Welcome to The Miami Chronicles. Season One is titled "Booby Trap" - it's a factual, coming of age story set in the suburbs of North Miami during the late 1970s. The story revolves around the tragic murder of a 14-year-old boy. Told by one of the victim’s friends, the story describes the antics of Gen-X teens that lead to the death of boy scout Richard Brush Jr., who was killed by a booby trap device set up by his scoutmaster, Carmine ‘Chuck’ Falco, in Falco’s home. The police wrote it off as a break-and-enter gone wrong, but neighborhood secrets would soon reveal there's much more to the story than meets the eye.
On the eve of Mike's departure from South Florida, he hangs out one last time with his old friend, Tony Simmons. Chuck’s string of good luck finally comes to an end.
James asks Mike to speculate on what really happened in Chuck's house on July 18, 1979. Was Richie's death the result of a simple miscalculation? This episode relies almost entirely on hunches, guesses, and speculation.
Mike continues his narrative into the 1980s, primarily following the actions of Chuck Falco. Mike and James review the police reports and surviving evidence, looking for inconsistencies with the official version of the shooting.
Mike and James welcome Leanna Echeverri to the discussion. The three of them discuss the ramifications of the booby trap shooting within the local community. Leanna describes some of her own personal trauma, resulting from the shooting.
Mike and James talk about the depositions that Tony and Gerry gave back in 1979. Mike shares a shocking revelation about Richie and Chuck’s scouting troop.
Mike talks about how he reconnected with Tony Simmons in 2009. Then he tells James about a series of bizarre encounters he experienced with Tony back in 1979.
James and Mike discuss the murder of 14-year-old Richard “Richie” Brush, as it was originally investigated and reported by the authorities. Episode One also provides a macro description of South Florida in the late 1970s, adding a sense of historicity to the narrative.
Introducing "Booby Trap" - the true story of a Boy Scout killed by his scoutmaster
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A scoutmaster trained to construct booby traps in Vietnam sets one up in his home. A Boy Scout is killed. Then a quiet 1970s Miami neighborhood starts to spill all its secrets.
Welcome to Season One of The Miami Chronicles: Booby Trap.