A dazed and confused Berchtold acted as though he had no idea what was going on. It would appear that there is very little that can bring the country together at this time, but the true-crime documentary from 2017 (which is seeing a resurgence thanks to recently dropping on Netflix) Abducted Everyone despises one particular person after watching In Plain Sight, and that person is Robert Berchtold, also known as B. She said the support she got from other teams was 'overwhelming. In the series, the Berchtolds had three boys, Jasper, Joel, and Jacob, who were all about the same age as the Brobergs three girls, Jan, Susan, and Karen. Robert Berchtold Wikipedia Bio. Berchtold could sense this and exploited their struggles. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. On numerous other occasions, he would rape Jan. Two years after kidnapping Jan the first time, Robert Berchtold stole her away again. Even though Bob and Mary Ann Broberg didnt want him to, Berchtold went back home with Jan, and things went back to normal without any charges being brought. Peacock's "A Friend of the Family" is a nail-biting saga centered on the real-life story of Jan Broberg, a young girl who was kidnapped, not once, but twice, by a charismatic churchgoer disguised as a family friend, hence the title. According to Lio, "I did not see that going into it. He is survived by his wife, Deanna; sons, Jerry, James,. A seemingly impossible task when you consider they were a conservative LDS family. She was kidnapped and sexually assaulted by her neighbor and family friend Robert "B." Berchtold when she was 12 and again when she was 14. Then Berchtold fled to Mexico with Jan, where he married her. Berchtolds wife, Gail, stays by his side in the first few episodes of the Peacock drama. Berchtold was eventually forced to return Jan but avoided charges after convincing the Berchtolds sign an affidavit stating they had given him permission to travel with their daughter. This is the story of Robert Berchtold, the predator at the center of Netflixs Abducted in Plain Sight who groomed and controlled an entire family. Jason Momoas World of Dreams grants all wishes in the Slumberland trailer. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Why? Robert Berchtold was accused of criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, and simple assault. In one instance, he told a young girl that she was a princess from another planet, and was also on a mission. Robert Berchtold was a well-known American truck driver, media face, retired US Army Officer who served the country during the Vietnam War and was also a convicted criminal suspect who kidnapped a too-young girl Jan Broberg in the 1970s. Robert Berchtold is an abuser who groomed the Broberg family in order to become close to their 12-year-old daughter Jan. Thereafter, Berchtold captured their lives by engaging both Brobergs in a sexual relationship. Jan and her family decided to tell their story again with the Peacock limited drama series A Friend of the Family. Mary Ann recalls being alarmedboth she and her husband felt. For the sake of privacy, some of the details regarding Robert and Gail Berchtold's children were altered for the show, including their names and the number of children there were in the Berchtold family, with the series showing only three rather than five children. According to an online obituary, she tied the knot with former Marine James Leslie Wadman in 1988. But what happened to to the real life Berchtold after the events portrayed in A Friend of The Family? It was rumored that Gail joyfully tied the knot with then-active Army officer Robert (or B) on June 7, 1961, in a lovely ceremony that took place at the Latter-day Saints (LDS) Logan Temple in Utah. Who is Jake Lacy wife? But she doesnt want to talk about where she is or what shes doing after Robert Berchtold, so nobody knows where she is or what shes doing. Jan published a book on her correlation with Robert at the beginning of 2004, much to his displeasure. He asked a volunteer for Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) if he could distribute some pamphlets at the conference. Gail had already begun the divorce process when she discovered her husbands criminal activity. During this time, they were proud to welcome Jerry, James, Joseph, Jeff, and Jill into their lives. Lio Tipton as Gail Berchtold in 'A Friend of the Family'. Broberg revealed that she never directly reached out to Gail or her children despite having a close relationship with them in her youth. In the television series, "A Friend of the Family," Gail, played byLio Tipton, and her children fade out of the picture before the second kidnapping. Les Watson, the volunteer, asked to see the material. The FBI is the FBI after all, so they were eventually able to get Jan out of the school. Jan, who was clearly misguided, wrote: You wont let me do whats right so Ill do whats wrong. The Peacock drama miniseries A Friend of the Family shows how Jan Broberg was kidnapped twice when she was a child after her abductor ingratiated himself with her parents. Since the series "A Friend of the Family" aired, speculation has surrounded Robert Berchtold's wife Gail, who was the mother of Robert's five children (via Showbiz Cheat Sheet). Broberg's father, Bob, revealed that he engaged in a singular sexual encounter with Berchtold, one that Gail reportedly used to blackmail him into signing an affidavit asking the FBI to drop the charges after Jan was returned. Which they, of course, did. Lio said they were "surprised with how easy it is to vilify her [Gail]. Sometimes, the voice on the other end of the line wasnt Roberts; rather, it was the aliens reminding Jan to complete her mission. All Rights Reserved. Robert Berchtold died by suicide in 2005 According to his obituary: "Robert Ersol Berchtold, 69, of Logandale, died Nov. 11, 2005. According to Broberg, this is because she. Broberg Felt seems to have channeled her difficult youth into an acting career. They resided in a few different locales, but they quickly made the decision to start a new chapter by moving. A close family friendship ensued, with 10-year-old Jan Broberg and her sisters Susan and Karen Broberg describing Robert as a second father, affectionately calling him dad and Brother B., They had all the fun toys we didnt have, like a boat, snowmobiles, a trampoline, Jan recalled. "Berchtold took her away in a motor home on the afternoon of Oct. 17, 1974," ABC News reported . Even then, they didnt want to believe that Robert had done anything wrong. Although A Friend of the Family showed the Berchtolds with three children, the couple welcomed five kids during their marriage James Jerry, Joseph, Jeff, and Jill. Another Reddit user says that Gail remarried but she is now a widow. According to Entertainment Tonight, it was Gail, not Robert, who coerced the Brobergs into signing an affidavit following the first kidnapping. The judge awarded Broberg Felt a restraining order against Berchtold. Eventually, it was discovered that Robert Berchtold had used the alien abduction story on other victims. Mary Ann Broberg and Gail Berchtold, Robert's wife, bonded over their family and faith. Robert Berchtold was married to Gail Berchtold and had five kids with her. The convicted abuser had previously worked for the Army and was posted in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the time. At the time, he was stationed in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As the series continues to pick up steam on the streamer, many viewers are interested in the real lives of those involved, like Gail Berchtold, who was married to Robert at the time of the first kidnapping. Peacock's A Friend of the Family touches on Jan and Robert's marriage.Find out why the . In the early hours of November 23, 1974, police stormed Berchtolds motor home and arrested him. Does Klara Survive? She was told that should she ever stray from her task, she would face punishment. A Friend of the Family by Peacock came out on Netflix in early October, but only the first four episodes of the true crime drama were available. Jan Broberg (third from left) and the 'A Friend of the Family' cast and crew at the premiere. "No word and many, many years have gone by, and, you know, can you imagine how awful it would be to discover that this was your dad? When they met, the Berchtold family also had a little girl. Not only does young Jan fall prey to the lies of Robert Berchtold, but her parents, sisters, and fellow parishioners get tangled up in his twisted web as well (via Screen Rant). The information is frustrating, and its almost impossible to understand why Berchtold wasnt given a significant amount of time behind bars for his crimes (he spent less than a month in jail before he was transferred to a mental hospital for approximately six months; later, he spent one year in prison after pleading guilty to raping another child). At the beginning of the 1970s, he became friendly with the Broberg family with the express objective of one day sexually abusing Jan, who was nine years old at the time. Robert Berchtold used to live in Las Vegas, Nevada, with his wife Deanna until 1997, when they moved to Logandale, Nevada. This is an important fact to keep in mind. Details on His Death. He drank that and died.". It was really hard for me to do, Jan told theBBC. The Brobergs said Robert manipulated Jan and her parents, Bob and Mary Ann, for years and caused multiple strains in their relationship. Robert ran away in August 1976 with the 14-year-old. Talking about Gail Berchtolds current status, she is with the family in Grouse Creek, a Utah native currently living in Roy, Utah. Questions have emerged about Gail's participation in her former husband's unspeakable crimes or whether she was a victim. Reportedly, she blackmailed them into the paperwork by threatening to reveal Bob's affair with her husband Robert. On October 17, 1974, Robert Berchtold picked up his young neighbor Jan Broberg from piano lessons in Pocatello, Idaho, so he could, he said, ride with her. But what. During Jan Brobergs childhood in the 1970s, she was kidnapped twice by the familys close friend Robert Berchtold, or B, as the Brobergs called him. Ever. I feel bad for all of them.". She probably never meant to hurt anyone else., Also Read: Oklahoma News Anchor Julie Chin Has Stroke On Live TV. His wife stayed with him after the first kidnapping but divorced him after the second one and took away her children with her. Robert had begun to sexually abuse them as well. In addition to kidnapping Jan Broberg in the 1970s, Robert Berchtold also married the 12-year-old girl. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The FBI finally caught up with the pair, but Robert Berchtold spent 10 days in prison after Gail, in the end convincing the Brobergs not to press charges. The first four episodes of A Friend of the Family will air on Peacock on Thursday October 6th. Though Gail is now in her 70s, it seems like shes still living a quiet, happy life with her kids nearby. In the first episode, viewers got a glimpse into Berchtold's life with his own family, including his wife at the time, Gail Berchtold. Jan would go on to explain to "Good Morning America" what she believed were Berchtold's motives at the time. Some people say she knew what her husband was doing because she allegedly helped him get the Brobergs to lower their fees, while others say she knew nothing. Or did he know that his victims, who were mostly religious, grew up believing that an angel had appeared to Mary, telling her she would give birth to Jesus Christ and save the world? As told to Berchtold by the aliens, he was the male companion she was seeking. There isnt a lot of information out on there on the formative years of Robert Berchtold. Oh you have a beautiful body and those legs! And I felt this fluttering inside of me He could give me a great feeling about myself, said Mary Ann. Six women have since come forward to say they were also raped by Berchtold. At the time, he was stationed in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Berchtold had a history of trying to ingratiate himself with families with young daughters. In the years following Bs death, many true-crime fans have discussed Gails involvement in the crimes. Robert Berchtold, feeling he was being misrepresented in the book, took to showing up at the readings. The high-pitched voices coming out of the white ivory box identified themselves as aliens who had come to earth from a dying planet. Therefore, some people believe she was aware of her spouses acts because she allegedly assisted him in manipulating the Brobergs into decreasing charges. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Kon Hai Alakh Pandey aka Physics Wallah Wife Shivani Dubey? From what we can learn about Gails current situation from online records and social media profiles, the family woman is from Grouse Creek, Utah but now resides in Roy, Utah. He asked Jans parents for permission to come back to the U.S. and get married legally there. Berchtold was later found guilty of simple assault, criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct after getting into an altercation with a BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse) demonstrator, who was protesting his appearance at Jans events, according to ABC News. Jan assured her parents that nothing improper had gone on between them. Naturally, Jans parents were distraught about her running away. Meanwhile, as all of this was going on, Jan and Robert continued to sneak in visits with each other. [on how] to approach a scene [on how] to approach a scene [on how] to approach a scene [on how] to approach a scene [on The way I understood Gail turned out to be far more straightforward. Gail turned out to be easier to understand than I had thought. Jan's mother also had a long-term sexual affair with Berchtold between Jan's abductions. This is due to the fact that a close friend was in fact responsible for not only her kidnapping but also her careful grooming as well as her brainwashing, which is something that is examined in the Netflix documentary titled Abducted in Plain Sight. However, if you are only interested in learning more about the accuseds former life partner at the time, specifically Gail Toyn Berchtold, Robert Bob Berchtolds wife, we have provided you with all of the pertinent information that you require. They said that they had been watching me since I was born and I had been chosen to be impregnated with a child who would save their planet. Robert was stationed in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the time, but he distinct to start a new chapter of his life by relocating. Second, the still-brainwashed preteen was not going to reveal anything about the sexual abuse she had been subjected to, because the aliens had told her not to. My interpretation of Gail ended up being simplified. These cookies do not store any personal information. These included Pocatello in Idaho, Brigham City in Utah, and Ogden in Utah, during which Gail and Robert also welcomed their 5 children into their lives, and their names are Jerry Berchtold, James Berchtold, Joseph Berchtold, Jeff Berchtold, and Jill Berchtold. She actually remarried back in the late 1980s, yet unfortunately, her husband, James Leslie Wadman, passed away following a lengthy battle with bladder cancer on April 5, 2015. Robert Berchtolds Ex-Wife. Berchtold did not experience any consequences until Brobergs adult life was disrupted by his attempts to interfere with Brobergs daily activities. Abducted in Plain Sight,directedbySkyeBorgman, is currently on Netflix. In A Friend of the Family, Mary Ann Broberg tells her husband Bob Broberg, They have three boys: one is Jans age, one is Karens age, and one is Susans age. But if you just want to know more about the defendants then-wife, Robert Bob Berchtolds wife Gail Toyn Berchtold, for now, weve got all the important information for you. She remarried in the late 1980s, but on April 5, 2015 her second husband, James Leslie Wadman, died after a long battle with bladder cancer. Robert told Mary Ann and Bob that he was seeing a therapist to help him deal with the issues he was reprimanded for by the LDS Church. This information was gleaned from an examination of the situation. Despite there appears to be an abundance of evidence against him. Both parents ultimately signed the contract, but Jan told Entertainment Tonight that there was something that the documentary left out. But he needed Jans family to bless their unholy union in order to cross the border back into the U.S. For once, Bob and Mary Ann did not agree. His punishment was not severe. Mary Ann was a little apprehensive at first; it was, after all, a school night. Throughout the series, we learn how the lives of all members of the Broberg family are adversely affected by this man who is secretly a master of manipulation. The two 1970s abductions of Jan Broberg at the ages of 12 and 14 by none other than her trusted neighbor Robert "Bob" Berchtold is a case that can honestly only be described as atrocious. The new series also delves into how said abductor Robert "B" Berchtold manipulated the family.. And if you saw the 2017 true-crime documentary Abducted in Plain Sight, you know that Jan's father, the late Bob Broberg (who . Robert soon took a special interest in Jan. This information was gleaned from an examination of the situation. The person said Gail was asked for an interview, but she declined. There is no other way to characterize this series other than as horrifyingly bone-chilling. In spite of the fact that they reported Berchtolds actions to the FBI, the Brobergs continued to allow him to have contact with their child, so enabling him to continue his distressing (and illegal) pattern of abuse. Berchtold is one of the most formidable supervillains around. Regardless of the fine details, Robert's wife and kids played an integral role in the closeness between the two families, particularly because the kids were close in age and enjoyed playing together. I dont believe she ever had any intention of causing harm to anyone else., Also Read:Know About Yvette Fieldings Net Worth, Bio, Wiki And More. Berchtolds wife Gail remains by his side in the early episodes of the Peacock drama. His obituary makes no mention of his horrific crimes. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive show news, updates, and more! 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