October 31, 2024 • 40 mins
On Halloween night in 1974, 8-year-old Timothy O’Bryan went trick or treating with a group of family and friends. But Timothy wouldn’t survive the night. His trick-or-treating would prove fatal after consuming a Pixy Stix before bed. This led police on a chase to find the person responsible for poisoning Timothy’s Pixy Stix, which we dive into on this Halloween special episode.
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Episode Transcript
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Sophia (00:00):
Hey guys, welcome to the Eerie Side podcast with your
hosts, Sophia, Elena, and D.
We appreciate you guys listeningand we hope you're ready to get
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(00:45):
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(01:07):
And please remember to follow uson Instagram, TikTok, and
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All right, with that, let's getinto it.
With Halloween right around thecorner for us, or today, if you
are listening to this episode, Idecided to do a true crime
episode that was fitting for theseason.
(01:29):
If you lived in the UnitedStates growing up, by the time
you were in your tweens, youprobably heard stories about
people putting razors andneedles in Halloween candy.
Now, while I wish those storieswere myths, they actually
aren't.
There have been multiple casesover the decades of people
finding sharp objectspurposefully put into their
(01:52):
Halloween candy.
Not by companies making thecandy, But by other individuals
who have tampered with thecandy.
Thankfully, no one has gottenseriously injured or died from
these incidents.
But what about when it comes topoisoned Halloween candy?
And we're talking aboutspecifically when it's been
tampered with.
(02:13):
I want you to both guess howmany people have died in the
United States due poisonings.
Elena (02:20):
How many, like what kind of poisoning, like something is
like food poisoning, likesomething just was an accident
or it was like intentionallypoisoned?
Sophia (02:30):
Intentionally poisoned.
Elena (02:31):
And this is just not with razor blades or anything like
that with like actual poison orjust any kind of tampering?
Sophia (02:37):
Tampering that's been poisoned with
Elena (02:40):
I don't know I'd probably like I would assume less than a
hundred.
I would hope it's not too high.
Sophia (02:45):
You Mom
D (02:46):
50
Sophia (02:47):
Well, the correct answer is only one person.
Oh You And this happened to beeight year old Timothy O'Bryan.
Timothy was born on April 5th,1966 to his parents, Ronald
Clark O'Bryan and Daynene.
Daynene and Ronald were married,and they lived in Deer Park,
Texas, which was a middle classsuburb of Houston.
(03:10):
Ronald was an optician, and hewas also a deacon at the Second
Baptist Church, where he sang inthe choir.
A few years later, in 1969,Ronald and Daynene welcomed a
daughter named Elizabeth.
Fast forward to Halloween nightin 1974, Timothy is now 8, and
that year he ends up going trickor treating with his dad, his
(03:34):
sister, their neighbor, who wasJim Bates, and his two kids.
Now unfortunately, it wasraining that night, so while
everyone enjoyed trick ortreating, they unfortunately did
not get to trick or treat for aslong as they normally would had
it not been raining.
They only ended up trick ortreating at homes on two
streets.
And eventually, they all wentback home.
(03:57):
Timothy and Elizabeth begangetting ready for bed.
But before they did, Ronald toldhis children that they each
could have one piece of candy.
And Ronald said that Timothy hadchosen to eat a pixie stick.
Now, in case you don't know, apixie stick is a long, thin tube
that is in the shape of a straw,and it has sweet and sour candy
(04:18):
in it.
Timothy actually had a hard timegetting the candy out of the
tube, so Ronald helped him getit out.
But while eating the pixiestick, Timothy thought it tasted
bitter, so his father gave himsome Kool-Aid to help wash it
down.
After Timothy had finished theKool-Aid, Ronald left his room,
(04:39):
but later heard Timothy cry tohim and say, Daddy, Daddy, my
stomach hurts.
So Timothy became very sickquickly after eating the Pixie
Stick.
He then ran to the bathroomwhere he began vomiting,
convulsing, and gasping for air.
Ronald said he was holdingTimothy as he vomited and that
Timothy ended up becoming limpin his arms.
(05:00):
Unfortunately, Timothy died onhis way to the hospital, which
was less than an hour afterfirst eating the pixie stick.
Elena (05:07):
Wow, that's quick.
Sophia (05:09):
Very quick.
As soon as Timothy's body wasbrought to the morgue, the
medical examiner could smell thescent of almonds coming from his
mouth, which is a sign ofcyanide poisoning.
Elena (05:22):
Interesting.
Sophia (05:23):
When the autopsy was conducted, it confirmed that
Timothy had consumed enoughpotassium cyanide to kill three
grown men.
Ronald witnessed, people assumedthat Timothy had been poisoned
by the pixie stick, and so thecommunity became very scared.
Parents gave the candy theirchildren had received from
(05:46):
Halloween to the police becausethey feared it had poison.
And as news of this trick ortreat related death spread
across the nation, some parentsacross the country vowed to
never celebrate Halloween again,which I doubt actually happened
after the case was solved.
Police immediately worked tosolve the crime, because Timothy
had only trick or treated on twostreets that actually gave the
(06:10):
investigators a narrow area tosearch and a limited suspect
pool.
So the question was, where didthe pixie stick come from?
And actually it was pixiesticks, as in plural, because
five children ended up receivingthem.
While trick or treating, thegroup had rung the doorbell of a
house that had no lights on.
(06:30):
No one was answering the door,so the kids continued on and Jim
followed them, Jim the neighbor.
But Ronald waited behind to seeif anyone would open the door,
when eventually someone did.
Ronald didn't see who opened thedoor because all he could see
was a supposed hairy armreaching out with five pixie
sticks, which Ronald took.
(06:52):
He then ran back and caught upwith the group, giving a pixie
stick to Timothy, his daughter,Elizabeth, and Jim's two kids.
When Ronald got home, he gavethe fifth pixie stick to a ten
year old boy from church who wastrick or treating at his house.
As soon as the police heard thisthey contacted Jim and made sure
that his kid's pixie sticks hadstill been uneaten and took them
(07:15):
in for examination.
The police then reached out tothe parents of the 10 year old
boy that Ronald knew from churchand explained to them that the
pixie stick was the source ofthe poison and that they needed
to find it.
So the parents searched throughtheir boy's Halloween candy, and
when they do not find any pixiestick, they become hysterical.
And actually, the boy had askedhis mom if he could eat the
(07:37):
candy, but she told him no.
He would be allowed to eat itthe next day after school, but
now that they were not able tofind it She assumed he had eaten
the pixie stick So then bothparents run upstairs to where
their son was sleeping in hisbed And they found him in his
bed fast asleep with an unopenedpixie stick in his hand Wow.
(08:01):
Yeah.
And it turns out he had tried toopen the pixie stick and eat it,
but he couldn't get it openbecause he wasn't strong enough
to remove the staple in thepixie stick.
D (08:12):
Excuse me.
A staple?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Okay.
Elena (08:15):
Yeah.
Well, a kid wouldn't realizethat, but wow.
Sophia (08:18):
Yeah, it's that makes it pretty obvious that it was
tampered with and but again,he's a kid So maybe didn't mean
anything to him But thankfullybecause of that staple he could
not open it and it ended upsaving his life Wow So now that
the police had all of the PixieSticks, they examined them and
found that someone had replacedthe top two inches of each Pixie
(08:41):
Stick with granules of cyanideand then had stapled the Pixie
Sticks closed again.
So it was very clear that theyhad been tampered with.
So any thoughts so far on, youknow, this tragic event?
Elena (08:56):
It's just crazy to me that someone Would do that to
another kid knowing that they'regoing to take this candy that
they're going to eat it andYou're going to Target an
innocent child.
Anyone who wants to harm anotherperson is crazy, but especially
Someone who you have absolutelynever most likely seen before
(09:16):
you're just there to cause harmand pain.
Sophia (09:19):
Sounds like somebody who's very angry and has like a
vendetta against people.
Elena (09:23):
Yeah, definitely wants to possibly make people hurt.
D (09:27):
Just so you understand, cyanide is not something you can
really play with around a home.
You have to know how to Move itaround, how to do it so you
don't get it.
So it's interesting that one,someone had it in their house
because back then was easy toget.
And second, they were aware howto.
(09:48):
use it, and I guess they did notdie, but they wanted, obviously,
some trick or treater to passaway or get hurt, which I find
very interesting because cyanideis very, very dangerous.
You have to know how to workaround it.
Sophia (10:04):
Why do you say that it would be very easy for them to
Get sick from the cyanide aslong as they're not eating or
digesting it
D (10:13):
Cyanide can actually go in the air and you can breathe it
too if I'm not mistaken as apowder if you're not careful.
When I was in school one of mycollege professors said she
worked with cyanide and she hadto constantly remind her to be
careful Because they getcomfortable with it And it can
get stuck even underneath yournail, and you could just go
(10:34):
scratch your nose or dosomething.
So these are points that, youhave to be careful when you are
using cyanide.
Sophia (10:44):
That makes sense.
I think a mask could definitelyhelp with some of that, but not
if it gets underneath yourfingernail.
Elena (10:50):
I just did a quick search, and it did say that it
is highly lethal if you'reinhaling it too.
Sophia (10:56):
Yikes.
That's a dangerous chemical tobe.
Dealing with.
Elena (11:00):
Oh, and then I guess it can also be absorbed through
Topical exposure
Sophia (11:04):
if you touch it?
Elena (11:05):
I assume so Wow.
Yeah absorbed.
I'm assuming that's like throughyour skin.
Sophia (11:10):
I did not know that.
Elena (11:12):
Yeah, that's crazy
Sophia (11:15):
So, now the police needed to figure out which house
had handed out the Pixie Sticks.
At first, Ronald was unable toremember which house gave him
the Pixie Sticks, but after thepolice became firm with him and
told him that he needed toremember, he was able to point
out the house that had given himthe Pixie Sticks.
Police determined that the homewas owned by a man named
(11:37):
Courtney Melvin.
Melvin was an air trafficcontroller at William P.
Hobby Airport, so they went tothe airport and arrested him.
However, they later found outthat he did not get home from
work until 11 p.
m.
on Halloween night, so policeruled Melvin out as a suspect
200 people confirmed that he hadbeen at work.
Elena (11:58):
That's interesting.
Sophia (12:00):
Very interesting.
D (12:01):
So who handed out the candy?
Sophia (12:03):
This now meant that Ronald was in the hot seat.
Ronald was not who theyinitially would have thought of
as a suspect because he wasTimothy's father and was also
seen as a model citizen.
One pastor described Ronald as agood Christian man and an above
average father.
However, this didn't stop thepolice from investigating Ronald
(12:23):
to see if potentially theStarting to suspect him was
valid or not.
They discovered that he was over$100,000 in debt, which in
today's time would be about$620,000.
Wow.
Ronald also had a history ofbeing unable to hold a job.
In the previous 10 years, Ronaldhad held 21 jobs.
(12:48):
He was suspected of theft at hisjob at Texas State Optical and
was close to being fired.
His car was about to berepossessed.
He had defaulted on several bankloans, and the family home had
been foreclosed on.
So financially, Ronald's lifewas in shambles.
Police then discovered thatRonald had taken out life
(13:08):
insurance policies on hischildren in the months preceding
Timothy's death.
Elena (13:14):
Wow, that's disgusting.
Sophia (13:17):
If you think that's disgusting, it's only gonna get
worse, so.
D (13:20):
Did he take insurance on the other kids too?
He sounds like he probably couldhave.
Sophia (13:24):
Oh, that's a good point is that, in case anyone doesn't
know, you can take insurancepolicies out on random people.
Elena (13:30):
Really?
Sophia (13:31):
So, like, your neighbor or somebody you've never met
before, you can just take it outon random people.
Elena (13:35):
Why?
Sophia (13:37):
I don't know, that's just what the insurance policies
allow.
Elena (13:40):
If you have an old neighbor, just take an insurance
policy out on them, and thenthey die, and you get a penny?
Sophia (13:45):
Yep.
D (13:46):
Did that happen at all with the other kids, or no?
Sophia (13:48):
I don't think he had insurance policies on the other.
Elena (13:52):
I feel like it would be too obvious if he took them out
on all the kids that died.
Sophia (13:56):
He did have it, though, on his daughter.
D (13:58):
Only one daughter.
Elena (13:58):
In his mind, he thought it was going to be more.
And if you took a policy out ona kid that's not yours in
addition to your own, and thenthey all die, it's a little, I
feel, too on the nose.
Sophia (14:10):
The more I go into this, to me, he was really on the nose
anyways.
So, I would not have beensurprised if he had done it on
other children, too.
In January 1974, he had takenout$10,000 life insurance
policies on both of hischildren, which would be about
$62,000 today.
One month before Timothy'sdeath, Ronald took out an
(14:33):
additional$20,000 policies outon both his children, which
would be about$124,000 today.
And this was despite theobjections of his life insurance
agency.
And then this gets even worse.
In the days before Timothy'sdeath, Ronald took out another
$20,000 policy on each of hischildren.
(14:56):
The various policies totaledapproximately$60,000, which
would be about$371,000 today.
Elena (15:04):
That's still not even, close to how much he's in debt,
though.
D (15:08):
Wait, 60 for each kid?
Sophia (15:11):
$60,000 total.
D (15:12):
Total?
That doesn't sound right if itwas 10 per kid and then another
20 per kid.
Sophia (15:18):
I don't I think I just copied what they said so Maybe
their math's not right I thinkyou have to have separate
policies for each person, right?
You can't combine it.
D (15:26):
No, you don't combine them.
Sophia (15:27):
It should be about a thousand, a hundred thousand.
Let me like double check.
Elena (15:31):
It's just weird that he's going to take a whole policy, do
all this, and it's not evenenough to cover his debt.
Sophia (15:37):
The various policies totaled approximately$100,000,
which would be over$620,000today.
D (15:45):
So he was close to getting rid of all his debts.
Well, the number was close towhat his debts were.
Sophia (15:51):
Yeah, I think it would have actually covered it.
So it made sense why he took outso many yeah And the numbers he
did.
The morning after Timothy'sdeath Ronald called his
insurance company to ask aboutcollecting the policies he had
taken out on Timothy So hedidn't even wait.
Ronald's wife Daydene wasadamant that she did not know
about the insurance policies onher children's lives.
(16:13):
Police also discovered thatRonald had visited a chemical
supply store in Houston to buycyanide shortly before
Halloween, but he left withoutpurchasing anything after
learning that the smallestamount available for purchase
was five pounds.
Even though at the time policecouldn't confirm Ronald had
bought cyanide, which is true tothis day actually, they still
(16:35):
can't confirm it.
They suspected that he hadsomehow bought cyanide and that
he had laced the candies withthe poison in order to kill his
children to collect on theirlife insurance policies due to
his financial situation.
And they believed he gave theother children poison candy in
an effort to cover up his crime.
Elena (16:55):
Oh my god, that's just ridiculous.
Sophia (16:58):
Yeah, it would have been complete collateral damage.
It's bad enough.
That you're gonna kill your ownkids.
Right.
For insurance money.
But to then also kill, otherchildren that aren't even
related or involved in this isjust ridiculous.
And they were like his neighbor's kids.
(17:19):
It was a kid he knew from churchthat I'm sure trusted him and
thank God he couldn't even getit open because of the staple.
I know.
After a warrant was granted,police searched Ronald's house
and found a knife with candyresidue on it, which was similar
to the residue found on thecyanide laced Pixie Stix.
Police also found adding machinetape that had all of Ronald's
(17:42):
bills written out next to thenumbers on the adding machine
tape, and it came to almost theexact amount of what he would
collect from the life insurance.
Elena (17:51):
Okay, so he was even doing the numbers before that.
Sophia (17:55):
He was planning it out.
So at this point, it's notlooking great for Ronald.
Despite the fact that policerepeatedly questioned Ronald, he
maintained his innocence.
But on November 5th, 1974, Soonly about five days after
Halloween, Ronald was arrestedfor Timothy's murder.
Ronald was indicted on one countof capital murder and four
(18:18):
counts of attempted murder.
He entered a plea of not guiltyto all five counts, and his
trial began in Houston on May5th, 1975.
During the trial, a chemist whoknew Ronald testified that in
the summer of 1973, Ronaldcontacted him asking about
cyanide and how much would befatal.
(18:39):
That's 1973, which is over ayear from when Timothy was
actually poisoned.
Elena (18:45):
That's just crazy to me how far advanced he had planned
this, and he had over a year tostop and take a second to think.
Hmm, maybe I shouldn't be doingthis and he just continued to go
through with it.
Sophia (18:58):
Yeah, it's really incredible in a really wrong way
that After planning about it fora year he still went through
with it and that it took him ayear to get there, too.
I'm Shocked that he could goabout keeping this secret for
such a long time.
D (19:15):
Wasn't he waiting for the right opportunity and Halloween
is it?
Sophia (19:18):
I think yeah, I think he was.
I don't know why it amazes me.
But it amazes me that he wasable to wait a year and be so
calculated about it all thewhile Looking at his son every
day knowing that he was planningthis
Elena (19:29):
Yeah, that's it's awful also for for the kids too
because it's like those poorbabies We're just living their
lives all while their father wasplanning on and murdering them.
Sophia (19:40):
And to know his daughter was also a target.
Elena (19:42):
Yeah.
Sophia (19:43):
She had to live with that too, because she survived.
Yeah.
A chemical supply salesman alsotestified that Ronald had asked
him how to purchase cyanide.
Friends and co workers testifiedthat in the months before
Timothy's death, Ronald showedan unusual interest in cyanide
and spoke about how much itwould take to kill a person.
Elena (20:03):
Oh my god, is he getting excited about this?
Sophia (20:06):
I don't know if it's excitement or stupidity.
I feel like it's really stupidof him to be leaving all this
evidence behind while I'm gladwe have it.
It's so dumb.
Elena (20:15):
It's stupid to kill your kids, but Proven he's already
done that so I wouldn't put itpast him.
Sophia (20:21):
I agree.
Ronald's sister-in-law andbrother-in-law testified that on
the day of Timothy's funeral,Ronald spoke of using the money
from Timothy's life insurancepolicy to take a long vacation
and buy other items.
Which, I'm like, he's in allthis debt, and now he's got the
money to get rid of that debt.
(20:43):
But, I feel like he's just gonnacontinue to be in debt if he's
actually talking about using themoney that he got from killing
his son for this extravagantvacation.
Elena (20:51):
Take a nice vacation.
Like, what?
D (20:54):
I think he sounds a little unstable, actually.
Like there's something wrongwith him.
Sophia (20:58):
Yeah, I think when somebody has lost their child,
their first thought is not goingto be, let's take a vacation.
It's going to be, let's curl upin a ball and bed and cry all
day and never leave.
It's just, it shows you he'sclearly not upset that he had to
take Timothy's life in his mind.
Yeah.
And also I want to say the fact that he's saying
something like that at his son'sfuneral.
Elena (21:18):
Yeah, that too.
Sophia (21:19):
That's sick.
That's gross.
Elena (21:21):
Like just mourn your kid you're there to mourn your kid.
You're there for your child.
that died.
Sophia (21:28):
It's not doing Timothy any justice.
And Ronald even pretended thathe was shocked at the funeral
about what had happened.
And he gave it a very emotionaleulogy about Timothy.
But Obviously it was all fake.
Elena (21:40):
So I'm assuming at that funeral, no one knew yet that it
was him.
Sophia (21:45):
Well, the police, I'm sure were
investigating at that point, butno one else, no official
arrests yet.
Wow Timothy's mother, Daydene,also disclosed that Timothy did
not choose the pixie sticks.
And instead Ronald had in fact,forced him to choose the pixie
sticks.
Despite all this evidence,Ronald continued to maintain his
(22:07):
innocence.
His defense used the old urbanlegend about a crazy poisoner
somebody who hands out Halloweencandy laced with, poison,
needles, or razor blades.
So, the defense was trying tosay that the candy had been done
by some crazy person.
Elena (22:24):
Yeah, him.
Sophia (22:28):
Exactly.
Ronald's problem is that I thinkhe assumed that poisoned
Halloween candy was a commonoccurrence, when in fact there
are no documented instances ofpoisoned Halloween candy, except
for now Ronald who's created it,of course.
And it makes sense for me tothink that, for him to assume
(22:49):
that, because even asking youtwo earlier in this episode, you
all thought it was maybe 50 orless than a hundred and I would
have assumed as well that therewould have been more than just
one person.
Elena (23:01):
Yeah, I thought it was more common the way people talk
about it.
Sophia (23:04):
Right.
it's a myth though.
So, I mean except for Ronald,but yeah, you know, exception.
Elena (23:08):
What about like razor blades and stuff?
Was that ever a thing?
Sophia (23:12):
So they have found razor blades and Halloween candy and
needles and stuff like that Butit's not very common and while
people have gotten pricked fromit Nobody's actually died from
it or gotten seriously injured.
Because most of the time, it'llcut up your mouth, but usually
by then you'd know and you'dspit it out.
Yes, and usually you can tell the Halloween candy's been
(23:32):
tampered with.
Elena (23:33):
True.
Has there been, do you know ifthere's cases of like needles
and razors before this case?
Or is this kind of what startedit?
Sophia (23:43):
That's a good question.
D (23:44):
What year are we at?
1974.
Okay, before that they weretalking about stuffing candy.
I could tell you that.
But I couldn't eat my candyunless it was open and sometimes
we had to cut through it to makesure nothing was in there.
Sophia (23:58):
Are you serious?
D (23:59):
Yes, because they constantly were telling us razors and
needles were in the candy.
Sophia (24:03):
You mean your parents or just?
D (24:05):
I don't know, parents and who knows what else and the school.
Elena (24:09):
Okay, I just looked it up.
The first.
time this happened, was in 68when they police found a razor
blade in an apple, like aHalloween apple.
Sophia (24:20):
Oh, okay.
D (24:21):
Halloween apple.
Who on earth gets a Halloweenapple?
Elena (24:23):
I think it was in the 60s.
Sophia (24:25):
I think I remember reading that, actually.
Elena (24:28):
That's what I would imagine being passed out in the
60s.
D (24:30):
Well, that's why I don't think they gave out fruit
anymore.
Yeah.
It became more of a, somethingthat was, wrapped up.
Yeah, untampered.
And not something you made athome.
I think everybody went to thestore and bought it.
Elena (24:42):
Yeah.
Sophia (24:42):
I'm still trying to imagine you having to cut your
Halloween candy as a child andshow it to your mom that it was
safe to eat.
D (24:51):
Yeah, because they said there were razors and pins, so you cut
it so you could see if therewere
Sophia (24:56):
was common in, in like your specific neighborhood or
amongst many children?
Because I have never heard ofthat.
D (25:01):
Well, you weren't in my era.
How would you hear that?
Sophia (25:03):
I'm also just wondering if it was your parents in
particular.
Like if this was an experienceunique to you.
D (25:11):
Maybe it was.
Because I don't know.
I do know they They would talkabout it when you would hear
things, but maybe it was an oldrumor.
Maybe it was not real.
Elena (25:18):
I feel like I hear that some parents do cut their kids
candy.
Oh, okay.
Yeah, to check for erasers.
I think it's still a thing.
I think it's pretty common thatkids parents still do to this
day.
Sophia (25:28):
Really?
Okay.
That's interesting.
The case and trial receivednational attention, and the
press called Ronald theCandyman.
I do want to make it clear,there is another killer that is
sometimes known as the CandymanKiller, and that is Dean Corll.
Dean's crimes were a little bitdifferent in that he ended up
(25:49):
abducting, raping, torturing,and killing 28 teenage boys and
young men, but the reason he wasknown as the Candyman Killer was
because his family had a candyshop and he was known to give
away free candy to the children.
Back to Ronald, a few othernames he has received over the
years are the man who killedHalloween Because he created
(26:11):
paranoia around poison candy andthe pixie sticks killer.
D (26:16):
It's not really a Halloween Paranoia because if you really
think about it, it's a fatherwho used Halloween To kill his
own kid.
He didn't even kill anybodyelse.
Yeah, he tried to kill someneighbor kids, but they were all
part of his group.
It wasn't like they were goingto some house and someone was
actually passing out candy likethat.
(26:37):
I just think that they make itthat, he affected Halloween.
It doesn't fit.
What you would think wouldhappen on Halloween, that's a
horror, where some neighbor ispassing out the best candy And
it's all laced with cyanide orsomething.
That's what I'm saying It was anindividual who needed to get rid
of his kids for financialreasons and gave candy with
(26:59):
cyanide to others So it lookslike he was not part of it.
Sophia (27:03):
I agree there.
It's a different scenario thanwhat everyone's imagining I
wonder if the initial horror andparanoia of it trickled on a
little afterwards or the pressjust decided to run with that
sort of name.
What's interesting is I lookedit up too, and there is still a
few reports of it happening now.
It is still says it's likemainly a myth, but there was a
(27:25):
few cases not too long ago, acouple of years ago.
People finding razor blades inlike chocolate.
Yeah, that happens.
I told you there's definitelybeen cases of that, but no one's
ever kind of like seriouslyinjured from it.
D (27:36):
And now you know why I used to cut my candy.
Elena (27:38):
Although it says it's incredibly rare, law enforcement
and the FDA still recommendlooking at candy before eating
it.
So, even though it Is rare, theystill recommend parents to do
that.
Sophia (27:50):
And what does that mean, looking at candy, like cutting
it?
Cutting it?
D (27:53):
When you guys used to trick or treat, I wanted you to go to
the homes that we knew.
Because we knew the neighbors.
Yeah.
So we did not go that far.
We just went around theneighborhood because we knew the
neighbors.
That also was another reasonthat we did not go far for trick
or treat.
Sophia (28:08):
It's interesting.
I don't remember us going far,but I think that's because even
going around the block was a lotfor me at that age.
Elena (28:15):
What age?
Sophia (28:16):
Like, seven, eight, six.
Elena (28:18):
Oh, okay.
There's also times when youtrick or treated when you were
much older too, like when I wasyounger too.
So, I was like, there's a widerange of childhood.
Sophia (28:26):
point I was trick or treating on my own.
She wasn't there.
Elena (28:29):
No, there were times when you were older and I was there,
like when you were 13.
I think it was just you and me,right?
She didn't come with.
Who's she?
Oh, mom.
Sophia (28:39):
Who's she?
Elena (28:41):
Anyways, continue.
Sophia (28:44):
On June 3, 1975, a jury took 46 minutes to find Ronald
guilty of capital murder andfour counts of attempted murder.
The jury took 71 minutes tosentence him to death by
electrocution.
Shortly after he was convicted,Daydene filed for divorce and
she later remarried and her newhusband adopted her daughter,
(29:04):
Elizabeth.
Ronald was taken to the prisoncalled Ellis Unit in Huntsville,
Texas.
In prison, Ronald was shunnedand despised by his fellow death
row inmates for killing hischild, and he had no friends.
Inmates Good.
I think we all know at thispoint that inmates hate people
who harm children.
Yeah, the inmates actuallypetitioned to hold an organized
(29:27):
demonstration on Ronald'sexecution day and to Express
their hatred of him, which youknow, wow.
Yeah, if even the death rowinmates hate you that's when you
know, you're pretty bad
Elena (29:37):
Yeah, it's literally the worst of the worst.
Sophia (29:40):
Yeah So Ronald was set to be executed on August 8th,
1980.
His attorney successfullypetitioned for a stay of
execution.
A second date was scheduled forMay 25th, 1982, but that was
also postponed.
Judge Michael McSpaddenscheduled a third execution day
for October 31st, 1982, theeighth anniversary of the crime,
(30:05):
and he offered to personallydrive Ronald to the death
chamber.
Elena (30:09):
Wait, this is the judge?
Sophia (30:11):
Yes.
The judge.
Elena (30:12):
Wow.
Sophia (30:13):
It was to have been the first time Texas executed an
inmate by lethal injection, butthe Supreme Court delayed the
date yet again to give Ronald achance to pursue an appeal to
seek a new trial.
So the first Texas inmate whoactually died by lethal
injection was Charles BrooksJr., who was convicted of
murdering a man.
(30:34):
A fourth date was finallyscheduled for March 31st, 1984.
Elena (30:39):
I like how they're keeping, oh wait, no, never
mind, you said March, justkidding.
Sophia (30:41):
I know, I would have really appreciated it if it had
been on October 31st, but it wasthe 31st of March.
Reynolds lawyers sought a fourthstay on the basis that lethal
injection was a cruel andunusual punishment.
But a federal judge rejected therequest.
So on March 31st, 1984, shortlyafter midnight, Ronald was
(31:02):
executed by lethal injection.
His last meal was a literalfeast.
It consisted of T bone steak,medium to well done, French
fries and ketchup, whole corn ofcorn, sweet peas, lettuce and
tomato salad with egg and Frenchdressing, iced tea, sweetener,
saltines, Boston cream pie androlls.
Elena (31:23):
I'm sorry.
Don't they have a financial capthat they put on their meals?
Like I'm pretty sure they can'tget anything over$50 now.
Or is that I'm pretty sure theyput a cap on your final meal.
Sophia (31:33):
I don't know, but this was definitely the feast of
final meals.
He definitely went out bloated.
That's for sure.
Yeah.
I also find it unfair that hegot a wonderful last meal, but
his son was left with cyanide ashis last meal.
Elena (31:45):
Yeah, I honestly was afraid you were gonna say and
then he also asked for candy orsomething.
And I was like, this is gonnabe,, that would have really
pissed me off if they, if heasked for that and they let him
have that.
Sophia (31:54):
Yeah, on a side note, while you look up whatever
you're looking up, I noticedthat when death row inmates ask
for like steak.
at least I've seen two peoplenow.
Ronald was one and then it mayhave been Charles Brooks Jr.
who I was researching up.
I'm not sure.
But another one, they were bothgiven T bone steaks.
Not sure if that's like the onlysteak they're given, but I
(32:16):
thought that was prettyinteresting.
Elena (32:18):
I did look and most states have like a financial
limit on what they can request.
Like apparently like Florida's$40, but like Oklahoma's$15.
Sophia (32:32):
You could probably get a lot for$15 in Oklahoma.
Elena (32:35):
Go to like McDonald's or something.
Can you imagine McDonald's beingyour last meal?
Sophia (32:39):
Not surprised if it's only$15.
Elena (32:41):
But also at this rate, what can you get with$40 these
days?
Sophia (32:45):
I know, a Chipotle will cost like almost 15 at this
point.
Elena (32:49):
I thought you were going to say that's like a Starbucks
drink.
I'm like, girl, what are yougetting at Starbucks that's
costing$40?
Sophia (32:55):
Nothing at this point.
Elena (32:57):
In about a decade, that'll be one Frappuccino cost,
but still.
Sophia (33:01):
It's crazy.
I can't keep up with it.
Elena (33:03):
Maybe during that time they did not have a financial
cap, or maybe it was one of thestates that don't, but that's
crazy.
Sophia (33:10):
But I'm also wondering if they can just get a lot of
that really cheap at a grocerystore or something.
Elena (33:15):
True.
Sophia (33:16):
You know.
Elena (33:17):
But then who's cooking it?
That's a different conversation.
Continue.
Sophia (33:20):
Okay.
Ronald felt sorry for himselfthroughout this entire process
and.
Boo hoo.
Yeah.
But he did not receive the pityhe wanted.
His last words were, What isabout to transpire in a few
moments is wrong.
However, we as human beings domake mistakes and errors.
This execution is one of thosewrongs that doesn't mean our
whole system of justice iswrong.
(33:42):
Therefore, I would forgive allwho have taken part in any way
in my death.
Also to anyone I have offendedin any way during my 39 years, I
pray and ask for yourforgiveness.
Just as I forgive anyone whooffended me in any way.
And I pray and ask God'sforgiveness for all of us,
respectively as human beings tomy loved ones.
(34:02):
I extend my undying love tothose close to me.
No one, your hearts.
I love you one and all God blessyou all and make God's blessings
be always yours.
Ronald C.
O'Bryan.
P.
S.
During my time here, I have beentreated well by all TDC
personnel.
Elena (34:18):
So that was his final words.
Sophia (34:20):
It was kind of a performance, if you ask me.
Elena (34:23):
I just love how he ended on the personnel were decent.
Okay.
There's kind of a lot to unpack.
He seems very full of himself.
Yeah.
It's just so cocky, and it'slike, you murdered your son,
shut up.
But, thank you, thank you.
Mom, any, any thoughts on that?
D (34:44):
No, but I do have a question.
Sophia (34:45):
Okay.
D (34:46):
Do they say how he learned how to handle cyanide?
Mom's
Elena (34:50):
going back to the cyanide.
D (34:52):
I am.
Sophia (34:53):
No.
They don't.
D (34:54):
They never figured out how he knew how to handle it.
Sophia (34:57):
You're surprised that he didn't like hurt himself or die
from it?
D (35:01):
Not necessarily.
He may have been Okay.
Okay.
Bright enough to understand hehad to do it in a certain way
But I'm just surprised because Iknow you should be careful not
to breathe it You have to reallyknow how to handle it.
He must not have done it at home
Sophia (35:13):
He did remember they found the knife with the candy
residue on it That was similarto what was found in the pixie
stick
Elena (35:19):
But if he was asking around and he was talking to
someone who already knewcyanide, right?
That person could have told himlike.
Sophia (35:26):
That's true.
They could have told him.
Elena (35:27):
That's really dangerous or He could have already knew
that.
I mean, it's possible, he justknew that like mom did.
D (35:32):
That they found that tool means that he did it, but I'm
just wondering where he did it,if he really did it at home or
not.
Sophia (35:40):
I have no idea.
I wouldn't be surprised if hedid do it at home.
Seems kind of sloppy.
D (35:45):
I'm surprised his wife didn't get it or his daughter unless he
knew how to be completelycareful, that's all.
Sophia (35:51):
I don't know why he didn't wash it off though, if he
was trying to be careful.Washthe residue off of the knife.
D (35:58):
That's true.
Yeah, maybe he just didn'tunderstand.
Sophia (36:00):
I did want to say it's interesting because in his final
words he talked about sendinghis love to his family members.
But it's hard to think of him asbeing capable of love when he
chose to kill his son.
Elena (36:15):
Yeah, where was his love when he killed his son?
Sophia (36:17):
For money, yeah.
D (36:18):
And was his wife there when he was being?
Sophia (36:22):
That, I don't know actually.
I'm not really sure.
D (36:25):
There's no mention that she went to watch the execution.
Sophia (36:28):
The sources that I was reading from no one mentioned I
think that she had gone there SoI'm not sure if she did or she
didn't.
D (36:34):
Okay.
Sophia (36:35):
During the execution though a crowd of 300
Demonstrators gathered outsidethe prison.
They were cheering and someyelled trick or treat
Elena (36:44):
Wow.
Sophia (36:45):
Which I find to be very fitting.
Elena (36:47):
Wow, that's a lot.
Were any of the Death rowinmates there.
Sophia (36:53):
I don't know.
I I'm assuming they're in thedeath row, but I'm sure they
were happy that night.
They'd be celebrating.
Elena (37:02):
They let them watch too.
That would be interesting.
Sophia (37:05):
It's a weird thing for me to think about the death row
inmates banding together tocelebrate an injustice, but this
is the kind of person thatRonald is.
Elena (37:14):
It's the worst of the worst coming together to tell
Ronald that no, you're the worstof the worst.
Sophia (37:22):
That's a good way to put it.
Also, this next thing, itprobably wasn't the right thing
to do.
But it's very funny.
So there were demonstrators,right, who were, like cheering
about Ronald being executed.
But then there were also antideath penalty demonstrators
there.
Elena (37:36):
Oh.
Sophia (37:37):
And the demonstrators were tossing candy over to the
anti death penaltydemonstrators.
To mock them.
Elena (37:44):
Oh, I see.
That was kind of funny.
The whole narrative of it.
What haunts me is how somepeople saw Ronald as an above
average father, and that heprobably seemed to come across
as caring to a lot of people.
And to think that Timothy's lastwords were, Daddy, Daddy, my
stomach hurts, and to know thatRonald probably comforted him in
(38:06):
those moments, and, was actuallywaiting for him to die, knowing
that he did that to him, makesme really sick.
D (38:15):
I think Ronald has some issues there, mental issues.
There's no empathy there, so Idon't know if he's a psychopath
or a narcissist or something,but there is no empathy because
it's more about him than it isabout his child.
Sophia (38:31):
I was just gonna say there's a disconnect for sure.
Elena (38:33):
Yeah, even in his final words, They were still centered
around him.
D (38:39):
Yes, they were.
Elena (38:40):
They were I Forgive you for your injustices against me.
This is wrong.
This is like I'm not bitter butlike
D (38:51):
The way he said it He said the mistakes people make.
He didn't say, I'm sorry, Imissed my child, I made a big
mistake, I don't know what I wasthinking, I hit the bottom,
nothing like that came out.
So it just seems like he was seton, There is a disconnect,
something's wrong.
Sophia (39:09):
He's pretending he's innocent.
Elena (39:10):
Yeah, and if he really was.
Then his final words wouldprobably be centered around the
child he lost.
Sophia (39:17):
Right.
Elena (39:18):
Because if you didn't do it, then you're going to mourn
the child and those would beyour final words.
Sophia (39:23):
You can tell he has a, probably a grandiose image of
himself just by what his finalwords were.
And if, I'm not going todiagnose him because I don't
know, but I wouldn't besurprised if he did turn out to
be a narcissist just by the factthat he's not able to admit
that.
He did it wrong.
But despite all this, youshouldn't be afraid to go trick
(39:43):
or treating because it'sgenerally safe.
So, happy Halloween, everyone.
Happy Halloween.
Have fun.
If you're going trick ortreating, I hope you enjoy it
and have a spooky time.
And if you're home, stay safeand have fun handing out candy
if you can.
Elena (40:03):
Watch some scary movies.
And have a great Halloween,guys.
Bye! Bye! Bye, guys.
Happy Halloween.
Happy Halloween and be safe!
Hey guys, welcome to the Eerie Side podcast with your
hosts, Sophia, Elena, and D.
We appreciate you guys listeningand we hope you're ready to get
on the Eerie Side.
(00:45):
Before we get into the show, wewould appreciate it if you could
give the podcast a follow if youaren't already.
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(01:07):
And please remember to follow uson Instagram, TikTok, and
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All right, with that, let's getinto it.
With Halloween right around thecorner for us, or today, if you
are listening to this episode, Idecided to do a true crime
episode that was fitting for theseason.
(01:29):
If you lived in the UnitedStates growing up, by the time
you were in your tweens, youprobably heard stories about
people putting razors andneedles in Halloween candy.
Now, while I wish those storieswere myths, they actually
aren't.
There have been multiple casesover the decades of people
finding sharp objectspurposefully put into their
(01:52):
Halloween candy.
Not by companies making thecandy, But by other individuals
who have tampered with thecandy.
Thankfully, no one has gottenseriously injured or died from
these incidents.
But what about when it comes topoisoned Halloween candy?
And we're talking aboutspecifically when it's been
tampered with.
(02:13):
I want you to both guess howmany people have died in the
United States due poisonings.
Elena (02:20):
How many, like what kind of poisoning, like something is
like food poisoning, likesomething just was an accident
or it was like intentionallypoisoned?
Sophia (02:30):
Intentionally poisoned.
Elena (02:31):
And this is just not with razor blades or anything like
that with like actual poison orjust any kind of tampering?
Sophia (02:37):
Tampering that's been poisoned with
Elena (02:40):
I don't know I'd probably like I would assume less than a
hundred.
I would hope it's not too high.
Sophia (02:45):
You Mom
D (02:46):
50
Sophia (02:47):
Well, the correct answer is only one person.
Oh You And this happened to beeight year old Timothy O'Bryan.
Timothy was born on April 5th,1966 to his parents, Ronald
Clark O'Bryan and Daynene.
Daynene and Ronald were married,and they lived in Deer Park,
Texas, which was a middle classsuburb of Houston.
(03:10):
Ronald was an optician, and hewas also a deacon at the Second
Baptist Church, where he sang inthe choir.
A few years later, in 1969,Ronald and Daynene welcomed a
daughter named Elizabeth.
Fast forward to Halloween nightin 1974, Timothy is now 8, and
that year he ends up going trickor treating with his dad, his
(03:34):
sister, their neighbor, who wasJim Bates, and his two kids.
Now unfortunately, it wasraining that night, so while
everyone enjoyed trick ortreating, they unfortunately did
not get to trick or treat for aslong as they normally would had
it not been raining.
They only ended up trick ortreating at homes on two
streets.
And eventually, they all wentback home.
(03:57):
Timothy and Elizabeth begangetting ready for bed.
But before they did, Ronald toldhis children that they each
could have one piece of candy.
And Ronald said that Timothy hadchosen to eat a pixie stick.
Now, in case you don't know, apixie stick is a long, thin tube
that is in the shape of a straw,and it has sweet and sour candy
(04:18):
in it.
Timothy actually had a hard timegetting the candy out of the
tube, so Ronald helped him getit out.
But while eating the pixiestick, Timothy thought it tasted
bitter, so his father gave himsome Kool-Aid to help wash it
down.
After Timothy had finished theKool-Aid, Ronald left his room,
(04:39):
but later heard Timothy cry tohim and say, Daddy, Daddy, my
stomach hurts.
So Timothy became very sickquickly after eating the Pixie
Stick.
He then ran to the bathroomwhere he began vomiting,
convulsing, and gasping for air.
Ronald said he was holdingTimothy as he vomited and that
Timothy ended up becoming limpin his arms.
(05:00):
Unfortunately, Timothy died onhis way to the hospital, which
was less than an hour afterfirst eating the pixie stick.
Elena (05:07):
Wow, that's quick.
Sophia (05:09):
Very quick.
As soon as Timothy's body wasbrought to the morgue, the
medical examiner could smell thescent of almonds coming from his
mouth, which is a sign ofcyanide poisoning.
Elena (05:22):
Interesting.
Sophia (05:23):
When the autopsy was conducted, it confirmed that
Timothy had consumed enoughpotassium cyanide to kill three
grown men.
Ronald witnessed, people assumedthat Timothy had been poisoned
by the pixie stick, and so thecommunity became very scared.
Parents gave the candy theirchildren had received from
(05:46):
Halloween to the police becausethey feared it had poison.
And as news of this trick ortreat related death spread
across the nation, some parentsacross the country vowed to
never celebrate Halloween again,which I doubt actually happened
after the case was solved.
Police immediately worked tosolve the crime, because Timothy
had only trick or treated on twostreets that actually gave the
(06:10):
investigators a narrow area tosearch and a limited suspect
pool.
So the question was, where didthe pixie stick come from?
And actually it was pixiesticks, as in plural, because
five children ended up receivingthem.
While trick or treating, thegroup had rung the doorbell of a
house that had no lights on.
(06:30):
No one was answering the door,so the kids continued on and Jim
followed them, Jim the neighbor.
But Ronald waited behind to seeif anyone would open the door,
when eventually someone did.
Ronald didn't see who opened thedoor because all he could see
was a supposed hairy armreaching out with five pixie
sticks, which Ronald took.
(06:52):
He then ran back and caught upwith the group, giving a pixie
stick to Timothy, his daughter,Elizabeth, and Jim's two kids.
When Ronald got home, he gavethe fifth pixie stick to a ten
year old boy from church who wastrick or treating at his house.
As soon as the police heard thisthey contacted Jim and made sure
that his kid's pixie sticks hadstill been uneaten and took them
(07:15):
in for examination.
The police then reached out tothe parents of the 10 year old
boy that Ronald knew from churchand explained to them that the
pixie stick was the source ofthe poison and that they needed
to find it.
So the parents searched throughtheir boy's Halloween candy, and
when they do not find any pixiestick, they become hysterical.
And actually, the boy had askedhis mom if he could eat the
(07:37):
candy, but she told him no.
He would be allowed to eat itthe next day after school, but
now that they were not able tofind it She assumed he had eaten
the pixie stick So then bothparents run upstairs to where
their son was sleeping in hisbed And they found him in his
bed fast asleep with an unopenedpixie stick in his hand Wow.
(08:01):
Yeah.
And it turns out he had tried toopen the pixie stick and eat it,
but he couldn't get it openbecause he wasn't strong enough
to remove the staple in thepixie stick.
D (08:12):
Excuse me.
A staple?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Okay.
Elena (08:15):
Yeah.
Well, a kid wouldn't realizethat, but wow.
Sophia (08:18):
Yeah, it's that makes it pretty obvious that it was
tampered with and but again,he's a kid So maybe didn't mean
anything to him But thankfullybecause of that staple he could
not open it and it ended upsaving his life Wow So now that
the police had all of the PixieSticks, they examined them and
found that someone had replacedthe top two inches of each Pixie
(08:41):
Stick with granules of cyanideand then had stapled the Pixie
Sticks closed again.
So it was very clear that theyhad been tampered with.
So any thoughts so far on, youknow, this tragic event?
Elena (08:56):
It's just crazy to me that someone Would do that to
another kid knowing that they'regoing to take this candy that
they're going to eat it andYou're going to Target an
innocent child.
Anyone who wants to harm anotherperson is crazy, but especially
Someone who you have absolutelynever most likely seen before
(09:16):
you're just there to cause harmand pain.
Sophia (09:19):
Sounds like somebody who's very angry and has like a
vendetta against people.
Elena (09:23):
Yeah, definitely wants to possibly make people hurt.
D (09:27):
Just so you understand, cyanide is not something you can
really play with around a home.
You have to know how to Move itaround, how to do it so you
don't get it.
So it's interesting that one,someone had it in their house
because back then was easy toget.
And second, they were aware howto.
(09:48):
use it, and I guess they did notdie, but they wanted, obviously,
some trick or treater to passaway or get hurt, which I find
very interesting because cyanideis very, very dangerous.
You have to know how to workaround it.
Sophia (10:04):
Why do you say that it would be very easy for them to
Get sick from the cyanide aslong as they're not eating or
digesting it
D (10:13):
Cyanide can actually go in the air and you can breathe it
too if I'm not mistaken as apowder if you're not careful.
When I was in school one of mycollege professors said she
worked with cyanide and she hadto constantly remind her to be
careful Because they getcomfortable with it And it can
get stuck even underneath yournail, and you could just go
(10:34):
scratch your nose or dosomething.
So these are points that, youhave to be careful when you are
using cyanide.
Sophia (10:44):
That makes sense.
I think a mask could definitelyhelp with some of that, but not
if it gets underneath yourfingernail.
Elena (10:50):
I just did a quick search, and it did say that it
is highly lethal if you'reinhaling it too.
Sophia (10:56):
Yikes.
That's a dangerous chemical tobe.
Dealing with.
Elena (11:00):
Oh, and then I guess it can also be absorbed through
Topical exposure
Sophia (11:04):
if you touch it?
Elena (11:05):
I assume so Wow.
Yeah absorbed.
I'm assuming that's like throughyour skin.
Sophia (11:10):
I did not know that.
Elena (11:12):
Yeah, that's crazy
Sophia (11:15):
So, now the police needed to figure out which house
had handed out the Pixie Sticks.
At first, Ronald was unable toremember which house gave him
the Pixie Sticks, but after thepolice became firm with him and
told him that he needed toremember, he was able to point
out the house that had given himthe Pixie Sticks.
Police determined that the homewas owned by a man named
(11:37):
Courtney Melvin.
Melvin was an air trafficcontroller at William P.
Hobby Airport, so they went tothe airport and arrested him.
However, they later found outthat he did not get home from
work until 11 p.
m.
on Halloween night, so policeruled Melvin out as a suspect
200 people confirmed that he hadbeen at work.
Elena (11:58):
That's interesting.
Sophia (12:00):
Very interesting.
D (12:01):
So who handed out the candy?
Sophia (12:03):
This now meant that Ronald was in the hot seat.
Ronald was not who theyinitially would have thought of
as a suspect because he wasTimothy's father and was also
seen as a model citizen.
One pastor described Ronald as agood Christian man and an above
average father.
However, this didn't stop thepolice from investigating Ronald
(12:23):
to see if potentially theStarting to suspect him was
valid or not.
They discovered that he was over$100,000 in debt, which in
today's time would be about$620,000.
Wow.
Ronald also had a history ofbeing unable to hold a job.
In the previous 10 years, Ronaldhad held 21 jobs.
(12:48):
He was suspected of theft at hisjob at Texas State Optical and
was close to being fired.
His car was about to berepossessed.
He had defaulted on several bankloans, and the family home had
been foreclosed on.
So financially, Ronald's lifewas in shambles.
Police then discovered thatRonald had taken out life
(13:08):
insurance policies on hischildren in the months preceding
Timothy's death.
Elena (13:14):
Wow, that's disgusting.
Sophia (13:17):
If you think that's disgusting, it's only gonna get
worse, so.
D (13:20):
Did he take insurance on the other kids too?
He sounds like he probably couldhave.
Sophia (13:24):
Oh, that's a good point is that, in case anyone doesn't
know, you can take insurancepolicies out on random people.
Elena (13:30):
Really?
Sophia (13:31):
So, like, your neighbor or somebody you've never met
before, you can just take it outon random people.
Elena (13:35):
Why?
Sophia (13:37):
I don't know, that's just what the insurance policies
allow.
Elena (13:40):
If you have an old neighbor, just take an insurance
policy out on them, and thenthey die, and you get a penny?
Sophia (13:45):
Yep.
D (13:46):
Did that happen at all with the other kids, or no?
Sophia (13:48):
I don't think he had insurance policies on the other.
Elena (13:52):
I feel like it would be too obvious if he took them out
on all the kids that died.
Sophia (13:56):
He did have it, though, on his daughter.
D (13:58):
Only one daughter.
Elena (13:58):
In his mind, he thought it was going to be more.
And if you took a policy out ona kid that's not yours in
addition to your own, and thenthey all die, it's a little, I
feel, too on the nose.
Sophia (14:10):
The more I go into this, to me, he was really on the nose
anyways.
So, I would not have beensurprised if he had done it on
other children, too.
In January 1974, he had takenout$10,000 life insurance
policies on both of hischildren, which would be about
$62,000 today.
One month before Timothy'sdeath, Ronald took out an
(14:33):
additional$20,000 policies outon both his children, which
would be about$124,000 today.
And this was despite theobjections of his life insurance
agency.
And then this gets even worse.
In the days before Timothy'sdeath, Ronald took out another
$20,000 policy on each of hischildren.
(14:56):
The various policies totaledapproximately$60,000, which
would be about$371,000 today.
Elena (15:04):
That's still not even, close to how much he's in debt,
though.
D (15:08):
Wait, 60 for each kid?
Sophia (15:11):
$60,000 total.
D (15:12):
Total?
That doesn't sound right if itwas 10 per kid and then another
20 per kid.
Sophia (15:18):
I don't I think I just copied what they said so Maybe
their math's not right I thinkyou have to have separate
policies for each person, right?
You can't combine it.
D (15:26):
No, you don't combine them.
Sophia (15:27):
It should be about a thousand, a hundred thousand.
Let me like double check.
Elena (15:31):
It's just weird that he's going to take a whole policy, do
all this, and it's not evenenough to cover his debt.
Sophia (15:37):
The various policies totaled approximately$100,000,
which would be over$620,000today.
D (15:45):
So he was close to getting rid of all his debts.
Well, the number was close towhat his debts were.
Sophia (15:51):
Yeah, I think it would have actually covered it.
So it made sense why he took outso many yeah And the numbers he
did.
The morning after Timothy'sdeath Ronald called his
insurance company to ask aboutcollecting the policies he had
taken out on Timothy So hedidn't even wait.
Ronald's wife Daydene wasadamant that she did not know
about the insurance policies onher children's lives.
(16:13):
Police also discovered thatRonald had visited a chemical
supply store in Houston to buycyanide shortly before
Halloween, but he left withoutpurchasing anything after
learning that the smallestamount available for purchase
was five pounds.
Even though at the time policecouldn't confirm Ronald had
bought cyanide, which is true tothis day actually, they still
(16:35):
can't confirm it.
They suspected that he hadsomehow bought cyanide and that
he had laced the candies withthe poison in order to kill his
children to collect on theirlife insurance policies due to
his financial situation.
And they believed he gave theother children poison candy in
an effort to cover up his crime.
Elena (16:55):
Oh my god, that's just ridiculous.
Sophia (16:58):
Yeah, it would have been complete collateral damage.
It's bad enough.
That you're gonna kill your ownkids.
Right.
For insurance money.
But to then also kill, otherchildren that aren't even
related or involved in this isjust ridiculous.
And they were like his neighbor's kids.
(17:19):
It was a kid he knew from churchthat I'm sure trusted him and
thank God he couldn't even getit open because of the staple.
I know.
After a warrant was granted,police searched Ronald's house
and found a knife with candyresidue on it, which was similar
to the residue found on thecyanide laced Pixie Stix.
Police also found adding machinetape that had all of Ronald's
(17:42):
bills written out next to thenumbers on the adding machine
tape, and it came to almost theexact amount of what he would
collect from the life insurance.
Elena (17:51):
Okay, so he was even doing the numbers before that.
Sophia (17:55):
He was planning it out.
So at this point, it's notlooking great for Ronald.
Despite the fact that policerepeatedly questioned Ronald, he
maintained his innocence.
But on November 5th, 1974, Soonly about five days after
Halloween, Ronald was arrestedfor Timothy's murder.
Ronald was indicted on one countof capital murder and four
(18:18):
counts of attempted murder.
He entered a plea of not guiltyto all five counts, and his
trial began in Houston on May5th, 1975.
During the trial, a chemist whoknew Ronald testified that in
the summer of 1973, Ronaldcontacted him asking about
cyanide and how much would befatal.
(18:39):
That's 1973, which is over ayear from when Timothy was
actually poisoned.
Elena (18:45):
That's just crazy to me how far advanced he had planned
this, and he had over a year tostop and take a second to think.
Hmm, maybe I shouldn't be doingthis and he just continued to go
through with it.
Sophia (18:58):
Yeah, it's really incredible in a really wrong way
that After planning about it fora year he still went through
with it and that it took him ayear to get there, too.
I'm Shocked that he could goabout keeping this secret for
such a long time.
D (19:15):
Wasn't he waiting for the right opportunity and Halloween
is it?
Sophia (19:18):
I think yeah, I think he was.
I don't know why it amazes me.
But it amazes me that he wasable to wait a year and be so
calculated about it all thewhile Looking at his son every
day knowing that he was planningthis
Elena (19:29):
Yeah, that's it's awful also for for the kids too
because it's like those poorbabies We're just living their
lives all while their father wasplanning on and murdering them.
Sophia (19:40):
And to know his daughter was also a target.
Elena (19:42):
Yeah.
Sophia (19:43):
She had to live with that too, because she survived.
Yeah.
A chemical supply salesman alsotestified that Ronald had asked
him how to purchase cyanide.
Friends and co workers testifiedthat in the months before
Timothy's death, Ronald showedan unusual interest in cyanide
and spoke about how much itwould take to kill a person.
Elena (20:03):
Oh my god, is he getting excited about this?
Sophia (20:06):
I don't know if it's excitement or stupidity.
I feel like it's really stupidof him to be leaving all this
evidence behind while I'm gladwe have it.
It's so dumb.
Elena (20:15):
It's stupid to kill your kids, but Proven he's already
done that so I wouldn't put itpast him.
Sophia (20:21):
I agree.
Ronald's sister-in-law andbrother-in-law testified that on
the day of Timothy's funeral,Ronald spoke of using the money
from Timothy's life insurancepolicy to take a long vacation
and buy other items.
Which, I'm like, he's in allthis debt, and now he's got the
money to get rid of that debt.
(20:43):
But, I feel like he's just gonnacontinue to be in debt if he's
actually talking about using themoney that he got from killing
his son for this extravagantvacation.
Elena (20:51):
Take a nice vacation.
Like, what?
D (20:54):
I think he sounds a little unstable, actually.
Like there's something wrongwith him.
Sophia (20:58):
Yeah, I think when somebody has lost their child,
their first thought is not goingto be, let's take a vacation.
It's going to be, let's curl upin a ball and bed and cry all
day and never leave.
It's just, it shows you he'sclearly not upset that he had to
take Timothy's life in his mind.
Yeah.
And also I want to say the fact that he's saying
something like that at his son'sfuneral.
Elena (21:18):
Yeah, that too.
Sophia (21:19):
That's sick.
That's gross.
Elena (21:21):
Like just mourn your kid you're there to mourn your kid.
You're there for your child.
that died.
Sophia (21:28):
It's not doing Timothy any justice.
And Ronald even pretended thathe was shocked at the funeral
about what had happened.
And he gave it a very emotionaleulogy about Timothy.
But Obviously it was all fake.
Elena (21:40):
So I'm assuming at that funeral, no one knew yet that it
was him.
Sophia (21:45):
Well, the police, I'm sure were
investigating at that point, butno one else, no official
arrests yet.
Wow Timothy's mother, Daydene,also disclosed that Timothy did
not choose the pixie sticks.
And instead Ronald had in fact,forced him to choose the pixie
sticks.
Despite all this evidence,Ronald continued to maintain his
(22:07):
innocence.
His defense used the old urbanlegend about a crazy poisoner
somebody who hands out Halloweencandy laced with, poison,
needles, or razor blades.
So, the defense was trying tosay that the candy had been done
by some crazy person.
Elena (22:24):
Yeah, him.
Sophia (22:28):
Exactly.
Ronald's problem is that I thinkhe assumed that poisoned
Halloween candy was a commonoccurrence, when in fact there
are no documented instances ofpoisoned Halloween candy, except
for now Ronald who's created it,of course.
And it makes sense for me tothink that, for him to assume
(22:49):
that, because even asking youtwo earlier in this episode, you
all thought it was maybe 50 orless than a hundred and I would
have assumed as well that therewould have been more than just
one person.
Elena (23:01):
Yeah, I thought it was more common the way people talk
about it.
Sophia (23:04):
Right.
it's a myth though.
So, I mean except for Ronald,but yeah, you know, exception.
Elena (23:08):
What about like razor blades and stuff?
Was that ever a thing?
Sophia (23:12):
So they have found razor blades and Halloween candy and
needles and stuff like that Butit's not very common and while
people have gotten pricked fromit Nobody's actually died from
it or gotten seriously injured.
Because most of the time, it'llcut up your mouth, but usually
by then you'd know and you'dspit it out.
Yes, and usually you can tell the Halloween candy's been
(23:32):
tampered with.
Elena (23:33):
True.
Has there been, do you know ifthere's cases of like needles
and razors before this case?
Or is this kind of what startedit?
Sophia (23:43):
That's a good question.
D (23:44):
What year are we at?
1974.
Okay, before that they weretalking about stuffing candy.
I could tell you that.
But I couldn't eat my candyunless it was open and sometimes
we had to cut through it to makesure nothing was in there.
Sophia (23:58):
Are you serious?
D (23:59):
Yes, because they constantly were telling us razors and
needles were in the candy.
Sophia (24:03):
You mean your parents or just?
D (24:05):
I don't know, parents and who knows what else and the school.
Elena (24:09):
Okay, I just looked it up.
The first.
time this happened, was in 68when they police found a razor
blade in an apple, like aHalloween apple.
Sophia (24:20):
Oh, okay.
D (24:21):
Halloween apple.
Who on earth gets a Halloweenapple?
Elena (24:23):
I think it was in the 60s.
Sophia (24:25):
I think I remember reading that, actually.
Elena (24:28):
That's what I would imagine being passed out in the
60s.
D (24:30):
Well, that's why I don't think they gave out fruit
anymore.
Yeah.
It became more of a, somethingthat was, wrapped up.
Yeah, untampered.
And not something you made athome.
I think everybody went to thestore and bought it.
Elena (24:42):
Yeah.
Sophia (24:42):
I'm still trying to imagine you having to cut your
Halloween candy as a child andshow it to your mom that it was
safe to eat.
D (24:51):
Yeah, because they said there were razors and pins, so you cut
it so you could see if therewere
Sophia (24:56):
was common in, in like your specific neighborhood or
amongst many children?
Because I have never heard ofthat.
D (25:01):
Well, you weren't in my era.
How would you hear that?
Sophia (25:03):
I'm also just wondering if it was your parents in
particular.
Like if this was an experienceunique to you.
D (25:11):
Maybe it was.
Because I don't know.
I do know they They would talkabout it when you would hear
things, but maybe it was an oldrumor.
Maybe it was not real.
Elena (25:18):
I feel like I hear that some parents do cut their kids
candy.
Oh, okay.
Yeah, to check for erasers.
I think it's still a thing.
I think it's pretty common thatkids parents still do to this
day.
Sophia (25:28):
Really?
Okay.
That's interesting.
The case and trial receivednational attention, and the
press called Ronald theCandyman.
I do want to make it clear,there is another killer that is
sometimes known as the CandymanKiller, and that is Dean Corll.
Dean's crimes were a little bitdifferent in that he ended up
(25:49):
abducting, raping, torturing,and killing 28 teenage boys and
young men, but the reason he wasknown as the Candyman Killer was
because his family had a candyshop and he was known to give
away free candy to the children.
Back to Ronald, a few othernames he has received over the
years are the man who killedHalloween Because he created
(26:11):
paranoia around poison candy andthe pixie sticks killer.
D (26:16):
It's not really a Halloween Paranoia because if you really
think about it, it's a fatherwho used Halloween To kill his
own kid.
He didn't even kill anybodyelse.
Yeah, he tried to kill someneighbor kids, but they were all
part of his group.
It wasn't like they were goingto some house and someone was
actually passing out candy likethat.
(26:37):
I just think that they make itthat, he affected Halloween.
It doesn't fit.
What you would think wouldhappen on Halloween, that's a
horror, where some neighbor ispassing out the best candy And
it's all laced with cyanide orsomething.
That's what I'm saying It was anindividual who needed to get rid
of his kids for financialreasons and gave candy with
(26:59):
cyanide to others So it lookslike he was not part of it.
Sophia (27:03):
I agree there.
It's a different scenario thanwhat everyone's imagining I
wonder if the initial horror andparanoia of it trickled on a
little afterwards or the pressjust decided to run with that
sort of name.
What's interesting is I lookedit up too, and there is still a
few reports of it happening now.
It is still says it's likemainly a myth, but there was a
(27:25):
few cases not too long ago, acouple of years ago.
People finding razor blades inlike chocolate.
Yeah, that happens.
I told you there's definitelybeen cases of that, but no one's
ever kind of like seriouslyinjured from it.
D (27:36):
And now you know why I used to cut my candy.
Elena (27:38):
Although it says it's incredibly rare, law enforcement
and the FDA still recommendlooking at candy before eating
it.
So, even though it Is rare, theystill recommend parents to do
that.
Sophia (27:50):
And what does that mean, looking at candy, like cutting
it?
Cutting it?
D (27:53):
When you guys used to trick or treat, I wanted you to go to
the homes that we knew.
Because we knew the neighbors.
Yeah.
So we did not go that far.
We just went around theneighborhood because we knew the
neighbors.
That also was another reasonthat we did not go far for trick
or treat.
Sophia (28:08):
It's interesting.
I don't remember us going far,but I think that's because even
going around the block was a lotfor me at that age.
Elena (28:15):
What age?
Sophia (28:16):
Like, seven, eight, six.
Elena (28:18):
Oh, okay.
There's also times when youtrick or treated when you were
much older too, like when I wasyounger too.
So, I was like, there's a widerange of childhood.
Sophia (28:26):
point I was trick or treating on my own.
She wasn't there.
Elena (28:29):
No, there were times when you were older and I was there,
like when you were 13.
I think it was just you and me,right?
She didn't come with.
Who's she?
Oh, mom.
Sophia (28:39):
Who's she?
Elena (28:41):
Anyways, continue.
Sophia (28:44):
On June 3, 1975, a jury took 46 minutes to find Ronald
guilty of capital murder andfour counts of attempted murder.
The jury took 71 minutes tosentence him to death by
electrocution.
Shortly after he was convicted,Daydene filed for divorce and
she later remarried and her newhusband adopted her daughter,
(29:04):
Elizabeth.
Ronald was taken to the prisoncalled Ellis Unit in Huntsville,
Texas.
In prison, Ronald was shunnedand despised by his fellow death
row inmates for killing hischild, and he had no friends.
Inmates Good.
I think we all know at thispoint that inmates hate people
who harm children.
Yeah, the inmates actuallypetitioned to hold an organized
(29:27):
demonstration on Ronald'sexecution day and to Express
their hatred of him, which youknow, wow.
Yeah, if even the death rowinmates hate you that's when you
know, you're pretty bad
Elena (29:37):
Yeah, it's literally the worst of the worst.
Sophia (29:40):
Yeah So Ronald was set to be executed on August 8th,
1980.
His attorney successfullypetitioned for a stay of
execution.
A second date was scheduled forMay 25th, 1982, but that was
also postponed.
Judge Michael McSpaddenscheduled a third execution day
for October 31st, 1982, theeighth anniversary of the crime,
(30:05):
and he offered to personallydrive Ronald to the death
chamber.
Elena (30:09):
Wait, this is the judge?
Sophia (30:11):
Yes.
The judge.
Elena (30:12):
Wow.
Sophia (30:13):
It was to have been the first time Texas executed an
inmate by lethal injection, butthe Supreme Court delayed the
date yet again to give Ronald achance to pursue an appeal to
seek a new trial.
So the first Texas inmate whoactually died by lethal
injection was Charles BrooksJr., who was convicted of
murdering a man.
(30:34):
A fourth date was finallyscheduled for March 31st, 1984.
Elena (30:39):
I like how they're keeping, oh wait, no, never
mind, you said March, justkidding.
Sophia (30:41):
I know, I would have really appreciated it if it had
been on October 31st, but it wasthe 31st of March.
Reynolds lawyers sought a fourthstay on the basis that lethal
injection was a cruel andunusual punishment.
But a federal judge rejected therequest.
So on March 31st, 1984, shortlyafter midnight, Ronald was
(31:02):
executed by lethal injection.
His last meal was a literalfeast.
It consisted of T bone steak,medium to well done, French
fries and ketchup, whole corn ofcorn, sweet peas, lettuce and
tomato salad with egg and Frenchdressing, iced tea, sweetener,
saltines, Boston cream pie androlls.
Elena (31:23):
I'm sorry.
Don't they have a financial capthat they put on their meals?
Like I'm pretty sure they can'tget anything over$50 now.
Or is that I'm pretty sure theyput a cap on your final meal.
Sophia (31:33):
I don't know, but this was definitely the feast of
final meals.
He definitely went out bloated.
That's for sure.
Yeah.
I also find it unfair that hegot a wonderful last meal, but
his son was left with cyanide ashis last meal.
Elena (31:45):
Yeah, I honestly was afraid you were gonna say and
then he also asked for candy orsomething.
And I was like, this is gonnabe,, that would have really
pissed me off if they, if heasked for that and they let him
have that.
Sophia (31:54):
Yeah, on a side note, while you look up whatever
you're looking up, I noticedthat when death row inmates ask
for like steak.
at least I've seen two peoplenow.
Ronald was one and then it mayhave been Charles Brooks Jr.
who I was researching up.
I'm not sure.
But another one, they were bothgiven T bone steaks.
Not sure if that's like the onlysteak they're given, but I
(32:16):
thought that was prettyinteresting.
Elena (32:18):
I did look and most states have like a financial
limit on what they can request.
Like apparently like Florida's$40, but like Oklahoma's$15.
Sophia (32:32):
You could probably get a lot for$15 in Oklahoma.
Elena (32:35):
Go to like McDonald's or something.
Can you imagine McDonald's beingyour last meal?
Sophia (32:39):
Not surprised if it's only$15.
Elena (32:41):
But also at this rate, what can you get with$40 these
days?
Sophia (32:45):
I know, a Chipotle will cost like almost 15 at this
point.
Elena (32:49):
I thought you were going to say that's like a Starbucks
drink.
I'm like, girl, what are yougetting at Starbucks that's
costing$40?
Sophia (32:55):
Nothing at this point.
Elena (32:57):
In about a decade, that'll be one Frappuccino cost,
but still.
Sophia (33:01):
It's crazy.
I can't keep up with it.
Elena (33:03):
Maybe during that time they did not have a financial
cap, or maybe it was one of thestates that don't, but that's
crazy.
Sophia (33:10):
But I'm also wondering if they can just get a lot of
that really cheap at a grocerystore or something.
Elena (33:15):
True.
Sophia (33:16):
You know.
Elena (33:17):
But then who's cooking it?
That's a different conversation.
Continue.
Sophia (33:20):
Okay.
Ronald felt sorry for himselfthroughout this entire process
and.
Boo hoo.
Yeah.
But he did not receive the pityhe wanted.
His last words were, What isabout to transpire in a few
moments is wrong.
However, we as human beings domake mistakes and errors.
This execution is one of thosewrongs that doesn't mean our
whole system of justice iswrong.
(33:42):
Therefore, I would forgive allwho have taken part in any way
in my death.
Also to anyone I have offendedin any way during my 39 years, I
pray and ask for yourforgiveness.
Just as I forgive anyone whooffended me in any way.
And I pray and ask God'sforgiveness for all of us,
respectively as human beings tomy loved ones.
(34:02):
I extend my undying love tothose close to me.
No one, your hearts.
I love you one and all God blessyou all and make God's blessings
be always yours.
Ronald C.
O'Bryan.
P.
S.
During my time here, I have beentreated well by all TDC
personnel.
Elena (34:18):
So that was his final words.
Sophia (34:20):
It was kind of a performance, if you ask me.
Elena (34:23):
I just love how he ended on the personnel were decent.
Okay.
There's kind of a lot to unpack.
He seems very full of himself.
Yeah.
It's just so cocky, and it'slike, you murdered your son,
shut up.
But, thank you, thank you.
Mom, any, any thoughts on that?
D (34:44):
No, but I do have a question.
Sophia (34:45):
Okay.
D (34:46):
Do they say how he learned how to handle cyanide?
Mom's
Elena (34:50):
going back to the cyanide.
D (34:52):
I am.
Sophia (34:53):
No.
They don't.
D (34:54):
They never figured out how he knew how to handle it.
Sophia (34:57):
You're surprised that he didn't like hurt himself or die
from it?
D (35:01):
Not necessarily.
He may have been Okay.
Okay.
Bright enough to understand hehad to do it in a certain way
But I'm just surprised because Iknow you should be careful not
to breathe it You have to reallyknow how to handle it.
He must not have done it at home
Sophia (35:13):
He did remember they found the knife with the candy
residue on it That was similarto what was found in the pixie
stick
Elena (35:19):
But if he was asking around and he was talking to
someone who already knewcyanide, right?
That person could have told himlike.
Sophia (35:26):
That's true.
They could have told him.
Elena (35:27):
That's really dangerous or He could have already knew
that.
I mean, it's possible, he justknew that like mom did.
D (35:32):
That they found that tool means that he did it, but I'm
just wondering where he did it,if he really did it at home or
not.
Sophia (35:40):
I have no idea.
I wouldn't be surprised if hedid do it at home.
Seems kind of sloppy.
D (35:45):
I'm surprised his wife didn't get it or his daughter unless he
knew how to be completelycareful, that's all.
Sophia (35:51):
I don't know why he didn't wash it off though, if he
was trying to be careful.Washthe residue off of the knife.
D (35:58):
That's true.
Yeah, maybe he just didn'tunderstand.
Sophia (36:00):
I did want to say it's interesting because in his final
words he talked about sendinghis love to his family members.
But it's hard to think of him asbeing capable of love when he
chose to kill his son.
Elena (36:15):
Yeah, where was his love when he killed his son?
Sophia (36:17):
For money, yeah.
D (36:18):
And was his wife there when he was being?
Sophia (36:22):
That, I don't know actually.
I'm not really sure.
D (36:25):
There's no mention that she went to watch the execution.
Sophia (36:28):
The sources that I was reading from no one mentioned I
think that she had gone there SoI'm not sure if she did or she
didn't.
D (36:34):
Okay.
Sophia (36:35):
During the execution though a crowd of 300
Demonstrators gathered outsidethe prison.
They were cheering and someyelled trick or treat
Elena (36:44):
Wow.
Sophia (36:45):
Which I find to be very fitting.
Elena (36:47):
Wow, that's a lot.
Were any of the Death rowinmates there.
Sophia (36:53):
I don't know.
I I'm assuming they're in thedeath row, but I'm sure they
were happy that night.
They'd be celebrating.
Elena (37:02):
They let them watch too.
That would be interesting.
Sophia (37:05):
It's a weird thing for me to think about the death row
inmates banding together tocelebrate an injustice, but this
is the kind of person thatRonald is.
Elena (37:14):
It's the worst of the worst coming together to tell
Ronald that no, you're the worstof the worst.
Sophia (37:22):
That's a good way to put it.
Also, this next thing, itprobably wasn't the right thing
to do.
But it's very funny.
So there were demonstrators,right, who were, like cheering
about Ronald being executed.
But then there were also antideath penalty demonstrators
there.
Elena (37:36):
Oh.
Sophia (37:37):
And the demonstrators were tossing candy over to the
anti death penaltydemonstrators.
To mock them.
Elena (37:44):
Oh, I see.
That was kind of funny.
The whole narrative of it.
What haunts me is how somepeople saw Ronald as an above
average father, and that heprobably seemed to come across
as caring to a lot of people.
And to think that Timothy's lastwords were, Daddy, Daddy, my
stomach hurts, and to know thatRonald probably comforted him in
(38:06):
those moments, and, was actuallywaiting for him to die, knowing
that he did that to him, makesme really sick.
D (38:15):
I think Ronald has some issues there, mental issues.
There's no empathy there, so Idon't know if he's a psychopath
or a narcissist or something,but there is no empathy because
it's more about him than it isabout his child.
Sophia (38:31):
I was just gonna say there's a disconnect for sure.
Elena (38:33):
Yeah, even in his final words, They were still centered
around him.
D (38:39):
Yes, they were.
Elena (38:40):
They were I Forgive you for your injustices against me.
This is wrong.
This is like I'm not bitter butlike
D (38:51):
The way he said it He said the mistakes people make.
He didn't say, I'm sorry, Imissed my child, I made a big
mistake, I don't know what I wasthinking, I hit the bottom,
nothing like that came out.
So it just seems like he was seton, There is a disconnect,
something's wrong.
Sophia (39:09):
He's pretending he's innocent.
Elena (39:10):
Yeah, and if he really was.
Then his final words wouldprobably be centered around the
child he lost.
Sophia (39:17):
Right.
Elena (39:18):
Because if you didn't do it, then you're going to mourn
the child and those would beyour final words.
Sophia (39:23):
You can tell he has a, probably a grandiose image of
himself just by what his finalwords were.
And if, I'm not going todiagnose him because I don't
know, but I wouldn't besurprised if he did turn out to
be a narcissist just by the factthat he's not able to admit
that.
He did it wrong.
But despite all this, youshouldn't be afraid to go trick
(39:43):
or treating because it'sgenerally safe.
So, happy Halloween, everyone.
Happy Halloween.
Have fun.
If you're going trick ortreating, I hope you enjoy it
and have a spooky time.
And if you're home, stay safeand have fun handing out candy
if you can.
Elena (40:03):
Watch some scary movies.
And have a great Halloween,guys.
Bye! Bye! Bye, guys.
Happy Halloween.
Happy Halloween and be safe!
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