Up and Vanished - Kristal Reisinger: Part 1 - Payne Faces Catfish

Episode Date: February 28, 2025

For years, the search for Kristal Reisinger has been tangled in contradictions, whispers, and dead ends. But now, something is shifting. In this episode, Payne Lindsey confronts one of the most infamo...us figures in the case—Catfish John. As tensions rise and the conversation spirals, an unexpected voice enters the story. 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

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Starting point is 00:00:00 You're listening to a Tenderfoot TV podcast. Warning. I've got this condition where I don't feel pain. You're a superhero. If this is how intense Nova Kane sounds. Oh wow. Imagine how it looks. Is there more?
Starting point is 00:00:21 Yeah, big time. Nova Kane, only in theaters March 14th. Up and Vanished in the Midnight Sun is released every Thursday and brought to you absolutely free. But for ad-free listening and exclusive bonuses, subscribe to Tenderfoot Plus at tenderfootplus.com or on Apple Podcasts. Up and Vanished in the Midnight Sun is intended for mature audiences and may include topics that can be upsetting, such as emotional, physical, and sexual violence, rape, and murder. The names of survivors have been changed for anonymity purposes. Testimony shared by guests of the show is their own and does not reflect the views of
Starting point is 00:00:59 Tenderfoot TV or Odyssey. Thank you so much for listening. Is this being recorded? Yes. I'm done. Crestone, Colorado, a town unlike any other. Nestled in the Song De Cristo mountains, it's a place of raw beauty and powerful energy. With no building codes, no streetlights,
Starting point is 00:01:24 it feels like a different world. The closest policeman when you pick up a phone and dial 911 is in Sawatch, a 45 minute drive away. So for the first 45 minutes that you're dealing with some nutcase, you're on your own. People come to Crestone to find peace, to live off the grit, and to connect to something larger than themselves. But it's also a place where secrets can hide. She really, really wanted to succeed at something. Excuse my French, some fucking piece of shit took that away from her.
Starting point is 00:02:04 For Crystal Reisinger, Crestone was supposed to be a sanctuary. In 2016, she moved there hoping to heal, to align her energy with the Earth, and to build a better future for herself and her young daughter, Akasha. What's your name, Akasha? I see it right here. Right here near the mic. My name is Akasha. Crestone right here. Right here near the mic. My name is Akasha. Crestone became the last place she was ever seen.
Starting point is 00:02:30 This is the story of Crystal Reisinger. Her life. Her disappearance. And the investigation that uncovered the dark secrets of a town and the people who lived there. The minute you drive into town and buy a soda at the deli, just about everybody knows you're there. And when you ask the first question about Crystal, 10 more people know you're there. In another hour, 100 people know you're there.
Starting point is 00:02:58 They really monitor outsiders. I've got the feeling people didn't like me there asking questions. outsiders. I've got the feeling people didn't like me there asking questions. Crystal was more than just a missing person. She was a mother, a daughter, and a friend. A deeply spiritual woman with piercing blue eyes and a magnetic personality. She drew people to her effortlessly. Friends described her as empathetic, intuitive, and full of life. She could see right through you. But Crystal's life wasn't without struggles.
Starting point is 00:03:33 She had endured trauma, battled addiction, and navigated a series of challenges that many couldn't have survived. Despite it all, she remained a devoted mother to her daughter daughter Akasha. In 2016, she wanted to start fresh, find peace, and Crestone with its spiritual centers and reputation for healing seemed like the perfect place. She thought Crestone was her safe place. It warms my heart that you're even considering this. I hope we can find Crystal before I die.
Starting point is 00:04:28 Crystal was just a wonderful lost soul, so to speak. But she kept going forward. There is a lot of inconsistencies in the actual last time that she was seen. For some reason, the 13th is the one that sticks with me. July 13th, 2016. That's the last time anyone heard from Crystal Reisinger. She made two phone calls that day. One to Eli, the father of her daughter,
Starting point is 00:05:01 and one to her landlord, Orra McDonald. After that, silence. Crystal's disappearance wasn't reported until July 30th. Nearly two weeks later, Aura, her landlord went to check on her apartment and found it exactly as Crystal had left it. Everything was still there. They were telling me at that point she was a wild partier and having these parties in her apartment. If she was having such wild parties, the apartment would reflect that. And it did not in any way, shape, or form reflect that.
Starting point is 00:05:38 It looked like she had just stepped out and never came back. One location kept coming up, the Full Moon Drum Circle, a local gathering that took place on July 18th. Witnesses claimed Crystal had been there, dancing and drumming like everyone else. But here's where the timeline becomes strange. Crystal was last heard from on July 13th, but the drum circle wasn't until July 18th. What happened in those missing five days? Where was Crystal? And who was she with? These were questions Payne Lindsay and the Up and Vanished team would spend months trying to answer.
Starting point is 00:06:32 Crestone is a place of contrasts. It's home to more than 15 spiritual centers, Buddhist temples, Hindu ashrams, and meditation retreats. You paint such an interesting picture of this town, Crestone, it's a tale of two worlds. Well, what we found is that it's really a peaceful meditative place and thousands of new-age religious seekers from all over the world have come there, but you know there's a real dark side there. The drug culture is strong and a very thin police force. But Crestone also has a darker side. There's a huge mess scene here. It's a place where people come to get away, but some people never escape. There's just something really, really strange
Starting point is 00:07:17 about this whole deal. They're undermanned and underfunded and I don't know. I want to trust them, but boy, I tell you, things are starting to chip away here. Boy, it's easy to get lost up in all this. I find myself going different directions all the time. Crystal was drawn into that darker side and began associating with people who would later become suspects in her disappearance.
Starting point is 00:07:49 These guys that she was hanging out with, everyone said they were bad news. I think she was in with a bad crowd, and I think she knew it. I think the people that were in Crystal's life at the very end were dangerous, are dangerous, because they're still out there. Kind of creepy to live in a community and not know if that perpetrator is one of your neighbors. One of the most haunting revelations came directly from Crystal. Just weeks before she disappeared, she told her landlord, Ora, that she had been drugged and raped at a party in Crestone.
Starting point is 00:08:28 She was planning to report her attackers, but Crystal never got the chance. Witnesses told us she went to confront one of her attackers, Catfish. One night after we'd met up, I went home. I have a TV because someone gave me one. I hardly ever watch it. That night I came home and for some reason I flipped the TV on and it was on Channel
Starting point is 00:08:52 12. And a concert was just starting and it was one that had been recorded here in Denver and it was Nitty-Gurdy Dirt Band. Well, you have to be old to know who they are, first of all. And they just stepped up on the stage. Just as I turned the TV on, they start their first song. And it was a song that probably no one in the world, unless they were as old as me, would have known. Mama said don't go near that river Don't be hanging round old catfish chum walking in his footsteps in the sweet delta dawn Mama said don't go down to the river and stay away from Catfish John and I'm like don't go down to the river
Starting point is 00:09:59 I'm like there's something going on here the only other band that ever did that song was the Grateful Dead. Well, that was her favorite band. The guy, his name is Catfish John. That's what they call him. What the fuck? You tell me that she didn't tell me to turn that TV on and hear that song.
Starting point is 00:10:21 Catfish John? What the hell are the chances of that? A billion to one. I knew it was something from her. We certainly know who Catfish is. And I know that Catfish and his friend have been spoken to by a detective. spoken to by the detective. With the Fizz loyalty program, you get rewarded just for having a mobile plan.
Starting point is 00:10:53 You know, for texting and stuff. And if you're not getting rewards like extra data and dollars off with your mobile plan, you're not with Fizz. Switch today. Conditions apply. Details at fizz.ca. The wait is over. The NBA season is here, and FanDuel is the place to bet on all the action. I'm talking everything from point spreads to money lines to player props. You can even pick who's going to win it all.
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Starting point is 00:11:39 People said he locked Crystal in his house and wouldn't let her leave. An anonymous tip sent to the Sheriff's Department described seeing Catfish on the night of Crystal's disappearance. He was standing outside his house in the rain, next to his van with a shovel and a human-sized bundle. It was suspicious enough to report, but nothing ever came of it. Catfish claimed Crystal had come to his house around his birthday, but his account was vague
Starting point is 00:12:09 and inconsistent. He said they drank wine, smoked marijuana, and watched movies. Then he fell asleep and woke up to find her gone. Still, his name came up over and over again. The Up and Vanished team spent months in Crestone, piecing together Crystal's story. Payne Lindsay tracked down key players, including Catfish. Hello, brother. Hey man man. This is John. Yeah. Hey, this is Payne. Ask him if he's recording.
Starting point is 00:12:46 Are you recording this? Yes, I'm recording this. That's smart of you. Listen, you understand my frustration isn't that I got some kind of angetta against you or something like that. I don't have that kind of mentality. What I've done is I've been in this situation for a long time. I've been in this situation for a long time.
Starting point is 00:12:54 I've been in this situation for a long time. I've been in this situation for a long time. I've been in this situation for a long time. I've been in this situation for a long time. I've been in this situation for a long time. I've been in this situation for a long time. I've been in this situation for a long time. I've been in this situation for a long time.
Starting point is 00:13:02 I've been in this situation for a long time. I've been in this situation for a long time. I've been in this situation for a long time. I've been in this situation for a long time. I've been in this situation for a long time. I've been in this situation against you or something like that. I don't have that kind of mentality. What I've got is I lived there for 17 years. Why would I hurt the girl? I barely knew her. She's a rainbow sister. It's my job to protect her. Why are you doing this and why is this happening to me? It's my job to protect her. Why are you doing this and why is this happening to me? I have a podcast called Up and Vanished and it's about missing persons.
Starting point is 00:13:33 Oh, hello, how nice to meet you. Here's how you know I'm innocent. I have yet to take the time to listen to one word of one podcast. You see what I'm saying, friend?? First of all there's been no crime. What happened to Chris? I don't know I've told the CBI, the Bureau, and the locals all I can possibly give them and more. Um, Dreaddy Brian, Brian did admit to doing something but he could have been saying it to be funny or something like that. He's a weird kid but he basically said he
Starting point is 00:14:15 confessed and he did it. However, I'm not able to get involved in that I'm guessing because that's called a federal investigation. I would be interfering in. So unless you have some kind of like large amount of money. Are you still friends with Ryan? Fuck no. Why would I be friends with someone after they said something like that? Why aren't you friends with him? He said that he'd done something that I would be completely against doing. Which was what? the any questions you have. Listen to me, turn your recorder off if you want, that would be my question. But secondly, you're not going to do that.
Starting point is 00:15:08 And third, I had nothing to do with this. Why would I tell you something that I wouldn't tell any of my friends? Why would I do something like this to begin with? What is it? And this hasn't even necessarily, hopefully nothing's happened. She's been missing five times before and shown up at Disneyland Maybe we should check Disneyland. I'm asking you have you been slandering me on live podcast for money? No, I've never slandered you have only spoken the facts and the truth
Starting point is 00:15:35 I learned about your name because of the police report Crystal was at your house around your birthday, correct? Okay I'm not answering your questions like that sir. Okay, who's that in the background? Considering you're again asking me to interfere with a federal investigation. I'm working with the family. Her daughter, Rodney, Amy, all these people, Mikey. They all want to know what happened to Chris and you're the last person to see her as we know. I know them, they know me and they know I didn't do anything. I have nothing to do with harming her in any way whatsoever. And you need to understand that if you're ever going to talk politely. On June 28th in 2016, Crystal said that she was raped at your house. Is that true?
Starting point is 00:16:21 She did not say this. Yes, she did. Said it to Aura. Said it to Eli. It is not true. What happened that night? What night? June 28th, 2016. Went and picked Crystal up from your house in the middle of the night.
Starting point is 00:16:36 No, actually, she was scared of him and she left him to come for safety. Now I sound like I'm saying some shit here, so I'm just gonna stop, but that's the truth from me to you. That's what happened. Why would she make that up? Because that little pink haired freak was- Why would Crystal make that up? I wasn't even there then.
Starting point is 00:16:56 That was the week after my birthday. No, that's July. Come on, June 28. Also, you know what, sir? Do you want to cut the check today, or do you want to cut this check later? Because honestly you're making some shit up and falsely accusing me of it. I know both of them in for a fact.
Starting point is 00:17:11 They did not tell you that. You're saying they said things that they did not say. I recorded people who told me that Crystal said that she was raped at your house on June 28th. And I did the Roswell incident with the fucking 16 gauge in 1920. Crystal's disappearance didn't just devastate her family. It left the entire Crestone community shaken. For many residents, the thought of living among the people responsible is haunting. Crystal's daughter Akasha has provided some of the most chilling moments of this case.
Starting point is 00:17:54 Mommy's cold in a cave, she told her family. We need to go find Mommy. Her stepfather Rodney refuses to give up hope. I'll sell everything I own if it means finding her, he said. This story isn't over. Crystal's landlord, Aura McDonald, tells the Fox 31 problem solvers she listened to Crystal's cell phone messages,
Starting point is 00:18:23 hoping to find clues. There were a few things that were really sketchy. Crystal's last message was reportedly from a local man with a felony criminal history of assaulting and drugging a victim. Records show Crystal never made a police report, but Sawatch County Sheriff Dan Warwick has not ruled out silencing her as a possible motive for foul play. She was very disturbed, very upset.
Starting point is 00:18:50 She told me people had drug and raped her. The guys that are directly involved in Crystal's rape have strong ties in a drug market that goes back and forth directly from Crestone to Denver. Crystal had made the decision to do something about it. She wanted them to be accountable for their actions, and that's when she went missing. I strongly believe she was murdered by these guys.
Starting point is 00:19:24 Crystal Ann Risinger left the busy city life in search of religious enlightenment, hoping that Crestone Colorado's spiritual centers would bring her happiness and peace. But this mother of a five-year-old daughter who is described as loving, kind, and generous disappeared without a trace on July 13th, 2016. Well now, the host of the popular podcast, Up and Vanished, Payne Lindsay, is looking into Crystal's disappearance, hoping to break this cold case open. Payne, thank you for being here.
Starting point is 00:19:57 Thank you for doing what you do. This podcast, Up and Vanished, where are you on this right now? We found the people that we're looking for. Crystal Reisinger was more than a missing person. She was a mother, a daughter, and a friend. Her disappearance isn't just a mystery. It's a tragedy, but it's also a story of resilience,
Starting point is 00:20:24 of a family and a team of investigators determined to find the truth. Payne Lindsay and the Up and Vanished team have been working on this case for years, even after the podcast ended. A new piece of information here is that a witness came forward and said what? This individual came to me and claims to have
Starting point is 00:20:46 audio and video evidence of what happened and there was multiple people there, so they all know about it and they all got rid of her body. What did he say happened to the body? I heard that she was burned. Up in Crestone, it's not uncommon for somebody to go up hiking and be overdue coming home or coming back.
Starting point is 00:21:10 After she went missing, her friends were coming around looking for her and all of them were all saying that she had to be at Catfish's. There were actually people convinced that she was being held there and that she was still there. It's either Catfish did something or Catfish is connected to people who did something to her and they're all part of that group. Is he still in town?
Starting point is 00:21:32 No, he skipped town around the time when the podcast came out. And then his house was gutted and they even removed the windows. According to the police, Catfish had gutted his house out and cleaned everything. Bleached everything, got rid of all of his computers, and got rid of all kinds of stuff. We scoured that whole area and the drum circle, there was a
Starting point is 00:22:02 creek with the running water, and we stopped in there, and it sends chills down my spine because Akasha actually said, Mommy is here, and she wants us to find her. Catfish John, that name is all over this case. The question isn't really whether he had anything to do with her disappearance. He's already admitted that he is one of the last people to have seen Crystal. He is involved.
Starting point is 00:22:35 He can't tuck his way out of that. He's somehow involved. Somebody's going to find Crystal's remains, and then the police are going to have this case solved. There's going to Crystal's remains. And then, the police are gonna have this case solved. There's gonna be evidence there. They already have a short list of suspects. I think she's out there. After Up and Vanished Season 2 concluded,
Starting point is 00:22:55 Payne and the Up and Vanished team returned to Crestone once again. This time, they weren't just there to ask questions. They brought in a team of search dogs. For days they combed through Crestone, up and down every trail, through the thick brush, searching for anything that might point to what happened to Crystal Reisinger. But in the end, nothing was found. Do you have a map anywhere you can show me? Well if you go up to where the jump circle is, there's the North Crestone Campground.
Starting point is 00:23:29 You go over that bridge, you cross that string left and you can't miss it. I think she's down in there. There's so many things I want to do and see, like redoing the basement without having to do it all myself, or doing absolutely nothing with a spectacular waterfall view, of course. So I'm starting here, investing with RBC. When it comes to reaching your goals, personalized advice and performance matter. And now you can get $300 when you invest with RBC. Offer ends March 3rd, 2025.
Starting point is 00:24:07 Terms and conditions apply. Invest with RBC today. Every Town has a dark side. This is Andrew Fitzgerald from the Every Town podcast where every single week we dive into insane and mysterious true crime stories, most of which you've never heard of.
Starting point is 00:24:27 Stories like the bizarre disappearance of Tyler Davis in Columbus, Ohio. A 29 year old father trying to find his way back to his hotel when he disappeared and was never heard from again. And Elizabeth Shouf from Lugoff, South Carolina, who was abducted from her driveway by a madman and taken to his underground bunker in the woods. We give you all the details you're interested in hearing about without any fluff or fillers, because ain't nobody got time for that.
Starting point is 00:24:54 We cover everything from psychopaths to poltergeists, so go check out the Everytown podcast, because Everytown, no matter how nice it may seem, has a dark side. because every town, no matter how nice it may seem, has a dark side. Believe me, if I started murdering people, there'd be none of you left. True crime has always captivated us. But what if there's more to these stories than what we're told? The headlines, the verdicts, the familiar narratives. What if that's just the beginning? I created Truer Crime to dig deeper, to uncover the stories that go beyond the surface.
Starting point is 00:25:29 We're diving into mysteries you think you know. The Manson murders, Jonestown, the assassination of Dr. King, and the ones you've never heard. They would have thought he was the sweetest thing in the world because he portrayed that. He portrayed the happy family. He haunts me. He's with me every day. We were robbed, all of us. If it takes me 20 years and I can live that long,
Starting point is 00:25:53 I'll be working on this case. We're not just telling stories. We're uncovering hidden truths. Truer Crime is available now. Listen for free wherever you get your podcasts. Supercrime is available now. Listen for free wherever you get your podcasts. We did get a pinpoint of where they think our body is and is next to a little stream. We've gotten a lot of information thrown at us.
Starting point is 00:26:13 We don't know what's true and what's not true, you know? But I think it's something that we should definitely check out. Today, we want to search three places of interest. The first is the drum circle area. The second spot is actually on the same road. This was a tip that was sent to me from a friend of Crystal's named Phoebe. OK, great. So what I can promise you guys is that at the end of this day,
Starting point is 00:26:44 we will know more about this case than we that at the end of this day, we will know more about this case than we did at the beginning of the day. Okay, it's clear. Okay. So as you saw that he went directly up there, went toward the opening, came out, smell around there and then came back down. It's that quick. So if there was human remains sent in that area,
Starting point is 00:27:12 he would have continued working it, and he did none of those. So it's been cleared. We can now mark it off the list and move on to other areas. Okay. Good boy. So I think this rock face right here
Starting point is 00:27:23 is the tip the guy was talking about. There's a mine shaft over here. This is the general area. We've crossed the river, so let's just see what happens. A crew from the popular national podcast Up and Vanished hunting for new clues as to Reisinger's whereabouts. They brought a search and rescue cadaver dog to check out the last place Reisinger was seen alive in July of 2016.
Starting point is 00:27:45 The dog also checked out a few of the mine shafts. Fox 31 problem solvers found accessible. Anything in that hole. The scent is going to be pulled outside to this area. Crawling through dozens of open shafts, most of which have never been searched by police. So we'll check over here. How's it looking back there? Let me check around the band. open shafts, most of which have never been searched by police. So we'll check over here.
Starting point is 00:28:05 How's it looking back there? Let me check around the bend. Chance, let's go. Let's go. Nothing over there. OK. I see an opening right here. Hey, guys.
Starting point is 00:28:23 Hey! Yeah? I'm over here. Hey guys! Hey! Yeah! I'm over here! We're coming to ya! Looks like it's some type of altar. It's kinda weird.
Starting point is 00:28:40 It is strange. But nothing from chance? No. Nothing at all. This area, the lead that you had, we can mark it off the list now. I still consider this a productive day, very productive day. A few years after Up and Vanished Season 2 concluded,
Starting point is 00:29:01 Payne arranged an in-person meeting with Catfish John in Raleigh, North Carolina. Hey man, it's Payne. I'm at Honeycutt Park. I'm here a little bit early. That's my car I drove in. Just me. Right now there's no one here. But I'd love to sit down and talk to you, man. Just me and you. Come on, give me a shout. They agreed to meet at a park. Payne showed up and waited and waited. But Catfish never showed up. So he called him.
Starting point is 00:29:38 What are you doing, John? Let's go. I'm gonna try calling him. Hey dude, I'm already here. In the park. I've got a lot of frustrations. The whole being falsely accused is like one of the only worst things I could think of. People said that Crystal was last seen with you.
Starting point is 00:29:56 That's where it all started. I want your honesty. See what I'm saying? You're not being honest with me. In his police report, she was last seen at your house around your birthday. And you told me that, which is true, but you said she went somewhere else, though, afterwards. That's not true, but I still believe she's alive. How do you believe she's alive, dude? How can you think she's not?
Starting point is 00:30:20 Because the evidence doesn't point that way. There is no evidence to point the other way, except to the fact that't point that way. How do you know for sure she's not dead? I mean, what's your evidence that proves she's alive, man? If she is, then why haven't you found her yet? No, I'm saying prove she's alive. Let's find her. This is about crystals. What about yet? It's like this. I have people telling me to prove my innocence. No, I'm saying prove she's alive. Let's find her. This is about Crystal. It's not about you.
Starting point is 00:30:48 Let's find Crystal. Find her? She doesn't want to be found because it's not safe in her or it's a plot. So she's hiding and doesn't want to be found, but she's alive and she left her daughter? Why would she ever leave her daughter, man? That makes no sense.
Starting point is 00:31:00 Come on, man. You said you would meet with me, man. I did not say I would meet with you. You always told me that you wanted to meet with me. You said no more Facebook, no more phone call, to meet in person, man-to-man. Um, no. Come to the, come to this bar and met, man.
Starting point is 00:31:20 Give me five minutes. Five minutes? I'll meet you there. After some back and forth, Catfish finally agreed to meet, but at a bar down the street instead. For his safety, Payne shows a booth on the outdoor patio, a hidden microphone under his shirt, and cameras rolling from a parking lot on the hill above. She was at your house, then she left though, right? Yeah, she left. She left with the house. Then she left though, right? Yeah, she left.
Starting point is 00:31:45 She left with the guys. She left with the guys. She left with the guys. She left with the guys. Was she ever at your house drugged out to the point where she was unconscious? Ever? Like I'm saying, but like never. Why do you think she told Nathan that she thinks that she was raped at your house?
Starting point is 00:31:59 So I don't know this. And because she was probably, she was on a national board for a national board, yes. She probably scared her own, she's on as a boyfriend. That's my guess she probably scared her own sick Yes, is there any chance that someone shot her inside your house? And it wasn't you wasn't you How do you think I can find her is she to be found at all No. How do you think I can find her? Is she to be found at all? I hope she's alive and well.
Starting point is 00:32:27 How can you believe that Brian killed her and at the same time also believe she's alive? You have to pick one. That's the only one we grew up with. You don't thought we'd know more, but you think we don't want to see him in the age. So are you protecting him? If you had this information and you were so concerned about what people were thinking about you, why not put this out there? I did.
Starting point is 00:32:46 You didn't? What did Brian's message say again? Did he say that he shot her? I'm not allowed to talk about this. I told you, the CBI said you could put it out. They told me that. But they told me different. Well, they didn't.
Starting point is 00:32:58 Can we call him right now and ask him? Please. Joseph Cahill. Absolutely. The group goal is to make me angry. You're doing a good job. Hey, what's up, man? This is Joseph. Hey,ahill. Absolutely. The group goal is to make me angry. You're doing a good job. Hey, what's up, man? This is Joseph.
Starting point is 00:33:08 Hey, this is Payne. Catfish is at the table with me. He wanted me to call you for a second. I'm in North Carolina. We're just here at a pub talking. We were discussing the Facebook message that Ryan sent to John. You told me that he could release it. He said that you said otherwise. I didn't say he said it. I didn't say he said it. I think he could release it. And he said that you said otherwise.
Starting point is 00:33:25 I didn't say he said. I didn't say he said. I think the guys did. So, it's not my call, but can he release it? Absolutely. If you want to release it, you certainly have my permission to do that. Hey, Captain, this is trying to help clear things up, man. Just put the Facebook message out. I gave it to the gentleman we're speaking with.
Starting point is 00:33:41 He can't release it. Sure he could. The thing is, it's not going to be usable. You said the CBI wouldn't let you do this, and now they're saying that they will let you do this. And now you're saying you still don't want to do it. They're changing my words, and that's going to be f***ed up and f***ed around, and I'm going to be all f***ed up and sad again.
Starting point is 00:33:53 Because you got this thing, you think you're going to out-psychological up me or something. I just called your bluff, dude. That's literally all that happened. Yes. You said the CBI said that you couldn't release this, and I just called Joseph right now and he's on the phone, on the speaker phone.
Starting point is 00:34:06 You're- You certainly can't release it. He's trying to bring the truth to light, man. That's all it is, bro. Joseph, do you know what happened? Why she might be on the run, that kind of thing? Crystal on the run? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:34:16 Crystal's not on the run, Crystal's dead. How do we know that? How do you not know that? I didn't see a lot of my friends in six months and I don't wanna assume they're dead. Well, Joseph, I think we're good here at the moment, but if we need to call you back, we will, okay? You guys take care, all right?
Starting point is 00:34:29 All right, see you, man. Thank you. So, I mean, you said you can release it. I don't have confirmation that was Joseph. Are you kidding me, man? Do you not recognize his voice? Do you know that I'm actually trying to help? Do you know that, dude?
Starting point is 00:34:42 Like, for real? I mean, why would I keep doing it? I might believe you, but I also think you're just fucking rich, but I'm actually trying to help? Do you know that, dude? Like, for real? I mean, why would I keep doing it? I might believe you, but I also think you should reach across. I mean, you're doing it. Don't say that to me, bro. Don't put your hand in my face again, bro. Put my hand in your face.
Starting point is 00:34:54 Get the fuck up out of my bar, you bitch. At one point, Catfish leaned in, his voice low and threatening. It's hard to make out exactly what he said, but he made one thing clear. If he wanted to, he could reach across the table and strangle pain with his own hands. From there, things escalated fast. Tell the truth, John.
Starting point is 00:35:18 Tell the truth. You'll probably feel better. Tick tock. Hey, John, if you threaten my life again, your ass is going to fucking jail. You understand that? Is it a joke? Not to me, it's not.
Starting point is 00:35:35 Don't you come over here, bro. I said, if you threaten my life again... I never did. You did? How so? You told me just then that you wanted to kill me. You also pretended to swing at me. I'm the f*** off, dude. Payne's encounter with Catfish John went about as well
Starting point is 00:35:51 as anyone could have expected. Then, years later, an unexpected email arrived from the CBI. Payne, please call me regarding your work on this case. I would like to discuss it with you. Also, retired CBI agent Joe Cahill sends his regards. Looking forward to speaking with you. Kevin, Colorado Bureau of Investigation,
Starting point is 00:36:15 cold case homicide unit. Hey man, it's Payne. Hey Payne, how are you? My good buddy Joe, kind of the one who turned me on to call on you. So, I've recently been reassigned to a cold case homicide unit Hey, Payne, how are you? My good buddy Joe, kind of the one who turned me on to call on you, so. Okay. I've recently been reassigned to a cold case homicide unit that CDI started in July.
Starting point is 00:36:31 At some point, maybe we could sit down and just discuss the case. Your interviews with Catfish are fascinating, to say the least. Calling the Colorado Bureau of Investigation Identification Unit. Her building is on the northeast corner of Kipling Street. Press 0 at any time.
Starting point is 00:36:53 Behind the scenes, they've been collaborating with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation's Cold Case Unit, pushing for answers and justice. We'll have major updates to share. Up and Vanished in the Midnight Sun is a production of Tenderfoot TV in association with Odyssey. Your host is Payne Lindsay. The show is written by Payne Lindsay with additional assistance from Mike Rooney. Executive producers are Donald Albright and Payne Lindsay. Lead producer is Mike Rooney along with producers Dylan Harrington and Cooper Skinner. Editing by Mike Rooney and Cooper Skinner with additional editing by Dylan Harrington. Supervising producer is Tracy Kaplan.
Starting point is 00:37:51 Additional production by Victoria McKenzie, Alice Konick Glenn, and Eric Quintana. Artwork by Rob Sheridan. Original music by Makeup and Vanity Set. Mix and mastered by Cooper Skinner. Thank you to Orin Rosenbaum and the team at UTA, Beck Media and Marketing, and the Nord Group. Special thanks to all of the families and community members that spoke to the team. Additional information and resources can be found in our show notes. For more podcasts like Up and Vanished, search Tenderfoot TV on your favorite podcast app or visit us at tenderfoot.tv. Thanks for listening.
Starting point is 00:38:33 From the Fox News podcast network. I'm Emily Campagno, and this is the Fox True Crime podcast. And I had nothing to do with her disappearance, but people still accuse me of it. I sit down with the people who lived the nightmares. I was in shock. I was just devastated. The investigators who tirelessly who lived the nightmares. I was in shock. I was just devastated. The investigators who tirelessly worked on the case.
Starting point is 00:38:47 I feel for their families and I really hope that they can catch this guy. Bringing you closer to the story than you ever thought possible. Listen and follow now at FoxNewsPodcasts.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

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