Hi, Crime Junkies. I'm your host, Ashley Flowers.

And I'm Brett. And the story I have for you today is one that's playing out right now.

And in fact, it's been playing out for the last 45 years.

Ever since the brutal murder of four people in a small town Florida furniture store

on the day before Christmas, 1975.

This is the story of Tommy Zeagler.

It's Christmas Eve, 1975, in the small town of Wintergarden, Florida. And anyone not

still busy doing their last minute shopping is either getting ready for church or spending

some time with friends and family at holiday parties.

And according to a 1986 series by Jenny Hess for the Palm Beach Post, that's exactly

what a bunch of the towns officials are doing. They're at this like open house, get together

kind of thing at the home of a local civil attorney and judge named Ted Bandivinter.

Wait, an attorney and judge? I didn't think you could be both.

Well, you can, according to Philip Finch's book Fatal Floh, which says that Ted is both

a local attorney and a municipal judge for three local communities nearby.

Sometime around 9.15 pm in the middle of all these festivities, the phone rings. When

Ted picks it up, he hears a frantic but familiar voice on the other end of the line. It's

a client of his named Tommy Zeagler. And right away, he says, Ted, I'm hurt. At first,

Ted thinks this is some kind of joke because sometimes Tommy's just like that. But Tommy

says he swears. This is no joke. And he asked Ted to put the chief of police on the phone.

Who I assume is at this party? Yes. And Tommy knows that because he was supposed to be

at this party too. Just like the judge and the chief of police, Tommy's also kind of like

...