happened a couple of times. When Colt's mother Pam hears about the latest theft, she says, I'm proud of him. I was going to send him to flight school, but I guess I don't have to. But next time, I want him to wear a parachute.

Colt's popularity as a pseudo-modern folk hero gains support when a member of the public starts a Facebook page for him, of course, because remember, it's 2009, the page eventually gets more than 100,000 followers and it has posts that say things like, let's hope that he remains healthy, free and at large for a long time. Fly Colton, fly. That sounds like Pam to me. It gets so popular, they actually start making T-shirts, tote bags and mugs and they have Colt's picture on them with the caption, Mama tried.

But Camino Island locals who've had their belonging stolen or damaged are not amused. They actually end up launching their own counter blog in an attempt to raise money so they can hire a bounty hunter to track Colt down. Man, he's given them life. He's making these people who just sit at home watching fucking everybody loves Raymond every night. He's making their lives exciting. You're welcome.

That's right. Now, it's becoming international news. Reporters from all over the globe traveled to Camino Island to report on the search for the barefoot bandit and they all want to talk to his mother, Pam. Pam publicly encourages Colt to escape to a country that doesn't extradite to the US. So the entire time Colt's on the run, he calls his aunt Sandra once a month to let her know he's okay. Awww.

Awww. Awww. Awww. Awww. Hello to you, Professor. Happy to turn you in. I'll never turn nor in for any crime she's... Anti's don't snitch.

That's what I'm saying. No. You can stay at our house. Yeah. Sandra pleads with her nephew to please turn himself in. Oh. Oh, just kind of. But just to him privately.

Yeah, right. Just to him. Yeah. But he tells her every time that he's not ready to stop just yet. Okay. On December 11, 2009, the US District Court in Seattle issues a federal warrant for Colt's because of the aircraft theft from Idaho in September. So everything's kind of stacking up.

Okay. By February 2010, 18-year-old Colt has been eluding police for nearly two years at this point. Wow. I mean, yes. Two years on the run. It's like a reality show. Colton on the run, you know?

Yeah, whatever. He allegedly steals a plane from a town called Anacortis, and he flies it over to Orcus Island, somehow escaping the attention of Vancouver air traffic controls. He's like going out and stealing stuff and bringing it back to Orcus Island. Yeah.

Now, everyone is on the hunt for Colt, US Customs and Border Patrol, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the FBI, the US Coast Guard, officers from six different Washington counties with tracker dogs, SWAT teams, and police helicopters with infrared heat sensors. And yet, they cannot find him. So soon after this, Colt breaks into an Orcus Island deli

and eats an entire cheesecake. What? Wait, was it called the cheese box? Oh, if only. Oh, he eats an entire cheese. What a weird detail. He's truly living. He also vandalizes the security system

and causes $6,500 worth of damage. He then draws 39 bare feet on the floor with chalk, with prints leading out the door, and then the letters CYA. See ya. Scrawled next to the footprints. Oh, my. That's a little intense. 39 footprints?

Yeah. He spends months hiding out on Orcus Island. He commits more than 20 break-ins and burglaries, allegedly while he's there. Police released surveillance camera photos from Island Market in the hope that somebody will recognize him and word spreads that Colt is hiding out somewhere in the woods.

So on May 31, 2010, Colt leaves, you're going to like this one, he leaves $100 at Vedder's Animal Hospital in Raymond, Washington with a note that says, drove by, had some extra cash, please use this money for the care of animals. Signed Colt and Harris Moore, a.k.a. the barefoot bandit. OK, well, now we just love him. Now we love him.

He's a modern-day Robin Hood kind of. Yeah. On June 1, 2010, he steals a $450,000 fishing boat from Ilewaco, not far from Raymond, to cross the Columbia River. And that boat ends up being recovered in Warrenton, Oregon. From there, Colt steals a series of cars and heads east across Oregon and Idaho.

11 days later, on June 12, authorities in Spearfish, South Dakota find an abandoned vehicle with Washington plates. Then on the night of June 18, Colt prize-open the doors at the airport in Norfolk, Nebraska. He uses a broom handle to try to force open a cockpit window, hoping to unlock the plane, but it doesn't work. So instead, he steals an escalate from the airport and he drives it to Iowa and dumps it when he gets there.

He then steals another car, drives that to the airport in Atomwa, Iowa, where he again tries to break into a plane, but again, the barefoot bandit fails. So he steals yet another car and he drives to Dallas City, Illinois, but from there, the authorities lose track of him. And then in late June of 2010, another arrest warrant is issued for him, this time from Madison, County, Nebraska, with counts of break-ins, vehicle theft, and an attempted airplane

theft. So basically, as he's going through and breaking, doing all his little crimes and his break-ins and things, just behind him, the warrants are piling up, state by state. On July 3, 2010, in Bloomington, Indiana, Colt steals a four-seater Cessna 400 airplane worth $650,000, Monroe County Airport. During this flight, he takes videos of his journey

from inside the company. Oh my god. Is he live streaming? I don't know, 2010 might have been too early for that. But he does have him on his phone. This time, he flies himself to the Bahamas, and then he crashes the plane in shallow waters off the coast of Great Abaco Island.

All right, now we're talking. Finally, he's going somewhere exciting. Soon after that, break-ins are reported all across the island. So the FBI now is involved, and they're offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Colton Harris Moore. Special agent Stephen Dean says, quote, we want to get him. He's turned from a regional nuisance

into an international problem, end quote. So US law enforcement traveled to the Bahamas, where they launch a full-scale search and put up wanted posters. There's CCTV footage that captures brief images of Colt visiting bars and restaurants in the area. So he's on vacation. He's living his life.

He's on vacation. He's on bandit vacation. Oh my god. Pam Hires an entertainment lawyer named Yagel Lewis to field inquiries from parties offering to buy the rights to Colt's story for book and movie deals. But she's not interested in speaking to reporters. She puts up a sign at the end of the road,

like her driveway to the trailer, that says, if you go past this sign, you'll be shot. Shit. But Pam has changed her attitude about her son being on the run. Now she says that she wants him to turn himself in before anyone gets hurt. By this point, Colt's image has been broadcast

throughout the Bahamas. So people there actually know who he is and what's going on. Because again, he's gone to a small island community. And gotten away with it. Yeah. Got in public. Yeah. On July 7, 2010, Bahamian ferry boat captain Freddie Grant

sees somebody matching Colt's description, swimming on the northern end of a Luthorah Island. So Freddie's noticed also that the ignitions to a bunch of the ferries have been messed with and damaged. And he can put two and two together. So three days later on July 11, around 3 in the morning, Kenny Strahan, the security director of Ramora Bay Marina and on Harbor Island, sees somebody running away

from the boat docks toward the marinas exit. And he's sure that it's Colt. So he pursues this person on foot. And when he catches up to him, he realizes it really is the barefoot bandit himself. And he realizes the barefoot bandit now has a gun. So Kenny backs off. He calls the Bahamian police.

And meanwhile, Colt runs back toward the docks, climbs into a boat that had the keys left in the ignition and takes off. When police arrive, they also commandeer a boat and they take off after him. They fire at the boat's engines that Colt is driving. Some of them actually have oozes. So this becomes like a real pursuit.

They basically force Colt to surrender. As the police scream at Colt to put his gun down, he puts it to his head, threatening to kill himself because he says he cannot go back to jail. The police move closer. Colt then throws his gun and his laptop overboard. And basically, the wild ride is finally over for the barefoot bandit.

When 19-year-old Colton Harris Moore is arrested, he's photographed walking barefoot with his ankles shackled. Authorities fly him to Nassau for processing. Colt is not showing any signs of fear or distress at this point. And they actually go back and find both his gun and his laptop. His backpack is seized upon arrest.

And inside, the police find a Boy Scouts of America certificate, two fifth grade class photos, some airplane sketches, and a Waffler PPK, which is the same gun that James Bond uses. So this is a little boy. All right. On July 13, 2010, Colt pleads guilty to entering the Bahamas illegally.

So you can't just fly to the Bahamas. You can't just fly their crush and then go swimming the way he did. That's a no. Now we know. It's good to know, everyone. Now we know. He sentenced to three months in jail or $300 fine.

Pam wires him the money and pays the fine. Colt's deported by the US attorney's office and flown back to Miami where he is taken to federal jail. Following Colt's arrest, Pam issues a statement saying she's relieved her son is safe and that no one's hurt. She also says she's looking forward to seeing him soon, having not seen him for two years. Colt's followers on social media get behind his defense

and they donate money for his legal costs. Pam joins the plea for assistance saying, quote, now there's not a break-in or a theft in the entire Northwest that the media or law enforcement doesn't put rush to pin on Colt. We have no way of knowing what charges will be filed against him. The media has already convicted him as the barefoot bandit

and created widespread accusations and perception of guilt. Eventually, though, Colt will have to fight first freedom against the full force of the legal system, end quote. Doesn't sound like our Pam. That sounds like through a lawyer. Well, that also sounds like the most insane rationalization

of a public series of crimes that this person very gleefully committed. It's like, you don't get to go back now and be like, can you believe they're pinning all these crimes on him? It's like, yes, he did like 50 crimes in a row. So yes, I do believe it. Pam is pulling what we call my family being a day late and a dollar short.

So on July 21, 2010, Colt's transferred to the Federal Detention Center in Seattle. And he appears in court the next day, where he waves his right to a preliminary hearing and a speedy trial. So on November 18, he pleads not guilty in federal court to charges of interstate transportation of a stolen plane.

So specific. A plane, boat, and gun stolen of being a fugitive in possession of a firearm and flying without a pilot's license. And that same month, 48 hours did an episode about Colt's exploits. So you can watch that in streaming services everywhere. Both Pam and her sister, Sandra,

write letters to the court in an attempt to explain what has led to Colt's anti-social behavior. Here's what Pam writes, quote, this boy has had many disappointments all his life. His stepfather died and our dog. And this has had severe effects on Colt and I. He does things without thinking of the end results. End quote.

Court proceedings continue throughout 2011. In March, the FBI confirms that the reward money is split among the officers who arrested Colt, as well as Kenny Strahan. And on June 17, 2011, Colt pleads guilty to all seven counts on the federal indictment. Under his plea deal, he agrees to forfeit any profits from selling publishing rights to a story.

In August 2011, 20th Century Fox pays more than a million dollars in exchange for the rights to Colt's story. The studio sends the money directly to the US Marshals to distribute it amongst Colt's victims. Interesting. That September, a psychological evaluation finds that Colt's delinquent behavior is driven by depression, PTSD, and basically suicidal tendencies.

He was risking his life every time he flew one of those planes that he didn't know how to fly. And he's crazy. The psychologist notes that Colt has a low risk of reoffending favorable prognosis with appropriate intervention. On December 16, 2011, Colt is sentenced by the state of Washington to seven years in jail,

plus three years of supervised probation. Judge Vicki Churchill says, quote, this case is a tragedy in many ways, but it's a triumph of the human spirit in other ways. Yes. The judge notes that Colt has genuine remorse for his crimes. As a high-profile convict, Colt's initially placed in solitary confinement for his own protection, which

must be horrifying. On January 27, 2012, the Federal District Court of Seattle sentences Colt to six and a half years in prison. He'll serve both state and federal sentences concurrently, and it's determined that he owes his victims $1.3 million in restitution. Two months after Colt goes to prison, author Bob Freel publishes a book called The Barefoot Bandit,

The True Tale of Colt and Harris Moore, New American Outlaw. In 2010, two documentaries are released about his experiences. In May 2016, his mom Pam Kohler dies of lung cancer. In 2016, Colt pleads to get out of prison early to work at his lawyer's law firm during the summer. According to Colt's attorney, the two had agreed years before the Colt could work part-time at his law firm doing clerical work.

At the same time, Colt would be looking for a full-time job and eventually go to college. Wow. His attorney says Colt's criminality grew out of poverty, not a desire to harm people or cause trouble. In September 2016, Colt transferred from Stafford Creek Correction Center in Aberdeen to a work release facility in Seattle.

He starts working for his lawyer, but he hopes one day to study aeronautical engineering. Yeah. In December 2016, 25-year-old Colt is released from his work release program, remains under supervision. He starts a GoFundMe to raise $125,000 for private and commercial pilot license training

and helicopter certification. Holy shit. But the federal probation office shuts that down. And he's saying that the $1,600 that was raised so far goes directly to his victims. Colt responds publicly on Twitter saying that his stream is crushed, and his lawyer states that Colt didn't consult with him

before starting the GoFundMe. So in April 2019, Colt asks the court for his supervised release period to be shortened. He wants to be allowed to visit friends overseas and accept work outside of Washington state to attend engagements as a motivational speaker. Colt claims the work will help him pay off the restitution he still owes his victims, telling the court, quote,

I've learned from my past. I do not run from it. But instead, try to embrace it for the better. I hope to serve as a model for people who have hard lives and who feel hopeless. I saw it every day when I was confined, and I've seen it in the world upon release, end quote. In May 2019, his request was denied,

and he was ordered to complete his probation. Not much is known about him today, although on his LinkedIn profile, he describes himself as, quote, former international fugitive turned entrepreneur, focused on education, progress, and success. Life is what you make it. My intention is to build connections

with people who are both clearly motivated and with whom may lead to a mutually beneficial outcome along the lines of problem solving, productivity, and accomplishing goals. This is what it's all about. Yeah, can we get a TED talk, please? I mean, and that's the unbelievable story of the barefoot bandit Colton Harris Moore.

Yeah? Holy shit. He went on what we call, in the business, a spree. He really did it. Wow. I have literally never heard a single piece of that before. Same. And it was happening at that point,

like it was happening on social media. That's the craziest part. It's like that modern. Yeah, and I had never, ever seen a thing. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. Good job.

Thank you. Good job, Colton. Yeah, I mean, listen, breaking the law isn't the way. But sometimes, you know, sometimes you're 17 and you're fucking depressed and like. But like stealing airplanes and flying them when you don't know how to is kind of the way.

The bandit part. Yeah, he's like a, yeah, he's like a, he's just kind of doing it. Yeah. I don't know. Yeah. It's just like he's doing something at least. Yeah, yeah.

It's like impressive. You don't want to like, you don't want to support it. You don't want to celebrate it. Yeah, but it's also like, wow, you know. He didn't hurt. He didn't hurt anybody. He didn't hurt anybody. I mean, he could have killed people.

He could have killed people crashing those planes. Absolutely could have killed people. And he had guns on him, which is not great. It isn't great. But then the second he got called on and he threw it in the ocean. Yeah, that's true. So, wow.

I don't know. Yeah. I don't know. Well, that was a really fun story. That was some summertime fun. Do you want to do a fucking array? Sure. All right, let's do it.

You want to go? Sure, I'll go. This one starts, hi, I came out as transgender and started my transition one year ago today. I got started on hormones, got top surgery, and just this past week sent in my legal name change forms. I'm from a conservative place. So even though I've known I'm trans since I was four,

and it says true story, I didn't come out until I was 22. Now, instead of having to exist in a body that never fit me, I am finally starting to love myself. I did it and I am so proud of myself, fucking hooray, and happy Pride Month. Malachi, he, him. Wow, that's big. Congratulations, Malachi.

That's a rad name, Malachi. Mine says, last week I watched my friend Lauren, L-O-R-E-N, walk across the stage to claim her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley at the age of 35. She had to drop out of college during the Great Recession to support her family, but she never gave up on her goal and went back to school in her early 30s. She dealt with a global pandemic and, all caps,

several brain surgeries as she studied and she still finished with honors. Fucking hooray for persistence and believing in yourself. And that's from Sarah. Congratulations, Lauren. It probably doesn't even listen to this podcast. Sarah, way to glow up your friend. That's an amazing accomplishment.

Amazing. Wow, Sarah and Malachi, living their best lives. Yes, love it. Well, Lauren, Sarah, we don't, Sarah can just be like, just attending graduations and like trying to get cred. Lauren's the one that's really, it's Malachi and Lauren really doing it this week. Sarah, nice try.

Sarah, get out of here. This isn't your thing. Sarah with S-A-R-A, no H. Oh. Sometimes that's important to Sarah's. Oh. Thank you guys for listening. Thank you for writing on your fucking arrays.

Thank you. Thanks for playing ball and thank you for staying sexy. And don't get murdered. Goodbye. Elvis, do you want a cookie? Ah. This has been an exactly right production.

Our senior producer is Hannah Kyle Crichton. Our producer is Alejandra Keck. This episode was engineered and mixed by Stephen Ray Morris. Our researcher is Gemma Harris. Email your hometowns and fucking arrays to myfavoritmurder at gmail.com. Follow the show on Instagram and Facebook at myfavoritmurder and Twitter at myfavemurder.

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