Casefile True Crime - Case 96: The Toy Box (Part 1)

Episode Date: September 22, 2018

[Part 1 of 3] On March 22 1999, Sierra County police were dispatched to conduct a welfare check at a property in Hot Springs Landing, a small suburban community in the New Mexico town of Elephant Butte. Along the way, they ran into a visibly shaken witness who reported seeing a naked woman covered in blood running down the road with a chain clearly visible around her neck. ---  Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched and written by Victoria Dieffenbacher Additional editing by Milly Raso and Elsha McGill  For all credits and sources please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-96-the-toy-box-part-1

Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support, please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website. It was 3.22pm on March 22, 1999, when Sierra County's 9-1-1 Emergency Central Dispatch received a call from a local residential number. When the operator answered, all they could hear on the other end of the line was a muffled commotion, like an altercation was taking place.

Nothing distinguishable was said, and the caller soon hung up. Sensing something was wrong, the 9-1-1 operator phoned the number back minutes later, and a woman answered. Sounding flustered and irritated, the woman apologised for making the initial call, brushing it off as a mistake. She insisted everything was fine, before abruptly hanging up. After this second call, the 9-1-1 operator felt the situation was a little off. Nothing to make sure everything was okay, the operator radioed through to local police.

They requested an officer conduct a welfare check of the property from where the phone calls were made. Sierra County Deputy David Elston accepted the task. The phone number was listed under the address 513 Bass Road in Hot Springs Landing, a small, suburban community located on the northeastern cusp of the New Mexico town, Elephant Butte. Situated near the southwestern corner of New Mexico State, Elephant Butte is a small and quiet desert township, with a population of just over 1,000 people. The town mostly attracts retirees, people looking to settle and slow down amongst the

space, sun and serenity. Residents and visitors alike are drawn to the relaxing lake lifestyle offered by the town, due to its proximity to Elephant Butte Lake, nestled on the township's eastern edge. Spread over 36,000 acres, with more than 200 miles of shoreline, the lake is a mecca for outdoor recreational activity, from camping and picnicking, to fishing, boating and water sports. During warmer holiday seasons, the lake attracts upwards of 100,000 visitors to its shores. It's the 84th largest man-made lake in the United States, and crosses at the Rio Grande River, which forms part of the border separating the US from Mexico.

Elephant Butte Lake lies within Elephant Butte State Park, the largest state park in New Mexico. The park is maintained and overseen by park officers like Chris de Gassie and Michael Lanford. On the afternoon of March 22, de Gassie and Lanford were at the state park's office getting through a routine uneventful day. As three o'clock passed, the pair started to notice increasing chatter over local police radio. When they heard mention of a Bass Road address, their eyes locked.

As part of their employment with the state park, staff members were offered residential properties around town to lease at incredibly low prices. Bass Road was an area where parks employees lived, taking advantage of the cheap rent. Believing the situation may involve one of their colleagues, officers de Gassie and Lanford decided to attend the address to see if they could offer assistance to Deputy Elston. The drive north from the state park's office to Bass Road only took a few minutes. As the pair approached the scene, they caught sight of a green car pulled over to the side of the road.

A woman was standing nearby, waving her arms frantically. De Gassie and Lanford slowed their vehicle to a stop. The woman was visibly rattled and told them she had just witnessed a naked woman covered in blood come running down the road, a chain clearly visible around her neck. The officers scanned the immediate area, but the naked woman described was nowhere to be seen. Aware that more officers were on their way, De Gassie and Lanford ordered the witness to stay put.

They couldn't wait around. They needed to continue onwards to the location of the emergency call. 513 Bass Road. Bass Road is located in Hot Springs Landing, a small suburban community consisting of mobile homes lining dirt roads named after fish, pike, catfish, trout and bass. Sporadic desert shrubbery provided little shade to front lawns, which consisted mostly of coarse sand and patches of dry, wild grass. Framing the eastern edge of the community was the shoreline of Elephant Butte Lake,

and further out, the arid, flat, endless horizon of dusty grasslands and cracked earth of the New Mexico Desert. De Gassie and Lanford were the first to arrive at 513 Bass Road. Much like others in the area, the property was unremarkable, a single story double wide mobile home with wide exterior walls and a flat corrugated iron roof. A makeshift shed was attached to one side and piles of junk, old boats and several semi-truck trailers were scattered around the messy grounds. A chain-linked fence framed to the front of the property with a small metal plate attached

that warned, beware of the dog. Dropped up on the front lawn was a large wooden sign. It read, David P. Ray. Officers De Gassie and Lanford approached the house at 513 Bass Road with curiosity. Contrary to the earlier radio communication from 911 dispatch, there were no signs of a commotion or altercation at the address. It was quiet and nobody appeared to be home. Knox to the front door went unanswered and nothing stirred within.

The pair decided to wait for Deputy Elston to arrive before advancing any further. In the meantime, another call was received at Sierra County's 911 emergency central dispatch. The naked woman with a chain around her neck had been spotted again. This time running down Springland Boulevard, a remote road lined with dry shrubbery, desert vegetation and the odd home. The woman attempted to wave down and get into passing cars, but frightened drivers quickly locked their doors and sped away.

Local resident Doris was driving home after doing some grocery shopping when she spotted the naked woman running along the road. Doris later stated, quote, That's when I saw all the chains on her and the blood. She was just running around in circles. At first I thought someone was chasing her, but I didn't see anyone. She had blood on her face. It was quite a shock.

She didn't say anything. She didn't make any noise at all. She just looked wild. By the time police officers arrived to the area and searched for the woman, she was nowhere to be seen. As reports spread of the strange happenings around Hot Springs Landing, Deputy Elston arrived to 513 Bass Road, where officers to Gassie and Landford were waiting. They informed the deputy that the house appeared empty, which was unusual considering the 911

call was made there only minutes earlier. As the trio discussed their next step, Sierra County Sheriff Terry Byers arrived on the scene. The four officers decided to split up in teams and circle the property, each entering the building through separate doors. Quickly, yet carefully, they cleared the house, checking each room for persons who may need assistance. However, no one was inside. The officers reconvened in the living room, a dreary, lived-in space full of mass and clutter.

Heavily-curtained windows offered little light against the dated striped wallpaper and dark timber furnishings. The room was cramped and lacked warmth or comfort. Tucked away in a corner was an out-of-place bed. Pieces of green glass were scattered across its surface, and a broken lamp lay on the floor nearby. The mattress was stained with blood, as was the carpet below, and a bloody ice pick was spotted on the floor next to the bed.

It was clear a violent struggle had taken place there recently, and that someone had been badly injured. Immediately observable above the bed were chains and hooks hanging from sliding steel rods operated by a system of pulleys. They also found a box resembling a coffin pushed against a wall with shackles inside. Perhaps most disturbing were the chains with padlocks extending from the four corners of the bed. The attending officers were struck with the unnerving possibility that someone might have

been restrained there. Hanging from pegboards on the wall were a variety of sinister-looking handmade devices made from sharp, scrap metals. In another room of the house, two chains hung from the ceiling, shoulder-width apart. Inside this room was another bed as well as a dresser. The top surface of the dresser was cluttered with many menacing objects on display—plies, scissors, clips, harnesses, muzzles, and sex toys. Graphic images of hardcore pornography were stuck to the walls.

Unsure exactly of what they had discovered, the four officers went back outside. What they had found inside the house was unlike anything they had ever seen before. As they speculated over what may have happened, yet another call was made to 911. This time, a female caller told the operator, quote, I'm calling for a young lady that ran into my house. She says she's just been raped. She's got a chain on her. Send someone right away.

This lady's naked. She says they've been holding her for three days. Responding to this call, Sierra County Deputy Peter Bowidowitz drove down the cracked asphalt strip of Hot Springs Landing Road. As his colleagues were searching the Bass Road property just meters away, Bowidowitz spotted an elderly man standing out the front of a home, waving him down. The man introduced himself as Donald. He told Bowidowitz that a young, naked woman with a chain around her neck had barged into

his house a short while ago, desperately pleading for help. The woman was frightened and bleeding. Donald's wife, Darlene, immediately contacted emergency services and was currently inside tending to the woman. As Bowidowitz and his partner approached the couple's mobile home, the woman rushed out the front door towards them. She was clearly distressed. A pink robe was draped over her bruised, scratched and bloodied body, and a metal collar clamped

together with a padlock was visible around her neck. A chain that appeared to be about five feet long was attached to the collar, dragging behind her. The woman screamed out to the officers, don't let them get me. She revealed her name, Cynthia V. Hill. Cynthia explained that days earlier she had been kidnapped by a man and a woman. They took her to their house where they chained her up inside and refused to let her go. She was repeatedly raped and tortured by her captors.

Cynthia didn't know the address where she was held, nor did she ever get a good look at the exterior of the property. She was only ever capped inside, away from the windows. Cynthia referred to her male captor as Dave. Pointing to the attending police officer's uniform, she remarked he was one of them. She referred to her female captor as Cindy. With confidence, Cynthia claimed if she saw her captors again, she could easily identify them.

Cynthia was rushed to Sierra Vista Hospital for immediate treatment. With the information she had so far provided to police, the dots were starting to connect between each scene in Hot Springs Landing. It appeared Cynthia V. Hill had been imprisoned at 513 Bass Road for several days. After she managed to escape, she sprinted along neighboring roads where she was spotted by multiple witnesses, before taking refuge in the house of Donald and Darlene. Elsewhere, State Parks Officer Byron Wilson was finishing up paperwork in his office and was almost ready to go home for the day when he heard chatter over the police radio about

a naked woman running through the streets, a potential rape, and an address on Bass Road. Realising the situation unfolding involved a State Parks property, Wilson decided to forgo heading home and headed straight to Hot Springs Landing to find out what was going on. On his way, Officer Wilson spotted a cream-coloured Toyota motorhome travelling in the opposite direction down Rock Canyon Road. As the RV approached, Wilson caught sight of the male driver and his female passenger. Although he didn't know the couple well, Wilson recognised the man as his colleague

from the State Parks, a mechanic named David Parker Ray. David Parker Ray had lived in Elton Butte since 1993 and was well-liked within the local community. Considered friendly and approachable, Ray was the kind of guy who was always happy to do favours for others. Sitting beside him in the motorhome was his partner, Cindy Hendy. Officer Wilson casually waved at the couple as their vehicle passed by. When Wilson reached the crime scene at 513 Bass Road, he quickly learned it was David

Parker Ray's property. Stories were emerging of alleged abduction, imprisonment, and rape. Realising he had only just recently crossed paths with Ray and Hendy as they drove away from the area, Wilson suspected the couple were in the process of making an escape. Following Wilson's directions, police cars sped to where the couple were last sighted, Rock Canyon Road, a near-3.5-mile stretch that cut through Elton Butte and moved northerly into the rural desert outskirts. They assumed David Parker Ray and Cindy Hendy were fleeing into the expansive New Mexico

Road desert, but were confident they couldn't have travelled far in the lumbering motorhome. With lights flashing and sirens wailing, police cars descended on Rock Canyon Road from all directions. Officer Byron Wilson had gotten as far as nearby Springfield Boulevard when he was surprised to cross paths again with David Parker Ray's motorhome. It was not escaping outwards into the desert as expected, but strangely appeared to be homeward bound. Wilson performed a swift U-turn and caught up behind the RV.

He signalled for it to pull over. The RV slowed, moved to the side of the road, and came to a stop. Other officers arrived and surrounded the motorhome. David Parker Ray was ordered via loudspeaker to step out of the vehicle. He yelled back, saying this wasn't necessary. The police repeated their demand. The RV's door swung open. 59-year-old David Parker Ray emerged, his skin wrinkled and tanned from the desert sun.

A bushy blonde mustache hung over his upper lip, and his thin, light-colored hair was slicked back. The moment Ray's feet hit the ground, it was knocked down, handcuffed, patted down, and forced into the rear seat of a waiting police car. Ray's partner, 39-year-old Cindy Handy, emerged next. The slim blonde woman was covered in her own blood, which wept from a deep gash above her left ear. She, too, was quickly restrained and escorted straight to hospital.

David Parker Ray was taken to Richard R. Cooper Boat Safety Training Center, located inside Elephant Butte Lake State Park. The training center was closer and better equipped than local police stations. For Elephant Butte's small population, violent crimes involving kidnapping, rape, and torture were incredibly atypical. Drug and property crimes were standard. Violent crimes did occur, but most were common assaults. Understanding this highly unusual and sensitive case required the resources of a larger, more

experienced policing department. Sierra County Sheriff Terry Byers called in assistance from New Mexico State Police. New Mexico State Police criminal investigator Wesley LaQuesta arrived at the training center at around 5.55 that evening. After being briefed on the situation, LaQuesta ordered that no one was to interview David Parker Ray until he first spoke with the alleged victim, Cynthia Vihill. 22-year-old Cynthia Vihill had been at Sierra Vista Hospital since 4pm. Still in shock from her ordeal, Cynthia repeated the mantra, I'm safe here, I'm safe here.

His nurses treated her. Starving she was given food, but promptly threw it back up. Her body was covered in cuts and bruises and caked with dried blood. A thorough examination was carried out to determine the extent of her injuries, and a rape kit was administered. During these tests, Cynthia broke down sobbing, saying, Why me? Why me? Why did they do that to me?

All Cynthia's injuries were external, and none were considered life-threatening. But it was clear the metal collar around her neck was causing her great emotional distress. Without the tools necessary to remove it, hospital staff summoned a maintenance worker who arrived at the ward with a pair of bolt cutters. The padlock securing the device together was cut. As soon as the collar fell from her neck, Cynthia threw it across the room. Relieved to be free from the collar, Cynthia seemed to settle down, but her calm state was temporary.

When she spotted Cindy Hendy being escorted into the hospital by police for treatment of her head wound, Cynthia started to panic. She cried out, That's her, don't let her in. She's here for me. As well as the head injury, Hendy also had a cut on her right ring finger and several smaller ones across her legs. As medical staff treated her, Hendy told them she had been hidden ahead with a lamp. None of her injuries were serious, and once she was treated, police led Hendy out of the

hospital. Before she left, Hendy pointed to Cynthia Ville and said, quote, That girl should be checked because the bitch is on heroin. Hendy was then taken to the training center in Elephant Butte Lake State Park, where her partner, David Parker Ray, was already being detained. Once Cynthia Ville had been assessed by doctors and her injuries treated, police proceeded to interview her about her abduction. When she spoke to police, she was upfront about her drug use and openly admitted to

using heroin in the two days prior to her abduction. Her reliance on drugs was a result of a traumatic childhood that included the loss of her mother, to whom Cynthia was very close. Since her mother's death, Cynthia had been estranged from her remaining family members, staying in cheap motels and paying her way as a sex worker. Sometime between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on March 20, 1999, Cynthia was walking to a restaurant in her home city of Albuquerque in central New Mexico. As she crossed through a parking lot off Albuquerque's main strip of Central Avenue, she ran into

a mail acquaintance. She pointed out a motorhome that was parked nearby and explained a man inside was interested in her services. Needing money, Cynthia nodded and headed towards the vehicle. As Cynthia approached the Toyota Motorhome, she glimpsed at the male driver sitting behind the wheel. He was older, with wrinkled tanned skin and a distinctive bushy mustache. He motioned for her to come inside.

When Cynthia entered, the man got straight to the point. He spoke in a friendly manner as the pair discussed the price he would pay to engage Cynthia in sex work. Later, Cynthia would come to learn the man's name was Dave. Once they came to an agreement, David Parker Ray started the engine and steered out of the parking lot. Moments later, Ray took out a police badge and flashed it at Cynthia, telling her he was an undercover police officer and that she was under arrest for soliciting.

Before Cynthia had time to properly assess the situation, Cindy Handy emerged from behind a curtain that hung between the front and rear compartment of the motorhome, carrying a pair of handcuffs. Certain the pair were not real police officers, Cynthia desperately thrashed about whilst Handy tried to handcuff her. Cynthia screamed as loud as she could in the hope someone would hear. The motorhome halted. Ray stood and quickly clamped one of the cuffs to Cynthia's wrists before forcing her to

the back of the vehicle. As Ray attempted to handcuff Cynthia to a pipe, she continued to fight and scream. Handy grabbed a cuddle prod, pointed it towards Cynthia and threatened to use it if she didn't settle down and comply. With no other options, Cynthia did as she was told and her captors restrained her to the pipe. Ray returned to the driver's seat and the vehicle took off again with Handy in the passenger seat next to him.

Locked in the back of the motorhome, Cynthia continued to wrestle with her restraints. She heard a faint squeaking and noticed that was coming from the pipe she was attached to. The screws joining the pipe to the floor were loose. With great effort, she carefully and quietly twisted the screws until they came out, allowing her to slip away from the pipe. Before Cynthia was able to consider her next move, the motorhome came to an abrupt stop at a traffic light.

The unexpected jolt caused Cynthia to slam into the wall of the vehicle, alerting her captors to the fact she was now unrestrained. He quickly retrieved the cattle prod and directed it at Cynthia, forcing her again to obey. She and Ray stripped Cynthia naked, removing the woman's black and brown pullover jacket, white shirt, blue jeans, black-jacket shorts and white tennis shoes. They handcuffed Cynthia to a more secure part of the vehicle and stuck duct tape over her mouth. The drive to their destination was long and unfamiliar.

Spending the entire trip restrained on the floor, Cynthia was unable to see out the window to take notice of any distinguishable landmarks. She had no idea where they were going, but knew from the long drive that was far from home. During their one stop to get gas, Cynthia was threatened with a gun. Handy warned her, if you scream, I'll kill you. The vehicle didn't stop again until it reached its final destination. By now, they had travelled over 150 miles south from where Cynthia was abducted in Albuquerque

to Ray's house in Elephant Butte. When the vehicle stopped, Cynthia's ankles were shackled and she was once again warned not to scream. The vehicle had been parked close to the front door to Ray's home. Cynthia was quickly forced inside, barely catching a glimpse of her foreign desert surrounds. Once inside the house, Cynthia was led down a hallway to a dark and uninvited living room with dreary brown striped wallpaper.

A bed was tucked in the corner. It was lost amongst the meagre belongings, piles of junk and trash, worn furniture and a television set. A metal collar was quickly clamped around Cynthia's neck. It was thick and strong. A five-foot chain led from the collar and its end was padlocked to a bracket on the wall above the bed. Cynthia was then forced to lay down on the mattress as her limbs were restrained by chains

attached to the bed's four corners. She was then blindfolded and gagged. Unable to see anything, Cynthia heard the click of a tape recorder button. An audio tape began to play. The tape featured Ray's distinct voice. Cynthia recalled hearing the words, you have been selected for something similar. Ray's voice was calm and steady as though he was reading from a scripted speech. As the tape continued, his matter-of-fact tone gradually became more upbeat, sometimes

even giddy. Confused and terrified, Cynthia could barely pay attention to the words Ray was saying. The recording droned on and on for what felt like forever. She would later refer to this tape as her introduction, which narrated every horrifying thing that was going to be done to her at the hands of her captors. Cynthia recalled, quote, the way he talked, I didn't feel like this was his first time. It was like he knew what he was doing. He told me I was never going to see my family again.

He told me he would kill me like the others. Although she would never be able to remember exact minute-by-minute occurrences during her captivity, Cynthia would never forget what was done to her. At gunpoint, she was forced to endure acts of sadism and torture. She was led through the house to a room where whips, medical instruments, and other torture devices were out on display. Cynthia was strung up by chains which hung from the ceiling and was further sexually assaulted and tortured.

An old motor was rigged up, attached to Cynthia via cables, and used to administer electric shocks to her body. The shocks were so powerful and painful that she'd often lose consciousness as a result. Throughout her ordeal, Ray took photographs of her to keep as perverted mementos. When she was not being tormented, Cynthia was kept in the living room where she was chained to the bed by her arms, legs, and neck. Sitting nearby were Ray and Hendy, who casually watched television. She was given only one serving of food to keep her going, but not enough to help her

gather any energy or strength. Cynthia recalled Ray showing her photographs of other women bound and tortured. It seemed clear to Cynthia that she was not David Parker Ray's first prisoner. On the morning of March 22, the third day of her captivity, Cynthia woke and caught sight of Ray wearing what she interpreted to be a police officer's uniform. In reality, it was Ray's state park's uniform, which bore a resemblance and similarities to those worn by local law enforcement. Remembering the police badge she had flashed during her abduction, an unsettling thought

crossed Cynthia's mind. What if her captor was an officer of the law? Before he left for work, Ray told Cynthia he had a surprise for her. Once he returned home that afternoon, he was going to take her into his toy box. It was not the first time Cynthia heard of the toy box, but she had yet to learn what it was in reference to. She overheard Hendy mention it the night before. Believing Cynthia was too exhausted to escape, Ray removed the chains that were restraining

her arms and legs to the bed. This allowed her to stretch and move to an extent. The collar still remained around her neck, keeping her chain firmly to the wall. Ray left for work, leaving Cynthia alone with Cindy Hendy. Without Ray around, it was an uneventful day, and Hendy spent most of the time watching television. Around 3pm, the women were startled by the sound of the house phone ringing. Hendy answered the call, placing the keys to Cynthia's restraints down on a coffee table.

As the conversation continued, Hendy's focus on Cynthia lessened until she wandered out of the room completely and into the kitchen. Cynthia caught sight of the keys on the coffee table. Hendy, distracted by the phone conversation, had carelessly forgotten about them when she walked away. After days of torture with very little food, Cynthia was physically weak. It took all of her remaining strength to stretch her body towards the coffee table and twist her foot around one of its legs.

After successfully making contact, she pulled the table towards her as quietly as possible. Once it was close enough, Cynthia grabbed the keys. Fearful Hendy would reappear at any moment, Cynthia slowed down and thought carefully about her next move. Ignoring the temptation to begin unlocking her neck restraint, she instead focused on pushing the coffee table back to its original place. This way, when Hendy returned, she wouldn't immediately notice that the table had been moved and that Cynthia had obtained the keys.

Full of nervous energy, Cynthia used her leg to maneuver the table back to where it had been. But as her leg was still outstretched, Hendy suddenly entered the room, catching Cynthia in the act with the keys in her hand. Furious, Hendy rushed at Cynthia, dropping the phone on the mattress as she lunged. When Cynthia refused to let go of the keys, Hendy grabbed a nearby lamp and used it to belt Cynthia across the head, smashing the lamp into pieces. The impact should have been enough to impair Cynthia, but any pain was masked by the surge

of adrenaline pumping through her veins. During the scuffle, Cynthia managed to reach out and grab the phone that Hendy had dropped on the mattress, quickly dialing 911. The emergency line operator answered, but Hendy snatched the phone away and terminated the call. In this brief moment of distraction, Cynthia saw an opportunity. She reached down and grabbed an ice pick that was lying near the bed, slashing it across the back of Hendy's head.

The impact was enough to send Hendy into an immediate daze as blood started to pour from the open wound. In the keys, Cynthia quickly unlocked the padlock that was securing her collar chain to the wall. When the padlock unclipped and fell, Cynthia stumbled to her feet and rushed out of the house, the collar's chain dragging behind her as she ran. Naked and covered in blood, she headed out into the unfamiliar surrounds, completely disoriented.

The coarse sand of the desert landscape scraped the bottoms of her bare feet as she bolted, dragging the neck chain along behind her. Motorists passed her by, some locking their doors and accelerating away as she screamed for them to stop. Desperate for help, Cynthia eyed every property she ran to, but they appeared empty. When she finally spotted a double-wired mobile home with lights on and its front door open, she sprinted in, screaming for help. Sixty-year-old Darlene was startled by the intruder.

Cynthia begged Darlene not to let them get her. Darlene later described Cynthia's physical state. Quote, Her wrists looked like hamburger meat. She had beautiful long brown hair and it was all matted with blood. She was dirty all over. Her breasts were black and blue, and there were bruises all over her arms and legs. Darlene's husband, Donald, had only just returned home from his job at the post office. He was in the bedroom when he heard someone barging into their home.

When he went to investigate, he saw Cynthia, who was traumatized and could barely speak. She desperately asked Donald to remove the collar from around her neck, but realizing the seriousness of the situation, Donald felt it was a job best left for the police. As he retrieved a bathrobe to cover the frightened woman, Darlene quickly called 911. Lost waiting for the police to arrive, Cynthia hid under the kitchen table, fearing her captors would enter the house at any moment and find her. Criminal investigator Wesley LaQuesta listened intently to Cynthia Ville's story. Although her horrific ordeal seemed too appalling to be true, there was little doubt from the

puncture wounds, cuts, bruises and burn marks across her body that Cynthia had been violently tortured at the hands of David Parker Ray and Cindy Handy. After completing his interview with Cynthia, LaQuesta made his way to the training center in Elephant Butte Lake State Park, where David Parker Ray and Cindy Handy were being held. The couple were separated and kept in different rooms, which were under constant guard by police. Their clothing had been seized for testing. Ray and Handy explained their side of the story to authorities.

They admitted to abducting Cynthia Ville against her will, but for a bizarre reason. They claimed it was for Cynthia's own good, as they knew she was a heroin addict and wanted to help her kick her addiction. They told police they brought Cynthia to their home and chained her up, only to get her through the most severe part of the heroin withdrawal process. When Cynthia escaped, Handy called Ray at his workplace to tell him. Ray told colleagues he had an emergency at home and abruptly left work before his shift ended.

He didn't explain what kind of emergency it was. Ray rushed home to pick up Handy, and the couple commenced the search of the local area for Cynthia. That was when they were pulled over on Springfield Boulevard and taken into custody. Information provided by Cynthia, as well as the scene officers had witnessed at Ray's house, told a different story. Both Ray and Handy were charged with one count of kidnapping, one count of assault, one count of criminal sexual penetration, and two counts of conspiracy.

They both denied the allegations. Once the charges were laid, they were moved to the Sierra County Detention Center and refused to answer any more questions. The crime scene team had been standing at the front of 513 Bass Road for hours, waiting in anticipation for a search warrant to be issued. By 7.30pm March 23, the warrant was approved and investigators headed in. However, night had fallen and the property was too dark for a thorough search to be conducted.

The search had to be postponed until daybreak the following morning, March 24. That morning, Ray and Handy had made their first court appearance where their bonds were set at $1 million each, payable in cash only. There was an impossible amount for the pair to pay, ensuring they remained in custody while the search of their home was conducted. The search needed to be undertaken with diligence. As this was an unprecedented case, investigators couldn't afford to be careless. Before a single thing was touched or examined, a detailed sketch of the house layout was

made whilst photographers and videographers moved through, meticulously documenting every inch. The double-wide mobile home leased to David Parker Ray was cluttered and uncapped. It featured a master bedroom, a smaller second bedroom, a living space, kitchen and bathroom. Clothing worn by Cynthia Veal on the day of her abduction was found in the master bedroom, wearing her white shirt, blue jeans and white tennis shoes. Amongst Ray's belongings, investigators discovered 401 unique articles that did not appear to be property belonging to either David Parker Ray or Cindy Handy.

These belongings included a large collection of women's jewellery, clothing and other accessories. A 25-foot-long, white, windowless semi-truck trailer sat at the rear of the property. A steel reinforced double deadbolt sealed the door shut, requiring the services of a locksmith to open it. There were no locksmiths in Elephant Butte, so police had to bring one in from the nearby larger town of truth or consequences. The town's only locksmith arrived on the scene at 9.45am and unlocked the door.

Hanging on one interior wall was a sign that read, Satan's Den. Another next to it read, The Bondage Room. But this was the room David Parker Ray would refer to as his toy box. The first thing officers saw upon entry was a handmade, motorized black reclining chair situated in the centre of the trailer. It was similar in design to the type of chair used for gynecological examinations, except unlike the medical chair it was based on. This one had several unique additions.

Metal stirrups, electrodes and several red nylon straps were attached, and the chair was on top of a tract, allowing it to slide backwards and forwards. Tools and shelves were adorned with a chilling collection of torture instruments, which included a branding iron, clamps, leather belts, paddles, sandpaper, sawblades, needles, suction cups, whips and forceps. Items used to incapacitate such as ammonia pills, bottled chloroform and syringes were also discovered. A large variety of sex toys were strewn about, made of differing materials.

Wood, metal, latex and plastic. Equipment used to restrain or detain such as harnesses, chains, handcuffs, pulleys and ropes were hung throughout. Products like lubricant, baby oil, body lotion, lipstick, mouthwash, perfume and shampoo were also discovered. Several books on anatomy and witchcraft were spotted, as were many pornographic magazines. A cork bulletin board fidget pinned photographs and illustrations of adult females being tortured. A sign above it read, the lure of Satanism, which was the theme that carried elsewhere.

On display nearby were two replica skulls, one with three candles on top, a long black robe with a red cape and a Barbie doll trapped in chains. A list of instructions explained how to use a motorized machine to inflict damage to breasts. These instructions ended with the following warning, quote. This process is very painful and due to the constant motion, the body will not adjust to the pain. During the operation, the subject will remain in extremely painful duress. A television hung on the wall at the foot of the chair with a video camera set up on

a tripod nearby, its lens pointed towards the chair. A 15 inch motorized dildo was attached to a large generator featuring three switches, buzzer, light and probe. A large aluminium drawer pulled open to reveal a six foot long cot, similar to that found in a morgue. Investigators also came across a clipboard containing a list of names. The interior of the trailer had been rigged to be completely soundproof, meaning those outside could not hear what was going on inside.

A note found on the wall contained a list of warnings to ensure his victims remained captive. It read like a kind of mantra, quote. Remember, a woman will do or say anything to get loose. They will kick, scratch, offer money, bite, yell, beg, scream, run, offer sex, threaten, lie, wait for opportunity. Standard excuses and sob stories, menstruating, pregnant, venereal disease, AIDS, sick, kids with babysitter, have to work, a sick baby, a sick parent, claustrophobia, missed by husband

or friend, bad heart, can't miss school. Don't let her get to you, if she was worth taking, she is worth keeping, and she must be subjected to hypnosis before the woman can be safely released. Never trust a chained captive. Upon inspecting the contents of the trailer, local police were quick to realise this situation was completely out of their depth. They simply didn't have the resources or expertise required to investigate. The FBI were called in to assist and evidence collected at the scene was sent to the FBI

crime labs for testing. As the comprehensive search continued and police waited for the lab results, assistance was also requested from the FBI's behavioural science unit. Because Cindy Handy had started talking. Cindy Handy's life was one of chaos. Born in Seattle, Washington on February 6, 1969, she was abused by her stepfather from a young age. When she confided in her mother about the abuse, her stepfather denied the accusations,

and Handy's mother took her partner's side, deeming her daughter a liar. Things didn't get any better for Cindy Handy, and by age 12 she was kicked out of the family home. Struggling to make it on her own, Handy became embroiled in a series of abusive relationships. Given her circumstances, Handy herself adopted a violent nature and lacked empathy for those around her. Partners and friends remarked Cindy was all muscle. Despite being only 105 pounds, she could easily beat up women who were twice her size.

Beating up men wasn't a problem either. Many of her boyfriends were into hard drugs, and it wasn't long before Handy became a user herself. By age 16, Handy was pregnant with her first child, a boy. Over the following years she had two more children, both daughters. All three children had different fathers. In 1997, Cindy got in trouble with the law attempting to sell cocaine to an undercover police officer.

As a result, 37-year-old Handy was ordered to attend a drug-canceling course. Despite knowing her refusal would result in jail time, she skipped town, leaving Washington state and making her way down to New Mexico. She decided to settle in the town of Truth or Consequences, five miles southwest of Elephant Butte. It didn't take long before Handy found herself in trouble with local authorities in Truth or Consequences. In January 1998, after an arrest for driving whilst intoxicated, Handy was sentenced to

30 days jail with six months probation and 50 hours of community service. As part of her sentencing, she was also ordered to attend a course for drink-driving offenders. A month later, Handy was arrested again, this time for assaulting a member of her household. But these charges were later dropped when she agreed to attend anger management classes to get her behaviour under control. Handy was required to perform her court-mandated 50 hours of community service at Elephant Butte State Park, where she met State Park's employee, David Parker Ray. It was a chance encounter for the pair, and they hit it off immediately.

Many nights were spent drinking and socializing at Elephant Butte's local watering hole, the Blue Waters Saloon, where the pair got to know each other well. Handy and Ray were polar opposites. Handy was an extrovert, whereas Ray was introverted. But the two soon discovered they had one thing in common, both were sadists, deriving pleasure and sexual gratification from inflicting pain and humiliation on others. This shared interest was enough to draw the pair together, and they soon became a couple. By January 1999, Handy had moved into Ray's home at 513 Bass Road.

They'd only been a couple for eight months when they found themselves under arrest for Cynthia V. Hill's abduction. Two days after her arrest, Cindy Handy broke her silence and agreed to be formally interviewed. During her interview, Handy admitted to knowing that David Parker Ray was a dangerous and deadly man. He had a long criminal history and hadn't spared her any of the details. Later on in their relationship, Ray had told Handy about a time he was questioned by the FBI in relation to the disappearance and murder of several women.

Ray was living in Fence Lake, New Mexico, a mostly rural area with a population of less than 50 people, which didn't consist of much other than a few ranches. At Fence Lake, David Parker Ray owned farmland, where he harvested crops and raised cattle. One day, the FBI paid him a visit. They wanted to speak to Ray about accusations of his involvement with a slavery ring and murder. They had received a tip-off that Ray had been abducting women, mostly of Mexican descent, and was then selling them off as slaves.

But with no evidence to support the allegation, the FBI investigation didn't progress further beyond this initial line of questioning. Ray bragged to Handy that he was able to talk his way out of it, implying he was guilty of the crimes. After dodging the FBI, Ray lived a transient life, constantly relocating and never staying in one place for long. Wherever he went, he continued his brutal attacks on women, using a fake police badge to trap his victims.

Ray's view of women was no secret to Handy. He believed he owned women, and that they existed purely to serve him. When he talked about killing women, he referred to them as packages. Handy recalled when Ray told her about his first alleged murder. Ray was 20 years old at the time and living in Belen, New Mexico, the town he grew up in. Ray told Handy that he abducted a schoolgirl and tied her to a tree where he proceeded to rape her, beat her, and finally strangle her to death.

Ray enjoyed the experience immensely. He told Handy he had been so aroused that he knew from that moment he would continue to torture and kill women. According to Handy, Ray selected his victims based on whether their physical appearance matched his type. He preferred large breasted women that, for the most part, were either of Oriental or Mexican descent. Specifically, he targeted sex workers, believing they were less likely to be reported as missing.

Sometimes he would put makeup on his victims to make them look more desirable before he tortured them. In total, Ray confessed to Handy that he had killed over 30 people during a 40-year span, including men and women. Of his alleged murders, 18 occurred within New Mexico's Sierra County, but he also claimed to have left undiscovered victims in other dumping grounds in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Ray never revealed the supposed location of his dumping grounds to Handy, but she did know he was incredibly careful not to leave any objects on the bodies of his victims,

such as distinctive jewellery or clothing, anything that could later identify them. In one story, Ray claimed he brought a short, Oriental-looking girl with black hair into his funhouse, referring to his torture trailer. When they were inside, Ray pulled out a gun, aimed it at the back of her head, and pulled the trigger. The girl didn't die instantly, so Ray shot her again. He placed her body in the back of his truck and disposed of her at one of his dumping grounds.

In another story, Ray told Handy that he was disposing the body of another one of his victims when the body started to protrude a foul smell. He dumped the body in a ravine and tried to cover up the odor by kicking dirt on top of it. After he left the scene, he decided that he wanted to keep the girl's skull as a memento, but when he returned, a big red dog was standing on top of the pile of dirt. Ray took this as a bad omen and quickly fled the scene, leaving the body untouched. Ray spoke of kidnap and murder so often that Handy had become desensitized to his words

and didn't take much notice of what he was saying. She told the investigators, quote, it went in one ear and out the other. In the early 1990s, David Parker Ray moved to Elephant Butte, where he took a job as a mechanic for the state park. Ray's job afforded him a lot of downtime, which Handy explained he filled by constructing restraint and torture devices to use against his victims. The implements were made from various pieces of junk he accumulated and were designed to restrain, constrain and cause immeasurable pain to those he used them on.

One such device was called a knee spreader, which was used to forcefully pry and hold open the user's legs. If they tried to close their legs, they would be cut by spikes. His device had been spotted by officers at 513 Bass Road on the day Cynthia V. Hill had escaped. Another device shaped like the number 8 was used to constrain breasts. Ray also made a spiked glove featuring razors on each fingertip. He dubbed it the Freddy Kruger Glove.

Tinkering with junk and putting things together with tools was part of Ray's job, so his disturbing hobby didn't raise any suspicions. As for Handy's involvement in Ray's alleged crimes, she confessed to participating to an extent. She admitted to assisting Ray in the abduction, imprisonment and torture of some of his victims. In February that year, a month before the abduction of Cynthia V. Hill, Handy helped Ray capture a woman she referred to only as Angela. After Angela's imprisonment, Handy insisted Ray released the woman, leaving her alive

on the side of a highway. Handy also told investigators that Ray had an obsession with taking photographs of his victims during their torture, which he kept as mementos. This statement matched information provided by Cynthia V. Hill, who previously told police that during her captivity, Ray had taken photos of her and had also shown her images featuring other restrained women. With Handy now corroborating Cynthia's story, the likelihood that Ray had more victims was further solidified.

However, Handy said Ray would always burn his latest photo collection after a certain period of time, which ruled out the possibility that investigators could use them to identify Ray's other victims. In addition to the photographs, Handy explained that Ray also kept what he referred to as physiological forms. These forms documented a physical description of each of his victims, including their height, weight, age and other distinguishing features. Despite her shocking revelations, Handy made it clear that she had never actually witnessed

any of David Parker Ray's alleged murders take place, and that she couldn't provide any evidence to prove they had ever occurred. The information she was providing was based purely on stories Ray had told her. At the conclusion of her interview, investigators asked Handy if she had anything else she wanted to add. She responded, quote, David Parker Ray declined the offer to be interviewed. Instead, as he awaited trial, prison guards intercepted letters that he wrote to friends

and family members and made copies to assist police with their investigation. One letter was addressed to David Parker Ray's sister, Peggy, and another was for his son, David Elvin. Investigators questioned both Peggy and David on March 27. Their statements offered a detailed insight into the history of this secretive and sadistic man. Born in Belen, New Mexico in 1939, David Parker Ray was the first child of Cecil and Nettie Ray.

There's was an inharmonious family led by an alcoholic and abusive patriarch. When Ray was 10 years old, his parents divorced and he and his younger sister Peggy were sent to live with their grandparents on a ranch in nearby Mountaineer. When their grandmother passed away, life at the ranch became strict and the children were often neglected. Their grandfather was a tough disciplinarian and failure to follow his rules resulted in physical punishment. At school, the awkward and shy Ray was often a target for bullies.

As an insecure teen, he turned to drugs and alcohol to cope. Ray harbored an affinity for all things mechanical, so after finishing high school, he took a job as an auto mechanic. Ray enlisted in the United States military and was deployed to Korea at the age of 21. His mechanical skills were put to good use and he earned a reputation for being able to fix anything, from watches to heavy machinery. After four years of military service, Ray was honorably discharged and returned home to the United States.

He married several times over the years, but none of them lasted. During one of his early marriages, Ray had a son whom he named after himself, David Jr. His daughter Glenda arrived a short time later and she was given the nickname Jesse. After leaving the military, Ray soon moved to Oklahoma where he attended a technical school to study aircraft mechanics. Later, he moved to Albuquerque and then on to Alaska where he worked fixing oil pipelines for a short period of time.

He continued to roam around before settling in Elephant Butte in 1993. There, Ray earned a good reputation through his work as a mechanic for the state parks. One colleague described to David Parker Ray as, quote, the neatest, cleanest, politest person you could ever want to meet. When Ray was arrested for kidnapping and assault, his boss and co-workers had a hard time believing the man they admired could be capable of the crimes for which he was being accused. Ray's boss was so convinced of his innocence that he even put Ray on paid leave whilst

he was awaiting trial. When Ray's sister Peggy spoke to authorities, she was quicker to accept the allegations, admitting there were signs throughout Ray's life that supported the claims being made against him. She recalled a time during her youth when she stumbled upon Ray's collection of photographs and sketches, which depicted images of bondage and sadomasochism. When Peggy confronted Ray about the pictures, he confessed the only way he could enjoy sex was by inflicting pain on his partner.

Ray was just 14 years old at the time. Later in their lives, Peggy received a phone call from Ray inquiring about the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra. He wanted to know if it could help him have a normal relationship, one where he didn't have to hurt others in order to obtain herisal. Despite these incidents, Peggy defended her brother and drew issue with his portrayal in the media as a monster. Ray's son, David Elvin, spoke candidly to investigators about his relationship with

his father. The two were not close. David had been raised by his grandmother and had very little interaction with his father over the years. At the conclusion of his interview, David Elvin was asked whether he would be willing to tell authorities if his father made any sort of confession to him. David broke down in tears and answered that he didn't know if he could turn on his father and give incriminating information to investigators.

Although he couldn't provide intimate details about his father's life, David alerted investigators to a number of other places his father had lived that authorities weren't aware of. If Cindy Hendy's claims that David Parker Ray was a prolific serial killer were true, knowing his exact whereabouts over the years was pivotal if there was any hope of finding his other alleged victims. By now, investigators were convinced Cynthia Veal was not Ray's only victim. District Attorney Ron Lopez told the media, quote, It's one of those crime scenes that just gives you that feeling that there's something

else out there. There's reasonable grounds to believe we may have other victims. To be continued next week.