The Mysterious Death of Casey Kasem | Full Episode | Forensic Files

foreign [Music] you knew that voice as Michael Jackson threatens to take over the top spot
Casey Kasem was everywhere counting down the hits here's a tune that reached the
top ten a few weeks ago got as high as number nine and if you're too young to remember that how about this
Casey was the voice of Shaggy from Scooby-Doo here it comes I love that man would have died for you
Casey and I were married here there were 500 people here we had our friends and family
it was the most incredible day of my life in 2014 Casey Cason was dying of a Parkinson's like disease he was about to
leave behind an enormous estate worth between 80 and 100 million dollars his family went to war over that money
against each other Gene killed my father and when you say killed do you mean murder
what she did led to his death that's a lie it's a flat out lie do you Casey he was perhaps the most famous person
ever known for counting backwards radio Legend Casey Kasem died today at the age
of 82. I ran back in the room and I picked him up in my arms and I held him so tight
and I said I have never loved anybody like I have loved you she isolated him and tortured him
my dad was left to die in a facility they chemically restrained him they removed his hydration
his nutrition and all proactive Medical Care not one decision was made by me my dad was dying and I looked at her and
I said dad's not going to be here for very long you should get to the hospital and she said oh she wouldn't talk to me
that's what she did always [Music] if you are going to count down the American Top 40 family feuds this battle
would be number one [Music] I am what person in their right mind throws frozen meat at you screaming Biblical
verses there are always rabid dogs it's so crazy and so weird your court ordered to
be here today they lie they cheat abuse is abuse and they think that they can get away with
it why does she hate us so much shame on these children we have been stalked tracked bullied
it's not none of what she says is ever true so they killed my husband killed their father
foreign [Music] [Music] thank you [Music] and there you are I'm Casey Casey till
then keep your feet in the ground and keep reaching for the Stars its family says Kasem's wife Jean
illegally moved him from a facility where the 82 year old was receiving treatment
he's very ill he shouldn't be moved there's never been a Hollywood drama quite like the family feud between the
second wife of Casey Kasem I am the owner of the house and his children she unplugged my dad from his feeding tube
involving entry money and ultimately his death it was May 7 2014 and you could say the
mystery started right here and imagine this it was 2 30 in the morning [Music] move that night was to get him out of
the drama and to keep him safe and secure we had had enough Genie Cason Casey's wife of 34 years
says she was convinced her husband's life was in danger told her story of Casey Kasem's drama
for the first time to 48 hours what were you thinking Genie I was thinking that it was time to protect my husband
the legendary radio host who suffers from dementia was checked out of an assisted living facility by his wife
It's a drama that really started all the way back in 1979. when Casey been a divorced father of three met Jeannie
Thompson she was a secretary at his agent's office Casey fell for her they were married exactly one year later at
one of LA's most luxurious hotels so where are we right now well right now we're Where it All Began which is where
Casey and I got married there were about 500 people here it was an amazing day the Reverend Jesse Jackson married the
couple it was a dream come true spectacular Jeannie Thompson was 22 years younger
than Casey she grew up listening to him I'm Casey Kasem now we're up to our long
distance dedication I was growing up on Guam at the time and we only had Armed Forces Radio over there
and I heard this DJ come on and he announced this record then I went oh my God who is this guy anyway
Casey cases [Music] so it'll only take five minutes she is a former actress best known for her role
on Cheers she's uh got away with colors and a flair for design and the happy couple
eventually moved into this mansion in one of the chicest LA neighborhoods Bel Air just to hop away from the famous
Playboy Mansion welcome to the Kasem house back then Kate Kate was on top of the world Mr
countdown himself Casey Kasem Casey Come on number seven is a favorite of anyone
who's ever been in love here it is and that voice that voice he didn't think it was so good really he
said I'm just the guy next door hardly he had launched American Top 40. This is Casey Kasem and we'd like to welcome you
to American Top 40. heard on more than 1 000 radio stations around the world he made hundreds of voiceovers
Scooby-Doo Where Are You and that signature voice of Scooby-Doo's pal shag this night stick
Casey was much more than a voice to his three kids from his first marriage Carrie Mike and Julie
was their loving father my father in all of us when we were education education education
Julie Cason became a physician's assistant my dad imparted us to be humble to treat people with kindness to love
those around you so this is the studios and my father still has a studio here it's changed a little bit
his oldest daughter Carrie Kasem helped out on his radio show this is where he did American Top 40 in American Top 20.
he would sit here and he'd always have his water and his apple and rock candy for his voice Kerry
went into modeling Dean and broadcasting radio personality and television host Carrie Cason his son
Mike has a radio show in Singapore the song from one of America's top came out and Casey's children claim everything
changed once their father and Genie became engaged was there an estrangement there was basically they were upset with
their father and angry with her father because he married me and they were angry with me because I married their
father Casey and Jeannie would have their own daughter Liberty and as his success grew they lived a
full life Casey and Ginny threw themselves into philanthropy you realize it really is
important to give something back and to help prepare the world because that's got to be my legacy I know everything
from environmental issues to animal rights to Progressive politics we believed in a lot of charity
foreign at the age of 75 Casey Kasem was diagnosed with a parkinson's-like disease called Lewy Body dementia
it slows them down they can either get rigid or shaking it may sometimes affect their speech in
2009 he gave up his beloved radio show and signed off for the last time now one more time can
down and keep reaching for the Stars [Music] Casey would have no Financial worries
with an estate valued between 80 and 100 million dollars but around that time Genie claims his children became focused
on one thing it was all about the money the bank of Kasem the personal ATM machine
around 2012 according to Jeannie Casey was fed up and cut them off financially Jeannie says the kids were Furious but
instead of getting mad Genie claims Carrie and the others did something almost unimaginable I believe that Kerry
Kasem did Kill my husband that it was a long-term premeditated plan and he's gone it's just lie after
lie after lie without any evidence hear more about amazing from Gene Carrie and Julie on Facebook at 48 hours
[Music] [Music] the children of legendary DJ Casey Kasem are demanding to know where is Kasem
those adult children had put Targets on our backs do you believe that your husband Casey Cason feared his children
yes and feared that they could do what what they did which was kill him that's ridiculous that's just
that's ridiculous there is no more evil in this world than Gene Thompson Kasem show you something Gene says the alleged
plot started In This Very Room behind me on a lonely stretch of Hollywood Boulevard back in 2007. she says that
Casey's children lured their disoriented father from his Bel Air Mansion to this
very store to sign a very important document he was taken to a UPS Store and he was asked to sign his life away
while he was on medications he had sutures in his head he did not have his glasses on
and he was out of it does that mean the UPS Store this video shot by Carrie shows Casey filling out a document that
would give his children and not Genie the authority to be in charge of his future health care it's video that
Jeannie claimed shows that Casey is obviously impaired that's Casey's daughter Julie
5419 sweet C you know what I mean put the address and this is the document Casey signed laying the groundwork genie
claims that would lead to medical decisions that would kill Casey starting in 2013 as Casey's Health
declined there were legal squabbles Genie was trying to control when and where people could see Casey including
his own children I was in tears I was speechless I called my sister bowling and I said I
just want to see Dad and she won't let me Jeannie also says she and her daughter Liberty became targets of a
harassment campaign were you living in fear pretty much were you ever personally threatened by
someone was a phone call that came in I believe it was early in the morning and it there was a loud bang on the
phone and I I held my ear I said oh my God it sounds what is that and then I heard it again and I
recognized it as a gunshot and did you report this to the police put it to our lawyer
reported a lot of the incidences to the police Genie alleges someone smashed her front
gate her mail was stolen and more I believe that there's another surveillance van there he is right there
there he is go it was around this time that Genie claims Casey's children asked police and
Adult Protective Services to check up on Casey they were called by Carrie Julie whomever
Los Angeles police found no evidence of abuse or neglect Cheney claims that the harassment
continued she points to this demonstration right outside her home Carrie and some supporters were
demanding to see Casey after three months of no communication we finally said enough
finally here at a rehab facility in Santa Monica the mysterious last days of Casey Kasem's life took a dramatic turn
Casey was very sick he'd been in and out of hospitals for months and there had been endless legal fights mostly over
visitation I was thinking that it was time to protect my husband and leave the drama for all of us behind
Jeannie says she was keeping Casey at the rehab center under a fake name but somehow his adult children found out
then a few days later on May 6th Jeannie says Carrie and Julie gained access into
the facility and even got into Casey's room she says she was terrified and Furious
it was about the money Casey no longer was of any use to them it was all about the money
it turns out that the adult children's power of attorney for medical decisions had never taken effect
Carrie and Julie decided they needed to go to court to try to get custody of their dad we had not seen him since
February now this is May but Gene was having none of it the day she found out they were headed to court
she made a dramatic move at 2 30 in the morning doctors say Jeannie ordered Casey's surgically implanted nutrition
tube and IV disconnected and checked him out of the rehab facility the doctor in charge of Casey's care
later wrote The Following letter to police quote she was informed of the risks of doing so and was told she was
placing Mr Kasem in great bodily harm or possible demise he's saying that you could have killed him that is not true
Casey was loaded into a black SUV and disappeared into the darkness you know he's ill Kasem's daughter
doesn't know where he is dad once told me don't ever go up against Gene you don't know what she's capable of
[Music] [Music] the children of legendary DJ Casey Kasem are demanding to know where he it was
May 2014 when Casey Kasem vanished this is Casey Kasem on American Top 40 in Hollywood
iconic voice in the world was nowhere to be heard and his case was making big news Casey Kasem's children have been
saying that their stepmother has been isolating her nobody knew where my dad was nobody
went on now we want him back he knows that were his children pleading directly to
Jeannie Cason we've told Gene take it off take everything keep it just give us our dad back
they were not only outraged that Genie had taken their father but about how she had done it Gene Cason pulled my dad out
at 2 30 in the morning out of a Convalescent Center unhooked his G-tube unhooked his IV
[Music] he was supposed to be transported with an ambulance on a certain kind of
mattress no she threw him in the back of an SUV that she didn't even get into herself
with no pain meds no food no water no nothing [Music] foreign and we were devastated we knew this was
the beginning of the end but there would be no end to the Family Feud that had begun years earlier and that UPS Store
Carrie and Julie insist they didn't trick their dad into signing that document the one they hoped gave them
control over his medical care Gene claims that Casey has no memory of ever signing that document watch the tape put
the address UPS Store you'll see my dad knew what he was doing knew what he was signing 54-19 now estate planning is
normally done in a lawyer's office you're at a UPS Store he was terrified that Gene would find out let me give you
Gene's interpretation of what she told me and this is you yep and this is your father yes now there's a circle here
because he supposedly had had a medical procedure and had sutures in his head is
that true to my knowledge that is falsified information in my opinion Gene Kasem is
a liar 100 percent pathological liar 48 Hours has confirmed that Casey had a procedure but it was a minor one ten
days before the signing he had a small hair transplant just like that story just about
everything both sides told us is in dispute remember ever since Casey married Genie
the relationship between the children from Casey's first marriage and their stepmother has been toxic
for example take the arguments over money the only thing she ever wanted from my dad is money that's it
she says the same thing to me about you but I work listens to the actual I'm very proud of
who I am I'm very proud of how hard I've worked I've been on air for 21 years you know working multiple jobs sometimes
to pay the bills I own my own home my dad didn't buy that for me the feud intensified after Casey's
Health deteriorated she had a plan to move him out of the house and cut us all off starting in 2012
is when I felt that the isolation began I'm told by my sister hey I can't get a hold of Dad I can't get a hold of
my father was isolated and we were not allowed to see him anymore remember that demonstration outside
Casey's house that day Genie even called the cops my dad's Barry Miller do you know why she's not around
[Music] the whole drama climaxed in mid-may 2014. that's when Ginny disappeared into
the night with Casey desperate to find her dad Carrie made this emotional appeal on TV if you've seen anything
please call the police please days after that the battlefield in the war of the kasems shifted to Las Vegas
that's where a private eye working for Kerry discovered the couple Jeannie had taken Casey to a posh Resort
there but not for long next she put him on a charter flight private jet carrying a frail Casey Kasem
flew Northwest from Vegas Landing in Seattle he was brought to a place not far from where I'm standing right now
1100 miles from his hospital bed in Santa Monica [Music] and you wanted to get away from the
madness in Los Angeles oh we were being photographed and followed to supermarkets and tortured just
tortured Casey ended up in a place called Silverdale a small town in western Washington for the first time since
those final days we brought Jeannie back it's so good to see you how are you better now that I see you yes Shasta
bartelheim grew up with Genie and they both hoped Casey would spend some quiet peaceful days in her parents home can
you show me the bedroom where he was is that okay yes absolutely this is where Casey was
his hospital bed was here very comfortable my mother has a lot of Snoopy she's an avid Snoopy collector so
Casey was in in his hospital bed with all these snoopies around him here and we had all of his medical supplies
some were here some were in another room was he in pain no no he was not in any pain in this house
ever acting on a tip Washington Adult Protective Service and Kitsap County sheriff's deputies came by to check on
Casey Mr case and his wife are here visiting we did check on his welfare he seems to be doing fine he was upright he
could communicate but Casey's stay here was about to come to an end Kerry won a new court order
she was coming from LA to get Casey and take him to a hospital and things were about to get weird
[Music] very weird [Music] foreign [Music] Casey Kasem was counting down his days
in Silverdale Washington in this home attended to by a doctor his family and close friends
he was content he was very happy he smiled shook our hands it was just it was nice Shasta bartelheim a
nurse's assistant has known Casey since 1980. she helped care for him was he still able to converse answer questions
yes he would speak it was a whisper kind of a a sound when he talked he wasn't grimacing in any pain
on June 1st 2014 when Kerry Cason armed with a court order came to pick up her father and take him to the hospital
Genie was waiting Carrie arrives as usual with media in tow her attorney we pull up and then
fire trucks show up another ambulance shows up because Gene has caused a fit as seen in this broadcast on NBC News I
saw geriatric Harley-Davidson riders that were forming a line to not let me in it's so crazy and so weird that line
of bikers was led by shasta's Brother Casey started yelling I don't want to go I don't want to leave no no no he was
frightened his eyes were big he didn't want to leave no he didn't want to leave acting on that court order EMTs removed
Casey so show me where they took him down this hallway here headed for the door he headed out and what was out here
out in the street the ambulance was there there were a couple of ambulance terrified Genie called her lawyer
I dropped the phone and I turned around to look for something and there was meat
in the kitchen and it was frozen hamburger I grabbed the meat and I came out here and then
I started walking this way with the meat in my hand so then she took aim screaming nonsense
why meat though why grab meat to me sane crazy you saw the real Gene Thompson Cason
so if I may ask you are you crazy Genie no I'm not Carrie dodged the meat attack then
jumped in the ambulance with her dad and sped away to a local hospital where a doctor was standing by
the first thing he said to me right when I got him in the hospital your dad may not live very long I'm just
going to let you know when Casey arrived here at Saint Anthony's Hospital his diagnosis was
Grim he had according to hospital records a urinary tract infection and a stage three ulcer of his back that's an
open wound going almost to the Bone within days doctors would also diagnose septic shock respiratory failure a lung
infection and a host of other ailments the change was so drastic it was maddening he was extremely thin his face
was sunken in Shasta says Casey who was taken out of the house that day was nowhere near
death oh no no Heavens no not at all the next day Genie tried to get Casey out of the hospital
on June 2nd we had an emergency court hearing and the judge ordered that he could return home
once his personal physician spoke with the attending physician at the hospital just before 10 that night Gene arrived
here at the hospital along with Shasta and her attorney they claimed that the physician treating Casey had told them
to come and pick him up and he said his overnight observation has concluded and he's discharged but when she arrived
the doctor wouldn't release him saying Casey was in pain he wasn't in any pain they wanted him to be in pain Genie
refused to leave without Casey she started screaming they had to call the police to get her out of the facility
and three days later we had three doctors come in and say this is futile your father's dying his
organs are shutting down he can no longer digest food Carrie and her siblings now faced a wrenching decision
they say they followed a doctor's recommendation to stop Casey's hydration and nutrition
I couldn't hear it I got upset I said isn't there something we can do what if we try this what if we try that because
I was the fighter I wasn't gonna let him go on June 6 the case and children alerted
Genie Julie called my lawyer and said to my lawyer that we're losing him she should come to
the hospital right away Genie and Liberty rushed to the hospital but claimed they were only permitted to
see Casey for a few minutes we were given five minutes to say goodbye to a man that I was married to
for 34 and a half years he looked at me and he was scared to death I went to the bed
I held his hand he grabbed my arm did Casey say anything to you he said that he loved me
and I told him because I loved him foreign was desperate to get Casey's life support restored
my first and foremost thing was to save my husband's life every second counted she flew back to California hoping to
get the court to order it over the next few days there would be several motions filed
the doctors said unfortunately there is nothing more we can do to keep your father alive
that was the hardest thing to hear that's our dad [Music] on June 15 2014 Casey Kasem the Beloved
Radio icon passed away he was 82. we were all surrounding him on the bed with our hands on him every single one
of us was touching him as he took his last breath we were all there all of us and who was
missing his wife and Liberty it was 100 percent their choice not to be there this court
order says you can visit him at any time no one can stop you and what Carrie is saying is that you chose
not to see Casey anymore in the hospital that's not true that is not true at all we were afraid
to go to the hospital in death the war of the casems grew even more fierce he did not die of natural causes
they planned it and they killed him Gene killed my father whether it was premeditated or whether
it was just by her careless actions if someone killed your father when you want Justice
[Music] [Music] in June 2014 Casey Kasem's death was felt across the globe and there was one
guy on the radio I used to listen to all the time who passed away today and so we
want to dedicate the sun to Casey Kasem travel safely my angel and travel he would Casey's body was
taken from Silverdale to Seatac Airport where it was flown to Montreal and why Montreal he was there
for a time because his burial was being obstructed Casey's body remained in Canada on ice for weeks as his widow
Genie had full control over his burial Casey and I had spoken about this about where he would like to be buried
and it was in Israel Casey's children thought that was crazy my dad's as American as apple pie he
lived in Los Angeles for 58 years he wanted to be buried in Los Angeles Casey's body took flight again this time
two of all places Norway [Music] where Genie orchestrated at burial Fit For A King only she and Liberty were at
Casey's grave site but they did bring their own camera crew why Norway of all places
are concrete reasons for that but because I'm in litigation I can't share that with you
my dad's never been to Norway she's not Norwegian what is going on here when you tell so
many lies you get caught up in them after Casey's death the battle between the kasems went nuclear both sides in
this epic Family Feud sued the other for wrongful death what she did to my dad was elder abuse
straight and simple that trip is what cost my dad his life he could have had two or three more years
she took him from us you want to call it murder you want to say she killed him he's dead because of her
Casey's children accused Jeannie of a pattern of neglect where she secretly moved Casey from one Care Center to the
next and she used the hospitals and the facilities as a babysitter so she didn't
have to take care of him I say that that's a flat out lie I was there I was in touch with the
doctors Jean Kasem accuses the children of hastening his death by pulling the plug on Casey
they chemically restrained him they removed his hydration his nutrition and all proactive Medical Care
it was the equivalent of leaving Casey Kasem in the desert to die I really really don't feel well it's
been a never-ending drama even when Kerry's lawyers finally deposed Gene She fainted blaming the episode on
medication [Music] and besides accusing each other of killing Casey there's that Battle Royale
over his fortune as seen in this 2017 Inside Edition video The Mansion has become the latest
Battleground the house hasn't been taken care of the taxes aren't paid they've destroyed everything they've killed
everything there's no electricity on there's no running water at the request of Casey's children a court-appointed
trustee attempted to remove and store some of Casey's memorabilia how does it feel to go through Casey Kasem's
belongings after he was murdered meanwhile the fight over Casey's assets lawyers say could take years today you
are fighting for damages and access to your father's I am fighting for justice that is what I'm fighting for
my father's wife Gene Thompson Cason didn't want us at the house wouldn't pass phone calls along in 2014 Kerry
started a foundation to help pass legislation to protect the visitation rights of children I was doing
everything I possibly could to see my dad and the law didn't help me in in California to date 12 states have passed
a visitation Bill including California past year after he died but I kept fighting till I won
despite Kerry's claims of elder abuse and negligence the Los Angeles District Attorney declined to prosecute Jeannie
Cason citing insufficient evidence the police in the D.A won't do a damn thing that is why we're fighting Take the
Money Take It All I want her in jail thank you in November 2018 Washington's Gig Harbor
police department concluded an investigation into Casey's death they found his older children were authorized
to make medical decisions on his behalf and there was no evidence of homicide while the legal Wheels grind ahead this
American icon with his own star on Hollywood Boulevard is buried in an unmarked grave in Oslo Norway
I'm going to bring my father back to the United States of America where he belongs
I'm Casey case and just as Casey Kasem's legendary voice is certain to carry on till then keep your feet in the ground
and keep reaching for the Stars his family is determined to keep fighting I'm not going to quit
I'm the daughter of a Marine my father is right here with me right now and every single day of my life
she can never take him away from me again [Music] [Music] learn more about the life of Casey Kasem
from his close friends at 48hours.com [Music] Natalie Wood was one of the biggest film
stars imaginable her death more than 30 years ago still a mystery it was murdered it's suspicious enough
to make us think that something happened 48 Hours next on CBS foreign

"48 Hours" explores the family feud over radio legend Casey Kasem -- how he died and who was responsible. At stake: an estate that could be worth $100 million. "48 Hours" Correspondent Peter Van Sant reports. Watch more full episodes of "48 Hours" on Pluto TV.

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

The episode details the bitter family feud over Casey Kasem's care and estate, highlighting allegations of elder abuse and financial greed.

Key points

The Voice of a Generation. Michael Jackson's voice is iconic, but Casey Kasem's legacy is equally unforgettable.
A Family Divided. The Kasem family feud escalates over Casey's estate, worth millions.
A Shocking Claim. Allegations arise that Casey's children were involved in his death.
The Final Days. Casey Kasem's health declines amidst family conflict and legal battles.
The Mysterious Disappearance. Casey Kasem vanishes, leading to a media frenzy and family turmoil.
The Grim Diagnosis. Doctors inform Carrie that her father may not live long due to severe health issues.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

I have never loved anybody like I have loved you.

A poignant moment of love and loss.

2:00WatchDec 27, 2022

Tension

80/ 100High tension

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