Over the years, David Knappe was fortunate enough to contribute to a high quality program such as America’s Most Wanted, often working directly with law enforcement professionals. The assignments were eye opening. Directing and producing in the field, Knappe conducted interviews with cops, victims and or their family members and sometimes, the criminals.
Peace, Love and Attempted Murder
This is the case of Rebekah Johnson, who attempted to murder Jeff Gross, a local businessman and the leader of the last known commune in Staten Island – or even New York State for that matter. Jeff was hit several times and lived to tell the tale of his survival.
A Walking Homicide
This was one of the most hard-hitting cases to come out of Brooklyn’s 66th Precinct. A divorced native of Trinidad crashed his son’s birthday party and proceeded to hack his estranged wife nearly to death. She barely survived and the cops referred to her as a “walking homicide” – for good reason. We covered this story from the woman’s courageous accounting of the wounds she endured, right on through to the surprise twist in the case. The suspect re-invented himself in the suburbs of Pittsburgh and was arrested again under an assumed name. When he was identified on America’s Most Wanted he was turned in by none other than… his former cell mate who ID’d him by watching the show!
The Bucky Phillips Case
Bucky Phillips was four days away from his parole hearing but he had other plans. Phillips escapes from prison and goes on the run in this story that was picked up by the national news as he was living off the land in and about Binghampton, NY in the summer of 2006. Matters got complicated later in a shootout with Police and he ended up killing a NY State Trooper.
Casino Owner Murdered
The owner of a casino in Florida is murdered. Cops lead an investigation that leads right into the heart of ogranized crime.