What to Listen to Next: Fear Thy Neighbor

Summary

Podcast Summary: "What to Listen to Next: Fear Thy Neighbor"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Who Killed Jennifer Judd?
• Episode: What to Listen to Next: Fear Thy Neighbor
• Release Date: October 14, 2024
• Host/Author: ID
• Description: This episode delves into a gripping narrative of neighborly conflict in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, culminating in a tragic and violent confrontation. Through interviews and firsthand accounts, the story explores how petty disagreements escalate into deadly outcomes, examining the impact on the community and the individuals involved.

---

Introduction: Ordinary Neighbors, Extraordinary Conflict

[00:02] Narrator:
The episode opens by highlighting that some of the most shocking violent crimes stem from everyday neighbor disputes rather than sensationalized serial killers or mass shootings. It sets the stage for a story where minor disagreements between neighbors escalate into a community-altering tragedy.

Key Quote:
"Because how can you sleep at night when the person you fear or hate the most lives right now next door?" — Narrator, [00:02]

---

Setting the Scene: Wilkes Barre and Westburg Street

[02:00] Cody Butler:
Cody Butler, a local TV reporter, introduces Wilkes Barre, a close-knit small city in Pennsylvania, emphasizing its peaceful, middle-class atmosphere and the tight-knit community of Westburg Street.

Notable Insights:

• Location: Approximately two hours from both Philadelphia and New York City.
• Community: Home to the Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins, fostering local sports enthusiasm.

Key Quotes:
"We're home to the Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins, the farm team of the Pittsburgh Penguins." — Cody Butler, [02:36]
"Westburg street is a very quiet part of the suburbs of Wilkes Barre." — Cody Butler, [03:08]

---

Introducing the Neighborhood Residents

[03:25] Shannon Lai:
Shannon Lai describes Westburg Street as a family-oriented area where neighbors greet each other warmly and look out for one another. She paints a picture of a harmonious community ideal for raising children.

Key Quotes:
"We would all greet each other, you know, just good morning, have a good day." — Shannon Lai, [03:31]
"The neighbors are great. It's somewhere you could just sit outside and relax." — Betty Mitchell, [03:55]

[04:31] Rowan Mitchell:
Rowan Miller emphasizes the close-knit nature of the neighborhood, especially among the children, fostering strong community bonds.

---

The Arrival of Jeffrey Spade: A New Neighbor

[04:31] Narrator:
The tranquility of Westburg Street changes with the purchase of an empty house by Jeffrey Spade in the summer of 2020. Jeffrey, an Army National Guard and Navy Reserve veteran, is introduced as a polite, quiet individual who becomes the target of his neighbors' ire.

Key Quotes:
"Jeffrey proudly served in the United States Navy..." — Cody Butler, [04:57]
"He was very reserved, he kept to himself." — Rowan Mitchell, [05:18]
"He was friendly, but he was a quiet guy." — James Goy, [05:22]

Insights:

• Jeffrey's meticulous nature in maintaining his home impresses many but earns resentment from some, particularly the Goy couple.

---

The Goys: Longtime Residents with Strong Personalities

[05:55] Narrator:
Lisa and James Goy, neighbors who have lived on Westburg Street for nearly 15 years, are portrayed as strong-willed and territorial. Initially, they participate in community activities but soon clash with Jeffrey over minor issues.

Key Quotes:
"They would get mad about the small things, like if grass was growing up to their side of the fence." — Rowan Mitchell, [09:02]
"They were good for each other. I don't think I've ever one time heard them arguing." — James Goy, [06:39]

Notable Tensions:

• Disagreements over property maintenance, parking disputes, and perceived antisocial behavior from Jeffrey.
• The Goys’ antagonistic behavior includes loud parties, derogatory remarks, and aggressive actions towards other neighbors.

---

Escalation of Conflict: From Disputes to Violence

[12:09] Rowan Mitchell:
Rowan reflects on the Goys’ territorial nature, suggesting they seemed to seek confrontation over trivial matters.

Key Quotes:
"I think that they were just territorial of their property in general. And that was just another one of the things for them to be territorial about." — Rowan Mitchell, [12:09]

[15:00] Betty Mitchell:
The installation of a "no parking" sign further escalates tensions, with Jeffrey suspecting the Goys manipulated local authorities to disadvantage him.

Key Quotes:
"It may have been a vindictive move. By the Goys." — Betty Mitchell, [15:00]

[16:19] James Goy:
The Goys’ aggressive policing of neighborhood norms includes throwing firecrackers at cars and incessant yelling, exacerbating the hostile environment.

Notable Insights:

• Jeffrey becomes increasingly frustrated and defensive, leading him to arm himself as tensions mount.
• The neighborhood becomes divided, with most residents feeling uneasy but reluctant to intervene.

---

The Climactic Confrontation: A Winter of Terror

[21:19] Cody Butler:
A severe snowstorm in February 2021 sets the stage for the tragic confrontation. The heavy snowfall isolates the neighborhood, delaying emergency response and heightening the tension.

Key Quotes:
"Northeastern Pennsylvania was gearing up for a major snowstorm. About 2ft of snow was expected to fall." — Cody Butler, [22:18]
"It was one of those quiet days when the snow is on the ground and it's kind of insulated." — Betty Mitchell, [22:45]

The Incident:

• Jeffrey and the Goys engage in a heated argument over parking rights amidst the snow.
• Surveillance cameras capture the violent exchange, where Jeffrey, armed with an AR15, shoots Lisa and James Goy.
• The footage reveals Jeffrey’s escalation from verbal confrontation to deadly force.

Key Quotes from Surveillance Footage:
"I make your life live in hell living here, dickhead." — Lisa Goy, [25:30]
"Call the cops. Call the cops." — Lisa Goy, [26:10]

Outcome:

• Lisa Goy is fatally shot, and James Goy is critically injured.
• Jeffrey retreats to his home, leading to a tense standoff with police amidst the ongoing snowstorm.
• Jeffrey ultimately takes his own life before authorities can intervene.

Impact on the Community:

• The violent incident is leaked online, shocking the wider public.
• Neighbors grapple with the trauma, with lasting psychological effects and fractured community bonds.

---

Aftermath and Reflections: Lessons Learned

[34:25] Betty Mitchell:
Betty reflects on the tragedy, underscoring the importance of kindness and understanding to prevent such escalations.

Key Quotes:
"It just proved that you never know what somebody's going through and just don't be an asshole, you know." — Betty Mitchell, [34:25]
"There is a chance that he could have seen or gone through a lot." — Rowan Mitchell, [34:41]

Community Trauma:

• The Mitchell family remains traumatized, continuing to live next door to the Goys and across from Jeffrey’s former residence.
• The incident serves as a somber reminder of how unresolved tensions and lack of communication can lead to irreversible consequences.

Key Takeaways:

• The importance of mental health care, especially for veterans.
• The need for communities to foster understanding and resolve conflicts amicably.
• Reflecting on whether similar tensions in any neighborhood could escalate if left unchecked.

Final Reflections:
The episode concludes by pondering the fragility of peaceful communities and the potential for ordinary disputes to spiral out of control, leaving listeners with a haunting question: "Why?"

---

Conclusion:

"What to Listen to Next: Fear Thy Neighbor" is a poignant exploration of how ordinary neighborly conflicts can escalate into tragic violence. Through detailed narratives, interviews, and firsthand accounts, the episode underscores the importance of community harmony, communication, and mental health awareness to prevent such devastating outcomes.

Notable Quotes Recap:

• "Because how can you sleep at night when the person you fear or hate the most lives right now next door?" — Narrator, [00:02]
• "It just proved that you never know what somebody's going through and just don't be an asshole, you know." — Betty Mitchell, [34:25]
• "A lot of people were using it to bring up mental health care as well, especially for veterans." — Rowan Mitchell, [34:41]

---

Recommendation:
For listeners interested in true crime, community dynamics, and psychological explorations of conflict, "Fear Thy Neighbor" offers a compelling and cautionary tale that highlights the thin line between peace and chaos in everyday life.

Transcript

[Narrator]

Most violent crimes that capture the public's imagination are about serial killers, mass shooters, crimes of passion, or clashes among underworld figures. Yet some of the most shocking and deadly conflicts we encounter are between everyday neighbors in ordinary neighborhoods. These stories about people who just happen to move in beside each other and fall out over 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 now next door? We're in a small American city on a suburban street, and there's a couple who have lived there for a while. They often behave like bigots and bullies, but most of their neighbors have found a way to live with the situation, even if they don't like it. Then a U.S. army veteran moves in directly across the street from this couple. He's polite, quiet, and lives alone. And somehow that makes him the target of their ire. And tensions build to unbearable levels. It's horrifying how things end. And just to make things worse, it's all captured on a security camera video that's leaked on the Internet and watched by millions.

[James Goy]

You fuck.

[Lisa Goy]

Up savage.

[Narrator]

This is fear thy neighbor. Bullets in the snow. Wilkes Barre is a small city nestled in Pennsylvania near Scranton. About 50,000 people live there and so you can picture where it is on a map.

[Cody Butler]

We're about two hours from Philadelphia and two hours from New York City.

[Narrator]

That's the voice of Cody Butler. He's been working as a TV reporter in Wilkes Barre for many years.

[Cody Butler]

We're home to the Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins, the farm team of the Pittsburgh Penguins. So a lot of people enjoy sports with the Yankees farm team not too far behind.

[Narrator]

It's a close knit community made up of middle class people who work hard, raise their children thoughtfully and live in modest homes. And there's one cozy street which is the envy of the neighborhood. It's less than a mile long, so everyone who lives there knows everyone else.

[Cody Butler]

Westburg street is a very quiet part of the suburbs of Wilkes Barrel.

[Narrator]

And on such a tiny street, your homes are extra close to one another. You can even hear the neighbor's door open and close as the kids run out to play.

[Shannon Lai]

It's just a small little town within a big city. It's a family oriented area.

[Narrator]

That's Shannon Lai and this street is the perfect place to raise her two kids.

[Shannon Lai]

I had twins at the time and I was just a single mom raising my children in a quiet, polite, clean neighborhood. We would all greet each other, you know, just good morning, have a good day, you know, things like that. It was kind of, we all looked out for one another.

[Betty Mitchell]

The neighbors are great. It's somewhere you could just sit outside and relax. It's a very nice street to live on.

[Narrator]

Betty Mitchell and her two children, 19 year old Rowan and 18 year old Gary have called this neighborhood home for years. They live one house up the street from Shannon and her children.

[James Goy]

Everyone's either friendly with each other or always gives a friendly hi, how you doing? When they're outside, that's scary.

[Narrator]

Here's Rowan.

[Rowan Mitchell]

All of our neighbors are very close knit. Like we all talked to each other and just like really tight knit, especially the kids. They all like to spend time together.

[Narrator]

However, there is one house on the street that's been quiet for some time. It sits across the street from the homes of Shannon and Betty's families. The elderly woman who lived alone there for years passed away some time ago and it's sat empty ever since. But in the summer of 2020, someone purchases the house and everyone is very curious about the new neighbor, Jeffrey Spade.

[Cody Butler]

Jeffrey proudly served in the United States Navy as a shipboard engineering technician before going into the United States Army National Guard and eventually the United States Navy Reserve.

[Narrator]

After years of being in the service, Jeffrey prefers to keep to himself. He now works as an engineer at a local plant.

[Rowan Mitchell]

He was very reserved, he kept to himself.

[James Goy]

He was friendly, but he was a quiet guy.

[Narrator]

Jeffrey seems to have found the quiet neighborhood he was looking for. As the rest of the neighbors happily chat and interact with each other daily in passing, Jeffrey spends his time quietly and carefully turning his new house into his perfect home. And it impresses the neighborhood.

[James Goy]

He was always doing something around his house.

[Rowan Mitchell]

He was very particular about the care of his home. Everything was always perfect to a T. He was always doing work on it.

[Narrator]

But not all of his neighbors respect his endeavors. Ripping off the old siding, huh? Lisa and James Goy live directly across the street from Jeffrey in the house between Shannon Lies and the Mitchells. They're the couple we were talking about at the beginning. What's the point of stacking it up so nice?

[Lisa Goy]

Just gonna end up in the dump. Well, doesn't hurt to keep things tidy.

[Narrator]

Lisa and James Goy have resided on this street for nearly 15 years. They know everyone, and everyone knows them. It's hard not to notice them. They have very strong personalities, but they're also devoted to one another. And their neighbors notice they had each other's back.

[Betty Mitchell]

I never heard them fight. Honestly, I never heard them argue with each other or anything.

[James Goy]

They were good for each other. I don't think I've ever one time heard them arguing.

[Narrator]

And they are the first to jump in. Whenever the neighbors have a party and they have a lot of them around.

[Shannon Lai]

Here, someone would just come up with an idea to say, like, hey, you know, let's have a party. And then we would just. And then have a good time.

[Narrator]

And the goys are always up for a good time. But as for Jeffrey, I always was.

[Rowan Mitchell]

Under the impression that he just wanted to keep to himself. Just one of those people that didn't like to socialize.

[Narrator]

While the other neighbors respect Jeffrey's decision to keep to himself, the goys find him antisocial, even offensive. That was rude. But there might be a reason why Jeffrey prefers a quiet life.

[Cody Butler]

I think a lot of veterans keep quiet to themselves and only express themselves when other people open up.

[Narrator]

When Friday night arrives, Jeffrey settles in for a quiet evening. But when the sun goes down, the party ramps up and it's directly across the street. So he can't help but hear the good times.

[Lisa Goy]

Who would want to, like, you know, hang out with us? You know what I mean?

[Narrator]

The goys voices are a lot louder than everyone else's and carry further right into Jeffrey's living room.

[Rowan Mitchell]

They were always loud, laughing at the parties and things that they would have.

[Lisa Goy]

I mean, seriously, like, what's wrong with people, huh?

[Betty Mitchell]

They get a little loud, you know, just being themselves and having a good time.

[Lisa Goy]

Hey, man, you coming out? Come on.

[Narrator]

Maybe he's not out yet. He's not out yet.

[Lisa Goy]

Cheers, guys.

[Narrator]

The goy's subtle jab is spoken just loud enough for everyone to hear, but they don't seem to care if they come off as homophobic.

[Betty Mitchell]

It was a little obnoxious.

[James Goy]

They're not very respectable when it comes to being around people and knowing how to use, like, polite language.

[Narrator]

It seems the goys don't care much about what their neighbors or anyone else thinks of them. By all accounts, while Jeffrey is new to the neighborhood, it feels like the goys, even though they're longtime residents, are the ones that don't quite capture the spirit of Westburg Street.

[Rowan Mitchell]

They weren't as meticulous as Jeffrey was, but I feel that they were more territorial Than he was.

[James Goy]

They would get mad about the small things, like if grass was growing up to their side of the fence.

[Narrator]

Jeffrey soon sees this for himself. It's a pleasant summer day, and everyone is out working on their yards, Including Betty Mitchell, who has some gardening to catch up on. The rock garden, which backs up against the fence she shares with the goys, needs tending to.

[Betty Mitchell]

I was just cleaning the rocks, like, just cleaning all the vines and everything out of it and just kind of restacking it. While the one fell over and hit.

[Narrator]

The goys fence, the rock doesn't damage the goy's fence. Still, Lisa goy takes offense and decides to make a point. The next day, Betty discovers she had.

[Betty Mitchell]

Stuck a note wire tied a note to the back on cardboard stating, please don't hit my fence with your rocks. It's already broke or something. And I was like, okay. Like, it was just odd. It was so odd. Like, I'm an adult. I don't know. Like, that kind of bugged me a little bit.

[Narrator]

Jeffrey witnesses the whole thing from his house. He doesn't get involved. Shannon lai, who we met before, lives on the other side of the goys. They share a driveway.

[Shannon Lai]

Jim goy would park his car in the driveway or on the street, but he would bring home, like, his work van and park that in the driveway or on the street.

[Narrator]

The goys don't just have one vehicle.

[Shannon Lai]

They have three more days than not parking was a problem.

[Lisa Goy]

Hey, move your car to your side.

[Shannon Lai]

Okay?

[Narrator]

I'm sorry.

[Shannon Lai]

He's like, you parked too close. I'm gonna have it towed or I'm just gonna hit your car. I'm like, okay, not a problem. I'll move it. When it came to, like, their personal needs of parking or just anything that was convenient to them, they felt like they were entitled to be okay. And it's, you know, an okay situation to do that.

[Narrator]

And James goy is not least bit gracious when Shannon does move her car over there.

[Lisa Goy]

Was that so hard? Stupid little.

[Rowan Mitchell]

Excuse me. They did not care who they offended with what they were saying. And they made a lot of remarks that were very inappropriate and offensive.

[Narrator]

Let's go inside.

[Shannon Lai]

When he would have his reactions, and if my children were out front, I would just take them inside or go in the backyard to, you know, remove myself from that situation.

[Narrator]

But James goy isn't willing to let the issue go.

[Shannon Lai]

And then Jim goy spray painted a line to say, this is where your parking starts. I thought he was an asshole. I'm like, that was Kind of an asshole move.

[Rowan Mitchell]

I think that they were just territorial of their property in general. And that was just another one of the things for them to be territorial about. I don't know why, but it was almost like looking for confrontation.

[Narrator]

In the interest of neighborhood harmony, everyone has learned to turn a blind eye to the goys. But Jeffrey is the new guy on the street and that makes him a new target. Jeffrey parks his truck in front of his own house and he has every legal right to do so. But it's a narrow street and the goys are used to using the area in front of Jeffrey's house.

[Betty Mitchell]

Lisa used that area to back up out of her driveway. I guess she needed that extra room.

[Narrator]

Could you move so I can turn around?

[Lisa Goy]

You got plenty of room. Hey, I told you already, you can't park there. Move your car.

[Narrator]

Jeffries Fade has no time to put up with James attitude.

[Betty Mitchell]

He would just mumble under his breath and walk away.

[Lisa Goy]

Hey, get back here. I'm talking to you. What's your problem, man?

[Narrator]

But this time Jeffrey turns around.

[Lisa Goy]

Back off. Get a grip. Shut the hell up while you're at it.

[Betty Mitchell]

I've never witnessed anybody saying anything to them before this.

[Lisa Goy]

Hey, who the hell you think you're talking to, huh? Who the hell do you think you are? Why don't you go back inside, put a little stern on.

[Betty Mitchell]

There was a lot of yelling and it was, it was very loud.

[Narrator]

If the goys are looking for a fight, Jeffrey is ready to bring one to their doorstep. In fact, he's ready to go nose to nose with James on the goy's front lawn in front of the entire neighborhood.

[Shannon Lai]

It was just go ahead and call the police and nothing's gonna be done.

[Betty Mitchell]

It was nerve wracking. Just because I don't like confrontation to begin with. So just listening to it was kinda crazy that it was that big of a deal.

[Narrator]

Things escalate further between the goys and Jeffrey when he discovers he's lost the right to park in front of his own. Now it's somehow against the law.

[James Goy]

They're like, how'd that no parking sign get there?

[Narrator]

Gary and Rowan Mitchell are the first to notice the sign. It seems like it was put up virtually overnight.

[Rowan Mitchell]

It looks like it's supposed to be a parking spot, but I know that the no parking sign was actually put.

[James Goy]

Up by the township, which didn't make sense to me.

[Narrator]

It may have been put up by the authorities, but Jeffrey assumes he knows who is to blame.

[Betty Mitchell]

It may have been a vindictive move. By the goys.

[Narrator]

Jeffrey and many of the other neighbors believe the goys pulled some strings to put the sign up. After all, they constantly brag about having friends in high places. Reporter cody butler has heard the rumors before.

[Cody Butler]

Did the goys have connections? This is a small town in northeastern pennsylvania. Does somebody know somebody in the police department or the clerk down at the county courthouse? Chances are we'll never know.

[James Goy]

I think they act like the neighborhood's theirs. If you were to point out a neighborhood bully, it would be them.

[Betty Mitchell]

Like it was their way or the highway.

[Narrator]

And james is going to make sure things are done his way. Ever since jeffrey had the nerve to stand up to them, the goys go out of their way to make sure everyone in the neighborhood lives by their rules.

[Shannon Lai]

If he felt like the car was going too fast, he would come out and yell at the moving car.

[Lisa Goy]

Do you see that, idiot?

[Shannon Lai]

And some, you know, derogatory remarks as well.

[Betty Mitchell]

It was uncalled for. That definitely was uncalled for. I tried to avoid those conversations.

[Narrator]

The goys resort to bizarre tactics to teach passing cars a lesson.

[James Goy]

They would just throw firecrackers, Pull out in the road. When cars would run over them, they'd yell stuff at the cars, Just trying to start problems, really escalate anything they could. They weren't even like the little normal firecrackers. They were like the big ones.

[Narrator]

But the main thorn in the goyes side is people parking in front of their house.

[James Goy]

They would just come out yelling, get the f out of here. It wasn't like they would come out of their house and, oh, can you please move your car like you're parking in my spot? Don't you have anything better to do than yell at people for parking in the wrong spot? I think they had anger issues.

[Rowan Mitchell]

The goys definitely didn't always seem like they felt the rules applied to them.

[Narrator]

The goys park wherever they want, Including a neighbor. Shannon lai's spot.

[Shannon Lai]

It just became an irate situation. I kept my encounters with the goys very minimal. Pretty much just let me know if my house is on fire, you know, like that type of relationship, and I will return the favor.

[Narrator]

Jeffrey is the first to fight back against his bully neighbors. And so he becomes the focus of their ire.

[Rowan Mitchell]

It just didn't get better. They seem to like to hold grudges.

[Betty Mitchell]

I know they targeted him a lot.

[James Goy]

Probably about almost every day. Every other day, he would be out in his yard doing something, Whether it were cutting his grass or weeding, like his flower beds or trimming the bushes.

[Narrator]

You need to be a man to do that kind of work.

[James Goy]

I don't see why they would want to fight with Jeffrey considering he was such a quiet guy and he kept to himself so much.

[Betty Mitchell]

They would just yell at him over everything. You know, they would call him a pussy, you know, just vulgar names.

[James Goy]

It was always Jim calling him, just slurs and stuff like that.

[Narrator]

Jeffrey, like everyone else in the neighborhood, doesn't believe calling the police on the goys will do any good.

[Shannon Lai]

Jim would say, I know the plains township police. I have family in the plains township police.

[Cody Butler]

But there is no proof of the local police department even knowing the goys.

[Narrator]

Whether or not the goys have friends in high places, the rest of the neighbors are getting fed up with them. They are a constant source of discussion and voices carry pretty far on this quiet street.

[Shannon Lai]

I think a lot of people were kind of fed up with the goys, their whole Persona, the bullying.

[James Goy]

They definitely were all fed up with, with hearing the bickering and everything like that. 24, 7.

[Narrator]

Even at his age, Betty's 17 year old son can see that something is changing on the street. Ever since Jeffrey moved in, the goys are getting out of control.

[James Goy]

Like no one that lives in a peaceful, quiet neighborhood wants to have to hear your neighbors outside screaming cuss words and everything. It's kind of just like, all right, you guys need to stop.

[Narrator]

But unlike Jeffrey, none of the other neighbors are willing to take on the goys. Nonetheless, James and Lisa feel that their neighbors, people they have known for years, are turning against them and they blame Jeffrey Spade for turning their lives upside down. However, they're ready to protect themselves and their property at any cost. As the goys become increasingly difficult, many in the neighborhood begin to feel uneasy.

[Rowan Mitchell]

The goys were proud gun owners. They had all kinds of firearms and they were vocal about having them as well.

[Narrator]

In addition to being well armed, the goys are determined to know what's going on in the neighborhood at all times.

[Betty Mitchell]

They put a surveillance camera.

[Narrator]

Betty Mitchell is bewildered and unnerved by the move.

[Betty Mitchell]

We never really had crime in the area, so I'm like, I didn't know what they were going to catch with it.

[Narrator]

Longtime Wilkes bar reporter Cody Butler.

[Cody Butler]

Again, there were two pointing right across the street at Jeffrey's house. Now, were they put up because of a feud or did they put them up for security reasons?

[Narrator]

Jeffrey doesn't like the fact that the goys are watching him and it was.

[James Goy]

The one on the right side that picked up everything. But they also had Cameras on, like, the sides of their house and everything. It was more along the lines they just wanted to protect their house and just make sure everything was kind of fortified and kept down.

[Lisa Goy]

Hey, point those things away from my house. Yeah, what are you gonna do about it, huh? Are you mad enough to do anything? Huh? Come on, let's go.

[James Goy]

I can definitely say there's no way Jeffrey felt comfortable. The man probably thought about it like, he wants to go out in his yard, but then, oh, what if the neighbors come out yelling at me like, he just wants to live in peace and quiet?

[Narrator]

But the goys aren't the only ones who are armed.

[Cody Butler]

Jeffrey had many guns in his house. He had weapons in the garage. He had weapons pretty much every corner of the house. He was ready to act at any moment. Do the neighbors think that it would have ever gotten to the point of what happened? No. Until it did.

[Narrator]

Shannon lai, who's had her confrontations with the goys over their shared driveway, finds a larger house in another neighborhood. She's happy to move away from the simmering tension on the street. Are we ready to go, boys? Yeah, let's go.

[Shannon Lai]

I was fed up with the goys, their whole Persona, so I was lucky to move.

[Narrator]

She learned later that she left just in time. In February of 2021, just as the animosity between the neighbors reaches a boiling point, a blizzard ravages Wilkes Barr.

[Cody Butler]

Northeastern Pennsylvania was gearing up for a major snowstorm. About 2ft of snow was expected to fall.

[Narrator]

But there's an even bigger storm coming. The next morning, the neighborhood wakes up to a winter wonderland. The roads haven't even been cleared yet. Betty Mitchell pulls out of her driveway and makes the slow drive to work.

[Betty Mitchell]

There was already, like, a blanket of snow down, so it was one of those quiet days when the snow is on the ground and it's kind of insulated.

[Narrator]

The gentle peace and quiet is about to be violently interrupted. As Betty carefully navigates the icy roads on her way to work. Her teenage children have the house to themselves. What they're about to witness will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

[Rowan Mitchell]

On that morning, I was in my bedroom. I was actually sleeping at first. They had closed my work for that day, so I took the opportunity to sleep in. Everything was quiet and peaceful.

[Narrator]

While Rowan takes advantage of the snow day to get some extra sleep, her younger brother Gary invites a friend over to hang out in the basement.

[James Goy]

And we were sitting down there playing games and just talking. It was obviously cold, but it just felt like a normal, peaceful winter. Morning. I wasn't expecting it to escalate into what it did.

[Narrator]

Jeffrey Spade is the first one to head outside to shovel his property. He dutifully clears his walkway and the area around his home and then goes inside to warm up. Then James and Lisa come outside to clear their driveway. How they decide to do it sets in motion a shocking series of events. It's one of the biggest stories reporter Cody Butler will ever cover.

[Cody Butler]

Jeffrey had his property already cleared while the goys had started to clear their side of the road and push the snow across the road and onto Jeffrey's property. Jeffrey was not too thrilled about this, and the goys did not think it was a big deal of pushing the snow across the road.

[Narrator]

Frustrated with the Goys behavior, Jeffrey fights fire with fire and begins shoveling the snow the goys pushed onto his property, right back onto theirs. It's another shouting match between the neighbors.

[Cody Butler]

And that's when Jeffrey had enough and arguments started happening. Swear words.

[Narrator]

The cameras the Goys put up around their home record the confrontation. What you're about to hear is from the actual footage that captured what transpired that day, and it contains harsh language. Please listen with care.

[Lisa Goy]

I make your life live in hell living here, dickhead. What? You heard me. Fuck you, you fucking scum. You would probably. You're the fucking scumbag. You don't fucking talk himself on. He's got a punchy leg. He's a fucking scum. You're a pussy. Fuck you.

[Narrator]

On the surveillance footage, Jeffrey goes inside through his garage door. He returns a few moments later holding a gun. He aims it at James and Lisa.

[Lisa Goy]

Call the cops. Call the cops.

[Narrator]

Both Gary and Rowan hear the gunshots from inside their house.

[Rowan Mitchell]

At that point, I looked back out my window and I was just kind of looking to see what was going on.

[James Goy]

It did not sound like a gun. It kind of sounded like someone was taking a hammer and like hitting the metal on the side of a car really hard or something like that.

[Narrator]

Outside, Jeffrey continues firing at the goys. Lisa collapses on the road. James struggles to get away, but collapses at the end of his driveway. Jeffrey follows and continues firing bullets into him. Jeffrey turns around and calmly walks back into his house just as Gary and his friend rush outside.

[James Goy]

And me and my friend throw on shoes real quick and we go outside. First thing I heard when I walked outside was Lisa crying her husband's name. And I was like, oh, okay, what's going on? I saw Lisa laying on the ground and she had a whole, like, puddle of blood around her we kind of, like, walked forward more and looked to the left, and Jim was laying right in between the two cars. And he got shot in the lungs. And all we heard was deep gasping.

[Narrator]

Gary's voice is also captured on the surveillance footage.

[Lisa Goy]

Are you okay? Call 9 1.

[James Goy]

We start turning around. That's when we saw Jeffrey coming out.

[Narrator]

Jeffrey is not finished yet. He comes back outside. This time, he is holding a much larger weapon. He marches towards the goys. Gary and his friend are in his path.

[James Goy]

As we're turning around, that's when we saw Jeffrey coming out the second time with the AR15 and kind of pointed it at us. And we turned around and we went back. I was kind of like, hope this man doesn't shoot me. I was like, I don't really want to die today.

[Narrator]

Gary's sister Rowan, sees everything unfold from her bedroom window.

[Rowan Mitchell]

I saw him walk back out with a rifle. Seeing the terror in their eyes was something I'll never forget.

[James Goy]

We turn around and we run back in my house.

[Narrator]

Jeffrey isn't interested in Gary or his friend. He is wholly consumed with the goys. He walks up to Lisa and stands over her as she struggles to breathe.

[Rowan Mitchell]

I saw him walk up to her.

[Lisa Goy]

You should have kept your fucking.

[Rowan Mitchell]

And I remember thinking, what do I do in this situation?

[Narrator]

Rowan watches helplessly as Jeffrey walks over to James and goes in for the killer. After firing the final shot, Jeffrey trudges through the snow and goes back inside his home.

[Rowan Mitchell]

It was dead quiet on the street. There was no noise at all. It was so quiet from the snow as well. It was just like everything stopped.

[Narrator]

As silence settles over the scene outside, all hell breaks loose inside the Mitchell house.

[Rowan Mitchell]

After that, I quickly ran to get my brothers to go into the basement.

[James Goy]

We have firearms in my house, so we armed ourselves. Everything was loaded. We had all the guns out like we were ready to go. Cause we didn't know what he was gonna do next. I never thought I would have to prepare myself to get ready to possibly shoot at, like, another human being and, like, shoot at my neighbor because he's out there going crazy with an AR15.

[Narrator]

While her brother Gary and his friend prepare for the worst, Rowan calls for help.

[Rowan Mitchell]

I remember calling the police as soon as I realized what was happening. And the line was actually busy. And I remember just thinking, I can't be on hold. There's people dying.

[Narrator]

The Mitchells are not the only ones who dial 911. The switchboard is flooded with calls. But the snow slows the response time.

[Rowan Mitchell]

It was just like this moment that seemed to last so long, waiting for help to come.

[Narrator]

Meanwhile, snow falls on the bodies of James and Lisa Goy. After what feels like an eternity, sirens are heard in the distance. The police finally show up on Westburg Street.

[James Goy]

The state troopers were the first people to respond to the scene.

[Narrator]

Jeffrey is armed and waiting inside his house. The police are prepared for the worst. They get ready for a tense standoff.

[Rowan Mitchell]

As soon as the police arrived, they went right to his house.

[James Goy]

They were getting ready to go into his house. We heard the final gunshot.

[Rowan Mitchell]

And that was him taking his own life.

[Narrator]

After the shock wears off, the horrifying reality of the event sinks in.

[Cody Butler]

It's gruesome, it's shocking, it's horrific that it could have even gotten to this point.

[Rowan Mitchell]

I remember calling my mom. She was at work, and all I could say was, the neighbors are dead.

[Betty Mitchell]

It took me a minute to even wrap my head around it. And then I asked her who? And she said all three of them. I immediately came home.

[Narrator]

The heavy snow makes it difficult for the bodies to be removed.

[Rowan Mitchell]

The coroner took a long time to get There was the most snow we have seen in years. And while they were waiting for the coroner to arrive, their bodies were just in the streets for hours.

[James Goy]

It was weird. It was almost like the silence that echoes in your head, like the ringing kind of silence. It got very eerie.

[Narrator]

It's not just the neighborhood that witnesses the horror. The shocking surveillance footage is leaked for the world to see.

[Cody Butler]

And within hours, the incident happening. There's video circulating around the Internet.

[Narrator]

Although Shannon Lai escaped the neighborhood months before the shooting, she cannot escape the trauma.

[Shannon Lai]

I saw the video on social media. I immediately reached out to my neighbors and I just simply asked, is this true? Is this Jim and Lisa Goy?

[Betty Mitchell]

I was pretty upset. I called the local news station. I called our local police department. I tried to get a hold of YouTube, and then at that point, it was. It was everywhere, you know, and there was no stopping it.

[Narrator]

It has been years since the bloody feud shook this quiet neighborhood. Attempts have been made to have the video removed from social media. But it's taken on a life of its own now. It continues to shock and horrify people.

[Lisa Goy]

I live your life. Living hell living here, dickhead. What? Pussy, pussy, pussy.

[Cody Butler]

When Jeffrey came out with a pistol, you could hear, oh, really? The husband and wife egging Jeffrey on. Go in, go in, go in to shoot him. If, you know you're in a high square escalating situation and someone specifically goes back to their house and comes back with A gun points it at you and you egg them on.

[Narrator]

The residents of Westburg street still struggle to cope with what happened that cold winter's day. The Mitchell family still lives in the same home, right next to the goys and across from Jeffrey Spade's house. They are haunted by the tragic events. One question remains. Why?

[Betty Mitchell]

It just proved that you never know what somebody's going through and just don't be an asshole, you know, like just be a kind person and do things the right way.

[Rowan Mitchell]

A lot of people were using it to bring up mental health care as well, especially for veterans. There is a chance that he could have seen or gone through a lot.

[Betty Mitchell]

Everybody's a little more on edge per se, you know, like, especially in the winter, like when you hear a snowblower, it kind of, kind of triggers it a little.

[Narrator]

Gary Mitchell doesn't need to see the video to relive the terror. Every winter is a reminder of the carnage that unfolded that day.

[James Goy]

Like every time it snows, I'm just like, oh, this is weird. Like not even just anywhere, but specifically on my street. It's just when it snows, it's just kinda kind of brings you back to it almost. It's weird.

[Narrator]

Looking back to when Jeffrey first moved across from James and Lisa, no one would ever suspect things could have ended this way. These were ordinary people living in an ordinary neighborhood, just like you and me. But when, when things took a turn, the tension and hostility were inescapable and escalated horribly. Given the right circumstances. Could any of us be driven to this point? Hopefully not. But there are lessons to be learned here.

[Shannon Lai]

Treat people with kindness, even if you can't really tolerate them or deal with them like, you know, treat people the way that you want to be treated and just be kind to your neighbors at the very least.

[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 I.B. and Max.