1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,400 Caitlin Van Mol: This episode contains descriptions of 2 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:08,100 violence. Listener discretion is advised. This episode is also 3 00:00:08,100 --> 00:00:10,740 the first international interview I've done for this 4 00:00:10,740 --> 00:00:15,300 show, which is really cool, but also means I couldn't send a 5 00:00:15,300 --> 00:00:19,800 microphone out. So just want to say I did my best with the audio 6 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:21,560 here. Okay, 7 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:24,800 Peter: here's the show, because he certainly didn't want to be 8 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:25,940 charged with a murder 9 00:00:29,060 --> 00:00:32,780 Caitlin Van Mol: in 2008 Peter Brandt was living on Whitby 10 00:00:32,780 --> 00:00:36,080 Island, which is just north of Seattle, Washington, 11 00:00:37,460 --> 00:00:41,200 Peter: and the only in and out was by ferry. I was a commercial 12 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:45,820 real estate investor, managing apartments and acquiring 13 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:50,080 properties. I had purchased a home that was in need of 14 00:00:50,140 --> 00:00:55,120 completing a Boeing and Microsoft couple had worked over 15 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:59,860 the years on weekends, fixing up this house, and it didn't have 16 00:00:59,860 --> 00:01:04,680 any interior finishes. It had plumbing but no electrical. It 17 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:09,120 had a roof and it had landscaping, and nobody could 18 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:14,220 get financing for it, but with my expertise and my real estate 19 00:01:14,220 --> 00:01:17,640 license and so on, the bank agreed that I was capable of 20 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:21,200 managing the project, and they loaned me the money with 21 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,260 Caitlin Van Mol: financing secured, Peter needed to find 22 00:01:24,260 --> 00:01:27,740 someone to actually do the work. While I was 23 00:01:27,740 --> 00:01:31,940 Peter: preparing to find a builder or contractor to assist 24 00:01:31,940 --> 00:01:36,800 me on the project, Brent Decker was working with a local friend 25 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:43,480 of mine on replacing a floor the bedroom. And as I was there, he 26 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:48,820 was doing the work, we kind of hit it off. And at some point, 27 00:01:48,820 --> 00:01:53,380 you know, he he realized that I had a house that I was going to 28 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:59,380 fix up, and so he wanted to see it. And I took him over there, 29 00:01:59,380 --> 00:02:03,540 and he had all kinds of ideas. And he turned out to be quite 30 00:02:03,540 --> 00:02:07,440 dynamic. He showed me a portfolio that was had custom 31 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:12,060 homes that he had done in in California, and they were really 32 00:02:12,060 --> 00:02:15,480 tasteful. He put me on the phone one time when he was talking to 33 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:18,780 this guy who you know, and he he was a reference, and he said, 34 00:02:18,780 --> 00:02:21,500 you know, this guy is, is really, really good. He's done a 35 00:02:21,500 --> 00:02:25,580 lot of work for me. He's like a master builder. He can design 36 00:02:25,820 --> 00:02:29,120 without a plan and build it right then and there. I mean, 37 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:33,620 custom cabinetry and sound systems. He was a renaissance 38 00:02:33,620 --> 00:02:39,560 man. What did he look like? You know, he looked a little a 39 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:44,680 little bit skittish at time 10, he was a motor mouth. I mean, he 40 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:49,480 he would, he could talk on any subject. I said to myself, This 41 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:52,540 guy's a cross between Michelangelo and Da Vinci. 42 00:02:53,259 --> 00:02:56,379 Caitlin Van Mol: Once they got electricity working, Peter moved 43 00:02:56,379 --> 00:03:00,039 in and lived there full time while work was still being 44 00:03:00,039 --> 00:03:01,679 completed on the house. 45 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:06,240 Peter: And not only that, it turned out, in conversation with 46 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:10,560 him that he had worked as a chef at one time. So he said, Man, I 47 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:14,640 love working for you, with you so much, I'm going to bless you 48 00:03:14,640 --> 00:03:19,380 with my cooking. And it really was fantastic. You know, it was 49 00:03:19,380 --> 00:03:22,640 certainly a bonus having them around, you know, it wasn't 50 00:03:22,640 --> 00:03:25,460 something that you expect from your contractor. 51 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:29,360 Caitlin Van Mol: Yeah, I wouldn't expect to be fed 52 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:29,840 dinner, 53 00:03:31,099 --> 00:03:33,979 Peter: but it was taking them some time to, you know, because 54 00:03:33,979 --> 00:03:37,639 he was coming from, I'm going to say, you know, maybe 50 miles 55 00:03:37,639 --> 00:03:42,159 away, including a ferry trip. And if there was traffic, which, 56 00:03:42,279 --> 00:03:45,819 you know, there usually was, then it would really limit the 57 00:03:45,819 --> 00:03:49,059 amount of time that he had to work, you know. And so finally, 58 00:03:49,059 --> 00:03:50,979 you know, I said, you know, wouldn't it make sense? How 59 00:03:50,979 --> 00:03:54,039 about if you stayed here a couple nights a week so we could 60 00:03:54,039 --> 00:03:58,299 get more production done? And he said, some reason he was going 61 00:03:58,299 --> 00:04:02,159 to have to to move. But he told me, you know, it'd be, it'd be 62 00:04:02,159 --> 00:04:05,819 better if I just lived here and you know, there, there'd be no 63 00:04:05,819 --> 00:04:11,759 commute at any time. We just get her, get her done. And I said, 64 00:04:11,759 --> 00:04:13,499 Okay, that's that works for me. 65 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,820 Caitlin Van Mol: So Brent moved in to finish the job, but 66 00:04:17,820 --> 00:04:21,740 letting Brent this far into Peter's life would change 67 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:28,280 everything. This is lived to tell the podcast where I talk to 68 00:04:28,280 --> 00:04:32,000 some of the bravest people who have been through the most 69 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:37,460 horrifying things and lived to tell the tale. I'm Caitlin Van 70 00:04:37,460 --> 00:04:46,120 Mol I just want to ask about what your relationship with him 71 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:50,020 is. Are you friends? Do you guys hang outside of the house? 72 00:04:50,500 --> 00:04:53,500 Peter: Well, we would mainly just to get supplies and 73 00:04:53,500 --> 00:04:58,120 everything. I I generally wouldn't, wouldn't socialize 74 00:04:58,180 --> 00:05:01,560 with him, you know, because I had to keep. A as best I could, 75 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:06,060 a business relationship. So we didn't hang out all the time 76 00:05:06,060 --> 00:05:10,200 together, but we might take a trip, you know, about 45 minute 77 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:13,860 trip to a Home Depot, get supplies, you know, run some 78 00:05:13,860 --> 00:05:15,900 errands and and then 79 00:05:15,899 --> 00:05:18,899 Caitlin Van Mol: drive back to the friendly, but not friends, 80 00:05:19,139 --> 00:05:22,399 Peter: yeah, that would be a good description. And then in 81 00:05:22,399 --> 00:05:26,599 the evenings, he would do art and play his artwork. And it 82 00:05:26,599 --> 00:05:30,679 seemed like he was he'd stay up a good part of the night. And 83 00:05:30,679 --> 00:05:33,799 you know, I thought, God, that's kind of weird. I hear movement 84 00:05:33,799 --> 00:05:37,159 around at night. Well, I can't really sleep that well. And you 85 00:05:37,159 --> 00:05:42,159 know, I hope I'm not disturbing you. And then another thing was 86 00:05:42,219 --> 00:05:46,119 when the Mormons would proselytize in the area, and 87 00:05:46,119 --> 00:05:49,539 when they would come to the door, he would engage them with 88 00:05:49,599 --> 00:05:52,419 questions that they would have to go to Salt Lake City 89 00:05:53,559 --> 00:06:01,079 administrators to answer. And like, what? Like, you know, what 90 00:06:01,079 --> 00:06:05,039 is the Mormon Church's perspective on anything, you 91 00:06:05,039 --> 00:06:08,879 know, abortion and this and that, and then he was a good 92 00:06:08,879 --> 00:06:12,059 debater. So eventually, like, three or four of them were 93 00:06:12,059 --> 00:06:14,759 coming at a time, you know, because they were really serious 94 00:06:14,759 --> 00:06:18,899 about answering every question he had, and he loved it. And by 95 00:06:18,899 --> 00:06:23,299 the end, you know, there, I think the one day, there was 96 00:06:23,299 --> 00:06:26,239 five people. And he said, he told them before they came, he 97 00:06:26,239 --> 00:06:30,079 said, Look, I've been listening to you now for several months. 98 00:06:30,079 --> 00:06:34,159 And he he'd gone to a potluck dinner at the Mormon church with 99 00:06:34,159 --> 00:06:37,219 them. And you know, they were friendly towards each other, but 100 00:06:37,219 --> 00:06:41,439 they came and, you know, for the final time, and he said, I I'm 101 00:06:41,439 --> 00:06:47,079 gonna perform a concert for you, because, you know, you're 102 00:06:47,079 --> 00:06:50,739 always, you know, telling me your philosophies and, you know, 103 00:06:50,739 --> 00:06:55,419 the religious parts of it. And so he got on his guitar, he had 104 00:06:55,419 --> 00:06:59,499 an amp set up in the living room, and he actually played a 105 00:06:59,499 --> 00:07:04,499 concert for him. And it was just surreal. I'm going, this is just 106 00:07:04,619 --> 00:07:05,339 weird. 107 00:07:05,999 --> 00:07:08,639 Caitlin Van Mol: What kind of music did he play? It was, 108 00:07:08,940 --> 00:07:11,880 Peter: it was some kind of rock and roll, you know. I mean, it 109 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:17,040 was really heavy, you know, probably nearing on heavy metal 110 00:07:17,460 --> 00:07:18,720 electric guitar. 111 00:07:18,899 --> 00:07:22,099 Caitlin Van Mol: Yes, famously, the Mormons favorite heavy metal 112 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:27,260 Peter: can you imagine the picture? I mean, I actually went 113 00:07:27,260 --> 00:07:31,520 outside at some point, because it was just like, this is over 114 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:32,780 the top for me. 115 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:36,980 Caitlin Van Mol: But once the work was complete, Brent didn't 116 00:07:36,980 --> 00:07:39,260 seem to be in a hurry to move on. 117 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:43,960 Peter: The project was already complete, and I was trying to 118 00:07:44,620 --> 00:07:47,680 point him towards, okay, now you know it's time, you know it's 119 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:51,760 time for you to move on. The project's done. He had fallen in 120 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:55,780 love with my H I had an HD video camera that he really liked, and 121 00:07:55,780 --> 00:08:00,420 he liked working with me, and he wanted to shoot vignettes of 122 00:08:00,420 --> 00:08:03,840 Whidbey Island to sell to people that wanted to retire there so 123 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:07,620 they could actually feel what the island was like and the 124 00:08:07,620 --> 00:08:14,340 beauty and so on. And he was really good at it, but I didn't 125 00:08:14,340 --> 00:08:17,940 want him living there anymore. So I, you know, I had told him, 126 00:08:17,940 --> 00:08:21,380 you know, okay, you need to start looking. I didn't want to 127 00:08:21,380 --> 00:08:25,280 push it too hard, but, you know, I was in the process of saying, 128 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:26,480 Okay, it's time 129 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:30,440 Caitlin Van Mol: to move along. Was he paying rent at all? 130 00:08:30,860 --> 00:08:34,100 Peter: He didn't pay rent. Hmm, 131 00:08:35,659 --> 00:08:37,099 Caitlin Van Mol: was that ever discussed? 132 00:08:38,179 --> 00:08:42,579 Peter: No, I didn't. I don't know whether he would have 133 00:08:42,579 --> 00:08:47,379 agreed to that, but my you know, when you're working with a bank, 134 00:08:47,379 --> 00:08:51,279 you don't want to be slow on on the project. So I wanted to be 135 00:08:51,279 --> 00:08:56,199 able to show progress and not not have them question. You 136 00:08:56,199 --> 00:08:59,019 know, the viability of the project, by 137 00:08:59,020 --> 00:09:04,020 Caitlin Van Mol: June 11, 2008 Brent had really worn out his 138 00:09:04,020 --> 00:09:04,620 welcome. 139 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:09,960 Peter: He had been a woman on the bus on the island, and he 140 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:13,920 told me that day, man, I met this gal, and I think she's 141 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:18,960 pretty cool. She's quite special. Then I think a day or 142 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:23,000 so later, he said, Hey, would you mind if my gal came over 143 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:25,640 and, you know, so she could see the project? I said, No, that'd 144 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:29,840 be fine. So she lived in Seattle, which was about an hour 145 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:33,620 away, and and, you know, well, would it be okay if she spent 146 00:09:33,620 --> 00:09:40,960 the night? Okay? You know, I met her, and she was very nice, and 147 00:09:41,380 --> 00:09:45,880 everything was cool. She stayed the night, and in the morning, 148 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:52,120 I'm hearing Stern, almost arguing, I guess that you would 149 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:58,360 call it, and to the point where I said, Excuse me, but you can't 150 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:02,640 raise your voice here. In my house, so one of you is going to 151 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:07,140 have to step out. Well, she agreed to step out, and while 152 00:10:07,140 --> 00:10:12,300 she was outside, I told her, I said, I think that you better 153 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:17,400 go, and I would suggest that you don't come back here. This guy's 154 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:21,860 being a little over aggressive with you, and I don't want that 155 00:10:21,860 --> 00:10:26,360 to happen in my house. And I said, I'm on my I'm going to be 156 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:30,260 on my way soon here to go to my real estate office, which is 157 00:10:30,260 --> 00:10:33,560 right near the ferry dock, so I'll be glad to drop you out 158 00:10:33,560 --> 00:10:38,600 there. She said, Okay. And then I went back in the house, and 159 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:43,300 there he was, and he said, she's probably going to ask you for a 160 00:10:43,300 --> 00:10:48,760 ride to the ferry dock. And, you know, I didn't acknowledge that 161 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:56,740 she had done that. Instead, she got her things and got in my car 162 00:10:56,740 --> 00:11:00,900 and we went on the way to the ferry, and along the way, I got 163 00:11:00,900 --> 00:11:06,240 a phone call from him on my cell phone, and he said, Peter, your 164 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:13,800 HD video camera is missing, and we both were using it. And so, 165 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,440 you know, essentially, you know, I'm acknowledging that. You 166 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:20,540 know, both of us know that it was there this morning, so you 167 00:11:20,540 --> 00:11:24,980 need to check her belongings. I first explained to her, you 168 00:11:24,980 --> 00:11:29,060 know, what was going on, and she she agreed to be checked, and I 169 00:11:29,060 --> 00:11:33,800 didn't come up with anything. So I said, took her to the ferry 170 00:11:33,980 --> 00:11:37,940 and dropped her off, and she got on the ferry, and off she went. 171 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:43,960 The next thing was that I, instead of going to my real 172 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:48,520 estate office, as I had intended, I felt as if I needed 173 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:54,040 to settle the camera situation with Brent back at the house. So 174 00:11:54,340 --> 00:11:59,620 I drive back, I go walk in the door, and he goes, would you Did 175 00:11:59,620 --> 00:12:03,600 you find anything? I said, No. I said, she said she didn't have 176 00:12:03,660 --> 00:12:07,200 it. You say you don't know where it is. And I said, I'm going to 177 00:12:07,260 --> 00:12:10,560 do what people do when they're in a situation like that, is, 178 00:12:10,560 --> 00:12:13,200 I'm just going to have the police investigate it, 179 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:16,860 Caitlin Van Mol: bringing up, going to the police. Snapped 180 00:12:16,860 --> 00:12:18,660 something in Brent when 181 00:12:18,660 --> 00:12:24,260 Peter: I said that, all of a sudden, I was hit multiple, 182 00:12:24,260 --> 00:12:28,640 multiple times with about a three foot piece of hardwood. In 183 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:32,360 fact, it was coming at me so fast, over my head and my 184 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:37,340 shoulders and my body that I couldn't even put together what 185 00:12:37,340 --> 00:12:41,440 was happening. It just was a moment that you know, what is 186 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:47,320 this? Why? And I passed out, and I don't know how long I was out, 187 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:53,440 but when I came to I thought, this is a very dangerous moment. 188 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:57,340 What am I going to do? I have got to be as creative as I've 189 00:12:57,340 --> 00:13:01,500 ever been in my life, and I'm going to have to extricate 190 00:13:01,500 --> 00:13:07,440 myself with this. So I thought, well, I'll just run next door to 191 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:08,160 a neighbor. 192 00:13:08,700 --> 00:13:10,380 Caitlin Van Mol: Where are you in the house? At this point, 193 00:13:10,620 --> 00:13:11,700 we're in an on an 194 00:13:11,700 --> 00:13:17,940 Peter: upper floor, and there's a stairway nearby, and we tussle 195 00:13:17,940 --> 00:13:24,500 going down a staircase to the kitchen, and I can't seem to get 196 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:32,360 out of his grip. And when he gets me to the kitchen, he puts 197 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:36,140 me in a position on my back, where I'm next to the set of 198 00:13:36,140 --> 00:13:41,380 drawers that had a cutlery drawer, and he pulls out a two 199 00:13:41,380 --> 00:13:46,960 pronged Turkey fork, and he's just about ready to drive it 200 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:51,160 through my heart. He's got it over his head. And I said, Is 201 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:54,100 there any reason why somebody needs to die here? I said, we 202 00:13:54,100 --> 00:13:57,700 both have sons. I'd certainly want to see my son. I'm sure 203 00:13:57,700 --> 00:14:02,820 you'd want to see yours too. I said, I will I forgive you and I 204 00:14:02,820 --> 00:14:07,620 will help you in any way I can. That was my light bulb moment. I 205 00:14:07,620 --> 00:14:10,500 thought, you know, when I was thinking about how to handle 206 00:14:10,500 --> 00:14:13,440 this, I thought, I'll forgive him. 207 00:14:14,220 --> 00:14:17,340 Caitlin Van Mol: What made you say that I 208 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:21,500 Peter: I knew that there was a good possibility that I was 209 00:14:21,500 --> 00:14:25,640 going to be killed, because I there was no way that he could 210 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:30,500 have predicted that I would live with how hard he was hitting me. 211 00:14:30,620 --> 00:14:34,700 I mean, I had head injuries. I could feel where I'd been hit on 212 00:14:34,700 --> 00:14:39,800 the shoulders. I had to do something unusual, and I was 213 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:44,620 afraid to be physically violent. Because, even if, if I could 214 00:14:44,620 --> 00:14:48,340 have, because I, in my mind, I pictured being in a courtroom, 215 00:14:48,340 --> 00:14:52,720 and it's my word against his, and he's dead, and how do I 216 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:58,000 explain that to somebody? I just wanted to resolve this without 217 00:14:58,780 --> 00:15:03,000 physical you know, any more? Physical conflict. And so when I 218 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:08,160 told him I forgave him, his eyes went from the look of the devil. 219 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:11,220 Have you ever seen that in someone where they just look 220 00:15:11,220 --> 00:15:14,700 like the devil has temporarily got a hold of him? That's what 221 00:15:14,700 --> 00:15:22,400 he looked like. And when I said, I forgive you, he melted, and 222 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:27,800 late later, he told me. He said, If you hadn't forgiven me, I 223 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:31,640 would have killed you, because no one in my life has ever 224 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:36,980 forgiven me. Turned out, you know, I found out later that, I 225 00:15:36,980 --> 00:15:41,740 think by about age 12, he was living on the street is he felt 226 00:15:41,740 --> 00:15:47,980 the need to go on his own at that age, so he was apparently 227 00:15:47,980 --> 00:15:53,380 street wise and and could certainly take care of himself. 228 00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:57,160 Caitlin Van Mol: But street smarts can only take you so far 229 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:00,720 after you've attacked your employer and now have to deal 230 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:04,140 with a mess of blood all over the house. 231 00:16:05,100 --> 00:16:08,640 Peter: He sit back, and he goes, this is a heinous crime. You 232 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:11,100 looked around and said, We gotta, we've gotta get out of 233 00:16:11,100 --> 00:16:15,000 here. And I said, Well, you know, I've got somebody that's, 234 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:18,480 you know, that's coming over, and I'm not sure exactly when. 235 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:23,780 And he said, Hey, if anybody walks in this house or knocks at 236 00:16:23,780 --> 00:16:26,240 the door there, they will be killed, and I'm going to bury 237 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:30,800 him under the patio deck. I'm like, Whoa, let's get out of 238 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:33,380 here to them, because I really don't want anybody else to have 239 00:16:33,380 --> 00:16:36,980 to go through this. Yeah, he took me up to the upstairs 240 00:16:36,980 --> 00:16:42,100 bathroom, and He nursed my wounds. He he had a first aid 241 00:16:42,100 --> 00:16:46,240 kit. He cleaned, you know, head injuries with alcohol and 242 00:16:46,300 --> 00:16:50,500 wrapped my head. It's like, God, one minute you're, you know, 243 00:16:50,500 --> 00:16:54,700 you're this evil person, and the next minute you're, you're 244 00:16:54,700 --> 00:16:58,420 nursing my wound. It was kind of hard to wrap my head around that 245 00:16:59,260 --> 00:17:02,160 Caitlin Van Mol: Peter was doing his best to be cooperative. 246 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:07,500 Brent was being nice now, but obviously could become violent 247 00:17:07,500 --> 00:17:12,840 any second while in the bathroom, Brent put zip ties 248 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:15,120 around Peter's ankles and wrists, 249 00:17:16,020 --> 00:17:19,020 Peter: and he said, I'm going to take all my tools and all my 250 00:17:19,020 --> 00:17:22,640 belongings and I'm going to put him in your van. And then he 251 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:27,200 said, we're going to go on the run. I'm going to hand you off 252 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:31,400 somebody in California. It's like some bikers or so, and then 253 00:17:31,820 --> 00:17:36,680 I'll go into Mexico, and then I'll have them hand me off to 254 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:41,560 him, and then we'll be on the run in Mexico together. And I'm 255 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:47,200 like, holy shit. How's this gonna work? Yeah, I don't know 256 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:48,220 what to expect. 257 00:17:48,580 --> 00:17:51,640 Caitlin Van Mol: It took Brent about an hour to pack everything 258 00:17:51,700 --> 00:17:53,140 and load it into the van. 259 00:17:53,860 --> 00:17:58,660 Peter: Eventually, he takes me out to the van, and there's the 260 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:04,380 van is, you know, is full of tools and his belongings, but 261 00:18:04,380 --> 00:18:08,820 there's a shape in the middle of the cargo area that is about the 262 00:18:08,820 --> 00:18:14,700 size of my body. I thought, Oh no, so I had to, I lay on my 263 00:18:14,700 --> 00:18:20,040 back and he's going to drive the highway access to avoid the 264 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:23,480 ferry because he's afraid I might scream or yell when we're 265 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:28,220 on the ferry. So we, we our first stop is at a bank where he 266 00:18:28,220 --> 00:18:31,340 demands my debit card and my pen, and he takes $500 267 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:36,320 Caitlin Van Mol: then Brent started driving south, out of 268 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:38,960 Washington and into California. 269 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:44,080 Peter: We started. We drove all night, and I was familiar with 270 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:50,080 highway 101, which is fairly desolate, and I kind of played, 271 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:55,720 I knew personally that I could open the van even if it was 272 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:59,980 locked from the inside. Then I thought, you know, middle of the 273 00:18:59,980 --> 00:19:04,260 night, and I'm going to jump out of the van, and then, you know 274 00:19:04,260 --> 00:19:07,020 what, if he catches up with me, and then certainly I'll be 275 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:14,160 finished if he catches me. So I thought, Okay, I'll just go with 276 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:17,940 the flow here, and I'm hoping that he's speeding, you know, so 277 00:19:17,940 --> 00:19:21,560 that we maybe we could be stopped by a police why it's 278 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:24,080 Caitlin Van Mol: going through your mind? Because this is hours 279 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:25,640 and hours. I 280 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:30,920 Peter: am incredibly relaxed. I'm almost in a state of, I 281 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:35,720 would call it Nirvana, you know, I just was relaxed. I wasn't 282 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:39,740 gonna worry, you know, it's gonna, you know, there will be a 283 00:19:39,740 --> 00:19:44,860 positive outcome. And I realized that anybody else that might be 284 00:19:44,860 --> 00:19:49,120 in this position might be screaming, crying, yelling, you 285 00:19:49,120 --> 00:19:52,060 know, and probably end up doing something stupid that will end 286 00:19:52,060 --> 00:19:56,980 up having, you know, having you ended, yeah, so I don't know 287 00:19:56,980 --> 00:20:01,200 where that came from, but people. Have told me in the past 288 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:04,680 that, you know, there could be a fire, they say, and you would be 289 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:06,120 the calmest person in the room. 290 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:09,060 Caitlin Van Mol: Peter started formulating a plan to get 291 00:20:09,060 --> 00:20:11,040 himself out of this situation. 292 00:20:11,460 --> 00:20:19,740 Peter: My next strategy was to feign near death. I was moaning 293 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:27,260 and grown, and it turned out to be quite effective. He stopped 294 00:20:27,260 --> 00:20:32,360 at a gas station and he bought vitamins and he brought me 295 00:20:32,420 --> 00:20:36,320 water. And again, that was that catch 22 thing where here's this 296 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:42,580 guy that's been your perpetrator is now aiding you in some way, 297 00:20:43,180 --> 00:20:50,980 very confusing, but he says, I know a nurse along this highway, 298 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:54,400 and he said, I want to have her check your condition, because he 299 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:58,300 was afraid, you know, I was going to die based On my my 300 00:20:58,300 --> 00:21:05,100 behavior, right? And so he says, Okay, we're here. I'm gonna run 301 00:21:05,100 --> 00:21:08,520 in there and I'll be right back out. And when he came out, he 302 00:21:08,520 --> 00:21:13,020 said, she won't see you for ethical reasons. So she says, 303 00:21:13,020 --> 00:21:17,040 Just get him to a hospital. So he said, we're gonna go to 304 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:21,980 Sacramento, and I'm gonna drop off all my gear. I'm gonna leave 305 00:21:21,980 --> 00:21:25,820 it with a mini storage and then we'll go straight to the 306 00:21:25,820 --> 00:21:26,720 hospital after 307 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:30,680 Caitlin Van Mol: that. And shockingly, that's exactly what 308 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:31,220 they did. 309 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:36,740 Peter: And I think within 15 or 20 minutes, we were at UC Davis, 310 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:43,060 California. He stops next to the hospital parking lot. He's 311 00:21:43,060 --> 00:21:46,480 driving, you know, my van. He's got my cell phone, he's got my 312 00:21:46,480 --> 00:21:51,880 wallet. He says, I'm going to be monitoring my warrant, so don't 313 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:54,640 turn me in, but I'm going to let you go. You give me a 15 minute 314 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:57,760 head start, and after 15 minutes, you can go into the 315 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:03,720 hospital. And then he hands me all my belongings, and he 316 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:04,860 disappears. 317 00:22:06,060 --> 00:22:08,520 Caitlin Van Mol: Peter didn't know anything about a warrant 318 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:12,480 out for Brent, and that was really the least of his worries 319 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:13,080 at the moment. 320 00:22:13,500 --> 00:22:17,160 Peter: So after 15 minutes, I thought I better, better last 321 00:22:17,340 --> 00:22:20,900 the full 15 minutes here, and after 15 minutes, I got up, 322 00:22:21,980 --> 00:22:26,840 locked the van up, and I stood outside the hospital, and I 323 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:33,440 called my son. I said, Michael, this is your dad. I'm I'm here 324 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:37,340 in California. I've been kidnapped on the overnight, and 325 00:22:37,340 --> 00:22:41,680 I've just been released in a hospital. He's like, what? So I 326 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:44,680 said, but I need to, you know, go get medical care. I just want 327 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:48,940 to let you know, and I'll be in bone touch with you. So I go 328 00:22:49,540 --> 00:22:54,280 into the hospital, and it's so busy that their patients stacked 329 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:58,360 up in the hallways. It's crawling with police. 330 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:02,820 Caitlin Van Mol: When Peter told police the story. They told him 331 00:23:02,820 --> 00:23:05,820 he needed to report the crime in Washington. 332 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:12,120 Peter: And they extend a hospital spokesperson, and they 333 00:23:12,120 --> 00:23:15,840 come up to me and they say, hey. They said, can we get you a, you 334 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:20,660 know, book a hotel room for you? And I said, No, I don't want to 335 00:23:20,660 --> 00:23:23,480 be here any longer than I need to, you know? I want to have my 336 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:29,240 medical assistance, and then I want to go home. Drive home. I 337 00:23:29,780 --> 00:23:34,820 said, Okay, so I was in there probably at 1pm and at 10, just 338 00:23:34,820 --> 00:23:38,900 up around 10 of 10pm I was released. I had staples put in 339 00:23:38,900 --> 00:23:43,540 my head, you know, they they took some X rays and did a bunch 340 00:23:43,540 --> 00:23:44,080 of things. 341 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:46,960 Caitlin Van Mol: Peter didn't want to stay in the hospital a 342 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:52,480 single second longer than was necessary, so he left and tried 343 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:53,800 to find something to eat. 344 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:57,700 Peter: And I found an Italian restaurant. Man, that sounds 345 00:23:57,700 --> 00:24:03,900 really great. So I parked there and saunter into the restaurant, 346 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:09,240 but I was still in my my victim clothes. You know, I had blood 347 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:14,340 spattered clothing. Yeah, I know I now was going on the second 348 00:24:14,340 --> 00:24:15,600 day without shaving, 349 00:24:16,740 --> 00:24:19,200 Caitlin Van Mol: and I'm sure there's blood in your hair. And, 350 00:24:19,740 --> 00:24:23,240 Peter: yeah, and they're just locking the front door. It's, 351 00:24:23,300 --> 00:24:27,200 it's closing time. And the guy looks up at me, and he goes, My 352 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:30,920 God, what in the world happened to you? And I said, Well, I'm 353 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:34,520 the victim of a kidnapping, you know. And I shared the story 354 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:39,440 with him, and he said, Well, it's your lucky day. Dinner's on 355 00:24:39,500 --> 00:24:44,140 us, and we're going to stay open for you. Oh, thank you very 356 00:24:44,140 --> 00:24:44,800 much. 357 00:24:45,460 --> 00:24:49,180 Caitlin Van Mol: After dinner, Peter went to a mall parking lot 358 00:24:49,360 --> 00:24:50,200 for the night, 359 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:55,060 Peter: and I locked myself in the cargo compartment of the van 360 00:24:55,060 --> 00:25:00,780 under a bright series of street lights, and I sat. My alarm for 361 00:25:00,780 --> 00:25:01,560 5am well, 362 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:04,980 Caitlin Van Mol: why? Why didn't you stay at a hotel? 363 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:09,420 Peter: Because I want, I want, you know, I wanted to be with my 364 00:25:09,420 --> 00:25:10,920 kinfolk. Yeah, 365 00:25:11,340 --> 00:25:13,380 Caitlin Van Mol: you know, I don't know. Just instead of 366 00:25:13,380 --> 00:25:15,060 sleeping in your car, I 367 00:25:15,060 --> 00:25:17,580 Peter: wasn't really in the mood to be exploring for anything 368 00:25:17,580 --> 00:25:19,260 other than an Italian restaurant. 369 00:25:19,980 --> 00:25:22,760 Caitlin Van Mol: The next morning, Peter woke up and 370 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:24,080 started driving home. 371 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:30,500 Peter: I call my former wife, and she's a great communicator 372 00:25:30,500 --> 00:25:34,940 and really very responsive in emergent situations. And you 373 00:25:34,940 --> 00:25:39,140 know, she says, Look, you need to find a place where you can 374 00:25:39,140 --> 00:25:43,180 buy some clothes, and then you need, before you get to Seattle, 375 00:25:43,180 --> 00:25:47,020 you need to stop at a truck stop, take a shower, change into 376 00:25:47,020 --> 00:25:53,620 new clothes, so you don't brighten your sun. And I'm so 377 00:25:53,620 --> 00:25:56,260 excited to be, you know, headed towards home, 378 00:25:56,620 --> 00:25:59,140 Caitlin Van Mol: but before he could get to a truck stop and 379 00:25:59,140 --> 00:26:03,840 get himself cleaned up, he got pulled over by a police officer. 380 00:26:04,260 --> 00:26:06,960 Peter: He says, Sir, do you know how fast you were driving? And I 381 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:11,700 said, No, sir, I'm sorry. I'm just, you know, recovering from 382 00:26:11,700 --> 00:26:14,340 a kidnapping, and I wasn't really paying attention my 383 00:26:14,340 --> 00:26:17,940 speedway. Well, you were 30 miles an hour over the speed 384 00:26:17,940 --> 00:26:21,740 limit. And he said, But hold on a second. And he ran back to his 385 00:26:21,740 --> 00:26:24,980 squad car, you know, he rang my ran my ID, and he came back, 386 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:28,100 back to the car. He goes, get out of here. Go report this, you 387 00:26:28,100 --> 00:26:32,660 know, go to your home area and, you know, report this. And that 388 00:26:32,660 --> 00:26:36,620 was the end of that. So it's just like, Get out of here. Kid, 389 00:26:36,980 --> 00:26:37,340 you know, 390 00:26:37,340 --> 00:26:39,980 Caitlin Van Mol: right? Yeah, I'm sure he saw the state of 391 00:26:39,980 --> 00:26:43,360 you, and was like, I don't want to be, 392 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:46,660 Peter: yeah, because I was afraid. I was afraid they were, 393 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:50,140 you know, they wouldn't believe the story. You know that they 394 00:26:50,140 --> 00:26:51,280 did. He did. 395 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:55,000 Caitlin Van Mol: So Peter kept driving and stopped at a truck 396 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:58,840 stop to take a quick shower, then drove the rest of the way 397 00:26:58,840 --> 00:27:04,140 to his ex wife's house. How did you feel being back surrounded 398 00:27:04,140 --> 00:27:06,780 by people that you knew and trusted? 399 00:27:07,020 --> 00:27:11,100 Peter: Oh, it's great. I mean, it's what you it's what you 400 00:27:11,100 --> 00:27:14,760 need. I mean, you can imagine, you sort of lose a little sense 401 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:18,120 of, you know, the hope for mankind. You know when something 402 00:27:18,120 --> 00:27:21,260 like this happens? I mean, the worst. You know that you can 403 00:27:21,260 --> 00:27:22,460 observe the 404 00:27:22,460 --> 00:27:25,040 Caitlin Van Mol: next morning, Peter went to the sheriff's 405 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:28,160 office to report the kidnapping. Again, 406 00:27:28,940 --> 00:27:33,200 Peter: it's a Saturday morning, and there's hardly anybody at 407 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:38,060 the counter, and when I finally aroused somebody, the guy says, 408 00:27:38,360 --> 00:27:44,020 Oh, I'm sorry. We can't take a report. The sheriff is home, and 409 00:27:44,020 --> 00:27:48,820 he's asked not to be disturbed. So I can't, I can't contact him. 410 00:27:48,820 --> 00:27:52,480 So I suggest that you would. There's another precinct where 411 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:56,560 there's one sergeant station about 10 miles from here. So I 412 00:27:56,560 --> 00:28:02,400 suggest you go there, and what I'm like, okay, buddy. Now it's 413 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:06,420 been a couple of days, and this is a federal crime, and I can't 414 00:28:06,420 --> 00:28:07,440 talk to your sheriff, 415 00:28:07,860 --> 00:28:11,520 Caitlin Van Mol: so Peter drove to the other station to try 416 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:12,180 again. 417 00:28:12,420 --> 00:28:15,900 Peter: So I drive up to this little precinct, you know, which 418 00:28:15,900 --> 00:28:19,740 is essentially a hole in the wall, and there's this crusty 419 00:28:19,740 --> 00:28:23,780 old sergeant sitting there, you know, after about 10 seconds, 420 00:28:23,780 --> 00:28:29,840 you know, he looks up, what can I do to help you? Well, I wanted 421 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:33,920 to report a kidnapping, and he said, of who I said, of me. So 422 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:37,460 he listened to my story, you know, about three minutes of a 423 00:28:37,460 --> 00:28:42,700 story, and he goes, You know what? I don't believe you. 424 00:28:43,660 --> 00:28:44,680 Caitlin Van Mol: Oh my gosh. 425 00:28:44,740 --> 00:28:47,380 Peter: I said, Why don't you, why don't you jump in your 426 00:28:47,380 --> 00:28:50,680 little squad car and follow me out to the house, and I'll show 427 00:28:50,680 --> 00:28:54,820 you the DNA evidence of the crime. How about that? So he 428 00:28:54,820 --> 00:29:00,340 follows me to my house, and we get there, he pulls out a little 429 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:05,880 Brownie camera, you know, like it looked like it was about 25 430 00:29:06,180 --> 00:29:10,500 years old, you know, no focus or anything. You know, he's taking 431 00:29:10,500 --> 00:29:15,720 pictures of a crime scene. He looks at me very apologetically, 432 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:20,120 and he says, I believe you now, and I'm very sorry that i He 433 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:24,260 said, We got people that report the craziest things, and this 434 00:29:24,260 --> 00:29:28,640 had some of the markings So, but it was Saturday. By that time, 435 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:34,700 he says, I can't get a detective out here for until Tuesday. So 436 00:29:34,700 --> 00:29:39,860 he says, take this form and fill out a report and bring that, you 437 00:29:39,860 --> 00:29:43,540 know, hand it over to the detective when you meet on 438 00:29:43,540 --> 00:29:44,200 Tuesdays. 439 00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:47,560 Caitlin Van Mol: Does crime just not happen there on weekends? 440 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:49,360 Like, why is no one working? 441 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:52,720 Peter: The light isn't on, you know? I mean, in other words, if 442 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:56,680 it happened in Seattle, you know, I was told that, you know, 443 00:29:56,680 --> 00:29:59,920 there would have been all kinds of advocacy, but, but there. 444 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:02,580 Sure it's like, you know, Sorry, we're closed. 445 00:30:03,180 --> 00:30:06,900 Caitlin Van Mol: So finally, on a weekday, Peter was able to 446 00:30:06,900 --> 00:30:08,280 meet with a detective. 447 00:30:08,760 --> 00:30:11,940 Peter: On Tuesday, I get a call from the detective, and he goes, 448 00:30:11,940 --> 00:30:14,820 you want to meet at your house? Or I said, How about if we meet 449 00:30:14,820 --> 00:30:18,360 at a coffee shop? And so, you know, 20 minutes later, we're 450 00:30:18,420 --> 00:30:21,380 sitting over a cup of coffee, and I tell him the story, and he 451 00:30:21,380 --> 00:30:29,720 goes, I got one answer for this. What's that? F, B, I. They go, 452 00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:34,940 really? They happen to have an office in Everett, Washington, 453 00:30:34,940 --> 00:30:38,780 which was just across the Puget Sound. So they were just there. 454 00:30:39,140 --> 00:30:44,920 Oh, and it was a moment where you were just proud to be an 455 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:50,800 American, because they were collecting DNA. And he said, he 456 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:54,100 said, Do you know how lucky you are? Normally, when we 457 00:30:54,280 --> 00:30:58,720 investigate a kidnapping, we're we're sifting through evidence. 458 00:30:58,720 --> 00:31:04,320 There's no person to talk to Yeah, that person was dead, and 459 00:31:04,620 --> 00:31:09,120 he said, This is a movie. You've got to make sure this makes it 460 00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:10,920 to the movie screen. 461 00:31:11,820 --> 00:31:15,000 Caitlin Van Mol: If this was a movie, the investigation 462 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:19,260 probably would be wrapped up in a neat little bow in a few days. 463 00:31:19,860 --> 00:31:24,020 But in reality, it took nearly two and a half years to catch 464 00:31:24,020 --> 00:31:29,720 Brent. Even though the FBI was actively looking for him, Peter 465 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:32,240 didn't feel safe with him still out there. 466 00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:36,860 Peter: The last thing he told me is, you know, if you report me, 467 00:31:37,460 --> 00:31:41,980 I'll be monitoring my warrants, and if, if you report me, I'll 468 00:31:41,980 --> 00:31:47,140 either kill you, or have you killed? You understand that. So 469 00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:53,020 during that time, here I am on this island, and anytime 470 00:31:53,020 --> 00:31:56,020 somebody would knock on the door, or I'd receive a phone 471 00:31:56,020 --> 00:31:58,960 call, you know, where there wasn't anybody on the other end 472 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:03,600 of the line, I would just sweat. You know, it just made me very 473 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:08,940 anxious. Later, I realized I was diagnosed as having PTSD from 474 00:32:08,940 --> 00:32:09,540 the incident. 475 00:32:10,139 --> 00:32:12,119 Caitlin Van Mol: When did you first start experiencing 476 00:32:12,239 --> 00:32:12,959 symptoms? 477 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:16,140 Peter: Well, right away. I mean, I had been working in a real 478 00:32:16,140 --> 00:32:22,880 estate office on my own account. I was investing in multifamily 479 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:28,160 properties. I was managing my portfolio. And when I would go 480 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:32,240 into that office, you know, I'm just, I just, I'm sitting there 481 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:34,940 in the office, and I'm just thinking, what's it all about 482 00:32:34,940 --> 00:32:41,440 Alfie? It's like, what's important? I mean, the only 483 00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:47,080 things that are important are human relationships and doing 484 00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:53,080 the right thing. And, you know, living your life with honor and 485 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:58,180 all the rest is just cake decoration, right? I was so 486 00:32:58,180 --> 00:33:02,400 anxious I couldn't sit in that real estate office and pretend 487 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:05,820 like I cared about the work, because it didn't really matter. 488 00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:10,620 Coincidentally, the world downturn was happening. Yeah, 489 00:33:10,620 --> 00:33:16,920 this is 2008 Yeah, at the same time. So fortunately, I've been 490 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:20,720 able to sell my properties when they were at the peak of the 491 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:24,320 market, so I had funds to live on, and I could live throughout 492 00:33:24,320 --> 00:33:28,400 the entire economic counter. Otherwise I would have had a 493 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:34,880 double whammy. I would have been dealing with my PTSD and trying 494 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:38,780 to figure out how to work. It took two and a half years to 495 00:33:38,780 --> 00:33:41,920 catch this guy. The FBI finally caught him in the act. 496 00:33:42,700 --> 00:33:45,340 Caitlin Van Mol: Brent was arrested in California for 497 00:33:45,340 --> 00:33:49,420 failing to register as a sex offender. According to court 498 00:33:49,420 --> 00:33:53,140 reports, Brent had committed three armed robberies and 499 00:33:53,140 --> 00:33:58,720 attempted to escape from prison before he entered his 20s. After 500 00:33:58,720 --> 00:34:02,640 Brent was released from prison for the robberies. He raped and 501 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:07,620 strangled his wife. His wife survived the ordeal, and Brent 502 00:34:07,620 --> 00:34:12,900 returned to prison upon his release. This time, Brent needed 503 00:34:12,900 --> 00:34:17,460 to register as a sex offender, which he did not when he was 504 00:34:17,460 --> 00:34:21,860 arrested after kidnapping Peter. It had been his third time 505 00:34:21,860 --> 00:34:26,540 failing to register. Brent pled guilty to the kidnapping. 506 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:31,220 Peter: You know, eventually they say, you know, he's, he's 507 00:34:31,220 --> 00:34:35,300 admitted to this thing, and he's, he's willing to cop a 508 00:34:35,300 --> 00:34:40,540 plea. And, you know, I asked him, I said, I don't really want 509 00:34:40,540 --> 00:34:43,240 to go to a hearing. I don't want I don't have anything to do with 510 00:34:43,240 --> 00:34:46,120 them. I don't want to see him. They said, Well, we've got to 511 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:51,640 deal with him. He'll serve 14 and a half years. And I said, 512 00:34:51,640 --> 00:34:56,500 Okay, let's go ahead and do that, and I don't want to attend 513 00:34:56,680 --> 00:34:59,800 the proceeding. And they said, Okay, that's fine. 514 00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:02,580 Caitlin Van Mol: Why didn't you want to go? 515 00:35:03,720 --> 00:35:07,740 Peter: I just didn't need, you know, I'd already experienced 516 00:35:07,740 --> 00:35:12,480 the crime. There just was no need to be there other than 517 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:16,680 maybe for some kind of ego gratification. But I didn't need 518 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:24,080 that, right? So why go? I think the guy was about maybe 38 years 519 00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:28,040 old, and they, you know, they, the judge said, you know, by the 520 00:35:28,040 --> 00:35:33,140 time he's released from prison, he'll be, you know, an aging 521 00:35:33,620 --> 00:35:36,800 man, and all the piss and vinegar will probably be out of 522 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:36,980 them. 523 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:43,240 Caitlin Van Mol: Brent Decker is still in federal prison, but 524 00:35:43,240 --> 00:35:46,900 Peter still had to live with the consequences of what happened to 525 00:35:46,900 --> 00:35:50,200 him, which included the need for a new job. 526 00:35:51,040 --> 00:35:53,560 Peter: You know, the state asked me, What can we do for you? 527 00:35:53,620 --> 00:35:57,040 Okay, I need to be connected, reconnected with a vocation 528 00:35:57,040 --> 00:36:01,680 where I can do something that's doesn't make me anxious, and one 529 00:36:01,680 --> 00:36:05,520 of the first places they referred me to was Starbucks was 530 00:36:05,520 --> 00:36:10,260 offering a position. And I'm going, when I go at a Starbucks 531 00:36:10,260 --> 00:36:15,240 and I see people ordering, you know, double double latte with 532 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:20,840 cornstarch whip, I'm like, There's no way I can keep up 533 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:24,020 with all those descriptions. I said I'd last there about one 534 00:36:24,020 --> 00:36:28,280 day. The good thing about it was I got there was a counselor 535 00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:31,460 there with the state that was really understanding the 536 00:36:31,460 --> 00:36:37,700 situation. What they gave me was understanding and communication 537 00:36:37,700 --> 00:36:41,980 with the seriousness of what had happened and how to, you know, 538 00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:47,740 build back and and that really helped. Because, you know, even 539 00:36:47,980 --> 00:36:50,380 from people that I knew, you know, some people were like, Why 540 00:36:50,380 --> 00:36:53,260 can't you just get over this, you know, like, somehow you can 541 00:36:53,260 --> 00:36:57,940 just, you know, unplug a circuit, and then, you know, the 542 00:36:58,180 --> 00:37:03,540 whole thing goes away. There has to be some grieving period. 543 00:37:03,900 --> 00:37:06,540 Caitlin Van Mol: Yeah, you have to kind of come to terms with 544 00:37:06,540 --> 00:37:07,740 this whole new life. 545 00:37:08,040 --> 00:37:11,640 Peter: Yeah. So one that was really helpful, the state had 546 00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:14,220 recommended, you know, that I there was a job fair that I 547 00:37:14,220 --> 00:37:19,260 should go to, and I meet this lady who was, she said she 548 00:37:19,320 --> 00:37:22,220 represented the Mormon church and that they had an employment 549 00:37:22,220 --> 00:37:26,000 agency. And she says you don't need to be religious to be part 550 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:30,980 of our service. And she says it's a worldwide network, and we 551 00:37:30,980 --> 00:37:37,640 have a global curriculum. They had a classroom computers, and 552 00:37:37,640 --> 00:37:42,880 that every they would meet every single weekday, and there would 553 00:37:42,880 --> 00:37:48,160 be a couple people from the agency there. And so that that 554 00:37:48,160 --> 00:37:51,700 structure really helped me in a time where, you know, I was 555 00:37:51,700 --> 00:37:53,920 struggling to find, you know how to 556 00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:58,180 Unknown: cope. What did you do for work? I had an associate 557 00:37:58,180 --> 00:38:04,320 Peter: that was a also a property owner, and so I, I was 558 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:09,300 involved in managing some of the properties, and then I also did 559 00:38:09,300 --> 00:38:14,160 some work at Home Depot and Macy's as a cashier. Okay, you 560 00:38:14,160 --> 00:38:17,940 know it was, it wasn't, it didn't fulfill who I was, but it 561 00:38:17,940 --> 00:38:21,920 was, you know, a routine. And you know, I could go through the 562 00:38:21,980 --> 00:38:23,060 motions 563 00:38:23,300 --> 00:38:25,940 Caitlin Van Mol: while his routine was really helpful for 564 00:38:25,940 --> 00:38:30,860 Peter to manage his PTSD, something would come along that 565 00:38:30,860 --> 00:38:32,840 would completely disrupt that 566 00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:40,180 Peter: love. Ultimately, I met a woman that was Filipino and is 567 00:38:40,180 --> 00:38:46,420 very understanding and has a lot of empathy, and we turned out to 568 00:38:46,420 --> 00:38:53,080 be a great match. So I, I ended up retiring at age 63 you know, 569 00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:59,920 we had decided to marry, and then I was able to leave the US 570 00:38:59,920 --> 00:39:03,540 and put all this behind me today. 571 00:39:03,540 --> 00:39:06,360 Caitlin Van Mol: Peter happily lives in the Philippines with 572 00:39:06,360 --> 00:39:07,800 his wife, and 573 00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:12,240 Peter: then I got involved with Zumba, of all things. Oh, I was 574 00:39:12,240 --> 00:39:14,640 told, you know, you really, you really enjoy this. If you like 575 00:39:14,640 --> 00:39:17,820 music and you want to dance, you're gonna love this. Okay, 576 00:39:17,820 --> 00:39:22,340 I'll give it a try. The Zumba takes place in the local malls, 577 00:39:22,340 --> 00:39:26,360 and it's actually entertainment at the mall. Oh, so I'm dancing. 578 00:39:26,420 --> 00:39:31,040 I'm dancing, like with 100 Filipino women, and then there's 579 00:39:31,040 --> 00:39:31,160 me. 580 00:39:39,620 --> 00:39:44,680 Caitlin Van Mol: This is live to tell. I'm Caitlin Van Mol you 581 00:39:44,680 --> 00:39:48,820 can follow the show on Instagram and Tiktok at live to tell 582 00:39:48,820 --> 00:39:54,040 podcast. If you enjoy today's episode, please rate, review and 583 00:39:54,040 --> 00:39:59,380 subscribe. It really helps the show. I'll see you in two weeks. 584 00:39:59,800 --> 00:39:59,920 You.