Elena

So right after this, attention turned to William Walters and his upcoming kidnapping trial. What's his deal? Yeah. It's worth keeping in mind that from the moment he was arrested, his story hadn't changed. He insisted the boy in his company was Bruce Anderson, who had been given to him by Julia Anderson, who was the boy's mother.

So right after this, attention turned to William Walters and his upcoming kidnapping trial. What's his deal? Yeah. It's worth keeping in mind that from the moment he was arrested, his story hadn't changed. He insisted the boy in his company was Bruce Anderson, who had been given to him by Julia Anderson, who was the boy's mother.

And Julia more or less confirmed that story, but with some slightly different details, obviously. And there were several other witnesses in North Carolina, Mississippi, and Louisiana who had seen Walters and Bruce Anderson together before the day Bobby Dunbar went missing. And they came forward to corroborate Walters' story. Oh, shit.

And Julia more or less confirmed that story, but with some slightly different details, obviously. And there were several other witnesses in North Carolina, Mississippi, and Louisiana who had seen Walters and Bruce Anderson together before the day Bobby Dunbar went missing. And they came forward to corroborate Walters' story. Oh, shit.

But the story had grown so large and so complicated since Bobby disappeared, mostly entirely because of the press, that they needed someone to be held accountable for this. The public was not going to allow this just to be blown into the wind, regardless of whether a crime had actually been committed or not. Because now William Walters is saying, I didn't kidnap him. She told me to take him.

But the story had grown so large and so complicated since Bobby disappeared, mostly entirely because of the press, that they needed someone to be held accountable for this. The public was not going to allow this just to be blown into the wind, regardless of whether a crime had actually been committed or not. Because now William Walters is saying, I didn't kidnap him. She told me to take him.

Like he's... Which I'm like, what? I'm just so confused.

Like he's... Which I'm like, what? I'm just so confused.

I thought he was just going for a little bit. Yeah, exactly. And it's like. This is a rigmarole of he said, she said. It's wild. So as they'd done all along, the press latched onto the kidnapping narrative and spun it into an even larger story involving a larger conspiracy to harm Percy Dunbar. Apparently, Percy Dunbar held a large amount of power in and around Opelousas.

I thought he was just going for a little bit. Yeah, exactly. And it's like. This is a rigmarole of he said, she said. It's wild. So as they'd done all along, the press latched onto the kidnapping narrative and spun it into an even larger story involving a larger conspiracy to harm Percy Dunbar. Apparently, Percy Dunbar held a large amount of power in and around Opelousas.

Percy's brother Wallace told a reporter, I make no accusations, but I feel confident that Walters was merely a tool in the hands of enemies of Percy Dunbar. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. The popular theory was that a group of these men conspired to kidnap Bobby and hold him for ransom.

Percy's brother Wallace told a reporter, I make no accusations, but I feel confident that Walters was merely a tool in the hands of enemies of Percy Dunbar. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. The popular theory was that a group of these men conspired to kidnap Bobby and hold him for ransom.

But after several weeks, when the interest of the press and local law enforcement became, you know, kind of like faded out, they gave up on their plan and they passed the boy off to William Walters. So they're saying he's a tool, but from these guys. I don't think so.

But after several weeks, when the interest of the press and local law enforcement became, you know, kind of like faded out, they gave up on their plan and they passed the boy off to William Walters. So they're saying he's a tool, but from these guys. I don't think so.

That's the problem here. Is that you never asked for ransom.

That's the problem here. Is that you never asked for ransom.

Yep. So... There's no evidence that this theory was any more realistic or even plausible than the other theories surrounding Bobby's kidnapping. It supported the kidnapping narrative that had been built up around the case and justified everyone's actions following Walter's arrest, like basically.

Yep. So... There's no evidence that this theory was any more realistic or even plausible than the other theories surrounding Bobby's kidnapping. It supported the kidnapping narrative that had been built up around the case and justified everyone's actions following Walter's arrest, like basically.

And it seemed that several people were willing to play along with investigators in order to support that belief. In late May, investigators started collecting affidavits from locals who were willing to testify against Walter's

And it seemed that several people were willing to play along with investigators in order to support that belief. In late May, investigators started collecting affidavits from locals who were willing to testify against Walter's