.
narrator: Previously on "The Thing About Pam."
- We're behind on the mortgage.
- That's all that's left. Betsy's insurance.
- Court finds the defendant, Russell Faria, not guilty.
- Seems I'm not the only one with a bad reputation.
- It's Cathy Singer from "Dateline."
You stopped answering my texts.
- Say hi to Cathy.
Everybody's treated me like I killed Betsy
'cause that's what the TV says.
- We all talk about it.
No one could've done it but you.
- The whole town has turned their backs on me.
When there's stuff in your way,
what you gotta do is get rid of it.
[somber music]
♪
[grunting]
- Mrs. Hupp?
Mrs. Hupp, you okay in there?
[knocking on door]
Mrs. Hupp, if you don't respond immediately,
we're coming in. - [grunting]
I'm good.
♪
[sinister music]
♪
Every single killer in every single book
gets caught for the same stupid reason,
keeping stuff, things.
You know, little things from the people they kill.
Do you believe that? It's like, "Hello, idiot."
Just don't keep their driver's license,
or tufts of hair,
and you get away with it.
- You and your murder books.
- Ugh.
It's not wide enough.
I told you to get the big roll
to save money.
Oh, you guys better get going to St Louis.
Big job today, right?
- Full renovation.
- Don't hurry back. I got plenty to handle here.
- Yeah, what's that mean?
- I'm so tired of people looking at me
like I'm some monster.
I mean, it's whatever,
but it's screwing with our business.
What am I supposed to do
if nobody wants the Derby house?
We're losing money.
Somebody's gotta do something about that.
- Well, maybe I should just stick around here today.
- No, no, no, no, no, no.
It's my problem. I'll deal with it.
Just bring me back some of those--
those chocolate things I like, okay?
- What are you gonna do with that anyway?
- Hmm? - That.
What are you gonna do with it?
- It's like a rug now. See?
Little baby rug.
Okay. See you later.
Drive safe.
narrator: What's the advantage of camouflage in the wild?
Can one creature pose as another?
Can a leopard change its spots?
Can Pam become someone else?
[unsettling music]
♪
[dog barking]
- Hey.
You wanna make some easy money?
[dog whining]
My name's Cathy.
I'm a producer at that show, "Dateline."
- Okay? - So we're looking for people
to re-enact soundbites and 911 calls.
We'll give you $1,000
just to come with us and record it.
Cash.
No paper trail back to Uncle Sam.
That sound like something you'd be interested in doing?
- So you're just driving around
looking for people to say some lines?
- Well, soundbites are actually, uh,
redoing, um, actual calls.
- Yeah, I know what sound bites are.
I'm just--don't understand
why you're driving around picking up random people.
- Real people sound more real.
1,000 bucks.
Cash, tax-free.
- Let me, uh--
let me put up my dog.
Come here. Come here, Moose. Let's go.
- Oh, and you, uh, you can't bring your, uh,
your wallet or your phone.
The big bosses, they don't like clutter and stuff.
Oh, no keys or cigarettes, neither.
Just bring you.
narrator: "Dateline" does not pay people
to record sound bites.
So what was Pam up to?
[unsettling music]
♪
- Where'd you say we were going again?
- Oh, they rented a trailer, "Dateline."
They talked to the manager. Got one of those new ones.
- They talked to Kent?
- Uh, yep, Kent.
- Well, we passed his trailers.
- Ugh, brain's all twisted-up pretzel or something.
The trailer is tomorrow.
Keep changing the place on me.
Today, they rented a house over by Lake St Louis.
Past all the shops and all that. Doesn't matter.
Anyway, we gotta get there fast as we can
so I can run the first lady home.
She just finished her lines.
Then I'll circle back and--and take you home.
- So they just got producers driving all around the country
picking people up? - Oh, yeah.
Back and forth between St. Lou and Chi-Town.
But I don't mind.
I like driving.
Good for the feet.
[chuckles]
[sinister music]
♪
- You know, I didn't know we was going so far.
I gotta take my brother to the doctor.
- Oh, this'll be quick. Just say a couple things
and then I'll run you home.
- Yeah, he don't have a car.
He--he needs me to pick him up. - Where's he live?
We could grab him and-- and drop him off
and then I could get you back to--to make your money.
- I thought you had to rush back
to pick up that other person.
- Other guy can wait a bit.
- The lady.
- Yeah, the lady.
♪
- Uh, I'm real sorry.
I--I left my door unlocked.
I really gotta get back. - [scoffs]
Aw, and miss out on 1,500 bucks?
Well, you must be super rich or something.
You super rich?
♪
- I'm sorry.
Appreciate the offer.
Take me back.
♪
[horn honking]
♪
[line ringing] - 911, what's your emergency?
- Uh, there's this woman.
Says her name is Cathy from the show "Dateline"
and she's driving around my neighborhood
offering people money to get in her car.
Yeah, and I just--I just--
it's like really weird and maybe dangerous.
narrator: Some predators give up
when their prey escapes.
Others get hungrier.
[sinister music]
♪
Nasty and brutish, the laws of nature demand
that desperate hunters track down the one
separated from its herd.
♪
- Hey! Hey, guy.
♪
You want to make $1,000?
Cash?
♪
Great.
.
[unsettling music]
♪
- Okay. And, uh, here.
♪
You gotta put this in your pocket for the--
for the recording.
Your pocket--this in your--
can you give me your pocket?
Here we go. Great.
Okay.
Let's go.
So it's just that one line,
but you gotta get it right on the first try, okay?
I mean, I'm gonna, you know, say it with you
a bunch of times before we get there,
make sure you can keep all that cash.
That's a lot of cash.
So go ahead. Say it back to me.
It's just that one line.
"Do you want me to do to you what we did to Russ' wife?"
Go ahead.
♪
Hey!
[brakes squealing]
If you wanna keep that money,
you're gonna have to say it
and you're gonna have to say it perfect.
And you're gonna hold this when they record you, okay?
Just like that.
Well, maybe you practice with it,
but I gotta hear you say the line
before we get there
or I can't give you the money, okay?
It's rules and stuff.
- S--sorry.
- Heck's wrong with you?
- Car accident. Long time ago.
B--bad.
- Fine. Fine.
It's gonna be fine. It's fine.
Here. Can I just?
There.
Hey, so you can just...
say what I told you.
Go ahead.
- Want me t--to your wife?
- Whoa, no. Come on.
"Do you want me to do to you
what we did to Russ' wife?"
- Want me to--want me--
- You're not listening!
I'm paying you a lot of money
to say one freaking thing
and you're not even paying attention.
- I don't think I can do it!
My mom can.
narrator: Sometimes, the signs in life are so clear.
If only we knew how to read them.
- You're gonna do it fine.
Okay?
So just-- just listen to my words
and do it again, okay?
both: Want me to do to you what we did to Russ' wife?
Yes.
[sinister music]
♪
Jeez.
[tense music]
Okay, now, you gotta stay right there.
No, no, back up. You have to stay right there
for all the microphones and all that.
♪
You ready?
You just get one shot.
♪
[line ringing] - 911, what's your emergency?
- Hey, hello.
There's someone's breaking in my house. Help.
- And what's the address you're at?
- You want me to do to you what we did to your wife?
- No, I'm not getting in the car with you.
No, get away.
- What's your address?
- Get out, get out, get out!
[smacking] - Ma'am.
Ma'am, what's the address you're at?
- Help! Help!
No, no.
- Hello? Hello? Hello, ma'am?
- Help! Help! No!
- [gasps]
[breathing shakily]
[alarm beeping] - Hello?
He--hello, ma'am?
Ma'am, are you there? - Yes, I am.
I just shot an intruder in my house.
Help!
[alarm beeping]
Help! Help!
.
- Hurry, hurry, hurry. He tried to take me in my car.
- He tried to take you into his car?
- He tried to take me in my car.
Hurry, hurry. Please don't let him.
- Hey, sorry, can you back it up?
This is sounding off.
- Want it from the beginning? - Yeah, yeah.
That silence at the top, is that--
is that playback or is that the actual call?
- No, that's the call.
Not a sound until I came on the line.
- What's the caller's name? - Huff.
H-U-F-F. - All right, run it again.
- 911, what's your emergency? - Hey, hello.
There's someone's breaking in my house.
Help.
- Hey, just do me a favor.
Send a second car, would you?
Right, thanks.
narrator: Something about that 911 call
felt off to Detective Hilke.
But who would stage their own kidnapping?
Certainly, not here, in a place like this?
What truth would he uncover
inside this well-kept home?
♪
And what lies?
- O'Fallon PD. We're coming in.
♪
Police. Anybody here?
- Hello.
♪
Oh, yeah. Too late for all that.
Already took care of it.
- Okay, walk me through your day today.
Everything that happened.
- Well, I always start with my soda.
Two pumps cherry, this little punch card.
Ran a bunch of errands, blah, blah, blah,
all over town.
I get home and I see this truck
sort of waiting for me.
Couldn't quite see the driver.
Kinda heavy, buzz cut.
But soon as I park,
this other guy jumps out the passenger side
and he runs to my car,
waving this knife around and stuff. Gets in.
He says, "You're gonna take me to the bank
"and we're gonna get Russ' money right now.
So get going and stuff like that."
- "Russ' money." Do you know a Russ?
- No, I don't know any Russ.
So I just knock the knife out of this guy's hand,
run inside the house.
He's chasing me and stuff.
[intense music]
And I know I got a gun in the bedroom
so I go straight for it.
And I get the gun.
I call 911. - 911, what's your emergency?
- And then this guy, like, bursts into my house
and he came at me and I was like,
"Whoa, hey, get outta here."
And then I shot him. - [grunting]
- [breathing heavily]
- Okay. I'm very sorry you had to go through that today.
And thank you for explaining it to me.
- No problem.
- I'll have to ask you a few more questions
down at the station if that's all right.
- Yeah, sure.
Don't wanna go back in there anyway.
Dead body and all. [chuckles]
But I did see some sort of paper,
like, sticking out of his pocket in a baggie.
Maybe you guys could see what that was.
- Will do. This officer's gonna bring you
down to the station. I'll be down in a few.
You let her know if you need anything, all right?
Okay.
[sighs]
[unsettling music]
♪
Hey, Kerrigan. - Yeah.
- Get a picture of these and that knife in the car.
- Kane, come on in.
♪
- What the hell?
♪
- Sorry, sir. This is an active crime scene.
- I live here. My wife called.
Is she all right? - Your wife is fine.
Okay, there was an intruder
and she was forced to defend herself
but she's okay. - What?
What happened?
- We're still trying to figure that out, sir.
- That's my son.
He's--well, our son.
- Does he-- he live here as well?
- No, no, just me and Pam.
- Okay.
Well, we'll need to get your fingerprints
just to clear you.
If that's all right.
- No.
No, I don't wanna do that.
- It's really just a formality thing.
- No. There's--there's a...
bunch of people who are after us.
You know, lying and stuff.
There was a murder a few years back,
and I don't want them trying to pin that on me or anything.
- Hey, well, this really would just be
to isolate the intruder's prints.
- No.
- Excuse me.
- Sir, we really need to keep you back.
- Mark? Mark, what's happening?
Mark? Mark?
Is everything okay?
- Yeah, yeah, I guess so.
- Well, Pam shot someone?
That's what I heard.
- Ma'am, as I explained earlier,
this is an active crime scene.
You really have to stay back on your property.
- Look, just so you know,
I got lots of stories about Pam Hupp
and I'm not just talking about the Betsy Faria business.
I mean, she's always saying weird stuff.
And I am near positive
that she killed Bushy Tail.
So if you need a witness, I can be it.
- Okay, what did you say that name was?
- Bushy Tail, my squirrel. - No, no.
"Pam Hupp?" H-U-P-P?
- Mm-hmm. That's right.
- From the Faria case a while back?
- That's right.
[unsettling music]
♪
- Thank you, ma'am.
Please just step back on your property.
Kerrigan.
Her name's not "Pamela Huff."
It's Pam Hupp. H-U-P-P.
From that Faria case a while back?
Yeah, I thought she looked familiar.
Okay, we really need to tighten this scene up.
All right? No mistakes.
The press is gonna be all over this one.
And we're definitely gonna be on "Dateline."
.
[phone ringing]
- Hello? - Hi, am I speaking with
Russell Faria? - Yeah.
- This is Detective Sergeant Brian Hilke
over at O'Fallon Police Department.
Could I get you to come by at your earliest convenience?
Need to ask you a few questions.
[unsettling music]
- I'm, uh-- I'm in Florida.
I have to come back to Missouri?
- Yeah. Yeah, yes.
♪
- Reporting live from the home of Pamela Hupp.
In what police are calling an ongoing investigation,
we're told that a man tried to break into this
St. Charles County home
and was shot as a result.
- Basically, the whole world is out there
trying to make a buck.
Did you see all the stuff the police stole?
A bunch of kitchen crap.
I've never felt so violated.
They took my gun,
like, two stacks of books, even the cash.
The cash from out of my nightstand.
They think they can take my money!
♪
The safe!
♪
Okay.
♪
- [sighs] What'd you tell 'em?
- What did I tell who what?
- What'd you tell the police happened?
- That Russ hired some guy to get his money back
and he tried to kill me.
- And they believed you? - Well, yeah.
'Cause that's what happened.
- It's just--I'm just saying
it took 'em a full week to arrest Russ
after they brought him in. You remember that?
- And?
- And I just wanna know,
is there any chance that you're in trouble?
- I'm the victim here.
You really ought to support me.
Russ is the bad guy.
The police told me they found a note from Russ
in the guy's pocket.
Lists of stuff to do, bank accounts, all of it.
Russ should be in jail.
[dramatic music]
♪
- [sighs]
narrator: Like reliving a nightmare,
Russ was back in police questioning,
but this time,
with Joel by his side from the start.
- You can go ahead and close up.
- So that's DNA, fingerprints, handwriting samples.
Anything else you need?
- Uh, no, that's it for now.
And I'll have to get copies of whatever this is.
- Oh, uh, flight records, receipts,
proof that my client was out of town
before and during Louis Gumpenberger's murder.
- Okay. We'll check this out.
It'd probably be best if you stuck around
while we do that.
- So I--am I being held?
Like--like, do I have to stay?
- No, you're free to go,
but I think it'd be best if you didn't.
- We'll stay.
[soft dramatic music]
♪
- It's taking too long.
- Look, they're just-- they're just going through
all the evidence, okay?
Tracking your cell, making sure your handwriting
doesn't match that insane letter.
Just gonna be as open and helpful as possible, okay?
- Yeah.
Last time I was helpful I spent three years in jail.
[chuckles]
- Well, Russ, we appreciate your cooperation.
We're good from our end.
- So...
I'm okay?
- Russ, you're totally clear.
- [exhales]
[gentle music]
♪
- What were you out doing last night?
- Protecting my financials.
- I shouldn't even ask.
- Well, a man died on our carpet, Mark.
- Because you shot him.
- Defending our home, like I always do.
Protecting our assets.
What am I supposed to do now?
Police all up in my business.
Well, you know how it got last time,
telling me what to do with my accounts and stuff.
I'm just putting some things away in safekeeping
until all of this is squared away.
Hmm?
[knocking on door]
[doorbell rings]
[soft dramatic music]
♪
- Pamela Hupp, you're under arrest
for the murder of Louis Gumpenberger.
Behind your back, please.
♪
- All right.
I'll see you for dinner.
Are all those cameras still out there?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Here she comes. - She's coming out.
- There she is, there she is.
[reporters shouting]
- [sighs]
- How do you feel about the charges?
Any comment? Any?
- Pam, why did you kill Louis Gumpenberger?
- Did you know Louis Gumpenberger
was a father of two?
[all speaking at once]
- Pam, what do you have to say to the Gumpenberger family?
- How many people have you killed?
[all speaking at once]
- Do you have any comment at all?
[all speaking at once]
narrator: Say hi to Cathy.
♪
- It's a little cold.
Could you turn down the AC?
- You do understand you're under arrest for murder.
[soft dramatic music]
♪
.
- And you have the right to an attorney.
If you cannot afford an attorney,
one will be appointed to you.
- And somebody's calling my lawyer right now?
- Yes, that is happening right now.
And please sign right there saying I read you your rights.
- This font's too small. Can I have my readers?
They're in my purse.
- Oh.
You can borrow mine.
I get 'em at Dollar Tree.
Can't beat those prices.
Is that where you get yours? - Don't know.
I haven't bought a new pair in forever.
- Okay.
Well, we know you were at Dollar Tree
because we have your receipt.
- You bought a knife?
- Well, I bought a lot of stuff.
- Did you know that the knife
that you claim Louis brandished at you,
that knife is only sold at Dollar Tree?
- I did not know that.
There's Dollar Trees all over the place.
Practically grow on trees.
[chuckles]
- Did you know Louis was not physically capable
of holding that knife
or walking quickly or running after you?
- Well, it's what happened,
so whoever said that is just plain wrong.
- We also have your cell pinging around Louis' home.
- Well, if it was...
by where my shopping was.
And you know that tracking thing can be off
a lot of the time, you know?
It's a whole big range.
Has to do with towers, that stuff.
- Yeah.
Well, actually,
with Google Waypoint,
we can pinpoint a cell phone within a few yards.
And we have yours
next to Louis Gumpenberger's home for four full minutes.
- Mm.
Mm, no.
No, that doesn't seem right.
- Okay. Well...
let's talk about the $900
that was found in Louis' pocket.
The serial numbers of those bills,
they sequentially matched a hundred-dollar bill
that we found in your bedside drawer.
- And every single killer in every single book
is caught for the same stupid reason,
keeping stuff from the people they kill.
Can you believe that? It's like, "Hello, idiot."
- That's statistically impossible.
- Not gonna say nothing else till my lawyer gets here.
I'm sorry.
- That's fine.
I will be right back. Did you need anything?
[soft tense music]
♪
[soft dramatic music]
♪
- [sniffs]
Can I go pee?
- Let me get a female officer.
You're not gonna pee your pants or nothing, are you?
- [scoffs] No.
[toilet flushes]
- Faucet's been on a while.
- Yeah, that's what I said.
[unsettling music]
Hey, let me call you back.
♪
- [grunts]
[grunting] - Mrs. Hupp?
Mrs. Hupp, you okay in there?
Mrs. Hupp, if you don't respond immediately,
we're coming in.
- I'm good.
[heavy thud]
- Get help. Hey, Pam?
- Hey! - Pam?
Hey, get-- get some paper towels.
- Pam! - Paper towels.
Come on, come on. - I'm sorry.
I--I didn't know she took the pen.
- Pam. Pam, look at me.
Get some pressure. - Hey, we need help!
- Pam, look at me. - We need a medic!
- Just make sure that poor man
doesn't get in trouble.
- Pam, keep looking at me.
Pam, just keep looking at me.
You got medics?
Pam? Pam?
♪
- You talk to Mom today?
- I think she's catching a cold.
- Poor Mom.
- Good luck with your election. - Thank you.
How have things been with Leah lately?
- She didn't hit any vital arteries
or lock the bathroom door. - Yeah, exactly.
Pam's too narcissistic to kill herself.
She needed to get out of the situation that she was in.
She needed to buy herself some time
to plan her next move is what she needed to do.
- You surprised she pleaded not guilty?
- No.
No, she'll draw it out.
- Um, is this seat taken?
Thank you.
Hi. I'm Carol.
- Russ.
I know.
[soft dramatic music]
♪
- That's Louis' mother.
♪
- We're on record in case number 1611CR0451901,
State versus Pamela Hupp.
Mr. Kessler, you have an announcement
on behalf of your client? - I do, Your Honor.
We've been authorized to withdraw
Mrs. Hupp's former pleas
of not guilty to counts one and two
and pursuant to Alford versus North Carolina,
Mrs. Hupp intends to enter pleas of guilty
to both counts, one and two.
♪
- She's saying she's guilty. That's good, right?
- It's a total copout.
- Louis' family will never get to see Pam stand trial
for what she did.
- Mrs. Hupp, you understand what an Alford Plea is?
- Yes.
- In other words, you're acknowledging
that there's enough evidence to convict you
but you're not actually admitting
to committing the offenses?
You agree with that, Mrs. Hupp?
If you could say that out loud for the court.
narrator: Pam took a plea that would
send her to prison for life
and avoid capital punishment,
but still allow her to maintain her innocence.
- Yes.
narrator: If all Pam ever cared about was winning,
in the end,
did she?
Hard to say,
as this story isn't over.
- Uh-huh.
- You'd think I'm Ted Bundy
with the way they're making me out.
[Born Rivals' "Regular At The Harpoon"]
Mark?
Mark? Mark?
♪
- ♪ Lay me down in a wake of flowers ♪
♪ There's a place that waits for me ♪
♪ On the other side, I will be free ♪
♪
♪ The Rolling Stones and wild horses ♪
♪ Play on repeat all day
♪ Here I found the place I'll always stay ♪
♪
♪ Still in my mind
♪ I see us dancing cheek to cheek ♪
♪ Those days were sweet as wine ♪
♪ I recall them every week
♪ Oh, once, I called you mine ♪
♪ You had my heart and mind
♪ Now I find myself alone again ♪
♪ A regular
♪ Lost at the harpoon
♪ The harpoon
♪
♪ I saw the world in blue and velvet ♪
♪ Haunted by souls unplugged
♪ I paid the price as the devil's favorite son ♪
♪
♪ Lived my life as one long gamble ♪
♪ There's some debts that never fade ♪
♪ I pay out just a little each and every day ♪
♪ Ooh
♪ Still in my mind [alarm blares]
♪ I see us dancing cheek to cheek ♪
♪ Those days are sweet as wine ♪
- See?
Told ya.
Got it all wrong.
You know how they are.
[sniffs]
[sinister music]
♪
- Try these on.
Got 'em at the Dollar Tree.
Is that where you get yours?
- I really hate to say it.
If I wanted money, my mom's worth a half a million
that I get when she dies.
- Do you solemnly swear that the testimony
you're about to give is the truth, the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth? - I do.
♪
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
- What was your answer? - Whoa, whoa, whoa.
♪
Say hi to Cathy.