Mr. Ballen was me and my wifes favorite UA-cam channel and it was our tradition to sit down together and watch it together each weekend. She died unexpectedly 3 days ago and I am beside myself. This will be the first time I've watched an episode by myself in the 8 years we were together. I hope shes able to watch this wherever she is, she absolutely loved Mr. Ballen, the man and the UA-camr. RIP Crystal, I love you. 🕊️
I used to wonder as a kid: could you commit a crime and be so weird about it that you get away with it because the witnesses would sound ridiculous? Apparently you can.
How disturbing?! Just imagine going to your ex's house to possibly reconcile and instead you're drugged and sexually assaulted. And the boyfriend's fear of losing Denise and trying to do everything he can to make sure she came back safely. This is insane. I'm also happy to hear that Aaron and Denise got married. What an ordeal to go through.
@@phaze_shift_prwatch the video before going to comment section then. The comment section is made to discuss the video. It’s your own dumbass fault if you spoil yourself
This case has since been made into a TV mini series called “American Nightmare” which was just released in January 2024. It provides a great deal of insight into what happened and how the police failed Aaron and Denise. Definitely worth watching!
given how "genius" matthew muller was, i'm sure he "cleaned" the house to make it seem like aaron was lying and basically frame aaron (furthermore, matthew going out of his way to hijack aaron's email address is more proof he was actively trying to setup aaron.) given how smart he is, he also probably chose aaron and denise specifically because aaron looked a lot like him and he probably fancied denise so they seemed like the perfect victims for his plan.
Could also be to get rid of his DNA from the S Assault along with what you said. The question is since they weren't the first couple that he did that too, how many men are in prison because the evidence pointed at the boyfriend
He probably make up those ridiculous plan so Aaron was not taken seriously. Ridiculous ransom amount, stupid setup, cleaning smell but leaving a bit of blood drop, asking for banking detail but did not took the money, hijacking Aaron's email account to email reporters, all sounds so ridiculous for Aaron to defend himself, it's actually a genius plan. Such a waste someone so smart end up with loose screws in the mind.
A lot of details were changed/omitted in this video, which would have shown just how inept the law enforcement officials were in this case. Mr. Ballen bent over backward to try and make the officers and detectives look good. Failed to mention that they tried to charge the victims with creating a false report. They held on to Aaron's phone and ignored the calls from the kidnapper, all because they had already made up their minds that Aaron killed her. All of the B.S. the police put them through would never had happened had they simply done what they were supposed to do and investigate what the victim said. Instead they only focused on trying to convict Aaron for a murder that hadn't even happened. Then when Denise showed up alive, they tried to save face by trying to discredit what she said (law enforcement were the ones that caused the news stations to start calling Denise "Gone Girl") and on top of that tried to charge them both with filling a false report. It was so bad that the abductor sent messages requesting the that the police stop trying to blame Aaron and Denise. Pretty weird and bad when the perpetrator has to defend their victims from the police. Bunch of damn clowns. Also, Aaron had just broken up with his ex days before this happened. His ex is who Matthew muller was obsessed with. While in their house he was asking about the ex and was surprised to see Denise. Oh yeah, the couple that fought off Matthew, were attacked a couple months after Aaron and Denise.
Come on son @@Chrissmith857 mrballer long ago said he speaks these stories in a way to engulf the listener, now what your saying might be truth but me a random person on the internet if actually get interested can google search and read more info about any case mrballer comes up with in his story format. So he had to do to make suspense, but he didn't judged police anywhere, also the way everything was happening even I forgot the 1st time thought here we go another schizophrenia patient who murdered and probably didn't know about it type of case and was totally astonished by the ending. I did Google about it and already came up with conclusion that police f up. But mrballer did not wrong here
@@joeybuzzzbecause all lie detector tests do is measure the change in your bodies autonomic nervous functions. It doesn’t tell you why someone is experiencing it. Most people’s systems will respond when lying but there’s many other reasons a person has a spike in function.
Whether the cops believed he was telling the truth or not saying he was drugged they should immediately taken him to the ER for a blood test to see if he had a drug in his system and what specifically it was.
Man, did you see the story and video about the guy who was shot in the eye being interrogated by police as a suspect in his gf being missing? He was interrogated for a couple hours or more, before bringing in emergency personnel.
This case would now make me think twice about seemingly suspicious suspects and their outlandish accounts. I used to think authorities can read most suspects easily and Aaron was showing all the classic signs of a guilty party-his story sounded so wild and made up, his actions seemed unreasonable, his demeanor suggests guilt-turns out he was innocent all along. Fascinating!
@@barbarat5729maybe don't read the comments before the video?? ALSO this is a true case. Stop treating it like a story that you are waiting so badly for the plot twist. At least pretend to have some respect for the victims
Do not abandon this channel. We love how you haven’t changed your style of narration since day 1 of filming. Best story teller on UA-cam and thank you for your service!
As soon as Aaron was taken to the police station instead of a hospital to get checked for drugs and injury, I thought to myself “well, this is going to end in a lawsuit.”
They suffered a lot of trauma. First from attackers, then from authorities and media. It's only by luck that real attacker was found and people believed them. Relationship was anyways was almost fixed even before attack.
This story is unbelievable. I remember the media and the authorities did not believe their story. They called her the “Gone Girl,” from the movie. Crazy… the story was all true. If the guy that did this to them hadn’t got caught when the next couple fought back, no one would have ever believed their story. Denise was really traumatized by it all, of course, especially since people didn’t believe it.
It is very suspicious. The guilty plea from a delusional perp. Who knows. Many conveniences. I am not convinced. Idk maybe the documentary was skewed against them.
This was a chaotic roller coaster, but I’m happy for them and their marriage, they seem to very genuinely care for each other. The fact this all happened is crazy and feels like it could even be a movie
@@avamasquerade I mean Aaron's behavior was pretty cringe but I feel like "begging your ex-fiancé to take you back while you're in a relationship" is actually pretty low on the abusive behavior scale, IMO. Everyone does something crazy and toxic eventually. But I'd like to believe that Denise wouldn't have been so willing to give him the time of day if he was habitually toxic. I mean him begging her to come over on a night where they both had to work in the morning, unwilling to talk on the phone, that's sorta weird, but I'd have to image if he was really pushing her and making her uncomfortable, she wouldn't have capitulated. But who knows. I wouldn't mind reading the book, actually. Fascinating story.
Every time we get in the car my kids look at me and say “Mr. Ballen?” And we listen every time we’re in the car. Currently it’s a beautiful sunny day. My daughter and I are sitting with the windows down having tacos listening 😊
@@closelaugh185 you assume my kids aren’t adults. If I were to make stupid assumptions based off little info, id assume based on the 14 negative comments you’ve made on this channel alone that you’re a miserable, single male who hates himself. Id also assume that you may want to put the bottle down. Im sure we don’t have to worry about you procreating. Have the day you deserve 😊
Honestly, this is one of the most bizarre cases ever. I can understand why it seemed outlandish to police, especially with Aaron being medicated so heavily when he reported the kidnapping. And it was unusual for Denise to suddenly show up again without any ransom being paid. Yet the police really reacted too quickly and angrily to her reappearance. The PD paid Aaron and Denise $2.5 million dollars for that horrible treatment. Hopefully, Matthew Muller will serve his full federal sentence of 40 years because he only got 31 years from the state for the abduction and rape of Denise. I hope Aaron and Denise are doing well and living happily with their child (children?) these days.
Wow, what a story, I'd thought Aaron was just lying about the kidnapping and actually killed Denise. But I'm glad they weren't actually harmed and got back together and married. That's one of the most bizarre stories I've ever heard and it's a plot twist I never expected. Thanks for sharing the story, MrBallen and you're a great storyteller
The fact that she was held and assaulted and she wasn’t believed breaks my heart. I followed the story when it first happened and they were treated like crap.
The polices job is to assess situations and find rational explanations based on factual evidence not to pamper two adults in a toxic relationship which clearly indicates unpredictable individuals. I was in 2 toxic relationships in the past, i was the abused and the abuser. Based on my own experience its easy to see why things happened the way they did 😂. Even better, neither of my toxic relationships had any physical abuse just like these two lost souls in the story. It was all manipulation, gas lighting, embellishment of information etc. people like you expect police to drop all logic and say yup there are just two innocent victims , especially after hearing from third parties that they were unstable as a couple and were not even officially together anymore 😂. One of my exs pretended she was pregnant and having an abor***. Pretended she was gonna off herself and dissapeared for a day. Even her family was worried then came back like everything was all sweet. You live in a bubble, sweetheart.
@linda agreed. I watched the police interrogation video & the police only had one narrative….To blame the victims. The victims were treated very poorly.
@@Platinum907I mean the story was absolutely insane and made no sense at all, I bet listening to this you yourself thought the story was made up. Even tho they didn’t believe them they still looked into the kidnappers
@@Jamalquentinjr there wasn't any evidence he killed her, the police acted irrationally lmao, and you posting emojis only highlights your childish immaturity.
I just woke myself up crying in the middle of the night - I lost my Mum suddenly and unexpectedly last week. I would give anything just to hear her voice. Picked up my phone, saw a new video from MrB (had to check I wasn't dreaming since it's not Sunday night yet). Thank goodness I had something to watch and hold my attention in this dark momemt. There are only 2 creators that provide total distraction for me and John is one of them (Mike at That Chapter is the other). Thanks so much for the consistently high quality content John. Aside from the obviously great storytelling, you have an extremely reassuring and calming quality to your voice. Just consider how many equally important moments (whether happy or sad) you help your viewers / listeners through, it's amazing.
Mr Ballen!!!! I’m so proud of you. I just watched a WHOLE Netflix show called American Nightmare about the wetsuit kidnapping of Denise. The fact that you covered this and brought it to our attention first is amazing! As a fellow veteran…keep up the good work! #USNAVYNURSE
I'm from the bay area. I remember this story very well. Initially, everyone thought he killed her and then when the proof of life came out, it was concluded that she ran away with another man. Amazing that it was all true and I'm glad a happy ending. She ended up marrying a man that would do whatever it took to get her back. A very dangerous man was put away.
It’s weird every time law enforcement says something like “you failed a fake lie detector that’s still admissible in court” or “the feds would like to speak with you” and that person gets a lawyer, somehow that is supposed to be taken as suspicious
That's exactly why every lawyer will tell you, "no matter how innocent you are and what the scenario is, ALWAYS answer any question from any law enforcement with, I want my lawyer please". This is because there have been thousands of innocent people that have talked their way into jail, thinking what they were saying was going to help in some way.
nevermind that lie detector tests have been proven to be unreliable and pretty suspect for decades now. Definitely weird how law enforcement can lie to you as much as they want and use all sorts of intimidation tactics
Yeah, I’ve watched enough true crime shows where innocent people end up in prison that the first I’ll ever do if I get questioned by police is say one word: “Lawyer”
Another side note is that the police force that initially investigated the kidnapping of Denise did not ever really formally apologize for their negligence after Matthew was caught. They did "apologize" but it was very lackluster and took almost no responsibility for them not taking their claims seriously.
Let me just commend the intelligence of Matthew and Denise for getting legal counsel and not communicating further to law enforcement. Always get counsel
I agree, it probably avoided them charges. I suspect the house never did smell of chemicals and that was the police adding their own to substantiating their own evidence to support their suspicions.
The storytelling is so natural. I would love to know how much practise goes into each video, whether the story is written out and Mr B is following /reading it out, just very naturally, or if he is telling it from notes or fully from memory and it’s all off the cuff…because it feels like he is telling it straight from his head and isn’t using any sort of script at all. I’ve seen an interview with him lately and he says he has always been a great storyteller. That really is more of a skill than it sounds like. Even retelling a real life event, that has happened to me is really difficult for me to recount without forgetting important bits and I don’t think I could ever remember the amount of detail in the stories Mr B tells. What a brilliant talent to have! I bet Mr B’s children love story time every bedtime! They will still be having bedtime stories in their twenties!!😊
I started watching American Nightmare on Netflix and immediately realized I knew this story thanks to MrBallen. It was touching hearing the story from their perspective. Thanks John for your hard work.
This was the weirdest and wildest story I've ever heard. I kept saying "what?!" throughout the whole story. I thought Aaron was guilty of murder in the beginning. Talk about a 360. Great story telling John. I felt like I was really in the story. You have a gift. I really enjoyed it!
That's just to show that we shouldn't pass judgment and as some people that actually knows how that works will use that very understanding of PERCEPTION against another
I really appreciate you taking the time to say that not everyone with schizophrenia is dangerous. There's a lot of people who think everyone with a mental illness is dangerous. Many people despise us for the crime of simply existing, and they use people like the guy in this story to justify it.
I am so sad to hear Todd share his loss of his wife. It’s damn hard and even doing those usual shows and games become to hard to endure. I’m very proud to hear you are still trying to carry on your love for stories together. I highly encourage anyone facing a new a lone to keep some normalcy and carry forward in your new journey. Despite being alone, I did the total opposite and kind of cut everything off didn’t watch those same shows switch the TV pretty much off and didn’t live my life now five years later, and realizing how much time I lost, and how stupid that was s loss and a journey of unexpected realities of tears, sadness and joy, trying to remember those little things that you did, even if it was just watching Mr. BALLEN and getting part of your journey alone with at least memories and laughter and soon enough even if you’re still alone, you still have something to laugh about and smile. Good luck, sir and I wish I wish well with my condolences. Your journey to
Props to the second couple, that took on the kidnapper and won. If not for them, the truth may never have been revealed and the first victims might even have been charged for filing a false report.
If I recall correctly, the first couple, especially Denise, was in fact charged with filing a false report or something like that, and the prosecutors wanted to make them pay for all the "wasted resources" trying to find an "imaginary kidnapper." I think Denise spent a while in jail over this, like almost a year. I could be confusing it with another case, but I don't think so. I think that's why they won so much money from the state, for being wrongfully prosecuted and wrongly imprisoned.
@@BeRightBack131 Wow, that's horrible! They deserve every penny. People should never be charged without evidence just because their story seems too surreal to believe. This will keep other victims from coming forward and inflict a lot of suffering.
I wish police would rely look in to situations better instead of going on what there only trained to do it's so sad the way police are trained my cousin is police chief and was trained only t9 loomat lodgeic..I wish police were trained to take police to hospitals right away I officer looked and held a man for hrs with a gun shot in his face and didn't believe him now the man is dead take people to the hospital police
@@FollowerofJesus5181 they did look into this situation seriously, they even brought in the fbi. everything about it pointed to aaron being suspicious and pointed to it likely being a murder. the scenario aaron gave them was absolutely ridiculous. i don't exactly know how you want them to look into it better when they've looked into everything they can look into and found nothing. the only reason they even solved it was because of the other couple. you cant blame the cops for not pulling non existant evidence out of their ass. as for your other issue, what does that have to do with the video? if your talking about the case with the guy who got shot in the head and they took him to the interrogation room, yeah, the cops didn't believe him. its not surprising why they didn't, but still, they should have at least got him looked at. still, he would have died regardless since he was at the house with the gunshot wound for days before the cops even arrived, the damage was already done. your point still stands though
Who would have thought that they were actually telling the truth! It’s gotta be so scary to be in a situation where nobody believes you and you can’t even blame them because the situation is so bizarre!
WOW!!! The only thing better than a "strange, dark, and unusual" story is one with a HAPPY ENDING!!! This story is by far my favorite story from your podcast. Not only were they vindicated, but they ended up winning a huge settlement and getting married?!?! I hope Hollywood comes knocking and makes a movie about their lives. Congratulations to the 2 of them!!! Thanks for another awesome podcast. 🙂
You should do a story about missing Randy Leach from Kansas cold case. He went missing along with his car in 1988 from a pre graduation party. No one has heard from him or found the car since. Maybe it will help us get answers on where he is and bring closure to the family. Thank you
This is another example of how you cannot rely on lie detector tests. Another true crime podcast I was listening to recently had a suspect completely pass a lie detector test, even though he was the murderer. They really are unreliable. This entire story is so crazy to me and I don’t know why I never heard about this! Great storytelling as always.
The man who invented the lie detector test was regretful after he made it and it caught on. He knew that it wasn't at all reliable and that it would be used for bad things.
I was thinking the same thing, I lived in the Bay Area at the time and read the SF Chronicle daily, cover to cover, and don't remember this at all weird, all I can think is I was caught up in my stroke recovery and distracted from other things, I wonder what else I missed
That's why 'lie detector' results are inadmissable in Court and therefore useless. People shouldn't take them, nor should they be viewed as 'must be guilty' for refusing.
Im so sorry for your loss. I became a widow after 8 yrs with my husband and the " first doing things by myself " was very hard. But I believe that even though you dont have her with you physically , she is with you in spirit. Anything you see, smell, think of that makes you think of her and it puts a smile in your heart, well I truly believe thats her sending you hugs from heaven and letting you know she is still with you , just in a different way. Hugs and prayers for you
I came back to this video because I just watched American Nightmare on Netflix. I heard it first from the 🐐Mr Ballen. Doc was incredible tho. What a story.
I gotta say, after that video you had titled "Most F'd Up Interrogation Ever," about Ryan Waller...anytime there's a suspect on scene who seems like they're out of it/on drugs, I have to give that person at least some benefit of the doubt. Because there really is some weird, messed up stuff out there that happens and is hard to believe. Imagine being the person it happens to, and trying to convince people, and nobody believes you, that's gotta be really hard.
When driving, especially in heavy traffic, Mr. Ballen's stories have become my saving grace, keeping me mentally engaged and preventing boredom. I cannot imagine the journey without his stories. I extend my heartfelt gratitude for his remarkable storytelling prowess.
Mr. Ballen, you bring such comfort and enjoyment to so many. Like another of your listeners, my husband passed away two months ago and listening to you was one of the most enjoyable things. We were so happy just doing anything together, so sitting on the back porch and listening to the latest Mr. Ballen was so wonderful. We would look forward to it all week. I believe that his Crystal and my David are perched on a cloud, watching all the episodes together and waiting for the day when we will be reunited and will enjoy discussing all the twists and turns. Todd, my thoughts and prayers are with you for your comfort. RIP Crystal and David
This reminded me SO much of the case where the boyfriend wandered around the home with his girlfriends body on the couch for days. When police showed up they strongly suspected he'd killed her, I mean who continues living in the house with their girlfriends body if he didn't kill her, but she WAS murdered? He was also kind of out of it and drugged seeming. Turns out intruders had broken in and shot both of them in the head. Police interrogated the boyfriend for hours on hours before getting him medical care and he later also succumbed to his wounds iirc. This case feels like if that one had a happier ending for the victims.
Wow, what an insane story. I'm glad that everything turned out well for Denise and Aaron and I can only imagine how frustrating it was for them to try and get police and FBI to believe their story, but I can also understand why it would be difficult for officials to believe it in the first place. You're adverts with "ol Seagulll Lllllung!" are getting more hilarious with each video. Thank you Mr. Ballen.
Also just imagine the harassment they were getting from the public and the media, especially since they called it the "gone girl" case. Essentially victim blaming her and setting her up as a target for hate and false accusations. I'm glad they won the lawsuit.
Another important note, the police had put Aarons cellphone on airplane mode while they interrogated him and by the time they let him go there were multiple calls and texts from Mathew. His multiple emails to media made demands for police to issue an apology to Aaron and Denise as well.
Holy crap! I remember hearing this story. This poor couple. Getting blamed for something like that and knowing you are truthful is so frustrating. Thank God they caught that guy.
I remember when this happened. How horrific is it to be the victims of such a horrific crime and be treated the way that they were, especially with Denise being SA'd? I remember that they sued the police and received a large settlement, but it could never be enough money to compensate them for how they were treated, especially when the police publicly stated that they were lying effectively tarnishing their reputations permanently. I've always said that they could never completely undo the damage done because not everyone who heard the accusation would hear the actual truth afterward. I'm very glad that their relationship endured such a horrific crime and the horrific way that they were treated after it. I am very happy that they are still together and have a precious little baby. 💗
Out of all the years I have been watching and listening to you, Mr. Ballen, I've only one question.... How does the like button still even exist for this channel? It has gone through so much torture on this channel, this is the only baffling question I've for you.... Thank you for your wonderful years of entertaining, scaring and mystifying me with every case you tell me about. Your narrations are absolutely on point and when I found you about 5 years ago (the missing 411} is what got me to non stop rush for every one of your weekly uploads. My upmost thank you from London, Ontario, Canada.
Netflix just released a Documentary about this story. I realized after watching Netflix's 3 part (2.5 hours) series, I enjoyed Mr Ballens (33 Mins) version better. Thank you Sir and thank you for your Service!
After battles with depression and drug use, your videos have helped me get more interested in life again and going clean, and I tune in every Sunday and have been watching for about a few years now. Keep up the amazing content🤘
Congratulations, you’ve put in the extremely hard work & are clean & sober. Take everyday as it comes, yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery but today is a present, enjoy. Take care, best wishes from Adelaide; South Australia🇦🇺💐
I'm at home with the flu and a chest infection. I coughed so hard i cracked a rib. My 6 year old son is also sick laying next to me. I had been binge re-watching mr ballen when the very surprising notification came up. Officially my day has been made. Thank you mr ballen! ❤
@miapdx503 omg noooo, I hope you're doing better and healed up quickly. It's so annoying not being able to cough now and only be able to do short, quick breaths in 😅 Thank you for your kind message 🙏🏻 😘🩷
13:07 I watched 'Seagull Lungs' FOUR times because I love the silliness! My toddler does not understand a word but he gets the humour! He laughs so hard that he gets hiccups! Perhaps, Mr Ballen, you could draft a script series featuring our green friend on a new 'Ballen Funnies!' UA-cam channel?! You would be making a little boy and a massive population very happy. Thank you, kindly. 🇬🇧🕊👑✝️👑🕊🇬🇧
I’m so sorry for your loss, this is our family’s tradition to listen to Mr. Ballen, I lost my daughter, my best friend, to cancer last December, she was 39 yrs old and she left behind 2 babies, 5and 3yrs old, I’m blessed to have a great son in law that l❤ and he loves us so we are able to have lots of time babysitting. Anyway now the kids and I listen to him almost every day! Thank you Mr. Ballen
Because it's easier to beg for someone to come back to you there, home field advantage so to speak lol Seriously, you can't really grovel properly in public and you can get kicked out if you go to her place.😋
I get fixated on little details like that too! Lol. My guess is that he wanted to rekindle their relationship and get back together, and asking someone over the phone isn’t going to have as strong as an impact… But ya, it’s awesome that this incident brought them back together and are married now 🙂
I was thinking the same thing but also maybe it was about the drone? Since they were on and off maybe it was that or just to beg to get back together is my guesses
Mr Ballen is so awesome at telling stories that even though I knew what happened in this story I kept watching waiting for each detail. This story is so crazy that it's on Netflix now.
Couldn't wait to treat us viewers to yet another Mr Ballen story that u decided to do one a day earlier then usual. Thank u immensely. Totally unexpected but also amazing at the same time. No weekend is complete without listening to another one of your stories.
What I like the most besides the stories is the pictures that go with them. They prove they’re true stories which makes them more interesting to hear and learn from.
Don't worry about what anyone has to say about you. Especially when they have not served in the same capacity as you have Mrballen. You have been transparent and honest with your followers. And that alone gets my respect 100%
Ive been watching Mr. Ballen fir about 6 months. Love hearing your story telling! Im so glad I found your channel. I hope I can come and hear you in Person one day.
I already know this case but I always enjoy seeing and listening to MrBallen and showing my support and appreciation. His videos have been a therapeutic diversion for years now.
It's strange there is alot more to this case then Mr.Ballen mention. I remember the kidknapper sent emails standing up for the victims, demanding the police apologize Ect. I understand he's giving more of an overview and mean no disrespect .
I feel for Aaron and Denise. They thought they were mentally unwell or staged their own kidnapping. I feel for both of them and anyone that was victim of this unwell man.
@@carpo719 i once had a boss who was chill as fuck and would cover you no matter what. it was really a trip, dont miss the job but i miss the fact you could actually work on getting better. was wild
That was a strange story for sure, I genuinely believed that Aaron must've been suspicious and a schizophrenic but the fact that Denise was still alive had me thinking there was a twist, like Aaron might've made up a story with Denise to murder his ex wife or perhaps they were making up a hoax for media attention... but... NOPE.. there really was a strange kidnapper 🤣 that was interesting
That's why I love Mrballen stories, there's always a twist. Listening to Mr Ballen is like watching one of those psychological thrillers, with a twist, that you never expected.
Yeah, what an absolutely random twist that nobody had seen coming. I can't even blame the officers too much because I would have also assumed that he or both of them are guilty, but then again it just shows that you can't assume someone's guilt without solid evidence. And that lie detector tests are BS!
Rest in peace Crystal. ❤ The Mr. Ballen channel helped me get through my mom suddenly dying 3 years ago. I hope it helps you to have those happy memories. I believe she will sit by your side each week as you watch the new episodes. No "sorry for your loss" can take away your pain but remembering happy times helps the loss become bearable. ❤️
I pretend my husband is still around sometimes.. usually when I'm fixing to go to bed. We were in a habit of being in different rooms so we both could watch what we wanted to see on t.v. we also would hollar I love you out of the blue...ha. I loved that.. I've never told anyone that.. what I'm saying is you will find your own way and that's how it should be.. I am sorry too..I've been there friend.
To be fair it is a pretty unbelievable story I can't blame the cops for not believing them, although you can absolutely blame the cops for not apologizing
People in these comments saying you can’t blame the cops. Twice I’ve reported sexual assault to the police, both times I was treated as though I was lying despite having DNA evidence. This is typical police behaviour, only with this story it was ramped up because they were more confident due to it being weird. I hope this story goes as a warning against cops who choose not believe victims.
Wow what a wild story! I immediately found it odd that the police didn't test the bf what drugs were in his system or called for a psychiatrist's assessment if they thought he was mentally unwell. Regardless of whether they thought he was guilty all avenues need to be followed especially if someone is missing!! I feel so sorry for the couple. Imagine being assaulted and then accused of lying rather than supported. Absolutely horrid. Also... to the listener grieving for his wife... I hope you have lots of support around you and hopefully listening to the stories here gives you distraction and comfort or peace somehow.
@@WatchingWeasel : I suppose so. I believe that law enforcement employee s should have very open minds when dealing with cases. It could be the difference between an innocent man in prison or not.
Druggies don't freely admit to the police that they are under the influence of drugs. I felt this guy was telling the truth. Also wearing a wetsuit seems to be a good way of not leaving any DNA at the crime scene.
Like a soothing balm these stories relax me after a chaotic night working in an understaffed emergency department. This story was more bizarre than I ever could have imagined.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Mr. Ballen was me and my wifes favorite UA-cam channel and it was our tradition to sit down together and watch it together each weekend. She died unexpectedly 3 days ago and I am beside myself. This will be the first time I've watched an episode by myself in the 8 years we were together. I hope shes able to watch this wherever she is, she absolutely loved Mr. Ballen, the man and the UA-camr. RIP Crystal, I love you. 🕊️
My sincerest condolences, sir. RIP Crystal.
I am so sorry for you.💕
💜🙏
i am so sorry for your loss. may she rest in peace. ❤️🩹
my condolences man. May she rest in peace
I used to wonder as a kid: could you commit a crime and be so weird about it that you get away with it because the witnesses would sound ridiculous? Apparently you can.
But only once. Don't try to replicate it.
I have wondered the same!
I just tried it and it works
@@mclovin2408 Bwahaha, Hahahahaa.. HAHAHAHAHAAAA!
BRILLIANT! Thanks 4 that, it was SO needed 🤣 LMAO?? ..I haven't smiled in YEARS! X
Brooo me tooo
How disturbing?! Just imagine going to your ex's house to possibly reconcile and instead you're drugged and sexually assaulted. And the boyfriend's fear of losing Denise and trying to do everything he can to make sure she came back safely. This is insane. I'm also happy to hear that Aaron and Denise got married. What an ordeal to go through.
Imagine if Denise came to believe that Aaron did it and then her family killed him or something. Stranger things happen every day.
@@jumpinjohnnyruss😂😂
Spoiler😮
Kinda hard to blame the police because the story was really hard to believe. Also the couple should have helped the fbi...refusing too only hurt them.
@@phaze_shift_prwatch the video before going to comment section then. The comment section is made to discuss the video. It’s your own dumbass fault if you spoil yourself
This case has since been made into a TV mini series called “American Nightmare” which was just released in January 2024. It provides a great deal of insight into what happened and how the police failed Aaron and Denise. Definitely worth watching!
Came here to say the same! It's a wild story
Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll have to check it out. Can you tell me what channel or streaming service has the show?
@@Stefanie_Fithianjust googled it and it says it’s streaming on Netflix.
Where can I watch it what site
It is on Netflix
Dude I was fully expecting that Aaron was guilty of staging something. I never saw this coming with Aaron and Denice actually telling the truth
Same!
If you watch mr ballen long enough, you'll be able to predict that he's innocent.
@@Fx_Explains I’ve been watching mr ballen for like 3 years lol 😂 I guess I just don’t trust people to be innocent
@@Fx_Explains Are you sure Mr Ballen is innocent? Where's the proof?
thanks for spoiling the ending.
given how "genius" matthew muller was, i'm sure he "cleaned" the house to make it seem like aaron was lying and basically frame aaron (furthermore, matthew going out of his way to hijack aaron's email address is more proof he was actively trying to setup aaron.) given how smart he is, he also probably chose aaron and denise specifically because aaron looked a lot like him and he probably fancied denise so they seemed like the perfect victims for his plan.
Could also be to get rid of his DNA from the S Assault along with what you said.
The question is since they weren't the first couple that he did that too, how many men are in prison because the evidence pointed at the boyfriend
He probably make up those ridiculous plan so Aaron was not taken seriously. Ridiculous ransom amount, stupid setup, cleaning smell but leaving a bit of blood drop, asking for banking detail but did not took the money, hijacking Aaron's email account to email reporters, all sounds so ridiculous for Aaron to defend himself, it's actually a genius plan. Such a waste someone so smart end up with loose screws in the mind.
@@cheqmanis7291agreed.
A lot of details were changed/omitted in this video, which would have shown just how inept the law enforcement officials were in this case.
Mr. Ballen bent over backward to try and make the officers and detectives look good.
Failed to mention that they tried to charge the victims with creating a false report.
They held on to Aaron's phone and ignored the calls from the kidnapper, all because they had already made up their minds that Aaron killed her. All of the B.S. the police put them through would never had happened had they simply done what they were supposed to do and investigate what the victim said. Instead they only focused on trying to convict Aaron for a murder that hadn't even happened. Then when Denise showed up alive, they tried to save face by trying to discredit what she said (law enforcement were the ones that caused the news stations to start calling Denise "Gone Girl") and on top of that tried to charge them both with filling a false report. It was so bad that the abductor sent messages requesting the that the police stop trying to blame Aaron and Denise. Pretty weird and bad when the perpetrator has to defend their victims from the police. Bunch of damn clowns.
Also, Aaron had just broken up with his ex days before this happened. His ex is who Matthew muller was obsessed with. While in their house he was asking about the ex and was surprised to see Denise.
Oh yeah, the couple that fought off Matthew, were attacked a couple months after Aaron and Denise.
Come on son @@Chrissmith857 mrballer long ago said he speaks these stories in a way to engulf the listener, now what your saying might be truth but me a random person on the internet if actually get interested can google search and read more info about any case mrballer comes up with in his story format. So he had to do to make suspense, but he didn't judged police anywhere, also the way everything was happening even I forgot the 1st time thought here we go another schizophrenia patient who murdered and probably didn't know about it type of case and was totally astonished by the ending. I did Google about it and already came up with conclusion that police f up. But mrballer did not wrong here
This is exactly why lie detectors are not admissible in court. What a wild story!!
Yes, exactly. they're less like lie detectors and more like stress detectors.
This was going to be my question - how did he fail the lie detector test. But I guess it makes sense that he was simply too stressed. 😮
@@joeybuzzzeven the lie detector didn't believe crazy story.
@@joeybuzzzbecause all lie detector tests do is measure the change in your bodies autonomic nervous functions. It doesn’t tell you why someone is experiencing it. Most people’s systems will respond when lying but there’s many other reasons a person has a spike in function.
At least the profile was correct
Whether the cops believed he was telling the truth or not saying he was drugged they should immediately taken him to the ER for a blood test to see if he had a drug in his system and what specifically it was.
His health could have been in danger, too. Absolutely right.
They are cops with school diploma not Howard's PhD scientists 😂😂😂
@@ajayfacts81 you don't need to be a Howard scientist to have common sense...
Man, did you see the story and video about the guy who was shot in the eye being interrogated by police as a suspect in his gf being missing?
He was interrogated for a couple hours or more, before bringing in emergency personnel.
@@timsr1782 dude that's awful.
This case would now make me think twice about seemingly suspicious suspects and their outlandish accounts. I used to think authorities can read most suspects easily and Aaron was showing all the classic signs of a guilty party-his story sounded so wild and made up, his actions seemed unreasonable, his demeanor suggests guilt-turns out he was innocent all along. Fascinating!
All of his non verbal signs implied guilt. His reactions. Really weird.
OMG. It really sucks that people have to ruin these stories for others. Thanks A LOT.
@@barbarat5729maybe don't read the comments before the video?? ALSO this is a true case. Stop treating it like a story that you are waiting so badly for the plot twist. At least pretend to have some respect for the victims
You have to remember, most "authorities" have extremely minimal training and the majority of their credit comes down to "trust me bro"
Why did Aaron fail the lie detector test so dramatically?
Do not abandon this channel. We love how you haven’t changed your style of narration since day 1 of filming. Best story teller on UA-cam and thank you for your service!
forget the story telling how can he tell these stories without getting scared bro
@@nicholasanamanwell he was a navy seal for one
@@nicholasanamanbecause he isn't a child 😅.
@@nicholasanamanHe is a SEAL!
@@nicholasanamangrow up 🤦♂️ embarrassing comment begging for ballan attention sad people everywhere 🤡🤪😊🍀
As soon as Aaron was taken to the police station instead of a hospital to get checked for drugs and injury, I thought to myself “well, this is going to end in a lawsuit.”
His $8500 got them 2.5 mil, repaired their relationship and gave them a child while he got 70 years. Now that’s heartwarming
👌
They suffered a lot of trauma. First from attackers, then from authorities and media. It's only by luck that real attacker was found and people believed them.
Relationship was anyways was almost fixed even before attack.
This story is unbelievable. I remember the media and the authorities did not believe their story. They called her the “Gone Girl,” from the movie. Crazy… the story was all true. If the guy that did this to them hadn’t got caught when the next couple fought back, no one would have ever believed their story. Denise was really traumatized by it all, of course, especially since people didn’t believe it.
They also got 2.5 million dollars! Well deserved if you ask me.
Recently watched a new documentary on this story,what a he'll of a twist after going thru hell and then with the police and the media.
@@CATMANDOOOOOOfr just watched it the other day very crazy and interesting
It is very suspicious. The guilty plea from a delusional perp. Who knows. Many conveniences. I am not convinced. Idk maybe the documentary was skewed against them.
The moral of the story….lawyering up is a good idea if you are innocent too. Unbelievably true story.
This was a chaotic roller coaster, but I’m happy for them and their marriage, they seem to very genuinely care for each other. The fact this all happened is crazy and feels like it could even be a movie
Well it is a book, which is often a pre cursor to a movie
88hi😅😅the of 6 6 50 2.00 😊88
I really hope their relationship is no longer "toxic" and that they have much more mutual love and respect for each other than trauma bonding..
@@avamasquerade I mean Aaron's behavior was pretty cringe but I feel like "begging your ex-fiancé to take you back while you're in a relationship" is actually pretty low on the abusive behavior scale, IMO. Everyone does something crazy and toxic eventually. But I'd like to believe that Denise wouldn't have been so willing to give him the time of day if he was habitually toxic. I mean him begging her to come over on a night where they both had to work in the morning, unwilling to talk on the phone, that's sorta weird, but I'd have to image if he was really pushing her and making her uncomfortable, she wouldn't have capitulated. But who knows.
I wouldn't mind reading the book, actually. Fascinating story.
Only because Mr narrated it in such a way. Feels like just watched a movie in my mind. For free.
Every time we get in the car my kids look at me and say “Mr. Ballen?” And we listen every time we’re in the car. Currently it’s a beautiful sunny day. My daughter and I are sitting with the windows down having tacos listening 😊
That sounds really nice 🙂
thats so cute ugggh my heart
Don't think your young kids should be listening to this kinda stuff. I guess not everyone is responsible or mature enough to procreate but here we are
@@closelaugh185 you assume my kids aren’t adults. If I were to make stupid assumptions based off little info, id assume based on the 14 negative comments you’ve made on this channel alone that you’re a miserable, single male who hates himself. Id also assume that you may want to put the bottle down. Im sure we don’t have to worry about you procreating. Have the day you deserve 😊
@@closelaugh185bro, it’s a wholesome story, chill.
I miss those days when John would upload 3 to 4 or 5 videos a week but glad he’s still uploading at least once a week. The best storyteller on UA-cam!
That's because he only focused on UA-cam but he's doing a lot more now so there's no time
Peak Mr. Ballen. Missing 411, horror/creepy stories from Reddit, places you shouldn't go etc.
It’s a lot of work and he has expanded his brand but he also has young children so I guess he had to prioritise the parts that are most important.
Guy has a family🤷🏻 It used to be way easier in the pandemic but it'll be hell for him and his team to pump out 3-4 videos a week now
Nah I think it's way better this way. The quality of the videos is way better, imo.
Honestly, this is one of the most bizarre cases ever. I can understand why it seemed outlandish to police, especially with Aaron being medicated so heavily when he reported the kidnapping. And it was unusual for Denise to suddenly show up again without any ransom being paid. Yet the police really reacted too quickly and angrily to her reappearance. The PD paid Aaron and Denise $2.5 million dollars for that horrible treatment. Hopefully, Matthew Muller will serve his full federal sentence of 40 years because he only got 31 years from the state for the abduction and rape of Denise. I hope Aaron and Denise are doing well and living happily with their child (children?) these days.
Could you imagine going through all of that and the police releasing a statement basically stating you're full of it?
This is the story that got me addicted to Mr Ballen. Binged all the back episodes in 2 months. Thanks Mr B for all the hard work
Same here!
Wow, what a story, I'd thought Aaron was just lying about the kidnapping and actually killed Denise. But I'm glad they weren't actually harmed and got back together and married. That's one of the most bizarre stories I've ever heard and it's a plot twist I never expected. Thanks for sharing the story, MrBallen and you're a great storyteller
Yeah and thanks for the spoiler
@@julieinid1why the heck would you read comments before actually watching the video itself.
Yeah I remember this case and I thought it was a publicity stunt to become famous or get a reality TV show 🤣 Crazy Story..
Same 😂 fully thought Aaron was the killer 😅
Well, she was raped at least twice and they were both terrorised and traumatised, so I’d say they were harmed.
The fact that she was held and assaulted and she wasn’t believed breaks my heart. I followed the story when it first happened and they were treated like crap.
The polices job is to assess situations and find rational explanations based on factual evidence not to pamper two adults in a toxic relationship which clearly indicates unpredictable individuals. I was in 2 toxic relationships in the past, i was the abused and the abuser. Based on my own experience its easy to see why things happened the way they did 😂. Even better, neither of my toxic relationships had any physical abuse just like these two lost souls in the story. It was all manipulation, gas lighting, embellishment of information etc. people like you expect police to drop all logic and say yup there are just two innocent victims , especially after hearing from third parties that they were unstable as a couple and were not even officially together anymore 😂. One of my exs pretended she was pregnant and having an abor***. Pretended she was gonna off herself and dissapeared for a day. Even her family was worried then came back like everything was all sweet. You live in a bubble, sweetheart.
@linda agreed. I watched the police interrogation video & the police only had one narrative….To blame the victims. The victims were treated very poorly.
@@Jamalquentinjr mate there wasn't even evidence that their relationship was abusive. Consider taking this baggage to therapy instead
@@Platinum907I mean the story was absolutely insane and made no sense at all, I bet listening to this you yourself thought the story was made up. Even tho they didn’t believe them they still looked into the kidnappers
@@Jamalquentinjr there wasn't any evidence he killed her, the police acted irrationally lmao, and you posting emojis only highlights your childish immaturity.
I just woke myself up crying in the middle of the night - I lost my Mum suddenly and unexpectedly last week. I would give anything just to hear her voice. Picked up my phone, saw a new video from MrB (had to check I wasn't dreaming since it's not Sunday night yet). Thank goodness I had something to watch and hold my attention in this dark momemt. There are only 2 creators that provide total distraction for me and John is one of them (Mike at That Chapter is the other).
Thanks so much for the consistently high quality content John. Aside from the obviously great storytelling, you have an extremely reassuring and calming quality to your voice. Just consider how many equally important moments (whether happy or sad) you help your viewers / listeners through, it's amazing.
Sorry for your loss 🕊️
So sorry for your loss big hugs and praying for your healing its so hard losing a parent 🙏😢💖
I offer you my deepest condolences for your great loss 😢
Mr Ballen!!!! I’m so proud of you. I just watched a WHOLE Netflix show called American Nightmare about the wetsuit kidnapping of Denise. The fact that you covered this and brought it to our attention first is amazing! As a fellow veteran…keep up the good work! #USNAVYNURSE
I'm from the bay area. I remember this story very well. Initially, everyone thought he killed her and then when the proof of life came out, it was concluded that she ran away with another man. Amazing that it was all true and I'm glad a happy ending. She ended up marrying a man that would do whatever it took to get her back. A very dangerous man was put away.
When did this happen? I'm from SJ but don't remember the story. Maybe happened when I was a young kid or before my time. I'm 57.
@@timsr1782 Hi. It happened in 2015.
@timsr1782
I'm in sfbay area, and don't recall this either! Wonder what got our attention? Lol😂
It’s weird every time law enforcement says something like “you failed a fake lie detector that’s still admissible in court” or “the feds would like to speak with you” and that person gets a lawyer, somehow that is supposed to be taken as suspicious
That's exactly why every lawyer will tell you, "no matter how innocent you are and what the scenario is, ALWAYS answer any question from any law enforcement with, I want my lawyer please". This is because there have been thousands of innocent people that have talked their way into jail, thinking what they were saying was going to help in some way.
nevermind that lie detector tests have been proven to be unreliable and pretty suspect for decades now. Definitely weird how law enforcement can lie to you as much as they want and use all sorts of intimidation tactics
Guilty people should get lawyers. Innocent people need to get lawyers.
Yeah, I’ve watched enough true crime shows where innocent people end up in prison that the first I’ll ever do if I get questioned by police is say one word: “Lawyer”
I got fucked from shitty officers. They’re wrong some times
Today is Saturday right? This was unexpected, thanks Mr Ballen
throwing the fans off 😂
Blud Wild 😂
He did announce it ahead of time, so it shouldn't have been too unexpected
Maybe he has a vacation planned to some strange, dark and mysterious location for on location story telling.
I've spent all day trying to remember it's Saturday and then Mr B throws a curve ball!
Mr Ballen is my lullaby. I literally use him to fall asleep. I love his story telling. ♥️♥️♥️ I watch him daily
Another side note is that the police force that initially investigated the kidnapping of Denise did not ever really formally apologize for their negligence after Matthew was caught. They did "apologize" but it was very lackluster and took almost no responsibility for them not taking their claims seriously.
This is a good reason to defund ALL law enforcement.
@@scummymummy2548 why’s that ? Prick
@@scummymummy2548yeah no
@@scummymummy2548this is called making a mountain out of a molehill
They probably consider the 2.5M settlement the apology
Let me just commend the intelligence of Matthew and Denise for getting legal counsel and not communicating further to law enforcement. Always get counsel
*Aaron
Yup it may look guilty to law enforcement but it's always in your best interest to not say anything. The cops will find a way to twist your words!!!
I agree, it probably avoided them charges.
I suspect the house never did smell of chemicals and that was the police adding their own to substantiating their own evidence to support their suspicions.
@@Belisarius536 this was a couple weeks ago, but did in the same guy use vinegar on a different body? So chemicals wouldn’t be out of the question.
@@Belisarius536sclerosis ❤402
The storytelling is so natural. I would love to know how much practise goes into each video, whether the story is written out and Mr B is following /reading it out, just very naturally, or if he is telling it from notes or fully from memory and it’s all off the cuff…because it feels like he is telling it straight from his head and isn’t using any sort of script at all. I’ve seen an interview with him lately and he says he has always been a great storyteller. That really is more of a skill than it sounds like. Even retelling a real life event, that has happened to me is really difficult for me to recount without forgetting important bits and I don’t think I could ever remember the amount of detail in the stories Mr B tells. What a brilliant talent to have! I bet Mr B’s children love story time every bedtime! They will still be having bedtime stories in their twenties!!😊
I started watching American Nightmare on Netflix and immediately realized I knew this story thanks to MrBallen. It was touching hearing the story from their perspective. Thanks John for your hard work.
Same! I was like...wait, what? I know this story from MrBallen. If you know, you know!
This was the weirdest and wildest story I've ever heard. I kept saying "what?!" throughout the whole story. I thought Aaron was guilty of murder in the beginning. Talk about a 360. Great story telling John. I felt like I was really in the story. You have a gift. I really enjoyed it!
That's just to show that we shouldn't pass judgment and as some people that actually knows how that works will use that very understanding of PERCEPTION against another
180°
A 360° would just put you right back where you started.
"Talk about a 360" is the real crime here.
I really appreciate you taking the time to say that not everyone with schizophrenia is dangerous.
There's a lot of people who think everyone with a mental illness is dangerous. Many people despise us for the crime of simply existing, and they use people like the guy in this story to justify it.
I am so sad to hear Todd share his loss of his wife. It’s damn hard and even doing those usual shows and games become to hard to endure. I’m very proud to hear you are still trying to carry on your love for stories together. I highly encourage anyone facing a new a lone to keep some normalcy and carry forward in your new journey. Despite being alone, I did the total opposite and kind of cut everything off didn’t watch those same shows switch the TV pretty much off and didn’t live my life now five years later, and realizing how much time I lost, and how stupid that was s loss and a journey of unexpected realities of tears, sadness and joy, trying to remember those little things that you did, even if it was just watching Mr. BALLEN and getting part of your journey alone with at least memories and laughter and soon enough even if you’re still alone, you still have something to laugh about and smile. Good luck, sir and I wish I wish well with my condolences.
Your journey to
@toddburgess5056
Yes so very sad!
❤❤❤
Who's Todd
@@ramdingaliana9711pinned comment
the way he said “totally unhinged” was hella accurate and absolutely HILARIOUS 💀
What a bizarre and amazing story. So happy for Aaron and Denise overcame everything they went through
Honestly Mr Ballen is probably the best storyteller on UA-cam. Feels like you are actually there
Listened to several storytellers and he’s definitely no1
Yeah!
Love his story telling skills!
He is THE BEST! 👍🏻
Only UA-cam?
Props to the second couple, that took on the kidnapper and won. If not for them, the truth may never have been revealed and the first victims might even have been charged for filing a false report.
If I recall correctly, the first couple, especially Denise, was in fact charged with filing a false report or something like that, and the prosecutors wanted to make them pay for all the "wasted resources" trying to find an "imaginary kidnapper." I think Denise spent a while in jail over this, like almost a year. I could be confusing it with another case, but I don't think so. I think that's why they won so much money from the state, for being wrongfully prosecuted and wrongly imprisoned.
@@BeRightBack131 Wow, that's horrible! They deserve every penny. People should never be charged without evidence just because their story seems too surreal to believe. This will keep other victims from coming forward and inflict a lot of suffering.
@@BeRightBack131I live about a 20 minute drive away from where this all happened and that sounds familiar. Still makes my blood boil.
I wish police would rely look in to situations better instead of going on what there only trained to do it's so sad the way police are trained my cousin is police chief and was trained only t9 loomat lodgeic..I wish police were trained to take police to hospitals right away I officer looked and held a man for hrs with a gun shot in his face and didn't believe him now the man is dead take people to the hospital police
@@FollowerofJesus5181 they did look into this situation seriously, they even brought in the fbi. everything about it pointed to aaron being suspicious and pointed to it likely being a murder. the scenario aaron gave them was absolutely ridiculous. i don't exactly know how you want them to look into it better when they've looked into everything they can look into and found nothing. the only reason they even solved it was because of the other couple. you cant blame the cops for not pulling non existant evidence out of their ass. as for your other issue, what does that have to do with the video? if your talking about the case with the guy who got shot in the head and they took him to the interrogation room, yeah, the cops didn't believe him. its not surprising why they didn't, but still, they should have at least got him looked at. still, he would have died regardless since he was at the house with the gunshot wound for days before the cops even arrived, the damage was already done. your point still stands though
I love that this had a happy ending! Congrats Aaron and Denise.
Who would have thought that they were actually telling the truth! It’s gotta be so scary to be in a situation where nobody believes you and you can’t even blame them because the situation is so bizarre!
My grandfather, a cop, told me from when I was a child never talk to police
My hope is that Mr Ballen never gets tired of telling us stories of the strange , dark and mysterious in story format.
WOW!!! The only thing better than a "strange, dark, and unusual" story is one with a HAPPY ENDING!!! This story is by far my favorite story from your podcast. Not only were they vindicated, but they ended up winning a huge settlement and getting married?!?!
I hope Hollywood comes knocking and makes a movie about their lives. Congratulations to the 2 of them!!! Thanks for another awesome podcast. 🙂
Back in high school English Literature we were taught that if a story ends in marriage, it's technically a comedy.
Have you heard the one about the crows?
@@safwatnuman4297nop
@@safwatnuman4297no whats in called
Two and a half million dollars nowadays isn't that much money. That used to be Charlie Sheen's daily crack budget.
You should do a story about missing Randy Leach from Kansas cold case. He went missing along with his car in 1988 from a pre graduation party. No one has heard from him or found the car since. Maybe it will help us get answers on where he is and bring closure to the family. Thank you
This is another example of how you cannot rely on lie detector tests.
Another true crime podcast I was listening to recently had a suspect completely pass a lie detector test, even though he was the murderer. They really are unreliable. This entire story is so crazy to me and I don’t know why I never heard about this! Great storytelling as always.
The man who invented the lie detector test was regretful after he made it and it caught on. He knew that it wasn't at all reliable and that it would be used for bad things.
I was thinking the same thing, I lived in the Bay Area at the time and read the SF Chronicle daily, cover to cover, and don't remember this at all weird, all I can think is I was caught up in my stroke recovery and distracted from other things, I wonder what else I missed
That's why 'lie detector' results are inadmissable in Court and therefore useless. People shouldn't take them, nor should they be viewed as 'must be guilty' for refusing.
They're were 97% accurate though???
I wonder if you heard the same case i did.
Was it an African American male who killed a woman because she stole weed???
Im really relieved Aaron didnt get charged. What an amazing story!
Im so sorry for your loss. I became a widow after 8 yrs with my husband and the " first doing things by myself " was very hard. But I believe that even though you dont have her with you physically , she is with you in spirit. Anything you see, smell, think of that makes you think of her and it puts a smile in your heart, well I truly believe thats her sending you hugs from heaven and letting you know she is still with you , just in a different way. Hugs and prayers for you
So sorry for your loss
Who died?
I came back to this video because I just watched American Nightmare on Netflix. I heard it first from the 🐐Mr Ballen. Doc was incredible tho. What a story.
I gotta say, after that video you had titled "Most F'd Up Interrogation Ever," about Ryan Waller...anytime there's a suspect on scene who seems like they're out of it/on drugs, I have to give that person at least some benefit of the doubt. Because there really is some weird, messed up stuff out there that happens and is hard to believe. Imagine being the person it happens to, and trying to convince people, and nobody believes you, that's gotta be really hard.
When driving, especially in heavy traffic, Mr. Ballen's stories have become my saving grace, keeping me mentally engaged and preventing boredom. I cannot imagine the journey without his stories. I extend my heartfelt gratitude for his remarkable storytelling prowess.
Mr. Ballen, you bring such comfort and enjoyment to so many. Like another of your listeners, my husband passed away two months ago and listening to you was one of the most enjoyable things. We were so happy just doing anything together, so sitting on the back porch and listening to the latest Mr. Ballen was so wonderful. We would look forward to it all week. I believe that his Crystal and my David are perched on a cloud, watching all the episodes together and waiting for the day when we will be reunited and will enjoy discussing all the twists and turns. Todd, my thoughts and prayers are with you for your comfort. RIP Crystal and David
So sorry for ur loss x
Thanks so much. He was a great guy. You’re very kind.
This reminded me SO much of the case where the boyfriend wandered around the home with his girlfriends body on the couch for days. When police showed up they strongly suspected he'd killed her, I mean who continues living in the house with their girlfriends body if he didn't kill her, but she WAS murdered? He was also kind of out of it and drugged seeming. Turns out intruders had broken in and shot both of them in the head. Police interrogated the boyfriend for hours on hours before getting him medical care and he later also succumbed to his wounds iirc. This case feels like if that one had a happier ending for the victims.
Yes! I remember that story.
Yes, it's : " Detective realizes the suspect is dying".
I remember this. It was horrible.
Yeo I remember that one too, so sad :(
That was such a sad story, that poor man😢
Wow, what an insane story. I'm glad that everything turned out well for Denise and Aaron and I can only imagine how frustrating it was for them to try and get police and FBI to believe their story, but I can also understand why it would be difficult for officials to believe it in the first place.
You're adverts with "ol Seagulll Lllllung!" are getting more hilarious with each video. Thank you Mr. Ballen.
Yes, I live the for the Adventures of Ballin and Seeeeaguuuul Lungs, it's right up there with Hecklefish!
I hate the seagull lung thing.
Also just imagine the harassment they were getting from the public and the media, especially since they called it the "gone girl" case. Essentially victim blaming her and setting her up as a target for hate and false accusations. I'm glad they won the lawsuit.
I hate them. We're listening to a serious story about possible murders etc and then he starts screaming like a 6 year old.
Another important note, the police had put Aarons cellphone on airplane mode while they interrogated him and by the time they let him go there were multiple calls and texts from Mathew. His multiple emails to media made demands for police to issue an apology to Aaron and Denise as well.
womp womp
OMFG!! Why did they not win more money!! they could of had the ass that day!!! this is why i say police need longer more throughto training ..
simple mistakes can cost so much more.. baffling...
And the police chief publicly called them liars and chastised them for wasting police resources during that press conference.
@@kodabug7024*could have
This is such a crazy story. I love all your stories. The way you tell them keeps me intrigued. Thank you Mr Ballen. Keep them coming.
Nothing better than relaxing in bed with a heated pillow and watching the new Mr. Ballen video ☺️
Love the video's the BEST!
A heated pillow. I think I finally found what's been missing from my life.
It's like 3 in the afternoon you lazy bum 😮 😂😮😅😊
@@TheSixthSLoTdito. Next week Im gonna buy one.
How much are they?
Holy crap! I remember hearing this story. This poor couple. Getting blamed for something like that and knowing you are truthful is so frustrating. Thank God they caught that guy.
He turned himself in, & released Denise when he saw Aaron in jail for something he didn’t do. They didn’t “catch” anyone-he caught himself. 😂
@@kittikat2318how did Denise end up in SoCal? Mr. Baller never cleared that up?
Then again they called in sick to work at 7:00 a.m. how did they do that if they were kidnapped
@@carpo719watch the video again. It’s clearly stated that Aaron “called” his employer but that the communication to Denise’s employer was only text.
Another thing, the Sherri Papini case was around this same time, so that added another layer of craziness to it.
I haven't been this enthralled with a MrBallen video in over a year. This story is absolutely batshit insane, and I love it.
Mr Ballen’s stories have helped me and my children connect. We love to turn on a story in the car or when we get home to rest. It has become a fam fav
I remember when this happened.
How horrific is it to be the victims of such a horrific crime and be treated the way that they were, especially with Denise being SA'd?
I remember that they sued the police and received a large settlement, but it could never be enough money to compensate them for how they were treated, especially when the police publicly stated that they were lying effectively tarnishing their reputations permanently.
I've always said that they could never completely undo the damage done because not everyone who heard the accusation would hear the actual truth afterward.
I'm very glad that their relationship endured such a horrific crime and the horrific way that they were treated after it.
I am very happy that they are still together and have a precious little baby. 💗
Out of all the years I have been watching and listening to you, Mr. Ballen, I've only one question.... How does the like button still even exist for this channel? It has gone through so much torture on this channel, this is the only baffling question I've for you.... Thank you for your wonderful years of entertaining, scaring and mystifying me with every case you tell me about. Your narrations are absolutely on point and when I found you about 5 years ago (the missing 411} is what got me to non stop rush for every one of your weekly uploads. My upmost thank you from London, Ontario, Canada.
Isn't it Saturday? Such an unexpected yet wonderful gift form the best storyteller ever! Thank you Mr Ballen!❤
Netflix just released a Documentary about this story. I realized after watching Netflix's 3 part (2.5 hours) series, I enjoyed Mr Ballens (33 Mins) version better. Thank you Sir and thank you for your Service!
After battles with depression and drug use, your videos have helped me get more interested in life again and going clean, and I tune in every Sunday and have been watching for about a few years now. Keep up the amazing content🤘
Well done to you that is an amazing achievement
Congratulations, you’ve put in the extremely hard work & are clean & sober. Take everyday as it comes, yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery but today is a present, enjoy. Take care, best wishes from Adelaide; South Australia🇦🇺💐
I actually didn't expect the ending of this story! I was actually relieved that the perpetrator wasn't who I thought it was.
I'm at home with the flu and a chest infection. I coughed so hard i cracked a rib. My 6 year old son is also sick laying next to me. I had been binge re-watching mr ballen when the very surprising notification came up. Officially my day has been made. Thank you mr ballen! ❤
Lol, I cracked a rib coughing up pneumonia. Feel better soon 🌹
@miapdx503 omg noooo, I hope you're doing better and healed up quickly. It's so annoying not being able to cough now and only be able to do short, quick breaths in 😅
Thank you for your kind message 🙏🏻 😘🩷
Hope you feel better soon!
Oh wow! That's some cough! Prayers for a speedy recovery for you and your little one.
I hope you both get better soon
13:07 I watched 'Seagull Lungs' FOUR times because I love the silliness! My toddler does not understand a word but he gets the humour! He laughs so hard that he gets hiccups! Perhaps, Mr Ballen, you could draft a script series featuring our green friend on a new 'Ballen Funnies!' UA-cam channel?! You would be making a little boy and a massive population very happy.
Thank you, kindly.
🇬🇧🕊👑✝️👑🕊🇬🇧
As someone who lived and still live on the area, I remember this story. It was bizarre. I am glad they are doing well though and moved on
I’m so sorry for your loss, this is our family’s tradition to listen to Mr. Ballen, I lost my daughter, my best friend, to cancer last December, she was 39 yrs old and she left behind 2 babies, 5and 3yrs old, I’m blessed to have a great son in law that l❤ and he loves us so we are able to have lots of time babysitting. Anyway now the kids and I listen to him almost every day! Thank you Mr. Ballen
What I want to know is, what did Aaron want to speak to Denise about, that he could only discuss at his home?? Whole thing is bizarre 😂
Because it's easier to beg for someone to come back to you there, home field advantage so to speak lol Seriously, you can't really grovel properly in public and you can get kicked out if you go to her place.😋
I get fixated on little details like that too! Lol. My guess is that he wanted to rekindle their relationship and get back together, and asking someone over the phone isn’t going to have as strong as an impact… But ya, it’s awesome that this incident brought them back together and are married now 🙂
I was thinking the same thing but also maybe it was about the drone? Since they were on and off maybe it was that or just to beg to get back together is my guesses
And what about the drop of blood on the sheet? Did they ever test that to see who it was from?
He did say the dude is mentally unwell.
This story is crazy! I just watched a Netflix documentary on it and they go into great detail and it's nuts!!
13:05 he put EVERYTHING into that “seagull lung”😂
What an unexpected surprise. Thank you for your stellar storytelling.
THESE are the type of MrBallen videos I need more of! These FBI cases are always interesting stories! Im excited to watch this one!
Mr Ballen is so awesome at telling stories that even though I knew what happened in this story I kept watching waiting for each detail. This story is so crazy that it's on Netflix now.
Thanks for your service on this Veteran's Day Mr.Allen. You are much appreciated.
Couldn't wait to treat us viewers to yet another Mr Ballen story that u decided to do one a day earlier then usual. Thank u immensely. Totally unexpected but also amazing at the same time. No weekend is complete without listening to another one of your stories.
Crazy thing is, the kidnapper actually sent emails to the cops exonerating the boyfriend and basically confirming his own existence
But him using the bfs email, he made it very confusing. And we know the cops thought the bf did that
Wow 😂😂
An email is easy to forge so it wouldn’t really prove anything unless they can show that it was sent from a device the bf doesn’t have access to
He was offended they didn't believe her
What I like the most besides the stories is the pictures that go with them. They prove they’re true stories which makes them more interesting to hear and learn from.
This is the earliest time I've ever tuned in on MrBallen's video! Keep up the good work, man. I always look forward to your stories!!❤
Don't worry about what anyone has to say about you. Especially when they have not served in the same capacity as you have Mrballen. You have been transparent and honest with your followers. And that alone gets my respect 100%
This story is nuts and bizarre, another excellent story telling by Mr. Ballen himself! Always imitated never duplicated! ❤❤❤❤
Honestly no one can top this man
😢😢😢😢😢
womp womp
Can anyone recommend another story teller like Mr Ballen? I’ve watched all his videos and I need more lol
@@TwizzlerGirlNot sure if it would interest you but I suggest you look up ' Well I never ' if you like a great storyteller
Really Enjoy Mr. Ballen Stories. Mr. Ballen is very interesting. And has done a lot of research. Listen and Watch him All the Time.
Love a Saturday upload! Great story telling as always Mr Ballen 👏
Sunday for me lol😢
Perfect way to spend my Saturday afternoon. Keep it up, Mrballen!
Love your stories and the way you deliver them!
Ive been watching Mr. Ballen fir about 6 months. Love hearing your story telling! Im so glad I found your channel. I hope I can come and hear you in Person one day.
I already know this case but I always enjoy seeing and listening to MrBallen and showing my support and appreciation. His videos have been a therapeutic diversion for years now.
Me too. Was a bit suspect tho, thought Ballen may be telling a story he told before. Trying to remember where i saw it last time..any ideas?
@rawtalent8670 Sorry, no, but not here.
Maybe That Chapter
@@rawtalent8670 That chapter maybe?
It's strange there is alot more to this case then Mr.Ballen mention. I remember the kidknapper sent emails standing up for the victims, demanding the police apologize Ect. I understand he's giving more of an overview and mean no disrespect .
I feel for Aaron and Denise. They thought they were mentally unwell or staged their own kidnapping. I feel for both of them and anyone that was victim of this unwell man.
I mean, it did sound ridiculously fake
Does anyone know how they called in sick to work at 7 a.m. I'm pulling my hair out trying to figure out that one
@@carpo719 i once had a boss who was chill as fuck and would cover you no matter what. it was really a trip, dont miss the job but i miss the fact you could actually work on getting better. was wild
@@carpo719"They" didn't call in sick, Aaron called in sick but Denise text messaged.
it being the East Bay, imagine how they'd be treated if they were black, that is really frightening
That was a strange story for sure, I genuinely believed that Aaron must've been suspicious and a schizophrenic but the fact that Denise was still alive had me thinking there was a twist, like Aaron might've made up a story with Denise to murder his ex wife or perhaps they were making up a hoax for media attention... but... NOPE.. there really was a strange kidnapper 🤣 that was interesting
Spoiler alert comment.
@@lena-RamoneIt's always a gamble reading the comments section. Especially with true crime.
Don't be laughing kid
That's why I love Mrballen stories, there's always a twist. Listening to Mr Ballen is like watching one of those psychological thrillers, with a twist, that you never expected.
Yeah, what an absolutely random twist that nobody had seen coming. I can't even blame the officers too much because I would have also assumed that he or both of them are guilty, but then again it just shows that you can't assume someone's guilt without solid evidence. And that lie detector tests are BS!
Rest in peace Crystal. ❤ The Mr. Ballen channel helped me get through my mom suddenly dying 3 years ago. I hope it helps you to have those happy memories.
I believe she will sit by your side each week as you watch the new episodes.
No "sorry for your loss" can take away your pain but remembering happy times helps the loss become bearable. ❤️
Thank you, Lorry
@@toddburgess5056 I am so sorry, take care of yourself buddy!
I pretend my husband is still around sometimes.. usually when I'm fixing to go to bed. We were in a habit of being in different rooms so we both could watch what we wanted to see on t.v. we also would hollar I love you out of the blue...ha. I loved that.. I've never told anyone that.. what I'm saying is you will find your own way and that's how it should be.. I am sorry too..I've been there friend.
I heard of this story before. The cops really tarnished their names calling them liars and refused to apologize even after finding the kidnapper
To be fair it is a pretty unbelievable story I can't blame the cops for not believing them, although you can absolutely blame the cops for not apologizing
Can't really blame the cops. This is really weird.
That is so sad
People in these comments saying you can’t blame the cops. Twice I’ve reported sexual assault to the police, both times I was treated as though I was lying despite having DNA evidence. This is typical police behaviour, only with this story it was ramped up because they were more confident due to it being weird.
I hope this story goes as a warning against cops who choose not believe victims.
Wow what a wild story! I immediately found it odd that the police didn't test the bf what drugs were in his system or called for a psychiatrist's assessment if they thought he was mentally unwell. Regardless of whether they thought he was guilty all avenues need to be followed especially if someone is missing!! I feel so sorry for the couple. Imagine being assaulted and then accused of lying rather than supported. Absolutely horrid.
Also... to the listener grieving for his wife... I hope you have lots of support around you and hopefully listening to the stories here gives you distraction and comfort or peace somehow.
Netflix documentary is insane. Thank you for sharing this. You are awesome!
Wait?! A Saturday drop?! My weekend just got infinitely better! So ready for a round of strange, dark, and mysterious 🙌🏽
Part of me was like “I bet it turns out to be true”. Also you can’t blame the police for not believing them to begin with. It is really bizarre.
One thing is not believing them, but it's a whole other thing telling the public they are liars before finishing their investigation
@@WatchingWeasel : I suppose so. I believe that law enforcement employee s should have very open minds when dealing with cases. It could be the difference between an innocent man in prison or not.
Druggies don't freely admit to the police that they are under the influence of drugs. I felt this guy was telling the truth. Also wearing a wetsuit seems to be a good way of not leaving any DNA at the crime scene.
Freaking bizarre to be sure had me on the edge of my seat the entire time! Another home run from our favorite storyteller, MrBallen 🥇
What a nice ending to a horrible nightmare. Thanks for sharing Mr. Ballen❤
Recently did a road trip with my 88 year old mother and we binged your stories. She is a new fan!
Like a soothing balm these stories relax me after a chaotic night working in an understaffed emergency department. This story was more bizarre than I ever could have imagined.
I’m here after my crazy shift in rehab