Blizzard of Blood

Summary

Fear Thy Neighbor: Episode Summary – “Blizzard of Blood”

Release Date: December 2, 2024

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Introduction

“Blizzard of Blood,” an episode of the podcast Fear Thy Neighbor, delves into a harrowing true story of how minor disputes between neighbors can escalate into deadly confrontations. Set against the backdrop of a picturesque neighborhood in Biddeford, Maine, the episode explores the lives of Sue Stevens and her family, whose peaceful existence is shattered by their landlord, James Pack.

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Setting and Characters

Biddeford, Maine serves as the serene setting for this tragic tale. Sue Stevens, a single mother, relocates to Biddeford with her two sons, Derek (19) and Brayden (6), seeking a fresh start after a tumultuous breakup. The family finds an ideal apartment on Secokis Road, an upscale neighborhood known for its manicured lawns and friendly community.

Sue Stevens [04:36]: “Biddeford absolutely was a great place to grow up.”

Her son Derek is diligent and passionate about cars, working at a local car detailing plant. Brayden, the young child, embodies the innocence of the household. Jocelyn Welch, the mother of Derek’s girlfriend Olivia, provides additional perspective on the tight-knit community and the expectations placed upon the youth.

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Rental Agreement and Initial Relations

The initial interaction with the landlord, James Pack, seemed promising. A former successful mason and landscaper from Vermont, James presented himself as a hardworking and respectable individual.

Brent Curtis [08:33]: “James was a successful mason and landscaper. He was regarded as a hardworking, humble man. He lived the American dream.”

Despite some reservations about the apartment’s size, Sue decides to proceed with the rental agreement, prioritizing affordability and Derek’s enthusiasm for the two-car garage.

Sue Stevens [07:57]: “We'll take it. Yeah. Yeah.”

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Escalating Tensions Over Parking

Shortly after moving in, tensions begin to surface. James enforces strict parking rules, leading to conflicts when Olivia Welch’s car occasionally occupies the driveway, despite the property’s ample space.

Jocelyn Welch [05:17]: “Really nice neighborhoods, kind of cookie cutter houses. It's a community where everybody plays and everybody goes to church on Sunday.”

Brent Curtis [11:20]: “Whose car is this? That’s the rule.”

These minor disagreements quickly deteriorate into more significant disputes, with James exhibiting controlling behavior that strains the tenant-landlord relationship.

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Further Conflicts and Tensions

James’s obsessive enforcement of the parking rules extends beyond mere inconvenience, reflecting his need for control and his declining temperament since moving to Maine. His interactions become increasingly hostile, affecting not only Sue and her sons but also the broader community.

Brent Curtis [13:00]: “James was used to being in control of everything in his life. His business, his house, his finances, his relationships.”

Sue Stevens [12:38]: “You can’t even shovel snow right. You do it properly.”

As winter approaches, the already fragile relationship becomes more volatile. James’s dissatisfaction extends to other aspects of Sue’s household, leading to frequent altercations and a growing sense of surveillance over the Stevens family’s daily lives.

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Severe Winter and Climactic Confrontation

The situation reaches a boiling point during a severe blizzard on December 29, 2012. The relentless snowstorm exacerbates existing tensions, culminating in a tragic confrontation. James, fueled by alcohol and rage, confronts the Stevens family in their apartment, leading to a violent outbreak where he fatally shoots Sue, Derek, and Olivia.

Sue Stevens [29:15]: “What are you doing here? I'm going to shoot you.”

The confrontation is captured through Sue’s impassioned cell phone recording, highlighting the sudden and brutal escalation from verbal abuse to physical violence.

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Aftermath and Legal Proceedings

In the wake of the shootings, police respond promptly, apprehending James after a tense standoff. Despite his initial plea of insanity, James is ultimately convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, along with additional years for attempted murder.

Sue Stevens [44:20]: “He changed his plea to guilty about a week before... he got the max for everything.”

James’s actions leave an indelible mark on the community and the families affected, raising questions about the adequacy of law enforcement responses to domestic disputes and threats.

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Impact on Families and Community

The Stevens family and Olivia’s mother, Jocelyn Welch, grapple with immense grief and trauma following the loss. The community of Biddeford is left reeling from the senseless violence, forever altering the once-peaceful neighborhood dynamic.

Jocelyn Welch [46:33]: “Olivia was really a wonderful girl. I want people to remember her for that... I don't want this to happen to anybody else.”

Sue Stevens [46:57]: “I watch some of the things Brayden does and the way he talks, and it brings a smile to my face because I see Derek so much in him.”

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Reflections and Conclusions

“Blizzard of Blood” serves as a poignant reminder of how everyday conflicts can escalate beyond control, leading to irreversible consequences. The episode underscores the importance of addressing interpersonal tensions early and highlights the potential dangers of unchecked anger and authority.

Jocelyn Welch [45:57]: “The officer said, it's a civil matter. I'm sorry, you have no rights as a landlord... It's complete negligence on the police's part.”

Sue Stevens remains haunted by the tragedy, contemplating the “what-ifs” surrounding law enforcement’s handling of James’s threats. The community’s collective grief emphasizes the lasting impact such events have on individuals and their surroundings.

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Conclusion

“Blizzard of Blood” masterfully weaves personal narratives with broader societal issues, exposing the fragility of neighborly relations and the devastating potential of human conflict. Through Sue Stevens’s heartbreaking story, Fear Thy Neighbor invites listeners to reflect on the unseen tensions that may lie beneath the surface of seemingly tranquil communities.

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Notable Quotes:

• Sue Stevens [04:36]: “Biddeford absolutely was a great place to grow up.”

• Brent Curtis [08:33]: “James was a successful mason and landscaper. He was regarded as a hardworking, humble man. He lived the American dream.”

• Jocelyn Welch [05:17]: “Really nice neighborhoods, kind of cookie cutter houses. It's a community where everybody plays and everybody goes to church on Sunday.”

• Brent Curtis [13:00]: “James was used to being in control of everything in his life. His business, his house, his finances, his relationships.”

• Jocelyn Welch [46:33]: “Olivia was really a wonderful girl. I want people to remember her for that... I don't want this to happen to anybody else.”

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Fear Thy Neighbor is produced by Cream Productions in association with Freemantle Media for ID. To support the podcast and stay updated on more chilling neighborly tales, subscribe and leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or watch the series on ID and Max.

Transcript

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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? We're in a picturesque hamlet on the northeast coast of the country with a single mother and her two sons looking for a new home after her relationship came to an end. In a tight rental market, she finds an ideal apartment in an upscale area of town. It's a self contained unit attached to the landlord's home that's affordable and suitable for the family's needs. Initially, it's a great and mutually beneficial situation for both families. But as tensions begin to rise over minor issues, ill will grows as animosity is increasingly stoked and nothing works to turn the temperature down. Still, no one could imagine the unfathomable horror that will soon unfold during a winter blizzard, leaving victims dead and survivors lives forever shattered. This is fear thy neighbor. Blizzard of blood. Biddeford, Maine is a small coastal city filled with beautiful landscapes and charming family neighborhoods.

[Sue Stevens]

Biddeford is a pretty quiet town, a lot of friendly people, supportive community. I grew up there when I was younger. My whole family's pretty much grown up in Biddeford. So Biddeford absolutely was a great place to grow up.

[Narrator]

The voice you just heard belongs to Sue Stevens. She's a single mother who works as a customer service rep for a local manufacturing plant. She's also at the heart of our story. Having grown up steeped in the unique charm of Biddeford, Maine, it's unsurprising that sue finds it the perfect place to raise her two sons, 19 year old Derek and 6 year old Brayden. And it's not just sue that's charmed by the quaintness of the town.

[Jocelyn Welch]

Really nice neighborhoods, kind of cookie cutter houses. It's a community where everybody plays and everybody goes to church on Sunday.

[Narrator]

That's Jocelyn Welch. She's the mother of Olivia Derek, Steven's girlfriend. And when he's not spending time with Olivia, Derek spends most of his time working hard at a car detailing plant.

[Sue Stevens]

Derek is very easygoing, loving, caring, would do anything for anybody. He's a good kid and he's all about trucks and cars.

[Narrator]

The saga begins as sue and her boys are driving around Biddeford on the hunt for a place to rent after things went south with her partner, they have their sights set on the area that surrounds Secokis Road. An upscale neighborhood with no shortage of curb appeal. It's a promising new start after the recent shakeup of their family unit in 2012.

[Sue Stevens]

Early that spring, my boyfriend and I broke up. My son Derek and my son Brayden and I, we wanted our own place. So we started looking for an apartment.

[Jocelyn Welch]

The area of Secokus Road is a beautiful area. It's higher upscale homes, bigger homes, manicured lawns.

[Sue Stevens]

Derek happened to see a sign for the place that we got on Secaucus.

[Jocelyn Welch]

It was an old farmhouse that had been upkept beautifully. It was like a little duplex.

[Sue Stevens]

It was a two story. In between the garage and the main house was the apartment.

[Narrator]

Sue pulls over and she and her children knock on the door. They're greeted by one of the owners, Armit Pakistan. Armit's husband James isn't home at the moment, but Armit is more than happy to give the prospective tenants the tour.

[Sue Stevens]

Armit was very pleasant. She was just a warm, friendly lady. She just asked, you know, what I did for work. Asked a little bit about the kids and told us what the rent was. Here it is. It's perfect for a small family.

[Narrator]

Small is right. Susan isn't sure there's enough living space for the three of them. But car crazy son Derek is more focused on the home's two car garage.

[Sue Stevens]

It was a two car garage. Derek wanted it for auto detailing because he was very much into that. What do you think? It's a little bit small.

[Narrator]

Do you think we should keep looking?

[Sue Stevens]

No, I think we can make this work. There wasn't a lot of apartments to look at. It was affordable, it was nice and Derek wanted it. So if, you know, if he was happy, I was happy.

[Narrator]

We'll take it. Yeah. Yeah.

[Sue Stevens]

Okay.

[Narrator]

Just like that, the deal is sealed and everyone seems content. Sue returns the next day to sign the lease. And there to greet her is James Pack. James Pack came to America as a child and ended up achieving great things. Reporter Brent Curtis thoroughly covered the events that make up today's story. But even before the swirl of salacious headlines that followed in the wake of this case, Brent was familiar with James Pack. He once even wrote a profile about him and his success within the community.

[Brent Curtis]

When I met James, I was working for the Rutland Herald daily newspaper in Vermont. James was a successful mason and landscaper. He was regarded as a hardworking, humble man. He lived the American dream. He rose from rags to riches. He had the respect of everybody that knew him.

[Narrator]

And here's one of James friends from his time in Vermont, Brian Godnik. They stayed in touch after James left the state.

[Brent Curtis]

James worked in Vermont his entire life until he moved to Maine. About a year before he moved to Maine, he sold his business. They were looking forward to moving and starting in a new spot. They were looking forward to a new beginning.

[Narrator]

And now James new life in Maine includes a new family living in his property's extra unit.

[Brent Curtis]

This is the rental agreement.

[Sue Stevens]

Okay.

[Brent Curtis]

Only two adults in the unit, plus you little boy, and only two car in the driveway.

[Sue Stevens]

My first impressions of James was that he was nice, he was friendly. It's a really good feeling. When we signed the lease, having our own place and moving into a nice neighborhood. It was nice.

[Narrator]

But unfortunately, the warm welcome won't last long.

[Brent Curtis]

The most shocking part is how quickly it turned.

[Narrator]

Moving day comes and sue and her boys are excited to set up their new place. Yet when they arrive with their belongings in tow, they're met with an unsettling surprise.

[Sue Stevens]

When we were moving in, there were people actually still moving out. Apparently they waited till the last day. I don't know exactly what was going on with that, but you could tell there was tension and it wasn't really a comfortable situation to be around. I just assumed that maybe they needed to move and they weren't happy about it.

[Narrator]

James doesn't even acknowledge the vacating tenants as he welcomes sue in.

[Brent Curtis]

It's all yours.

[Sue Stevens]

Thank you.

[Brent Curtis]

You need help with bringing your stuff in?

[Sue Stevens]

Oh, that's okay. Thanks. We got it.

[Narrator]

The rest of the day is uneventful, and the family begins making the apartment their own. But it's not too long before sue gets her first taste of the trouble to come.

[Sue Stevens]

I took the next Monday off to get stuff unpacked and everything, and I was home by myself. James Pack just walked right in the door. So that kind of made me uneasy.

[Brent Curtis]

Most of us would be taken aback to have their landlord, any landlord, barge in on them, especially when they don't know that person very well.

[Narrator]

As the days go on, sue starts to notice James Pack's observant nature. Not wanting his over involvement to cloud the excitement she feels about the new home, sue tries her best to look past it. A few days later, James sees a strange vehicle parking in the driveway, and he's not impressed.

[Brent Curtis]

Whose car is this?

[Jocelyn Welch]

Only two car in the driveway.

[Brent Curtis]

That's the rule. James's attitude towards his tenants came more from having run A business for so many years. James and Armit seem to be holding their tenants to the same standard that they would an employee.

[Narrator]

The car in question belongs to Olivia Welch, Derek's girlfriend. Here's her mother, Jocelyn.

[Jocelyn Welch]

Olivia is my little pride and Joy. Olive Young, 18. She was taking college classes. She also worked two jobs. Just wonderful, wonderful hard working girl.

[Narrator]

But James doesn't care about their relationship. The only thing he seems to care about is that there are more cars in the driveway than he specified. It's the kind of thing that gets under James's skin. And he's eager to set a firm boundary with his new tenants.

[Brent Curtis]

You can't park here. It's not allowed.

[Sue Stevens]

Hold on, hold on.

[Jocelyn Welch]

You have to go park on street.

[Brent Curtis]

I don't care. You have to go now.

[Jocelyn Welch]

And it was a big driveway. There was absolutely no need for him to be so upset.

[Sue Stevens]

You go now. I'm sorry, I didn't know.

[Narrator]

I'll move my car.

But by enforcing this boundary with the Stevens family, James is overstepping other boundaries himself.

[Brent Curtis]

To say that his demeanor and his anger were exaggerated for the offense would be an understatement.

[Jocelyn Welch]

It amped up very quickly. He was just very angry.

[Narrator]

As the situation continues to escalate, Derek jumps to defend his girlfriend.

[Sue Stevens]

Hey, you can't freak out on her like that. These are rules.

[Brent Curtis]

You don't like it, move.

[Sue Stevens]

We really didn't understand that there was an issue because looking at where she parked, there was no issue.

[Brent Curtis]

It's not parking lot.

[Jocelyn Welch]

Only two cars.

[Sue Stevens]

Yeah, I got it. They're not ones to yell back or argue back. They would just ignore it and walk away.

[Brent Curtis]

James was used to being in control of everything in his life. His business, his house, his finances, his relationships.

[Narrator]

Friend Brian Godnik recalls the effect James move to Maine had on his temperament.

[Brent Curtis]

He was just so particular and he wanted everything done perfect. James life seemed different when he moved to Maine. He just didn't seem like he was as happy. He missed everybody in Vermont and all his friends. And he was somewhat, a little bit lonesome up there, but I think it was wearing on him a little bit.

[Sue Stevens]

Everything will be fine.

[Narrator]

Despite Armit's reassurances, James becomes fixated on the parking situation of the duplex. And it's not long before another showdown engulfs the driveway.

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[Sue Stevens]

Hey, prime members, you can listen to.

[Brent Curtis]

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[Sue Stevens]

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[Narrator]

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[Brent Curtis]

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[Sue Stevens]

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[Brent Curtis]

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[Narrator]

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[Sue Stevens]

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[Brent Curtis]

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[Narrator]

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[Brent Curtis]

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[Sue Stevens]

Derek would be messing with his truck daily. He would shine it up. He would wax it. He would wipe the tires when he got home. That was his baby. Derek would go out and James would kind of follow him around and complaint.

[Brent Curtis]

I'm sure Armit was embarrassed to some degree by her husband's behavior, but she wanted to support her husband, perhaps even if she didn't agree with him.

[Sue Stevens]

You can't tell me what I can and can't do. This is my home now. No, it's not.

[Brent Curtis]

This is my home. This is always my home.

[Sue Stevens]

We are not your guests. We are paying rent.

[Brent Curtis]

James believed that he should be treated with respect just because of who? And all Derek saw was a man who was expecting things that no one else would expect.

[Sue Stevens]

I would just tell Derek to ignore. Just ignore it. The best you can. There's not much else you can do. Next time he goes off on you, just walk away. Don't engage with him, Derek, we can't afford to look for another place to live.

[Narrator]

All right, yeah, I'll just walk away.

[Sue Stevens]

Promise?

[Narrator]

I promise.

In the wake of her husband's verbal outburst, Armit is quick to apologize for his behavior. Clearly embarrassed, she attempts to offer an explanation.

[Sue Stevens]

Armit is different from James because she was much more low keyed. She came over and she apologized. She says he just. How does she word it? He has too much time on his hands during the day.

[Narrator]

But despite her more laid back approach, it quickly becomes clear to sue that like her husband, Armit seems a bit too concerned with the personal lives of her tenants.

[Sue Stevens]

She was telling me that I should have Derek helping me pay and was kind of giving me motherly advice that I really didn't need.

[Narrator]

Sue and Derek are starting to feel like their every move is being monitored.

[Sue Stevens]

I felt micromanaged a lot and it made me feel like they were watching us a lot more than we really realized.

[Narrator]

And on the other side of that coin, James Pack feels his new tenants don't respect him or the rules of their rental agreement.

[Brent Curtis]

To have somebody who was living essentially under his own roof flaunting the rules of his house enraged him.

[Narrator]

And Olivia's frequent visits keep adding fuel to James fire.

[Brent Curtis]

He believed that Derek's girlfriend was in essence living there and ought to be paying extra rent for the privilege.

[Jocelyn Welch]

She stayed a few times overnight, but she was not living there.

[Brent Curtis]

You owe me more money.

[Sue Stevens]

She stay here. They wanted more money for Olivia being there and I'm like, why? Why would we need to. Hey, Morin.

[Narrator]

As tensions rise, sue decides to take her youngest son Brayden away for the weekend to relax. Meanwhile, Derek decides to unwind with Olivia and his stepbrother Dylan.

[Sue Stevens]

Dylan's a good kid. They were best friends. He would go camping with us a lot. He spent a lot of time at our house.

[Narrator]

But the fun and games are short lived as an eerie sensation washes over them.

[Brent Curtis]

Hey, Derek.

[Sue Stevens]

Pause the game a second. Derek's stepbrother thought he saw something outside the window. Derek said, are you sure? He says, yeah, there was somebody standing outside the window looking in. I knew. Armit worked nights and her husband's home all night.

[Brent Curtis]

They went to investigate and there was nobody there. Whether it was James, I can't say, but it's probably an even money situation.

[Sue Stevens]

Wait. Felt uneasy after that because we felt like we were being watched.

[Narrator]

By Monday morning, Sue and Brayden still haven't returned from their trip, which doesn't sit well with James.

[Sue Stevens]

I came back Monday morning and I had a voicemail on my phone. Hi, Sue.

[Narrator]

It's our mipac.

[Sue Stevens]

Derek is here and his girlfriend, and there's another boy here at the apartment. But you're not here. We don't really know what's going on. I was mad. I don't need to explain to her where I go for a weekend. Nothing was done wrong. Derek's old enough to stay home alone if he wants to. And if they want to have a boy, as they describe Dylan, sleep over, that's more than okay, too. It was pretty much confirmed when Armit told me that she knew a boy slept over there. The only way she knew that is somebody's looking in the window. I didn't feel comfortable with. So I always had the door locked at night.

[Narrator]

But even with the door locked and the blinds drawn, the Stevens family still feels vulnerable.

[Sue Stevens]

I had woken up to hearing what sounded like a door handle. I thought maybe it was my imagination. And Olivia mentioned that she heard the same thing, kind of just to have a feeling that somebody was watching.

[Narrator]

According to reporter Brent Curtis, sue and Derek are determined not to let James Pack make their lives miserable. But it's a constant challenge for sue.

[Brent Curtis]

And her son and Olivia. It seemed like every day there was a new episode, a new incident.

[Narrator]

James Pack seems determined to teach his tenants a lesson in the values of obedience and respect.

[Brent Curtis]

He never missed a day of work. He was probably one of the hardest working person that I ever knew. He would go through a lot of help. If the help couldn't do up to his expectations, then he would get rid of them. I can't imagine what it was like to live in those two households.

[Narrator]

Not even the approaching Christmas holiday season brings peace between the neighbors. If anything, the sight of Olivia's car in the driveway infuriates James Pack more than ever.

[Brent Curtis]

Why is your girlfriend's car here again? I'm using it.

[Sue Stevens]

Okay. Derek would use Olivia's car a lot. Once the snow was on the ground, Derek switch truck was very low to the ground, and he couldn't get through a lot of the snow. That doesn't matter.

[Brent Curtis]

Either you move it or I have it towed.

[Narrator]

Fine. I'm moving.

For Derek and Sue, James's ongoing obsession with the driveway is becoming increasingly unreasonable, especially when you consider that the driveway is longer than most and able to comfortably accommodate all three vehicles.

[Sue Stevens]

There was never more than three, and that's part of what I couldn't understand. Three cars in that driveway is not in anybody's way whatsoever. There was plenty of room.

[Narrator]

And James complaints don't end with the driveway. As Sue Stevens tells it, James feels entitled to criticize anything and everything about their lives. That bothers him, often to their faces.

[Sue Stevens]

There were times that he would tell Derek, you know, I feel bad for you having your mother like that. Then sometimes he'd tell Derek that he needed to do more to help his mother. A lot of things he said didn't make sense. He would get mad about random things. It was just bizarre.

[Narrator]

As the Christmas season is in full swing, Maine is covered with a thick blanket of snow from a particularly intense winter. The many snowstorms hammering the Biddeford area take a toll on James.

[Brent Curtis]

James was a senior citizen. I can only imagine how hard shoveling snow would be to do by himself.

[Sue Stevens]

I would just tell Derek to do, you know, if he asks you to do something and it's not out of the question, then just do it. You know, I didn't want to constantly have arguments. It's our responsibility, but it's also our walkway, and when we want to shovel it, that's when we should be shoveling it.

[Narrator]

The tension between landlords and tenants surges when sue withholds rent. It's a bold move, but one she deems necessary to protest increasingly untenable water problems in her home.

[Sue Stevens]

There were some issues in the apartment. Derek called me at work one day and asked who paid for the hot water and the water and the sewer. And I'm like, they do. Why? He says, because the water is not working. The water in the bathroom sank. You could only use hot water, so you couldn't use cold water to brush your teeth. If you ran the washing machine or the dishwasher while you were taking a shower, it would back up in the shower, which was disgusting. And we had mentioned those to them. Nothing ever got fixed. So we decided that until we got things resolved, we weren't going to pay December's rent.

[Narrator]

For sue, it's the last straw.

[Sue Stevens]

We had decided that we were going to move, but we wanted to wait until spring. We didn't want to move out in the winter.

[Brent Curtis]

James is not going to be happy about this.

[Narrator]

James wife Ahmed is not wrong. It seems anything the Stevens family does upsets James. But this latest dispute makes him see red.

[Brent Curtis]

James state of mind deteriorated rapidly. For Armit, it must have been like living with a powder keg.

[Narrator]

And it appears this powder keg is prepared to do whatever it takes to get his way.

[Brent Curtis]

James Owen Moore. Some of the people who knew him best didn't even know that James owned a firearm. There was a side of him that was resentful and violent.

[Sue Stevens]

He was going to snap at some point no matter what happened.

[Narrator]

Olivia's mother, Jocelyn Welch agrees that whatever James demons are, they're starting to get the better of him. And soon his demons will wreak irrevocable havoc.

[Jocelyn Welch]

He let his evil hatred fester and he created a situation that wasn't even there.

[Narrator]

After much consideration, Sue Stevens decides her best move is to wave the white flag on the rent issue with neighbor and landlord James Pack.

[Sue Stevens]

We just paid the rent to make peace because I don't want to hear the arguing and the yelling. I thought maybe if you could just get your money, you'll be quiet.

[Narrator]

But for James, efforts at reconciliation are proving to to be too little too late over time.

[Brent Curtis]

It was like water on a stone and it wore him down. But as far as stones go, it did not take very long to wear him down.

[Narrator]

Soon another snowstorm hits and the pile up in the driveway sends James over the edge. Armit can sense her husband is nearing the end of his rope, so she makes one last attempt to keep the peace.

[Sue Stevens]

They called one time because of the snow and yes, the kids should have gotten up and moved the cars so he could plow. So I did call Derek. I had him go move the cars. This can't go on.

[Brent Curtis]

I want him out.

[Sue Stevens]

Let's have a meeting with them. Okay? Give him one more chance. Let me write her a note.

[Brent Curtis]

Dharmot offered to bring the two sides together and try to extend an olive branch.

[Sue Stevens]

On the day of the tour, 28th of December, they had left a note on the door saying we had to have a mandatory meeting for the next morning with Olivia, Derrick and I.

[Narrator]

Unfortunately, it's a busy time of year and understandably, sue and her family can't make the last minute meeting.

[Sue Stevens]

I had plans with Brayden. Derek and Olivia both had to work.

[Narrator]

The Stevens family doesn't realize it yet, but missing James meeting will have dire consequences.

[Brent Curtis]

If the meeting between the landlords and the tenants had taken place, maybe everything would have worked out.

[Sue Stevens]

So when I left the next morning, I left a note on the door letting them know that we've already made plans. And that's what I think started the whole train of events from that day.

[Narrator]

It's now December 29, 2012, and the winter weather remains relentless. Here's Jocelyn Welch.

[Jocelyn Welch]

On this particular night, it was blustery snowstorm the plows could barely keep up with the snow that night.

[Sue Stevens]

I got home with braid, and we brought the groceries in. Olivia got home after us.

[Narrator]

I know Mr. Pack doesn't like me parking here, but there's too much snow on the street.

[Sue Stevens]

And I don't want to get towed.

[Brent Curtis]

The town of Biddeford has an ordinance against curbside parking during snowstorms to allow for plowing.

[Sue Stevens]

There was a parking ban, and I told her to park behind me. There was no reason for her not to. Don't worry. It's fine.

[Narrator]

Derek will be home soon, but it's not fine. When James sees Olivia's car in the driveway, in defiance of his repeated orders, he loses it. Derek's arrival soon after only intensifies his neighbor's anger.

[Jocelyn Welch]

Derek was shoveling a path around their door. Of course, James came out just screaming in his face.

[Sue Stevens]

You can't even sell a snow right. You do it properly. We were sitting in the living room and we could hear arguing outside. We heard raised voices. I told Olivia to take Brayden into the bedroom so that Brayden didn't hear any of it.

[Narrator]

Sue then puts on a jacket and goes outside to find James berating her son, as he's so often done before.

[Sue Stevens]

It was so off the wall, somebody acting like that. So I videoed it.

[Narrator]

What follows is the actual audio from Sue's cell phone recording of her landlord berating her son. James is drunk, and his incoherent babbling can be heard throughout the call.

[Sue Stevens]

Excuse me. That is sick.

[Brent Curtis]

He seems out of control. James level of inebriation that night had to have been a factor. I mean, how could it not?

[Sue Stevens]

You steal it, don't pay rent. You have your rent, and you've had.

[Jocelyn Welch]

Your rent every month, 16, 18 days.

[Sue Stevens]

Of late, you pay. You have had your rent.

[Brent Curtis]

You know what?

[Sue Stevens]

You are the police. You are animal. You like animals, like you don't know any better. You think stealing from old people. We have not stole. What have we stole from you?

[Jocelyn Welch]

It escalated. It escalated very quickly. So Derek did the right thing. He called the police.

[Narrator]

An officer soon makes his way through the inclement weather and arrives at the scene. He speaks with Derek first. Once again, what follows is the actual audio between Sue's son and law enforcement.

[Sue Stevens]

What's going on? I was out here shoveling the walk away, and he come out screaming at me.

[Brent Curtis]

And then he got directly in my.

[Sue Stevens]

Face, said, hit me. I said, I'm not hitting you.

[Brent Curtis]

I'm not going to jail for this.

[Sue Stevens]

We showed him the videos on the phones told him what happened.

[Jocelyn Welch]

A 19 year old boy, head of the household with a 6 year old child and his mother. Of course he said, no, I'm not afraid. He was afraid.

[Narrator]

Once he's finished advising Derek to disengage, he turns to James for his side of the story.

[Brent Curtis]

James drank upwards of. I believe it was 12 beverages that day. That's a shocking amount of alcohol for anybody to drink.

[Narrator]

This is more of the real audio between the officer and James.

[Sue Stevens]

Two car pockets.

[Brent Curtis]

I got three car.

[Sue Stevens]

I can't do a thing about it.

[Brent Curtis]

The police told James that he needed to use the law and the courts to resolve his dispute with his tenants.

[Narrator]

But James responds with a bone chilling and foreboding message.

[Sue Stevens]

You're gonna see me in the newspaper. I had a gun, I shoot a bat. You can't threaten to physically hurt him. You can't threaten to shoot him. Offended, he come to me running, man, I'd have to shoot you.

[Brent Curtis]

Yeah, but you can't tell him that.

[Sue Stevens]

You can't threaten him that way.

[Brent Curtis]

James repeatedly told the police that he wanted to shoot his tenants. I can offer it.

[Sue Stevens]

I should never. You do have a lot to lose, sir. You have this house, you have your wife, you have your vehicles. Just ignore them. Don't let it get to you.

[Narrator]

It's a loaded and terrifying threat from a man with anger issues. But unfortunately, the police brush it off as a standard landlord tenant dispute.

[Jocelyn Welch]

The officer leaves James telling Sue nothing of the death threats. All he says is, you should keep your distance from him. Tonight.

[Sue Stevens]

I advise him.

[Brent Curtis]

Can't harass you, can't threaten you.

[Sue Stevens]

Whether it was successful or not, I don't know. I'll find out soon enough. Well, just keep your distance.

[Narrator]

James watches as the officer drives off, seething with rage. She can't understand why the officers have failed to enforce his parking conditions. James is angrier than ever, and there's no turning back now.

[Brent Curtis]

James wasn't going to wait for the law. He was going to take matters into his own hands. The police officer's attempt at de escalating failed completely within minutes of their departure. James armed himself.

[Jocelyn Welch]

When someone gets that angry and is that intoxicating, you gotta make sure they don't have a gun or a weapon that they could follow through. The officer was probably just pulling out of the driveway when James Peck came out of his house, walked into theirs.

[Brent Curtis]

What made his threats and anger greater that night or more immediate to them that night than any other night, I can't say. But James armed himself with a 357 revolver. Stormed over to his tenant's apartment.

[Narrator]

Sue Stevens and Olivia's mother, Jocelyn Welch described the ensuing carnage. A warning. It's painful to listen to.

[Sue Stevens]

We were in the living room taking Christmas tree decorations down. Brayden was still laying in the bedroom watching a movie. James walked in and we kind of just looked at each other like, what the heck's going on? What are you doing here? I'm going to shoot you. I didn't believe him. I thought he was just trying to scare us. And he took the gun out. I got shot in the back and I think I fell into the wall and then onto the floor and I got shot in the arm. And that was like. It just went in and out.

[Jocelyn Welch]

He shot sue twice. He shoots Derek twice and he shoots Olivia twice. We're talking close proximity. And my daughter was yelling, please don't shoot, because she was last. Imagine the horror after he shot me.

[Sue Stevens]

I laid there and I didn't move. I kept my eyes closed and I pretended I was dead until I heard the door close and that it was quiet.

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[Sue Stevens]

Hey prime members, you can listen to.

[Brent Curtis]

This show ad free on Amazon Music. Download the Amazon Music app today. Your customers are scrolling past your social ads, using ad blockers and paying for ad free streaming. But when they're listening to a podcast, they're hearing Acast ads, which are 4.4 times more engaging than with display ads. So if you want real attention, start advertising on podcasts with Acast.

[Jonathan Fields]

Start [e-mail] ads.

[Narrator]

While she's lying on the floor fighting for her life, sue has an earth shattering realization about herself, son and his girlfriend.

[Sue Stevens]

I pretty much knew in my mind that Derek and Olivia were dead. Because I didn't hear anything else. I knew they were dead. I yelled Derek and Olivia's name to see if they answered. I knew they weren't going to. I kept thinking in my head, braden needs his mom. I did not want to die. So I yelled to Braden. I told Braden to stay where he was. And somehow I still had my phone in my hand. I called 911.

[Jocelyn Welch]

Sue called 911 and she said, We've all been shot. The police were just here. James Peck shot us all.

[Narrator]

Here is the gut wrenching real audio of Sue Stevens exchange with the 911 dispatcher. Again, a warning that what you're about to hear is upsetting.

[Sue Stevens]

We've been shot. Please hurry. Somebody's been shot. Yes. Okay. Can you go to the person that's hurt the most? I can't move and I don't dare to. Have you been shot as well? Yes. Okay. Where have you been shot? In the back. In the back. I have a six year old son here. I have a six year old son here. Is he not? I don't think so.

[Brent Curtis]

As this horrific event is unfolding, Brayden, Sue's youngest son, is watching a movie in another room and thankfully is spared.

[Sue Stevens]

Oh God. Please hurry. They're on their way, dear. Stay right here with me, okay?

[Narrator]

It all happens so fast. From the time the police officer first pulls out of the driveway, the epicenter of the whole feud, to the time an ambulance pulls in. It's only a matter of minutes.

[Sue Stevens]

Once the police left the house, it was exactly three minutes after that that I called them to come back.

[Brent Curtis]

In those seconds and minutes that everything unfolded, it must have been terrifying. Even with the outbursts and the threats, who could have foreseen the violence and the bloodshed that would result from a parking dispute?

[Narrator]

While the dispatcher keeps sue on the line, and tries to determine her situation. James retreats to his residence. His wife is horrified to see him come in, visibly shaken and fully armed. But the next words that come out of his mouth are even more terrifying.

[Brent Curtis]

James returns home and, matter of fact, declares to his wife that he's just shot three people and now plans to take his own life. From Arma's point of view, I can't imagine what she was thinking when she heard those words.

[Narrator]

Police rush to the scene and a negotiator soon has Armit Pack on the phone. This is the archive of that call.

What can you tell me what's going on?

[Sue Stevens]

My husband's in a rage.

[Brent Curtis]

Armit must have been scared on many occasions leading up to that night. I can't imagine that she didn't see the anger in her husband and the escalation. I imagine that she. She'd been very scared for a long time.

[Sue Stevens]

Who else is with you? Jim. Jim's right there with you. Jim's right here with me with a gun. Okay. Is anyone hurt? I don't know. He said he killed everybody in the apartment. I don't know whether he did or he didn't. I don't know what's going on.

[Jocelyn Welch]

So his wife knows because he told her, I killed them all. She doesn't know if anybody got hurt. Of course she knew. He told her, I just killed them all. Do you think she would have, like, gone over to see if it was true or to see what she could do? No, it shocks the conscience.

[Narrator]

Officers descend on Sue's place, expecting the worst.

[Sue Stevens]

Officers kick the door in and I told him where Brayden was. And then the ambulance got there and one of the officers went with me.

[Brent Curtis]

James barricaded himself in his own home after the shooting. Despite his threat to his wife that he was going to take his own life, he did not do so. He wants police to shoot him. He's attempting to have suicide by police.

[Narrator]

In the archive audio. James now gets on the phone with the police negotiator.

[Sue Stevens]

I want to die. No, you don't. I don't care. I'd rather they shoot me any other way. If someone pushes me, I shoot myself anyway. I live and die. I don't care.

[Narrator]

I think you do care.

[Sue Stevens]

Everything's too late. Everything's too late, Jeff. Well, what do you mean by that?

[Narrator]

Tell me what you mean.

[Sue Stevens]

I say shot them all.

[Narrator]

And while James relates his confession and desire to die to the negotiator, his wife Armit manages to sneak away in the middle of a blizzard. She's able to trudge her way through the snow and to the safety of a police cruiser. She's finally free of her husband's wrath.

[Brent Curtis]

Armit must have found herself in a very difficult position. Armit left her house and walked past in the middle of a snowstorm until police picked her up. All I can think is that Armit realized her dream was ending. Everything that she had hoped would happen for her and her husband was crashing down.

[Narrator]

While Ahmed is free, the police still have their work cut out for them with James. In order for James to be questioned and face justice for his heinous crimes, the police must safely extract him from his home. But that's easier said than done.

[Sue Stevens]

A lot has gone on right now. There's a lot that's happened, Jim. What I'd like for you to do is to put the gun down and to walk outside.

[Narrator]

After a three hour standoff, James finally emerges from the house.

[Brent Curtis]

They move in, they use a taser. He's taken down, he's handcuffed, and he's taken away to jail.

[Narrator]

While James is being arrested for his crimes, emergency surgery saves Sue's life.

[Sue Stevens]

I had two chest tubes in for my lung. They came in like twice, three times a day to take X rays. The day that I left the hospital was to go straight to the funeral home at Derek's wake. And then the following day was his funeral. I was in there for Olivia's, so I could not go to Olivia's.

[Jocelyn Welch]

My daughter was murdered. It's just not fair. It doesn't even make sense.

[Narrator]

James Pack is charged with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. He pleads not guilty by reason of insanity, but upon investigation, he's forced to retract that plea.

[Sue Stevens]

He changed his plea to guilty about a week before, I think the trial was supposed to start because they found that he was competent to stand trial. He ended up getting life sentences, Consecutive life sentence for both murders and 30 years for attempted murder, which was the max. He got the max for everything. I kind of thought, like, I would be relieved after and then I would feel better, but I didn't change anything.

[Narrator]

But James sentencing offers little solace for Sue. Her life has been forever changed by James. Selfish and violent behavior. Worst of all, she can't stop herself from thinking about what might have been had law enforcement responded differently. Just minutes before her son and his girlfriend were brutally murdered. Would they still be with her today? It's a thought that keeps her up at night.

[Sue Stevens]

James told him that he was going to kill us and the police told him, you can't threaten your tenants like that. They thought that they were hollow threats. I had a gun, I shoot a bang.

[Jocelyn Welch]

The officer said, it's a civil matter. I'm sorry, you have no rights as a landlord. That's a real common thing to say to a man who. Who is escalating, saying, I'm gonna kill him. Never asked him, do you have a gun? It's complete negligence on the police's part. Complete.

[Sue Stevens]

I want a jury to tell them what they did wrong, and I want that for Derek and Olivia.

[Narrator]

The community along Secaucus Road is left devastated by the shocking, senseless killings.

[Jocelyn Welch]

There's only two things in life that will change you forever, and it's love and grief. And so we're all changed. We're not the same people. The whole community has changed.

[Narrator]

Armit Pack lost her husband to prison, but in a shocking twist, has stood by him throughout.

[Sue Stevens]

Armit was in the courtroom for all of the hearings. She sat as close as she could to where James was sitting, and they would talk to each other.

[Narrator]

Jocelyn Welch came, continues to mourn her slain child.

[Jocelyn Welch]

Olivia was really a wonderful girl. I want people to remember her for that. Her smile, great friend, great daughter. I don't want this to happen to anybody else.

[Narrator]

Sue Stevens and her son Brayden have moved on with their lives as best they can. But the memories of that night and the weight of Derek's passing still weigh on them heavily.

[Sue Stevens]

Brayden was scared. Brady was scared. At nighttime, he didn't like any noises. He would lay there and he would tell me how much he missed Derek and he would cry. And I see so much of Derek and Braden. And I watch some of the things Braden does and the way he talks, and it brings a smile to my face because I. I see Derek so much in him. I think about him every day. I think about him all day long. And there's always something missing. Every event that we have, every holiday, everything. We will never have another perfect one, because there's always something missing. And I just don't want people to forget him.

[Narrator]

Fear Thy Neighbor is produced by Cream Productions in association with Freemantle Media for id. Subscribe and take a moment to leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts and watch Fear Thy Neighbor on ID and Max.

[Sue Stevens]

Foreign.

[Jonathan Fields]

Hey, this is Jonathan Fields, host of the Good Life Project podcast Boost Mobile. Reminds me of what I love when someone reimagines what's possible. They have invested billions in building America's newest 5G network, becoming the country's fourth major carrier. They are doing things differently, offering a $25 monthly unlimited plan that never increases in price and letting you try their service risk free for 3030 days. With blazing fast 5G and plans for all the latest devices, they're changing the game. Visit your nearest Boost Mobile store or find them online@boost mobile.com the Boost Mobile network, together with their roaming partners, covers 99% of the US population. 5G speeds not available in all areas.

[Sue Stevens]

Hi, I'm Raj Panjabi from HuffPost. And I'm Noah Michelson, also from HuffPost, and we're the hosts of Am I Doing It Wrong? A new podcast that explores the all.

[Narrator]

Too human anxieties we have about trying.

[Sue Stevens]

To get our lives right.

[Narrator]

Each week on the podcast, Raj and.

[Sue Stevens]

I pick a new topic that we.

[Narrator]

Want to understand better and bring a guest expert on to talk us through.

[Sue Stevens]

How to get it right.

[Narrator]

And we're talking like legit credible experts, doctors, PhDs all around. Superheroes from HuffPost and Acast Studios.

[Sue Stevens]

Check out Am I Doing It Wrong?

[Narrator]

Wherever you get your podcasts.

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Listen to this Acast show ad free.

[Sue Stevens]

On Amazon Music with your prime membership or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.