This Time The Call Felt REAL... #truecrimeinvestigation #truecrimeshorts #crimejunkies #podcast | Forensic Files

It takes five full days before the first big development comes in. >> [music] >> And strangely, it comes to the Denver
Field Office of the FBI. >> Denver, Colorado? >> Yeah. They get a call at 7:00 p.m. on
June 30th from a man who says that he is Susie's kidnapper. And he says, "Tell someone the ransom is
$25,000." But he hung up without giving any more information. Where should they take the
money? When? >> Yeah. >> Now, no one knew if this was a hoax or if they should be expecting another
call, but the phone didn't ring again until July 2nd. This time, not in a Denver Field Office, not actually in any
office at all. The phone rang at the home of Gallatin County Deputy Ron Brown. The thing is, Ron Brown isn't
home. Even though it's 11:16 p.m., he's still out helping with Susie's search. So his wife, Jane, answers. And the man
says to her, "The Denver FBI must think I'm a crank. >> [music] >> I'm raising the ransom to $50,000."
And this time he gives real instructions. He demands that the ransom be put in a suitcase in small bills and
placed in the end stall of the men's restroom at the Denver bus stop. >> The [music] Denver, Colorado connection.
>> We're back to Denver. Yeah. And this time it feels legit because he says that
he can prove he has Susie by telling them something about her that a random stranger wouldn't know.
He says that Susie's fingernails, like on her index fingers of each hand, are humped a little, like slightly deformed.
And this is true of Susie. And it's also true that a stranger wouldn't know that.
I mean, it wasn't put on any of the press bulletins about this case. Actually, Marietta writes in her book
that in the chaos and fear after Susie first disappeared, they were like giving her description to the authorities and
stuff, but they had like totally forgotten this detail about her. Like it was barely noticeable, and Susie was
born with it. So like I can literally she's born with it and he never thought about it anymore. So, this caller, this
is either someone who knows Susie, knows the family, and >> [music] >> would play some kind of, like, not some
kind, the cruelest hoax on them, which seems absolutely out of the realm of possibility.
Or, >> [music] >> this is really the man who kidnapped her.

Five days after 7-year-old Susie Jaeger was kidnapped from a Montana campground, the FBI received a chilling phone call. The caller claimed to be the kidnapper and demanded ransom money.

Days later, another call came with more specific instructions and a higher ransom demand. But what truly caught investigators' attention was the proof the caller offered. He revealed a unique physical detail about Susie that had never been released publicly and was something even her family rarely thought about.

Suddenly, investigators were forced to consider that the caller might actually be the person who had taken Susie.

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Brief Summary

A kidnapper demands ransom for Susie, revealing details only someone close would know, raising fears and urgency in her case.

Key points

The Kidnapper's Call. A man claiming to be Susie's kidnapper calls with a ransom demand.
Ransom Increased. The kidnapper raises the ransom to $50,000 and provides proof of knowledge about Susie.
A Disturbing Detail. The kidnapper reveals a unique detail about Susie's fingernails that only someone close would know.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

I'm raising the ransom to $50,000.

The kidnapper increases the ransom demand.

0:59WatchJun 6, 2026

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