172 [Black Label]: A Discarded Man

Obscura: A True Crime Podcast

Justin Drown

True Crime, Personal Journals, History, Documentary, News, Society & Culture

4.6 • 2.9K Ratings

🗓️ 5 September 2025

⏱️ 26 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In December 1984, a man walked into a karate dojo in Dumfries, Virginia. Minutes later, he was dragged out the back door, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. Decades later, the grainy footage of his brutal beating would reemerge on YouTube, igniting a firestorm of outrage, speculation—and questions that remain unanswered to this day.

In this Black Label episode of Obscura, Justin Drown unpacks the haunting story behind what came to be known as the "Kung Fu Guy Incident." At the center is Bobby Joe Blythe—a self-styled sensei with a history of violent stunts and a doctrine that turned martial arts into a license for cruelty. What happened inside that dojo wasn't a demonstration. It was an orchestrated attack on a mentally ill man, all filmed, narrated, and later uploaded by the very man who allowed it to happen.

This is not a tale of ancient discipline or honor. It's the story of power abused, a life discarded, and a justice system left paralyzed by the absence of a name. No arrest. No trial. No confirmed identity for the victim—only the echo of his last words and the sound of boots on concrete.

Listener discretion is strongly advised. The audio in this episode is graphic. The subject matter is disturbing. But the story must be told.

Join me on Black Label at https://www.patreon.com/c/obscuracrimepodcast

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://www.avocadogreenmattress.com
* Check out Chime: https://chime.com/OBSCURA
* Check out Mood and use my code OBSCURA for a great deal: https://mood.com
* Head to https://homeaglow.com/OBSCURA to get your first 3 hours of cleaning for only $19. Thanks so much to Homeaglow for sponsoring this episode!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/obscura-a-true-crime-podcast/exclusive-content

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Listener, summer nights are heating up, and if your mattress is trapping heat, it might be time for a change.
0:07.2	Avocado green mattresses use breathable organic materials that sleep cooler naturally.
0:14.5	All avocado mattresses are crafted with certified organic latex, wool, and cotton.
0:20.6	Breathable materials that sleep cooler
0:22.5	and are free from harmful chemicals, destined to provide exceptional comfort and support
0:28.3	with options ranging from gentle, firm, to plush, meeting diverse sleep needs and preferences.
0:35.4	Take our mattress quiz to see which mattress and comfort option is right for you,
0:40.2	and it promotes better sleep through breathable, naturally temperature regulating materials,
0:45.5	which can improve overall well-being. No harmful chemicals, just healthy materials for a cleaner,
0:51.4	safer sleep. Avocado is committed to sustainability.
0:55.7	Every avocado mattress is made from eco-friendly materials and built to last.
1:00.7	High quality means fewer replacements.
1:03.4	Better for the planet and your wallet.
1:05.9	And avocado mattresses are ethical and transparent.
1:09.6	From sourcing to production, avocado holds itself to the highest sustainability and safety standards, certified organic and always honest.
1:18.1	Head to Avocadogreenmatress.com today and check out their mattress and betting sale.
1:23.5	Avocado. Dream of Better. Listener.
1:26.5	Did you know there's an online cannabis company that ships federally legal THC right to your door? And they found a way to combine THC with carefully selected functional ingredients to target nearly every mood and health concern you can think of. I'm talking about mood.com's incredible line of functional
1:45.6	gummies, and you can get 20% off your first order at mood.com with promo code obscure.
1:52.7	Forget one size fit all supplements that only get you high. Mood's functional gummies
1:58.1	are optimized to kick in in as little as 15 minutes and take you to the mood you're looking for.
2:04.7	Whether that's mind magic gummies for deep work and creativity, PMS support to ease cramps and balance mood swings, or their sexual euphoria gummies to help you feel ready for action and turn every touch into a full-body
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Justin Drown, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Justin Drown and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.