It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The Brobergs said Robert manipulated Jan and her parents, Bob and Mary Ann, for years and caused multiple strains in their relationship. In the lead-up to the conference, Jan, members of her family, and the womens conference board had received threatening letters from Berchtold. When they met, the Berchtold family also had a little girl. Kriti Mehrotra October 6, 2022 As a limited drama series that revisits the two 1970s kidnappings of Jan Broberg at the ages of 12 and 14, Peacock's 'A Friend of the Family' can only be described as horrifically bone-chilling. A Friend of the Family is available to stream onPeacock now. This weirder-than-life story is told in the documentaryAbducted in Plain Sight,which traces how Berchtold groomed, manipulated, and blackmailed the Broberg family in the 1970s. Fading in and out of consciousness, Jan discovered her arms and legs tied to a bed. During one afternoon outing, when the two fathers were alone, Berchtold asked Bob to relieve him. Mary Ann Broberg explains that she waited at the behest of Berchtold's wife, Gail, who pleaded with her not to call the police. The convicted abuser had previously worked for the Army and was posted in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the time. In truth, he was a pedophile who stopped at nothing to get access to his victims. Sometimes, the voice on the other end of the line wasnt Roberts; rather, it was the aliens reminding Jan to complete her mission. But the Berchtold family met the Brobergs in the town of Pocatello, Idaho. These included Brigham City in Utah, Pocatello in Idaho, and Ogden in Utah, during which they proudly even welcomed five adorable kids into their lives Jerry, James, Joseph, Jeff, and Jill. Where is Robert Berchtold's Ex-Wife Gail Now? 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. During this time, Gail was basically trying to hold back a car from going off a cliff desperately, and B. Later that year, Robert Berchtold convinced the Brobergs to allow him to take Jan Broberg horseback riding with him, and when he did, he drugged the 12-year-old and took her to a motor home, where she was tied in shackles to the bed with a radio repeatedly saying the phrase "female companion" by two separate feminine voices (via ABC 4).Jan eventually found Berchtold, who was covered in blood . I immediately saw someone who I saw as an unknowing victim of the situation. Fernando Decillis/Peacock, charmed his way into a favorable position. Presuming her innocence, as we should since she was never convicted of anything, it is likely she was devastated by her husband's betrayal of her trust though we can never truly know for sure, as she has refused to address the media in any way. Berchtold's wife, Gail, is often referenced in the beginning of Abducted In Plain Sight, but she seems to disappear by the second half of the movie. Was he fascinated by science fiction? In 1972, he kidnapped her for the 1st time in October 1974 when she was 12 years old. A close friendship ensued.. Gail, however, never addressed the case publicly. Robert Berchtold kidnapped, sexually abused, and convinced his neighbors 12-year-old daughter, Jan Broberg, she was an alien hybrid on a perverse mission to save a faraway planet. Over the course of the next month, Berchtold repeatedly raped Jan Broberg. The first four episodes of A Friend of the Family will air on Peacock on Thursday, October 6. Robert justified his acts on mental illness and linked his actions to his upbringing as a child, according to the reports mentioned by Distractify. Berchtold took it upon himself to inform the local media, and anyone present, that the two women were telling lies.. The two daughters, though, ran away to their biological fathers house in Idaho. In March 2004, Berchtold, who was now 68 years old, showed up at a womens conference at Dixie State College (now Dixie State University) in St. George, Utah where Jan was speaking. In 1986, Berchtold was found guilty of the rape a child andspent one year in jail, according to Deseret News. Like a few other villains, Robert was a menace. Jan eventually filed for a restraining order against Berchtold, who continued to assert her story was filled with lies created to sell books. It wasnt until November, though, that it was discovered that Berchtold had kidnapped Jan and was now living in Salt Lake City, Utah. Robert Berchtold is an abuser who groomed the Broberg family in order to become close to their 12-year-old daughter Jan. Many fans of documentaries went to Reddit to talk about whether or not Gail could be involved. At the time, he was stationed in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Berchtold is one of the most formidable supervillains around. I thought about how Gail tries to protect and keep her family together in every scene I write. The FBI, on the other hand, wasnt convinced, what with Berchtold being away and all. The FBI is the FBI after all, so they were eventually able to get Jan out of the school. As was Berchtolds modus operandi, he befriended the girls mother, who was a psychiatric nurse at a prominent hospital. But the Berchtold family met the Brobergs in the town of Pocatello, Idaho. In the years following Bs death, many true-crime fans have discussed Gails involvement in the crimes. He often gave her gifts and took her with him on trips. It would also give Robert private, intimate access to Janwhich he would get with her parents approval. The actor continued, "it almost doesn't make sense because B. switches who he is for everyone. Mary Ann Broberg and Gail Berchtold, Robert's wife, bonded over their family and faith. Who Is Kate Walshs Fiance Andrew Nixon? Jan Broberg, who is now an adult, says of Berchtold that he is a master of manipulation. 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. This conclusion can be reached in part due to the fact that Gail packed her belongings, gathered their children, and left Robert for good before his second attempt to leave with the then-14-year-old in August 1976, suggesting that she had nothing to do with the incident. His obituary makes no mention of his horrific crimes. In the early hours of November 23, 1974, police stormed Berchtolds motor home and arrested him. Gail had already begun the divorce process when she discovered her husbands criminal activity. As depicted in A Friend of the Family, Bs abuse toward Jan caused issues in his and Gails marriage. He was found guilty and was scheduled to be sentenced. In a thread on Reddit, a video editor said they were working on Abducted in Plain Sight. 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. RELATED:A First Look At Peacock's Much Anticipated True Crime Drama 'A Friend of the Family'. Robert Berchtold allegedly committed horrendous crimes and supposedly no one stopped him, despite a seeming plethora of evidence against him. A seemingly impossible task when you consider they were a conservative LDS family. Shed already filed for divorce by that point and has since stayed well away from the entire matter by never even giving it attention online, in interviews, or through consultancy in documentaries/shows. On June 7, 1961, Gail got married in a beautiful ceremony at the Latter-day Saints (LDS) Logan Temple in Utah to Robert (or B), who was working for the Army at the time. So, even though Gail is in her 70s now, it seems like she is still living a quiet, happy life with her children close by. When they met, the Berchtold family also had a little girl. Though Gail is now in her 70s, it seems like shes still living a quiet, happy life with her kids nearby. After three days, Jan woke to find the motor home had stopped moving. How can I make things better? This is the story of Robert Berchtold, the predator at the center of Netflixs Abducted in Plain Sight, who nurtured and controlled an entire family. It was eventually published in October 2003. You can just see how he wants to pull people in or not. From what we can tell about Gails current situation from online records and social media profiles, the family woman is from Grouse Creek, Utah, but is now living in Roy, Utah. Adam Strong Wikipedia, Murder Case and Documentary, Caige Rider Obituary, Cause of Death, And Family Details, How Did Keith Farmer Die? Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive show news, updates, and more! When questioned by Berchtold about her motives in a hearing for a restraining order against him in 2004which, according to the documentary Abducted in Plain Sight, was their first direct encounter in almost three decadesJan responded by saying, "My goal, Mr. Berchtold, is to educate the public about predators like you.". Between 1972 and 1976, he eventually kidnapped and wed her. He kidnaps their daughter, not once but twice, and even has an affair with both Robert and Mary Ann Broberg. 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 master manipulator from Utha has a lengthy history of having a particular lust for young females. Robert Berchtold is accused of committing terrible crimes and it is claimed that no one intervened to stop him. They settled in Utah, where Gail still lives today. Gail turned out to be easier to understand than I had thought. 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. All her children live in the middle of the country. Instead, they flew to Mexico to retrieve their daughter. However, they soon decided to start a new chapter in their lives by moving, so they lived in a few different places. Like Jan, Lio believes Gail had no control over Bs behavior and described their marriage as uncomfortable., [I was] surprised with how easy it is to vilify her because I did not see that going into it, Lio explained to HollywoodLife about Gail. 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. Article continues below advertisement Source: Peacock Then Berchtold fled to Mexico with Jan, where he married her. Gail Toyn married Robert Berchtold, played by Jake Lacy, on June 7, 1961 at the Logan Temple. Mary Ann was a little apprehensive at first; it was, after all, a school night. They lived together in places like Albuquerque, New Mexico, Brigham City, Harper, and Ogden, Utah. Wikipedia, Net Worth, Twitter, Family, Is Pilar Pascual Married With A Husband? They wed in the Latter-day Saints (LDS) Logan Temple in Utah. She did marry again in the late 1980s, but . 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. To get help: In the US, call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to speak to a trained sexual assault service provider representative in your area. But then what happened? Berchtolds wife Gail remains by his side in the early episodes of the Peacock drama. Watson, knocked into the front of the van, was dragged for 110 yards. 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. 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. His life has been chronicled by the Peacock television program A Friend of the Family. Its an open question how much Gail knows, Lio recently, exclusively told The Cut. I dont think she ever wanted to hurt anyone else.. Berchtold began saying things to me that were very exciting to hear. Gail also told the missing childrens parents not to call the police for the first few days after their disappearance in October, but no one was ever able to find out why. Broberg also shared that producers from the Netflix documentary reached out to Berchtold to discuss if she believed that she was manipulated by her ex or if she was complicit, but she never responded. Bombshell: FDA Has Never Approved A Drug Or Vaccine! But for now, if you just want to know more about the accuseds then-spouse, Robert Bob Berchtolds wife Gail Toyn Berchtold, we have all the important information for you. Where is Robert Berchtolds Ex-Wife? She was kidnapped and sexually assaulted by her neighbor and family friend Robert "B." Read More:Who Is Chris Dawsons Daughter Shanelle? Kon Hai Alakh Pandey aka Physics Wallah Wife Shivani Dubey? Distractify is a registered trademark. In the series, Berchtold deceives the Broberg family time and time again. 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. He was actually stationed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the time, but they soon decided to start a new chapter of their lives by relocating and thus spent some time in a few different places. The 'Friend of the Family' Subject Was Abducted Twice as a Child, What Happened to the *REAL* Robert Berchtold? 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