Vault: She Had To Kill the Intruder Mid-911 Call

Summary

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The Bert Show – Vault: She Had To Kill the Intruder Mid-911 Call (May 25, 2026)

Episode Overview

In this gripping, emotionally charged episode, The Bert Show team listens to and discusses a chilling real-life 911 call from Cushing, Oklahoma, where a 57-year-old grandmother was forced to fatally shoot an intruder while on the phone with emergency services. The cast explores the legal, emotional, and psychological layers of home self-defense, sparking a deep and thought-provoking conversation about what anyone might do in a similar situation.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: The Incident & Parental Warning

• Location: Cushing, Oklahoma, a rural area near Tulsa.
• Summary: An attempted home invasion by Billy Riley, culminating in the homeowner defending herself with a shotgun.
• Trigger Warning: Co-hosts emphasize the audio is “chilling” and may not be suitable for children (02:08-02:14).

“Three different people sent me the audio today, including Jen, and every one of them used the same word and it was chilling.”
— Host (01:35)

2. The 911 Call: Step-by-Step Escalation

• Immediate Threat: The woman calls 911 as the intruder tries repeatedly to break in, remaining composed but scared.
• Weapon Disclosure: She openly discusses her shotgun and intentions if forced into action.
• Operator Support: Dispatcher assures her of her legal rights to self-defense on her property.
• The Shooting: The intruder breaches the door; after multiple warnings and visible distress, she fires and is devastated by the outcome.

"I don't want to have to kill this man, but I'll kill him graveyard dead."
— Homeowner on 911 call (04:05)

“God, I don’t want to kill this guy... Please, Father in heaven. I’m so sorry, Father.”
— Homeowner, immediately after shooting (04:41–04:54)

• Aftermath: The homeowner is distraught, praying and expressing remorse, while the operator and cast reflect on her composure and the necessity of her actions.

3. Reaction and Analysis by the Bert Show Team

• Praise for Composure: The cast repeatedly commends the caller’s levelheadedness and following of procedure (05:01-05:19).
• Reflection: They discuss how such a situation forces people to question their own potential actions in moments of crisis.
• Legal Nuance: Emphasis on the legal difference between defending oneself inside the home versus pursuing outside (“stand your ground” vs. “castle doctrine”).

“She did everything right by the book... she was smart and calm about it the whole time.”
— Co-host (05:05, 05:19)

• Duration of Ordeal: Listener “Josh” calls in to clarify the full call lasted over 30 minutes and police took 25 minutes to arrive (06:54–07:29), intensifying the empathy for the caller’s predicament.

“Imagine this poor lady on the phone for 20 minutes with this guy banging on her door, kicking her door... That magnifies the scary factor for you.”
— Caller Josh (07:17)

4. Dialogue on Choices and Hypotheticals

• Why Not Flee?: Several callers and hosts debate the possibility of escaping out the front door, with the consensus that the rural isolation made it impractical and unsafe (07:37–08:49).
• Announcing a Weapon: Some suggest it might have been wise to yell and cock the shotgun audibly; others worry it could escalate the threat if the intruder is armed (09:02–09:27).
• Emotional Weight: Multiple hosts admit they’re unsure what decisions they would have made, underscoring the unpredictability of trauma responses.

“It is so hard to judge too on what I would do... If I’m scared to death and somebody’s breaking in my house. I have no idea what I would do.”
— Host (09:47)

5. Legal Information and Final Outcome

• Result: The intruder died from his wounds; the homeowner was not charged due to Oklahoma self-defense laws.
• Legal Details: The show outlines differences in outcomes when property defenders leave the home versus staying inside (06:01–06:26).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• (04:05) Homeowner:
  "I don't want to have to kill this man, but I'll kill him graveyard dead man."

• (04:41-04:54) Homeowner:
  "I shot him... Oh, please, dear God. I think I’ve killed him. Please, Father in heaven. Please, Father in heaven. I’m so sorry, Father."

• (05:19) Co-host:
  "She was smart and calm about it the whole time."

• (06:54) Josh (Caller):
  "If you think it was scary before, imagine this poor lady on the phone for 20 minutes with this guy banging on her door… police were 25 minutes out."

• (09:47) Host:
  “It is so hard to judge too on what I would do… I have no idea what I would do.”

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Important Timestamps

• [01:35] – Introduction to the story; preliminary reactions and warnings.
• [03:05–04:54] – The crucial segments of the 911 call are played.
• [05:01–05:19] – Immediate reactions, praise for the caller’s calm.
• [06:01–06:26] – Legal implications and self-defense discussion.
• [06:54–07:29] – Listener “Josh” reveals the full call lasted over 30 minutes.
• [07:37–08:49] – Debate on fleeing vs. staying put.
• [09:02–09:27] – Discussing whether announcing the gun might have changed the outcome.

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Episode Takeaways

• The emotional and psychological fortitude required in life-or-death moments is unimaginable until experienced first-hand.
• The legal landscape varies vastly depending on specifics: defending your life and home from within vs. pursuing a threat outside carries radically different consequences.
• Community and listener feedback enrich the discussion, providing deeper context (like the long police response time).
• Ultimately, the cast and callers are left both shaken and grateful, collectively pondering what they would do in the same unnerving situation.

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Additional Information

• The show promises to upload the unedited, full 30-minute 911 call online for listeners seeking additional context and impact.
• The dialogue demonstrates deep empathy for individuals put in unimaginable situations and highlights the vital importance of preparedness and understanding the law.

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Transcript

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[C]

The Birch show this audio in this. Melissa, do you have the story in front of you?

[D]

I can get it. Hold on.

[C]

Because I haven't heard the story, but three different people sent me the audio today, including Jen, and every one of them used the same word and it was chilling.

[D]

I assume this is the woman. Oklahoma.

[E]

Yeah.

[D]

Okay. Yeah. It was Friday morning where there was a guy that. We have the guy's name, but not the woman's name. Now, the woman that you're going to hear this is in Cushing, Oklahoma, which is near Tulsa. And Friday morning there was a guy named Billy Riley that was attempting to break into her home. And what he didn't know at the time was that she was home and that she had a weapon.

[E]

And I would just like to give out the parent warning that this is pretty heavy duty stuff.

[C]

Really intense.

[E]

Yeah, it's really intense. And so, I don't know, just make a smart decision on whether while your kids in the car listening to it.

[D]

So she has a weapon, somebody's breaking into her home. And she calls 911 about the fact that this guy Riley was breaking into her home. But she kind of let the. And the apparent warning is that she not only lets the 911 operator know what she's going to do, but she actually does it and is forced to do it.

[C]

So the audio is only about two or three minutes long. So like Jen said, if you have small kids in the car, you maybe want to bump over to that Christmas station for a couple minutes. Listen to Little grandma got run over for by Reindeer.

[E]

If you don't have kids in the car, don't go anywhere.

[C]

Yeah. And we will play it right now. It's like I said, it's only two, three minutes long. So come on back in a couple minutes. But this is a 911 call placed with a 57 year old grandma protecting her house against a guy who's trying to break into it.

[F]

There's a man at my back door. He's trying to get in. He's hollering and yelling.

[G]

Okay, and you have a gun?

[F]

Yes, I do. I do not have it out. Okay, just.

[G]

I want you to have a gun

[F]

and I will use it.

[G]

I want you to stay on the line with me.

[F]

I will. He is banging on the door.

[G]

I can hear him banging. He's trying to get in.

[F]

He looks like an older man, but I don't know. I don't understand what's going on. He's getting close to the door. I'm gonna go ahead and get the gun out. It's a shotgun, it's large.

[G]

Can you understand what he's saying at all?

[F]

Well, he's crazy. He's crazy. I'm taking the safety off the gunman. He's acting crazy. Okay.

[G]

Do you have a place that you can go inside your house and lock yourself in a room?

[F]

Not really. I've got a big shotgun. I'm not going into a tiny bathroom. Oh, crap. He's at the back. Okay.

[G]

County 13 is advising that you can defend your property if you need to.

[F]

I don't want to have to kill this man, but I'll kill him graveyard dead man.

[G]

I understand.

[F]

All right. He's breaking in now. He's breaking on him. He looks to be an older man. I don't want to kill him. God, I don't want to kill this guy. Okay, they need to hurry. He's going to break this thing open, and he does, I'll have to kill him. Ma', am. I don't want to kill him.

[G]

I understand, ma', am. You have to protect yourself.

[F]

I will, ma'. Am. Have they got through the house? I'm gonna shoot.

[G]

Can you.

[F]

Is there.

[G]

Oh, my God. Ma', am, is your phone record.

[F]

Let's go.

[G]

I shot him going out front.

[F]

I hit him. He's. God. God help me. Oh, please, dear God. I think I've killed him. Please, Father in heaven. Please, Father in heaven. I'm so sorry, Father.

[G]

It's okay, ma'.

[H]

Am.

[F]

It's okay.

[G]

You have to protect yourself.

[F]

Okay? Wow. Wow.

[D]

But she did everything. I mean, she did everything. I mean, in my view, she did

[E]

everything right by the book, right? And she was telling the operator, you know, here's what I have to do. Here's what I have to do. Oh, so scary to be in that situation. But she was. I mean, she was smart and calm about it the whole time.

[C]

The audio like that makes you ask yourself, like, what would you do? What would you do?

[I]

You almost have to do the same thing. Like, what do you do? There's a crazy man at your door. It's in your house.

[E]

Yeah. And didn't she. Couldn't you hear in there where she said that he was breaking in with a gun?

[C]

I didn't hear him say that. Did he say he had a gun?

[E]

Yeah, it's the second time I've heard it. And so I was trying to pay close attention, and I think she says he's breaking into her house with a gun. So it's really her or him.

[D]

And. Yeah, and my understanding is that he did indeed die from the gunshot wounds. Then they are not gonna charge her for the crime.

[C]

Well, they. I mean, she's defending her home. And the operator advised her that if he does enter the property, you have the ability. You have the ability to defend the.

[D]

You can't leave your home. Like, remember we had a 911 call from years ago where the gentleman left his home, remember? And he's in his front yard and shot the guy. Do you remember this?

[C]

And the guy was fleeing or backing away.

[D]

He got arrested because he left his home to shoot the intruder who was running away. So the difference in these two cases is that she stayed in her home and defended it, and that's why she's not going to be charged with anything.

[E]

Gotcha.

[C]

The talking through it like, I Almost think that I would want it to be a split second decision. Like, I would want it to be. If I had the. Like I would. I would not want to be able to think about it because the call was almost 30 minutes long, as I understand it. Hey, guy. Welcome to the show.

[J]

Hi. I'm not sure if you guys know this or not, because I came in right as you guys were starting to play it, but this version of the call that you're playing is an edited version.

[C]

Yeah.

[J]

The original 911 call is over 30 minutes long, and it took the police 25 minutes to get there. So if you think it was scary before, imagine this poor lady. I listened to the whole thing. Imagine this poor lady on the phone for 20 minutes with this guy banging on her door, kicking her door. Police were on the way, but she was in a rural area. Her son's actually a deputy chief of police in another municipality down there. So they were contacting him. And this whole time, this guy's out there beating on her door, kicking on her door, and the cops were 25 minutes out. So that magnifies the scary factor for you.

[E]

Absolutely.

[D]

And how calm she was.

[C]

And that also the. I can't say this word.

[F]

The rural.

[C]

Ruralness of it.

[D]

Right.

[C]

Gives me an answer, because I was gonna ask, well, why didn't she just run out the door and go to a neighbor's house?

[E]

No way.

[C]

If the dude's banging at the back door, why don't you just run out? But obviously. Hey, Beth.

[H]

Yeah?

[C]

What's going on?

[H]

I just wonder why she didn't go out the front door.

[C]

Yeah, that's what I was just saying. I think because if it was such. I'm guessing because it was so rural that the next neighbor is not a quick runaway. Like, if your neighbor's for help quickly,

[E]

if you're isolated, you know, she may have been in an isolated area.

[H]

Well, but she could have taken the gun and run and run and run. I mean, 30 minutes on the phone, he might, you know.

[C]

Yeah.

[H]

He might have seen his back door.

[E]

Is that what you would have done?

[H]

Probably.

[E]

You would have run?

[H]

I would have headed out and started somewhere. I would have taken my gun with me. If he came after me, then, you know. But she stood there. I mean, I don't know. It seems kind of strange.

[C]

Yeah, I would stay. I think if I'm that rural, I stay in my house.

[H]

Yeah, but then maybe. I mean. But, you know, I mean, 30 minutes seems like. I don't know.

[I]

But then. Melissa, did you just say that if you went outside the house and shot, then you would be charged.

[D]

You were charged with something. Yeah.

[I]

To stay in your house.

[C]

Well, on top of that, you don't know. Is there other people around? Is there somebody at the end of the driveway? Does he have a gun?

[D]

And was she in the house by herself? I'm not sure. But especially if somebody else is in the house, I'm not taking off and leaving somebody behind.

[C]

Hey, Stephanie.

[H]

Yes. Hey, good morning.

[C]

How are you?

[H]

I am good. How are you?

[C]

What's up?

[H]

Hey. I guess my main thing I probably would have done differently because I have a shotgun in my house, is to yell that you're armed. I've got a shotgun. And then cock it. The scariest thing in the whole world is to hear that.

[D]

But in the 30 minutes, I'm not sure if she did that. I mean, I don't know.

[H]

That's true.

[E]

Maybe she may have done that.

[I]

Well, then that's scary because what if he has a gun? Then you say, I have a gun. And then he shoots first because then he sees you. But if he doesn't even know you're there.

[C]

I proposed that years ago. And somebody will make it. I think that the best burglar alarm in the world is when somebody breaks in. It's just the sound of a shotgun cocking upstairs. Like just have one speaker upstairs. Because if you're breaking in and you hear that, because that's different than a handgun. Like a shotgun's not. That's putting parts of you all over the place.

[D]

It is so hard to judge too on what I would do because I don't know what I would do. If I'm scared to death and somebody's breaking in my house. I have no idea what I would do.

[C]

You know, hey, hey, Kim, what's going on?

[D]

And then I hope I do. I don't know what I mean, what's going on, Kim?

[H]

Hey. I just think that she did the absolutely the right thing. I think she should have not fled from the front door. I think it was her duty to protect her home and herself.

[C]

You know, we'll do is we're gonna put the full audio of this online. Yeah, it's a 26 or Josh told me it's like a 20 something, almost 30 minute phone call with the audio of the whole thing online if you want to avoid work for 30 minutes today. But man, prepare to be rattled.

[H]

Yeah.

[E]

And you do. It starts making you think, what would you do? How would you handle that situation?

[C]

The woman, the follow up of the story I did find is I'm pretty sure the guy did die. So she did. She was a good shot.

[K]

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