Preamble:
How could a kidnapping and murder case occur? Behind the murderer's frenzied and repeated provocations reveals a thinking that is far more unpredictable than it seems
"I implore you to find Sally, she is our treasure. "An elderly couple knelt in front of the police and burst into tears. However, as the case of Sari's disappearance continues to be investigated, the police did not expect that this seemingly simple kidnapping case was actually just a prelude to the crazy murderer's terrorist plan.
The girl Sari, a beautiful life suddenly disappeared
On May 31, 1985, on the ordinary end of school day, 17-year-old Sally Smith mysteriously disappeared in front of the mailbox in front of her house on her way home. Her father, Bob, witnessed the whole process and immediately called the police. After investigating the scene, the police were convinced that it was a kidnapping case.
Sally is lively and cheerful by nature and is loved by family and friends. Her big beautiful eyes always reveal happiness, and she always has a sunny smile on her face. She was about to graduate from high school and was supposed to have the best years of her life, making a blueprint for college and career, finding true love, and achieving her dreams. However, all this came to naught the moment she drove into the house, her future came to an abrupt end, and her beautiful plans were suddenly disillusioned.
The police launched an all-out search, dispatching dozens of police officers to conduct a large-scale search within a 10-kilometer radius on the day of Sally's disappearance, but found nothing. They felt that the case was extremely difficult and that the facts of the case could be beyond their imagination. Just as Bob's family and the police were desperate, an anonymous phone call came into the home.
Cunning kidnappers, a confusing phone call
On the other end of the phone, a man on the other end of the phone used a mechanically synthesized voice to say the color of the swimsuit that Sally was wearing that day, confirming that he was the kidnapper. Sally's mother, Hilda, begged her not to hurt her daughter and was willing to exchange all her possessions. The man said indifferently that he would ask Sally to write a letter home. This sudden phone call was like a bolt from the blue, and the message that should have brought hope was cold and cruel in its tone. The crowd was crushed by the despair that quickly engulfed after a brief moment of joy.
Police immediately traced the location of the call, but the phone booth was nowhere to be found. The killer's choice to use a public phone in a remote place to contact carefully and end the call in a very short period of time proves that he is well aware of the police pursuit and has planned well in advance. In this mysterious phone call, he mentioned Sally's letter, which made the police feel that the situation was serious, and based on years of rich experience, they understood the seriousness and cruelty of this kind of coercion.
Despair foreshadows, the maiden's last words
On June 3, the handwritten letter from the kidnappers to Sally arrived at home. The letter, which reads "Last Words", describes how much she misses her family, hopes they don't feel sorry for her, and asks that the coffin be strictly sealed. This request was undoubtedly the greatest torture for everyone, and Hilda almost fainted. After reading the letter, everyone burst into tears. The police immediately sent it for examination, hoping to find clues.
On the same day, however, the kidnappers called home again to ask if the letter had been received. Hilda begged her daughter to be spared, willing to exchange all her possessions for it. The man coldly said, "You'll know the result in a few days," and hung up. According to the police analysis, the murderer's repeated threats show that he enjoys the distorted pleasure of controlling everything, and must hide an extremely perverted and cruel heart.
Perverted kidnappers, exposing their psychology in a weird phone call
On June 4, the kidnappers called again, claiming that he and Sally's souls had become one. There was a disgusting morbidity in his words. Early in the morning of June 5, he left an address on the phone and hung up. The police arrived there and found Sari's decomposing body behind an abandoned house. She was brutally murdered, and the cause of death was suffocation with duct tape sealing. The murderer also repeatedly contacted the family after the incident, which is undoubtedly the greatest insult and humiliation to the victim.
June 6, the day of Sari's funeral. The kidnappers called again and told his sister in detail the whole process of brutally killing Sally, and his tone was full of twisted pleasure. He described the sensation of the murder weapon penetrating Sari's body, recreating the screams she let out as she struggled. Only then did everyone realize that this murderer's psychology was extremely perverted and cruel, and he must have hidden a terrible past that could not see the light.
FBI profile, a vague outline of the murderer
In order to catch the demon as soon as possible, the police brought in FBI profiling experts, hoping to depict the basic characteristics of the murderer. Experts judged that the murderer's methods were sophisticated and planned, and he should have criminal experience and knowledge of anti-detection. He may have even been trained in special forces to master the skills of counter-reconnaissance and anti-tracking. He may also have schizophrenia and have multiple personalities. Experts predict that he will never stop there, but will look for the next prey to commit the crime after repeatedly tasting the successful experience.
Sure enough, in mid-June, another kidnapping and murder case with similar tactics occurred. A girl named Debra disappeared in front of her home, and her body was found shortly after. She is the same age as Sally, similar in appearance, and is also a high school student. The killer seems to have a specific victim preference. The police immediately realised that it was the same person. The public panicked and they were unable to work and live in peace until the killers were caught.
With this in mind, the police set up a net
On June 23, the police held a public memorial service at Sari's grave, with a lot of hype in the hope that the killer would come to the scene. They cast a wide net to record all suspicious people and vehicles. However, the plan did not work, and the killer did not show up. The police later realized that they had underestimated the vigilance of the killer.
Just when the police were desperate, later that day, the killer called and threatened Sally's sister with no voice changer in her voice. The police immediately realized that this was the murderer's negligence, and through voice analysis, they finally locked on the suspect.
The true face behind the call, the dual identity of the cunning murderer
Based on the voice and clues, the police determined that the owner of the call was Larry Bell. It turns out that this cruel murderer, who is a decent veteran and divorced man during the day, hides a twisted heart. He was discharged from the army due to an accidental knee injury, and his wife also left him because of domestic violence and raised the children alone. All kinds of encounters filled his heart with resentment.
At the end of May 1985, while friends were away on vacation, Bell triumphantly carried out his plan to kidnap the girl. Through the voice changer and the bloody manhunt game of the police, his terrifying perverted pleasure is satisfied. He would even relive the details of the killings over and over again in the middle of the night. Such a demon will not escape justice after all.
The end of madness, the death penalty ends the life of the demon
On June 27, a month after the incident, police finally brought Bell to justice. In February 1986, he was sentenced to death. In October 1996, after spending a well-deserved decade in prison, he finally ended his life of sin in an electric chair.
The most regrettable thing in this case is that Sally, a sunny and cheerful girl, was brutally killed. Bell, on the other hand, uses her to satisfy her own twisted perverted desires. We have to be vigilant that such a devil lurks around us. Only good will triumph over evil.
That's the whole story of this kidnapping and murder case. The unexpected death of a cheerful teenage girl, a psychologically twisted veteran uses her to carry out a horrific kidnapping and murder. After many twists and turns, the police finally brought him to justice and got justice for Sally and the other victims.
It is hoped that through this case, the public can be wary of strangers around them and protect themselves and their families. Only a net of security can intercept these demons that lurk in the dark.