MORRISON: Despite it all, the Bagbys were thrilled to be living, with Zachary. You live your life, you create an entire universe around you, you trundle along, and then FUCK. He was in, Mr. SHEARS: I would cook supper sometimes when she wasn't around. Dear Zachary recently won the Audience Award at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival in Birmingham, Alabama! The memory of that visit is of a crying Zachary being taken away from them. David and Kate Bagby know all about the unlikely power of love funneled through rage. This film will be one of the best you're likely to see this year." None of his friends liked Turner because she was often inappropriate and even harassed one of Bagbys exes and just generally appeared to be an incredibly unstable, crude, and unlikeable personbasically Bagby's exact opposite. In 2006, the press was there again to cover the issuance of a report on the death of, (Newspaper article; David on TV show being interviewed; Confederation, Unidentified Reporter: (Newscast) The government has received a scathing. -, "**** (Four stars). -, "urgent, furiousadmirably well editedthis incredible, well-researched documentary demonstrates the vast gulf one life can leave behind." Such choices make for a disorienting viewing experience, especially if youre accustomed to the conventions of slicker documentaries. Senior Writer and Project Manager. I--we both did. KATE: And she went over in the corner crying, and I gave him back. All rights reserved, Click here for information on becoming a member. They began a drawn-out court battle to protect their grandson from the woman who had almost certainly murdered their son. They told us that they'd found the body. I can say it like that because even without a trial, the evidence was so damning we might as well have been next to her when she carried out the crime. Mr. KUENNE: He liked playing bad guys a lot. They are the opposite of Shirley Jane Turner. But that didn't erase their unease, or a remarkable feeling, (Shirley and Zachary at birthday party; David), Mr. BAGBY: I considered killing her myself, seriously considered it. Oh, my. In this way, Dear Zachary inverts the usual way of telling murder stories. Please check back for updates as the bill makes its way through the Senate in the coming weeks -- and if you are a Canadian Citizen, please write your Senator to voice your support of C-464 during this crucial time. The documentary was originally released in 2008. I am a young director, producer, stage manager, communicator, and creative organizer for theatre and multimedia artistic endeavors. If you were to dream up the perfect set of parents, it would be Kate and David Bagby. Shirley. February 24, 2009: MORRISON: Winter is capricious in Newfoundland; repeatedly, spring is briefly offered and then taken back again. Thought that maybe he had found somebody that he could really be happy with. (Trailer park; parking lot; water; Kurt on boat; excerpts from "Dear Zachary"; houses seen through rainy window; Kate and Zachary). Ms. TURNER: (Audio recording) It's either in my closet or my bedroom. MORRISON: The rage was tempered with a yearning to know just why Andrew had been assassinated. We had negotiated a one-hour-a-week visitation in family court. The 10th Anniversary Blu-Ray and DVD are also available from other retailers listed below, and the digital edition is now available for purchase or rent on iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, and Google Play. MORRISON: Even more, the Bagbys' gloom was mixed with worry. And then, November 2001, Andrew Bagby was shot dead in a state park not far from the hospital in which the young doctor was a resident, and his devoted parents all but lost the will to live. Turner shot Bagby two days after he broke up with her at a Pennsylvania airport as she was set to fly back to Iowa. And we came back. The Bagbys have done their best to resume life in California. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Instead, the film's dramatic nodes are scenes such as the one in which Bagby's parents, David and Kate, recall going to identify their son's body. Mommy misses you. Except this story is worse. Also, by popular demand, a new printing of David Bagby's book "Dance with the Devil: A Memoir of Murder and Loss" featuring Dear Zachary's poster art on its cover is now in stores. Why? If you were waiting to find out where exactly the comfort was in this litany of suffering, it is in Bagbys parents. I'm just curious Ms. TURNER: (Audio recording) Yeah, and I wanted to know for safety. especially long work day and dropped himself in front of the television. On December 4, 2009, Bill C-464 (our bail reform bill) was discussed on the floor of the House of Commons for a full hour, and MP Scott Andrews received unanimous support from all political parties in the House of Commons to advance the bill to the Standing Committee on Justice & Human Rights. David bagby, left, and kate bagby, right, celebrate with their son andrew bagby at his graduation from medical school at memorial university of newfoundland in june 2000. contributed by david and kate bagby. Mr. BAGBY: The baby would be half Andrew, and that, for us, was sweet. So we called, and he came over and told us that Zachary and Shirley were. Couldn't be her. KATE: And so she said, `Oh, take him and get him dressed,' to me. -. They had to be nice to Turner, to keep her mellow, and not fight with her. MORRISON: Shirley Turner, also a doctor in training, was 12 years older than Andrew, twice divorced, a mother of three. Unidentified Man #22: We will develop policy specific to children. decision. It had happened almost surely the last, night they were together, and DNA tests would later prove that Andrew was, (Supreme Court exterior; court in progress; house exterior; Shirley and Shears. The committee passed the bill unanimously, which is how it came to be heard in the House for a final vote this week. MORRISON: Shirley, meanwhile, seemed to be preparing for her, extradition, and perhaps she was looking for a way to exclude the Bagbys from. David and Kate Bagby channeled their grief & anguish into changing some Canadian laws. ', Because I know you would be worried if we disappeared for a couple of days or, MORRISON: Was she planning something? I, was like, `Hi, buddy.' David Bagby, left, and Kate Bagby, right, celebrate with their son Andrew Bagby at his graduation from medical school at Memorial University of Newfoundland in June 2000. MORRISON: I never know what to think about these feelings that people get. MORRISON: Two weeks after Andrew's murder, cell phone records, would show that Shirley Turner drove all the way from Iowa to Andrew's, neighborhood in Pennsylvania, arrived there the day of the murder, and then, she, or at least her cell phone, returned to Iowa. Ms. TURNER: (Audio recording) Then I can't consent to more time right now. And when, after his first year at med school, Heather broke off the engagement, Andrew was crushed. Dear Zachary was a hit at Slamdance! to let out hints that Shirley Turner was the prime suspect. Click HERE for assistance. Ms. TURNER: (Audio recording) I was really upset when you took him today, because I feel like I did the day you saw him at Unified Family Court. The first time we had contact with her was over the phone. We're thrilled with MP Andrews' initiative and efforts, and support him 100% as he moves this bill forward. David remembers uttering, "It's really him," and recalls how the two cried over the body, tears falling on to Andrew's face. Right, right. Lori Kaufman rw. Kate & David Bagby will now be called as witnesses before the committee, the bill will be revised and strengthened, and eventually brought back into the House and Senate for a vote. I couldn't see the point anymore. Complicating things further, she soon announced that she was pregnant with Bagbys child. In that time, it also becomes clear that Andrews fate is in danger of also becoming his sons. There was plenty of turmoil in the industry, but many shows continued to nourish, illuminate, and delight. It stays so close to Bagby and to the people who loved him that theres never any question that its their side of the story being recounted. Laws governing the, rights of defendants are fairly strong in this country, but there's something, about Newfoundlanders in particular which may have contributed to the judge's, decision to grant bail. MORRISON: When you did find out that she was pregnant, what was your thought? It comes down to probable cause, the right to bail and the presumption of innocence. And one, of the first to see her there was T.J. Shears, the eldest of Shirley's three. He's a little bleary eyed, but. But of course I didn't. It has been our privilege to have the trust and support of our East Coast communities for the last 200 years. On December 15, 2010, Governor General David Johnston gave Royal Assent to Bill C-464: An Act To Amend the Criminal Code (justification for detention in custody), making it law in Canada. The committee passed the bill unanimously, which is how it came to be heard in the House for a final vote this week. Unidentified Man #24: Two I have ever known. I sat there. And in that way this tragedy remains hers and hers alone. KATE: (Zachary hugging Kate) This is your Uncle Kurt. MORRISON: What was it like to hear that she was going to get out of prison? Coverage from the 2023 Canada Winter Games, VIDEO: Your daily elite-sports highlight package, Making Canada Better: Atlantic Canadians striving for change, 2023 SaltWire Network. KATE: You were always afraid that she was going to find something. Ms. TURNER: (Audio recording) Are you sure? MORRISON: The girl was Heather, also an aspiring doctor. On a shelf in the California home of David and Kate Bagby, sitting inconspicuously among some lovely china, are two urns. This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. Cpl. Six-month-old Zachary was, returned to her. December 15, 2009: They were good friends; it was he who Bagby had told about the fatal meeting with Turner beforehand. And she followed Andrew to St. John's.. We had to pack up Zachary, Mr. BAGBY: We just climbed right back upstairs and went to bed and melted. By signing up, you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement. thing, because up until Andrew was murdered, I was a Pollyanna. Mr. SHEARS: When we woke up in the morning, realized they weren't there. On the 5th, however, Turner appeared back in Latrobe. The Bagbys went to the morgue to identify their bodies. And Kate kissed him and held him and kissed him some more. The victims choices, preferences, actions, and relationships are either boiled down to a heap of clues and red herrings, or offered as a backdrop in a spirit of dutiful empathy before getting down to the business at hand. I didn't have. We send a huge thanks to MP Scott Andrews, his assistant Ken Carter, MP Peter Stoffer, Senator Tommy Banks, his assistant Thrse Gauthier, Gord McIntosh and all those in Parliament who have seen across party lines and supported this bill to honor Andrew & Zachary and help prevent a recurrence of our story. MORRISON: But as Kurt made his way around the globe, his tribute materialized into something far bigger, and much darker, than anyone could have imagined. Remember these two things as I go on. MORRISON: Police got Shirley Turner on the phone back in Iowa. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference. Shirley and Zachary, then 13 months old, had been staying with the couple. https://www.saltwire.com//california-couple-want-as-many-/ saltwire.com California couple want as many people as possible to know their story | SaltWire Andrew's parents say he tried, frequently, to ease out of the relationship altogether, but Shirley wouldn't buy it. It's said there's nothing worse than the death of your child, and this film drives that point home harder and with the utmost care and precision." Mr. BAGBY: Shirley killed Andrew. SCREAMS. Because she didnt know love either. He said, `Well, it's 4:30 now. I kind of need to move on from that because, like I. said, I'm a Bagby male. And Im blessed to have David and quite frankly David is blessed to have me, said Kate. My TV-consumption habits for the past several months have been awash in murder, and Netflix knows itwhich is how, fresh from binge-watching Making a Murderer and hungry for more, I recently came across Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father. This odd documentarywhich deals with the death of a young physician named Andrew Bagby, who was a childhood friend of the films director, Kurt Kuennemade a small splash when it was first released, in 2008, but its worth revisiting now, in the midst of the recent bonanza of true-crime hits. The International Film Music Critics also nominated his musical score for Best Documentary Score of 2008. Mr. SIMPSON: He said, `You'll never guess who showed up on my doorstep at 5:30.' MORRISON: How'd you feel about having a much younger brother come, Mr. SHEARS: I thought it was great. This is not the worst instance in this story of someone seeing something bad coming but not being able to stop it. CORNER BROOK, N.L. June 2, 2015 - June 2020. RELATED:California filmmaker remasters documentary on the lives and murders of Andrew Bagby and Zachary Turner. get a chance to have some of Andrew again. HEATHER: You are the most amazing, strongest people I've ever. Woman #11: Doesn't matter what happened. Also, today MP Scott Andrews of Newfoundland introduced a bill in Parliament for its first reading that proposes a modification to Canada's bail code that would justify detention in custody for a suspect who is a potential danger to their own minor children. This is the kind of couple, themselves beloved by hundreds, that produces the kind of son who is beloved by hundreds. ), DEAR ZACHARY 10TH ANNIVERSARY HD REMASTERED EDITIONNOW AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY, DVD, and DIGITAL, For the film's 10th anniversary, Kurt Kuenne remastered "Dear Zachary", its epilogue, and its bonus features for HD, converting the original standard definition elements to HD shot-by-shot, while remixing the film in 5.1 surround, so that it now looks and sounds as originally intended on today's platforms. Both screenings received sustained standing ovations, and the Toronto audience applauded yet again when director Kurt Kuenne announced that he had sent letters to every member of Parliament requesting the opportunity to screen the film for them. Kate Bagby feels her son was too trusting to agree to meet Turner at the park the day he was killed. TO ME ITS REAL LIFE. Dear Zachary avoids the first pitfall by directly confronting the second. You will hurt and this film will sit with you for days, weeks, months. It was made to tell a story and to capture forever the life of one man and the many people he touched. Kurt is incredibly grateful for the good folks at MSNBC for making this arrangement happen. Cpl. He had returned to the US and had discovered a passion for family practice, where his love for people--and theirs for him--seemed as natural, as comfortable as the quiet town in Pennsylvania in which he'd chosen to live. would now have to be something else, a visual letter to Andrew's baby. A judge called Andrews murder a vicious crime, but did not consider Turner a risk to others. put Zachary on her lap to open presents, and he resists. And as tragic as this story is, that is also where its consolation lies: that Shirley Jane Turner destroyed everything around her in an attempt to extinguish the love she was incapable of experiencing herself, and in the end she couldnt. And that's when she said, `He loves you, more than me. MORRISON: In Kurt Kuenne's documentary, Clark Simpson, one of Andrew's close friends at the hospital, remembers that November morning just two weeks later when Shirley surprised Andrew again. Our SaltWire team is always watching out for the place we call home. This documentary starts out like a love letter. Much of this DATELINE report incorporates material from Kurt's documentary, as well as something else: the childhood films he made as he taught himself his craft. A court mandate allowed David and Kate Bagby to spend time, with their grandson, babysitting, even sharing in joint activities with. Mr. BAGBY: We first got to see him personally in family court. 2023 Cond Nast. doesn't take much to pull a trigger, does it? KATE: On Sunday night I got out of bed and prayed because I thought Andrew was at risk. But as someone else says, Grief is loves unwillingness to let go. So Andrew's father could just as easily be talking about love. Sometimes, if you are paying attentionclose attentionyou can see it coming, even if only barely. Ensure local journalism stays in your community by purchasing a membership today. Mr. BAGBY: What are you going to say that will MORRISON: And find something she did, going so far as telling, them that they had some anger issues which needed to be addressed by a, (Photo of Shirley; photo of Kate and David), Ms. TURNER: (Audio recording) There has been, I guess, a lot of, uncomfortable feeling on both our parts. He'd been shot five times, including once in the back of the head, execution style. Imagine being the parents of a man who was killed and then having to ingratiate yourself to the killer in order to keep your grandchild safe. Ms. TURNER: (Audio recording) I know you don't want to, you don't intend to. I had a job I loved. It, (Photo of Shirley; Shirley, Zachary and David; photos of Shirley and Zachary). This abridged version was prepared personally by Kurt Kuenne in order to comply with CBC Newsworld's time constraints but preserve the film's impact while reaching a wider audience in Canada. MORRISON: But Shirley would make it tough for Andrew to do that. Either she's grabbed Zachary and taken off and she's trying to, escape, and she has a snowball's chance in hell of getting away with that. Mr. BAGBY: Yes. Its heartbreaking, said Kate, who recalls last seeing Zachary the evening before he was killed. He couldve introduced his friends death any way he wanted, and he went with this, with a kid who can barely pronounce the word killed asking why one of daddys friends has ended up that way. Kuennes fast-talking exposition, while confusing, seems purposeful, as though the murder were a necessary backstory to be pushed through as quickly as possible in order to get to the heart of the narrative: Andrew Bagbys life and how horrible his death was for those who loved him. The Bagbys, who recently marked their 50th wedding anniversary, say it sustained them for nearly a decade as they struggled to come to terms first with the 2001 slaying of their 28-year-old son, Dr. Andrew Bagby, and later with the murder of Andrew's son, 13 . Mr. SHEARS: Yeah, I guess it did at the time, but I still didn't have, MORRISON: How difficult must it have been to ingratiate, themselves with their son's suspected killer? You take it with you, but you move on, said David. This film was no longer a letter to you, Unidentified Man #23: Well, everybody always says, well, what. Shirley, held his birthday party at McDonald's. It then played SXSW in Austin, Texas, where it left audiences stunned and in tears. Andrew came to St. John's. The Hornet was just back from patrolling . Dear Zachary was the most honored film at Cinequest 18 in San Jose, receiving sustained standing ovations from packed houses at all 3 screenings and winning 2 awards - a Special Jury Award for Documentary Feature and the Audience Award. Except, OK, sometimes not. Dance with the Devil is David Bagby's . Click HERE for ticket information. 1 Photo. HOUSE OF COMMONS UNANIMOUSLY PASSES BILL C-464. Or was this her, way of demanding that they suspend their critical faculties and declare their, Ms. TURNER: (Audio recording) I don't know what to give Zachary. I never really convinced myself that she, could--that she would hurt Zachary. a--with a hand grenade in the kitchen with the pin already pulled. "This is the purest, most intensely raw film I have ever seen of any kind, dramatic or nonfiction. MORRISON: Do you find yourself going back and playing that back in your mind? Purchase the book here: Amazon USA | Amazon Canada, To read more reviews, visit our Press Archive, ZACHARY'S BILL (BILL C-464) BECOMES LAW IN CANADA, (Click HERE to read a letter to viewers from David & Kate Bagby.). The legal system helped her kill Zachary. The film ends with the Bagbys and their relatives, friends, and colleagues reflecting on the father and son, as well as the . GARDNER: (Audio recording) I'm not going to kid you, Doctor. I don't know how else to say it except they are grown-ups: they are funny, but serious; playful, but organized. This report aired Dateline Friday, July 23. the water. Mr. SHEARS: Mm, yeah. Bagby, that man about whom no one had a bad word, was left lying face down in a Pennsylvania state park with five bullets in him. And I saw that night her malignancy. If I, just kill her, Zachary will be safe. But something kept me going, and. We urge everyone to write your MP (if Canadian) or the Attorney General of Canada (if not) urging them to support MP Andrews and his bill as it moves toward a vote in the near future. Now that Zachary was starting to walk, he was free to make a beeline to. Some of, those frames even at the dollar stores will say--there'll be little sayings on, Ms. TURNER: (Audio recording) if you want to say `Mommy and Daddy' on a. frame and stick a picture of me and Andrew in it, I don't know. Dear Zachary was also a hit at Silverdocs, the AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Film Festival over the weekend of June 21st & 22nd, where both screenings were once again met with standing ovations; Silverdocs nominated Dear Zachary for its inaugural Writers Guild of America Documentary Screenplay Award. For one thing, Shirley, required the Bagbys to bring Zachary to visit her once a week in jail. Now, she sucked us in here, too. David and Kate Bagby must have been saints to have had to tolerate personal dealings with their only child's murderess,and basically have to groval to her to even see their precious only-ever grandchild.Yet,they did whatever they could for the sake of Zachary.Most people (myself included) would have made away with Shirley Turner the first chance Its not the sort of true crime that leaves you wanting more. Andrew Bagby, a gregarious family-practice resident at Latrobe, was found shot to death on Nov. 5, 2001, in Keystone State Park. They raised a wonderful, Unidentified Man #26: Thanks for bringing such a wonderful person. Because this is foreshadowing. And thank God. They are warm. Kurt Kuenne's acclaimed orchestral score for "Dear Zachary", nominated for Best Documentary Score of 2008 by the International Film Music Critics Association, is now available on CD and for digital download. Both screenings were sold out and received sustained standing ovations, an exceptionally rare event in the 14 year history of Slamdance. prayed that his murderer, whoever it was, would be swiftly brought to justice. While that change felt good, David wanted more. And so, on August 18, 2003, Shirley Jane Turner kills Zachary. You will cry. HEATHER: I was so excited that he was dating somebody. Ms. TURNER: (Audio recording) (Unintelligible) Hi, sweetheart. Add a bio, trivia, and more. Dear Zachary has been acquired for theatrical release and DVD distribution by the newly formed Oscilloscope Pictures, and will be released in New York on October 31st, and in Los Angeles and Chicago on November 7th. HEATHER: I knew he'd been struggling with me moving on and dating other people. Still grieving the death of their son, the Bagbys moved to Newfoundland and fought for custody of Zachary. (Photos of David and Kate with Zachary; Shirley being escorted from court). ', Mr. SIMPSON: And I told him, I said, `You know, Andrew, when I break up with somebody and put them on a plane and send them 1300 miles away,' I said, `They knock on my front door, I'm going out the back door and I'm calling the police.' And he's like, `I'm not looking for anything serious. Or it's in the car. iTunes | Amazon Prime Video | Google Play, DEAR ZACHARY ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SCORE ALBUM NOW AVAILABLE. keep him safe, which they feared was about to become even more difficult. In the, tribute documentary their son's best friend Kurt Kuenne was making to someday, give Zachary, the Bagbys' friends recount how difficult it was for David and. March 18, 2008: If you didnt realize the importance of that, Kuenne mutes the film to let you process it. It's. Unidentified Woman #11: I love them very much. MORRISON: The sea at midnight was endless black. It would take two weeks.
kate bagby and david bagby 2020