EXPLORE WITH US - The Most TWISTED Case You've Ever Heard: The Case of Gretchen Anthony

Episode Date: March 6, 2023

The most TWISTED case you've ever heard: the case of Gretchen Anthony...The following podcast episode is not legal advice. Do not rely on the information in this presentation without speaking to a licensed attorney.No one discussed in these videos has been formally diagnosed by EWU and our psychological analysis is based on the general behaviors and traits of the people discussed.

You put your hand over her mouth and dragged her into the garage. What are you afraid of? Like, your life can't get any worse right now, right? So why are you hanging on to the story that she's still alive when we've shown you dead pictures of her body? Just like that was, Eva, that Ava doesn't think that I'm a monster. Well, you are a monster. The biking utility didn't have nothing to do it.

You're not even doing it. You're not even doing your homework, man. Do your homework, Jared. Beginning on March 23, 2020, friends and family of 51-year-old Gretchen Anthony opened their phones to startling messages from the beloved mother, saying that she had tested positive for the coronavirus. As the pandemic was sweeping the nation, her loved ones feared the worst. Little did they know this was just the beginning in a twisted and chilling case, where nothing was quite as it seemed. Still, Gretchen's family and friends had no idea of the horrifying nightmare that lay ahead. Good morning, tested positive for coronavirus early this morning.

That means I have to stay here for at least two weeks. Gretchen texted to her daughter, 12-year-old Eva. Another. I consulted with the virus screening hotline and admitted myself into the Jupiter Medical Center's emergency room. Other messages stated that after this, she'd been taken to a facility run by the CDC. in Belgrade, Florida, due to the severity of her illness. Gretchen's loved ones were terribly worried that her case of the virus would get worse, but at the same time, they were relieved that she was being properly treated.

They sent their well wishes and hoped that she would get better soon. But after days of the same, Gretchen's family went from concerned to extremely worried, especially since Gretchen was only texting and not calling them. They started to wonder if it was actually Gretchen. who had been sending the messages, or possibly someone else. They contacted their local authorities, fearing that Gretchen might be in some sort of danger. When police arrived at her Abacoa townhouse in Jupiter, Florida, Gretchen was nowhere to be found,

but various pieces of evidence indicated that something terrible had taken place. Upon entering the laundry room, they found a blue and white towel on the drawing machine. It appeared the towel was recently used, but the dark staining indicated that it wasn't for standard purposes. As they explored further, they soon realized that Gretchen's family had reason to be concerned. Police found that the door leading from the patio into the adjacent garage had a broken-off key in its deadbolt. Another sign that something was wrong. When they finally got through the door, nothing looked out of the ordinary.

It was the smell that seemed unusual. There was an overwhelming scent of a cleaning product. Not only this, but authorities found a soap-like substance running downward from the garage door and onto the driveway. Inside the house, police also identified multipurpose cleaning liquids, shards of glass along Gretchen's bed, a broken picture frame, and missing security cameras that were previously installed throughout the house. But what they did not find was Gretchen herself. Despite all of these alarming discoveries, her family was still holding out hope that she was at the the health facility.

Where was Gretchen? Was she really sick? Well, the answer to that question would flip the entire case on its head. After failing to locate Gretchen at her home, police checked if she'd been to the Jupiter Medical Center. They quickly learned that there was no record of Gretchen ever having been there, contrary to the messages her family had received from her. Despite this, her mini-Cooper was found in the parking lot of the Jupiter Medical Center.

It was also discovered that her purse had been left inside the car. When they checked the medical center surveillance footage, it showed the car entering the parking lot, but once it was stopped, a tall figure had mysteriously exited the vehicle. One thing is for certain, it was not Gretchen. Furthermore, the supposed CDC facility that Gretchen was taken to had never actually existed.

With this discovery, a search began in earnest for Gretchen. As a devoted mother, she would never, have just upped and left her daughter, despite recent hardships. For example, a couple of months before she went missing, Gretchen had recently separated from her husband, David Anthony, a local fitness trainer. Not long after, she filed for divorce in February 2020. Despite ending in divorce, their relationship began in 2015, when Gretchen and David tied the knot at an Elvis chapel in Vegas. For the first two years, their marriage was a picture of bliss, but this would eventually take a turn for the worse.

Apparently, as time went on, the two would engage in arguments, where David was becoming verbally abusive, but he was also presenting rather abnormal behavior. On one occasion in 2018, David believed that the world was ending for an unspecified reason, which drove him to pack up his belongings, along with non-perishable foods, and flee to an unknown local.

He would eventually find his way back home, but Gretchen was more than concerned. Along with this, Gretchen noticed that there was a crazy look in his eye and confided in her friends about their problems. In one text, she wrote, I'm watching him on the cameras and waiting for him to go to bed. Then I'll go downstairs and get a knife to put under my pillow just in case and hopefully get some sleep. Supposedly, David's behavior was becoming increasingly erratic, and his unexpected mood sweep. could happen in the blink of an eye, leaving Gretchen to walk on eggshells. One minute, he was a lively and happy person, the next, irritable and angry. During their five years together, the pair separated for six months,

but eventually got back together before Gretchen had endured enough of his manic tendencies and asked him to leave in late 2019, this time for good. David's delusions and manic tendencies are common symptoms among people with bipolar, Disorder, specifically bipolar 1, which is the most severe and debilitating type. One of the aspects of bipolar 1 disorder that makes the illness so severe and even life-threatening are the manic episodes. In a manic episode, the affected person can present as very happy and excited, or in some cases, very irritable and easily angered. They can have auditory or visual hallucinations and often develop delusions. The delusions usually have to do you. The delusions usually have

do with the person feeling like they're being threatened or persecuted in some way. This is often what can make a person with bipolar disorder dangerous. They truly believe whatever their delusion is about, so they can take action to defend themselves if they feel someone will harm them. In many cases, that someone is a family member or spouse. Apparently, David had struggled with depression from an early age and showcased symptoms similar to that of bipolar disorder. But over time, he began to focus on his physical health instead, and fitness became a part of his lifestyle, even playing basketball for Eckerd College in St. Petersburg,

Florida. In his 30s, he started working as a trainer at Orange Theory Fitness, but his career was seemingly derailed by his unpredictable behavior. During his shifts, he would have alarming outburst that frightened his co-workers and customers alike. His former boss, Tabitha, Hopkins, recalled that David was somewhat of a ticking time bomb, and anything could set him off. And this isn't an exaggeration. In a manic episode, people with bipolar disorder are often highly emotional and reactive. They're extremely impatient and blunt with others. Think of it as someone completely losing their social filter. They just say the first thing that comes to their mind, blurt out inappropriate remarks, and have difficulty waiting for anything or anyone. He was

let go from the gym in 2017, but would be rehired in 2019, only for Tabitha to find out that David had become more unstable. There was one incident in particular that was deemed unforgettable. When one of David's all-time idols Kobe Bryant tragically passed away in a helicopter accident in 2020, it seemed as though it was too much for the trainer to handle. While expressing his sorrows to numerous people at the gym one day, he began to hysterically cry, while making a bizarre speech about the legendary basketball player, almost as if they were close friends. Not only this, but he was allegedly known to be rather aggressive towards some of his clients, specifically women. In the aftermath of his breakdown, David and Tabitha began to text on January 31st,

2020. David said that he was sorry for letting her down, and he wasn't getting much sleep. This is actually another example of David being in a manic state. As people experiencing manic episodes can go days without sleeping, or they can run on very little sleep. Apparently, the trainer hadn't been arriving to work on time, and his boss was quite aware of the problem. She wrote, You stormed out before I could finish what I wanted to say. You've been coaching seven weeks, and the last. week has been awful. I see the transition backwards and it's not good. This message could indicate that the pair had a recent argument, one that David possibly walked away from. Another text from Tabitha

on February 2nd reads, Before we go any further, I do have to say that I need you to leave the gratitude training outside of the studio. No recruiting employees or members. David was supposedly involved in the infamous gratitude training that was a multi-step program to aid people in their self-improvement. He allegedly spent thousands of dollars on the courses while married to Gretchen, but failed to let her know about the financial expenses. His response to his manager, a simple okay. But a couple weeks later, things seemed to have negatively shifted. Tabitha wrote, Why are you sitting in your truck? I've been waiting for you for an hour. A couple hours later, after they presumably met, she wrote, you need to return your keys and Nike shirt,

along with, and the Apple Watch. I bought that for your coaching. It appears that David had been fired once again. Unexpectedly, it was Tabitha and Gretchen's conversations that gave insight into the things Gretchen was dealing with while separating from David. Tabitha found it odd that Gretchen had been commenting on her photos online, saying,

I don't like anything you or David do or have done, so please stop. Gretchen immediately responds by saying that she doesn't associate with David. She even goes on to state. He has mental issues, thought you would have figured that out by now. Tabitha tells her that David made it seem as though his estranged wife hated her, along with Orange Theory, but Gretchen quickly declares that is not the case. Gretchen also divulges that she's happy to no longer be dealing with him. I hope he decides to seek help or not, but I'm glad he's out of mine and Ava's life. Almost, waiting for divorce date,

but he said he's going to Costa Rica. Referring to David's tantrum, Tabitha says, OMG, you should hear what he did when Kobe Bryant died. It was awful. The two women message each other for a while, discussing their frustrations with David. If you know anything about bipolar disorder, they don't know what they're doing,

but it affects relationships. I can't be part of that. Along with, when he comes off his high, he regrets at all. That's why we will never be together again. I can't subject David to that. Tabitha responds with a disturbing piece of advice. Stay away from him. A warning that soon becomes all too real. When detectives tried to locate Gretchen's estranged husband, he was also nowhere to be found. When police reached out to David's

mother, who he had been staying with after the separation, she told them that she too had received a concerning text from Gretchen, saying that she contracted the coronavirus. She also told the officers that her son was heading for Costa Rica, likely for work. As the investigation into finding Gretchen continued, police suddenly received word that her phone had been active and moving westward across Florida. Could this possibly mean that Gretchen was alive and well? They also uncovered that David's phone had been pinging off of a cell tower around the same areas where Gretchen's phone had been active,

were the estranged husband and wife together, and was this just an ill-conceived plan for the same thing? the pair to get away and discuss their ending relationship. Or worse, had Gretchen been kidnapped. The authorities were now on a manhunt to find the missing mother. As police began to take a closer look into David's life, they discovered that his sordid past was much worse than anyone could have imagined. Apparently, back in 1997, while David was still in college, he was arrested for attempting to rob a blockbuster, while threatening people with a weapon that turned out to be a squirt gun, During the incident, he allegedly assaulted a police officer, but took a plea deal and served a short amount of time in prison.

Soon after, he changed his name from David Anthony Deutsch to David Anthony. Along with this, just one week before Gretchen went missing, he was allegedly caught at a local shopping mall in Riviera Beach, Florida, where he was stalking teenage girls. When police tried to arrest him, he supposedly fought back and was charged with resisting arrest. suspecting that David had information about Gretchen's whereabouts, authorities were determined to track the volatile man down. Along his travels, David made a few pit stops, ultimately giving the detective some frightening information. Chillingly, he was apparently trying to sell jewelry to multiple pawn shops,

saying that it belonged to a loved one who passed away from the coronavirus. But unbeknownst to him, David was leaving a trail of breadcrumbs. On March 27, 2020, David's phone was located in the area of Pekos, Texas, and the next day, Los Cruces, New Mexico, where police were finally able to stop him in his tracks. Go and get your hands out of the vehicle, please. He rolled his window up. Get your hands up!

Hands up so I could see him. Keep him up for me, please. Go and place your keys on top of the truck. Keep your hands up. Put him up, walk towards me. Who else is in the car with you? Turn around. Keep your hands up, please.

Another step, please, to your left. Do you want to take him? Stay right there. Put your hands down your back. Just try a dog in the car, sergey. While police checked to see if anyone else was in his vehicle, a black Nissan truck, they found that the truck's bed was filled with various luggage.

David also had his dog Kobe in the car with him, who he named after his idol Kobe Bryant. Now that authorities had located David, they were able to ask him a few questions regarding where Gretchen might be. So, all right, so this is about your wife. Okay, I guess she's been reported missing. Last I heard, she was in a CDC facility,

getting treatment for coronavirus. When's the last time you talked to your wife? Um, She texted me, like, off with the last incident. She was, like, see, insanity. David says that he talked to Gretchen a week ago on Saturday, March 21st, at a gas station on Indian Town Road in Florida. He then goes on to ask a rather bizarre question.

Is there, like, someone in the government or the FBI or someone else I can talk to? because when we talked she mentioned like I don't know how much I can share about like you know what I mean like

she mentioned being in trouble or something with her work where she works at she works for a Viking utility I used to work for them too they're going through this merger with this big company called Danella

and their Danella has connections to the current administration so like she I don't know she said she said she was in trouble she said during the transition she found something

you know and she didn't want to give me too much because she don't put me in the danger in danger so was that when you talked to her last week she said all this? Yeah and then she mentioned something about her ex-husband. It's unclear here if David is actively

delusional, or if he's using one of his past delusions to try to get out of being considered a suspect by police. Either way, the police are immediately suspicious of the strange conspiracy theory, especially given the fact that Gretchen loved her job and had never reported any of this. Even if she'd witnessed the legal activity, Gretchen wasn't the type of person who would leave her life behind, especially her own daughter. I wish I, actually I'm glad I don't have more details, to be honest with you. So I'm not sure. And that was the last Saturday, about what time?

I was in the morning. It was about a week ago. David says that he heard about Gretchen's supposed illness from her sister, who texted him that Gretchen was being treated in a CDC center. When did she text you then? A couple days ago. A couple days ago. On to yourself?

On myself. Do you sound that text message? I do. You do? Where's your cell phone? Can we see it? Would you be able to show us that text message where she says? I'm not.

I mean, I'm a concern is just the welfare of your wife. I mean, so that's how we're just trying to make sure we can verify everything you're telling us. Yeah, I mean, I'd still keep you go broken around. Okay. The officers ask if he's moving anywhere due to the amount of below. longings in the truck. David responds by saying that he is an electrician and engineer by trade and that he can work anywhere. But he fails to mention his reported plans to go to Costa Rica, which his mother already told the police about. When the last time you talked to your wife,

you said it was face-to-face, how was that conversation until the two of you were okay? No argument. Even though we didn't get along, I love her. You know, and I care for and I always tried to got for you know. You just didn't see eye the eye on things and it's just how things go. But my love for her stepdaughter is like I'm a hat too. I taught her how to write a bike and shoot a basketball group and use her awareness. David then begins to give his side of the story of what happened during his and Gretchen's marriage. I was willing to stay in it like through the holidays. She just couldn't handle the fact that I was making changes. Like I went back to personal training at this a place called Orontory Fitness, which like, you know, lots of females and stuff.

And she had had problems with the past. And I was like, listen, I come home to you, I support you, I cook you meals. I take your, you know, I mean, not your daughter, but I take our daughter to everywhere. You know, like, if I wanted something to happen, you know what I mean? Like, I would have done something. Next, the officers ask about any recent incidents that David may have had with the law. He claims that there was an encounter where police had approached him while he would standing by his truck. He says that his dog Kobe was in the car during this time, and he wanted

to give him some oxygen. So David reached in to turn the AC on as the officers were supposedly walking toward him. So I just go in the car to like try to turn it in and right there. Resisting a violent. So the police report I got, it was like a total night and day from what happened. you know, they hadn't filed charges. They're not going to file charges because if that body cam comes up, it's going to be like, there's no way that this correlates. So they had to make it like really stupid. Like I was circling around some 15-year-olds and I was nervous and sweating.

Despite his efforts to conceal what really happened that day, David was actually following the young girls throughout a mall at Riviera Beach, Florida. When confronted by law enforcement, he did, in fact, resist arrest by apparently slamming a car door on an officer. Do you think something bad if they happened to her? I don't know. When's the last time you've been to her house? I mean, you can go on and all.

I just feel friends. So I mean, you're on Saturday? No. When authorities were finally able to search through David's truck, the findings were absolutely shocking. They located Gretchen's phone. To inspect anything further, they told David that they would be taking his truck in as evidence.

But he wasn't needed at the police station. This was due to the fact that they did not have enough evidence to bring him in for questioning. Not yet, at least. Although David was allowed to leave, his freedom would only be temporary, as investigators quickly uncovered something truly horrific. On March 31st, a couple of days after their last encounter, David was walking his dog in Los Cruces when he was arrested and taken into police custody. But the very reason will leave you shaken to the core.

We have obtained enough evidence to obtain a warrant for murder. I want you to understand that. She's a vodka. I want you to understand that. And what's most important to us right now is to find out where she is. Yeah, I'd like to be able to tell you where she is. All that information I'm going to ask her. Despite David's denials of any involvement in Gretchen's disappearance,

the detective shared an incriminating story with David. It turns out that one of Gretchen's neighbors came forward soon after the investigation began, sharing a terrifying piece of information. Around 6 in the morning, on March 21st, the neighbor heard blood-curdling screams and someone yelling, no, no, it hurts. And they believed the screams were coming from none other than the missing woman. Most damning was one additional piece of information. David's black Nissan truck was spotted at Gretchen's house during the same time frame.

I love and care for her. Okay. And part of that's got me in this position now, but I'll affect her. She's my wife. Unfortunately, these words couldn't be further from the truth. Next, David tries to explain his conspiracy theory regarding Viking utility, but the investigators aren't buying it. So what does that have to do with you being at Grenchants House Saturday morning?

I don't know the question. You just ask me something. I don't know. What does that political deep pockets have to do with you being at? Richon's house Saturday morning. Well, I'm asking you to explore all options. That's all. Like, this is like, she likes drugs.

At one point, she mentioned she's like seeing 22 guys. You know, if you have her phone and I locked her phone, you'll see, you know. So why do you have her phone? So she was up until El Paso. And then what happened? Someone hacked her account. Someone was searching her phone. The investigator then asked David how he and Graham,

split up while they were supposedly traveling together. What car was she driving? I'm not, like I said, I'm going to protect her and her whereabouts because everyone can be bought. And as much as I know you guys are doing your job, I don't know the other end of information to try to... Gretchen's home. Because they're in your car. What are?

Her cameras. Blank cameras? There's blank cameras in their mind. their mind. Besides Gretchen's phone, police made another shocking discovery in David's truck, security cameras that had been taken from Gretchen's house. David seems to be unaware of the fact that blink cameras are part of a web-based system, meaning that no matter how much damage is done to the device, the data has already been stored

to the internet cloud and is still accessible. And what appears on the video is so horrifying. It's almost too much to bear. of you, David, at Gretchen's home on the morning of Saturday, last Saturday at 6.30 a.m. So my vehicle there. Yeah, it's not just your vehicle there. There's video when you make contact with her that shows something other than... Generally speaking, in dangerous situations, movement can attract unwanted and potentially life-threatening attention.

When someone encounters any threat, Whether they're in physical danger or if they are simply asked the question they are unprepared for, their body may momentarily freeze, as David's does here. This is an instinctual response that is a result of the limbic system trying to ensure the individual's survival by attracting as little attention to themselves as possible. The detective goes on to show David a picture of his stepdaughter, 12-year-old Eva. She would like you to run to live. Like to know where her mother is.

Make it to all that a son. David is shown another picture, but this time it's from the video cameras found in his truck. And the image confirms that David was, in fact, at Gretchen's home on the day of March 21st. Does that look like you? Could be. That is you cleaning up her garage after there is a incident there, stepping over her body with a shovel. That's him.

Gretchen's alive, I told him that already. You have a nervous wreck right now. She can't sleep She can't eat Do not use Eva Do you know We are Because that's what's left

She doesn't have to worry Because her mother is still alive She is not alive You put your hand over her mouth And dragged her into the garage It's on video David You might want to think that David

Because you don't want to face the facts Of what you did I was trying to warn her Okay You put her your hand I was trying to warn her Over her mouth I was trying to warn her.

As you dragged her into the garage, then bleached down the driveway. But unfortunately for you, the cadaver dog hit on the garage, and we found blood spatter. So there's no way that she's alive. When authorities collected the evidence found in Gretchen's home, they tested the blue and white towel and found that the dark stain had actually been a blood-like substance. I made contact with her two days ago. No. You didn't.

Oh, you didn't. How? Tell us. Let me tell you. How? I have no idea who you're working for. Zero. Did you put her place to me?

And you know what? I can be bought. No, I can't be bought. Everyone can be bought. You can't be bought. The detectives plead with David to uncover where Gretchen is for the sake of Eva. But he selfishly maintains that his estranged wife is still alive. You are on video.

Grabbing her and dragging her. into the garage of that home. There's video of her lifeless body laying on the ground and you in the background cleaning up. On that fateful morning, David creeped onto Gretchen's patio, waiting for the right time to make his move. When Gretchen appeared, David forced her into the garage and committed the heinous crime.

Once his evil act was done, he realized that the video cameras had captured the entire ordeal. In a failed attempt to cover his tracks, he ripped them down and tried to destroy them. But little did he know that the footage was never erased. Trying to create an alibi for Gretchen's sudden disappearance, David texted her friends and family from Gretchen's phone, pretending to be the beloved mother.

But his plan to hide what he had done was to no avail. Infinishes her whistleblurcades. Gretchen's not going to finish anything. Gretchen is dead. What are you afraid of? Like, your life can't get any worse right now, right? So why are you hanging on to the story that she's still alive when we've shown you dead pictures of her body? I've seen any pictures.

I showed you a picture of a dead woman's head, hair, blood soaked. That's what, David, that's what it is. I'm telling you that right now. That's what it is. Apparently, the video cameras in Gretchen's house were installed immediately after the pair separated in 2019. This was because Gretchen was afraid that David would return to the house. after being kicked out, as he had supposedly done before. She was allegedly nervous about the safety of her and Ava,

making the situation all the more gut-wrenching. Sadly, many partners who are victims of domestic violence and are eventually killed by the abusive spouse had a feeling or fear that their abusive partner may one day try to kill them. So you know what we're going to do? We're going to walk out of here and call Eva and tell her that you refuse to cooperate and that you don't love her enough to give her closure. Her dad has already warped her mind so much.

That has nothing to take her out of it. Her dad is part of it. Her dad is part of it. We're talking about that little girl. That little girl, not her dad. Something terrible happened. Like I said, we already know what happened. We know the narrative.

We know what happened Saturday morning. We know what happened the whole weekend. All right then you don't need any more. No. No, it's where. Her mother is. I care about who? You care about her.

Oh, yeah, I believe me. I care about that kid. It's in your belt. In a desperate attempt to get David to confess, the detective plays a heart-rending message. It's a little bit. Please, I love you. She alive at all.

You were in Pensacola, pawing that jewelry, and she's nowhere to be seen. She's not around. It's because she's not alive. David, she's not there. That's a ruse. You need to understand.

understand that. She is not there. You're rusing me. You're acting like a child right now. Okay. Just like that wasn't Eva. Just like that was Eva, that Ava doesn't think that I'm a monster. That's nothing to do with it. The Viking utility didn't have nothing to do it. You are a monster. You didn't even, you're not even going to be a monster for much.

Do your homework, Jared. You are a monster for what you did. And everybody is going to look at you like that. All those people who supported you, all those people who got you out of jail, they do. All to pee down. Now they don't. You don't think I had a doctor to do.

You're not going to paint a picture of me looking great anyway, so what does it matter, bro? Come on. No. Come on, bro. It wasn't until nine months later on December 21st, 2020, when the location of Gretchen's body was finally discovered. But this only came after David was offered a plea deal. In return for showing the authorities where he buried his estranged wife, he would plead guilty to second-degree murder and serve 38 years behind bars instead of life. David took the deal without question and revealed that Gretchen

was only a few miles from her house, buried behind a local Walmart. An autopsy revealed that she'd been fatally stabbed in the neck and torso. Tragically, other injuries suggest that she fought for her life against the callous murderer. During the trial, David shared a bizarre statement. My illusion saw the COVID pandemic as an end of the world prophecy, an Armageddon that I felt compelled to escape no matter the cost. Instead of being a man, I chose to be a coward. I tried to steal what wasn't mine, and in the process, I ended a life.

Her life had value, her life had meaning, and I stole that life. David will be released in 2008. By the time he gets out, he will be 81 years old.