A Clockwork Killing

Summary

Fear Thy Neighbor: Episode Summary – "A Clockwork Killing"

Introduction

In the gripping episode titled "A Clockwork Killing" from the podcast Fear Thy Neighbor, hosted by ID, listeners are taken on a harrowing journey through a seemingly ordinary neighborhood in Portage, Wisconsin. This episode uncovers the tragic unraveling of a neighborly friendship that spirals into a deadly feud, highlighting how minor disputes can escalate into life-altering nightmares.

Setting the Scene

Portage, Wisconsin, is portrayed as a quintessential small Midwestern town with a population of around 10,000. Known for its picturesque landscapes and tight-knit community, it provides the perfect backdrop for the unfolding drama. Journalist Jonathan Stefanik sets the stage with his insight:

Jonathan Stefanik [03:35]: "It's a small but very historical city. It was a railway town too, way back when."

Meet the Neighbors

At the heart of the story are Julie and Calvin Eldridge, a couple who have resided in the Portage Court Apartments for a decade. Their peaceful life is overshadowed by Calvin's health issues, which confine him to their ground-floor unit. Julie reflects on their harmonious existence:

Julie Eldridge [04:41]: "We get along well with our neighbors and you know, try to help each other."

Their tranquility is disrupted when Victor Reynolds moves into the vacant apartment directly above them in the spring of 2014. Victor, recently separated from his wife, seeks a fresh start. His friend, Pam Menning, paints a picture of Victor as a personable and hardworking handyman with a passion for collecting rare antique clocks:

Pam Menning [05:49]: "He was very proud of it. He was very much a people person. Victor Reynolds was very soft spoken. He could be the sweetest man that there was."

From Friendship to Feud

Initially, Calvin and Victor bond over shared interests, notably their love for football. This budding friendship provides Calvin, typically reserved due to his ailments, with a much-needed social outlet:

Calvin Eldridge [06:35]: "Hey, do you need a hand with that? Yeah, yeah, yeah, that'd be great."

However, the foundation of their friendship begins to crumble when Victor undertakes renovations in his apartment. The thin walls of the aging building mean that noise from Victor's projects—along with his loud music—quickly becomes a source of tension. Julie notes the disturbance:

Julie Eldridge [08:54]: "Living directly above us, we could hear everything. It was definitely loud enough to disturb us."

When Calvin addresses the noise issue, Victor's response marks the beginning of a relentless conflict. Calvin recounts the first confrontation:

Calvin Eldridge [09:29]: "Oh, yeah. Hey, Calvin, what's up, man?"

Victor Reynolds [09:39]: "I'm just building something."

Despite Calvin's polite requests to reduce the noise, Victor's attitude hardens, leading to mutual resentment.

Escalation of Tensions

The situation deteriorates further when Victor insists on holding Calvin's son accountable for littering, exacerbating the Eldridges' frustration. Defense attorney Robert Jambois provides perspective on Victor's behavior:

Robert Jambois [10:53]: "Victor Reynolds would yell down to Calvin's son, 'You gonna pick that up?' Like it's his responsibility to pick up any candy wrappers that are on the ground."

Victimization and retaliatory actions become recurrent themes. Every minor annoyance—be it door slamming or loud music—feeds into the escalating animosity. Police Captain Daniel Kerrigan comments on the pervasive tension:

Daniel Kerrigan [14:42]: "Well, I think in probably most apartment complexes, any door slamming is going to create some level of noise and some type of wall shake."

As both neighbors spend more time at home, the lack of personal space intensifies their conflict. Calvin's attempts to mediate are met with increasing hostility from Victor, culminating in frequent police involvements that offer no lasting resolution.

The Breaking Point

The relentless strain reaches its climax on May 17, 2018. After years of accumulated grievances, Calvin confronts Victor in a moment of desperation. The confrontation is violent and swift:

Calvin Eldridge [35:44]: "I just guess he snapped at that. He just come downstairs and charged. I feared for my life. I thought I was going to die."

During the altercation, Calvin fires a shot that tragically results in Victor's death. The aftermath is chaotic, with neighbors reacting in horror and disbelief. Julie expresses her anguish:

Julie Eldridge [38:59]: "I cried like a baby. I didn't want him to die. I just lost it. I didn't want to. I didn't want to live anymore."

Aftermath and Consequences

Calvin is charged with second-degree reckless homicide and recklessly endangering safety. The legal process is swift, and he serves just over 13 months after pleading guilty to a plea bargain offered by his attorney, Robert Jambois:

Robert Jambois [40:38]: "So then they came back with an offer of letting him plead to second degree, recklessly endangering safety. And so I took that offer to Calvin and frankly, I recommended against him. I said, I think you should take this case to trial."

Upon his release, Calvin returns to the Portage Court Apartments, but the scars of the incident linger. He grapples with public perception and personal guilt:

Calvin Eldridge [41:19]: "It's been fine. I've been getting along and everything. It's just, you know, when people look at you, they look at you different now because they think you've done something majorly wrong or something."

Victor's friend, Pam Menning, remains tormented by the loss of her friend and the devastation it has wrought:

Pam Menning [41:34]: "He's out walking around. He murdered somebody. I'm a firm believer that what goes wrong comes around and he will get his. And he has a higher above that he has to answer to. And I believe that. I hope Victor haunts him. I miss him every day, you know."

Reflections and Conclusions

"A Clockwork Killing" serves as a poignant reminder of how everyday disputes can escalate beyond control, leaving lasting impacts on individuals and communities. The episode delves deep into themes of friendship, resentment, and the tragic consequences of unresolved conflicts. As Calvin and Julie attempt to rebuild their lives, the memory of Victor's death remains a haunting presence, underscoring the fragility of neighborly relations.

Key Takeaways

• Minor Disputes Can Escalate: Small issues, if left unaddressed, can grow into significant conflicts with devastating outcomes.
• Communication Breakdown: Effective communication is crucial in resolving disagreements before they spiral out of control.
• Impact on Community: Such feuds don't just affect the individuals involved but also ripple through the entire community, altering perceptions and relationships.

Notable Quotes

• Julie Eldridge [21:29]: "We couldn't relax in our own home. It was horrible. We were basically living in hell."
• Robert Jambois [23:00]: "He was obnoxious. He was shouting obscenities to her. He would say repeatedly, he's a dead man. He's a dead man. I'm gonna fucking kill that guy."
• Calvin Eldridge [39:04]: "I cried like a baby. I didn't want him to die. I just lost it. I didn't want to. I didn't want to live anymore."
• Pam Menning [41:34]: "I miss him every day, you know."

Conclusion

"A Clockwork Killing" is a compelling episode that underscores the unpredictable nature of human relationships and the fine line between friendship and enmity. Through meticulous storytelling and first-hand accounts, Fear Thy Neighbor delivers a haunting narrative that resonates long after the final moment.

Transcript

[Marc Maron]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states. Support for this podcast and the following message is brought to you by E Trade from Morgan Stanley. With E Trade you can dive into the market with easy to use tools, Zoom, $0 commissions and a wide range of investments. And now there's even more to love. Get access to industry leading research and insights from Morgan Stanley to help guide your decisions. Open an account and get up to $1,000 or more with a qualifying deposit. Get started [e-mail] terms and other fees apply. Investing involves risks. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Member SIPIC E Trade is a business of Morgan.

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[Narrator]

Most violent crimes that capture the public's imagination are about serial killers, mass shooters, crimes of passion, or clashes among underworld figures. Yet some of the most shocking and deadly conflicts we encounter are between everyday neighbors in ordinary neighborhoods. These stories about people like you and me who just happen to move in beside each other and fall out over often minor and likely resolvable issues are stranger than fiction. Their seemingly minor quibbles escalate until violence erupts and it impacts an entire community. What makes a good neighbor go bad? We may never truly know, but heed this warning about the terrible things that can happen when even the pettiest disagreements pass the point of no return. And good neighbors become worst enemies. Because how can you sleep at night when the person you fear or hate the most lives right next door? This time, we'll be looking at a conflict between two neighbors who were initially friends. But it's not so long before the friendly relationship turns sour. And as resentment grows, a vicious and all consuming feud emerges. A feud that wraps snowballs and leads to a tragic and unpredictable end. We'll hear from those intimately familiar with the case, including the man who pulled the final trigger. This is Fear Thy Neighbor. A Clockwork Killing Portage, Wisconsin is one of those small Midwestern towns people dream about living in. It's quaint, picturesque and has a population of only around 10,000 people. It also has a lot of heart and a lot of history. Journalist Jonathan Stefanik knows the town well.

[Jonathan Stefanik]

It's a small but very historical city. It was a railway town too, way back when.

[Robert Jambois]

It's a nice place to raise a family, a nice place to live.

[Narrator]

That's defense attorney Robert Jambois. He was intricately involved in the case that shocked this tight knit community.

[Robert Jambois]

I think the people that live here genuinely like it and for good reason.

[Narrator]

Not far from the center of this pretty little town is the Portage Court Apartments. In a way, it's a community all its own, where everyone knows everyone. Being a small walk up, neighbors in the complex get to know each other fast. Whether they're passing each other in the halls or talking on the stoop. Tenants don't stay strangers here for long.

[Jonathan Stefanik]

It's just a regular apartment complex where working class people lived.

[Narrator]

Julie and Calvin Eldridge have lived here for 10 years in a spacious unit on the ground floor. So far it's been the perfect place to raise their two children, Lorraine and Charlie. Julie Eldredge knows how lucky she and her husband are to be living in this building.

[Julie Eldridge]

We get along well with our neighbors and you know, try to help each.

[Narrator]

Other in this sunny life they live. The only dark cloud is Calvin's health.

[Julie Eldridge]

He's had a double knee replacement done and like carpal tunnel on both wrists so he's unable to work.

[Narrator]

This means Calvin is home all the time. But this arrangement suits the Eldredges just fine. They're happy enough in each other's company.

[Julie Eldridge]

We as a couple like to keep ourselves pretty quiet and stay to ourselves and more like homebodies. Everything was quiet and we were comfortable and just living life day by day.

[Narrator]

While Julie and Calvin spend most days enjoying the quiet life they've built, they're completely unaware that everything is about to rapidly change. In the spring of 2014, someone new moves into the vacant one bedroom apartment directly above them. Victor Reynolds has recently separated from his wife and is looking for a fresh start. His close friend Pam Menning knows how thrilled Victor is to snag a unit in this coveted building.

[Pam Menning]

He was very proud of it. He was very much a people person. Victor Reynolds was very soft spoken. He could be the sweetest man that there was.

[Narrator]

Victor is a rugged Handyman in his 40s. He's a hard working guy with a soft side he lets few people see. But Pam knows it well.

[Pam Menning]

Great personality, sense of humor and yeah, he drew people yes, he was easy at drawing people into him.

[Narrator]

And this is something Calvin is about to find out for himself. Even though Calvin keeps to himself, he's also often described as friendly and kind. So when he sees Victor unloading boxes from his truck, he rushes to help.

[Marc Maron]

Hey, do you need a hand with that? Yeah, yeah, yeah, that'd be great.

[Julie Eldridge]

We don't go around introducing ourselves to everyone, but, you know, if we do see new people, we say, hi, how you doing?

[Narrator]

When Calvin helps Victor take the last of the boxes up the stairs to his apartment, he gets a glimpse into Victor's life and discovers his rather surprising hobby.

[Marc Maron]

Oh, be careful with that, okay? It was my grandmother's.

[Narrator]

Victor collects, of all things, rare antique clocks.

[Pam Menning]

He probably had 25 clocks. He would go to garage sales. The more unique, the better. He had some beautiful clocks. Absolutely beautiful.

[Narrator]

But clocks aren't Victor's only passion. The sports paraphernalia he pulls out of his boxes reveals another obsession of his, One which Calvin shares.

[Marc Maron]

Hey, you a Packers fan? Oh, yeah. You bet I am.

[Narrator]

And with that, a friendship is born. The two men get together at Victor's to watch football and root for their favorite team. It's a great opportunity for the normally reclusive Calvin to get out of his apartment, even if it's only to walk one flight up to hang out with his new buddy.

[Jonathan Stefanik]

You know, ideally, we'd like to have a friendly neighborhood experience and that we know our neighbors and get to know them, and if not, be friends, you know, be casual acquaintances.

[Narrator]

But even with the best intentions, you can't always get what you want. As Victor begins to settle into his new life, he decides to fix up his apartment. And being a handyman, he's looking forward to doing the work himself.

[Pam Menning]

He loved building with his hands. Many of his homes have has been in magazines. He could build a car. He built an addition on our home, so he was very jack of all trades.

[Narrator]

But in this old building where the walls are thin, the slightest sound can carry. And for Pam and Calvin, whose bedroom is directly below the room Victor is working on, that's a problem.

[Pam Menning]

Victor liked loud music. He liked headbanging music.

[Julie Eldridge]

Living directly above us, we could hear everything. It was definitely loud enough to disturb us.

[Narrator]

But maybe Victor doesn't know that. After all, he's new to the building. Maybe he just doesn't understand how the sound permeates the walls between the units. So Calvin decides to get out of bed and plod up the stairs to talk to his new friend.

[Marc Maron]

Oh, yeah. Hey, Calvin, what's up, man?

[Julie Eldridge]

My husband joked with him about, you know, hey, keep the noise down.

[Marc Maron]

This is a really quiet building. The walls are kind of thin.

[Jonathan Stefanik]

I'm just building something.

[Marc Maron]

But I mean, it won't be like.

[Narrator]

That all the time, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Marc Maron]

It's the music mostly. Listen, Calvin, buddy, I just divorced my wife. The last thing I need is another.

[Narrator]

One telling me what to do, you know what I mean?

[Pam Menning]

He just really wanted to enjoy his freedom.

[Marc Maron]

We all have to live here, right?

[Narrator]

Upset that he's just been told to quiet down, but still wanting to appease his new neighbor and friend, Victor agrees to Calvin's terms. After all, Calvin did ask nicely. And good neighbors respect each other and the property they share. It's an especially important trait when you live in a tight knit apartment like this one, where you share common spaces with everyone. Hallways, stairwells, the lobby. And of course, sometimes communal living like this comes with a host of annoyances. One of the reasons Victor moved to this building was because it is so clean. And one thing he can't stand is watching people litter. So when he believes one of the Eldredge's children leaves a candy wrapper on the ground, he jumps at the opportunity to tell the boy to pick it up. Defense attorney Robert Jambois tells us the Eldredge's side of the story.

[Robert Jambois]

Victor Reynolds would yell down to Calvin's son, you gonna pick that up? Like it's his responsibility to pick up any candy wrappers that are on the ground. I mean, who did Victor Reynolds think he is?

[Narrator]

When Calvin looks outside and sees Victor yelling at his son, he leaps into action. But Victor's close friend Pam maintains there are two sides to every Victor would.

[Pam Menning]

Never confront or yell at a child, a kid, a young adult. That's just not him. He may have said, why don't you pick that up?

[Narrator]

Either way, Victor isn't going to let the issue go. In fact, he's ready to kick things up a gear and does something that takes the Eldridges by surprise. He calls the police on their son, Charlie.

[Marc Maron]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states. Support for this podcast and the following message is brought to you by E Trade from Morgan Stanley. With E Trade, you can dive into the market with easy to use tools, $0 commissions and a wide range of investments. And now there's even more to love. Get access to industry leading research and insights from Morgan Stanley to help guide your decisions. Open an account and get up to $1,000 or more with a qualifying deposit. Get started [e-mail] terms and other fees apply. Investing involves risks. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Member SIPIC etrade is a business of Morgan Stanley work management platforms.

[Calvin Eldridge]

Ugh.

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[Jonathan Stefanik]

Police were called over a candy wrapper being thrown on the ground.

[Narrator]

No charges are laid, but the damage to Victor and Calvin's friendship is done. In fact, that friendship is over. And in its place, a violent and venomous feud is brewing. And with the two of them literally living on top of each other, small annoyances quickly turn into big problems. The stairwell between the two floors acts like an echo chamber between the two units. So every time one of them closes a door, the other one hears it. Here's Daniel Kerrigan, captain at the Portage Police Department, to explain.

[Daniel Kerrigan]

Well, I think in probably most apartment complexes, any door slamming is going to create some level of noise and some type of wall shake.

[Narrator]

And every time that happens, Victor makes sure to let his downstairs neighbors know how he feels by stomping on the floor of his apartment. Watch it.

[Marc Maron]

What is this guy's problem?

[Daniel Kerrigan]

It had gotten to the point where trying to communicate with one another wasn't working.

[Narrator]

And what makes things worse for everyone is that both men are home most of the time. Like all communities, the Portage Court complex has its routines. Every morning the building empties out as people head to work. But not Calvin. Because of his bad knees and other ailments, he's housebound. And Victor is also spending a lot of time at home fixing up his new unit. It is a recipe for disaster, especially when Victor cranks his tunes.

[Julie Eldridge]

He would play it loud, loud enough where I think he knew we could hear it.

[Narrator]

And since no one else is home during the day, Calvin believes Victor is blasting his speakers just to annoy him. Once again, he walks up the flight of stairs to talk to his neighbor. But he's not as polite as he was the first time.

[Marc Maron]

Please, do you mind? Mind what? You need to turn the music down.

[Narrator]

Victor is pushed over the edge and slams the door in his face. Calvin doesn't realize he's playing with fire and has unknowingly made the situation much worse.

[Pam Menning]

You never told Victor what to do. You would be better to suggest him to do something and you'd get a lot further. He would become quite obstinate if he was told what to do.

[Narrator]

The more Calvin complains, the louder the music gets. This time there's no denying Victor is doing it just to annoy Calvin. Here's defense attorney Robert Jamboise.

[Robert Jambois]

He wouldn't turn his music down. You complain he'd turn it up.

[Pam Menning]

During the day, you should be able to do what you want. To a point.

[Narrator]

The non stop music and pounding has become unbearable for Calvin.

[Pam Menning]

Calvin would bang on the ceiling. I think he had a right to be irritated. Could he have toned it down a little bit?

[Julie Eldridge]

Maybe after a while it became. Yeah, like on purpose. Like he just didn't care.

[Narrator]

So Calvin calls the police. After all, that's what Victor did.

[Daniel Kerrigan]

He called law enforcement. An officer went to address the matter. Victor very much did not appreciate law enforcement. He would be very argumentative with the officers.

[Narrator]

Despite his issues with law enforcement, Victor complies that night and the quietness of the building is restored. But there is no peace. Calvin knows he's deeply upset Victor and is filled with anxiety, on edge about what Victor might be thinking just one floor above him.

[Julie Eldridge]

Imagine not being able to relax in your own home.

[Narrator]

At the end of the day, the tension in the air seems to dissipate just enough for Calvin to get to sleep. But it's not for long. Remember all those clocks? Victor Collects. He's finally gotten them all hung on the walls. And all perfectly in sync.

[Pam Menning]

None of Victor's clocks were quiet. They all chimed. A lot of them chimed every 15 minutes on the hour all night long.

[Narrator]

Victor finds the chime soothing. But for Calvin, who's already on edge and trying to sleep downstairs.

[Marc Maron]

What the hell is that?

[Narrator]

It's pure torture. Shut up. For Calvin and Julie, Victor's arrival has destroyed their quiet little paradise. The neighbor upstairs has filled their lives with misery.

[Julie Eldridge]

You know, you pay rent, you should be entitled to your privacy and you know, respectable quiet time.

[Narrator]

But Victor is just trying to carve out a life for himself too. He's not looking for trouble. He's just being himself. And he sees no reason to change. Here's journalist Jonathan Stefanik.

[Jonathan Stefanik]

They're very different people. Living in close proximity, the two seem very determined to be at odds with one another.

[Narrator]

It doesn't help that Victor is a very social guy. True, he no longer invites Calvin upstairs to watch football, but he has plenty of other friends to invite over.

[Julie Eldridge]

He would have people in and out quite frequently. It was just more noise.

[Narrator]

Come on.

[Marc Maron]

Come on.

[Unknown Advertiser]

Yes.

[Julie Eldridge]

Yes.

[Narrator]

Go down.

[Julie Eldridge]

Right on.

[Narrator]

Touchdown, baby. Yeah. Hackers. Yes. That's how it's done.

[Marc Maron]

Woo.

[Narrator]

All right. The sounds of echo through the stairwell and through the floorboards directly into the Eldridges apartment. Calvin just can't take it anymore and decides to pay his neighbor a visit. He's not as big and strong as Victor. In fact, by comparison, he's somewhat meek and passive. But he's determined to confront his neighbor. Victor doesn't even give him the chance. Captain Garrigan accepted what happened next.

[Daniel Kerrigan]

Victor is essentially in a name calling rage.

[Unknown Advertiser]

Just because you got no life, no.

[Narrator]

Friends, no job, no nothing.

[Marc Maron]

Then go back to your home.

[Narrator]

The argument draws neighbors out of their apartments who open the door to see Calvin cowering before Victor's rage. Victor humiliates Calvin in front of his friends, in front of all their neighbors, and in front of Calvin's children who have come upstairs to see what's going on. Dad and Calvin is not about to let that happen again. The longer Calvin and Julie live underneath Victor, the more unbearable he becomes as a neighbor. The latest hallway dispute has made the apartment complex inhospitable for Calvin and Julie. Here's Julie to explain.

[Julie Eldridge]

We couldn't relax in our own home. It was horrible. We were basically living in hell.

[Narrator]

At this point, Victor's friend Pam, who has only ever known Victor to be respectful and affable, tries her best to comprehend the Situation.

[Pam Menning]

They were two totally different people. Totally different people. They only had a few inches of floor between them. Nobody should have to put up with this situation.

[Narrator]

The Eldredges decide they aren't going to anymore, so they take steps to have someone else resolve the crisis for them.

[Julie Eldridge]

Victor's behavior was very unpredictable and scary. I would not feel comfortable confronting him about anything. We thought going to the apartment manager.

[Narrator]

Would be a solution, but it doesn't make things easier for anyone.

[Marc Maron]

Are you serious?

[Narrator]

When the building manager talks to him, Victor takes it as an assault in his rights as a tenant. Besides, technically, he's not doing anything wrong.

[Marc Maron]

Have you heard anybody else in the building complain? No, just that jerk downstairs.

[Narrator]

That jerk can hear everything through the walls of his apartment, and his anxiety is growing.

[Marc Maron]

I don't play my music when it's dark. I don't make any noise after hours.

[Narrator]

I haven't done anything wrong. And I'm just supposed to listen to.

[Unknown Advertiser]

Whatever that jerk says?

[Narrator]

As defense attorney Robert Jambois explains, Victor is one man who cannot handle being pushed to the edge and takes any opportunity he can to lash out at his neighbors.

[Robert Jambois]

He was obnoxious. He was shouting obscenities to her. He would say repeatedly, he's a dead man. He's a dead man. I'm gonna fucking kill that guy. He's a dead man.

[Narrator]

Calvin's wife Julie, is horrified.

[Julie Eldridge]

I just don't know how he could say such things. And when I heard about these death threats against my husband, I was really upset by it, because once you say something like that, you really can't take it back.

[Narrator]

But Victor's friend Pam finds it hard to believe.

[Pam Menning]

I cannot believe, knowing Victor as long as I have, that he would actually call somebody up and say, I'm going to kill him.

[Narrator]

Calvin and Julie are connected, convinced Victor will make good on his threat. They are terrified. And there's more at stake than just the two of them. They are also worried for their children.

[Julie Eldridge]

It makes me feel very upset because you can threaten my husband all you want, you know, he's a grown person. But my son, that's my flesh and blood, you know.

[Narrator]

Calvin decides he has to take steps to defend not only himself, but but his entire family. So he arms himself. Calvin has a license to carry a firearm, so now he regularly carries a gun with him.

[Robert Jambois]

Well, if I live next to a guy like Victor Reynolds, I would buy a gun myself.

[Narrator]

According to Pam, the new acquisition changes Calvin's entire demeanor. He's not the quiet, reserved person he's always Been anymore. Now he makes sure Victor knows he's armed.

[Pam Menning]

All of a sudden, Kelvin Eldredge came across as a very nasty, macho, mean person. Eye contact was always really just glaring at Victor. Intimidating. Very intimidating.

[Narrator]

The animosity between the two men is palpable, and their proximity makes it so much worse. Once again, they are literally living on top of each other. Every time Calvin closes the door to his apartment, every time Victor walks across the floor of his, every little sound is a constant reminder that their enemy lives only a few feet away. How can you avoid someone when you have to squeeze by them in the lobby just to get home?

[Daniel Kerrigan]

It had just gotten amped up so high between the two of them that even if someone is going up the stairs, normally you've gotten to a point where you're so fed up with that individual that now you believe that they're purposely slamming their feet on the every.

[Narrator]

Step day after day. Each little sound escalates the mounting animosity between the two. Until one night, while Pam is in Victor's kitchen, a bullet pierces the floor of the apartment, Shooting upwards from the unit below. It narrowly misses both Pam and Victor by just inches.

[Jonathan Stefanik]

He apparently shot a hole through a floor.

[Pam Menning]

If Victor would have been standing at the wrong place at the wrong time, he would have gotten him then.

[Narrator]

Victor believes Calvin tried to kill him by firing his gun into the ceiling of his apartment. He calls the police, but Calvin insists it was an accident.

[Julie Eldridge]

From what Calvin told me, it went off unexpectedly.

[Pam Menning]

They let Calvin off with a polite warning. I think it opened our eyes up to what Calvin was capable of and just how serious he was. And he got away with.

[Narrator]

Feels as though the tables have turned. Where once Calvin was living in fear of Victor, now Victor is afraid of what Calvin will do next.

[Pam Menning]

I would think that you would be living in semi fear, Just the not knowing of what's going to set him off. He was pushing Victor's buttons.

[Narrator]

He knew that the tension is taking a toll on both sides.

[Julie Eldridge]

Sometimes it just seemed like it would never end. You know, like on and on and on. I did not feel comfortable at all.

[Narrator]

But then fate offers a solution to their problem. The building manager may have found a way to end the feud or at least put some distance between them. Journalist Jonathan Stefanik explains.

[Jonathan Stefanik]

There was another apartment on offer that one of them could move to, and then they wouldn't have to live directly above and below each other. It would seem seem like an ideal solution.

[Narrator]

But in this bitter standoff, there's no compromise.

[Jonathan Stefanik]

Calvin evidently did not take the offer in parts because he said that he'd been there longer.

[Narrator]

And Victor isn't going to be the one to back away either. After all, he's spent so much time renovating the place, he was offered the.

[Robert Jambois]

Opportunity to move across the complex to a larger apartment, a nicer apartment. Victor turned that down flat.

[Jonathan Stefanik]

There is intense animosity between these two guys, and you're essentially asking one of them to concede and move while the other would get to stay and probably feel like the winner of the situation.

[Pam Menning]

And they both absolutely refused to move. Neither of them, Kelvin or Victor, would budge.

[Daniel Kerrigan]

I think they were each waiting for the other to cross the line and trying to provoke the other one to do something stupid.

[Narrator]

That's Captain Daniel Kerrigan of the Portage Police Department again.

[Daniel Kerrigan]

And that was gonna be like, I'm the winner in this. I'm gonna win.

[Narrator]

So the two men remain in place, seething in anger, with just a few inches of drywall and flooring between them. On May 17, 2018, after four years of escalating hostility, the stage is set for the final conflict Everyone has been dreading.

[Marc Maron]

Support for this podcast and the following message is brought to you by E Trade from Morgan Stanley. With E Trade, you can dive into the market with easy to use tools, $0 commissions and a wide range of investments. And now there's even more to love. Get access to industry leading research and insights from Morgan Stanley to help guide your decisions. Open an account and get up to $1,000 or more with a qualifying deposit. Get started [e-mail] terms and other fees apply. Investing involves Risks Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Member SIPIC E Trade is a business of Morgan Stanley work management platforms.

[Calvin Eldridge]

Ugh.

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[Julie Eldridge]

It was a normal day for me. I was at work and I come home between 2 and 2:30.

[Narrator]

As Julie enters the apartment building, she sees signs of trouble. Yes.

[Julie Eldridge]

Yes.

[Marc Maron]

Yes. Come on.

[Narrator]

Calvin is at home with his daughter. Julie can see how the situation has become excruciating for her husband. Every time Victor and his friends cheer or stamp their feet on the floor in victory, it creates more misery for Calvin. Sitting in the apartment below them, Julie watches as her husband's anger continues to seize simmer until it finally boils over.

[Pam Menning]

By that time, I think they both just hated each other. And they were bound to determine one way or the other that it was going to end.

[Narrator]

Calvin storms up the stairs to Victor's apartment and bangs on the door. He does not have his gun with him. When the door opens, he's met with a barrage of hostilities from Victor.

[Daniel Kerrigan]

Victor was far more aggressive. He was far more boisterous and loud.

[Narrator]

Calvin is no match for Victor, who is surrounded by his friends. So he backs away.

[Robert Jambois]

Even after Calvin had asked Victor to turn it down, what did Victor do? He turned the music up. He made it louder and louder and louder.

[Narrator]

Calvin is reaching his breaking point, but he has other things to think about. Today, in an attempt to get his mind off the conflict, Julie asks her husband to help with their other child.

[Julie Eldridge]

I'd asked my husband to go pick.

[Narrator]

Up my son, but given how belligerent Victor is, Calvin isn't going to leave his house unarmed again. Before he leaves, he grabs his gun and legally he has every right to do so.

[Daniel Kerrigan]

He had a state of Wisconsin carry and conceal license which allowed him to carry the firearm.

[Narrator]

Calvin also reaches for a spare magazine and puts it in his clip. Before leaving the apartment, Calvin opens the door of his unit and then still shaking with anger and fear, he slams the door behind him. Hard. Too hard. So hard it shakes the wall of his apartment and Victor's apartment. One of Victor's prized antique clocks is rattled so hard it falls off the wall and so smashes to the ground. Pam believes Calvin did this on purpose.

[Pam Menning]

And by him slamming the door, he knew exactly what it was doing to Victor's clocks.

[Narrator]

It's the final straw for Victor.

[Pam Menning]

Calvin had pushed him to his limit. Where Victor at that time, his adrenaline must have just been so over that he wasn't thinking Calvin had pushed him that far. I think he just was in a state of mind that he was going to do whatever it took to end this.

[Julie Eldridge]

I saw him come up behind him and then they just started fighting.

[Narrator]

It's a violent fight. And the younger and stronger Victor clearly has the upper hand.

[Pam Menning]

I have never known him to be in a fight.

[Marc Maron]

Get over.

[Pam Menning]

Never. I just. I can't imagine how out of his mind he was to hit somebody that he knows had a gun.

[Daniel Kerrigan]

They are up against another one of the tenants doors. She's on with 911.

[Narrator]

This is the actual 911 call a neighbor made during the fight. You can hear the two men struggle in the background. Columbia County 911. Hey.

[Pam Menning]

We needed to see how disturbance.

[Unknown Advertiser]

Any available Portage units, I have a.

[Pam Menning]

DC in progress at 2842 Village Road.

[Narrator]

Julie Eldridge runs out of their unit and sees Victor overpower her husband.

[Julie Eldridge]

I didn't know what to do. I just kept shouting for them to stop. Just let him go.

[Narrator]

Inside the Eldridge apartment, Calvin's terrified daughter also calls 911 for help. This is the call she made.

[Marc Maron]

Call me.

[Narrator]

County 9 11. Come on.

[Unknown Advertiser]

Hello? There's a fight going on in my apartment complex.

[Jonathan Stefanik]

How many people?

[Unknown Advertiser]

My dad and one of our neighbors. We need help now.

[Narrator]

And now Calvin Eldridge himself tells us what happened next.

[Calvin Eldridge]

I just guess he snapped at that. He just come downstairs and charged. I feared for my life. I thought I was going to die. He was strong. He just threw me around like I was a little ragnarok. I just couldn't get away from him. I was scared. I didn't know what was going on, what was happening. And he just kept coming and coming.

[Daniel Kerrigan]

Calvin says that he feels Victor going for the gun.

[Calvin Eldridge]

He grabbed my extra clip out of my holster and he was hitting me in the head and was cutting my head open.

[Daniel Kerrigan]

So Calvin then gets the gun out of the holster.

[Calvin Eldridge]

I hit him in the head a couple times with the gun and it didn't stop and act like it didn't even phase him, like it never hurt him or anything. It just. He was like, I don't know, like a madman, still choking me. And then that's when I heard the pop.

[Narrator]

Victor has been shot in the leg.

[Julie Eldridge]

I heard the gun go off, but it didn't really click that it actually happened. I knew something had happened, but I was just more afraid of. Just afraid of losing my husband.

[Daniel Kerrigan]

He knows that he pulled the trigger on his gun. He sees that Victor is bleeding. Victor's yelling at him still.

[Julie Eldridge]

And I told my husband, I said, get in the house. And he just was really exhausted, sweating and traumatized.

[Narrator]

Police arrive on the scene and rush in to find Victor alone in the hallway, screaming in agony and rage.

[Daniel Kerrigan]

Victor was vocal and yelling and swearing. He was lying against the wall on the floor in the hallway. He was clearly bleeding. There was blood on the floor, blood on him.

[Narrator]

Meanwhile, Calvin gets ready to. To face the music.

[Robert Jambois]

The police came into Calvin's apartment and found Calvin laying on the floor with a gun next to him.

[Narrator]

Here's attorney Robert Jambois describing the scene of Calvin's arrest.

[Robert Jambois]

He was put up, no struggle at all.

[Calvin Eldridge]

Last time I remember is the police was on me, putting handcuffs on me.

[Daniel Kerrigan]

Calvin was then officially taken into custody for charges of recklessly endangering safety and taken to the Columbia county jail.

[Narrator]

Any additional charges? Hang on. What happens to Victor? He's rushed to the hospital for surgery. But what first appears to be a minor leg wound turns out to be something much more serious. The bullet hit an artery. He has lost too much blood. A few hours later, Victor Reynolds dies. His friends and family are shocked.

[Pam Menning]

I got a call at 5 o' clock in the morning from Victor's little sister and she's just screaming. She said, victor's dead and he was shot. I knew it was Kelvin without anybody ever telling me. I knew it was Kelvin. I was crushed. I couldn't believe it because he was my go to person. I had a hard time.

[Narrator]

When Calvin is told of Victor's death, he cannot believe how things turned out.

[Calvin Eldridge]

I cried like a baby. I didn't want him to die. I just lost it. I didn't want to. I didn't want to live anymore.

[Narrator]

After shooting and killing his neighbor, Calvin Eldredge is charged with second degree reckless homicide and recklessly endangering safety. He can't afford to post bail, so must remain in prison awaiting trial.

[Calvin Eldridge]

For what? For protecting myself. And it was not right. I was upset, sad. I just couldn't believe they were trying to charge me for murder, for protecting my own self.

[Julie Eldridge]

Murder? No. My husband never intended for this to happen. He fought his hardest to get Victor off of him. He didn't want to be in the fight at all. He didn't want it to go that far.

[Narrator]

Calvin pleads self defense. To some, it doesn't seem that simple. Carrying a gun for your own protection is one thing. But prosecutors question why Calvin also decided to pack an extra clip.

[Jonathan Stefanik]

People have different reasons, good and bad, for how they carry weapons. But one clear takeaway is that if you're carrying a gun plus a magazine, that means that you have it in your mind that not only are you going to fire the 16 rounds that are in the gun, but that you're going to pull that out and put in another magazine with another 16 bullets and fire all of those too.

[Narrator]

While he sits in jail awaiting trial, his attorney is offered to plea bargain.

[Robert Jambois]

So then they came back with an offer of letting him plead to second degree, recklessly endangering safety. And so I took that offer to Calvin and frankly, I recommended against him. I said, I think you should take this case to trial.

[Narrator]

But Calvin doesn't want to risk it. After pleading guilty to recklessly endangering safety, Calvin serves just over 13 months. Calvin returns home to the Portage Court apartments where he and his family still live. But things will never be the same. The memories of what happened in those halls still haunt everyone. Calvin will have to spend the rest of his life reckoning with his actions.

[Calvin Eldridge]

It's been fine. I've been getting along and everything. It's just, you know, when people look at you, they look at you different now because they think you've done something majorly wrong or something.

[Narrator]

And Pam will have to get used to a life without her close friend Victor.

[Pam Menning]

He's out walking around. He murdered somebody. I'm a firm believer that what goes wrong comes around and he will get his. And he has a higher above that he has to answer to. And I believe that. I hope Victor haunts him. I miss him every day, you know.

[Calvin Eldridge]

I wish he was still here. You know, I wish we could have been friends. To this day, I still feel so. I'm guilty about what happened. I don't say it's his fault. I don't say it's my fault. It's both our faults.

[Narrator]

Fear Thy Neighbor is produced by Cream Productions in association with Fremantle Media for I D. Subscribe and take a moment to leave a five star review on Apple podcasts and watch Fear Thy Neighbor on ID and max.

[Marc Maron]

Support for this podcast and the following message is brought to you by E Trade from Morgan Stanley. With E Trade you can dive into the market with easy to use tools, $0 commissions and a wide range of investments. And now there's even more to love. Get access to industry leading research and insights from Morgan Stanley to help guide your decisions. Open an account and get up to $1,000 or more with a qualifying deposit. Get started [e-mail] terms and other fees apply. Investing involves risks. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Member SIPIC E Trade is a business of Morgan Stanley hey, it's Marc Maron from WTF here to let you know that this podcast is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. And I'm sure the reason you're listening to this podcast right now is because you chose it well. Choose Progressives Name your price tool and you could find insurance options that fit your budget so you can pick the best one for your situation. Who doesn't like choice? Try [e-mail] and now some legal info. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states.

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[Narrator]

Acast Powers the world's best podcasts. Here's a show that we recommend. Hey guys.

[Marc Maron]

Welcome to Giggly Squad.

[Narrator]

A place where we make fun of everything, but most importantly ourselves. I'm Paige desorbo. I'm Hannah Burner. Welcome to the Squad. Giggly Squad Square we started on Summerhouse when we were giggling during an inappropriate time. But of course we can't be managed. So we decided to start this podcast. To continue giggling. We will make fun of pop culture news. We're watching fashion trends pep talks where we give advice mental health moments and games and guests. Listen to Giggly Squad on Acast or wherever you get your podcasts. ACAST helps creators launch, grow, and monetize their podcasts everywhere. Acast.com.