Case Where Man Pretended to be Mute - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

WishfulDreamer · 04-11-2011, 09:25 PM

I just remembered this one where a man met a woman and he pretended to be mute (and perhaps deaf) and started courting her. After a "mishap" he "regained" speaking and hearing abilities and told both she and her daughter/mother that some assassin was after them. After some crazy incidents, he takes off with just the principle woman and begins to severely beat her. It was a really depressing segment, and there was an update. I just cannot find anything in forum search about it.

unsolved243 · 04-11-2011, 09:34 PM

Although I've never seen the segment, I've read about it, and I believe it is the Tony Decampo case, which first aired on November 1, 1996. I hope this helps

WishfulDreamer · 04-12-2011, 01:30 AM

Thanks!

I can't seem to find anything in the forum. I wonder if he was ever prosecuted. I'm really surprised more people haven't spoken about this one.

everybodylovesrs · 04-12-2011, 07:34 AM

Must not have aired a lot. It's not on any of the collections.

justins5256 · 04-12-2011, 08:38 AM

I vaguely remember this one. This man took his girlfriend and her kid(s?) on a lengthy road trip, hopping from hotel to hotel and not allowing them to contact their family all because he feared some hired assassins were out to get him. At some point, the kids were left with a relative and he continued this excursion with just the women. He also beat her up, but she was eventually able to escape.

Maybe I'm not remembering this correctly, but were there financial gains to be had? So many of this man's actions seemed delusion based, I almost can't help but wonder if the guy just had some severe mental problems.

I do remember an update about his arrest. It seems to me he was either arrested for some other crime, or found in a jail/prison after the show aired.

I also remember the episode aired during the 1996-1997 season, when seemingly every other week we were being bombarded with stories about bee venom therapy, holistic medicine, psychic animals, child geniuses and similar ilk. Perhaps that is why no one recalls the segment?

TheCars1986 · 04-12-2011, 01:25 PM

Yes I remember this one when Lifetime was airing UM back to back (in the primetime slot of 8 and 9 at night) and thought it was very bizarre. The one thing that stuck out in my mind was they never gave a logical reason as to why this guy would take this woman and her children all over the country. And I'm pretty sure the update stated he was arrested for another, unrelated crime and was serving time.

WishfulDreamer · 04-12-2011, 11:55 PM

I think he took some of her money. It's been ages, and I certainly felt bad for the woman, but did take her to be quite gullible. It was such a hokey case, with the stepfather even trying to shoot out their tires at one point to get the car to stop (and unfortunately causing the women to think Decampo's tales were true) and everyone believing this fellow they barely knew. Pretty crazy stuff. I'm glad I'm not the only one who remembered it.

TheCars1986 · 04-13-2011, 02:09 PM

Wasn't the amount of money he embezzled/stole from her relatively small?

04-11-2011, 09:25 PM	#1
WishfulDreamer Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 01, 2009 Location: L.A. Posts: 3,868	Case Where Man Pretended to be Mute I just remembered this one where a man met a woman and he pretended to be mute (and perhaps deaf) and started courting her. After a "mishap" he "regained" speaking and hearing abilities and told both she and her daughter/mother that some assassin was after them. After some crazy incidents, he takes off with just the principle woman and begins to severely beat her. It was a really depressing segment, and there was an update. I just cannot find anything in forum search about it.

04-11-2011, 09:34 PM	#2
unsolved243 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 11, 2010 Posts: 260	Although I've never seen the segment, I've read about it, and I believe it is the Tony Decampo case, which first aired on November 1, 1996. I hope this helps

04-12-2011, 01:30 AM	#3
WishfulDreamer Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 01, 2009 Location: L.A. Posts: 3,868	Thanks! I can't seem to find anything in the forum. I wonder if he was ever prosecuted. I'm really surprised more people haven't spoken about this one.

04-12-2011, 07:34 AM	#4
everybodylovesrs Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 12, 2008 Posts: 526	Must not have aired a lot. It's not on any of the collections.

04-12-2011, 08:38 AM	#5
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	I vaguely remember this one. This man took his girlfriend and her kid(s?) on a lengthy road trip, hopping from hotel to hotel and not allowing them to contact their family all because he feared some hired assassins were out to get him. At some point, the kids were left with a relative and he continued this excursion with just the women. He also beat her up, but she was eventually able to escape. Maybe I'm not remembering this correctly, but were there financial gains to be had? So many of this man's actions seemed delusion based, I almost can't help but wonder if the guy just had some severe mental problems. I do remember an update about his arrest. It seems to me he was either arrested for some other crime, or found in a jail/prison after the show aired. I also remember the episode aired during the 1996-1997 season, when seemingly every other week we were being bombarded with stories about bee venom therapy, holistic medicine, psychic animals, child geniuses and similar ilk. Perhaps that is why no one recalls the segment?

04-12-2011, 01:25 PM	#6
TheCars1986 #VLSKMS Forum Fanatic Join Date: Nov 22, 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 8,606	Yes I remember this one when Lifetime was airing UM back to back (in the primetime slot of 8 and 9 at night) and thought it was very bizarre. The one thing that stuck out in my mind was they never gave a logical reason as to why this guy would take this woman and her children all over the country. And I'm pretty sure the update stated he was arrested for another, unrelated crime and was serving time.

04-12-2011, 11:55 PM	#7
WishfulDreamer Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 01, 2009 Location: L.A. Posts: 3,868	I think he took some of her money. It's been ages, and I certainly felt bad for the woman, but did take her to be quite gullible. It was such a hokey case, with the stepfather even trying to shoot out their tires at one point to get the car to stop (and unfortunately causing the women to think Decampo's tales were true) and everyone believing this fellow they barely knew. Pretty crazy stuff. I'm glad I'm not the only one who remembered it.

04-13-2011, 02:09 PM	#8
TheCars1986 #VLSKMS Forum Fanatic Join Date: Nov 22, 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 8,606	Wasn't the amount of money he embezzled/stole from her relatively small?