Witnessed: Devil in the Ditch - Introducing... Witnessed: 19 Days

Episode Date: March 25, 2024

On March 2, 2018, an anonymous and deadly package bomb detonated on the doorstep of a home in Austin, Texas. Then, another was discovered, and another. Each one a little more sophisticated than the last, and each target seemingly more and more random, igniting confusion and fear across the city. With just days before hundreds of thousands of people would arrive for the South by Southwest Festival, and no leads, the city’s bomb squad faced a challenge unlike anything else in their department’s history. This is the thrilling, true story of the 19 days of terror that settled over one of the fastest growing cities in the world at one of its busiest times told by the law enforcement, victims, journalists, and residents who witnessed it. From Campside Media, Pegalo Pictures and Sony Music Entertainment, this is Season 6 of Witnessed: 19 Days Unlock all episodes of Witnessed: 19 Days, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month — that’s all episodes, all at once, all ad-free. Just click ‘Subscribe’ on the top of the Witnessed: 19 Days show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts. Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts and @campside_media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On March 2, 2018, a package was placed on the doorstep of a home in a quiet suburban neighborhood in Austin, Texas. It was an unremarkable package, just a cardboard box. But this package, one of the millions delivered that same day all across America, would change the city of Austin forever. 911, do you need— all across America would change the city of Austin forever. 911, do you need... Hey, I don't know what's going on, my neighbor. There's blood everywhere.

We need to handle it immediately. We have never had a call to where a package was placed by someone with the intent to kill them, and then that package detonate and kill that person. The closer I'm getting, I'm like, this seems pretty real. This is real deal. Something really did just happen. It was definitely like a war zone.

As hundreds of thousands of people descended on Austin for the annual South by Southwest Festival, mysterious packages began showing up on doorsteps around the city and exploding when they were opened. And remind me, police fire EMS. Oh, I need an EMS, please. Something exploded.

Spreading fear and destroying lives. I asked those questions, why? Why her? So we jump on the highway, fly down there. As authorities race to stop whoever was behind these bombings. Run to the suburban jump in, and I put the hammer down. I'm, like, slapping myself. Like, wake up.

Someone is trying to kill you. A major American city would be held hostage. We were terrified. Terrified. Everybody in Austin was terrified. By a serial bomber. We have hundreds of suspicious package calls coming in every day. For 19 days. There's like a literal blood trail through the building back to where the detonation occurred.

And they start saying that there's a tripwire. This doesn't make any sense. Like This is Global War on Terror stuff. The detonation happened. Just a bright flash. I see glass fly out from the front passenger window. At that moment, everything just went silent. From Sony Music Entertainment, Campside Media, and Pegalo Pictures, this is witnessed 19 days. People only show you what they want you to see.

No one knows what your next-door neighbor is doing. Nobody knows. Coming April 1st, subscribe on Apple Podcasts to binge all episodes or listen weekly where Nobody knows.