EP4 | Flight

In October of 2018 James Ray III fled his affluent suburban home in Montclair, New Jersey. He briefly met up with his brother, Robert, and left his young daughter in her uncle’s care before hitchhiking across the United States, crossing the border into Mexico, and eventually hopping a flight to Cuba. Along the way he wrote in his journal, or manifesto, weaving a tale of cruel, heartbreaking infidelity and setting the scene for a murder in self defense.

In the meantime, James’ brother, Robert finds an envelope filled with cash and a cryptic piece of correspondence mixed in with his niece’s belongings. Robert infers that something terrible has happened to his sister-in-law, James’ long time girlfriend, Angela Bledsoe. He calls the police and Montclair PD dispatches officers to the home immediately.

Angela’s body is found in a pool of blood with multiple fatal gunshot wounds. But there’s something very strange about this crime scene.

Join Sword and Scale as we interview the detectives and prosecutor who launched the international manhunt that dragged James Ray III back to the US as well as the forensic team members who reconstructed a crime scene that destroyed James Ray’s claim of self defense.

Crew

Host: Mike Boudet (@SwordandScale/@MBoudet)

Creator: Ash Patiño (@AshesToAshTV)

Director: Mark Serao (@Peacemaker_Picture_Society)

Director of Photography: David Patiño (@DavidPatino)

Producer: Dana Serao (@Peacemaker_Picture_Society)

Camera/Audio: Nicholas Goncalves (@NicholasAntonioGoncalves)

Additional Crew Listed on Episode

If you have a true crime story you want to share with the Sword & Scale team, please reach out to Ash Patiño ash@swordandscale.com.