"48 Hours” correspondent charmed by python | Forensic Files

48 hours is bringing us more on an unusual case linked to a missouri snake breeder his name is ben
renick who was found dead in his facility in 2017. now at first it seemed he was killed by one of his snakes but
investigators soon found that he had been murdered 48 hours correspondent peter vanzant spoke with a reptile
expert for his investigation if you're afraid of snakes then everything you think you know about them
is wrong when dave kaufman a reptile expert heard that his friend ben renick had been
found dead in his snake breeding facility he didn't assume that he had been killed by a snake
his first thought was that rennick had been killed for his snakes so the first question that i asked was
how many snakes were missing a facility like ben's it unfortunately attracts a lot of bad
people bad people that see these snakes not as these beautiful amazing creatures that
they are but see them as dollar signs rennick's snake business was wildly successful he was shipping his snakes
around the world and traveling to reptile conventions across the united states some of his snakes were not just
exotic they were expensive some worth tens of thousands of dollars each ben loved these snakes because how can
you not love these snakes dave kaufman introduced me to a reticulated python a snake ben was known for throughout the
world they're big they're beautiful they're personable just gonna go right over your
shoulder and try to go on the cage behind you let's see if i'm right oh no she's gonna
wrap around yeah my new scarf there you go hello hello sweetheart how are you this is a first
it is a remarkable sensation it is and people that are no thanks look at peter vanzant looking
like he's not afraid and doesn't need an adult diaper a little bit of tension in
his voice yes you can hear his voice cracking my new scarf crunch very creepy looking at them but
the people that work with snakes really hold them in such high regard very much so and some of them as peter i talked to
peter about this they are worth thousands of dollars um they are incredibly valuable some of these rare
snakes so it's a fascinating story uh you can see peter vanzant's full report it's called the poisonous wife that
should give you a hint yeah tonight at eight eastern seven centuries wait why is that a hint uh you gotta watch the
show but it they thought the snake you gotta watch it you can watch that on cbs news streaming network

When a Missouri snake breeder was found dead in his facility, it was first thought he was killed by a snake – he had been murdered. Reptile expert Dāv Kaufman shows "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant that snakes are “personable” and "mostly misunderstood." Van Sant goes inside the world of snakes and the murder plot that revealed a true cold-blooded killer in "The Poisonous Wife" tonight at 8/7c on the CBS News Streaming Network.

Crime. Social justice. Impact. "48 Hours" investigates the most intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all areas of the human experience including greed and passion. "48 Hours," which premiered in 1988, has developed a rich history of original reporting and impact journalism that has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, caused cold cases to be reopened and solved, and along the way changed lives.

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Brief Summary

Ben Renick, a Missouri snake breeder, was murdered in 2017; experts discuss the case and the value of his exotic snakes.

Key points

The Mysterious Death of Ben Renick. Ben Renick, a successful snake breeder, was found dead in 2017 under suspicious circumstances.
The Value of Exotic Snakes. Renick's snake business was lucrative, with some snakes worth tens of thousands of dollars.
The Poisonous Wife. A hint at the deeper story behind Renick's murder, suggesting a shocking twist.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

Everything you think you know about them is wrong.

Discussion on misconceptions about snakes.

0:23WatchMar 16, 2022

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