The Scream Murder, Episode 4: Scream Queens

Hi, this is Connor McCarthy. Today we're back with another episode of. the Scream murder, a true teen horror. story. Remember, if you can't wait for. more, you can listen ahead to the entire. series right now ad-free when you. subscribe to 2020 True Crime Plus. Just click the link in the description. to sign up. Terms apply. Now, here's the. next episode. Brian Draper and Tory Adamchik, two boys. obsessed with horror movies, have.

seemingly made one of their own. Just. killed Cassie. On their homemade video, Brian plays the drums in his bedroom. The day, September 22nd, [music] 2006. The time, 5:27 p.m. A nearby TV plays the opening scene of. the iconic slasher film Scream. In less than 6 hours, Cassie Jo Stoddart. would be murdered. She was their first. victim, but she was supposed to be just. the beginning. You take a pleasure of killing other.

people. That sounds good, baby. We're. going to go down in history. I'm Pat Rogers. And I'm Connor McCarthy. This is episode 4 of The Scream Murder, a true teen horror story [music]. podcast. The idea of a teen killer, it's very, thankfully, very rare. You. and I have done true crime a long time. You don't come across it very often. To. have two together, a pair of killers, is. extraordinary, almost unheard of. Hello, is this Cassie?

Hey, look, I don't know. Hello, Cassie. Have you seen Tory? He's supposed to meet me here at 7:30, and it's 8:19. He's an hour late. The surprising part of this is. Brian and Tory, they were only friends. for a few months before this happened. Brian had his friends, Tory had his. friends. They knew of each other. Right. But it was the June before the murder in. September is when they really started. hanging out. and it was the love of.

movies, particularly horror movies, that. brought them together. So, it was very. fast and furious. It escalated quickly. This is when. the Drapers and the Adamchaks will. separate. If we talk to Pam and Kerry. Draper, Tori seemed to be a problem. They had some concern about him. Who is. this new kid that's showing up that's. that's kind of consuming Brian's. attention. >> [music]. >> All of Brian's other friends. disappeared. Tori did become his whole world. There's.

no question about that. Tori was very. much in the horror movies, and Brian started to become a bit. obsessed with violent movies as well, and his room started being covered with. horror posters, lots of horror films. More than one of his friends told Pam, "We don't want to hang around Tori.". It did come on fast. We're only talking. a couple months.

>> It was very obvious that the four months. they knew each other, Brian was being. influenced in a direction that he didn't. know anything about. Because he had been sheltered, [music]. because he hadn't watched any movies. like that. It was very desensitizing, just a little piece at a time. >> That was [music] Brian's mother, Pam. I talked to Shannon Adamchak, and she. said, "I didn't know anything about. Brian. I knew they were hanging out. They love these movies.". >> Brian pulled out a movie, and it was a.

movie called The Evil Dead. [music]. And it looked horrible. I was telling Brian, "You cannot bring. these kinds of movies over here." And. Brian said, "You [music] don't. understand. This movie's awesome." He. said this. He said, "I saw this movie. when I was in the seventh grade, and it. totally changed my life." And I just. looked at him, and he just I was like, he just I don't know. I had a very bad. feeling.

I will say that I hate the horror. movies. I hate that genre. I did not. want my kids watching it and it was a. big. fight with Torey. A big fight with Torey. about that. And the more that I was. opposed to it, the more he seemed to be. interested in it. >> The Drapers and the Adam checks both. said the same thing in the opposite. direction. One of them brought in horror films and. I think there's some debate on was it.

Brian or Torey? But there is something else the tape. revealed about the connection [music]. that the two of them had beyond horror. >> That's something big, baby. >> Like, let's see, Ted Bundy, like the. Hillside Strangler, the Zodiac Killer. >> more amateurs compared to what we're. going to be. >> So that's odd, right? You're saying. I'd like to be compared to Ted Bundy, Hillside Strangler. No, no, we're going.

to be better than that. And remember. these are 16-year-old kids and these. serial killers had all operated long. before they were even born and they. seemed to have a fascination with them. And you may say. that that's teenage bluster. They're. just two kids spitballing, but in the. context of what happened, that can't be. just set aside. >> In the tape, the night of Cassie's. murder, they're driving around Pocatello.

at night. Torey has the car, picks up. Brian. They don't go to the basketball. game. They're just tooling around the. dark streets of Pocatello fantasizing. They're talking about being famous for. murder, but it's scary for the parents. to. realize this is what they were doing in. the days, the weeks these leading up to. Cassie's murder. >> And talk about a plan, we have this next. clip coming up. where Torey is addressing the camera. It's propped up on a table in in school.

[music]. and he's looking into the lens and he's. talking about the movie that will be. eventually made of his life and who will. be in it. >> Okay, being the right cocky man in the. character that looks like to me. >> It's a little hard to hear, but he is. talking about the future when he's. either dead or alive about who's going. to play him in the movie. >> Tory's thinking about who's going to. play him in the made-for-tv movie, the. feature, however big it's going to be. based on the actions that are going to. happen.

>> So, if my answer like, "Okay, he can't. do it. It's not my actual choice to. say." Yeah, and then just do that. Answer. And if they try and say. use the staple you back up. >> This scene in the library on the tape. 12:29 p.m. September 22nd, 2006. They're. talking about life rights on who's going. to play them in the movie. And in 10. hours. Cassie will be dead. >> I talked to Shannon about the days.

following Tory's [music] arrest and. wanted to find out a little bit more. about who was Tory in her eyes as a. mother to a son, his his background, childhood. How did she think about Tory. >> [music]. >> prior to the day that he was arrested? >> Literally, Tory had never been in any. trouble. Never been in any trouble. I. had never had him reprimanded at school. You know, he was in scouts. [music] He. was in different He was in a bowling. league. He was always just giggly and.

silly and happy. Tory is passive. He's extremely passive. He's not an. aggressive person. >> At one point, she described him as. passive. You know, just very calm and. no flare-ups, you know, scouts, bowling. league. I mean, that is as Leave it to. Beaver as you can get the way that she. describes Tory and then suddenly. he's arrested and charged with.

first-degree murder at age 16. >> I know that um. Yeah, I definitely life can change in an. instant. I know what that is like now. You're in shock. Um. Yeah, what life is like after that um. totally changed. Um. a for the initial month. I couldn't eat. I went down to 85 lb, was scared to leave the house. I couldn't believe it. And so I'm.

thinking there's no way Tori could do. this. It had to be Bryant. >> Sitting down with her, you know, 20. years later, I can still see that. struggle. Now, who was my son? You know, was he. the person that I believed he was or was. he completely different? >> Okay, so obviously once Tori and Bryant. are arrested, they go search both of. their houses. And among other things at. Tori's house, they found a list. >> It's a single piece of paper.

>> [music]. >> There's several headings. First one, supplies. Watches, communication. devices, pliers. Clothes, cargo pants, gloves, utility. belt. We know the cargo [music] pants. and the gloves, both black, those were. found at Black Rock Canyon. Mask, nothing more. Weapons, daggers, >> [music]. >> survival knife, pocket knife. And the. last category victims. Each one [music] is listed first and. last name. There were seven names on the.

list. >> So, out of context, this would look. maybe like another. weird [music] teenage fantasy. In. context, that's a list of people they. wanted to kill and the equipment they. needed to kill them. >> It's kind of a random collection of. different kinds [music] of people. It. wasn't just a list of these are my. bullies. >> Right. >> Um some of them they don't even make. sense. And some of them weren't even. really aware of Bryant and Tori. Maybe. that was part of the problem. Um but we. actually spoke to uh three of the girls.

Two were on the list and another that. was mentioned on the tape. The first was. Danny who is someone that it appears. Bryant had an in as well. And uh. we're going to play a little clip on. the day she found out that she was a. part of this this bigger plan. >> And that's how the police told my. parents that Brian and Tory had been. filming me and um. that I was also a victim on their list. of people that they wanted to kill.

Like I remember their faces like just. wide-eyed and me just like. probably white as a ghost and feeling. like. what? Like. and and just like asking like like why? You know, why? Why me? Like I didn't. even know them. Like I didn't talk to. them. What did I do. for them to want to do this? Um. and we so I asked when they were there I. said, "Why? Why, you know, do you know. why?". And they said, "No.". >> When Danny found out that she was on the.

list, she's immediately brought to a. specific night. >> Somebody's outside my window. I saw a flashlight shining and I heard. footsteps. I told my mom and dad and they were. like, "No, it's just the neighbor's. headlights.". That was Brian and Tory. and they were checking the house like. they said they did. Then all of a. sudden, I remember there was a car that. was always parked in the church parking. lot after school. It was facing the house.

The car would just sit there for like. hours. >> She believes who actually it was it was. Brian and Tory either staking it out or. waiting for the moment to attack. So, I'm going to play a clip from the tape. that Brian and Tory had made. when they specifically are talking about. Danny and their plans for her. >> And we're going over to Danny's house. We're we're going to go snoop around. over there and try to see if she's home. alone or not. And if she's home alone, splat. She did. >> Don't bring your camera into this,

Brian. >> Uh. I'm not putting the camera in it. >> They're again rolling around in Tory's. car around Pocatello with a list. Danny's on it and they'd gone to her. house that night. They'd snooped on her. >> So it looked like they had made multiple. attempts [music] to. commit a murder. But the the conditions. weren't [music] right. >> That's when I think I started to see my. life [music] through a different lens.

Maybe I was supposed to die, but I. somehow got out of it. I got lucky in a. sense. I feel like you're alive because [music]. Cassie's dead. >> For someone like Danny, she feels some. guilt that. had they got me, maybe Cassie would be here today. >> Another potential victim on the tape was. a classmate named Miranda and they. actually talk about wanting to kill. Miranda while they were in the Pocatello.

High School library. >> We have a new victim now. Name is. Miranda. She started to debate so we just tell. her to be quiet. and shut up so now she's dead. >> All apparently she had done was to tell. Brian to shut up. You know, a again this. kids have beef in high school, you know, the pretty girl ignored me, whatever it. is. It doesn't usually lead to a murder.

plot. Now, back to Danny. It gets even. weirder if you can believe that. Brian's. locked up at this point. He's in the. county jail. and. Danny receives a letter postmarked from. the jail. >> Um [music] so this is the letter that. Brian sent me from prison. >> [music]. >> and the date is 10-6-06. and the crime was the 22nd. This was. like 15 days later. I know this letter has probably confused. you and caught you off guard and I know.

that you weren't expecting my name to. appear in your mailbox. But my sole. purpose in writing this letter to you is. to tell you how I feel about you. Danny, from the first time I watched you. walk into Mrs. Reagan's room last year, I felt a weird feeling in my chest. And. even in my darkest hours. where I hear your name, a smile comes to. my face, and that feeling in my chest. comes [music] back. I know that your presence in my life. would have made me a better person,

>> [music]. >> and I probably wouldn't be sitting in a. jail cell right now. I know that I've. made some mistakes in my life, but I am. changing. >> He goes on to say, "If I only had the. courage. to ask you out." Right. >> He writes Everything would be different. >> He writes this heartfelt letter and. names her on the kill list and snoops. around her house with Tori. You know, >> And she hardly knows who Brian Draper. is. >> Right. >> It just felt very like creepy to me. And very like.

Um. I felt like he was manipulating me. I. didn't believe him. I knew that he had. been a part of the crime. I knew that. was a lie. So, I didn't I you know, I just I was. like, I can't I don't believe anything. in this letter. I like I don't. Brian's obviously. very concerned with his perception. I. think he just really did want me to. write him a letter too, and that [music]. obviously I was I never considered doing. that. He doesn't mention, "Oh, yeah, sorry that I was following you.".

Or sorry that I said, you know, I said I was coming to your house and if. you're there, it's why you're dead. Like, sorry I said that. Like, he doesn't mention that. >> Did she ever say anything about how she. thought she ended up on this list? I. mean, he clearly had a crush, but did. she ever indicate anything? >> I think beyond that, um she he was not a. part of her life. He was not a part of. her circle. It's in his mind she was one. of the chosen ones. >> This is a girl that he was infatuated.

with. So, we talked about Brian in this. regard, but there is also a story about. Tori and his friend Amber. >> When I sat down with Amber, this was. really the first time that she told her. story. [music]. She had a story to tell about Tori. inviting her to Cassie's party. >> The day before Cassie was [music]. killed, Tori Adamcik was asking me over.

and over and over to stay the night. [music] with Cassie's daughter that. night. And I kept telling him no. Tori had. told me [music] the reason I should stay. the night with Cassie was because there. was not going to be there were not going. to be any adults [music] there and it. was just going to be her, Cassie, and. >> [music]. >> me, and Tori, and Brian. >> And why did you say no? >> I said no on staying the night with. Cassie.

that night cuz I had plans with my. boyfriend and his parents to go to. and I asked you a. >> [music]. >> basketball game. So, for years I. played the what ifs. What if I was there? Could I have. stopped it? Could I have protected her? Or would I. would have been another one of his. victims? >> Cassie was murdered on Friday night. Her. body was discovered on Sunday. That. leaves Saturday. And as strange as it.

was for Tori to try and get Amber to go. over there, there was something else. [music] that happened on Saturday, the. day between the murder and the discovery. of the body. Now, let's play that. >> That Saturday. that. Tori had come over to my boyfriend's. parents' house and we all had dinner. together. It was like it was just any other day. He was totally himself. Like he wasn't. fidgety. He didn't show any signs like anything.

had happened. It even made me sick to my stomach just. thinking about it knowing that I was. sitting. so close to somebody that could do. something so terrible and them not being. any different. He was He He one of my best friends. One of the hardest things for me. It's embarrassing. that people knew that I was so close to.

Tory Adamcik. Like, how can you be so naive? Or so blind? >> She really believed that she saw like. the best part of him. Only to find out that. her life was seemingly meaningless to. him because he wanted her to be at that. party and to be one of his victims. [music] And this is what makes it all. the more shocking. Um she was very close. to Tory. And the feeling of betrayal is. still very real to this day, 20 years.

after the fact. I mean, that is probably one of the more. startling reveals of that weekend. Something else happened that night. After Tory got home from dinner, he had. someone sleep over his house. That was Cassie's boyfriend, Matt. And I wanted to hear what what Shannon. had to say about that. And this is what. she told me. >> Did Matt Beckam sleep over at your house. on that Saturday night? Do you remember. that? >> That was typical. People spent the.

night. So, Matt [music] did spend the night. And that's the only time I met Matt. And he was a nice kid. The whole night? Yeah. What stands out. about that night is Tory was very clingy. all weekend, which is not like him. Now, thinking back to the timeline, I'm. like, my god. I mean. we had no idea what Tory was dealing. with.

And what had happened. Or, you know, because I'm sure Tory was. like, he knew Cassie was gone. And Matt's coming over. I don't know. None of it made any sense. None of it. makes any sense. >> Why he did that? I don't think anybody knows to this day. Let's Let's go back to everyday life. >> Yeah. >> Um that that is a. really uh severe situation. having just murdered his girlfriend.

not even 24 hours. >> Yeah, and he says, "Come on over.". >> Come on over and let's have a sleepover. >> And if he had been there, if you. remember on the tape, they said, "We're. going to kill our friends, Matt and. Cassie.". Like he might if Matt had still been. there, he might have been a a victim, too. And now he's having having him. sleep over his house the following day. >> Following day. I talked to some of the students and. they remember Brian and Torey had. aspirations to make a horror movie.

So, they were gathering props. They were. allegedly writing a script. >> Did you ask Cassie to make a movie with. you? >> Yes, we wanted to be like the. main character and stuff. >> What was What was the movie about? >> Uh, we were making like Slaughterhouse. Like. Halloween and stuff like that. >> Okay. And what was the What's the theme? Tell. me about the the movie. >> Well, there there there there was four kids. and they had to uh. their parents with them.

>> Okay. >> And they they drove to cabin mountains, you know. And uh. let's see. I named the guy. John. McArthur. >> Okay. >> And he's the the. killer guy. And uh. See, and yeah, and uh. the mom and dad. uh they. kill, you know. >> But how how does he kill them? What does. he kill them with? >> Uh, uh uh uh. butcher knife, you know. >> Butcher knife. Okay.

>> Like Halloween. >> At some point to this horror movie that. they were planning to make. starring. Cassie Stoddart. Did it blur with this other side of them. to actually carry through [music] with. it in real life? Not play murder, real. murder. >> Okay, we've got these two kids. We. discussed how odd it is in the beginning. of this episode to have one team killer. Now we have two. But in any pair, usually there's a.

leader and a follower. >> [music]. >> And there's been sort of this royaling. debate, something that hangs over all of. this. Who was in charge? Whose idea was this? Who was the leader and who was the. follower? >> [music]. >> It seemed like everybody had a position. on who they thought was the leader and. who was the follower and I thought Josh, who was a friend of Brian's and. Cassie's, had the most interesting. conclusion on that. >> I think both of their wires were. crossed. I think I think both of them. were feeding off of each other. You.

know, separately they might have been a. good person or something, you know? But together it became this, you know, fatal attraction that. ended very, very, very badly. Just how. weird the situation was that. they could be friends with Cassie and. see how awesome she is and then still. want to do that, you know? So. like that's kind of mind-blowing to. everybody involved, you know, that. you could meet that person, you know,

and how great she was and then. yeah, that's her target, you know? Like. doesn't make any sense. >> If you look at their personalities, they're very different. If we go back to. the tape, their demeanors, the way they. are behaving before, during and after, especially after the murder. They turn. the tape back on and Brian says, "I just. killed Cassie." And he. he's sort of hyperventilating. There's. adrenaline rushing through him. He's. excited. He's almost gleeful. It's. really disturbing to watch. But what.

does Tori do? He says, "Shut up. We got. to get our act straight.". >> [music]. >> Very calm, very cool. And that sort of. illustrates these two different kids. Does that help us get to. >> [music]. >> who was the leader and who was the. follower? Their parents eventually saw this video. and you talked to them about what they. thought when they saw it. >> Several weeks went by before they were. actually able to come in, sit down, and. watch this tape.

You know, I talked to Shannon Adamcheck. about that. >> We were told that there was a videotape. Yes. And I wanted to know what was on. it, and they said we cannot tell you. that, but I will tell you that it is. very, very bad. They let us watch it the. night before the preliminary hearing. It is a a terrible videotape. I'm. cannot believe the videotape. I had no idea. >> Brian's mother, Pam Draper, says to this. day she does not know who that Brian is.

on that tape. >> Just killed Cassie. We just left her. house. This is not a joke. I stabbed her in the throat, and I saw. her lifeless body just. disappear. >> Cold, calculating, almost glib when he. talks about murdering Cassie. >> It doesn't sound like my son. I don't see. a kid bragging. I don't see a kid. um.

>> [clears throat]. >> I don't see that. I see. and hear in my son's voice. shock. of what just happened, what that. [clears throat] it was real. I can hear. that in his voice because I know him. And. I can hear him afraid. I think the whole the whole thing was. so mixed up in his head. >> Brian's father, Kerry Draper, only. watched the tape once.

>> When I saw that video and. when I saw. Cassie in the aftermath. I just watched it, I guess. I had a hard time thinking that it was. real, and it was so devastating. Obviously, I I could never watch it. again. It was just the nail in the coffin is. what it was.

And the pain that he caused. um. was just unimaginable. It. There's really no other word for it. It. was just unimaginable. >> Hearing his son say, "I just killed. Cassie." just has echoed in his head. ever since. The horror of parents. hearing a completely different version. of their sons. And then suddenly there's. this Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde element.

where he's a completely different person. on this tape. They both say very damning. things on that tape. It's hard for the. parents to then step back and say, "The. other one is worse.". >> Yeah. >> So we're going to kill her and her. friends one by. one. Hell yeah. >> Why one by one? Why can't it be a. >> Two by two and three by three? Cuz we got to keep it classy.

So yeah. >> Classy. >> It's going to be extra fun. >> You're capable. >> Yes, I am. >> So are you? >> So far we have heard from the friends, the family, the investigators. There are. two people we haven't heard from and. that is Tory and Brian [music]. themselves. And that's what we're going. to do next time. >> Is there any topic that's off-limits for. you? >> No. This is something I have to do because.

it's the truth. >> [music].