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Payne Lindsay
You're listening to a Tenderfoot TV podcast.
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Payne Lindsay
A baby girl vanishes from her crib from her home in the middle of the night. It's a horrifying mystery that's never been solved. More than a dozen years later, the case of Baby Lisa remains open. But next week on the Megyn Kelly show, we take you back through the story like never before with all new exclusive interviews and shocking new developments. Join me for Megyn Kelly Investigates Our subject the Disappearance of baby Lisa. Our five part series begins Monday, March 10th and airs all week on Sirius XM Triumph Channel 111 at noon east on YouTube.com MeganKelly and on all podcast platforms under our Megyn Kelly show feed. For ad free listening and exclusive bonuses, subscribe to Tenderfoot plus at tenderfootplus.com or on Apple Podcasts. Up and Vanished in the Midnight sun is intended for mature audiences and may include topics that can be upsetting such as emotional, physical and sexual violence, rape and murder. The names of survivors have been changed for anonymity purposes. Testimony shared by guests of the show is their own. Does not reflect the views of Tenderfoot TV or Odyssey. Thank you so much for Listening.
Unknown Interviewee
From.
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Tenderfoot TV in Atlanta. This is up and Vanished. I'm your host, Payne Lindsay. In the last episode, I dropped a few bombshells on you there at the end. The two main suspects in this case are now deceased. Dreddy Bryan, AKA Brian Otten, has died. And Catfish John. John Keenan has also died. On the evening of May 16, 2020, a man named Lance walked up the winding stair case of the starlit Hostel just 15 minutes outside Crestone. That's when he saw him. Brian Otten, better known as Dreddy Bryan, was lying on the roof deck. His body was still, his skin was purple, and he wasn't breathing. There was a dog leash wrapped around his wrist. Lance's dog. And next to him, a mix of orange peels, vomit, and a strange white foam seeping from his mouth. Immediately, panic set in. Lance bolted down the stairs, yelling for someone to call 911, screaming, I think he's dead. The hostel owner named Doug eventually made the call. Another guest also went up to check on him. Around 20 minutes later, an ambulance arrived, but it was already too late. Two sheriff's deputies showed up soon after, and EMS confirmed that Brian was gone. At 7:52pm Brian. The time of death was officially called. Three days later, the autopsy report came. Heroin, oxycodone, Kratom, nicotine and marijuana. No fentanyl, no meth. No signs of choking or asphyxiation. The official cause of death, Heroin and mitragyny and intoxication. It was a cocktail of depressants and a mix that can be lethal. And that's when all the speculation began. Brian wasn't just some guy in Crestone. He was one of the key figures in Crystal Reisinger's disappearance. One of the last people known to have seen her alive. And now he was dead. Just two days earlier, Brian cashed his $1,200 stimulus check. Typically broke, he had been working odd jobs at the hostel. Mopping floors, washing dishes, just to have a place to stay. But when he got that money, he went on a bender. He and Lance had driven to nearby Salida. Brian drank heavily. Rum beers, 40s more than usual. He got belligerent, kicked in a windshield, and eventually passed out in a sleeping bag. The next morning, hungover and sick, he needed something to, quote, feel better. That's when he got on Facebook messenger, using his friend's phone, and messaged a guy for heroin. The next day, Brian stayed behind while his friends went to town. From morning until late afternoon, he was alone. No one checked on him. Then around 6pm Lance returned. @ first, he just thought Brian was laying there. But something felt off. He stepped closer and realized his dog was still tied to Brian's wrist. Then he saw that Brian's skin was purple and he wasn't breathing. Later that night, after the sheriff's deputies and EMS left, Lance and a friend went back upstairs. And that's when they found it. Brian's heroin spoon and his needle still sitting in the bathroom. Somehow, the deputies had missed them. Then Lance checked the old phone. Brian was using, his cell phone, and he was still logged in, the one that Brian was communicating with me on. Right when I thought I was about to meet one of the number one suspects in this case. Just like that, he was gone. Brian Otten, one of the last people to see Crystal Reisinger alive, was dead. And whoever sold him that heroin still out there. And Jody Bryan isn't the only person to die in this case. For years, John Keenan, better known as Catfish, was the shadow lurking behind the disappearance of Crystal. He was a known drug dealer, a violent presence, a man accused of holding women captive. And now he's dead, too. On September 22, 2022, the police in Raleigh, North Carolina, found catfish John unresponsive in an apartment. His friend Tyler was on the scene. According to witnesses, the place was littered with drug paraphernalia. Lieutenant Morrison of the Raleigh Police Department officially confirmed his death. There weren't many details, just that it ended the way a lot of people expected it to. Six months earlier, on March 29, 2022, Catfish was arrested in Raleigh. Possession of a stolen vehicle. Felony drug charges with intent to distribute. The drugs likely included cocaine, meth, fentanyl, Xanax, Ambien, Valium. All things Catfish was used to using. And this wasn't his first run in with law enforcement. Back in 2019, he was also arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and meth possession. And in 2020, during my own bizarre confrontation with him, where I met him at a bar, the man threatened me, tried to attack me, literally threw a punch, missed. Though Crystal Reisinger had told several people that she was drugged and raped at Catfish John's house in Crestone in July of 2016. And just a few days later, she vanished. And Catfish, well, he was always at the center of it. Then there were more women. After my investigation into Catfish, another survivor came forward. I'm going to keep her name anonymous. But she had filed a police report in Raleigh, North Carolina, back in 2013. Rape by force. She didn't know his name. Then she had met him at a bar, didn't drink, was completely sober, but she kept seeing him at every bar she went to. That night, Catfish was following her. Later, when her friends went back to her place, Catfish tried to tag along. He offered to make her a drink. It was the only drink she had that night. The next thing she remembers, she woke up in her bed. Catfish was on top of her, naked and raping her. She fought him off, screamed at him for 15 minutes on the balcony before he finally left. She called the police, but like so many cases, it went nowhere. This sparked a snowball of more women coming forward, other women who said that Catfish had abused them, held them captive, drugged them. One of them told me that Catfish had locked her inside his house for three days and when she finally got out, he bragged to her boyfriend that they had been together sexually. She had no memory of that at all, and two other women described similar experiences being trapped inside Catfish's house, even held at gunpoint. For years, the people of Crestone truly feared Catfish John and, well, for pretty good reason. This guy was awful, evil. And all these years later, even though Dready Brian and Catfish John are dead, the most important question still remains. Where is Crystal?
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Payne Lindsay
What was it like confronting a person.
Unknown Advertiser
Of interest or just going into these different communities? I'll be honest, every single time, it was pretty scary because you just don't know what's gonna happen. Just the sort of the element of surprise kind of gets your adrenaline going.
Payne Lindsay
Was there a lot of people that were willing to talk, willing to speak out?
Unknown Advertiser
Surprisingly, yes. I actually think that some people knowing the podcast made them a little more comfortable with us as a team. In a lot of ways, people were open to talking.
Unknown Interviewee
That's true. It's just funny. I'm not just the Bryce side of the road friend like I am.
Unknown Advertiser
I'm a Bryce of the road person.
Unknown Interviewee
But I'll be on the shady side too, right?
Unknown Advertiser
There's something very unsettling about reading a dead man's messages. Like a ghost reaching out from beyond. Just a couple days ago, I got access to something that I never expected. Direct messages from Dreddy Bryan. Not just old screenshots, but his real conversations, exactly as they were. Completely untouched. A local woman, someone deeply embedded in this community, reached out and gave me her Facebook login. She wanted me to see what she saw. And what I found was chilling in these messages. Brian wasn't just talking. He seemed to be confessing. Lashing out, threatening. And hinting at something much darker. Something only he and a handful of other people probably knew. And now, for the first time, you get to hear them, too.
Dreddy Bryan
How you holding up?
Catfish John
I'm good. I'm in Crestone now.
Dreddy Bryan
I'm at Nate's house. Don't remember much of last night. Got a fat lip, gnarly nose, slightly crooked smile. But life goes on.
Catfish John
How funny. I'm in Moffat, heading to Crestone later.
Dreddy Bryan
Josh is getting a place in Salida and he's making payments on my rv. Once he moves in, I can get my RV back. You looking for a temporary roommate?
Catfish John
Did you just message me?
Dreddy Bryan
Yeah. Did you read it? Should I have my secretary fax it to you?
Catfish John
Lol. You still in Crestone?
Dreddy Bryan
Yeah. Not enough work here. Wish I had wheels.
Catfish John
I got a place in Salida. It's temporary until Hud helps me get something bigger. By the library. Small, but I like it.
Dreddy Bryan
I could probably grab your stuff when I make it to the hospital.
Catfish John
You at Nate's now? I can't go there. Got a restraining order on James. Don't know if he still hangs around, but I'm not taking chances.
Dreddy Bryan
Good call. Fuck all the violent, toxic bullshit. Love and light.
Catfish John
Who's Catfish?
Dreddy Bryan
Catfish? He stalks people on Facebook. Dude needs a hobby.
Catfish John
Oh.
Dreddy Bryan
Catfish was the last person Crystal talked about before she disappeared. She told me and others she thought he drugged and raped her. Still don't know if it's true, but that's what she said.
Catfish John
Hmm.
Dreddy Bryan
Yeah.
Catfish John
Jesse's staying with me.
Unknown Advertiser
Fuck.
Dreddy Bryan
So that's a no go for me staying with you?
Catfish John
James said I'd end up homeless in Salida with you if I left him. Not letting him be even half right.
Unknown Interviewee
Yeah.
Catfish John
I hear you been testing people. Feeding misinformation to see who it gets back to. Shauna blocked me real quick. That's all I needed to know.
Dreddy Bryan
I don't talk about you. Don't worry. Tell James to call me.
Catfish John
What?
Dreddy Bryan
Tell that bitch ass pussy to be a man and own his shit. He threatened my family.
Catfish John
Excuse me?
Dreddy Bryan
Tell James to hit me up now. I swear, if he's hiding, I will find him.
Catfish John
You're threatening me now?
Dreddy Bryan
No. Just need to talk.
Catfish John
Try calling Nate.
Unknown Interviewee
Nate lied.
Dreddy Bryan
Said James was with you.
Catfish John
We are not together.
Dreddy Bryan
Fuck him. Tell him I said he's a f.
Catfish John
You are threatening my life.
Dreddy Bryan
You're expendable. I'll end you.
Catfish John
Brian, stop.
Dreddy Bryan
Biker gangs collect on this shit. I will ruin you.
Catfish John
These messages will be used against you. I'm forwarding them.
Dreddy Bryan
Go fuck yourself, hillbilly.
Unknown Interviewee
Fuck.
Dreddy Bryan
James.
Catfish John
Fuck you, Brian. You need help.
Dreddy Bryan
I will murder you. I don't remember last night at all. Apparently, you and James are part of a White power biker gang. But if you were, you'd never call the cops. Good to know you're both full of shit.
Catfish John
You need help.
Dreddy Bryan
Tell the cops to call me. I'll tell them everything I know.
Catfish John
You have a warrant.
Dreddy Bryan
Now you're just a junkie meth dealer.
Catfish John
Josh is probably getting evicted because of you.
Dreddy Bryan
I'm clean as a janitor. You?
Catfish John
Good job, Brian.
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If you thought Dreddy Bryant's messages were disturbing, these are something else entirely. This same woman who gave me her Facebook login also had messages with Catfish John, the man at the center of everything. Now, Catfish wasn't just paranoid. This guy was unraveling. His words read like the ramblings of someone who knew their time was running out. Someone who knew way too much. And yet he still couldn't stop talking. What he says in these messages is the kind of thing that makes you stop scrolling, makes you reread it, makes you wonder, is he confessing? Is he warning us? How many things are wrong with this guy? Either way, it's dangerous.
Unknown Interviewee
Want company? I handled the car and flight change.
Catfish John
Are you okay? You got quiet.
Unknown Interviewee
I went to see my kid. She wouldn't see me. Then I saw Bree. She was kind to me. So were you. And then suddenly, I'm alone again. Every time I get happy, I get slapped down like I'm banned from Disneyland. Without love, without real friends. Is this even a life worth living?
Catfish John
I don't know what happened. I didn't turn on you. You flipped on me.
Unknown Interviewee
It's not about blame. Just trying to find my people again.
Catfish John
Me, too, John. Me, too. Fucking Katie's mom came banging on my door, freaking out. Everyone is afraid of you. Why am I not? Have you even asked yourself that?
Unknown Interviewee
I know why Crystal had to run. I could expose it, but that wouldn't help anyone.
Catfish John
Wait. What?
Unknown Interviewee
Do not make me state the adjacent street name, IP address and proof of her life today. Respectfully, the global powers. If I die, contingency files drop across every major server.
Catfish John
What are you talking about?
Unknown Interviewee
They told me to stay quiet. FBI said don't mention her real name.
Catfish John
John, slow down.
Unknown Interviewee
Payne's friends killed her, but south of Mexico. They think she took the weight.
Catfish John
Wait, what?
Unknown Interviewee
They are watching Me watching you now, too. I have names, but you don't need to know them. If they kill me, I promise you I'll still get the truth out. I shot the deputy, not the sheriff. And he covered for me. That's real love.
Catfish John
Jesus, John. Do you hear yourself?
Unknown Interviewee
I know my people. I know my enemies. And I see you choosing sides.
Catfish John
I haven't chosen anything.
Unknown Interviewee
You're either with me or you're against me.
Catfish John
You need help.
Unknown Interviewee
I need revenge. I am a soldier with no gun. They don't understand me. I am the last line of defense.
Catfish John
Who is they?
Unknown Interviewee
The ones who took Crystal. The ones who took everything. They think they're safe. They're not.
Catfish John
You're scaring me.
Unknown Interviewee
You should be scared.
Catfish John
I'm done.
Unknown Advertiser
Catfish is dead. Treddy. Brian is dead. For some people, that might seem like the end of the story. But for me, for Crystal's family, for everyone still searching for answers, it's the exact opposite. Because if their deaths proved anything, it's that the people in this town knew something. And some of them are most certainly still alive, incapable of talking. Back in 2017 and 18, when I was deep in this case, I had phone calls with dozens of locals, and two men in particular stood out. They weren't just speculating. They weren't just repeating rumors. They claimed to have direct knowledge of Crystal's murder. And when I finally got the chance to speak with them, I thought I was about to hear everything, finally get to the truth. But let's just say that didn't go as planned.
Catfish John
Yeah, sure thing.
Unknown Advertiser
Hey, you sold that car yet? Yeah, sold it to Carvana. Oh, I thought you were selling to that guy. The guy who wanted to pay me in foreign currency, no interest, over 36 months?
Unknown Interviewee
Yeah, no.
Unknown Advertiser
Carvana gave me an offer in minutes, picked it up, and paid me on the spot. It was so convenient. Just like that? Yeah. No hassle? None.
Unknown Interviewee
That is super convenient.
Payne Lindsay
Sell your car to Carvana and swap.
Unknown Advertiser
Hassle for convenience.
Payne Lindsay
Pickup fees may apply.
Unknown Advertiser
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Catfish John
Where'd you get those shoes?
Unknown Advertiser
Easy. They're from DSW. Because DSW has the exact right shoes for whatever you're into right now. You know, like, the sneakers that make office hours feel like happy hour, the boots that turn grocery aisles into runways, and all the styles that show off the many sides of you, from daydreamer to multitasker and everything in between. Because you do it all in really great shoes. Find a shoe for every you at your DSW store or dsw dot com. Can you tell me what you know about how she was killed?
Unknown Interviewee
I don't know.
I don't know. Like, ready? Talk about it over the phone, Kind of. Like I told you last time, man, he said what? I said. I don't really want to talk about it on the phone.
Unknown Advertiser
Like I said last time, I know that your brother was taken advantage of in some way, and I know more about Catfish's involvement in that. And. And I also know that you had nothing to do with this. And so I have no interest in trying to bring anybody else into this. Just trying to figure out how to close this thing out. And so it would help me.
Unknown Interviewee
Why don't we. Why don't we start with, like, why don't you tell me what you know, and then we'll see if I feel comfortable enough to tell you whether you're right or wrong.
Unknown Advertiser
Catfish dosed your brother.
Unknown Interviewee
Yeah, they did. They did that to a lot of people for the past 20 years.
Unknown Advertiser
It's up, man. Yeah. Yeah.
Unknown Interviewee
Well, I mean, that's. That's what they would do. And Catfish would pay people to dose people. Or he, you know, set things up. Said, like, he would dose, like, some pills or something and leave them out, and then someone would take those pills from him because his house was a mess. And basically, you know, people would find and take it because he wouldn't know the difference.
Unknown Advertiser
Yeah, exactly. He wouldn't know. But he's laced that. He's laced those drugs with. I mean, all kind of shit. And, like, it's permanently people up, man.
Unknown Interviewee
Yeah.
And so, yeah, they were. They were poisoning people for a long time. And it wasn't just with, like, acid. You know, there's. There's other chemicals they use. I mean, I. I know the story.
Unknown Advertiser
Could you tell me your version of the story? I'll tell you my. I'll tell you if it. If it differs from mine.
Unknown Interviewee
No.
Unknown Advertiser
Why not?
Unknown Interviewee
Because, man, like, I'm. Listen, I'm.
Unknown Advertiser
I'm only trying to help.
Unknown Interviewee
My story. My story is people already. People already know my story. And that's why I'm. I'm asking you what you gathered. If. I mean, if you want. If you want to hear what happened, then, I mean, tell me. Tell me what you got. That's. That's basically it, man. Like, tell me what you got. I'll tell you if you're right or wrong and if I feel comfortable enough.
Unknown Advertiser
Okay, okay, okay, okay. Okay. I've heard that there was some sort of incident where she was shot, and in some way or another, they burned her body.
Unknown Interviewee
Yeah. What. What caliber? You take all that gas, man? What count. What caliber have you heard?
Unknown Advertiser
I heard it was a revolver. I don't know. You don't know?
Unknown Interviewee
It probably wasn't even a real gun.
Unknown Advertiser
Was it a high caliber airsoft gun?
Unknown Interviewee
It could be.
Unknown Advertiser
Like a seventeen hundred dollar. Nice one.
Unknown Interviewee
Yeah, more than likely. Sounds about right.
Unknown Advertiser
Okay. Did it occur at Catfish's house?
Unknown Interviewee
Maybe. So what else you got? You said her body got burned, huh?
Unknown Advertiser
That's what I heard.
Unknown Interviewee
Yeah.
Unknown Advertiser
Is that true or no?
Unknown Interviewee
Who knows? Who knows?
Unknown Advertiser
I mean, like, is that what you. Is that what you heard or no?
Unknown Interviewee
That kind of. That kind of leaves room for, you know, finding bones. Hey, Ashes.
Unknown Advertiser
I also heard that. Something about a hot tub.
Unknown Interviewee
Hot tub? Oh, no.
Yeah.
I don't think anybody around here has a hot tub.
Unknown Advertiser
Robert. Can you help me or can you not?
Unknown Interviewee
Yeah, I can, but I mean, like I told you a couple times already.
Unknown Advertiser
We'Ve been talking for like 30 minutes and you haven't told me anything. What do you know?
Unknown Interviewee
What.
Unknown Advertiser
What's the story that you know about what happened to Crystal?
Unknown Interviewee
No, I have told you. Space. Indirectly.
Unknown Advertiser
Who killed Crystal? Just tell me, please.
Unknown Interviewee
Who killed her?
Unknown Advertiser
Yes.
Unknown Interviewee
No.
See that.
That'll get me paid. You're murdered.
Unknown Advertiser
Which one do you want?
Unknown Interviewee
Fuck you mean, homie?
Unknown Advertiser
I mean, do you. What do you need for this information?
Unknown Interviewee
I need money.
Unknown Advertiser
Every time I've ever thought this case is over, something pulls me back in. Every time I feel like I've hit a dead end, someone new comes forward. And that's exactly what happened next. A local reached out to me. Someone who wasn't just repeating hearsay. Someone who I very much trusted. This was different. This person made some of the boldest claims I've ever heard in this case. And all these years later, being able to scan back through everything I know, listening through all the tape, it's starting to paint a pretty clear picture. Allegations that could change everything we know about what happened to Crystal? And the moment I heard them, I knew I had to record it.
Unknown Interviewee
I had heard the rumors about Catfish at this point, and they were all rumors to me. I. I didn't see. I didn't see this guy ever hurting a fly. So, you know, I thought, you know, the rumors were just rumors at that point. Normal day, doing my shit. I get a call from Katie. Normal, erratic. I really need you over here, man. Like, I know this, that, you know, I need you over here. This, that, that. Fox News did a report again a year after her missing. So. Which might have, you know, got his conscious, kicked it kicking in again or. Or I don't know what. Really need to talk to you about something, man. Blah, blah, blah. His normal rambling didn't make it over there until probably later that evening. He had just seemed more mellow, calm down, but still all over the place. Five minutes being there, you know, I smoke weed and I drink beer. That's my fix. So he did his thing, you know, cracked open, as, you know, his famous Stella Artois. I packed a few bongs and we sat down where we usually sit. I grabbed one of his laptops, started fucking around, and he started talking to me. And then out of nowhere, he opened up with a question and asked me, if someone was suffering in front of you, would you help them out? If someone in front of you was suffering, would you help them out? He's like, what do you mean, Cat? I was like, no, why? Or like, are you overdosing? Like, I thought. He's like, like, are you okay? Or like, what's going on? He's like, no, I'm asking you. And I was like, yeah. He's like, not the way you're thinking. Then that's where it started. There's five. There's five. I'm not sure who's involved in. In what. I do know who's involved in some things, but I do know that there is five total. Judy, Brian, Cat. There was a guy, Rice. Rice came to my name as his name. He drove a blue pickup truck with a green patch on the side. He lives right down the street from Cat. I'm sure you've heard Rice. I'm pretty sure it was Rice. I never heard how he got. They. Sorry. They got her back to the house, but she was there. He had said they had kept her there for a while, two days. And sexually abused her for a while. Apparently one day she came to. He said. I don't know how he worded it. Came to what? Or. Or tried to escape off the drugs. They were. And that's when this Rice, like, I don't know why I keep saying Rice shot. Shot her and it grazed her, and then she didn't pass right away is what he said. And that's when he said. That's what I meant about the question. That's when Kat said he helped her when she was, you know, still alive. After the first shot.
Unknown Advertiser
It was Rice who pulled the trigger first.
Unknown Interviewee
The guy I'm thinking of. Let's. Yes, let's call him Rice. The guy with. Do I even. Like, if I was there right now, I will never step foot in Colorado again. But I could, like, point where he lives. What, his car? His car. His. His girlfriend. I just. The names. The names. Like, it's very traumatic out there for me after all this, so. The names. That's what he said. He said that it hit her, but it did not kill her. She was on his floor. And he said it felt like an hour, but it was only a few minutes until he had decided to do what he did.
Unknown Advertiser
Did Catfish tell you that he killed Crystal?
Unknown Interviewee
No. In those words, no. Did he tell me everything that happened to her then, leading up to the night that she passed and how she passed? Absolutely. And. And where. And how they did hide her? Yeah. He originally asked if someone was suffering, would you help them out? And then told me what happened and told me that he helped her. And then that was it. Then that's when they went ahead and had to do what they had to do. So, yes, I guess he. He did pull the. The killing blow. He. He shot her. He. He called it helped her out. And I knew what he meant after he had told me that he. He. I. I must have looked. I don't know. He didn't go into too much detail after what happened after, like. Like what they all did. He did tell me what that they did.
Oh, shit.
They did separate her and. And place her in different places. His exact words were that they. They cut her apart and spread her through the mountains. On my end, I'd have no problem testifying in court or whatever I would need to do.
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Stay tuned next Friday for the final update episode on Crystal Reisinger's disappearance from season two of up and Vanished and learn how you personally can help us solve this case once and for all.
Payne Lindsay
Up and Vanished in the Midnight sun is a production of Tenderfoot TV in association with Odyssey. Your host is Payne Lindsay. The show is written by Payne Lindsay with additional assistance from Mike Rooney. Executive producers are Donald Albright and Payne Lindsay. Lead producer is Mike Rooney along with producers Dylan Harrington and Cooper Skinner. Editing by Mike Rooney and Cooper Skinner with additional editing by Dylan Harrington. Supervising producer is Tracy Kaplan. Additional Production by Victoria McKenzie, Alice Kanique, Glenn and Eric Quintana. Artwork by by Rob Sheridan Original music by Makeup and Vanity Set mix and mastered by Cooper Skinner. Thank you to Oren Rosenbaum and the team at uta, Beck Media and Marketing and the Nord Group. Special thanks to all of the families and community members that spoke to the team. Additional information and resources can be found in our show Notes for more podcasts like up and Vanished, search Tenderfoot TV on your favorite podcast app or visit us@Tenderfoot TV. Thanks for listening.
Catfish John
Here are three things that you need.
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To know about Tenderfoot TV's brand new.
Catfish John
True crime podcast, Crook County.
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One, it's about the secret double life of a Mafia hitman named Kenny the kid tequila. 2. For over 20 years, Kenny kept this.
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Secret from his family and it eventually tore them apart.
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And three, this is a true story. And I know that it's true because I was there because Kenny is my father. My name is Kyle Tequila.
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Welcome to Crook County.
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Available now. Search Crook county in your favorite podcast app to follow the show.
Up and Vanished: Kristal Reisinger - Part 3: Dead Men Still Talk
Release Date: March 15, 2025
Episode Overview
In the gripping third installment of the "Up and Vanished" series, host Payne Lindsey delves deeper into the mysterious disappearance of Kristal Reisinger from Nome, Alaska. Titled "Dead Men Still Talk," this episode uncovers startling developments following the deaths of two primary suspects, Brian Otten (also known as Dreddy Bryan) and John Keenan (referred to as Catfish John). Through exclusive interviews and the revelation of previously unseen messages, Payne unearths new evidence that keeps listeners on the edge of their seats, inching closer to the truth behind Kristal's vanishing.
Key Events Recap
The episode begins with the tragic demise of Brian Otten and John Keenan, two individuals deeply entwined in Kristal Reisinger's disappearance.
Brian Otten's Death ([03:16] - [05:00])
On May 16, 2020, Brian Otten was found dead at the Starlit Hostel near Crestone. Described as lying motionless with purple-tinged skin and a dog leash around his wrist, Brian's death was initially presumed to be drug-related. The autopsy revealed a lethal combination of heroin, oxycodone, Kratom, nicotine, and marijuana. Notably, there were no signs of choking or asphyxiation, pointing to an accidental overdose. Brian was one of the last individuals known to have interacted with Kristal before her disappearance, raising suspicions about his potential involvement.
"Brian wasn't just some guy in Crestone. He was one of the key figures in Crystal Reisinger's disappearance. One of the last people known to have seen her alive. And now he was dead." (03:45)
John Keenan's Death ([05:00] - [07:00])
Just two years after Brian's death, John Keenan, also known as Catfish John, was found unresponsive in Raleigh, North Carolina, amidst a scene cluttered with drug paraphernalia. John's history as a drug dealer and his alleged violent behavior had long made him a person of interest in Kristal's case. His death added another layer of complexity, leaving investigators with more questions than answers.
"This man was awful, evil. And all these years later, even though Dreddy Bryan and Catfish John are dead, the most important question still remains. Where is Crystal?" (09:30)
Recent Developments
The episode takes a riveting turn with the introduction of newfound evidence: direct messages between the deceased suspects. A local woman provided Payne with Brian Otten's Facebook login, granting access to his untouched conversations. These messages reveal a tumultuous exchange between Brian and John just before their deaths, hinting at deeper, darker secrets.
Examination of the Messages ([13:43] - [22:18])
Payne presents verbatim transcripts of the chats between Brian and John, showcasing their strained relationship and potential confessions.
Brian Otten ([15:12]): "How you holding up?"
Catfish John ([15:13]): "I'm good. I'm in Crestone now."
As the conversation escalates, tensions rise, culminating in threats and admissions that suggest both men knew more about Kristal's disappearance than previously assumed.
Brian Otten ([17:09]): "I will murder you. I don't remember last night at all."
These exchanges raise critical questions about their involvement and the possibility of a cover-up surrounding Kristal's fate.
Conversation Highlights
One of the most compelling segments involves an anonymous interviewee revealing explosive information about the case.
Anonymous Interviewee's Testimony ([25:39] - [37:22])
An individual, deeply affected by the case, shares insights into the involvement of other suspects and the gruesome details surrounding Kristal's disappearance. They discuss the alleged participation of a person named Rice, who purportedly delivered the fatal blow to Kristal before she was disposed of and hidden away.
"He does. He shot her and it grazed her, and then she didn't pass right away is what he said. And that's when he said. That's what I meant about the question." (35:31)
Further revelations suggest a systematic effort to obscure the truth, implicating multiple individuals and pointing to a broader conspiracy.
Conclusion and Ongoing Questions
As the episode draws to a close, Payne Lindsey emphasizes that the deaths of Brian Otten and John Keenan, while significant, have not resolved the mystery of Kristal Reisinger's disappearance. Instead, they have unveiled a network of individuals who may hold the keys to unlocking the truth. The episode leaves listeners with a sense of urgency and anticipation for the final installment, promising to bring closure to a case that has long haunted the Nome community.
"If their deaths proved anything, it's that the people in this town knew something. And some of them are most certainly still alive, incapable of talking." (22:27)
Looking Ahead
The final episode is set to air the following Friday, where Payne Lindsey will provide the conclusive findings of his investigation into Kristal Reisinger's disappearance. Listeners are encouraged to tune in to uncover how they can contribute to solving this enduring mystery.
Final Thoughts
"Dead Men Still Talk" masterfully intertwines recent developments with long-standing questions, painting a complex picture of a case steeped in secrecy and tragedy. Payne Lindsey's relentless pursuit of the truth shines through, making this episode a pivotal chapter in the "Up and Vanished" series.