Let me ask you a question. You have a best friend? How big would it shock you if tomorrow you woke up and somebody told you that your best friend just killed somebody? Not a longish emergency. I just got home about 10 minutes ago in the back door, and I opened about 8 inches to a foot. It wasn't shut yet. And the phone was ringing. And it was someone on the line said, They're kidnaped my son, and they're demanding $500,000. I've asked myself so many times what end the world happened? This is one of two cases that I worked in 25 years that stay with me all the time. What's your son's name? His name is McKay, M-C-K-A-Y, Everett. What does your son look like? He's about 5'1, 100 pounds. He wears his braces. He got blue-ropped pants on. He wasn't really smart. He was their only child, so they really doded over him. Do you think you know who that might have been on the phone? I know. A raspy type boy And it was female.

And she said, Well, we have your son.

Okay. Well, we have several options to get a watch for your house, okay?

On September 12th, 1995, 12-year-old McKay Everett disappeared from his home in Conroe, Texas. My name's Art Rascone, and as a news anchor based in nearby Houston, I covered the kidnappings' aftermath. It was a crime that shocked the community because the suspect was so unexpected.

A former high-ranking police official, he'd run for sheriff at one point. Law enforcement personnel were pretty much split down the middle over whether or not he actually to do this.

It's a story that's always stuck with me. And recently, when I looked back into it, I realized I wasn't the only one. Friends, neighbors, and law enforcement were all still haunted by McKay's kidnapping. But no one more than McKay's mother, Paulette.

It became very disturbing in hindsight for not seeing indications, but we thought he cared for McKay, when in fact, he didn't care for anyone.

When I found out that to this day, Paulette still feels that justice was never truly served, I knew this was a story that had to be told. From KSL podcast, this is Ransom, a story of greed and betrayal.

It was like four or $500,000 in debt.

Grief and survival.

It took a man that was so loving and beautiful, and it broke him.

And how we never know what's really going on in the minds of those around us.

You will never look at another person and say.

Follow Ransom on Apple podcast or your favorite podcast app to make sure that you don't miss it.