Devil's Tree: Rooted Evil

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(soft dramatic music)

(ominous music)

Don't forget a

journalist's job is to

uncover the truth.

Not to give his damn opinion!

Always remember that!

Class dismissed.

Why does he do that

with the yelling?

Doesn't he know he scares

the sh*t out of people?

I think that's why he does it.

He's good, but he's out there.

Well, when you're

the next Lisa Ling

I guess he'll take it.

Yeah, right.

Maybe.

So do we know what

story we're doin'?

No, but I'll figure it out.

Shouldn't we know by now?

Listen, have I ever let

you down in four years?

You have not.

Hmm.

Ah, all right, I gotta go.

I'm running late

for my yoga class.

Doin' yoga now?

[Samantha] Yeah,

you're always telling me

I need to relax more.

Namaste.

(soft instrumental music)

(camera clicking)

So how's Georgia?

Good.

And how's the little princess?

Oh, pre-K, how is that possible?

I should be there

right after graduation.

I know, it's CNN.

I don't think it gets any

more exciting than that.

No, I don't think I'll be working

with Anderson right away.

Yeah, well I won't be

going anywhere until

I figure out what I'm

doing this damn story

on for my thesis.

(sighing)

I know.

I miss you too, Aunt Deb.

Yeah, soon I will

see you and Miss Ava

on a regular basis.

I love you, too.

They should just go ahead

and cut it down already.

Where is this?

Oak Hammock Park,

right over there.

Oh yeah, I know

where that park is.

Deep in the woods

there's this devil's tree.

Lot of people have died there.

Sounds ominous.

Why are they deciding

whether to cut it down now?

Damn kids keep goin'

there and killin'

rabbits or some sh*t.

It's just not a good place.

Huh.

Interesting.

(kitten meowing)

Oh.

Hello.

Hey.

Where's your mommy?

Hey.

(kitten meowing)

(ominous music)

(kitten meowing)

Hey, listen.

You stay here, okay?

I'm gonna leave

the car on for you.

Be right back.

(ominous music)

(wind howling)

(crickets chirping)

(bird cawing)

(ominous music)

(wind howling)

(crickets chirping)

(birds cawing)

(creepy whispering)

(ominous music)

(gasping)

(twig snapping)

Excuse me, miss.

You left your car running

and there's a kitten inside.

Oh, yeah, I'm sorry.

I just wanted to

check this tree out.

Yeah, you and every kid.

What happened here?

Well, some people died here.

I don't know why the

city allows people

to come to a tree.

Personally I'd like

to see it cut down.

Has anyone died

since you worked here?

What, are you a reporter?

Well, yeah, actually

I'm studying to be.

Look, I don't

mean to sound rude.

I just don't want anything

else happening here.

So then you have.

Just don't come here alone.

Always come with a friend.

I always have mine.

Thank you.

Bye.

Bye.

(soft dramatic music)

(muffled screaming)

All right, my

little bimbolinas.

Tell me.

Which one of you has a date

with the skinning knife first?

[Girl] Not me.

Oh, then it's you.

Lucky girl.

(clothes ripping)

(muffled screaming)

It's okay.

(muffled screaming)

It's okay.

You're allowed to scream.

I'm sure this hurts.

(muffled screaming)

You, on the other hand,

haven't any reason to cry yet.

I haven't even touched you.

(muffled screaming)

(knife slicing)

There.

Now you can cry.

(laughing)

Oh, wait.

You can't.

(muffled screaming)

(soft dramatic music)

I was accused of

killing 34 women.

Come up with 34 names.

[Interviewer] What

were you convicted of?

Was convicted of killing two.

Fort Pierce.

[Newswoman] We're standing

here with Officer John Harris.

Officer, you were

one of the first to

investigate this gruesome scene.

Can you tell us anything

about what happened here?

[John] Well, all

I can say is that

we're fortunate we were

able to catch this guy,

but I'm gonna urge

people not to come out

here under any circumstances.

[Newswoman] I assume

that's because this is

an active crime scene?

[John] Well,

it's just not safe.

(soft dramatic music)

(machine sputtering)

I mean, it's not bad.

I remember hearing something

about this when I was a kid,

but I didn't know this

sh*t really happened.

Well, I've lived

here for 15 years

and I've never heard of it.

How'd you find the officer?

I found him online.

I have his address.

Now I just need to figure

out how to get ahold of him.

[Rob] No phone number?

Should we just go

by there tomorrow

and see if he'll talk to us?

Yeah, we could try.

(knocking)

If this guy answers the door,

are we really gonna ask

him to film his interview?

(dog barking)

(sirens wailing)

(dramatic music)

[John] Yeah, who are you?

Hello, Mr. Harris?

My name is Samantha

and this is Rob,

and we're journalism

students doing

a story on something you

investigated over 40 years ago.

The devil's tree.

Yes.

No way.

Forget it.

I didn't think he

was gonna let us.

I mean, call it a hunch,

but he doesn't

seem very friendly.

Look, I know everyone

called you crazy,

and maybe you thought you were.

I don't think so.

Come on, Sam.

What do you know

about the tree?

No cameras.

It's fine.

All right.

I thank you for talking

to us, Mr. Harris.

You can call me John.

I haven't talked about the tree

in a very long time.

Well, it means a lot.

And who better than

one of the officers

who investigated what happened.

I'm not a cop anymore.

It made sure of that.

What did?

Nobody knows the

truth about that tree.

Do you?

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