June 26, 2019 • 47 mins
Most people know all about the Amber Alert. Whenever a child is abducted, there is an alert system that appears on our phones and outdoor road signs. It is responsible for saving hundreds of children. The system was legally enacted by President George W. Bush when he signed the 2003 Protect Act. The alert is named after a murdered 9-year-old girl named Amber Hagerman.
In 1996, Amber Hagerman rode her bike in an abandoned parking lot. A witness saw a man in a black truck abduct her. Four days later, Amber's nude body was found in a creek. Her killer had sexually assaulted and tortured her for two days before cutting her throat and dumping her body in a creek.
Today, her murder remains unsolved, but Arlington, Texas police continue trying to find her killer. Since their is no biological evidence, the police are hoping someone will come forward with information that could break this case.
To read my columns, please visit www.Clermontsun.com or my website at www.themarcabe.com. You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter, and if you are interested in sponsoring my podcast and column, please click on this link: http://www.themarcabe.com/donations.html
In 1996, Amber Hagerman rode her bike in an abandoned parking lot. A witness saw a man in a black truck abduct her. Four days later, Amber's nude body was found in a creek. Her killer had sexually assaulted and tortured her for two days before cutting her throat and dumping her body in a creek.
Today, her murder remains unsolved, but Arlington, Texas police continue trying to find her killer. Since their is no biological evidence, the police are hoping someone will come forward with information that could break this case.
To read my columns, please visit www.Clermontsun.com or my website at www.themarcabe.com. You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter, and if you are interested in sponsoring my podcast and column, please click on this link: http://www.themarcabe.com/donations.html
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
I'd see you that little girl overthere played up down there. Yeah,
Mike, I dropped a little room, and so my father he left to
go find her while I was talkingto the police. But her granddad drove
up, and so then I wentback and told Donado somebody got Amber.
(00:22):
Of course, my dad had hisserious face on. I knew he was
not messing with me. I knewhe was telling me the truth. I
just went crazy. Then I juststarted going towards when my father says she
was abducted at screaming her name,but maybe for sure she would answer me.
But there was never no answer.There was nothing. We had flyers
(00:44):
out and just within hours of Amberwere sticking them everywhere. I'm just stood
outside, just constantly waiting and waitingand waiting. The police told me I
had to go inside because all themedia and everybody starting to come. I
thought Maver had an even to thatthat you know that they get Ambers picked
are out and get information after somebody, maybe girl would call Innerson. One
(01:06):
day was quiet neighborhood, and thenext day the whole world seemed Mike.
He was just rushing into being thelimelight and wanting people to know, you
know, it's my daughter's out theresomewhere. There were so many strangers that
come through the house, and weeven wondered if my visits once it got
(01:26):
over, could have even walked tothe house and we wouldn't have known it.
But it doesn't sound like someone lookedthe little girl knew, or someone
that she was going with voluntarily.I remember the emotion that I don't really
lack mound because I didn't believe it. We worried back. I can go
back and look at tapes that Iwould be to the adactor. You know,
thank you, don't worry my littlegirl. Some of the things like
(01:49):
that I don't want lip into him. You. Searching in the immediate area
does go on, although police saythe reality is if this alleged kidnapper was
in that pickup truck, it couldhave proven off and belongs on by Now,
(02:34):
welcome to another episode of the MarkHop. This is Mark Tonight.
I have a truly disturbing story foryou. It involves the abduction of a
little girl in Texas named Amber Haggerman. She was doing something that any child
would be doing. She was riddingher bike with her little brother Ricky.
Unfortunately, Amber would never live longenough to have children, get married,
(02:57):
or even find true love. Weknow that we cannot watch our children every
minute of the day. We haveto let them grow up and find their
own way. One of the beautifulthings about a child is their innocence.
They believe in the tooth Fairy.They also believe in Santa Claus and the
Easter Bunny. There's nothing greater thanwatching a child get excited about Christmas because
(03:20):
he or she believes a large manwith a big belly will place toys underneath
the Christmas tree. Yes, childrenlook at life as if it's a fairy
tale. They see the good ineveryone. To a lot of children when
they see somebody, they like tobelieve that people are good and kind.
But just as much as we lovea child's innocence, it can also get
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a child raped or murdered. Theydon't believe that evil exists and it's outside
waiting for them. As parents,one of our most difficult responsibilities is to
do our best to keep the evilaway from children. The case of Amber
Hagerman involved a stranger abduction parents.If you have small children, or even
(04:08):
big children, you may want togive them an extra hug or check in
on them one more time before goingto bed, just to make sure that
they are okay. There is nodoubt that many of you have already heard
(04:39):
of the Amber Alert program, Butdid you realize it was named after Amber
Hagerman. She was your typical nineyear old girl living in Arlington, Texas.
She was in the Girls Scouts.She and her five year old brother,
Ricky loved to ride their bicycles together. Ricky once even said Amber was
more than just as big sister.She was like a second mother and his
(05:01):
best friend. He still grees forher today and Amber's little brother only five
years old at the time. Now, Bailey remembers the day he lost his
(05:25):
big sister, but says, thepain it never goes away. Is this
you guys together? She used tolook after you, Ricky rightever, you
can even see it here. AndI mean, I was so young.
I knew she was gone, butI didn't know why. I didn't very
much understand it, but I justknew a bad man took my sister.
(05:46):
You were riding with her, yes, that day, you guys were riding
through the parking lot. Can youremember someone pulling up? What do you
what do you remember happened, wasresponsible around the block and and I was
scared of get in trouble, andI said let's go back, and I
took off. And from the timeI got to the house, my grandfather
(06:09):
asked me, where is my sisterand going back together? And she would
have gone that fast. Do youstill say you know some of her friends
around town from Tom to Tom?Do you stay in touch with any of
them? Mostly on social media?Facebook? Like that I see pictures of
you know, the kids and whatnot. Amber Renee Hagerman was born on November
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twenty fifth, nineteen eighty six,in Arlington, Texas. Her parents were
Donna Norris and Richard Hagerman. Herlittle brother was Ricky Hagerman. Amber was
your average nine year old. Shecollected Barbie dolls and had more than twenty
in her collection. She was popularin school and had lots of friends.
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She grew up a happy and healthychild. She was beloved by her parents,
grandparents, and helped looked after herlittle brother. She was your all
American child who enjoyed riding bikes andbeing alive. It's a travesty that her
family would never see her become amother or a wife. She would never
give Donna and Richard any grandchildren.Prior to Amber's abduction, she was profiled
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along with Ricky and her mother,and a story about welfare reform. Amber's
mother, Donna, had completed herged and was working towards learning new career
skills to better herself for Amber andRicky. Donna and Amber's father, Richard,
had separated, so she was committedto giving her children a great life,
(07:40):
as most parents do. Amber andDonna were best friends. Here's a
video about their story, as sharedby their local news. Normally, in
(08:11):
a kidnapping, you have a onedimensional photo to hold up and say here's
the child missing. We had videoof Amber at her birthday party and doing
her homework and being tucked into bed, so she became this very very human
person rather than a photograph. Inthe city and Arlington, everyone around just
adopted her as their own. Andthrough that four days we hoped to recover
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her. Everyone was praying and hopingfor that, and it's everyone took it
very hard when the ultimate outcome happened. Yess collection of her Robbie Knows.
She loved her Bobbie dolls. Shehad twenty seven on together. This is
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a surprised position. Amber was aprecious, precocious third reader who had been
interviewed by Dallas TV station WFAA fora story on single parent homes. You
have home Award to hear her excellence. That's a pretty big deal, isn't
it. Would you do to getback? I al and I had a
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TV station also took video of Amberand her brother together and Amber on her
bicycle. This will make her happyto see this on TV awards that she's
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It's a scrapbook i'd seen before.Amber's prize possession. You're a job stance
and you have to do the perfect. On a November evening in nineteen ninety
five, she beamed with pride asshe showed me the honors. She darned.
I had to get a row andI had to do good. Thanks
in the class and help so youmet good grades. Amber's shy smile spoke
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volumes about how much school meant toher. Yes, school, she's abro
perfect attendance, how many of thestudents. Amber's passion for education was instilled
early in her life by her mother, who'd learned the hard way how valuable
school could be. Donna dropped outafter seventh grade, and when we first
met in the fall of nineteen ninetyfive, she and her two children were
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living on welfare. The year before, Donna left Richard Hagerman, moving from
what she says was an abusive relationshipinto a women's shelter by her own choice.
She received no child support on herown for the first time in her
life. Donna now understood the valueof education. Go to school's lotal ticket
of less situational move self better turningfor a better child, said us put
(11:01):
Les supplemented shoulder. During the earlymonths we witnessed her determination. She'd earned
a high school equivalency degree, wason a waiting list for job training and
volunteering at the Arlington Welfare Office.Well, your instructor of whomever is going
to be case manager, Penny Livingstonsaw Donna's confidence growing. I'm sure she's
going to succeed because she hasn't letanything stand in her way yet. For
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Donna, Amber and Ricky, lifeon welfare was a struggle. They wore
clothes from local charities. Today's thesweaters, sweatshirts, long pants, long
shirts for my kids so they staywon this winter. But at important times,
Donna sacrificed and splurged. Three weeksbefore Amber's birthday, she made the
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final payment on a present, aT shirt, legging, socks, doll
accessories, and Pocahonna's sheets. Herecame to forty dollars, which ain't much
fits saw I p. Forty four. The family worked as a team.
Donna's goal was to raise her childrenin a quiet, calm home to help
(12:13):
them prepare for the future. Itwas clear mother and daughter share a special
bond. Thank you. That's prettydear mom. This is for you that
I made at school. I loveyou a lot. Love Amber right away,
you sensed the love between Donna andAmber, a little girl, mature,
smart and intuitive, whom her mothercalled a worry ward Well that's all
(12:39):
that's it, tougher. I havea lone little child. Worry about you
who don't have money tomorrow? Yes, but there were no worries. At
Amber's ninth birthday party, Imady,she and her friends celebrate Saunder Mommy.
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The gifts from her mother, especiallythe Pocohona sheets, brought a priceless reaction.
Is living on welfare was a constantbalancing act for the family. The
obstacles seemed frequent, but somehow manageable. On Saturday, January thirteenth, nineteen
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ninety six, in Arlington, Texas, Amber Haggerman in her brother Ricky rode
their bikes into the parking lot ofan abandoned Win Dixie grocery store. It
was something that they often did,but Ricky wanted to return to his grandparents
home, so he would leave withouthis sister. Amber was now alone in
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the parking lot. According to witnessJimmy Kevil, a white or Hispanic male
aged twenty five to forty under sixfeet tall with a medium build pulled up
in a black pickup truck. Hegrabbed Amber off her bike and forced her
into his truck. Kevil said thatAmber screamed once and she kicked at her
(14:35):
abductor, but it was no use. The young girl was no match for
an adult kidnapper. Kevil called thepolice shortly after seeing Amber's abduction, but
it was to no avail. Despitemore than fifty police officers and federal agents
looking for Amber, they wouldn't findher alive. I'd see that little girl
(14:58):
over there playing up. None.Yeah, I probably when I kind up
the city. We having a littleroom, so my father he left to
co find her while I was talkingto the police, but her granddad drove
up, and so then I wentback and told Donna that somebody had got
(15:18):
Amber. Of course, my dadhad his serious face on. I knew
he was not messing with me.I knew he was telling me the truth.
I just went crazy. Then Ijust started going towards when my father
says she was abducted at screaming hername, but maybe for sure she would
answer me. But there was neverno answer. There was nothing. We
(15:39):
had flyers out and just within hoursif Amber were sticking them everywhere. I
just stood outside, just constantly waitingand waiting and waiting. The police told
me I had to go inside becauseall the media and everybody starting to come.
So I thought Mab had an evento that that you know that they
get Amber, pickture out, getinformation at to somebody and maybe you'll would
(16:02):
call Inerson one day was quite neighborhood, and the next day the whole world
seemed Mike. He was just rushingin, want to be in the limelight
and wanting people to know, youknow, it's my daughter's out there somewhere.
There were so many strangers that comethrough the house, and we even
wondered if my one that got overcould have even walked to the house and
(16:26):
we wouldn't have known it. Butit doesn't sound like someone look the little
girl knew, or someone that shewas going with voluntarily. I remember the
emotion that I don't really lack muderbecause I didn't believe it. We worried
back mine, go back and lookat tapes that I would leg to the
doctor. You know, thank youdon't worry a mother little girl some of
(16:47):
the things like that, I justdon't want lip into him. You.
Searching in the immediate area does goon, although police say the reality is
if this alleged kidnapper was in thatpickup truck, you could have driven off
and been long gone by it.Whenever a child is abducted, it becomes
a race against time for law enforcementbecause most abducted children are killed within a
(17:10):
few hours of the abduction. AfterAmber's body was recovered, authorities believe that
her abductor kept her alive for twodays, where he sexually assaulted her and
tormented her. I'm sure she criedfor her mother and her brother. At
the age of nine, she probablyrealized that her life was about to come
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to an end by this evil monsterwho had abducted her. Amber, my
(18:07):
son Ricky, we all went tothe park. We didn't stay very long
because the kids were a little excitedabout going to Grandma and Grandpa's house to
ride bicycles were speed to go roundwith Block. And here he supervision and
he comes back at about a coupleof minutes and he comes and tells me
that someone took Amber. I didn'tbelieve it. I didn't want to believe
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it. I just lost it.I started screaming her name, just hoping
and praying that she would answer me. She was gone. The whole family
would just keeping were just going crazythose few days. We were just hoping
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and wishing so hard that the playingso hard that she would come back.
And nothing. Kept on hearing nothing. You know, I was telling place,
you know, you gotta find alot and ball. You gotta do
it now because it's been so long. You know, we need to find
Low now. I want to holdhome now. We had so many strange
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chers and falling chest just come upwhen good graces just wanted to help Amber
was missing, and that everybody wantedto get involved. Didn't anybody do something.
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For four agonizing days, the familywaited for the police to rescue Amber.
They prayed and asked for a miracle. Unfortunately, that miracle never came.
(20:17):
This is an eleven new special report. We have a breaking story to
update you one. A child's bodyhas apparently been found in North Arlington's body
was discovered late last night and fearis it is the body of nine year
old Amber Hagerman of Arlington. Thebody was discovered just after eleven o' bed.
Yeah, we late, hours andhours and that was so hard.
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The la it's that it was Ambercame out of a creek bed that lies
a little bit down low. Whenthe folly told me it was her,
of course I wouldn't believe it.When she was affected, A body touch
her, gear hold her, tuckedher ever ever dead. I wanted to
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see her beho the archopsy before theytouched her, though. Didn't want me
to see her the way she was, because she was damaged so much,
her body was cut so much,and she just didn't look like Hamburg.
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The enormous police search team worked feverishlyfor four days before their efforts ended here
when a man walking his dog discoveredAmber's naked body abandoned in this creek.
There was a heavy rain the nightbefore, so there was water when she
was found. She'd only been deadfor roughly forty eight hours, meaning for
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two long days she'd been held captiveand tortured by her killer. The rain
may have washed Amber down from whereher killer had dumped her body and tragically
destroyed it much of the forensic evidence. Even after police positively identified Amber,
her mother could not accept her littlegirl was really gone. I didn't want
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to believe it. Sim my littlegirl. I want to see my little
girl, what you went through inthose four days. That the weight and
the not knowing and the anguish justwould have been interminable. I still kept
going towards her shoes. A doctorat screaming her knee. On Wednesday,
January seventeenth, nineteen ninety six,Stuart Calcher was walking his dog Yoda around
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eleven thirty. Something unusual had attractedYoda. He would go to investigate.
What he found would lead to oneof the nation's most heinous murders. In
the creek was a new body ofa small girl. Caltuer began frantically screw
him for help. Another neighbor overheardthe commotion from his apartment and called the
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police. The body was located withinfive miles of the abduction site. The
Tarrant County Medical Examiners confirmed the deceasedchild in the creek was Amber Haggerman.
Someone had slid her throat and nearlydecapitated her. The killer had also sexually
assaulted the young girl over a twoday period. Authorities believed a thunderstorm had
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swept Amber's body into the creek becauseapartment maintenance workers in the area didn't see
anything out of the ordinary before thestorm. Unfortunately, there were no useful
forensics when Amber's body was found.She was naked except for one sock,
and the running water in the creekhad washed away critical forensic evidence. Four
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days after being grabbed from this shoppingto their parking lot, probably most of
you know by now, at teentwenty this morning, we made a positive
id on the victim. Police confirmedthe nine year old's body lie in the
drainage ditch near an Arlington apartment complex, killed from slashes to her neck.
A special task force of forty detectivesfollowed every lead or claim, and I'd
(24:12):
like to do take you back forjust a couple of minutes. Twenty years
later, Arlington police still label Amber'smurder case as unsolved and again urged the
public to help. This person maybe still in our community. He may
have moved from this community. Hemay be in prison right now. If
you gave a tip earlier in thisinvestigation, go back. Maybe there's a
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little piece of information that you didn'ttell us before. This is the Tribute
Corner, the place where so manycame to grieve and continued to do so
year after year. It is thelast place Amber Hagerman was seen a lot.
Amber's body was so badly abused fromher killer that her mother couldn't even
pick up her daughter's body. Thinkabout this. How evil is someone if
(25:03):
they can afflict such terror on anine year old child. I'm sure Amber
was terrified. Instead of just killingher, the killer nearly decapitated her and
then threw her body out like youwould throw out a bag of garbage.
It's possible that this monster could beyour neighbor, a friend, or a
(25:26):
coworker, and he's potentially walking aroundfreely as he has never been apprehended.
Amber's mother, Donna, describes thecondition of her daughter's body. They told
me one thing I can't do.Let's pick her up an hold her like
a mom with her child, becauseshe was almost decapitated, and I miss
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that. I always just holded tohold her, but you know, I
got to hold her little hands andto you know, it's okay. Mommy's
here now, it's okay. RandyLockhart of Clayburn was one of the first
detectives to arrive on the scene afterAmber's body was found. He once said,
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most people remember what they were doingwhen they learned about nine to eleven,
but for him, he will alwaysremember January thirteenth, nineteen ninety six.
These are his words he delivered inhis speech at the Leyland Museum in
Claybourn, Texas for the Claybourn CharacterSpeaker series. He discussed his memories of
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Amber Hagerman. I was at homebuilding my deck, he said. My
wife Debbie, stuck her head outthe door and said, hey, there's
been a little girl kidnapped and theywant you to come in. Lockhart,
who was an officer with the ArlingtonPolice Department, was assigned to the Amber
Hagerman case homicide. He shared hismemories of the investigation Lockhart worked the case
(27:00):
for about eight months, beginning justfifteen minutes after Amber was kidnapped. I'm
gonna warn y'all right up front thatthis is gonna get a little graphic,
he said. As bad as I'mgoing to tell you it was, you
still can't picture how bad it reallywas. After speaking with the family,
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Lockhart said they established the timeline ofthat day. Donna Hagerman had taken her
daughter to Burger King there in Arlingtonand then took her to play on the
monkey bars at a park on GreenOaks Boulevard and Davis Street. She really
enjoyed playing on those, so hermom would take her to play there for
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hours. Then they went to hergrandmother's house and they had two bicycles over
there, and Amber and her brotherjumped on them and headed down to the
wind Dixie grocery store. Well,it used to be a Wedden Dixie store.
It was closed where they had goneevery time before, and while she
was there she was kidnapped. Joiningup with the lead investigator, APD Detective
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Jim Ford, Lockhart said, therewasn't much information available. After we talked
to the family, we decided wewere going to talk to Jim Kevel,
who was our only witness, Lockhartsaid, keep this in mind, it's
around three o'clock in the afternoon whenshe was kidnapped, and she's riding her
bike near a laundromat a lot ofpeople used on a really busy street.
(28:30):
Lockhart said that Kevil watched a mandrive up and pull Amber off of her
bike and put her in his vehicle. He can only give a description of
a wider Hispanic mail in a darkpickup. All these witnesses were there and
nobody said anything, Lockhart said,we asked everybody. In the meantime,
Lockhart began to search for all ofthe registered sex offenders in that area.
(28:53):
At the time, sex offenders weresupposed to register, but there was nobody
making sure they register or if theymoved, they updated their information. He
said, I got to look him, and we had records here and we
had records there. We didn't knowif these people were still in the area.
So another thing that came out ofthis is that you can go online
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and see the sex offenders who livenear you. Sorting through about two hundred
offenders, Lockhart said they checked outeach of them. At this point,
it started to hit the news thatthis little girl had been kid NAPTI said
the FBI had been contacted. Wedidn't know at this point if she was
still in Texas anymore. Less thana week later, Amber's body was found
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face down in a creek. Herthroat was cut, she only had one
sock on her foot. Lockhart said, while they were working the crying scene,
taking photos and all that, itcomes time to turn her body over.
We rolled her over and she wasstaring right into my eyes. I
(29:59):
had to your head because the onlything that was holding it on was the
skin on the back of her neck, and her web pipe was hanging out
of her throat. I was holdingher head and standing up to my knees
in water, and it just keptgetting colder and colder, and she just
kept staring at me. Lockhart saidmore than seven thousand tips came in for
(30:21):
Amber's case. I'll tell you everysingle one of those tips was thoroughly investigated.
He said. Nobody, and Imean nobody wanted to be the investigator
that had the information and let itslip to their fingers. Lockhart would end
up serving twenty five years with theAPD, spending his time in patrol criminal
investigation, homicide, narcotics, propertycrimes, and other divisions. I had
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a ninety nine point nine percent clearance. Rady said Amber's case was the only
one that didn't get solved. Thebest part of that is forty three of
those cases were stranger abductions, andthat's what Amber's was. Lockhart said,
you talk to Annie copp and they'lltell you that stranger abductions are hard,
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hard cases. The last thing Itold Amber was he know you stay with
you her brother, and I'll comeright back. Donna Williams is still haunted
by the day her nine year oldAmber went missing. She was riding her
bicyc or she turns around, shesaid, okay, Mommy, hello you,
(31:32):
and that was select or heard hervoice. Seven minutes later, she
was gone. She was more tobe found. How often do you allow
yourself for you to think about whathappened that day? Is it on your
minds every day? Every day,especially when I'm by myself. It's it's
(31:52):
kind of haunting. What does gothrough your mind? It's like a nightmare.
I was just We're playing over andover in my head. I just
kind of hope I can no goback in time and change things, but
I can't so by all accounts,this was very much a crime of opportunity.
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Police say the killer, a whiteor Hispanic man in his mid twenties,
spotted Amber riding her bike through thisparking lot and acted on impulse.
A single witness reported hearing screams asshe was bundled into a black pick album.
Amber's little brother came back alone,and Amber's mother desperately tried to find
(32:37):
her to it where she was abducted, screaming, hoping that she would hear
that she would come home, butno, she was gone. Currently,
the Amber Haggerman case is still open. The police have investigated over eight thousand
leads on this case. For allwe know, they may have already interviewed
(33:00):
the killer. Detective Ben Lopez wasone of the main investigators. He thinks
someone knows something and has always encouragedpeople to speak up if they know anything,
even if they think that their informationdoesn't have any significance to them.
It could be something that the policecould use to help solve Amber's case.
(33:22):
Well, we just hope that peoplewill think back to the time that this
happened and think about anyone that theyknow who could have been a suspect.
We think that it's possible that someoneout there does have that little piece of
information that'll solve this case. Eventwenty years later, shortly after Amber's funeral,
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Diane Simone, a mom herself,called into a local radio station.
She had a great idea. Shefigured that if the local media sent out
weather alerts, why couldn't they dothe same thing for abducted children. When
the National Weather Service issues an alertfor severe weather, they always interrupt television
(34:30):
radio broadcasts while making a loud noise. Why not do the same thing for
a kidnapped child. The idea stuck. Broadcasters in the Dallas Fort Worth area
partnered with local law enforcement to alertviewers and listeners to child abductions. Since
nineteen ninety six, the Amber Alertsystem, named after Amber Hagerman, went
(34:52):
nationwide. In April two thousand andthree, President George W. Bush signed
the Protect Act of two thousand andthree. The new law established the federal
government's role in the Amber Alert systemand made punishment for federal crimes against children
more severe. In twenty sixteen,Simoned, the mother who came up with
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the idea for an alert system,said that a lack of information played a
part in Amber Hagerman's murder and abduction. They were seeing Amber was taken at
four o'clock in the afternoon, throwninto pickup truck and driven somewhere and nobody
saw anything. I'm sorry, that'snot possible. The problem was not that
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people didn't see what was going on, it's that they didn't know what they
were seeing. She cautions people neverto ignore the alerts. Amber alerts make
people aware of the most serious casesof child abduction, wherein authorities believe a
child's life is in imminent danger ofserious bodily injury or death. Amber alerts
(35:55):
can occur in multiple states at once, and they can happen at any time.
Every minute counts in child abduction cases. As soon as you hear or
see an Amber alert, pay attention. Worried family members may be counting on
you to save their child's life.When the idea of the Amber alert system
(36:15):
started to evolve in North Texas,one of the people who took the idea
and ran with it with Tyler Cox. And Tyler is operations and program manager
at w BAP and KLIF Radio.And Tyler what challenges that the media have
to overcome twenty years ago. Wedidn't have social media at the time.
No, we didn't. And whenwe started the program, it was done
by facts transmission. Police agencies wouldsend us to facts we and KRLD radio
(36:37):
would re transmit that facts. Ittook thirty minutes to get in the hands
of all of the radio stations intown. And we started thinking, you
know, for every minute that that'shappening, that's another mile down the road
that that child might be. Sowhen the emergency alert system was modified the
following year, we transitioned into somenew technology and you said, he were
pretty stunned at how quickly this countcaught on and now every one around the
(37:00):
world relies on it. It's incredible. I recall watching a crime drama one
night about a year later, andthe district attorney in law and order was
going to issue an amber alert andwe're like, oh my gosh, it's
already in the public language, ifyou will. And for some of us
when we get amber alerts, ifwe have a smartphone, that's how we
hear about amber alerts. Tell mehow this has adapted to new technology.
(37:22):
Well, it's certainly come right alongas new technology develops. You know,
it went from radio. Television cameon board a couple of years later,
and as the Internet developed and smarttechnology with smartphones, it's just now it's
you. You can't go anywhere withoutbeing informed if there is an Amber Alert
issue, and that's just just critical. The faster an alert gets out,
the better it is. All right, Tyler, thank you so much.
(37:43):
I know this is a case closeto your heart. We appreciate it well.
The Amber Alert has revolutionized the wayall communities across the country think about
missing children. Earlier today, Ispoke with a director for the National Center
of Missing Exploited Children who elaborated onthat very point. When a child's been
abducted, it's something that requires arapid response from law enforcement. Bob Hover
(38:06):
from the National Center for Missing andExploited Children says that fast reaction is why
the Amber Alert program is being creditedfor safely returning close to eight hundred children
over the years. The Amber Alertprogram has been a game changer. It
actually uses the public as a forcemultiplier, using their eyes and ears to
find a child. The popularity ofthe Amber Alert has also forced local law
(38:30):
enforcement to step up their efforts.Over the years According to Hover, there's
more training out there today than thereever has been for law enforcement conducting these
types of investigations. More technology andtools have kept the search for missing children
at the cutting edge, but Hooversays it's still important that all parents speak
to their kids about the dangers thatexist. The most important thing is not
(38:52):
to scare children, but to havechildren openly communicate with their parents. Here's
how the Amber alert works. Oncelaw enforcement determines if a case meets certain
criteria, authorities notify broadcasters and statetransportation agencies. Alerts interrupt programming, appear
(39:12):
on statewide transportation signs, they showup on digital billboards, and even arrive
as text messages on cell phones.And I know that personally because I have
received several on my cell phone,and whenever I see them on signs,
I always be sure to try topay attention to see get the information that's
(39:34):
on there, because who knows,I mean, maybe one day I might
be in the situation where I cansave a child. So I do think
it's something that people should be awareof. Amber's mother, Donna, said
that the alert system named in memoryof Amber is bittersweet. In a two
(39:54):
sixteen interview, which was twenty yearsafter Amber's murder, the grieving mother said,
there's another part of me that wonderswhat would have happened if we would
have had the alert system when Amberwent missing? Could it have helped bring
(40:15):
her back to me? That's asad question. But all we can do
is wonder what could have happened hadthere been a system? Could she have
been saved? Nip It wouldn't Amber. We would not have the Amber Alert
(41:01):
today, and we would not helpsape overset. It's seven hundred children's lives
today, and I just sease,don't forget Amber. The Amber Alert program
is currently being used in all fiftystates, the District of Columbia, Puerto
Rico, the US Virgin Islands,and more than twenty other countries. Since
(41:22):
the program's inception, more than eighthundred children have been rescued. I can
remember all those years ago when AmberHagerman was abducted. When you see the
pictures of her, you cannot helpbut see so much innocence. Like the
John Bane Ramsey case. It's oneof those crimes that I will never forget.
(41:43):
Unfortunately, both of those cases arestill unsolved. Although the death of
Amber Hagerman is a tragedy. Hershort life served a purpose. She left
us with her legacy, and shewill never be forgotten. The federal Amber
(42:17):
Alert Program is named in honor ofAmber Hagerman. The program is credited for
the rescue of hundreds of children throughoutthe United States, and it's a legacy
that gives Amber's mother strength, leasyfeel bed, and something I know Ambo
would have been proud of. Backat the parking lot where Amber disappeared,
(42:37):
there's graffiti on the wall that hasher name and the words angel and still
searching. It comforts Amber's brother thanpeople paint to bed because it means they
still care. This is the firsttime Ricky Hackerman has publicly talked about his
sister. I love her, Messavery much. Hope one day Jess who
(42:59):
rots this. Teen years later,we have absolutely no idea what happened to
the killer. He could be inprison on another charge for all we know,
he could be dead. But thesad fact is he could still be
wandering the streets a freeman, whichmakes people who love Amber wonder because things
have been different, and back thenthere was such a thing as an Amber
(43:22):
Alert. Amber would have been twentyfour years old now, but her family
prefers to remember her as a happynine year old whose name is now known
from coast to coast. Every TupmanCNN, Arlington, Texas. To conclude
(43:45):
this story, I would like toshare a personal one. Many years ago,
I was around eight years old.I was at a shopping mall with
my parents. I had to usethe restauran, so, being a naive
and foolish child, I asked astranger if he could tell me where the
restroom was. I had managed towander away from my parents. The man
(44:07):
said, I will show you.He then grabbed my arm and tried to
drag me away. In a splitsecond, I realized that I had made
a terrible mistake. I froze upwith fear and couldn't move or scream for
help. Thankfully, my mother sawme and came over and asked the stranger
(44:27):
what he was doing and to letme go. The man ran away.
Today, I have always wondered ifhe grabbed another child since he couldn't get
me, or if it was possiblethat he was there intentionally looking for a
child to snatch. Although this happenedroughly four decades ago, I still remember
(44:52):
the incident as if it had happenedyesterday, because I was so terrified at
that moment. If you have childrenor grandchildren, please educate them about the
dangers of the evil monsters who wereseeking victims. And if you ever find
yourself uncomfortable around someone, then youshould limit your interaction with him or her.
(45:13):
There is a reason why you wereborn with a gut instinct. Ignoring
it could cost you your life.If you enjoyed listening to this podcast,
I would request that you consider joiningmy True Crime Patreon fan club for four
dollars ninety nine cents per month.You will receive two monthly short crime stories,
crime scene footage, video clips ofcrime, and I will also periodically
(45:35):
include extra podcasts exclusive to my TrueCrime fan club. Simply visit my website
at www dot demarcov dot com orjust look for the link on my podcast
notes. Thank you for listening,and always remember that if you wake up
on the right side of the grass, you're having a great day.
I'd see you that little girl overthere played up down there. Yeah,
Mike, I dropped a little room, and so my father he left to
go find her while I was talkingto the police. But her granddad drove
up, and so then I wentback and told Donado somebody got Amber.
(00:22):
Of course, my dad had hisserious face on. I knew he was
not messing with me. I knewhe was telling me the truth. I
just went crazy. Then I juststarted going towards when my father says she
was abducted at screaming her name,but maybe for sure she would answer me.
But there was never no answer.There was nothing. We had flyers
(00:44):
out and just within hours of Amberwere sticking them everywhere. I'm just stood
outside, just constantly waiting and waitingand waiting. The police told me I
had to go inside because all themedia and everybody starting to come. I
thought Maver had an even to thatthat you know that they get Ambers picked
are out and get information after somebody, maybe girl would call Innerson. One
(01:06):
day was quiet neighborhood, and thenext day the whole world seemed Mike.
He was just rushing into being thelimelight and wanting people to know, you
know, it's my daughter's out theresomewhere. There were so many strangers that
come through the house, and weeven wondered if my visits once it got
(01:26):
over, could have even walked tothe house and we wouldn't have known it.
But it doesn't sound like someone lookedthe little girl knew, or someone
that she was going with voluntarily.I remember the emotion that I don't really
lack mound because I didn't believe it. We worried back. I can go
back and look at tapes that Iwould be to the adactor. You know,
thank you, don't worry my littlegirl. Some of the things like
(01:49):
that I don't want lip into him. You. Searching in the immediate area
does go on, although police saythe reality is if this alleged kidnapper was
in that pickup truck, it couldhave proven off and belongs on by Now,
(02:34):
welcome to another episode of the MarkHop. This is Mark Tonight.
I have a truly disturbing story foryou. It involves the abduction of a
little girl in Texas named Amber Haggerman. She was doing something that any child
would be doing. She was riddingher bike with her little brother Ricky.
Unfortunately, Amber would never live longenough to have children, get married,
(02:57):
or even find true love. Weknow that we cannot watch our children every
minute of the day. We haveto let them grow up and find their
own way. One of the beautifulthings about a child is their innocence.
They believe in the tooth Fairy.They also believe in Santa Claus and the
Easter Bunny. There's nothing greater thanwatching a child get excited about Christmas because
(03:20):
he or she believes a large manwith a big belly will place toys underneath
the Christmas tree. Yes, childrenlook at life as if it's a fairy
tale. They see the good ineveryone. To a lot of children when
they see somebody, they like tobelieve that people are good and kind.
But just as much as we lovea child's innocence, it can also get
(03:45):
a child raped or murdered. Theydon't believe that evil exists and it's outside
waiting for them. As parents,one of our most difficult responsibilities is to
do our best to keep the evilaway from children. The case of Amber
Hagerman involved a stranger abduction parents.If you have small children, or even
(04:08):
big children, you may want togive them an extra hug or check in
on them one more time before goingto bed, just to make sure that
they are okay. There is nodoubt that many of you have already heard
(04:39):
of the Amber Alert program, Butdid you realize it was named after Amber
Hagerman. She was your typical nineyear old girl living in Arlington, Texas.
She was in the Girls Scouts.She and her five year old brother,
Ricky loved to ride their bicycles together. Ricky once even said Amber was
more than just as big sister.She was like a second mother and his
(05:01):
best friend. He still grees forher today and Amber's little brother only five
years old at the time. Now, Bailey remembers the day he lost his
(05:25):
big sister, but says, thepain it never goes away. Is this
you guys together? She used tolook after you, Ricky rightever, you
can even see it here. AndI mean, I was so young.
I knew she was gone, butI didn't know why. I didn't very
much understand it, but I justknew a bad man took my sister.
(05:46):
You were riding with her, yes, that day, you guys were riding
through the parking lot. Can youremember someone pulling up? What do you
what do you remember happened, wasresponsible around the block and and I was
scared of get in trouble, andI said let's go back, and I
took off. And from the timeI got to the house, my grandfather
(06:09):
asked me, where is my sisterand going back together? And she would
have gone that fast. Do youstill say you know some of her friends
around town from Tom to Tom?Do you stay in touch with any of
them? Mostly on social media?Facebook? Like that I see pictures of
you know, the kids and whatnot. Amber Renee Hagerman was born on November
(06:33):
twenty fifth, nineteen eighty six,in Arlington, Texas. Her parents were
Donna Norris and Richard Hagerman. Herlittle brother was Ricky Hagerman. Amber was
your average nine year old. Shecollected Barbie dolls and had more than twenty
in her collection. She was popularin school and had lots of friends.
(06:54):
She grew up a happy and healthychild. She was beloved by her parents,
grandparents, and helped looked after herlittle brother. She was your all
American child who enjoyed riding bikes andbeing alive. It's a travesty that her
family would never see her become amother or a wife. She would never
give Donna and Richard any grandchildren.Prior to Amber's abduction, she was profiled
(07:18):
along with Ricky and her mother,and a story about welfare reform. Amber's
mother, Donna, had completed herged and was working towards learning new career
skills to better herself for Amber andRicky. Donna and Amber's father, Richard,
had separated, so she was committedto giving her children a great life,
(07:40):
as most parents do. Amber andDonna were best friends. Here's a
video about their story, as sharedby their local news. Normally, in
(08:11):
a kidnapping, you have a onedimensional photo to hold up and say here's
the child missing. We had videoof Amber at her birthday party and doing
her homework and being tucked into bed, so she became this very very human
person rather than a photograph. Inthe city and Arlington, everyone around just
adopted her as their own. Andthrough that four days we hoped to recover
(08:31):
her. Everyone was praying and hopingfor that, and it's everyone took it
very hard when the ultimate outcome happened. Yess collection of her Robbie Knows.
She loved her Bobbie dolls. Shehad twenty seven on together. This is
(08:54):
a surprised position. Amber was aprecious, precocious third reader who had been
interviewed by Dallas TV station WFAA fora story on single parent homes. You
have home Award to hear her excellence. That's a pretty big deal, isn't
it. Would you do to getback? I al and I had a
(09:22):
TV station also took video of Amberand her brother together and Amber on her
bicycle. This will make her happyto see this on TV awards that she's
(09:46):
It's a scrapbook i'd seen before.Amber's prize possession. You're a job stance
and you have to do the perfect. On a November evening in nineteen ninety
five, she beamed with pride asshe showed me the honors. She darned.
I had to get a row andI had to do good. Thanks
in the class and help so youmet good grades. Amber's shy smile spoke
(10:11):
volumes about how much school meant toher. Yes, school, she's abro
perfect attendance, how many of thestudents. Amber's passion for education was instilled
early in her life by her mother, who'd learned the hard way how valuable
school could be. Donna dropped outafter seventh grade, and when we first
met in the fall of nineteen ninetyfive, she and her two children were
(10:35):
living on welfare. The year before, Donna left Richard Hagerman, moving from
what she says was an abusive relationshipinto a women's shelter by her own choice.
She received no child support on herown for the first time in her
life. Donna now understood the valueof education. Go to school's lotal ticket
of less situational move self better turningfor a better child, said us put
(11:01):
Les supplemented shoulder. During the earlymonths we witnessed her determination. She'd earned
a high school equivalency degree, wason a waiting list for job training and
volunteering at the Arlington Welfare Office.Well, your instructor of whomever is going
to be case manager, Penny Livingstonsaw Donna's confidence growing. I'm sure she's
going to succeed because she hasn't letanything stand in her way yet. For
(11:24):
Donna, Amber and Ricky, lifeon welfare was a struggle. They wore
clothes from local charities. Today's thesweaters, sweatshirts, long pants, long
shirts for my kids so they staywon this winter. But at important times,
Donna sacrificed and splurged. Three weeksbefore Amber's birthday, she made the
(11:46):
final payment on a present, aT shirt, legging, socks, doll
accessories, and Pocahonna's sheets. Herecame to forty dollars, which ain't much
fits saw I p. Forty four. The family worked as a team.
Donna's goal was to raise her childrenin a quiet, calm home to help
(12:13):
them prepare for the future. Itwas clear mother and daughter share a special
bond. Thank you. That's prettydear mom. This is for you that
I made at school. I loveyou a lot. Love Amber right away,
you sensed the love between Donna andAmber, a little girl, mature,
smart and intuitive, whom her mothercalled a worry ward Well that's all
(12:39):
that's it, tougher. I havea lone little child. Worry about you
who don't have money tomorrow? Yes, but there were no worries. At
Amber's ninth birthday party, Imady,she and her friends celebrate Saunder Mommy.
(13:05):
The gifts from her mother, especiallythe Pocohona sheets, brought a priceless reaction.
Is living on welfare was a constantbalancing act for the family. The
obstacles seemed frequent, but somehow manageable. On Saturday, January thirteenth, nineteen
(13:54):
ninety six, in Arlington, Texas, Amber Haggerman in her brother Ricky rode
their bikes into the parking lot ofan abandoned Win Dixie grocery store. It
was something that they often did,but Ricky wanted to return to his grandparents
home, so he would leave withouthis sister. Amber was now alone in
(14:15):
the parking lot. According to witnessJimmy Kevil, a white or Hispanic male
aged twenty five to forty under sixfeet tall with a medium build pulled up
in a black pickup truck. Hegrabbed Amber off her bike and forced her
into his truck. Kevil said thatAmber screamed once and she kicked at her
(14:35):
abductor, but it was no use. The young girl was no match for
an adult kidnapper. Kevil called thepolice shortly after seeing Amber's abduction, but
it was to no avail. Despitemore than fifty police officers and federal agents
looking for Amber, they wouldn't findher alive. I'd see that little girl
(14:58):
over there playing up. None.Yeah, I probably when I kind up
the city. We having a littleroom, so my father he left to
co find her while I was talkingto the police, but her granddad drove
up, and so then I wentback and told Donna that somebody had got
(15:18):
Amber. Of course, my dadhad his serious face on. I knew
he was not messing with me.I knew he was telling me the truth.
I just went crazy. Then Ijust started going towards when my father
says she was abducted at screaming hername, but maybe for sure she would
answer me. But there was neverno answer. There was nothing. We
(15:39):
had flyers out and just within hoursif Amber were sticking them everywhere. I
just stood outside, just constantly waitingand waiting and waiting. The police told
me I had to go inside becauseall the media and everybody starting to come.
So I thought Mab had an evento that that you know that they
get Amber, pickture out, getinformation at to somebody and maybe you'll would
(16:02):
call Inerson one day was quite neighborhood, and the next day the whole world
seemed Mike. He was just rushingin, want to be in the limelight
and wanting people to know, youknow, it's my daughter's out there somewhere.
There were so many strangers that comethrough the house, and we even
wondered if my one that got overcould have even walked to the house and
(16:26):
we wouldn't have known it. Butit doesn't sound like someone look the little
girl knew, or someone that shewas going with voluntarily. I remember the
emotion that I don't really lack muderbecause I didn't believe it. We worried
back mine, go back and lookat tapes that I would leg to the
doctor. You know, thank youdon't worry a mother little girl some of
(16:47):
the things like that, I justdon't want lip into him. You.
Searching in the immediate area does goon, although police say the reality is
if this alleged kidnapper was in thatpickup truck, you could have driven off
and been long gone by it.Whenever a child is abducted, it becomes
a race against time for law enforcementbecause most abducted children are killed within a
(17:10):
few hours of the abduction. AfterAmber's body was recovered, authorities believe that
her abductor kept her alive for twodays, where he sexually assaulted her and
tormented her. I'm sure she criedfor her mother and her brother. At
the age of nine, she probablyrealized that her life was about to come
(17:32):
to an end by this evil monsterwho had abducted her. Amber, my
(18:07):
son Ricky, we all went tothe park. We didn't stay very long
because the kids were a little excitedabout going to Grandma and Grandpa's house to
ride bicycles were speed to go roundwith Block. And here he supervision and
he comes back at about a coupleof minutes and he comes and tells me
that someone took Amber. I didn'tbelieve it. I didn't want to believe
(18:27):
it. I just lost it.I started screaming her name, just hoping
and praying that she would answer me. She was gone. The whole family
would just keeping were just going crazythose few days. We were just hoping
(18:51):
and wishing so hard that the playingso hard that she would come back.
And nothing. Kept on hearing nothing. You know, I was telling place,
you know, you gotta find alot and ball. You gotta do
it now because it's been so long. You know, we need to find
Low now. I want to holdhome now. We had so many strange
(19:15):
chers and falling chest just come upwhen good graces just wanted to help Amber
was missing, and that everybody wantedto get involved. Didn't anybody do something.
(19:48):
For four agonizing days, the familywaited for the police to rescue Amber.
They prayed and asked for a miracle. Unfortunately, that miracle never came.
(20:17):
This is an eleven new special report. We have a breaking story to
update you one. A child's bodyhas apparently been found in North Arlington's body
was discovered late last night and fearis it is the body of nine year
old Amber Hagerman of Arlington. Thebody was discovered just after eleven o' bed.
Yeah, we late, hours andhours and that was so hard.
(20:40):
The la it's that it was Ambercame out of a creek bed that lies
a little bit down low. Whenthe folly told me it was her,
of course I wouldn't believe it.When she was affected, A body touch
her, gear hold her, tuckedher ever ever dead. I wanted to
(21:03):
see her beho the archopsy before theytouched her, though. Didn't want me
to see her the way she was, because she was damaged so much,
her body was cut so much,and she just didn't look like Hamburg.
(21:29):
The enormous police search team worked feverishlyfor four days before their efforts ended here
when a man walking his dog discoveredAmber's naked body abandoned in this creek.
There was a heavy rain the nightbefore, so there was water when she
was found. She'd only been deadfor roughly forty eight hours, meaning for
(21:49):
two long days she'd been held captiveand tortured by her killer. The rain
may have washed Amber down from whereher killer had dumped her body and tragically
destroyed it much of the forensic evidence. Even after police positively identified Amber,
her mother could not accept her littlegirl was really gone. I didn't want
(22:15):
to believe it. Sim my littlegirl. I want to see my little
girl, what you went through inthose four days. That the weight and
the not knowing and the anguish justwould have been interminable. I still kept
going towards her shoes. A doctorat screaming her knee. On Wednesday,
January seventeenth, nineteen ninety six,Stuart Calcher was walking his dog Yoda around
(22:40):
eleven thirty. Something unusual had attractedYoda. He would go to investigate.
What he found would lead to oneof the nation's most heinous murders. In
the creek was a new body ofa small girl. Caltuer began frantically screw
him for help. Another neighbor overheardthe commotion from his apartment and called the
(23:03):
police. The body was located withinfive miles of the abduction site. The
Tarrant County Medical Examiners confirmed the deceasedchild in the creek was Amber Haggerman.
Someone had slid her throat and nearlydecapitated her. The killer had also sexually
assaulted the young girl over a twoday period. Authorities believed a thunderstorm had
(23:26):
swept Amber's body into the creek becauseapartment maintenance workers in the area didn't see
anything out of the ordinary before thestorm. Unfortunately, there were no useful
forensics when Amber's body was found.She was naked except for one sock,
and the running water in the creekhad washed away critical forensic evidence. Four
(23:49):
days after being grabbed from this shoppingto their parking lot, probably most of
you know by now, at teentwenty this morning, we made a positive
id on the victim. Police confirmedthe nine year old's body lie in the
drainage ditch near an Arlington apartment complex, killed from slashes to her neck.
A special task force of forty detectivesfollowed every lead or claim, and I'd
(24:12):
like to do take you back forjust a couple of minutes. Twenty years
later, Arlington police still label Amber'smurder case as unsolved and again urged the
public to help. This person maybe still in our community. He may
have moved from this community. Hemay be in prison right now. If
you gave a tip earlier in thisinvestigation, go back. Maybe there's a
(24:36):
little piece of information that you didn'ttell us before. This is the Tribute
Corner, the place where so manycame to grieve and continued to do so
year after year. It is thelast place Amber Hagerman was seen a lot.
Amber's body was so badly abused fromher killer that her mother couldn't even
pick up her daughter's body. Thinkabout this. How evil is someone if
(25:03):
they can afflict such terror on anine year old child. I'm sure Amber
was terrified. Instead of just killingher, the killer nearly decapitated her and
then threw her body out like youwould throw out a bag of garbage.
It's possible that this monster could beyour neighbor, a friend, or a
(25:26):
coworker, and he's potentially walking aroundfreely as he has never been apprehended.
Amber's mother, Donna, describes thecondition of her daughter's body. They told
me one thing I can't do.Let's pick her up an hold her like
a mom with her child, becauseshe was almost decapitated, and I miss
(25:48):
that. I always just holded tohold her, but you know, I
got to hold her little hands andto you know, it's okay. Mommy's
here now, it's okay. RandyLockhart of Clayburn was one of the first
detectives to arrive on the scene afterAmber's body was found. He once said,
(26:10):
most people remember what they were doingwhen they learned about nine to eleven,
but for him, he will alwaysremember January thirteenth, nineteen ninety six.
These are his words he delivered inhis speech at the Leyland Museum in
Claybourn, Texas for the Claybourn CharacterSpeaker series. He discussed his memories of
(26:33):
Amber Hagerman. I was at homebuilding my deck, he said. My
wife Debbie, stuck her head outthe door and said, hey, there's
been a little girl kidnapped and theywant you to come in. Lockhart,
who was an officer with the ArlingtonPolice Department, was assigned to the Amber
Hagerman case homicide. He shared hismemories of the investigation Lockhart worked the case
(27:00):
for about eight months, beginning justfifteen minutes after Amber was kidnapped. I'm
gonna warn y'all right up front thatthis is gonna get a little graphic,
he said. As bad as I'mgoing to tell you it was, you
still can't picture how bad it reallywas. After speaking with the family,
(27:21):
Lockhart said they established the timeline ofthat day. Donna Hagerman had taken her
daughter to Burger King there in Arlingtonand then took her to play on the
monkey bars at a park on GreenOaks Boulevard and Davis Street. She really
enjoyed playing on those, so hermom would take her to play there for
(27:41):
hours. Then they went to hergrandmother's house and they had two bicycles over
there, and Amber and her brotherjumped on them and headed down to the
wind Dixie grocery store. Well,it used to be a Wedden Dixie store.
It was closed where they had goneevery time before, and while she
was there she was kidnapped. Joiningup with the lead investigator, APD Detective
(28:06):
Jim Ford, Lockhart said, therewasn't much information available. After we talked
to the family, we decided wewere going to talk to Jim Kevel,
who was our only witness, Lockhartsaid, keep this in mind, it's
around three o'clock in the afternoon whenshe was kidnapped, and she's riding her
bike near a laundromat a lot ofpeople used on a really busy street.
(28:30):
Lockhart said that Kevil watched a mandrive up and pull Amber off of her
bike and put her in his vehicle. He can only give a description of
a wider Hispanic mail in a darkpickup. All these witnesses were there and
nobody said anything, Lockhart said,we asked everybody. In the meantime,
Lockhart began to search for all ofthe registered sex offenders in that area.
(28:53):
At the time, sex offenders weresupposed to register, but there was nobody
making sure they register or if theymoved, they updated their information. He
said, I got to look him, and we had records here and we
had records there. We didn't knowif these people were still in the area.
So another thing that came out ofthis is that you can go online
(29:15):
and see the sex offenders who livenear you. Sorting through about two hundred
offenders, Lockhart said they checked outeach of them. At this point,
it started to hit the news thatthis little girl had been kid NAPTI said
the FBI had been contacted. Wedidn't know at this point if she was
still in Texas anymore. Less thana week later, Amber's body was found
(29:37):
face down in a creek. Herthroat was cut, she only had one
sock on her foot. Lockhart said, while they were working the crying scene,
taking photos and all that, itcomes time to turn her body over.
We rolled her over and she wasstaring right into my eyes. I
(29:59):
had to your head because the onlything that was holding it on was the
skin on the back of her neck, and her web pipe was hanging out
of her throat. I was holdingher head and standing up to my knees
in water, and it just keptgetting colder and colder, and she just
kept staring at me. Lockhart saidmore than seven thousand tips came in for
(30:21):
Amber's case. I'll tell you everysingle one of those tips was thoroughly investigated.
He said. Nobody, and Imean nobody wanted to be the investigator
that had the information and let itslip to their fingers. Lockhart would end
up serving twenty five years with theAPD, spending his time in patrol criminal
investigation, homicide, narcotics, propertycrimes, and other divisions. I had
(30:45):
a ninety nine point nine percent clearance. Rady said Amber's case was the only
one that didn't get solved. Thebest part of that is forty three of
those cases were stranger abductions, andthat's what Amber's was. Lockhart said,
you talk to Annie copp and they'lltell you that stranger abductions are hard,
(31:11):
hard cases. The last thing Itold Amber was he know you stay with
you her brother, and I'll comeright back. Donna Williams is still haunted
by the day her nine year oldAmber went missing. She was riding her
bicyc or she turns around, shesaid, okay, Mommy, hello you,
(31:32):
and that was select or heard hervoice. Seven minutes later, she
was gone. She was more tobe found. How often do you allow
yourself for you to think about whathappened that day? Is it on your
minds every day? Every day,especially when I'm by myself. It's it's
(31:52):
kind of haunting. What does gothrough your mind? It's like a nightmare.
I was just We're playing over andover in my head. I just
kind of hope I can no goback in time and change things, but
I can't so by all accounts,this was very much a crime of opportunity.
(32:16):
Police say the killer, a whiteor Hispanic man in his mid twenties,
spotted Amber riding her bike through thisparking lot and acted on impulse.
A single witness reported hearing screams asshe was bundled into a black pick album.
Amber's little brother came back alone,and Amber's mother desperately tried to find
(32:37):
her to it where she was abducted, screaming, hoping that she would hear
that she would come home, butno, she was gone. Currently,
the Amber Haggerman case is still open. The police have investigated over eight thousand
leads on this case. For allwe know, they may have already interviewed
(33:00):
the killer. Detective Ben Lopez wasone of the main investigators. He thinks
someone knows something and has always encouragedpeople to speak up if they know anything,
even if they think that their informationdoesn't have any significance to them.
It could be something that the policecould use to help solve Amber's case.
(33:22):
Well, we just hope that peoplewill think back to the time that this
happened and think about anyone that theyknow who could have been a suspect.
We think that it's possible that someoneout there does have that little piece of
information that'll solve this case. Eventwenty years later, shortly after Amber's funeral,
(34:10):
Diane Simone, a mom herself,called into a local radio station.
She had a great idea. Shefigured that if the local media sent out
weather alerts, why couldn't they dothe same thing for abducted children. When
the National Weather Service issues an alertfor severe weather, they always interrupt television
(34:30):
radio broadcasts while making a loud noise. Why not do the same thing for
a kidnapped child. The idea stuck. Broadcasters in the Dallas Fort Worth area
partnered with local law enforcement to alertviewers and listeners to child abductions. Since
nineteen ninety six, the Amber Alertsystem, named after Amber Hagerman, went
(34:52):
nationwide. In April two thousand andthree, President George W. Bush signed
the Protect Act of two thousand andthree. The new law established the federal
government's role in the Amber Alert systemand made punishment for federal crimes against children
more severe. In twenty sixteen,Simoned, the mother who came up with
(35:13):
the idea for an alert system,said that a lack of information played a
part in Amber Hagerman's murder and abduction. They were seeing Amber was taken at
four o'clock in the afternoon, throwninto pickup truck and driven somewhere and nobody
saw anything. I'm sorry, that'snot possible. The problem was not that
(35:34):
people didn't see what was going on, it's that they didn't know what they
were seeing. She cautions people neverto ignore the alerts. Amber alerts make
people aware of the most serious casesof child abduction, wherein authorities believe a
child's life is in imminent danger ofserious bodily injury or death. Amber alerts
(35:55):
can occur in multiple states at once, and they can happen at any time.
Every minute counts in child abduction cases. As soon as you hear or
see an Amber alert, pay attention. Worried family members may be counting on
you to save their child's life.When the idea of the Amber alert system
(36:15):
started to evolve in North Texas,one of the people who took the idea
and ran with it with Tyler Cox. And Tyler is operations and program manager
at w BAP and KLIF Radio.And Tyler what challenges that the media have
to overcome twenty years ago. Wedidn't have social media at the time.
No, we didn't. And whenwe started the program, it was done
by facts transmission. Police agencies wouldsend us to facts we and KRLD radio
(36:37):
would re transmit that facts. Ittook thirty minutes to get in the hands
of all of the radio stations intown. And we started thinking, you
know, for every minute that that'shappening, that's another mile down the road
that that child might be. Sowhen the emergency alert system was modified the
following year, we transitioned into somenew technology and you said, he were
pretty stunned at how quickly this countcaught on and now every one around the
(37:00):
world relies on it. It's incredible. I recall watching a crime drama one
night about a year later, andthe district attorney in law and order was
going to issue an amber alert andwe're like, oh my gosh, it's
already in the public language, ifyou will. And for some of us
when we get amber alerts, ifwe have a smartphone, that's how we
hear about amber alerts. Tell mehow this has adapted to new technology.
(37:22):
Well, it's certainly come right alongas new technology develops. You know,
it went from radio. Television cameon board a couple of years later,
and as the Internet developed and smarttechnology with smartphones, it's just now it's
you. You can't go anywhere withoutbeing informed if there is an Amber Alert
issue, and that's just just critical. The faster an alert gets out,
the better it is. All right, Tyler, thank you so much.
(37:43):
I know this is a case closeto your heart. We appreciate it well.
The Amber Alert has revolutionized the wayall communities across the country think about
missing children. Earlier today, Ispoke with a director for the National Center
of Missing Exploited Children who elaborated onthat very point. When a child's been
abducted, it's something that requires arapid response from law enforcement. Bob Hover
(38:06):
from the National Center for Missing andExploited Children says that fast reaction is why
the Amber Alert program is being creditedfor safely returning close to eight hundred children
over the years. The Amber Alertprogram has been a game changer. It
actually uses the public as a forcemultiplier, using their eyes and ears to
find a child. The popularity ofthe Amber Alert has also forced local law
(38:30):
enforcement to step up their efforts.Over the years According to Hover, there's
more training out there today than thereever has been for law enforcement conducting these
types of investigations. More technology andtools have kept the search for missing children
at the cutting edge, but Hooversays it's still important that all parents speak
to their kids about the dangers thatexist. The most important thing is not
(38:52):
to scare children, but to havechildren openly communicate with their parents. Here's
how the Amber alert works. Oncelaw enforcement determines if a case meets certain
criteria, authorities notify broadcasters and statetransportation agencies. Alerts interrupt programming, appear
(39:12):
on statewide transportation signs, they showup on digital billboards, and even arrive
as text messages on cell phones.And I know that personally because I have
received several on my cell phone,and whenever I see them on signs,
I always be sure to try topay attention to see get the information that's
(39:34):
on there, because who knows,I mean, maybe one day I might
be in the situation where I cansave a child. So I do think
it's something that people should be awareof. Amber's mother, Donna, said
that the alert system named in memoryof Amber is bittersweet. In a two
(39:54):
sixteen interview, which was twenty yearsafter Amber's murder, the grieving mother said,
there's another part of me that wonderswhat would have happened if we would
have had the alert system when Amberwent missing? Could it have helped bring
(40:15):
her back to me? That's asad question. But all we can do
is wonder what could have happened hadthere been a system? Could she have
been saved? Nip It wouldn't Amber. We would not have the Amber Alert
(41:01):
today, and we would not helpsape overset. It's seven hundred children's lives
today, and I just sease,don't forget Amber. The Amber Alert program
is currently being used in all fiftystates, the District of Columbia, Puerto
Rico, the US Virgin Islands,and more than twenty other countries. Since
(41:22):
the program's inception, more than eighthundred children have been rescued. I can
remember all those years ago when AmberHagerman was abducted. When you see the
pictures of her, you cannot helpbut see so much innocence. Like the
John Bane Ramsey case. It's oneof those crimes that I will never forget.
(41:43):
Unfortunately, both of those cases arestill unsolved. Although the death of
Amber Hagerman is a tragedy. Hershort life served a purpose. She left
us with her legacy, and shewill never be forgotten. The federal Amber
(42:17):
Alert Program is named in honor ofAmber Hagerman. The program is credited for
the rescue of hundreds of children throughoutthe United States, and it's a legacy
that gives Amber's mother strength, leasyfeel bed, and something I know Ambo
would have been proud of. Backat the parking lot where Amber disappeared,
(42:37):
there's graffiti on the wall that hasher name and the words angel and still
searching. It comforts Amber's brother thanpeople paint to bed because it means they
still care. This is the firsttime Ricky Hackerman has publicly talked about his
sister. I love her, Messavery much. Hope one day Jess who
(42:59):
rots this. Teen years later,we have absolutely no idea what happened to
the killer. He could be inprison on another charge for all we know,
he could be dead. But thesad fact is he could still be
wandering the streets a freeman, whichmakes people who love Amber wonder because things
have been different, and back thenthere was such a thing as an Amber
(43:22):
Alert. Amber would have been twentyfour years old now, but her family
prefers to remember her as a happynine year old whose name is now known
from coast to coast. Every TupmanCNN, Arlington, Texas. To conclude
(43:45):
this story, I would like toshare a personal one. Many years ago,
I was around eight years old.I was at a shopping mall with
my parents. I had to usethe restauran, so, being a naive
and foolish child, I asked astranger if he could tell me where the
restroom was. I had managed towander away from my parents. The man
(44:07):
said, I will show you.He then grabbed my arm and tried to
drag me away. In a splitsecond, I realized that I had made
a terrible mistake. I froze upwith fear and couldn't move or scream for
help. Thankfully, my mother sawme and came over and asked the stranger
(44:27):
what he was doing and to letme go. The man ran away.
Today, I have always wondered ifhe grabbed another child since he couldn't get
me, or if it was possiblethat he was there intentionally looking for a
child to snatch. Although this happenedroughly four decades ago, I still remember
(44:52):
the incident as if it had happenedyesterday, because I was so terrified at
that moment. If you have childrenor grandchildren, please educate them about the
dangers of the evil monsters who wereseeking victims. And if you ever find
yourself uncomfortable around someone, then youshould limit your interaction with him or her.
(45:13):
There is a reason why you wereborn with a gut instinct. Ignoring
it could cost you your life.If you enjoyed listening to this podcast,
I would request that you consider joiningmy True Crime Patreon fan club for four
dollars ninety nine cents per month.You will receive two monthly short crime stories,
crime scene footage, video clips ofcrime, and I will also periodically
(45:35):
include extra podcasts exclusive to my TrueCrime fan club. Simply visit my website
at www dot demarcov dot com orjust look for the link on my podcast
notes. Thank you for listening,and always remember that if you wake up
on the right side of the grass, you're having a great day.
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