May 11, 2024 • 39 mins
Carlee Russell calls 911, telling the operator that she sees a toddler walking down the side of an Alabama freeway.
When police arrive, there's no toddler and Russell is gone. Her car, however, is still parked along the highway. The door is open and the car is running. Forty-nine hours later, Russell returns home, telling investigators in a brief interview that she was abducted by a man with orange hair and a woman.
As the investigation continued, police find some “really strange” internet searches in the hours before she vanished, such as the cutoff age for an AMBER Alert.
Now Russell admits via a statement from her lawyer that there was no toddler or abduction.
In a Jefferson County, Ala., circuit court Russell ordered to pay nearly $18,000 in restitution and sentenced to 12 months of supervised probation, community service and evidence of continued mental health counseling. Judge David Carpenter suspended Russell's two six-month sentences, saying jail time would be a "waste of government resources."
Joining Nancy Grace today:
- James Shelnutt – Attorney – The Shelnutt Law Firm, P.C.; 27-year Atlanta Metro Area Major Case Detective and Former S.W.A.T. Officer; Twitter: @ShelnuttLawFirm
- Caryn Stark – Psychologist- Trauma and Crime Expert; Twitter: @carnpsych
- Sheryl McCollum – Cold Case Investigative Research Institute Founder; Host of new podcast, “Zone 7;” Twitter: @ColdCaseTips
- Lee Reiber – Mobile Device Forensic Expert, COO: Oxygen Forensics, Inc., Author: “Mobile Forensic Investigations: A Guide to Evidence Collection, Analysis, and Presentation”
- Mike Hadsell – President and Founder of Peace River K9 Search and Rescue; Twitter: @K9River
- Savannah Sapp – Multimedia Journalist and Reporter for WAFF48 in Alabama; Twitter: @Savannah Sapp/Instagram:@savannahsapp.tv/Facebook:SavannahSappWAFF48
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. I can't believe that the
Alabama kidnapped faker Carly Russell has somehow managed to avoid jail.
She gets one year probation and eighteen thousand dollars fine. Ouch, gosh,
(00:25):
she's faking a big one like this at twenty six.
What will she be doing at thirty six? Do you
remember Curly Russell, the cute, cute, cute twenty six year
old causing a national panic when she goes missing, only
to miraculously be saved by herself claiming she was kidnapped
(00:51):
by a couple on the side of the road. Wow,
straight probation after all she put us through. The Alabama
woman who faked a story about a kidnapping has been
ordered to pay eighteen grand restitution and get straight probation.
I mean, sye Grace, this is Crime Stories. Thanks for
(01:14):
being with us. Carle Russell, aged twenty six, charged with
two misdemeanors for false statements last July when she told
cops she was kidnapped after going missing for several days.
You remember what happened? She claimed she saw a toddler
on the side of the road and left her car
(01:34):
pulled over and left her car to go save the
tot What a load of bs technical legal term.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Remember this, Where was she for those forty nine hours?
She said, she stayed in's Hoover the entire time and
no one helped her. So where was she for those
forty nine hours?
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Where did she sleep? Where did she stay?
Speaker 2 (01:53):
How did she leave that area where she abandoned her
a red Mercedes Sedan.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
You're hearing our friends at w VM with me an
all star panel to make sense of what we know
right now. Twenty five year old Carly Russell says that
she is only trying to render a to a top
boy walking along the interstate wearing nothing but a diaper
and his shirt. Then she goes missing for forty nine hours,
(02:21):
throwing her family and the Hoover PD into chaos as
they search for her literally around the clock. People donating
nearly seventy thousand dollars to help find her, one anonymous
donor giving twenty five grand. The boyfriend that defended her
to the hilt has now broken up with her and
says quote, I'm disgusted. Well, I second that emotion. Guys.
(02:45):
I want you to hear what the chief of the
Hoover pd has to say in our cup fifty four.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Mister Anthony asked I read the statement in its entirety,
which I will do now. My client has given me
permission to make the following statement on her behalf. There
was no kidnap on Thursday July nineteen thirteenth, twenty twenty three.
My client did not see a baby on the side
of the road. My client did not leave the Hoovaria
which she was identified as a missing person. My client
(03:11):
did not have any help in this incident. But this
was a single act done by herself. My client was
not with anyone but any hotel, with anyone from the
time she was missing.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Okay, let me understand that that is Chief Nick Dervis
from the Hoover PDE reading a statement of a lawyer
who has been given a statement by Curly Russell. Woman,
get out there and apologize yourself for Pete's sake. But
you're hearing from Curly Russell, through her lawyer, through the Chief.
(03:41):
But I want you to hear this too. Now you
hear the Chief saying there was no baby, there was
no one in danger. I was never missing. Now take
a listen to our cut seven. The nine to one
one call. Listen to how Rich in detail.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
It is two one seventy one. It's gonna be forty
nine south my Market ten. It's gonna be a child
walking on the three four year old child walking on
the side of the interstate next to Harpe's going to
be close behind the red rig Stadi Sedayan with the
hazards on. Child's gonna be a white male wearing a
white T shirt and a diaper from watch for forty two.
(04:23):
Harvey's advising there's no cars in the area with the
child's been abandoned on the.
Speaker 5 (04:28):
Side of the ridge.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
Fore you got a little phone negative. But she's saying
that she would stand by for police. Forty two calls
R feedback.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
She's on at their vehicle.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Now remember police got to the scene in about four
minutes after that nine moment call. Now let's listen to
Carly Russell in her own words the detail I was
mentioning earlier in our cut thirteen.
Speaker 5 (04:50):
Now one one, where's your records? Same?
Speaker 6 (04:52):
Hi, I am on Interstate four fifty.
Speaker 7 (04:55):
Nine and there is a chie just walking by their shells.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
Oh hold on, hold on, where where I'm forest down?
Are you?
Speaker 6 (05:04):
I'm right next to the exit exit ten by the
uver minute.
Speaker 7 (05:08):
Like to get off by the super mit.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
Okay, So you're before that exit, yes, okay? And where
you're headed.
Speaker 8 (05:13):
Southbound or northbound towards two to eighty fort Tuscalusive okay?
Speaker 5 (05:20):
And was the child on the left or right side,
on the right side where they walk out northbound or
round it down?
Speaker 7 (05:26):
They're walking towards Tuscalusave walking southbound?
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Did you hear that detail? Oh, there's some more. Listen
to cup fourteen.
Speaker 5 (05:33):
How old did they look like?
Speaker 6 (05:35):
The toddlers, like maybe like three or four?
Speaker 5 (05:39):
Did you pull over with them or are you still
with them?
Speaker 9 (05:42):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (05:42):
Okay, you're Are you with the.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
Child right now?
Speaker 5 (05:45):
No, I'm not.
Speaker 6 (05:45):
I didn't get out of the car. I'm just I
can see them though.
Speaker 7 (05:49):
Can you do you mind staying and keep an eye
on them until we get there?
Speaker 5 (05:52):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (05:52):
Yeah, sure, yeah?
Speaker 5 (05:53):
Okay. What kind of car are you in? I'm in
a red Mercedes Ben and that's Savana receiving as you be.
Speaker 6 (06:01):
I mean it's a sedan start.
Speaker 5 (06:03):
Can you put your hazards off for me?
Speaker 6 (06:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 10 (06:05):
They're on.
Speaker 5 (06:06):
Okay. Did you talk to the childhood or did you
say anything to know. Okay, No, do they look like
they're injured?
Speaker 1 (06:12):
No, they don't. I love listening to this I woman
called because I know every word she says is a
big fat lie. And can you imagine her in her
red Mercedes at night conjuring up this lie and it's
intricate detail. Listen to more cut fifteen.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
Are they wife like a senak or angel?
Speaker 11 (06:32):
They're white?
Speaker 5 (06:33):
As a male or female?
Speaker 6 (06:34):
I think it's a boy, a little boy.
Speaker 5 (06:36):
I'm right now. Okay, is you wearing clothes?
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (06:39):
Okay, what is he wearing?
Speaker 6 (06:41):
It's a white T shirt and it doesn't look like
he has any pants on.
Speaker 7 (06:44):
It looks like a diaper.
Speaker 5 (06:45):
And you don't see any cars anywhere? No, no cars anywhere? Okay,
all right, what's your name?
Speaker 6 (06:51):
My name is Carly Russell.
Speaker 5 (06:53):
And you don't see any injuries on the child from
where you're at?
Speaker 7 (06:56):
Correct?
Speaker 10 (06:56):
No?
Speaker 7 (06:57):
No, But I can't really see them that good.
Speaker 5 (06:59):
Okay, try to keep it on them for the best,
big cham because I don't want Julius shack of them.
And do they have shoes on? No, not that I
can be. I can't really see that.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Looks fine.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
I've got them on the way Okay, just try to
say keep an eye on them, but offsters are on
the way.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Okay, they say, Man, she's such a good samaritan. A
good samaritan that costs the taxpayers that's US about five
hundred thousand dollars and costs well wishers and those who
want to help nearly seventy thousand dollars in donations with
me in all Star panel. But can I first go
to Cheryl McCollum, founder director of the Cold Case Research Institute,
(07:35):
star of Zone seven, a Hitting You podcast, and you
can find her at Coldcasecrimes dot org. Cheryl. Really, he's
wearing nothing but a diaper, and I can't tell if
he has on any shoes. And he's a white male,
about three or four years old. And I'm so worried.
I'm so worried that I'm not getting out of my car,
of course, but I am worried, and I'm going to
(07:56):
follow him for six hundred yards in my car. That's
six football feel as I try. Boy, that little tot
should be in the Olympics if it can go that
fast and nothing but a diaper and barefoot. I mean,
the story reaped on day one. That's why I didn't
cover it exactly on day one because it was a lie.
(08:16):
He was obviously a lie. And we have actual people
that are really missing, being raped, being sex traffick, being killed,
And here's this girl making up a whole big deal
because what I just want somebody to love me, really
get online? Woman, there are millions of people out there
that will love you. But why do this? What about
(08:37):
this statement on nine one one?
Speaker 6 (08:39):
You make excellent points, But let's hope for a second
about what. We don't hear her say. We don't hear
her say please hurry, We don't hear her say help.
We don't hear her say I'm going to go out
and try to save him so that he doesn't get
into the expressway. She's just in her car, chilling, and
she's only answering questions. She didn't offer the description. She
(09:02):
didn't alfer that he wasn't hurt. She didn't offer she
was asked those things. The only truthful statement she says
in the whole thing is when she says, yeah, I
can't really see that's the truth.
Speaker 12 (09:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Well, now we're just trying to figure out what really
happened during those days, And I've got a pretty good
idea that she was holed up in something akin to
a red roof And I'll tell you why, Guys say
to listen to our cut sixteen.
Speaker 13 (09:30):
Fifty four unclassified complaints fourteen sixty six Montgomery Highway at
the red.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
Roofs and the front office for caller.
Speaker 13 (09:39):
Family members at this location and saying they received a
call from the female that's missing Carl Russell seven fifty four.
Family members are saying they received a call from the
female thing she without this location.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Crime stories with Nancy Grace, She's right up there with
Jesse Smollette, Jennifer Wilbanks and remember super Mom Cherry Peppini.
They all need to be in the same pot to stew,
causing police, sheriffs volunteers to veer away from real crimes
(10:23):
translation real crime victims, costing thousands of dollars of man hours,
much less worry concern. I could have done a program
on a real crime victim instead of trying to find
Carly Russell. But no, I tried to find her, although
her story stunk to high heaven at the get go,
(10:45):
Just like Cheery Peppenies, just like Jennifer Willlbanks, just like
Jesse Smollette. Did they think we just fell off the
turnip truck? No, we did not. What happened in the case.
Tavana Sapp multimedia journalist, reporter WAFF four eight and Bama.
You can find her on Twitter at Savannah Sap Sapp.
Savannah what and the hey? If this girl is snugged
(11:09):
up and a king sized bed with ac on low,
ordering room service and watching pay per view while everyone
is tearing their hair out trying to find her, I'm
going to do a backflip, A backflip, Savannah Sap.
Speaker 14 (11:21):
What do we know?
Speaker 7 (11:22):
It's it's honestly confusing, to say the least. You know,
her statement that was written to an attorney and given
to police through the attorney claims that she was not
at a hotel. But you have all of these people.
Speaker 5 (11:39):
Who are.
Speaker 7 (11:41):
Commenting against that, and you have screenshots of you know,
family members and friends of hers texting each other saying, yes,
she was absolutely at a red roof in. You know,
it's again, it's confusing, to say the least. And if
she was hold up at a red roof in while
you know, hundreds of thousands of people are wondering where
(12:03):
she is, that she's even alive. I think that says
a lot about the testament of her characure.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Well, of course, you can't go to jail for telling
a lie unless you're under oath. And I was just
pointing out this morning about thirty minutes ago. Correct me
if I'm wrong. Shell Nutt with me. James shell Nutt,
high profile lawyer out of this jurisdiction in Alabama with
the shell nut Law firm. But listen to this twenty
seven years metro major case. As a cop, including Swatt,
(12:35):
that's not easy. Former prosecutor, he actually prosecuted false report cases.
You know what, I had so many felonies coming on
my ears. I didn't even bother with the lies and
the false report shell nut But I'm glad to know
that I've got an expert that did do it. You
know what, that reminds me of shell Nuck duy cases.
(12:57):
I never handled straight out DUI cases. The time I
got them somebody who's dead. It was a habitual violator
where you have five or more DUIs there have been
a vehicular homicide. That's when I would get a DUI.
I wouldn't get a flat out plane old misdemeanor d
UI and you know what, there's an art to proving
a dui. You've got to know all the ins and
(13:18):
outs of blood alcohol, the rights whether you take a
breathalyzer or don't take a breath. I mean, it's actually
very complicated to get all those hoops, and defendants can
win if the prosecutor doesn't know all the ins and
outs of prosecuting a dui. Same thing with a false report,
isn't it true? Show nut that at the bottom of
(13:39):
every police report there are words to the effect I
swear and a test under penalty of perjury that all
the information that I have given is true. Isn't that
at the bottom of every police report form?
Speaker 14 (13:52):
Oh?
Speaker 15 (13:53):
It absolutely is. And it's because you are about to
alert law enforcement to a situation that you know that
they are going to spend time and resources investigating. And
it gives you an opportunity to think twice about what
you just said.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
It's perjury. Perjury is a crime. Now I want to
point out that Carly Russell is being handled with kid gloves.
Other people in her situation have gone to jail for this.
Think about Jesse Smollette, Sherry Peppini, Jennifer Wilbanks, it's so
(14:31):
called runaway bride Chloe Stein. But you know another thing
when it comes to those cases, those people always had
a culprit. Carly Russell has a white guy with orange
hair and a ball spot, and a woman she never saw,
and a baby crying in the background that fed her
cheese its and played with her hair. The woman said
(14:55):
that she said about the woman. That's part of her story.
Smolet blamed, didn't he say white guys wearing maga hats? Okay?
Well it turned out to be the two Osendaro brothers
his friends. Let's see Sherry Pepini blamed two unidentified Hispanic women,
(15:15):
and she proceeded to starve and brand herself and beat
herself up and snug up with her boyfriend for I've
forgotten how many weeks and showed up much like Carly
Russell on foot on Thanksgiving Day. Let's see where am I?
There's small Wilbanks, Jennifer Wilbanks, the runaway bride. She blamed
I guess basically a group of Hispanic males that kidnapped her,
(15:38):
assaulted her on the eve of her wedding. And then
we've got Chloe Stein. She didn't want her family to
know she wasn't going to graduate from college, so she
faked an abduction. Who does she blame, Sidney, You got
to blame somebody, the evil person that was responsible for
your dilemma. And in this case, Carly Russell is blaming
(16:03):
again a white guy with orange hair. So let me
understand this. To Mike Hatzel, joining US President, founder of
Peace River Canine Search and Rescue at p r s
R dot org, how much money would a search like this? First?
Describe the search because they really pulled out all the
(16:24):
stops what I was done to find Carly, Mike Cattle.
Speaker 14 (16:28):
They're going to.
Speaker 12 (16:29):
Pull every resource they can get on the resource list
in the area into that search that they can get
because this is a high probability search, meaning when you
have an adduction or you have a predatory abduction and
that person is missing or there's a child involved, the
survivability rate of the victim is less than six hours.
(16:50):
So we have a time clock where we're trying to
get the victim before the perpetrator either traffics them out
of the area or kill them. And so every all
hands are on deck at this point. Everybody's coming in.
So minimum cost on this is going to start at
a half a million dollars and go up because of
all the resources that are there. When I was watching
(17:13):
the video on TV, I saw this line of law
enforcement vehicles that just went on and on and on,
and you've got helicopters overhead, You've got people coming in
on overtime. They're calling everybody in that's off, and they're
they're pounding the ground. They're going to all the hotels
in the area, all the stores in the area. They're
they're canvassing the entire area that takes law enforcement personnel
(17:36):
and there everybody's there, everybody's out, and so it's very,
very expensive for these types of searches.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Guys, we're talking about Carly Russell, who, as it turns out,
is a pretty good liar. Karen started joining me, renowned
psychologist out of Manhattan, trauma and crime expert. You can
find her at karenstart dot com. That's Karen with a C. Karen,
thank you for being with us. You know, many people
are saying, oh, we should feel sorry for her. I
(18:04):
do that she would have to go to this link
to try to get attention, and if she is having
some sort of dilemma or depression or sadness. That is
not a legal defense. And I want to point out
to you, Karen, start before you answer. She may be
crazy like a fox because she outwitted everybody, her family,
(18:27):
her boyfriend that stayed by her, police searchers, people that
donated nearly seventy grand to help find her. So I
wouldn't call that crazy, Karen Stark.
Speaker 10 (18:38):
Well, it's not legally crazy, like you said, Nancy, because
she does know the difference between right and wrong. That
seems really catch me because she was able to plot
everything out, you know, come up with this elaborate story
then show up. I mean, she really when you listen
to her, though, you can see that there's something wrong.
(19:01):
She does has some kind of psychopathology because she's making
this elaborate story up and it's really.
Speaker 6 (19:08):
So rich in detail.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
She's a victim.
Speaker 10 (19:12):
And the thing about being a victim, I mean when
you look at her text from before and the things
that she said, they were inconsistent, they were really very
self hitting. And here she is now coming up with
a story where everyone is going to look first for
a baby and then for her. So there is a
(19:32):
pathology there.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
But does she know the.
Speaker 10 (19:35):
Difference between right and wrong? Should we hold her responsible
that part? I think legally yes, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
The Alabama kidnap faker Carly Russell skates out of court
with straight probation and eighteen thousand dollars of restitution, and
she admits she made up the whole thing. But hey,
I don't want to go to jail. I think we've
heard that before. She first planned not guilty to false reporting,
(20:08):
a municipal judge ruled against her and recommended she pay
eighteen grand and spend a year in jail. What happened
to that? Her legal team then appealed the conviction, hoping
to avoid jail time, and they succeeded. Just ahead of
a scheduled state trial. She pleads guilty to all charges,
(20:33):
and she gets twelve years of probation, community service, and
evidence of ongoing mental health counseling. She has to pay
eighteen grand to the City of Hoover. I think that
she could have had counseling behind bars. I mean, do
you remember what happened?
Speaker 8 (20:52):
Russell called nine to one one, claiming she saw a
little boy walking on the side of I four fifty
nine in a diaper when it.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Was a toddler three four year old wearing a white T.
Speaker 5 (21:04):
Shirt and a diverer.
Speaker 8 (21:05):
According to police, Carly then called a relative to tell
them she was going to get out and check on
the baby. Their relative says she heard Carly scream and
then nothing but sounds from the interstate.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
So I wanted you to take into account the level
of detail in her nine on one call, but also
she said the same lie to her own family. Listen
to cut three fox tim.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
Just her vehicles on lock, running, all her personal long
and you could set for her phone.
Speaker 8 (21:35):
When police got there, Carly was gone, her Mercedes still running. Friends, family,
and strangers on the internet did their part to find her,
and then perhaps a clue.
Speaker 13 (21:46):
Saturday night, Montgomery Highway at the red roofs and family
members at the flotation and saying they received a call
from the female that's missing, Carly Russell.
Speaker 8 (21:55):
Family members say they showed up to knock on doors
and find her, but she wasn't there.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Police have used every synonym for a lie. They're saying
things like we can't corroborate, we can't confirm, no evidence
of so forth, and so on ad nauseum. But what
it boils down to is this woman lied. Sent police
and volunteers on a wild goose chase to the tune
(22:20):
of at least a quarter of a million dollars while
we think she was shacked up somewhere enjoying the attention
vicariously that she was receiving. With me again, an all
star panel to make sense of what we know right
now with me Lee Reeber, mobile device forensic expert, CEO
(22:40):
of Oxygen Forensics, Inc. An author of Mobile forensics Investigations,
also hosts a podcast, Forensic Happy Hour. Lee. I believe
since her cell phone was left behind, she may have
had another phone. So how do we go about tracking
(23:02):
what she was doing in order to make a case
of perjury.
Speaker 14 (23:06):
Well, you know, it always comes down to you, right
is your digital life? If you look at all the
cases where it turns out that they have been lying,
it comes down to you know, law enforcement just looking
at that digital life. And the interesting thing about.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
This or.
Speaker 14 (23:23):
Is in Hoover, Alabama is NCFI, which is a National
Computer Forensic Institute, one of the one of the best
places to go to learn how to collect digital data.
So it's probably the wrong place if you're going to
be lying over your social media, if you're going to
be utilizing your phone or if you have another phone,
(23:43):
because quite honestly, they're going to be able to review
your digital life. They're going to find and locate you
if you're using another device, if you're just in the area.
So again, trying to utilize social media. Even prior to this,
they had a timeline. Once they had at a timeline,
(24:04):
I'm sure that they assues that came out. They had
the information that she was not telling the truth.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Not telling the truth. I guess that's one way of
putting it. Guys, It's happened many times before. Take a
listen to our friends at WZTM and cut fifty nine B.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Brother Eric Guster says he worries this case could affect
future missing person's cases.
Speaker 9 (24:27):
It's going to be much more difficult for African American
women to be believed, and it may actually decrease the
number of actual reports of things because people are already
afraid that they won't be believed.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Auguster says, the police chief outlined three crimes that they
believe Carly has committed. That's that lying to authorities and
filing a false police report.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
We all remember the case of Jesse Smollett. Take a
listen to this.
Speaker 16 (24:57):
Police body camera video shows the moment officers first arrived
at Jesse Smollett's apartment after the actor claimed he'd been attacked.
Smolette still has what appears to be a noose around.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
His neck if you want to take it off for anything.
Speaker 16 (25:11):
Just Smolette told police he was assaulted by two masked
men yelling racist and homophobic slurs. For more than three weeks,
at least twenty four detectives searched for the two men
and investigated Smollett's claims.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
Guys, we're talking about Jesse Smollette. He ended up paying
about one hundred and twenty thousand dollars of restitution. He
got one hundred and fifty days behind bars for filing
a false report. To Cheryl McCollum, what exactly went into
(25:47):
the search for Carly Russell.
Speaker 6 (25:50):
They had air helicopter land, they had people on foot,
they had canaines, They had you know, her sales and
being looked at. They were interviewing family, friends and co workers.
They pulled everybody off, you know, having days off. This
(26:10):
was a full court press. Every available person including citizens
that came to volunteer. Nancy, she had the SBI, the
Secret Service, Hoover Police, Alabama State Police, She had you
and crime Online, she had the Today Show.
Speaker 11 (26:29):
Think of the resources that were given to her, and
every homicide, true missing person, child, molestation, aggravate assault, domestic violence.
Speaker 6 (26:40):
They were all put on hold to search for her
because they believed time was of the essence. But I
want to say something very clearly, she didn't fool everybody.
Because you and I were talking Saturday and Sunday. We
knew it was bogus on day one because it didn't
add up. I mean, the story didn't make any sense.
(27:01):
How many times did you and I look at that video.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
Scouring it, blowing it up, playing in a slow mo.
There was no boy walking along the side of the interstate.
That was all a big light. And let me tell
you what Jesse Smilett got. Take a listen to our
cut forty four from the Today Show.
Speaker 17 (27:20):
Judge James Lynn sentencing Smelett to thirty months felony probation,
including that jail time, ordering he paid more than one
hundred and twenty thousand dollars in restitution to the City
of Chicago and pay the maximum fine twenty five thousand dollars.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
You've turned your life upside down.
Speaker 18 (27:37):
Fire this conduct in Shenanigan's You've destroyed your life as
you knew it.
Speaker 17 (27:42):
As a defiance, Smolette was taken into custody last night,
his family blasting the judge's decision.
Speaker 14 (27:48):
He's the reason why folks aren't going to report hate crimes.
They're the reason why folks aren't going to report hate crimes.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
No, Smollette, you're the problem, not everybody else. And the
same thing here, people giving time, gee, blood, sweat and
tears to find Curly Russell when she's obviously propped up
somewhere having takeout, watching the news about her own disappearance.
And then of course there's Jennifer will Banks, the so
(28:14):
called runaway bride. Now, this wedding was a big shindig
in high society Atlanta. I mean a lot of money,
tens of thousands of dollars shelld out for a big wedding,
and poof, the bride disappears. She gets quote kidnapped. Take
a listen to our cut forty seven her nine to
(28:35):
one one call I hope.
Speaker 5 (28:38):
I would say there, I mean I would saying her
forties maybe.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
Have lag?
Speaker 10 (28:47):
Was it?
Speaker 5 (28:47):
Longer, short, short, having a hair, no bocolor for Katackie,
what you want I want to ask for him.
Speaker 18 (28:53):
I don't know Marion jacking and I don't know what.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Color he's now.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
Looking at the lid.
Speaker 15 (29:01):
It was a blue van like a work vand looking
a conversion or any It.
Speaker 5 (29:07):
Wasn't an It was like a like a paint, like
a paint or work band.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
Direction did they leave in?
Speaker 17 (29:13):
I don't.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
I have no idea run in or know where I am,
Dear Lord in Heaven shell Nutt. Do you hear that
it sounds like Carl Russell at her elaborate lie about
this little bearfoot boy wearing a diaper that she's trying
desperately to say, yet not getting out of her car.
Did you hear that Hispanic males, short hair, no facial hair,
(29:37):
a maroon jacket, blue jeans, a blue van. But no,
not a conversion or a mini van. It was a
paint work van. I mean this woman had so many details.
I mean, was she just running this like a movie
in her head?
Speaker 14 (29:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (29:53):
I don't know.
Speaker 15 (29:53):
You know, when you start looking at the stories that
people tell about what happened to them, one of the
things that you focus on is their ability to recall
selective details, details that benefit them, but they don't recall
details that may put a whole in their story or
that may bring things into question. And that's exactly what
you have. Here's what you haven't called the Russell's case.
(30:14):
And you know that's a major tip off for investigators.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
Crime stories. With Nancy Grace, she says, I want to
genuinely apologize for my actions and the resulting negative impact
inflicted onto others. I made a grave mistake while trying
to fight through various emotional issues and stress. I'm extremely
(30:47):
remorseful blah blah blah for the panic blah blah blah
experienced across the nation. But I don't want to go
to jail, Okay, I added that last part. Russell's lawyer said,
fall the sentencing, we want to thank Judge Carpenter. Blah
blah blah. Carle apologized. Really, all criminals will apologize to
(31:10):
avoid jail. The Queen of fake disappearances, Sherry Peppini Take
a listen to our friend Matt Gutman and our cut
thirty eight from GMA.
Speaker 18 (31:20):
In November of twenty sixteen, Sherry Peppinie vanished for twenty
two days. Then on Thanksgiving morning, she materialized on a
highway nearly one hundred and fifty miles from home, a
trucker stopping and calling nine one one for her. That
call her for the first time this morning.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
What's turning?
Speaker 12 (31:41):
You're chained up?
Speaker 1 (31:43):
She's chained up? Yes, she said, she was chained up, beaten,
branded like you see on TV, branding cattle. And it
turns out she was holed up with her boyfriend the
whole time and actually tortured her. So hard to believe,
but it happened. Karen Stark, that was a lot to
(32:05):
swallow that she would brand herself, break her own tooth,
beat herself, but she did, and she admitted to it.
Speaker 10 (32:13):
Nat she think about the amounts of attention she was
able to get and how exciting that must have been
with her for her, I mean, here she is, she's
with her boyfriend and able to get everybody sterical about
what happened to her. And that's narcissism to the highest
degree that you could think of.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
Well, slow down, narcissism, explain.
Speaker 10 (32:35):
Well, I mean, that's somebody who is so involved with themselves,
so much above the law, that they could go to
that kind of extent to make sure that people see
them as a victim and worry about them. And that's
attention to speed on what's going on. It makes them
really feel loved and wanted.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
Savannah Sap joining us from WAFF four Beate Alabama, and
I understand sympathy or empathy for her, wondering what drove
her to do this, But the reality is is regardless
of her depression or sadness or desire for attention, whatever
it may be, she lied in a police report, lied
(33:20):
to detectives, and obstructing justice very quickly.
Speaker 7 (33:26):
I want to kind of hear it what Cheryl said earlier.
Speaker 19 (33:28):
You know, she not only took a lot of time
from investigators, but you also have to look at it
from a media standpoint. We had all hands on deck
sharing Carly's story from all over the state. The whole
state of Alabama was sharing her story is as well
as national headlines. So not that you know she would
(33:50):
be responsible for our coverage, but that's just something else
to think of when you're talking about all of the
resources that were.
Speaker 1 (33:57):
I mean, the moment I heard the story her about
her disappearance, we immediately put it as the lead at
crime Online dot Com and put it out on social
media over and over and over to get attention and
get the tip line out there for people to help
find Carly. We contacted people in Alabama involved in the
(34:17):
search to try to find out what was happening and
how we could help. All the whiles, Cheryl McCollum, there
are real victims of real crimes that need our help.
I'm not as worried about the media, but I'm more
worried about people. I remember working long nights, weekends on
Easter on Thanksgiving on my so called vacation with my family,
(34:43):
working cases, working, working. If I found out later that
the victim was lying, I would be so deflated.
Speaker 6 (34:53):
Nancy again, the resources that she took from actual victims
is astonished. But I tell you what, they need to
be concerned about. Who's next. If you do not send
a message that we are not going to put up
with hoaxes and lies and outright premeditated crime, then what
(35:15):
are we doing in the DA's offer.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
You know, just want people to understand what a search
like this entails. Mud rain dirt, long hours twenty four
to seven, looking worried, dealing with the victims' families who
are all distraught. I mean, can you imagine if you
thought your child was missing. Mike Hassel, you've been through
(35:38):
it all. Mike Cassele, President founder Peace River Catine Search
and Rescue, Explain the blood, sweat and tears that goes
into a search like this.
Speaker 12 (35:47):
There's a lot of resources that go into having to
keep the people up. You can get a searcher out
there that can work for an hour, maybe an hour
and a half if you're lucky, but then they're down
for two hours because they got to cool off and
get raised. Same thing with the dogs. You can get
for twenty minutes, and then Zaga has to rest for
fifty minutes because he's got a cool down before and
go back out. So there's a lot of injuries involved here,
(36:08):
snakes and vines and you know all kinds of stuff
that goes on that, and especially for volunteers, because you
know we volunteer. We go out, we help a law
enforcement on these searches, but we have to cover our
own expenses and we have to cover our own health insurance,
So we get injured, it's on us.
Speaker 1 (36:25):
Then there is a Chloe Stein and I bring her
up because she's about the same age as Carly Russell.
She faked in her own abduction. Who does she blame
a fake cop? I guess she was running out of
people to blame. I want you to take a listen
to our cut thirty seven Our friends from WTAA regarding
Chloe Stein say.
Speaker 20 (36:45):
Police say she created an entire scenario to make people
think she had been abducted by someone posing as a
police officer on our way home from work Monday night.
That set off a massive search effort yesterday afternoon, police
estimating the entire ordeal costing thousands, not tens of thousands
of dollars. Stein was found not far from her home
yesterday evening. Police say at first she told them she
(37:06):
was abducted, held at gunpoint, and then released eventually. Court
documents they client admitted to never being in danger and
making the whole thing up.
Speaker 1 (37:15):
You know, to you, Lee Reebert, what's the best way
of finding out where Carly Russell was during those forty
nine hours?
Speaker 15 (37:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 14 (37:24):
I think the important thing if we look at the
teeny case, they got a lot of the leads from
call records, right they found out that she was calling
some friends or some boyfriends and I think in this
case too, it might come down to be. I'm sure
that they're still going over phone records. We had this
whole red red up in who did she call? You know,
(37:45):
did she call someone? Was there additional people? They're going
to look at them, maybe the phones or the family
members of boyfriends. I look at those records to see
if any phone numbers from a red rope in or
unknown number.
Speaker 6 (37:57):
Had come in.
Speaker 14 (37:58):
So I think they're still going to be some investigation
into that. And I believe, you know, I would think
that they're going to bring someone else in that had
knowledge of her disappoint.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
Well, another kidnapped faker has escaped jail. Her name will
live in infamy right beside Jesse Smilette, Sherry Peppini, Jennifer
will Banks, that run away bride. They tried to blame
a Hispanic team trying to steal her. Long story short,
(38:31):
she's a faker and she caused law enforcement a lot
of grief, headache, man hours into the night trying to
find her. God willing, she does get rehabbed and never
ever tells another lie, much less one that costs eighteen
(38:52):
thousand dollars. Nancy Gray signing off, goodbye, friend, give me
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. I can't believe that the
Alabama kidnapped faker Carly Russell has somehow managed to avoid jail.
She gets one year probation and eighteen thousand dollars fine. Ouch, gosh,
(00:25):
she's faking a big one like this at twenty six.
What will she be doing at thirty six? Do you
remember Curly Russell, the cute, cute, cute twenty six year
old causing a national panic when she goes missing, only
to miraculously be saved by herself claiming she was kidnapped
(00:51):
by a couple on the side of the road. Wow,
straight probation after all she put us through. The Alabama
woman who faked a story about a kidnapping has been
ordered to pay eighteen grand restitution and get straight probation.
I mean, sye Grace, this is Crime Stories. Thanks for
(01:14):
being with us. Carle Russell, aged twenty six, charged with
two misdemeanors for false statements last July when she told
cops she was kidnapped after going missing for several days.
You remember what happened? She claimed she saw a toddler
on the side of the road and left her car
(01:34):
pulled over and left her car to go save the
tot What a load of bs technical legal term.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Remember this, Where was she for those forty nine hours?
She said, she stayed in's Hoover the entire time and
no one helped her. So where was she for those
forty nine hours?
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Where did she sleep? Where did she stay?
Speaker 2 (01:53):
How did she leave that area where she abandoned her
a red Mercedes Sedan.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
You're hearing our friends at w VM with me an
all star panel to make sense of what we know
right now. Twenty five year old Carly Russell says that
she is only trying to render a to a top
boy walking along the interstate wearing nothing but a diaper
and his shirt. Then she goes missing for forty nine hours,
(02:21):
throwing her family and the Hoover PD into chaos as
they search for her literally around the clock. People donating
nearly seventy thousand dollars to help find her, one anonymous
donor giving twenty five grand. The boyfriend that defended her
to the hilt has now broken up with her and
says quote, I'm disgusted. Well, I second that emotion. Guys.
(02:45):
I want you to hear what the chief of the
Hoover pd has to say in our cup fifty four.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Mister Anthony asked I read the statement in its entirety,
which I will do now. My client has given me
permission to make the following statement on her behalf. There
was no kidnap on Thursday July nineteen thirteenth, twenty twenty three.
My client did not see a baby on the side
of the road. My client did not leave the Hoovaria
which she was identified as a missing person. My client
(03:11):
did not have any help in this incident. But this
was a single act done by herself. My client was
not with anyone but any hotel, with anyone from the
time she was missing.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Okay, let me understand that that is Chief Nick Dervis
from the Hoover PDE reading a statement of a lawyer
who has been given a statement by Curly Russell. Woman,
get out there and apologize yourself for Pete's sake. But
you're hearing from Curly Russell, through her lawyer, through the Chief.
(03:41):
But I want you to hear this too. Now you
hear the Chief saying there was no baby, there was
no one in danger. I was never missing. Now take
a listen to our cut seven. The nine to one
one call. Listen to how Rich in detail.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
It is two one seventy one. It's gonna be forty
nine south my Market ten. It's gonna be a child
walking on the three four year old child walking on
the side of the interstate next to Harpe's going to
be close behind the red rig Stadi Sedayan with the
hazards on. Child's gonna be a white male wearing a
white T shirt and a diaper from watch for forty two.
(04:23):
Harvey's advising there's no cars in the area with the
child's been abandoned on the.
Speaker 5 (04:28):
Side of the ridge.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
Fore you got a little phone negative. But she's saying
that she would stand by for police. Forty two calls
R feedback.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
She's on at their vehicle.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Now remember police got to the scene in about four
minutes after that nine moment call. Now let's listen to
Carly Russell in her own words the detail I was
mentioning earlier in our cut thirteen.
Speaker 5 (04:50):
Now one one, where's your records? Same?
Speaker 6 (04:52):
Hi, I am on Interstate four fifty.
Speaker 7 (04:55):
Nine and there is a chie just walking by their shells.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
Oh hold on, hold on, where where I'm forest down?
Are you?
Speaker 6 (05:04):
I'm right next to the exit exit ten by the
uver minute.
Speaker 7 (05:08):
Like to get off by the super mit.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
Okay, So you're before that exit, yes, okay? And where
you're headed.
Speaker 8 (05:13):
Southbound or northbound towards two to eighty fort Tuscalusive okay?
Speaker 5 (05:20):
And was the child on the left or right side,
on the right side where they walk out northbound or
round it down?
Speaker 7 (05:26):
They're walking towards Tuscalusave walking southbound?
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Did you hear that detail? Oh, there's some more. Listen
to cup fourteen.
Speaker 5 (05:33):
How old did they look like?
Speaker 6 (05:35):
The toddlers, like maybe like three or four?
Speaker 5 (05:39):
Did you pull over with them or are you still
with them?
Speaker 9 (05:42):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (05:42):
Okay, you're Are you with the.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
Child right now?
Speaker 5 (05:45):
No, I'm not.
Speaker 6 (05:45):
I didn't get out of the car. I'm just I
can see them though.
Speaker 7 (05:49):
Can you do you mind staying and keep an eye
on them until we get there?
Speaker 5 (05:52):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (05:52):
Yeah, sure, yeah?
Speaker 5 (05:53):
Okay. What kind of car are you in? I'm in
a red Mercedes Ben and that's Savana receiving as you be.
Speaker 6 (06:01):
I mean it's a sedan start.
Speaker 5 (06:03):
Can you put your hazards off for me?
Speaker 6 (06:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 10 (06:05):
They're on.
Speaker 5 (06:06):
Okay. Did you talk to the childhood or did you
say anything to know. Okay, No, do they look like
they're injured?
Speaker 1 (06:12):
No, they don't. I love listening to this I woman
called because I know every word she says is a
big fat lie. And can you imagine her in her
red Mercedes at night conjuring up this lie and it's
intricate detail. Listen to more cut fifteen.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
Are they wife like a senak or angel?
Speaker 11 (06:32):
They're white?
Speaker 5 (06:33):
As a male or female?
Speaker 6 (06:34):
I think it's a boy, a little boy.
Speaker 5 (06:36):
I'm right now. Okay, is you wearing clothes?
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (06:39):
Okay, what is he wearing?
Speaker 6 (06:41):
It's a white T shirt and it doesn't look like
he has any pants on.
Speaker 7 (06:44):
It looks like a diaper.
Speaker 5 (06:45):
And you don't see any cars anywhere? No, no cars anywhere? Okay,
all right, what's your name?
Speaker 6 (06:51):
My name is Carly Russell.
Speaker 5 (06:53):
And you don't see any injuries on the child from
where you're at?
Speaker 7 (06:56):
Correct?
Speaker 10 (06:56):
No?
Speaker 7 (06:57):
No, But I can't really see them that good.
Speaker 5 (06:59):
Okay, try to keep it on them for the best,
big cham because I don't want Julius shack of them.
And do they have shoes on? No, not that I
can be. I can't really see that.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Looks fine.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
I've got them on the way Okay, just try to
say keep an eye on them, but offsters are on
the way.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Okay, they say, Man, she's such a good samaritan. A
good samaritan that costs the taxpayers that's US about five
hundred thousand dollars and costs well wishers and those who
want to help nearly seventy thousand dollars in donations with
me in all Star panel. But can I first go
to Cheryl McCollum, founder director of the Cold Case Research Institute,
(07:35):
star of Zone seven, a Hitting You podcast, and you
can find her at Coldcasecrimes dot org. Cheryl. Really, he's
wearing nothing but a diaper, and I can't tell if
he has on any shoes. And he's a white male,
about three or four years old. And I'm so worried.
I'm so worried that I'm not getting out of my car,
of course, but I am worried, and I'm going to
(07:56):
follow him for six hundred yards in my car. That's
six football feel as I try. Boy, that little tot
should be in the Olympics if it can go that
fast and nothing but a diaper and barefoot. I mean,
the story reaped on day one. That's why I didn't
cover it exactly on day one because it was a lie.
(08:16):
He was obviously a lie. And we have actual people
that are really missing, being raped, being sex traffick, being killed,
And here's this girl making up a whole big deal
because what I just want somebody to love me, really
get online? Woman, there are millions of people out there
that will love you. But why do this? What about
(08:37):
this statement on nine one one?
Speaker 6 (08:39):
You make excellent points, But let's hope for a second
about what. We don't hear her say. We don't hear
her say please hurry, We don't hear her say help.
We don't hear her say I'm going to go out
and try to save him so that he doesn't get
into the expressway. She's just in her car, chilling, and
she's only answering questions. She didn't offer the description. She
(09:02):
didn't alfer that he wasn't hurt. She didn't offer she
was asked those things. The only truthful statement she says
in the whole thing is when she says, yeah, I
can't really see that's the truth.
Speaker 12 (09:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Well, now we're just trying to figure out what really
happened during those days, And I've got a pretty good
idea that she was holed up in something akin to
a red roof And I'll tell you why, Guys say
to listen to our cut sixteen.
Speaker 13 (09:30):
Fifty four unclassified complaints fourteen sixty six Montgomery Highway at
the red.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
Roofs and the front office for caller.
Speaker 13 (09:39):
Family members at this location and saying they received a
call from the female that's missing Carl Russell seven fifty four.
Family members are saying they received a call from the
female thing she without this location.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Crime stories with Nancy Grace, She's right up there with
Jesse Smollette, Jennifer Wilbanks and remember super Mom Cherry Peppini.
They all need to be in the same pot to stew,
causing police, sheriffs volunteers to veer away from real crimes
(10:23):
translation real crime victims, costing thousands of dollars of man hours,
much less worry concern. I could have done a program
on a real crime victim instead of trying to find
Carly Russell. But no, I tried to find her, although
her story stunk to high heaven at the get go,
(10:45):
Just like Cheery Peppenies, just like Jennifer Willlbanks, just like
Jesse Smollette. Did they think we just fell off the
turnip truck? No, we did not. What happened in the case.
Tavana Sapp multimedia journalist, reporter WAFF four eight and Bama.
You can find her on Twitter at Savannah Sap Sapp.
Savannah what and the hey? If this girl is snugged
(11:09):
up and a king sized bed with ac on low,
ordering room service and watching pay per view while everyone
is tearing their hair out trying to find her, I'm
going to do a backflip, A backflip, Savannah Sap.
Speaker 14 (11:21):
What do we know?
Speaker 7 (11:22):
It's it's honestly confusing, to say the least. You know,
her statement that was written to an attorney and given
to police through the attorney claims that she was not
at a hotel. But you have all of these people.
Speaker 5 (11:39):
Who are.
Speaker 7 (11:41):
Commenting against that, and you have screenshots of you know,
family members and friends of hers texting each other saying, yes,
she was absolutely at a red roof in. You know,
it's again, it's confusing, to say the least. And if
she was hold up at a red roof in while
you know, hundreds of thousands of people are wondering where
(12:03):
she is, that she's even alive. I think that says
a lot about the testament of her characure.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Well, of course, you can't go to jail for telling
a lie unless you're under oath. And I was just
pointing out this morning about thirty minutes ago. Correct me
if I'm wrong. Shell Nutt with me. James shell Nutt,
high profile lawyer out of this jurisdiction in Alabama with
the shell nut Law firm. But listen to this twenty
seven years metro major case. As a cop, including Swatt,
(12:35):
that's not easy. Former prosecutor, he actually prosecuted false report cases.
You know what, I had so many felonies coming on
my ears. I didn't even bother with the lies and
the false report shell nut But I'm glad to know
that I've got an expert that did do it. You
know what, that reminds me of shell Nuck duy cases.
(12:57):
I never handled straight out DUI cases. The time I
got them somebody who's dead. It was a habitual violator
where you have five or more DUIs there have been
a vehicular homicide. That's when I would get a DUI.
I wouldn't get a flat out plane old misdemeanor d
UI and you know what, there's an art to proving
a dui. You've got to know all the ins and
(13:18):
outs of blood alcohol, the rights whether you take a
breathalyzer or don't take a breath. I mean, it's actually
very complicated to get all those hoops, and defendants can
win if the prosecutor doesn't know all the ins and
outs of prosecuting a dui. Same thing with a false report,
isn't it true? Show nut that at the bottom of
(13:39):
every police report there are words to the effect I
swear and a test under penalty of perjury that all
the information that I have given is true. Isn't that
at the bottom of every police report form?
Speaker 14 (13:52):
Oh?
Speaker 15 (13:53):
It absolutely is. And it's because you are about to
alert law enforcement to a situation that you know that
they are going to spend time and resources investigating. And
it gives you an opportunity to think twice about what
you just said.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
It's perjury. Perjury is a crime. Now I want to
point out that Carly Russell is being handled with kid gloves.
Other people in her situation have gone to jail for this.
Think about Jesse Smollette, Sherry Peppini, Jennifer Wilbanks, it's so
(14:31):
called runaway bride Chloe Stein. But you know another thing
when it comes to those cases, those people always had
a culprit. Carly Russell has a white guy with orange
hair and a ball spot, and a woman she never saw,
and a baby crying in the background that fed her
cheese its and played with her hair. The woman said
(14:55):
that she said about the woman. That's part of her story.
Smolet blamed, didn't he say white guys wearing maga hats? Okay?
Well it turned out to be the two Osendaro brothers
his friends. Let's see Sherry Pepini blamed two unidentified Hispanic women,
(15:15):
and she proceeded to starve and brand herself and beat
herself up and snug up with her boyfriend for I've
forgotten how many weeks and showed up much like Carly
Russell on foot on Thanksgiving Day. Let's see where am I?
There's small Wilbanks, Jennifer Wilbanks, the runaway bride. She blamed
I guess basically a group of Hispanic males that kidnapped her,
(15:38):
assaulted her on the eve of her wedding. And then
we've got Chloe Stein. She didn't want her family to
know she wasn't going to graduate from college, so she
faked an abduction. Who does she blame, Sidney, You got
to blame somebody, the evil person that was responsible for
your dilemma. And in this case, Carly Russell is blaming
(16:03):
again a white guy with orange hair. So let me
understand this. To Mike Hatzel, joining US President, founder of
Peace River Canine Search and Rescue at p r s
R dot org, how much money would a search like this? First?
Describe the search because they really pulled out all the
(16:24):
stops what I was done to find Carly, Mike Cattle.
Speaker 14 (16:28):
They're going to.
Speaker 12 (16:29):
Pull every resource they can get on the resource list
in the area into that search that they can get
because this is a high probability search, meaning when you
have an adduction or you have a predatory abduction and
that person is missing or there's a child involved, the
survivability rate of the victim is less than six hours.
(16:50):
So we have a time clock where we're trying to
get the victim before the perpetrator either traffics them out
of the area or kill them. And so every all
hands are on deck at this point. Everybody's coming in.
So minimum cost on this is going to start at
a half a million dollars and go up because of
all the resources that are there. When I was watching
(17:13):
the video on TV, I saw this line of law
enforcement vehicles that just went on and on and on,
and you've got helicopters overhead, You've got people coming in
on overtime. They're calling everybody in that's off, and they're
they're pounding the ground. They're going to all the hotels
in the area, all the stores in the area. They're
they're canvassing the entire area that takes law enforcement personnel
(17:36):
and there everybody's there, everybody's out, and so it's very,
very expensive for these types of searches.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Guys, we're talking about Carly Russell, who, as it turns out,
is a pretty good liar. Karen started joining me, renowned
psychologist out of Manhattan, trauma and crime expert. You can
find her at karenstart dot com. That's Karen with a C. Karen,
thank you for being with us. You know, many people
are saying, oh, we should feel sorry for her. I
(18:04):
do that she would have to go to this link
to try to get attention, and if she is having
some sort of dilemma or depression or sadness. That is
not a legal defense. And I want to point out
to you, Karen, start before you answer. She may be
crazy like a fox because she outwitted everybody, her family,
(18:27):
her boyfriend that stayed by her, police searchers, people that
donated nearly seventy grand to help find her. So I
wouldn't call that crazy, Karen Stark.
Speaker 10 (18:38):
Well, it's not legally crazy, like you said, Nancy, because
she does know the difference between right and wrong. That
seems really catch me because she was able to plot
everything out, you know, come up with this elaborate story
then show up. I mean, she really when you listen
to her, though, you can see that there's something wrong.
(19:01):
She does has some kind of psychopathology because she's making
this elaborate story up and it's really.
Speaker 6 (19:08):
So rich in detail.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
She's a victim.
Speaker 10 (19:12):
And the thing about being a victim, I mean when
you look at her text from before and the things
that she said, they were inconsistent, they were really very
self hitting. And here she is now coming up with
a story where everyone is going to look first for
a baby and then for her. So there is a
(19:32):
pathology there.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
But does she know the.
Speaker 10 (19:35):
Difference between right and wrong? Should we hold her responsible
that part? I think legally yes, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
The Alabama kidnap faker Carly Russell skates out of court
with straight probation and eighteen thousand dollars of restitution, and
she admits she made up the whole thing. But hey,
I don't want to go to jail. I think we've
heard that before. She first planned not guilty to false reporting,
(20:08):
a municipal judge ruled against her and recommended she pay
eighteen grand and spend a year in jail. What happened
to that? Her legal team then appealed the conviction, hoping
to avoid jail time, and they succeeded. Just ahead of
a scheduled state trial. She pleads guilty to all charges,
(20:33):
and she gets twelve years of probation, community service, and
evidence of ongoing mental health counseling. She has to pay
eighteen grand to the City of Hoover. I think that
she could have had counseling behind bars. I mean, do
you remember what happened?
Speaker 8 (20:52):
Russell called nine to one one, claiming she saw a
little boy walking on the side of I four fifty
nine in a diaper when it.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Was a toddler three four year old wearing a white T.
Speaker 5 (21:04):
Shirt and a diverer.
Speaker 8 (21:05):
According to police, Carly then called a relative to tell
them she was going to get out and check on
the baby. Their relative says she heard Carly scream and
then nothing but sounds from the interstate.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
So I wanted you to take into account the level
of detail in her nine on one call, but also
she said the same lie to her own family. Listen
to cut three fox tim.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
Just her vehicles on lock, running, all her personal long
and you could set for her phone.
Speaker 8 (21:35):
When police got there, Carly was gone, her Mercedes still running. Friends, family,
and strangers on the internet did their part to find her,
and then perhaps a clue.
Speaker 13 (21:46):
Saturday night, Montgomery Highway at the red roofs and family
members at the flotation and saying they received a call
from the female that's missing, Carly Russell.
Speaker 8 (21:55):
Family members say they showed up to knock on doors
and find her, but she wasn't there.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Police have used every synonym for a lie. They're saying
things like we can't corroborate, we can't confirm, no evidence
of so forth, and so on ad nauseum. But what
it boils down to is this woman lied. Sent police
and volunteers on a wild goose chase to the tune
(22:20):
of at least a quarter of a million dollars while
we think she was shacked up somewhere enjoying the attention
vicariously that she was receiving. With me again, an all
star panel to make sense of what we know right
now with me Lee Reeber, mobile device forensic expert, CEO
(22:40):
of Oxygen Forensics, Inc. An author of Mobile forensics Investigations,
also hosts a podcast, Forensic Happy Hour. Lee. I believe
since her cell phone was left behind, she may have
had another phone. So how do we go about tracking
(23:02):
what she was doing in order to make a case
of perjury.
Speaker 14 (23:06):
Well, you know, it always comes down to you, right
is your digital life? If you look at all the
cases where it turns out that they have been lying,
it comes down to you know, law enforcement just looking
at that digital life. And the interesting thing about.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
This or.
Speaker 14 (23:23):
Is in Hoover, Alabama is NCFI, which is a National
Computer Forensic Institute, one of the one of the best
places to go to learn how to collect digital data.
So it's probably the wrong place if you're going to
be lying over your social media, if you're going to
be utilizing your phone or if you have another phone,
(23:43):
because quite honestly, they're going to be able to review
your digital life. They're going to find and locate you
if you're using another device, if you're just in the area.
So again, trying to utilize social media. Even prior to this,
they had a timeline. Once they had at a timeline,
(24:04):
I'm sure that they assues that came out. They had
the information that she was not telling the truth.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Not telling the truth. I guess that's one way of
putting it. Guys, It's happened many times before. Take a
listen to our friends at WZTM and cut fifty nine B.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Brother Eric Guster says he worries this case could affect
future missing person's cases.
Speaker 9 (24:27):
It's going to be much more difficult for African American
women to be believed, and it may actually decrease the
number of actual reports of things because people are already
afraid that they won't be believed.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Auguster says, the police chief outlined three crimes that they
believe Carly has committed. That's that lying to authorities and
filing a false police report.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
We all remember the case of Jesse Smollett. Take a
listen to this.
Speaker 16 (24:57):
Police body camera video shows the moment officers first arrived
at Jesse Smollett's apartment after the actor claimed he'd been attacked.
Smolette still has what appears to be a noose around.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
His neck if you want to take it off for anything.
Speaker 16 (25:11):
Just Smolette told police he was assaulted by two masked
men yelling racist and homophobic slurs. For more than three weeks,
at least twenty four detectives searched for the two men
and investigated Smollett's claims.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
Guys, we're talking about Jesse Smollette. He ended up paying
about one hundred and twenty thousand dollars of restitution. He
got one hundred and fifty days behind bars for filing
a false report. To Cheryl McCollum, what exactly went into
(25:47):
the search for Carly Russell.
Speaker 6 (25:50):
They had air helicopter land, they had people on foot,
they had canaines, They had you know, her sales and
being looked at. They were interviewing family, friends and co workers.
They pulled everybody off, you know, having days off. This
(26:10):
was a full court press. Every available person including citizens
that came to volunteer. Nancy, she had the SBI, the
Secret Service, Hoover Police, Alabama State Police, She had you
and crime Online, she had the Today Show.
Speaker 11 (26:29):
Think of the resources that were given to her, and
every homicide, true missing person, child, molestation, aggravate assault, domestic violence.
Speaker 6 (26:40):
They were all put on hold to search for her
because they believed time was of the essence. But I
want to say something very clearly, she didn't fool everybody.
Because you and I were talking Saturday and Sunday. We
knew it was bogus on day one because it didn't
add up. I mean, the story didn't make any sense.
(27:01):
How many times did you and I look at that video.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
Scouring it, blowing it up, playing in a slow mo.
There was no boy walking along the side of the interstate.
That was all a big light. And let me tell
you what Jesse Smilett got. Take a listen to our
cut forty four from the Today Show.
Speaker 17 (27:20):
Judge James Lynn sentencing Smelett to thirty months felony probation,
including that jail time, ordering he paid more than one
hundred and twenty thousand dollars in restitution to the City
of Chicago and pay the maximum fine twenty five thousand dollars.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
You've turned your life upside down.
Speaker 18 (27:37):
Fire this conduct in Shenanigan's You've destroyed your life as
you knew it.
Speaker 17 (27:42):
As a defiance, Smolette was taken into custody last night,
his family blasting the judge's decision.
Speaker 14 (27:48):
He's the reason why folks aren't going to report hate crimes.
They're the reason why folks aren't going to report hate crimes.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
No, Smollette, you're the problem, not everybody else. And the
same thing here, people giving time, gee, blood, sweat and
tears to find Curly Russell when she's obviously propped up
somewhere having takeout, watching the news about her own disappearance.
And then of course there's Jennifer will Banks, the so
(28:14):
called runaway bride. Now, this wedding was a big shindig
in high society Atlanta. I mean a lot of money,
tens of thousands of dollars shelld out for a big wedding,
and poof, the bride disappears. She gets quote kidnapped. Take
a listen to our cut forty seven her nine to
(28:35):
one one call I hope.
Speaker 5 (28:38):
I would say there, I mean I would saying her
forties maybe.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
Have lag?
Speaker 10 (28:47):
Was it?
Speaker 5 (28:47):
Longer, short, short, having a hair, no bocolor for Katackie,
what you want I want to ask for him.
Speaker 18 (28:53):
I don't know Marion jacking and I don't know what.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Color he's now.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
Looking at the lid.
Speaker 15 (29:01):
It was a blue van like a work vand looking
a conversion or any It.
Speaker 5 (29:07):
Wasn't an It was like a like a paint, like
a paint or work band.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
Direction did they leave in?
Speaker 17 (29:13):
I don't.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
I have no idea run in or know where I am,
Dear Lord in Heaven shell Nutt. Do you hear that
it sounds like Carl Russell at her elaborate lie about
this little bearfoot boy wearing a diaper that she's trying
desperately to say, yet not getting out of her car.
Did you hear that Hispanic males, short hair, no facial hair,
(29:37):
a maroon jacket, blue jeans, a blue van. But no,
not a conversion or a mini van. It was a
paint work van. I mean this woman had so many details.
I mean, was she just running this like a movie
in her head?
Speaker 14 (29:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (29:53):
I don't know.
Speaker 15 (29:53):
You know, when you start looking at the stories that
people tell about what happened to them, one of the
things that you focus on is their ability to recall
selective details, details that benefit them, but they don't recall
details that may put a whole in their story or
that may bring things into question. And that's exactly what
you have. Here's what you haven't called the Russell's case.
(30:14):
And you know that's a major tip off for investigators.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
Crime stories. With Nancy Grace, she says, I want to
genuinely apologize for my actions and the resulting negative impact
inflicted onto others. I made a grave mistake while trying
to fight through various emotional issues and stress. I'm extremely
(30:47):
remorseful blah blah blah for the panic blah blah blah
experienced across the nation. But I don't want to go
to jail, Okay, I added that last part. Russell's lawyer said,
fall the sentencing, we want to thank Judge Carpenter. Blah
blah blah. Carle apologized. Really, all criminals will apologize to
(31:10):
avoid jail. The Queen of fake disappearances, Sherry Peppini Take
a listen to our friend Matt Gutman and our cut
thirty eight from GMA.
Speaker 18 (31:20):
In November of twenty sixteen, Sherry Peppinie vanished for twenty
two days. Then on Thanksgiving morning, she materialized on a
highway nearly one hundred and fifty miles from home, a
trucker stopping and calling nine one one for her. That
call her for the first time this morning.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
What's turning?
Speaker 12 (31:41):
You're chained up?
Speaker 1 (31:43):
She's chained up? Yes, she said, she was chained up, beaten,
branded like you see on TV, branding cattle. And it
turns out she was holed up with her boyfriend the
whole time and actually tortured her. So hard to believe,
but it happened. Karen Stark, that was a lot to
(32:05):
swallow that she would brand herself, break her own tooth,
beat herself, but she did, and she admitted to it.
Speaker 10 (32:13):
Nat she think about the amounts of attention she was
able to get and how exciting that must have been
with her for her, I mean, here she is, she's
with her boyfriend and able to get everybody sterical about
what happened to her. And that's narcissism to the highest
degree that you could think of.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
Well, slow down, narcissism, explain.
Speaker 10 (32:35):
Well, I mean, that's somebody who is so involved with themselves,
so much above the law, that they could go to
that kind of extent to make sure that people see
them as a victim and worry about them. And that's
attention to speed on what's going on. It makes them
really feel loved and wanted.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
Savannah Sap joining us from WAFF four Beate Alabama, and
I understand sympathy or empathy for her, wondering what drove
her to do this, But the reality is is regardless
of her depression or sadness or desire for attention, whatever
it may be, she lied in a police report, lied
(33:20):
to detectives, and obstructing justice very quickly.
Speaker 7 (33:26):
I want to kind of hear it what Cheryl said earlier.
Speaker 19 (33:28):
You know, she not only took a lot of time
from investigators, but you also have to look at it
from a media standpoint. We had all hands on deck
sharing Carly's story from all over the state. The whole
state of Alabama was sharing her story is as well
as national headlines. So not that you know she would
(33:50):
be responsible for our coverage, but that's just something else
to think of when you're talking about all of the
resources that were.
Speaker 1 (33:57):
I mean, the moment I heard the story her about
her disappearance, we immediately put it as the lead at
crime Online dot Com and put it out on social
media over and over and over to get attention and
get the tip line out there for people to help
find Carly. We contacted people in Alabama involved in the
(34:17):
search to try to find out what was happening and
how we could help. All the whiles, Cheryl McCollum, there
are real victims of real crimes that need our help.
I'm not as worried about the media, but I'm more
worried about people. I remember working long nights, weekends on
Easter on Thanksgiving on my so called vacation with my family,
(34:43):
working cases, working, working. If I found out later that
the victim was lying, I would be so deflated.
Speaker 6 (34:53):
Nancy again, the resources that she took from actual victims
is astonished. But I tell you what, they need to
be concerned about. Who's next. If you do not send
a message that we are not going to put up
with hoaxes and lies and outright premeditated crime, then what
(35:15):
are we doing in the DA's offer.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
You know, just want people to understand what a search
like this entails. Mud rain dirt, long hours twenty four
to seven, looking worried, dealing with the victims' families who
are all distraught. I mean, can you imagine if you
thought your child was missing. Mike Hassel, you've been through
(35:38):
it all. Mike Cassele, President founder Peace River Catine Search
and Rescue, Explain the blood, sweat and tears that goes
into a search like this.
Speaker 12 (35:47):
There's a lot of resources that go into having to
keep the people up. You can get a searcher out
there that can work for an hour, maybe an hour
and a half if you're lucky, but then they're down
for two hours because they got to cool off and
get raised. Same thing with the dogs. You can get
for twenty minutes, and then Zaga has to rest for
fifty minutes because he's got a cool down before and
go back out. So there's a lot of injuries involved here,
(36:08):
snakes and vines and you know all kinds of stuff
that goes on that, and especially for volunteers, because you
know we volunteer. We go out, we help a law
enforcement on these searches, but we have to cover our
own expenses and we have to cover our own health insurance,
So we get injured, it's on us.
Speaker 1 (36:25):
Then there is a Chloe Stein and I bring her
up because she's about the same age as Carly Russell.
She faked in her own abduction. Who does she blame
a fake cop? I guess she was running out of
people to blame. I want you to take a listen
to our cut thirty seven Our friends from WTAA regarding
Chloe Stein say.
Speaker 20 (36:45):
Police say she created an entire scenario to make people
think she had been abducted by someone posing as a
police officer on our way home from work Monday night.
That set off a massive search effort yesterday afternoon, police
estimating the entire ordeal costing thousands, not tens of thousands
of dollars. Stein was found not far from her home
yesterday evening. Police say at first she told them she
(37:06):
was abducted, held at gunpoint, and then released eventually. Court
documents they client admitted to never being in danger and
making the whole thing up.
Speaker 1 (37:15):
You know, to you, Lee Reebert, what's the best way
of finding out where Carly Russell was during those forty
nine hours?
Speaker 15 (37:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 14 (37:24):
I think the important thing if we look at the
teeny case, they got a lot of the leads from
call records, right they found out that she was calling
some friends or some boyfriends and I think in this
case too, it might come down to be. I'm sure
that they're still going over phone records. We had this
whole red red up in who did she call? You know,
(37:45):
did she call someone? Was there additional people? They're going
to look at them, maybe the phones or the family
members of boyfriends. I look at those records to see
if any phone numbers from a red rope in or
unknown number.
Speaker 6 (37:57):
Had come in.
Speaker 14 (37:58):
So I think they're still going to be some investigation
into that. And I believe, you know, I would think
that they're going to bring someone else in that had
knowledge of her disappoint.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
Well, another kidnapped faker has escaped jail. Her name will
live in infamy right beside Jesse Smilette, Sherry Peppini, Jennifer
will Banks, that run away bride. They tried to blame
a Hispanic team trying to steal her. Long story short,
(38:31):
she's a faker and she caused law enforcement a lot
of grief, headache, man hours into the night trying to
find her. God willing, she does get rehabbed and never
ever tells another lie, much less one that costs eighteen
(38:52):
thousand dollars. Nancy Gray signing off, goodbye, friend, give me
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