Transcript
Donna, Donna and John, we're actually very close. You know, they were only three years apart. Donna had her demons. I think some of it was genetic. You know, her dad suffered from alcoholism. You know, my mom, I think, struggled with dependency issues at some point in some way. Donna couldn't really figure out how to get it together. And at some point, the tables turned a little bit and I became her protector. I think I sensed at an early age that she was in trouble. And I kicked into action and did whatever I intuitively or instinctively, you know, knew how to do. People were taking advantage of her. They used to call me the Terminator because I used to come to her house and just kick everyone out, you know, call them bad names and threaten them. But they were using her for, you know, her shower, her bed, her money, everything. And I knew that the people that she was with were these people were not good for her. But I didn't have any control. You know, she was suffering. She had fallen in love and that straightened her out. She was really doing well. She was on the right track. And he died, and she took that extremely personally. She died of a heart attack, but she blamed herself or, you know, used it as an excuse to feel bad for herself and drink. Donna Bollettieri was born February 21st, 1960, making her just a couple of years younger than her brother, John. She always used to say, you know, she was relieved after she turned. My brother's age when he died because she thought. That she had the same fate. So she was really relieved. You know, but that didn't. Said she passed away on July 25th, 1992. So she was in the back seat, there were four people in the car. Was her car? She was drunk. But she was in the back seat, no seat belt, and the driver fell asleep and the car hit something and flipped, and she was the only one killed. And she was in the back seat. It's like you always think the person that's sitting in the front, especially back then, they didn't have to wear seatbelts, you know, would have been more susceptible to that. But it was my sister. She got thrown in the car and it was, you know, it was bad and it was bad. It was just bad. It was bad. You know, it's painful to think back. Sometimes, you know, people say lightning doesn't strike twice. But it did. I'm Jason B. Jones, and this is season two of Knock Knock. The Unsolved Murder of John Bela Terry. Episode five, The Last Military. Since taking on John's case, the whole team has been eager to get boots on the ground in New York City, studying case files, maps and photos can only provide so much without actually seeing firsthand where everything took place. That being said, COVID quickly threw a wrench in any and all travel plans. But now, a year and a half later, we finally had the opportunity and resources to send one of our team members. And who better to go than Jess? She had the most knowledge of the case and the closest relationship to Theresa. But just a few days before Jess was supposed to fly out, a shocking call came through. Can you hear me? Can you hear me? Yes. How are you? How are you? Oh, I'm hanging in there. I'm OK. You know, it just seems like surreal right now for me. Just like in shock. Gloria had passed away. She was either a heart attack or an internal bleed, but they're not going to do an autopsy because she's 82 years old. So honestly, I will never really know what what happened to her, but how she died. My mother is ill and I would love for her to have some answers before she passes. If you would be so kind as to respond, I would appreciate it more than, you know. Thank you so very much. Stay cool to rest up Lima sunglasses emoji. We couldn't help but face the gravity of what this meant, so much of what we and Teressa had worked towards till now was for Gloria and for her to pass unexpectedly like this was gut wrenching. We can't give Gloria the answers to her son's murder anymore, and that will never change. But we can still do everything possible to help Teressa find answers. After all, she is now truly the last military, and she wasn't ready to give up either. I told the guys, I said, I'm not going to be surprised if this impacts this weekend. And at the same time, I think it's going to fuel to rest some more. Absolutely 100 percent. So we kept our plans in place. And at the end of that week, Jess was on her way. So I know it's kind of and I have literally been crying for the last hour because they have changed my phrase six times originally. Oh, go. That's not good. If they changed my flight again, I'm going to lose, the plane is going to go from it. It's not going to go from Atlanta straight. So that's why they put me on the Dallas Austin and make it in Dallas. Well, I'm sitting here at Gate C 41, maybe bawling my eyes out. Oh, I'm a hot mess. This has been a nightmare. I really hope this weekend is worth it. All right, so this is a fun one, guys. Basically, the airport closed next. I was sleeping on the floor. Wish me luck, everybody. It's time to. All right. So I landed in LaGuardia, Teressa asked what I was wearing, I told her, but I also had to look for the bad a*s fat chick. I'm like, I'm not going to give this to anybody, everybody's got their you made it, Oh my God, you made it. You're real, you're real. I mean this thing. Oh yes, now I can actually get some like it. There she is, you guys. Jess and Theresa had a big To-Do list. They had to start somewhere. So they began by driving to various locations around queens to get a firsthand look of the area we've been studying from afar for so long. I always thought it was more toward the Parkway. To understand, because it's not as busy as I would have initially thought being right on. Fall away. It's. The more likely that whoever was in the car with him, he knew that it wasn't like he picked up a hitchhiker or bring a guy a random person on it. Yeah, I don't think it was a random guy. He knew that even if it was a random drug dealer, I don't think he would have given them a ride to go to party to thirty nine Bell Boulevard. Yeah, it's that. That's Carol's part. 42 29. Is it the bank? It's the bank know what day it is. It is a Bank of America now. That's so not. Later, they headed back home to do some research while Jess was hard at work digging up phone numbers. Teressa had gone through a box of John's old belongings. He wrote this when you were three weeks old in June of 1970, he wrote his own autobiography. Really? Uh huh.. I was born in Huntington. Huntington Yeah. He forgot that G. General Hospital on Long Island. I was born at about 6:00 in the evening, on the day I was born July 27th, 1957. That was the hottest day in New York in a long time. It was 105 or 106. I have two sisters and no brothers. One of my sisters is 10 years old and my other is three weeks old. I lived in Huntington until I was in fourth grade and in hunt. I had a friend named Bobby Peter Denny. Another friend, Peter Topia, friends. But my best friend's name was John C. My first day in school. I was nervous. I did not go to nursery school, so school was a completely new thing to me. I remember that the school seemed so big to me and that the school had a funny kind of smell that I got used to. I stayed in the school until I was in fourth grade. Then I moved into queens and went to a new school, and I graduated from that school the day that I graduated. I was very nervous. We had graduated in the auditorium of the school. My mother and my grandparents came to this graduation. After reminiscing over family memories and keepsakes, it was time to get back to work. Jess and Tyrus have put their heads together, and after reaching out to a few friends of friends and calling in some favors, the two managed to get a handful of phone numbers for some of John's friends we hadn't initially been able to find. However, in talking to them, we quickly learned that there is still a deep fear resonating throughout the community of John's friends. It seemed that for every person we reached out to who was willing to let us use their information, there was one who wasn't. Though many of John's friends still suspected Marie Lange and Kevin Cornwall, the uncertainty of the murder paired with the rumors of the mob are still keeping lips sealed. I was going to say I don't want my name mentioned or anything where I live or anything like that, OK? I can't have that day because I got things going on back in the old neighborhood. You know, this is going back and forth. It's probably it's probably nothing. Describe down the road, but I don't want to take the chance I miss, says Michael of said. I think things the mafia is going to come and get her if she comments. I think he's right. And then he said, God only knows very dramatic, in my opinion. I think that that makes sense. What she would be worried about. It doesn't make sense, but it makes sense that she would think that that's just her mentality personality, despite some hesitancy in speaking on the record. Theresa's motivation and kindness was persuasive, and we were able to get some new information, albeit anonymously, from one of John's friends. What names did you hear? Marie lying. Brother, I don't have a delaying tactics. We actually went and I don't remember where it was, but I know we went and confronted them and we didn't have anything to do. You know, I went through with Mrs Bell to pick up his car. And I mean, the rest of it was just totally mangled. So it was a very, very tough struggle that took place in the car. But I don't really know anything else. It's Teresa's hopefulness and optimism that has kept the military history and this case alive through all these years of pain. She's strong willed and not ready to give up on John like the world has. What we didn't know is that Donna felt the same way. Your sister even thought it was Murray. Yeah, so much so she wanted to go beat the s**t out of her. This conversation between Theresa and Jess took place right after a phone call they had with a close friend of Donna's who. To no surprise, also requested that we don't use their name and voice. She I didn't know my sister was searching so much. I had no idea. So what is that feel like knowing that your sister was still trying? I mean that that whole aspect blows me away. I had no idea that she even thought she knew. You know, and actually reached out for help. I don't think the cops ever talked to Donna. That's crazy. She's now in the of my fellow, and I wish I could ask Manny about that because we didn't realize that until just now. I never really pieced together that Daniel was in it because I always associated Donna as being younger. Like I do, she was like, I mean, it makes sense to me that they didn't necessarily talk to you. You were 13 at the time, and I guess in my head, I didn't realize that Donna was 10 years older than you. Like, I knew she was only three years younger than Johnny, but I just never pieced together. She would have been 23. She would have been totally valid to speak to me and speak to me. They didn't speak to her and they had mutual friends. Having just gather, all this information was certainly helpful, but at the end of the day, it wasn't why we sent her to visit Theresa. See, a few months ago we received this phone call from Theresa. So I just found out that detective decided to totally close John's case, and I honestly do not understand. I just don't get it. The detective has been working on this case for nearly two years at this point, and since telling us his plans to close the case, things had become stagnant. Communication was thin. Torres was frustrated and we were all left waiting with no idea of when this case would actually be closed. So with Jess's trip a few days out, Teressa scheduled a meeting with both of them in the room with the lead detective. Hopefully, they could get some answers and push the case forward, because if Teressa goes to the detective and says, Hey, we have seen information for you, they love to talk about it, person. And then you just show up. But the meeting never happened due to unforeseen circumstances. The detective had to cancel. He said he's going to be out for. I know. That was blow. That's. I'd be lying if I said we weren't all disappointed by this. To see a plan fall apart like this really to no one's fault can only leave you with an empty pit in your stomach. Closure would have to wait. With that being said, Jess and Theresa did have time to make one more stop before Jess had to fly home. See, this is a different cemetery, OK? And then this is the. The Marines and the military. So it's either on the side or no, it's on this side, it's on the side and it's at the end of the story. I mean, it looks like it ends up here. This is it. OK, this is it. So it's over here somewhere. I found it. Oh my god, it's amazing. Here. Yes. This is them. Oh, man. Now you got. When are you going to do with mom? This these two locks were purchased by my mother's parents, my grandparents, when they lived in New York, and then when they moved to Florida, they gave it to my mom for her and my father. And then we had to put both her kids in the. And she just wants to be back here. She just wants to be with them. If if I really thought about it, my brother and sister are probably going. Are you f**king kidding me? She was fine with you. Now, here's the small blessing in all of this. I don't know if you'll see it this way, but like your mom knows now. You know, I mean, I believe in an afterlife. I believe the minute she died, you know, you talked about her dying alone. I don't believe that. I believe that Rocco and Dana and John were right there. And she knows them. With every battle for justice comes the lesson of patience. I learned that firsthand and my grandmother, Bettie Jones case from season one. After all, the police work attention from the podcast and spotlight from 48 hours, it still took two years to finally close the book on it. And unfortunately, in the case of John Bollettieri, we are yet again left waiting. Fortunately, we have Teressa in our corner. The detective has expressed his plans to close John's case, and while it's mostly in his hands now to make that happen, we don't know how long that will take. That said, we will continue fighting hand in hand with Teresa to find answers and bring justice for her brother. All stories have an end, and John series is no exception. Time, I don't know if it's just my feelings that are getting in the way, but now that I'm taking a step back and looking at everything, it's just I feel like there's more questions now than ever. Yeah. Oh, your daddy's rich and your Ma is good looking. So hush little baby, don't you cry? This episode of Knock-Knock is dedicated to Gloria Pelletier, some say the Knock-Knock is a lasting media production and is hosted by me. Jason B. Jones. The show is produced by Jonas Lipton, Ben Delamater and Jess Bouchard are executive producers are John Fender, Jason Barret and Jason B. Jones. Our theme music is by DJ Form and Hawke Silver, and our Outro Music is by Roy Belcher. This episode also featured his single Fascination Special thanks to Teresa Alaimo, Gloria Military and Corbin Collins to join the Knock-Knock community. Be sure to connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at Knock-Knock part. There you can ask questions. Leave comments for Just say hi. Also head to our website Knock-Knock podcast WSJ.com to view files, photos and more from the case. Want to dig deeper? Get involved with me in the whole Knock-Knock team on our Discord server. You can find the link in the show notes. We've also set up a hotline at eight eight five seven two three eight eight nine. If you have comments or questions, please call and leave a message. You can also rate and review the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Reviews are key to keeping not knock on the charts where people can find our show. We'll be back in two weeks with our season finale. Thanks again for following the Knock-Knock podcast. You're gonna rise up and you'll spread your wings. Sky. Until at my. Nothing can harm you. All right. I mean. Oh.
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