The Beltway Snipers: "Call Me God" — Ep. 4 | MK Confidential

Ponderosa phone call and letter discovery0:43

A letter left in a Halloween bag at the Ponderosa Steakhouse instructed police to answer a payphone at 6 a.m. on October 20, 2002, but no one answered the call. The letter, found hours earlier, contained detailed instructions and demands from the snipers.

Tarot card found at Benjamin Tasker Middle School4:09

Investigators found a tarot card with handwritten messages at the scene of a shooting at Benjamin Tasker Middle School, marking the snipers' first communication. The card read 'Call me God' and instructed police not to release the message to the press.

Media leak and Chief Moose's response5:39

News outlets incorrectly reported the tarot card's message, prompting Chief Charles Moose to publicly rebuke the media and assert police control over the investigation. Moose later admitted his anger was partly an act to signal to the snipers that the leak did not come from him.

Hopper shooting and Ashland investigation6:58

Jeff and Stephanie Hopper were shot in a Ponderosa parking lot in Ashland, Virginia, leading to the discovery of a second communication from the snipers. Investigators found a bullet casing and a Halloween bag with a note pinned to a tree behind the restaurant.

Fitzgerald's linguistic analysis of communications10:31

Forensic linguist James Fitzgerald analyzed the tarot card and letter, identifying linguistic features suggesting a younger, possibly Black writer with Caribbean ties. He noted the use of 'Mr. Police,' dropped 's' sounds, and specific punctuation as indicators of the writer's background.

Clementi's behavioral profiling of the sniper13:15

• Jim Clementiassertion

  The sniper is likely an older, disciplined adult with police or military training based on efficient, planned attacks.

• James Fitzgeraldassertion

  The writer of the communications appears younger, possibly a teenager, based on linguistic features.

Theory of a two-person sniper team15:33

• Jim Clementispeculation

  The case may involve a two-person team with an older controller and a younger shooter, possibly linked by sexual victimization.

• James Fitzgeraldassertion

  The linguistic evidence suggests a younger writer, supporting the possibility of a team dynamic.

Missed opportunity to trace the Ponderosa call21:52

Fitzgerald criticized the failure to stake out payphones after the Ponderosa letter instructed a 6 a.m. call, noting a similar tactic successfully caught kidnappers in a past case. He argued that monitoring payphones could have led to an immediate arrest and saved lives.

Content of the Ponderosa letter22:43

The four-page letter demanded $10 million, listed failed attempts to contact police, and threatened further violence if demands were not met. It included a postscript warning that children were not safe and promised to honor their word if given.

Fitzgerald identifies Black vernacular in letter23:44

Fitzgerald identified dropped 's' sounds in plural and possessive words as a feature of Black vernacular English, leading him to conclude the writer was likely a Black male. This shifted the profile away from the historical assumption of a white male sniper.

FBI's public profile hedging on race24:38

The FBI deliberately hedged its public profile to avoid ruling out potential suspects, but the public fixated on the 'white male' stereotype. Fitzgerald noted that the bureau's careful wording was misinterpreted, leading to widespread misinformation.

Snipers' call to a priest25:50

The snipers called a priest to claim responsibility for shootings, hoping he would contact police without recording the conversation. The priest did not report the call, and the detail about southern shootings initially went uninvestigated.

Chief Moose's press conference and sniper manipulation26:34

Chief Moose's press conference statements were manipulated by the snipers, who forced him to read their threats verbatim. Fitzgerald observed the snipers playing games with the chief, making him say specific phrases to demonstrate control.

Muhammad's alleged motive: custody battle28:24

Clementi theorized that John Muhammad's ultimate motive was to kill his ex-wife to win custody of their children, using the random shootings as cover. He suggested Muhammad planned to kill her amid the chaos and then disappear.

Mildred Muhammad's reports of suspicious car30:10

Mildred Muhammad reported a dark Chevrolet repeatedly parking near her house, but police did not act on the tip. The car matched descriptions later linked to Muhammad and Malvo, but the lead was not pursued during the shootings.

Witness ignored at Michael's craft store shooting31:16

A witness at a Michael's craft store shooting reported seeing a Black man in a dark sedan fleeing the scene, but police issued an APB for a white van instead. Clementi criticized the failure to act on the accurate witness description.

Malvo's call to the Ponderosa payphone32:22

Lee Malvo called the Ponderosa payphone as instructed, delivering a 38-second message with demands and threats. The call was traced to a different payphone at the same gas station, allowing the snipers to escape while police mistakenly detained two Mexican nationals.

Voice analysis of Malvo's recorded call33:45

Agents debated the voice on Malvo's recorded call, with guesses ranging from Hispanic to Asian to Caribbean. An ATF negotiator suggested a Jamaican accent, aligning with Fitzgerald's earlier linguistic analysis of the tarot card.

Conrad Johnson shooting and background35:07

Bus driver Conrad Johnson was shot and killed in Aspen Hill, Maryland, with a second note left at the scene blaming police for his death. Johnson was born in Jamaica and raised by his mother after she left him with an aunt, mirroring Malvo's background.

Sonia Wills' reflection on Johnson and Malvo38:35

Sonia Wills, Johnson's mother, later suggested that Malvo would have seen Johnson as a father figure if they had met. She described Johnson as a caretaker who helped others, drawing a parallel to Malvo's own abandoned childhood.