The Misery Machine - The Case of Rudy Eugene + Ronald Poppo

Starting point is 00:00:00 Rudy Eugene was born on February 4, 1981 at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida. He was a son of Haitian immigrants, Ruth Charles, and Policeier Finoos, who divorced shortly before his birth. According to Ruth, right after Rudy was born, she recalled thinking, that's a handsome boy. He had a lot of hair, and his eyes were so alert. Rudy would never meet his father, who would later pass away when the boy was just six years old. The daughter of farmers, Ruth went on to work exhausting hours assembled. shoes at a factory in nearby Durrell, earning just enough to care for her sons and send a few dollars back home to Haiti. She went on to marry a man named Melamon Charles in 1985,

Starting point is 00:00:41 and had two more sons who she named Thompson and Markinson. According to Ruth, quote, where I came from, we were poor. Sometimes my mom couldn't buy sugar to put in the tea, end quote. Living in poverty drove Ruth to work hard and demanded that same work ethic from her sons. And sometimes, the pressure of living up to their mother's strict standards would spark arguments. As a young boy, Rudy possessed a talent for drawing family portraits and a fondness for singing hymns. In particular, yes, Jesus loves me. On Sundays, he and his family attended the Bethel Evangelical Baptist Church in Miami, which was made up of a congregation of mostly Haitian immigrants.

Starting point is 00:01:20 When her boys turned eight years old, Ruth presented them each with a Bible. She waited until the age of eight as she felt they'd be old enough to understand its significance. When she handed the book to Rudy, she told him, This is your life. Anything you want to know about life, go there. As a teenager, Rudy was just a regular guy. He liked sports, fast cars, and action movies. His favorite sport was football, and he played defensive end in both middle and high school. He and his younger brothers also liked to copy wrestling moves that they saw on TV.

Starting point is 00:01:49 According to his brother Markinson, he would pick me up and throw me on the bed. He would act like I knocked him out to make me feel good. By now, Rudy stopped going to church every Sunday, but he remained steadfast in his Christian faith. Every night, he would get down on his knees and pray, and he continued to study his Bible. When he was in 9th or 10th grade, his mother Ruth shared some pretty tough news with him. She shared that her husband, Melamon Charles, the man he had referred to as dad since he was a toddler, was not his biological father, and the man who was had passed away when he was just a child. Rudy was angry at first, but with time, he managed to accept the truth.

Starting point is 00:02:27 Now, I went through something quite similar when I was about 10 years old. My mother shared with me that my younger sister's father had adopted me when I was 2 years old. I later went on to meet my biological father and his side of the family when I was 15 after a chance encounter. In my experience, it made me feel like I was one foot in and one foot out with both sides of my family, sort of like the proverbial black sheep. And, like many black sheep, Rudy began to find himself in trouble with the law when he was just 16. He was arrested for battery, but those charges were later dropped. However, it was the first in a string of arrests on charges ranging from trespassing to possession of weed.

Starting point is 00:03:09 In all, Rudy was arrested seven times in just a span of five years. In 2000, Rudy graduated from North Miami High School. By now, his mother was working as a nursing assistant and urged Rudy to take a job in the health care. industry. However, her tough love always ended up with the two of them fighting. She said, I would go after him to go to college, go to vocational school, learn something. I wanted him to be in healthcare because you can always get a job. But instead, Rudy drifted around the city of Miami, couch hopping and taking on odd jobs. He would detail cars at dealership, sell CDs, flip burgers at McDonald's, and he worked as a forklift operator. His dream was to be his own boss and open up a mobile car wash

Starting point is 00:03:52 service. In 2004, Rudy got into a terrible fight with his mother. This time, the police got involved after he pushed her out of the kitchen, smashed a table, and said to her, I'll put a gun to your head and kill you. When North Miami Beach police arrived on the scene, Rudy was sweating profusely and had his hands clenched in fists. When one officer drew his taser, Rudy reportedly taunted him saying things like, what are you going to shock me? And I'll kick your ass. While the officer did shock Rudy, and no, he did not kick the officer's ass. Allegedly, it took three shocks in order to subdue him. While being transported to jail, Rudy said,

Starting point is 00:04:29 Officer, I'm sorry, I should have never acted like that. My mother just makes me upset because she always calls me a bum. Rudy was charged with battery, which his mother later dropped the charges. However, Rudy pled guilty to resisting arrest and was sentenced to probation. Despite his legal troubles, Rudy never lost faith in God. He carried his Bible, quoted scripture, and wore a four-eastern, inch cross on a chain around his neck. In his spare time, he let a Bible study for friends that had recently been looking for a church home. Just weeks before Rudy turned 24, he married a woman by the

Starting point is 00:05:01 name of Jenny Duckton, who he had met in high school. That marriage only lasted 18 months, because, according to Jenny, Rudy was violent. In 2007, Rudy would find love again at a red light. As he rolled up in his 1995 Chevy Caprice nicknamed the Purple Monster, he met Rakea Cross after the pair made eye contact and he honked his horn at her. Rikia thought he was cute, so she gave him her number. This chance encounter sparked a five-year romance that was described as Rocky. The couple moved into a two-bedroom apartment in Broward County after only five months of dating. Rikia worked as a dispatcher for an air-conditioning company and was a positive influence in Rudy's life.

Starting point is 00:05:42 The couple spent time watching movies, riding go-carts, and reading the Bible. She kept a pantry stocked with his favorite snack. Famous Amos cookies, both chocolate chip and pecan. Rakea said of Rudy, Rudy was sweet and kind. The type of dude you want to be with forever. He was my heart. Some sources have indicated that at the time of our story,

Starting point is 00:06:03 Rudy was seeing a woman named Yovanka Bryant, a 27-year-old single mother of three who worked as an accountant. The pair had been together for only a few months, beginning in March of 2012. According to Yovanka, the pair often read the Bible and the Quran together and watch religious television programs every morning. She stated, quote, He would never leave without it, his Bible,

Starting point is 00:06:24 and his Quran was always by his side. He was just figuring out the Quran. He just really picked up the Quran and was trying to actually get into it as he was into the Bible, end quote. Yvanka said that she felt safe with Rudy and that he was always in a good mood. It's unclear whether Rudy was in a relationship

Starting point is 00:06:43 with both Rakea and Yovanka at the same time, but one could make it. that assumption based on the timeline of events. Yvanka would later go on to release this statement via celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred about her time with Rudy, which to me was a bit attention-seeking and a bit strange for someone who'd only been with Rudy for a few months. On May 26, 2012, Rudy got up at around 5 in the morning. According to Rakea, he was rifling through their closet as if he was looking for something. Shortly thereafter, he kissed Rakea on the lips and left their apartment, carrying his trusty Bible and a brown notebook he used to jot down scriptures.

Starting point is 00:07:20 However, Rakea got a feeling something was off, but she just wasn't sure what it was. Hours passed, and a worried Rakea began repeatedly calling Rudy's cell phone. She tried his friends and family, but no one knew where Rudy was. Finally, she hopped in her car and drove around North Miami hoping to spot Rudy or his car. Meanwhile, Rudy had made his way to South Beach. It was Memorial Day weekend, which meant one thing on Ocean Drive, Urban Beach Week. Urban Beach Week is a hip-hop festival that's been going on since the 2000s. This annual event has become known for its over-the-top parties, fashion, and concerts

Starting point is 00:08:00 featuring artists such as Flowrida, Funkmaster Flex, Pitbull, and many others. After spending 30 to 40 minutes at the event, he was caught on a security camera abandoning his car at around noon. According to witness testimony, Rudy then began to cross the three-months. long span of MacArthur Causeway, stripping himself of his clothing and disposing of his driver's license as he advanced westward. He even discarded his beloved Bible. Shreds of scripture were found littered across MacArthur Causeway. It was on the causeway that he encountered a 65-year-old homeless man named Ronald Poppo at around 155 p.m. Ronald was a graduate of Manhattan's

Starting point is 00:08:39 Stuyvesant High School, where he was a member of the Latin Club and worked in the guidance office. He enrolled at nearby city college but dropped out in 1966, he came homeless in 1976, and had long been presumed dead by his estranged family, which included a daughter. Ronald had spent nearly three decades on the streets of Miami. Just a few days prior, workers from the Miami homeless assistance program discovered him and offered him the services of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust. However, Ronald turned them down. And today, he was sleeping underneath the elevated Metro Mover Viaduct, trying to stay out of the sun. The pair were not strangers to one another.

Starting point is 00:09:18 Rudy had met Ronald years prior while doing community outreach work. Rudy first approached the man in a friendly manner, but things took a darker turn. According to Ronald, Rudy complained that he couldn't score at the beach, presumably referring to drugs, but he appeared to already be on some. Then Rudy began talking about how they were going to die. Totally unprovoked, Rudy accused Ronald. of stealing his Bible and they began to pummel the man, strip him of his pants, and bite his face. This attack lasted 18 minutes and occurred near Biscayne Boulevard in the Arts and Entertainment

Starting point is 00:09:53 District of downtown Miami. This was right next to the Miami Herald building, which captured the whole ordeal on their surveillance camera. A passing cyclist named Larry Vega came upon the scene and immediately called 911. Miami police officer Jose Ramirez arrived on the scene. Officer Ramirez warned Rudy to stop attacking Ronald. Instead of complying, Rudy ignored his warning, reportedly growled at him, and he resumed biting the elderly man. Officer Ramirez shot Rudy once with his service weapon, which proved to be ineffective. He then shot him four more times. At 2.13 p.m., the attack ended after Rudy died as a result of his wounds. Ronald Papa was admitted to Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition, the same facility where Rudy was born.

Starting point is 00:10:40 When we said that Rudy was biting the man's face, that might have been a bit of an understatement. 75 to 80% of Ronald's face above his beard was missing, and his left eye had been gouged out. Now, I have seen the pictures of Ronald's face, and it was bad. There wasn't a face left. Ronald underwent facial reconstruction surgeries that took months to complete and heal. But there was no way to fix the damage that Rudy inflicted. Ronald was permanently disfigured and left blind due to the fact that he lost both of his eyes. In addition, he lost his eyebrows, his nose, and part of his forehead and cheek.

Starting point is 00:11:19 To help offset the cost of his treatment, a fund was set up that collected over $100,000. After rehab, Ronald put on 50 pounds and had to learn to live in his new body again, which included learning to play the guitar. Thankfully, he was granted permission to stay at the medical facility indefinitely. Due to the high-profile nature of his attack, his estranged family who thought he had been dead for decades learned that he was in fact alive. It wasn't until two days after the attack that Rakeha and Rudy's family learned the identity of the man shot by police on the causeway. It was Rudy.

Starting point is 00:11:55 That same night, his mug shot from a prior arrest went viral and would later become the gruesome punchline of jokes about a Miami zombie cannibal apocalypse. Although an autopsy revealed no human flesh in Rudy's stomach, a number of undigested pills were discovered that have not been identified. Although police sources have speculated the street drug bath salts might have been involved, preliminary toxicology reports were positive for only the presence of weed. Authorities did not necessarily find the negative results to be conclusive, according to Dr. Bruce Goldberger, the director of toxicology at the University of Florida, quote, we are not incompetent.

Starting point is 00:12:35 We have the tools, we have the sophistication and know-how, but the field is evolving so rapidly. It is hard for us to keep track. It's almost as if it is a race we can never win, end quote. So what does this mean? If you've been a longtime listener of the show, you remember Dr. Nathan, a clinical pharmacist who has weighed in on a few of our past episodes. I asked him specifically on why it is difficult to test for designer drugs.

Starting point is 00:13:02 And here's what he said. quote, most commercial drug tests only test for specific compounds. Designer drugs are compounds which chemical structures similar to known compounds with a desired effect. However, the designer drugs are structurally different enough that they aren't classified by or under the authority of regulatory agencies. Most commercially available drug tests don't even test for all known legal drugs within a class, end quote. So with that said, there's no real conclusive way to know if Rudy, is on bath salts or not. Now, for those that are unfamiliar,

Starting point is 00:13:37 bath salts are recreational designer drugs. You don't actually want to put these in your bath. Use of bath salts can be detrimental to human health and can potentially cause erratic behavior, hallucinations, and delusions. Rudy's 1995 Chevy Caprice was later discovered by authorities in South Beach and towed away. Inside of the car, police found another Bible,

Starting point is 00:13:57 as well as five empty water bottles that he recently drank. As some recreational drugs make you thirsty, this could explain the presence of the water bottles. In the wake of Rudy's death, many members of the Haitian community in Miami turned their backs on Ruth Charles and her family. During a visit to a nail salon, Ruth overheard a stranger discussing her son loudly, offering her opinion on how Rudy ended up in the causeway, naked and violence. The woman blamed the incident on voodoo,

Starting point is 00:14:24 claiming that Rudy had come from a line of Haitian practitioners and was under a spell. Although voodoo and Christianity have some overlap, this was not the case for Rudy's family, and most evangelical Christians do not consider voodoo to be compatible with Christianity. In addition, Ruth had a terrible time trying to find a place to hold her son's funeral. She started by calling churches in Little Haiti in Northeast Miami. After she was turned down repeatedly, she made her pleas in person. Rudy had been dead for a week before Ruth found a church in Little Haiti that would allow her to hold his service. But two days before the service, the pastor told Ruth his congregation and church leaders did not feel comfortable

Starting point is 00:15:04 having his body in their church. After planning a sermon, testimony, eulogy, and songs, Ruth had a start over from scratch. That same afternoon, she found another church blocks away still in the heart of the Haitian community. But less than 24 hours before the service, the pastor called and canceled as well. Finally, Rudy Eugene's funeral service was held on June 12, 2012 at Grace's funeral home in Miami. While lying in a silver and gray casket topped with white flowers, Rudy's family remembered him as a loving relative and a good friend, not the Miami zombie or Cosway Cannibal that had gone viral. Pastor Kenny Felix, who had known Rudy since childhood, told the crowd to remember Ronald Poppo, the 65-year-old man Eugene attacked. He said, this morning, I ask,

Starting point is 00:15:53 as you grieve, you remember Mr. Ronald in your prayers. Rudy was laid to rest in the corner of plot in the Miami City Cemetery beneath a simple stone marker. To this day, it's unclear what exactly happened to Rudy Eugene on the afternoon of May 26, 2012. But according to nationally noted toxicologists such as Barry Logan, his behavior was consistent with the use of bath salts. Still, family and friends had other ideas that suggested something more supernatural was at play. According to Rakea Cross, quote, what happened to Rudy had to be supernatural, something humans cannot explain. Something that leaves us with a lot of questions. I just wish he would come to me in a dream and answer all the questions. I wish he would tell me what happened that day." End quote.

Starting point is 00:16:38 Joe Arellas, a childhood friend of Rudy's, had a different take on things. He said, drugs can open the gateway to the demons inside of you. Whatever he took open that gateway and a demon came out. Whatever he was fighting, it came out. I believe in spiritual battles. I believe in demons. Rudy was fighting a demon that day and he lost.

The Misery Machine - The Case of Rudy Eugene + Ronald Poppo

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