Murder: True Crime Stories - UNSOLVED: The Rock 'n Roll Murder 1

Episode Date: July 29, 2025

Bobby Fuller had it all: talent, ambition, and the hit single "I Fought the Law." But just weeks after climbing the Billboard charts, he was found dead in his car. In Part 1, we trace the rock star's path to stardom and the subtle, chilling signs that his success may have come at a deadly cost. Murder: True Crime Stories is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. For ad-free listening and early access to episodes, subscribe to Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts. Don’t miss out on all things Murder: True Crime Stories! Instagram: @murdertruecrimepod | @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hi, it's Kaylyn Moore. Crime House is home to the most gripping true crime shows, and I would love for you to check out my show that I co-host with Morgan Apscher, Clues. Want to sneak past the crime scene tape to explore the key evidence behind some of the most gripping true crime cases? Well, each week on Clues, we open up a new case file and dig into the key evidence that either solved or left authorities baffled behind the most infamous criminal cases. Join us every Wednesday and listen to Clues. on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. Some people struggle to find their purpose in life, drifting from place to place, job to job with no real sense of direction.

But others seem like they're born. knowing exactly what they're supposed to do and who they're supposed to be. Bobby Fuller was one of those people. From a young age, he knew he was meant to be a rock and roll star, and he had the talent and determination to make it happen. At just 23 years old, Bobby was already making waves in the music world. He had a band, a record deal, and tons of adoring fans. By all accounts, it seemed like Bobby was well on his way to becoming a rock legend. Then, just as his career was taking off, Bobby's life was cut short. But his death wasn't just shocking and tragic.

It was downright bizarre. And decades later, we're still searching for the truth. People's lives. are like a story. There's a beginning, a middle, and an end, but you don't always know which part you're on. Sometimes the final chapter arrives far too soon, and we don't always get to know the real ending. I'm Carter Roy, and this is Murder True Crime Stories, a crime house original powered by Pave Studios, and now we are releasing twice a week every Tuesday and Thursday. At Crime House, we want to express our gratitude to you, our community, for making this possible.

Please support us by rating, reviewing, and following Murder True Crime Stories wherever you get your podcasts. And to enhance your Murder True Crime Stories listening experience, subscribe to Crime House Plus on Apple Podcasts. You'll get ad-free listening, early access to every two-part series, and exciting bonus content. This is the first of two episodes on the murder of Bobby Fuller, the frontman of the Bobby Fuller 4. In 1966, his promising music career was cut short when Bobby was found dead at just 23 years old. Today, I'll tell you about Bobby's early life in El Paso, Texas, and how he developed a passion for music. I'll discuss the steps he took to turn his local band into a national sensation, and how his budding career. career came to an unexpected end.

Next time, I'll take you through the fateful night when Bobby lost his life in the lackluster investigation that followed. I'll also discuss the theories around what really happened that evening and the evidence that says there's more to the story. All that and more coming up. Bobby Fuller was born on October 22nd, 1942 in the small hamlet of Goose Creek, Texas, located about 30 miles east of Houston. The area made a name for itself in the early 1900s as one of the biggest oil producers in the country. Most of the people who lived there worked in the industry, including Bobby's dad, Lawson.

Meanwhile, his mom, Lorraine, stayed home and took care of the kids. In addition to Bobby and his younger brother Randy, Lorraine also had a son from a previous marriage named Jack. And although Jack had over a decade on his younger brothers, all three boys shared a close and happy childhood. Even so, it was somewhat unstable. The family was constantly on the move, going wherever Lawson could find work. In 1946, when Bobby was four years old, the Fullers relocated to Farmington in northern New Mexico,

where there were more opportunities for Lawson. And while it was probably difficult for young Bobby to adjust to being in a new place, he also made a very important discovery in Farmington. According to Lorraine, Bobby was interested in music from a very young age. And once the family settled in Farmington, his past, and really started to shine through. By the time Bobby was five years old, he was already playing the piano.

From there, he branched out to other instruments like the drums and the cornets, which is similar to a trumpet. When he wasn't playing, Bobby was listening to the biggest rock and roll stars of the time, people like Buddy Holly and Elvis. Bobby quickly fell in love with their voices and rebellious sound.

And the more Bobby listened, the more he realized he wanted to be just like them, performing on stage to a crowd of adoring fans. Bobby's parents were very supportive of his interests, but they probably wished he put some of that ambition towards his education. Bobby found school incredibly boring, and his grades reflected that. But in Bobby's mind, none of that mattered. After all, he was going to be a rock star, not a scientist or a businessman. Still, that didn't mean Bobby wasn't smart.

One year, he built a stereo system from scratch and entered it into the school science fair. But the whole time, he was thinking up ways to kick off his music career. By the time he was 12 years old in 1954, Bobby put his plan into action. That year, he got together with some friends to play music. Although these were just informal jam sessions, they were enough to keep Bobby motivated. But it wasn't long until the group had to call it quits. That same year, Bobby's dad was offered a new position in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was a big change, but Bobby leaned into it.

He continued to focus on music and started putting on one-man shows for, family and friends. Everyone who listened to Bobby could tell he had genuine talent, and his performances always ended with a huge round of applause. For Bobby, the feeling of being up on stage was the best experience he'd ever had, and he never wanted it to stop. For the next two years, he kept honing his craft, but Bobby could only go so far in Utah. The music scene wasn't nearly as big as it was in his home state of Texas. So when Bobby's dad announced the family was heading back to the Lone Star State, 14-year-old Bobby was thrilled,

especially because this time around, they settled in the bigger city of El Paso on the Mexican border. El Paso was full of other musicians, and there were always lots of concerts to choose from. Whenever teenage Bobby went to a show, he made sure to bring his tape recorder. Afterwards, he would play the tapes back and analyze what worked. Bobby was gearing up to replicate the sound with his new and improved future band.

And it wasn't long until he got the chance to do just that. Over the next few years, Bobby formed several of his own groups, modeling himself on Buddy Holly. He became the frontman with a rotating cast of friends playing backup. By 1959, the 17-year-old had a more established crew and was playing with his friends Jim Rees and Dalton Powell. They would become longtime fixtures in Bobby's inner circle and were joined by Bobby's brother, Randy, on the bass. Around the same time, Bobby pivoted from drums to guitar, which eventually became his main instrument. By early 1961, things were looking promising for 18-year-old Bobby.

Bobby. But sadly, a family tragedy was about to turn his world upside down. One night in February of that year, the Fuller sat down for dinner. There was just one person missing. Bobby's 31-year-old half-brother Jack. They waited and waited, but Jack never showed. Bobby's mom, Lorraine, was sure something terrible had happened. Days later, her worst fears were confirmed. On February 22nd, Jack's body was found. He'd been shot several times and his pockets were empty. Soon after, a friend of his named Roy Leon Handy was spotted driving Jack's beloved car. He was arrested on suspicion of murder and Bobby's father Lawson went down to the station to interrogate Roy himself. Sitting across from Lawson, Roy confessed to

killing Jack in cold blood. Not long after, Roy pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life behind bars. The Fullers were grateful that justice had been served, but that didn't change the fact that Jack was gone, and their family would never be the same. For Lorraine, the loss of her firstborn son was a wound that would never heal. Afterwards, she became so depressed that she went through electroshock therapy.

Jack's murder hit Bobby hard too. Although they were far apart in age, Bobby had always been close with Jack. But unlike Lorraine, Bobby didn't let the loss break him. Instead, it encouraged him to work harder. In the wake of the murder, 18-year-old Bobby doubled down and started playing more than ever. He was determined to honor Jack by making it big. And he wouldn't stop until the whole world knew his name. Summer is Tim's Ice Latte season.

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In 1961, Bobby Fuller's half-brother Jack was brutally killed at 31 years old. The senseless murder rocked the Fuller family, but Bobby was determined not to let the tragedy defeat him. If anything, the 18-year-old sought as a sign to live life to the fullest. and most importantly, to make his dreams of being a rock star come true. That same year, Bobby graduated from high school.

He briefly enrolled at North Texas State University, where he studied music, but he quickly realized he didn't just want to learn about music. He wanted to get out there and make it. So he dropped out and committed himself to doing exactly that. He spent most of his time in the recording story, studio he'd built in his parents' garage. It wasn't anything fancy, but Bobby had done a good job of putting it together, and the studio produced high-quality sound. So while he was still technically an amateur, he sounded like a pro. It helped that he had a great band supporting

him. For the most part, the members were constantly changing. However, his brother Randy and their two friends, Jim Reese and Dalton Powell, were mainstays in the group. Bobby sang and play guitar while the others provided backup. Before long, Bobby and his crew were releasing album after album under various names, including Bobby Fuller and the Regents and Bobby Fuller and the fanatics. Their sound was a blend of country western rock and roll and relaxed surf music that had become popular in California. The band was also constantly performing around El Paso. suddenly the whole city knew just how good Bobby Fuller was.

In the early 60s, the group won several Battle of the Bands contests, cementing themselves as one of El Paso's greatest acts. It was clear to everyone around him that Bobby's main priority was his career. Even so, he still made time for romance. In 1962, 19-year-old Bobby met a girl named Pamela. The details surrounding their relationship, including Pamela's last name and age, are limited. But we do know things got serious fast, and just a year after meeting, in 1963, they were engaged. But even that wasn't enough to slow Bobby down.

By then, the 20-year-old had become somewhat of a local celebrity. He was starting to get recognized around town, and even signed with a few independent record-laborate. By all accounts, things were going great for Bobby. But he wanted more. Specifically, he wanted to go national. And like all up-and-coming artists, he knew the road to that level of success went through California.

In 1962, Bobby, Randy, and a few other group members road tripped out to the Golden States while Pamela stayed behind in El Paso. Once they arrived, the young musicians held a few of their own Battle of the Band's contests and auditioned for every label they could think of. Sadly, no one wanted to take a chance on the 20-year-old from Texas. Still, the trip wasn't a total lost cause. While they were out in Orange County, Bobby and his buddies visited the legendary rendezvous dance hall.

When Bobby saw the hordes of teenagers clambering to get inside, he smelled an opportunity. There weren't any teen clubs like rendezvous back in El Paso. So once he was back home, he got to thinking, what if he made his own dance hall? In 1963, the 21-year-old was ready to put his plan into action. With his parents, as co-signers, he leased a spot in the city. He called it the Northeast Teen Rendezvous Club,

after the Orange County location. It was a safe space for kids to listen to music with no alcohol and plenty of adult supervision in case things went wrong. Soon after it opened, the club proved to be just what El Paso needed. By then, Bobby and his band had settled on the name Bobby Fuller and the fanatics,

and while rendezvous was mainly Bobby's project, the whole group regularly performed as the house band. The 20 and under crowd loved going to shows, and they especially loved having their own dedicated hangout spot. Before long, hundreds of local teens were dancing and singing along to Bobby Fuller and the fanatics. It raised the group's profile enough that when the band released more music, including covers of the songs, Nervous Breakdown, made famous by Eddie Cochran, and Buddy Holley's Not Fade Away,

they were regional hits. It was exactly the kind of momentum the group needed, and they used the opportunity to go on tour. In late 1963 and early 1964, Bobby Fuller and the fanatics performed all around the West, going as far as New Mexico and Hermosa Beach, California. But even though they were gaining more national attention, well, they knew there was no place like home.

In the summer of 1964, Bobby Fuller and the fanatics had their biggest show to date. That July, 6,000 screaming fans showed up at a local shopping center to see the band perform. It was a huge milestone for Bobby. But just when they were hitting their stride, everything went belly up. While the crowd at rendezvous was very loyal to the band, and they were all so young and unpredictable. At some point after that July performance, a number of fights broke out at the venue,

leaving at least one person injured. For long, the club was hit with a lawsuit. Bobby used whatever money he had to fight it, but that meant there wasn't anything left to pay the rent. As much as Bobby loved rendezvous, by the fall of 1964, he couldn't deny it any longer. there was no coming back.

It was time to officially shudder the club. And sometime around then, the entire building literally went down in flames and burned to the ground. It was a bittersweet ending, but it also meant that Bobby Fuller and the fanatics were free agents. His brother Randy suggested they take advantage of the opportunity and head back out to California to try to sign with a label. It didn't take much to convince Bobby and the others.

Although their last trip wasn't the most successful, they'd learned a lot since then. Not only were they better performers, but they'd also cultivated their sound and become more cohesive. At least, they thought they had. In late summer, 1964, Bobby and his band drove out to Los Angeles once again. They were confident going into their meetings, but no matter of their time, but no matter how much they thought they'd improved, it still wasn't enough. Despite their success back in El Paso, executives at the major labels just weren't buying what they were selling. Still, there was one person who saw something in them. Bob Keene of Delphi Records. But even he

didn't think they were quite ready yet. Keene told the group to go back to Texas and spend another year honing their skills, then come back to L.A. and try again. Bobby took his advice with a grain of salt. He did go back to El Paso, but he wasn't willing to wait that long. A couple months later, he and the band were back in Keene's office asking for another shot. And this time around, Bobby wasn't going to take no for an answer. Maybe Keene respected Bobby's dedication. Maybe Bobby and the group had truly improved since their last visit, or maybe Keene knew that Bobby wasn't going to leave him alone until he gave the fanatics a shot.

Whatever his reasoning, Kane decided to sign Bobby and his band to Delphi. It was the moment they'd all been waiting for. But getting a big Hollywood deal also came with its own set of Hollywood problems. After signing with Delphi, the band told Keene they wanted to change their name. They felt like Bobby Fuller and the fanatics only highlighted Bobby. Even though he was the frontman, it wasn't like he was up on stage alone. At that point, the band consisted of Bobby on guitar and vocals, Randy on bass, Jim

Reese on guitar, and Duane Carrico on drums. Everyone, including Bobby, wanted a name that represented the entire group, something like the Bobby Fuller four. They presented their idea to Keene, and it seemed like he was fine with the change. But in December of 1964, it became clear that wasn't the case. That month, the group's first single with Delphi came out. The song was called Those Memories of You, and it was put out under the name Bobby Fuller and the fanatics. To add insult to injury, the word, words Bobby Fuller were printed in a much bigger font than the rest. Although the entire band was upset, no one was more livid than Randy.

After the song came out, he barged into Keene's office and threw a copy of the record at his head. He missed, but Keene got the message. Moving forward, the band would be known as the Bobby Fuller for. It was a defining moment for the group, and knowing they were all on the same page allowed the band to branch out creatively. Later that year, they recorded an upbeat cover of I Fought the Law of Buddy Holly and the cricket song written by Sonny Curtis. Since Buddy was one of Bobby's idols, this was a huge deal. After that, the Bobby Fuller 4 released Let Her Dance, which quickly swept the nation and climbed the charts to become Bobby's first. top 40 hit. Then in 1965, they re-recorded, I Fought the Law. It became a major hit early

the next year and went on to become one of the band's signature tunes. On the heels of the song's success, the group performed regularly alongside a famous L.A. DJ named Casey Kasem. The crowds loved the shows. It had only been a few months, and it already seemed like Bob Keene's gamble was paying off. For Bobby, this was everything he'd ever wanted. But while his future may have been bright, Bobby couldn't outrun his past. This whole time, Bobby was still engaged to Pamela. However, there were a number of issues affecting their relationship, including the fact that it was long distance. For whatever reason, Pamela, had stayed in El Paso when Bobby moved to L.A. Still, that wasn't even the worst of it.

Around the time Bobby left Texas, rumors started swirling that he was cheating. In the summer of 1964, Bobby was accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in El Paso. Her father confronted the Fullers on behalf of his daughter, Mary, who was now pregnant. He claimed that Bobby had forced himself on the young girl one night at the rendezvous club and that he was the father it's unclear how bobby reacted but in the end no charges were filed against him and the baby was put up for adoption even though pamela stood by bobby's side throughout at all their relationship was hanging by a thread especially when she learned that bobby's infidelity went further than she knew At some point earlier in 1964, Bobby was seeing another young woman in El Paso named Susie.

Later that year, she announced that she was also pregnant. The news threw 21-year-old Bobby for a loop, especially because Susie told him she wanted to get married and start a family. When Bobby heard that, he balked. He told her he was worried it would, quote, ruin his opportunity. There was no mention of Pamela. It's not clear if she knew about this most recent affair, but either way, it was obvious. Their engagement was well and truly over.

In early 1965, they officially broke up. Later that year, Susie gave birth. Shortly after, Bobby met his daughter for the first and only time. If Bobby was upset about how his personal life had turned out, he didn't show it. At that point, it seemed like his one and only love was music. He didn't have any intentions of being a father to his daughter, and it seemed like Susie didn't fight him on it. Plus, now that he was single, he could make his career, his sole focus.

Bobby's star was rising quickly, and he couldn't be more thrilled. But just as his wildest dreams were coming true, it all came crashing down. And this time around, Bobby would never recover. Have you ever encountered something that you just can't explain? Strange sounds in the night, a shadow on the side of the road, something that feels just a little bit spooky? If you have, submit your story to our podcast, Two Girls, One Ghost. Two Girls, One Ghost.

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Very spooky. By 1965, 21-year-old Bobby Fuller was making a lot of changes in his life. After a series of dramatic breakups and some very problematic, romantic decisions, he was ready to put all his energy into his career. His band, now called the Bobby Fuller 4, included him, his brother Randy, and their two friends, Jim Reese, and Dwayne Carrico. They'd finally landed a major record deal with Bob Keene of Delphi Records and were committed to making it big in Hollywood. And Keene didn't waste any time getting the group out there.

After releasing some new songs in early 1965, the band took their show on the road in the second half of the year. What followed was an absolute blitz of performances, promotions, and appearances. Come June, they performed on the TV show Shivoree. Just 10 days later, they were booked on another show called Shibang. A few weeks later in August, the Bobby Fuller 4 went on to perform alongside the father of rock and roll himself, Chuck Berry. They were also making a name for themselves in the press. Soon, the group was featured in 17 magazine and landed a fashion spread with actress Mia Ferry. They were getting very famous very quickly.

And before Bobby knew it, the band had a full-blown fan club, and Bobby was their primary focus. He started getting recognized wherever he went, whether it was a quick trip to the grocery store or a long travel day at the airport. For Bobby, this was uncharted territory. Sure, he'd been known around El Paso, but there he also knew most folks around town. It was a strange moment for Bobby. His whole life, he'd thought this was what he wanted. Now he wondered to Bob Keen if this level of exposure was a good thing. But Keane brushed off his concerns.

In Kean's mind, any publicity was good publicity, no matter how corny. Despite the band's pleas, he made them do a branded song with Casey Kasem's radio station, KRLA. Not long after, he booked them a cameo in a goofy B-list movie called The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini. Lipsinking in the background while Nancy Sinatra danced in a two-piece. It wasn't exactly what Bobby had in mind when he went out to L.A. He was itching to get back to the studio and do more of what he loved. His own style of down-home country-western rock and roll.

That didn't align with Bob Keane's business plans. Instead of letting the band compose their own music, he insisted they use outside writers. It was easier to record and release more stuff this way, but it wasn't how Bobby wanted to work. The most contentious issue of all didn't have to do with Keene and Bobby, though. It had to do with the other members of the band. A few years prior, Keene had propelled Richie Valens, who sang La Bamba, from a member of the High Tone 5 to a solo act and it seemed like he wanted to do the same with a bobby fuller four in kean's mind bobby didn't need the other three members he was enough of a star on his own it's not surprising that this created a lot of

tension in the group and even though bobby was firmly against the idea he couldn't stop kean from giving him special treatment. Even so, Bobby had to draw the line somewhere. At the time, the British invasion was well underway. Bands like the Rolling Stones and the Beatles were experimenting with different sounds and production techniques. Keene wanted the Bobby Fuller 4 to follow their lead. But Bobby put his foot down. He insisted the band needed to sound as good live as they did in the studio. which meant no fancy special effects they couldn't recreate on stage. And it seemed like Bobby was definitely on to something because even George Harrison said his most listened to group

was the Bobby Fuller 4. Hearing that must have been surreal for the 23-year-old. His little band from Texas was officially an international sensation. But just when the Bobby Fuller 4 was really taking off, everything threatened to unravel. After several years with the band, Duane Carrico left toward the end of 1965. He was replaced by Dalton Powell, a previous member from the El Paso days. Although the group welcomed Dalton with open arms, it was an adjustment, and things only got more complicated when it came to Delphi. Around this time, 43-year-old Bob Keene was

going through a difficult period. With the band fractured and Keene distracted, there were delays in the recording and release schedule going into 1966, and there was nothing Bobby could do about it. Luckily, as 1966 got underway, things seemed to get back on track. Keane was more stable, and the group's re-released version of IFought the Law

quickly climbed the Billboard Hot 100, reaching the number nine spots. Then, in March of that year, the Bobby Fuller 4 was performing at Dick Clark's Young World's Fair in Hollywood. At one point, they tossed some of their records out into the audience, and the crowd completely lost it. Before Bobby knew it, his female fans were on stage, clawing at his hair, and literally tearing the shirt off his back. That moment Bobby realized he was a full-on rock star. But the good times couldn't last forever. That June, the band was performing in New York.

Almost right away, hot-headed Randy got into a fight. And then another one. To make matters worse, the group only got a fraction of the payment they'd been promised. It's not clear if this was a mix-up on Keynes' end or the venues. Either way, after a few weeks in the Big Apple, Bobby was raring to get back to the West Coast. On their way back to Los Angeles, they swung through San Francisco for a few shows. It wasn't the warm welcome they'd hoped for. The weather was bad, and they didn't sell nearly as many tickets as they'd expected to.

To top it all off, Bobby and his brother Randy got into a huge argument. It's not clear what they fought about, but by the time they made it back to L.A., morale had never been worse. In the midst of all this, the band took yet another hit. Actually, it was more like a one-two punch. Dalton Powell decided he wanted to go back home to his family in Texas and peeled off once again. Then, on the heels of his departure, Jim Reese was drafted into the army. By July, 1966, things had come to a head. There was a sense that something had to change.

whether that meant Bobby would go solo or they needed to recruit some new members he and Randy weren't sure but they knew they needed to take some time away from work to figure it out they decided to regroup with Bob Keene in a few weeks they set a meeting for July 18th the future of the band hinged on what Keene had to say and yet on the morning they were supposed to meet never showed up. Just a few hours later, the reason for his absence became clear. He was found dead inside his car, doused in gasoline. Thanks so much for joining us. I'm Carter Roy, and this is Murder, True Crime Stories. next time for part two on the murder of Bobby Fuller and all the people it affected.

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and instead of having to wait for each episode of a two-part series, you'll get access to both at once, plus exciting bonus content. We'll be back on Thursday. Murder True Crime Stories is hosted by me, Carter Roy, and is a crime house original powered by Pave Studios. This episode was brought to life by the murder True Crime Stories team, Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benadon, Natalie Pertsovsky, Sarah Camp,

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