Chameleon: The de Kooning Job — Teachers Turned Thieves

Podcast: Chameleon
Host: Josh Dean (Audiochuck | Campside Media)
Episode Date: January 1, 2026
Guests: Alison Otto (filmmaker, "The Thief Collector"); Lou Schacter (true crime writer); David Van Aaker (antique dealer)

Episode Overview

This episode of Chameleon dives into the extraordinary true story of Jerry and Rita Alter, a seemingly ordinary retired couple who pulled off one of the most audacious art heists in U.S. history—the 1985 theft of Willem de Kooning’s "Woman-Ochre" from the University of Arizona Museum of Art. Spanning decades, the tale explores how the painting vanished, only to be discovered behind a bedroom door in rural New Mexico after the Alters’ deaths. Host Josh Dean peels back the layers of deception, psychological intrigue, and small-town mystery surrounding the Alters, who may have been serial art thieves hiding in plain sight.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The 1985 Heist: The Theft of "Woman-Ochre"

• Timeline of events: On November 29, 1985, two people (a man and a woman, disguised as retirees) distract the guard, cut "Woman-Ochre" from its frame, and escape undetected ([00:14-02:54]).
• Aftermath: FBI involvement yields only basic clues—no suspects, no significant leads, and a presumption the painting was lost forever.

2. The Discovery: Hidden in Plain Sight

• 2017, Silver City, NM: Antique dealer David Van Aaker is asked to bid on an estate sale at the Alters' home. Amidst mid-century furniture, he discovers a painting behind a bedroom door ([03:10-03:55]).
• Initial disbelief: "At first I thought it was a print… but as I stood up I could see the wrinkles in it and things, and I realized that it was an actual painting." — David Van Aaker ([03:46-03:55])
• Public reactions: Within hours, multiple customers identify it as a de Kooning. One makes a tongue-in-cheek cash offer, urging David to look into the painting’s provenance ([06:49-08:22]).

3. The Return: Legal and Emotional Complications

• Fears and legal interference: David, fearing criminal interest and unscrupulous lawyers, insists on returning the painting. He resists pressure to ransom or withhold it ([09:14-10:44]).
• Resolution: After a panicked call, a museum curator (Olivia Miller) and law enforcement recover the painting. "That was a wonderful experience when they showed up because Olivia actually cried when she first saw it." — David Van Aaker ([12:28])

4. The Alters Unmasked: More Than Just One Theft?

• Introduction of Alison Otto: Filmmaker of "The Thief Collector," which investigates not just the theft, but who the Alters really were ([05:10-05:35]).
  • "The hardest type of thief to catch is the thief who is a collector…they’re not on anyone’s radar." — Alison Otto ([05:35])
• Lou Schacter’s research: Discovers evidence the Alters had other stolen paintings—two by Victor Higgins and Joseph Henry Sharp—donated to a local garden club and auctioned for hundreds of thousands ([15:04-17:52]).
  • "Just because something isn't in the FBI stolen art database doesn't mean it isn't stolen." — Lou Schacter ([15:47])
• The Harwood Museum thefts: In 1985, two similar paintings are stolen from Taos, NM, by a man and a woman using ‘distraction.’ Pattern matches the "Woman-Ochre" heist ([19:03-19:20]).

5. The Motive and the Mystery: Profiling Jerry and Rita Alter

• Lifestyle and suspicious wealth: The Alters, lifelong teachers, amass significant wealth—traveling the world, building a large estate, and leaving behind a $1 million inheritance ([21:31]).
  • "They led a lifestyle that could not have been financed, given their occupations and careers." — Lou Schacter ([21:31])
• Jerry’s literary clues: Jerry Alter’s self-published stories hint at resentment of authority, unrecognized artistic ambition, and the thrill of outsmarting the system ([26:01-26:49]).
  • "He fancied himself an artist. He never got the recognition that he felt he deserved. And so I think stealing these items… was also a way to stick it to the man." — Alison Otto ([26:01])
• Possible darker deeds: One story depicts a murder in chillingly familiar surroundings; police investigate the Alters’ property, but find no evidence ([26:55-27:47]).

6. The Psychology of Deception and Aftermath

• Why keep the art?: The Alters displayed "Woman-Ochre" privately for decades—hidden behind a bedroom door.
  • "That painting would have been the first thing they saw when they woke up and the last thing they saw before they fell asleep… it would have started to feel like a noose around my neck." — Alison Otto ([24:41])
• Legacy: The Alters’ crimes remain partly unsolved, and their full story may never be known. Both researchers and law enforcement suspect other unreported thefts.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• “They’re not on anyone’s radar, and they don’t resell the painting. They keep it for themselves… That’s the most dangerous kind of thief.” — Alison Otto ([05:35])
• “Just because something isn’t in the FBI stolen art database doesn’t mean it isn’t stolen.” — Lou Schacter ([15:47]); echoed by David Van Aaker ([15:58])
• “That painting would have been the first thing they saw when they woke up and the last thing they saw before they fell asleep… it would have started to feel like a noose around my neck.” — Alison Otto ([24:41])
• “He fancied himself an artist. He never got the recognition that he felt he deserved. And so I think stealing these items… was also a way to stick it to the man.” — Alison Otto ([26:01])
• “I think Jerry, from his writings, was also somebody who wanted to outsmart people, wanted to get away with things… I suspect that he wouldn’t be at all disappointed to find out that these thefts have surfaced after his death because he would love the attention.” — Lou Schacter ([28:53])
• “Anyone that’s gonna steal a piece of art just to keep for themselves and deny everybody else the opportunity to enjoy this piece, that’s not a great person, you know?” — Alison Otto ([28:20])

Important Segments & Timestamps

• 00:14-02:54: The original 1985 de Kooning theft
• 03:10-03:55: Discovery of painting in Alters’ house
• 05:10-05:35: Alison Otto introduces "The Thief Collector"
• 06:49-08:22: Immediate recognition of the painting’s value in the antique store
• 09:14-10:44: David Van Aaker’s legal and personal fears after discovery
• 12:24: The emotional recovery of "Woman-Ochre"
• 15:04-17:52: Lou Schacter traces other possible stolen paintings
• 18:04-20:56: Tracing, recovery, and return of two other stolen paintings
• 21:31: Discussion of the Alters’ suspicious wealth
• 26:01-26:49: Literary clues to the Alters’ psychology
• 27:31: Search for a possible murder victim inspired by Jerry’s stories

Tone & Language

The episode skillfully alternates between investigative curiosity, dark humor, and psychological intrigue, maintaining an engaging and conversational tone throughout. The hosts and guests are deeply respectful of the mystery and psychological complexity of both the victims and the perpetrators, and they bring in their personal reactions and emotional reflections, which makes the story resonate on a human level.

Takeaways

The Alters’ story is a testament to the golden age of deception, where outward appearances can mask deep secrets, and the least likely suspects pull off the most audacious crimes. Their decades-long charade, the inexplicably hidden masterpieces, and their ties to further unsolved heists invite listeners to reconsider what they think they know about human motivations, and how easily secrets can hide behind an ordinary facade.

For listeners fascinated by true crime, art theft, and psychological puzzles, this episode is both a thrilling mystery and a subtle meditation on what drives people to become chameleons in their own lives.