This episode marks the inaugural edition of the True Crime Reporter™ Texas Ranger Case Files.

Robert Riggs and Bill Johnston feature exclusive stories about criminal cases in interviews with legendary officers of the Texas Rangers.

The Texas Rangers constitute the oldest state law enforcement organization in North America dating to 1823.

You can read more about the history of the Texas Rangers and their influence on popular culture on our blog at the True Crime Reporter™ website.

Robert and Bill interview retired Ranger Captain Bob Prince, a legendary modern-day Texas Ranger about his most memorable case.

Our story begins with the rescue of 13-year old Amy McNiel of Alvarado, Texas from five kidnappers in mid-January of 1985.

It captures the frontier spirit and courage of the officers who wear the distinctive 5-star badge of the Texas Rangers.

The teenage daughter of Don McNiel, a pioneer in the development of the first hand-held calculator, was snatched at gunpoint on the way to school.

Kidnappers ran a jeep driven by her 17-year old brother off the road and put a sawed-off shotgun to his face as they grabbed his sister.

They demanded a $100,000 ransom for the seventh grader’s safe return but had no intention of releasing the teenage girl alive.

Throughout McNiel’s abduction, the five kidnappers snorted and injected drugs and talked about “driving” to Hawaii with the ransom money.

The teen defiantly insisted that her captors feed a hungry dog in their backyard before she would cooperate.

Their ringleader, 34-year James Wesley Foote lived near the McNiel’s mansion and his son was her school classmate but unknown to her. Foote’s son had once stabbed a fellow student in the arm with a knife. 

Two weeks before McNiel’s abduction, Foote who was wanted for attempted murder had burst into the home of a prominent businessman in Arlington near Fort Worth, Texas to kidnap his two young children.

The family’s housekeeper wrestled Foote’s gun away from him and fought him in a bloody 45-minute struggle. 

The gun discharged near her head and Foote fled.

A few weeks later, Foote and his accomplices then abducted 13-year old Amy McNiel.

Retired Ranger Captain Bob Prince remembers a tension-filled 48 hour, 600 mile game of cat and mouse and a 100 mph running gunbattle in this episode of Texas Ranger Files.

For official historical information visit the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum online or in-person at the museum in Waco, Texas. 

Please join us in supporting the 2023 Texas Ranger Bicentennial.

We want to be your favorite true crime podcast.

Please recommend us to your friends and leave a review wherever you listen.

Join our True Crime Community to receive updates and bonus episodes.

Click Here To Sign Up.

Follow True Crime Reporter™ on social media:

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True Crime Reporter™ is a copyrighted and trade-marked production by True Crime Reporter, LLC, in Dallas, Texas.

 

This episode marks the inaugural edition of the True Crime Reporter&trade; Texas Ranger Case Files.
Robert Riggs and Bill Johnston feature exclusive stories about criminal cases in interviews with legendary officers of the Texas Rangers.
The <a href="https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/texas-rangers">Texas Rangers</a> constitute the oldest state law enforcement organization in North America dating to 1823.
You can read more about the history of the Texas Rangers and their influence on popular culture on our <a href="https://www.truecrimereporter.com/general/the-texas-ranger-files-epic-stories-of-immeasurable-bravery/">blog at the True Crime Reporter&trade; website</a>.
Robert and Bill interview retired Ranger Captain Bob Prince, a legendary modern-day Texas Ranger about his most memorable case.
Our story begins with the rescue of 13-year old Amy McNiel of Alvarado, Texas from five kidnappers in mid-January of 1985.
It captures the frontier spirit and courage of the officers who wear the distinctive 5-star badge of the Texas Rangers.
The teenage daughter of Don McNiel, a pioneer in the development of the first hand-held calculator, was snatched at gunpoint on the way to school.
Kidnappers ran a jeep driven by her 17-year old brother off the road and put a sawed-off shotgun to his face as they grabbed his sister.
They demanded a $100,000 ransom for the seventh grader&rsquo;s safe return but had no intention of releasing the teenage girl alive.
Throughout McNiel&rsquo;s abduction, the five kidnappers snorted and injected drugs and talked about &ldquo;driving&rdquo; to Hawaii with the ransom money.
The teen defiantly insisted that her captors feed a hungry dog in their backyard before she would cooperate.
Their ringleader, 34-year James Wesley Foote lived near the McNiel&rsquo;s mansion and his son was her school classmate but unknown to her. Foote&rsquo;s son had once stabbed a fellow student in the arm with a knife.&nbsp;
Two weeks before McNiel&rsquo;s abduction, Foote who was wanted for attempted murder had burst into the home of a prominent businessman in Arlington near Fort Worth, Texas to kidnap his two young children.
The family&rsquo;s housekeeper wrestled Foote&rsquo;s gun away from him and fought him in a bloody 45-minute struggle.&nbsp;
The gun discharged near her head and Foote fled.
A few weeks later, Foote and his accomplices then abducted 13-year old Amy McNiel.
Retired Ranger Captain Bob Prince remembers a tension-filled 48 hour, 600 mile game of cat and mouse and a 100 mph running gunbattle in this episode of Texas Ranger Files.
<hr>
For official historical information visit the <a href="https://www.texasranger.org/">Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum </a>online or in-person at the museum in <a href="https://www.waco-texas.com/">Waco, Texas</a>.&nbsp;
Please join us in supporting the <a href="https://texasranger2023.org/">2023 Texas Ranger Bicentennial</a>.
<hr>
We want to be your favorite true crime podcast.
Please recommend us to your friends and leave a review wherever you listen.
Join our True Crime Community to receive updates and bonus episodes.
<a href="https://www.truecrimereporter.com">Click Here To Sign Up.</a>
Follow True Crime Reporter&trade; on social media:
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/truecrimereporter">Facebook</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/truecrimereporter/">Instagram</a>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/true-crime-reporter/">LinkedIn</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/RobertRiggsTrueCrimeReporter">YouTube</a>
True Crime Reporter&trade; is a copyrighted and trade-marked production by True Crime Reporter, LLC, in Dallas, Texas.
&nbsp;

The True Crime Reporter™ podcast takes its audience behind the yellow crime scene where few podcasters dare to go. 

The Dallas-based podcast takes listeners on a journey into darkness guided by Peabody Award-Winning investigative reporter Robert Riggs.

Everything is bigger in Texas, and crime is no exception. 

The 2021 Webby Awards named the True Crime Reporter™ podcast among seven honorees, including Dateline NBC and BBC Sounds for “Best True Crime Podcast.” 

Hailed as the Internet’s highest honor by The New York Times, Claire Graves, Executive Director of the Webby Awards, praised Riggs’ podcast,  "Honorees like Robert Riggs and the True Crime Reporter™ podcast are setting the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet. It is an incredible achievement to be selected among the best from the nearly 13,500 entries we received this year from 50 states and 70 countries."

A leading television streaming channel is currently producing a five-episode news documentary based on Riggs’ first season about serial killer Kenneth Allen McDuff.

Bill Johnston, a decorated former federal prosecutor, joined the True Crime Reporter™ podcast in 2021 as Riggs cohost.

This Texas duo has been up close and personal with the worst of the worst criminals, including serial killers, mass murderers, and sexual predators. You name it, and they’ve seen it from the crime scene to the courtroom, from maximum-security prisons to death row. 

Their real crime stories are stranger than fiction. 

True Crime Reporter™ produces three types of episodes. 

True Crime Reporter™ Extra - features highly produce narrative storytelling about criminal cases. It blends Robert Riggs’ writing/narration with his interviews of investigators, crime victims, forensic experts, convicted criminals, music, and natural sound.

True Crime Reporter™ Confidential - conducts a classic “police procedural.” Riggs and Johnston weave compelling stories during an interview-style/talk show. Think of them as the “Larry King’s” of True Crime. They interview investigators, crime victims, forensic experts, members of the judiciary, even convicted criminals about criminal cases. 

True Crime Reporter™ Texas Ranger Files - features unique access to the case files of one of the worlds’ most legendary law enforcement organizations. Riggs and Johnston interview Texas Rangers about their most unusual investigations. These officers work murders in the wild frontier of Texas.  True Crime Reporter™ tells epic and heroic stories about the Rangers that most people have never heard. 

Our mission is not only to entertain but also to educate. The episodes on True Crime Reporter™ discuss means and motives. We want listeners to come away with insights about crime prevention and self-protection.

The criminal justice system has recognized Riggs and Johnston for their sensitivity to crime victims. Bill Johnston received the “Victim Advocate of the Year Award” for bringing the nation’s first prosecution under the Violence Against Women’s Act. Three weeks after its enactment, Johnston utilized the new law to prosecute a man who sent a twenty-pound pipe bomb to his ex-wife in an attempted murder plot. 

The American Bar Association has honored Riggs with its Silver Gavel Award for investigative reports that exposed corruption in Texas’ parole and prison systems.  The Dallas Crime Commission, in conjunction with the FBI, awarded Riggs its first-ever Excellence In Reporting Award for his investigation of teenage heroin deaths in Plano, Texas, and a landmark series on identity theft.

The first season of True Crime Reporter™ broadcasted a 17-episode series about the corrupt release of serial killer Kenneth Allen McDuff from prison by the Texas Parole Board. Bill Johnston organized and led the successful manhunt for McDuff.  Following Robert Riggs’ news investigation about parole selling, Johnston prosecuted the Texas Parole Board Chairman who had released McDuff.  

The True Crime Reporter&trade; podcast takes its audience behind the yellow crime scene where few podcasters dare to go.&nbsp;
The Dallas-based podcast takes listeners on a journey into darkness guided by Peabody Award-Winning investigative reporter Robert Riggs.
Everything is bigger in Texas, and crime is no exception.&nbsp;
The 2021 Webby Awards named the True Crime Reporter&trade; podcast among seven honorees, including Dateline NBC and BBC Sounds for &ldquo;Best True Crime Podcast.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Hailed as the Internet&rsquo;s highest honor by The New York Times, Claire Graves, Executive Director of the Webby Awards, praised Riggs&rsquo; podcast,&nbsp; "Honorees like Robert Riggs and the True Crime Reporter&trade; podcast are setting the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet. It is an incredible achievement to be selected among the best from the nearly 13,500 entries we received this year from 50 states and 70 countries."
A leading television streaming channel is currently producing a five-episode news documentary based on Riggs&rsquo; first season about serial killer Kenneth Allen McDuff.
Bill Johnston, a decorated former federal prosecutor, joined the True Crime Reporter&trade; podcast in 2021 as Riggs cohost.
This Texas duo has been up close and personal with the worst of the worst criminals, including serial killers, mass murderers, and sexual predators. You name it, and they&rsquo;ve seen it from the crime scene to the courtroom, from maximum-security prisons to death row.&nbsp;
Their real crime stories are stranger than fiction.&nbsp;
True Crime Reporter&trade; produces three types of episodes.&nbsp;
True Crime Reporter&trade; Extra - features highly produce narrative storytelling about criminal cases. It blends Robert Riggs&rsquo; writing/narration with his interviews of investigators, crime victims, forensic experts, convicted criminals, music, and natural sound.
True Crime Reporter&trade; Confidential - conducts a classic &ldquo;police procedural.&rdquo;&nbsp;Riggs and Johnston weave compelling stories during an interview-style/talk show. Think of them as the &ldquo;Larry King&rsquo;s&rdquo; of True Crime. They interview investigators, crime victims, forensic experts, members of the judiciary, even convicted criminals about criminal cases.&nbsp;
True Crime Reporter&trade; Texas Ranger Files - features unique access to the case files of one of the worlds&rsquo; most legendary law enforcement organizations. Riggs and Johnston interview Texas Rangers about their most unusual investigations. These officers work murders in the wild frontier of Texas.&nbsp; True Crime Reporter&trade; tells epic and heroic stories about the Rangers that most people have never heard.&nbsp;
Our mission is not only to entertain but also to educate. The episodes on True Crime Reporter&trade; discuss means and motives. We want listeners to come away with insights about crime prevention and self-protection.
The criminal justice system has recognized Riggs and Johnston for their sensitivity to crime victims. Bill Johnston received the &ldquo;Victim Advocate of the Year Award&rdquo; for bringing the nation&rsquo;s first prosecution under the Violence Against Women&rsquo;s Act. Three weeks after its enactment, Johnston utilized the new law to prosecute a man who sent a twenty-pound pipe bomb to his ex-wife in an attempted murder plot.&nbsp;
The American Bar Association has honored Riggs with its Silver Gavel Award for investigative reports that exposed corruption in Texas&rsquo; parole and prison systems.&nbsp; The Dallas Crime Commission, in conjunction with the FBI, awarded Riggs its first-ever Excellence In Reporting Award for his investigation of teenage heroin deaths in Plano, Texas, and a landmark series on identity theft.
The first season of True Crime Reporter&trade; broadcasted a 17-episode series about the corrupt release of serial killer Kenneth Allen McDuff from prison by the Texas Parole Board. Bill Johnston organized and led the successful manhunt for McDuff.&nbsp; Following Robert Riggs&rsquo; news investigation about parole selling, Johnston prosecuted the Texas Parole Board Chairman who had released McDuff.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Go Inside the crime scene tape as Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs and his Law Enforcement sources tell exclusive backstories from his 30 year career covering serial killers and sociopaths.

True Crime Reporter™

Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs created an original True Crime genre podcast based on three decades of real-life stories ripped from his reporter’s notebooks. 


When you hear the True Crime Reporter™, rest assured that Riggs was there inside the crime scene tape. 


In every episode, Peabody Award-winning investigative reporter pulls out his reporter’s notebooks. His law enforcement sources open up their case files. 


They sit down to talk. And you can listen to their Journey Into Darkness.

Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs created an original True Crime genre podcast based on three decades of real-life stories ripped from his reporter’s notebooks. 
 
When you hear the True Crime Reporter™, rest assured that Riggs was there inside the crime scene tape. 
 
In every episode, Peabody Award-winning investigative reporter pulls out his reporter’s notebooks. His law enforcement sources open up their case files. 
 
They sit down to talk. And you can listen to their Journey Into Darkness.

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