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Narrator: WHEN SINGER TOMMY MARA
HEARD THE BAD BOY OF DOO-***'S MOST BELOVED BAND
HAD ROLLED IN TO TOWN, HE WAS ALL FIRED UP.
HE HAD THAT BIG-SHOT WAY ABOUT HIM, LIKE HE WAS SOMEBODY.
HE WAS VERY HANDSOME,
AND HE CAUGHT EVERY LADY'S EYE -- TRUST ME.
Narrator: BUT THERE WAS MUCH MORE TO THIS CROOKED CROONER
THAN HIS GREASER LOOKS AND HIS KARAOKE-GRADE GIGS.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE IN A MILLION YEARS
THE STUFF THAT THIS GUY DID.
I DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS A CHANCE WE WERE GONNA CATCH HIM.
I ALWAYS FELT LIKE DANNY WAS HIDING SOMETHING,
BUT I WOULD HAVE NEVER EXPECTED ***.
Narrator: SOMETIMES PEOPLE KEEP THEIR DARKEST SECRETS
HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT.
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
TOMMY MARA'S LIFE HAS BEEN BLESSED WITH MANY GIFTS,
THE GREATEST OF WHICH IS HIS SONG.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.
I GREW UP WITH MY TWO ELDER SISTERS,
AND THEY LISTENED TO CONSTANT DOO-***.
DOO-*** IS LIKE A CAPPELLA SINGING.
IT'S USING YOUR VOICE AS AN INSTRUMENT.
I ALWAYS LOVED HARMONY, AND HARMONY IS DOO-***.
AND WHEN YOU SING
AND FIVE GUYS HIT THE NOTES CORRECTLY,
IT RINGS THAT BELL.
Narrator: BY 1997,
42-YEAR-OLD TOMMY HAD MADE QUITE A NAME FOR HIMSELF
CROONING THE CLASSICS ALL OVER FLORIDA'S OLDIES CIRCUIT.
Mara: I DEVELOPED A HUGE FAN BASE.
THEY KNOW WHEN I SING, I SING FROM MY HEART,
AND I TRY AND GIVE THEM EVERYTHING THAT THEY WANT.
Narrator: TOMMY WAS A LOCAL CELEBRITY,
BUT HE STILL HELD GREAT RESPECT FOR THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE HIM,
ESPECIALLY THE LEGENDARY '70s GROUP SHA NA NA.
SHA NA NA STARTED OUT AS A TV SHOW
THAT WAS A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO THE ORIGINAL ARTISTS.
THEY SUNG AND ACTED OUT THE OTHER PEOPLE'S SONGS
IN BETWEEN THEIR SKITS ONSTAGE,
WHICH WAS "GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART"
AND ALL THESE FAMOUS TUNES.
Narrator: TOMMY WAS ONE OF THE GROUP'S BIGGEST ADMIRERS,
AND HE WAS ABOUT TO BE STAR-STRUCK.
IT WAS A SATURDAY NIGHT IN APRIL.
TOMMY WAS PLAYING A GIG IN KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA,
WHEN HE HEARD THAT ONE OF THE ORIGINAL BAND MEMBERS
FROM SHA NA NA WAS THERE.
Mara: AFTER I DID THE SHOW,
HE COME OVER AND INTRODUCED HIMSELF
AS DANNY "C" FROM SHA NA NA.
TO SEE SOMEONE FROM SHA NA NA IN FLORIDA WAS JUST AMAZING.
Narrator: WHILE TOMMY KNEW THE NAMES OF SEVERAL SHA NA NA MEMBERS,
HE'D NEVER HEARD OF A DANNY "C."
Mara: HE LOOKED LIKE A TYPICAL GREASER,
THE GUY THAT WOULD PUT A BUNCH OF GREASE IN HIS HAND,
COMB IT BACK.
AND, THEN, HE HAD THIS BIG GOLD NECKLACE
THAT SAID "SHA NA NA" ON IT.
HE HAD A PINK JACKET ON WITH HIS NAME ON THE FRONT
AND "SHA NA NA" ON THE BACK.
HE HAD THAT BIG-SHOT WAY ABOUT HIM, LIKE HE WAS SOMEBODY.
Narrator: BUT LATER THAT EVENING,
WHEN DANNY "C" PERFORMED A FEW TUNES,
TOMMY WAS LESS THAN IMPRESSED.
Mara: HE WAS PLAYING WITH TRACKS, A CHEAP MICROPHONE,
AND I THOUGHT SOMEONE OF THAT MAGNITUDE
SHOULD HAVE A BAND BACKING HIM UP.
TO ME, IT FELT VERY STRANGE.
Narrator: SO STRANGE, IN FACT, THAT TOMMY DECIDED
TO DO A LITTLE DIGGING LATER THAT WEEKEND.
Mara: I WENT HOME, AND I PULLED UP HIS WEBSITE,
AND IT SAID "THE BAD BOY IS BACK!"
IT SAID RIGHT THERE "FORMERLY OF SHA NA NA."
Narrator: AS TOMMY SCROLLED THROUGH THE PAGE,
HIS INTEREST GREW.
Mara: HE WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF A MANSION
WITH HIS SHIRT ROLLED UP.
HE HAD A CAR. IT SAID "BAD BOY1."
EVERYTHING JUST ADDED UP.
Narrator: WITHIN A FEW MONTHS,
TOMMY SAW DANNY "C" DEVELOP A FOLLOWING
ON THE DOO-*** CIRCUIT,
EVEN THOUGH HE ONLY SEEMED TO PLAY VERY SMALL VENUES,
LIKE CLASSIC-CAR SHOWS OR TINY BARS.
Mara: DANNY HAD A PRETTY GOOD FAN BASE.
EVERY TIME I RAN INTO DANNY AT ONE OF THE CAR SHOWS,
HE WAS WELL-RECEIVED.
IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT STAGE HE GOT ON.
HE COULD WORK THE MIKE.
HE NOT ONLY COULD SING, BUT HE ENTERTAINED, AS WELL.
Narrator: BUT AS MUCH AS DANNY "C" HIT ALL THE RIGHT NOTES,
HE WAS NOT WINNING OVER HIS FELLOW ENTERTAINERS.
I BELIEVED THAT DANNY HAD A VERY BIG EGO.
I THINK THAT'S WHY
HE WOULDN'T BRING SOMEONE ELSE UP TO SING WITH HIM.
I COULD SEE HE WOULD GET VERY JEALOUS.
Narrator: BY THE FALL OF 1997,
SIX MONTHS AFTER DANNY "C" HAD COME TO TOWN,
DISTURBING RUMORS BEGAN SWIRLING
IN TOMMY'S SMALL AND TIGHT-KNIT DOO-*** CIRCLE.
Mara: THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK GOING ON
ABOUT DANNY "C" BEING AN ACTUAL, TRUE MEMBER OF SHA NA NA.
Narrator: TOMMY HAD ALWAYS WONDERED
ABOUT DANNY "C's" LACK OF A BACKUP BAND
AND HIS CHEAP EQUIPMENT,
AND NOW IT SEEMED OTHERS WERE ASKING THE SAME QUESTIONS.
Mara: SHA NA NA WAS WORLD-RENOWNED.
WHY WOULD HE BE PLAYING IN THESE LITTLE PLACES,
PUSHING A BUTTON TO MAKE THE MUSIC GO ON?
IT JUST DIDN'T GEL PROPERLY.
Galeano: EVERYTHING HE DID,
HE KEPT SAYING, "WHEN I WAS WITH SHA NA NA..."
HE WAS TRYING A LITTLE TOO HARD. I DIDN'T LIKE THE GUY.
Narrator: STILL, TOMMY DECIDED
TO GIVE DANNY "C" THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.
I WASN'T THERE TO JUDGE PEOPLE.
HE'D NEVER DONE ANYTHING WRONG TO ME.
AT THAT POINT, HE WAS JUST DANNY "C."
Narrator: BUT TOMMY WOULD SOON REALIZE
THAT THIS WAS A BIG MISTAKE.
THIS IS NOT ONLY A LIAR. THIS IS AN ANIMAL.
I THOUGHT I KNEW DANNY BETTER THAN ANYBODY.
WE GOT INVOLVED WITH THIS MUTT.
NOW WE'RE PART OF A BAD SITUATION.
Narrator: IN THE WINTER OF 1997,
WELL-LOVED MUSICIAN TOMMY MARA
WAS CROONING HIS WAY ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA,
SINGING HIS HEART OUT ON THE LOCAL DOO-*** CIRCUIT.
Mara: I SING FROM MY HEART.
WE DID THE SONGS THAT THE PEOPLE WANTED TO HEAR,
AND WE HAD THE FIVE-PART HARMONY.
Narrator: THAT DECEMBER, TOMMY DECIDED TO EMBARK
ON WHAT SEEMED LIKE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY --
A MUSICAL COLLABORATION WITH DANNY "C."
Mara: DANNY GAVE ME A CALL AND SAID TO ME,
"HEY, TOMMY, HOW ABOUT I DO A SHOW WITH YOU AND YOUR GUYS?"
AND HE SAYS, "I'LL BRING MY OWN TRACKS,
AND I'LL DO THIS BIG, ELABORATE SHOW."
DANNY "C" WAS IN SHA NA NA. THEY WERE WORLD-RENOWNED.
I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A MONEYMAKER.
Narrator: TOMMY BOOKED
THE FAMOUS SHOW PALACE DINNER THEATRE IN HUDSON, FLORIDA,
AND THAT JANUARY, HE AND HIS BAND
PREPARED TO PLAY BEFORE A SOLD-OUT CROWD.
BUT THE EVENING WOULD PROVE DISASTROUS.
EVERYTHING WAS ALL SET UP, AND THE AFTERNOON OF SHOW,
WHERE YOU COME IN AND DO YOUR SOUND CHECKS,
DANNY WAS LATE GETTING OUT, AND WE WERE JUST WAITING FOR DANNY.
HE HAD SHOWED UP,
AND HIS CASSETTE TAPE WASN'T WORKING PROPERLY.
AND THAT WAS VERY HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE,
THAT HE WAS USING CASSETTE TAPES INSTEAD OF SOMETHING
A LITTLE BIT MORE CONDUCIVE TO THE MUSIC BUSINESS.
HIS EQUIPMENT WAS PURE JUNK, GARBAGE.
I MEAN, HE HAD STUFF THAT WAS OLD IN THE '50s.
AND HE DID A SOUND CHECK AND GOD-AWFUL LAME STUFF.
Narrator: IT WASN'T A GOOD SIGN,
BUT TOMMY HAD HIS OWN REPUTATION TO THINK ABOUT.
THE SHOW HAD TO GO ON.
Mara: IT WAS A VERY FULL HOUSE.
WE WERE THE OPENING ACT,
AND WE DID OUR JOB VERY WELL THAT NIGHT.
THE AUDIENCE IS WAY UP. THEY'RE ENERGIZED.
Narrator: BUT FROM THERE, EVERYTHING WENT DOWNHILL,
AS THE HEADLINER, DANNY "C," TOOK TO THE STAGE.
Mara: HE CAME OUT, HE SAID, "HO!
HOW YOU DOING, EVERYBODY? HOW YOU DOING?"
AND HE LOVED TO DO THIS -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS WAS.
Galeano: HE WOULD SAY BETWEEN EVERY SONG,
"I DID THIS WITH SHA NA NA."
RIGHT? EVERY SONG.
THE GUYS IN SHA NA NA NEVER SAY THAT.
Mara: SO, HE WAS, LIKE, JUST BY HIMSELF
WITH THIS GIRL DANCING AROUND THE STAGE.
THAT, IN MY OPINION, LOOKED A LITTLE CHEESY.
Galeano: THE PEOPLE WERE VERY DISAPPOINTED.
Narrator: NOT ONLY WERE FOLKS DISAPPOINTED,
THEY WERE BEGINNING TO SMELL A RAT.
[ RECORD SCRATCHES ]
THERE WAS SOME REAL HEAVY-DUTY SHA NA NA PEOPLE
OUT THERE THAT KNEW EVERYBODY,
AND THEY HAD BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS.
NOTHING AT ALL SAID ANYTHING ABOUT DANNY "C," SHA NA NA.
Galeano: ONE OF THE OWNERS CAME TO TOMMY
AND SAYS, "I GOT A PROBLEM.
"PEOPLE ARE COMING BACK TO THE BOX OFFICE,
AND THEY WANT THEIR MONEY BACK, SAYING THAT GUY IS BOGUS."
Mara: AND NEXT THING I KNOW, I SEEN THE STAGE DOOR OPEN.
I LOOKED OUT THE BACK, AND DANNY "C's" CAR WAS GONE.
THE OWNER'S LOOKING AT ME LIKE, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?"
I FELT BAD. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I REALLY FELT BAD.
Narrator: TOMMY HAD SPENT YEARS
BUILDING A REPUTATION AS GOLDEN AS THE SONGS HE SANG,
AND NOW IT WAS IN JEOPARDY, THANKS TO DANNY "C."
I SAID, "WELL, ALL I CAN DO IS CHECK INTO IT.
YOU KNOW, I CAN'T DO NOTHING MORE THAN THAT."
Narrator: AT THE END OF HIS ROPE,
TOMMY DECIDED TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE SOURCE.
THE DAY AFTER THAT DISASTROUS SHOW,
TOMMY PICKED UP THE PHONE
AND CALLED SHA NA NA'S POPULAR BASS SINGER, BOWZER.
I SAID, "DID YOU EVER HAVE A GUY IN YOUR GROUP NAMED DANNY 'C'?"
HE SAYS, "OH, PLEASE. IS HE AROUND AGAIN?"
Narrator: TO TOMMY'S SURPRISE, BOWZER IMMEDIATELY CONFIRMED
THAT DANNY "C" WAS NOT WHO HE CLAIMED TO BE.
Mara: I SAYS, "WELL, HOW COME YOUSE DON'T GO AFTER HIM
TO MAKE HIM STOP SAYING ABOUT THE SHA NA NA THING?"
HE SAID, "IT'S NOT WORTH OUR WHILE.
HE PLAYS IN LITTLE BARS AND LITTLE, TINY CAR SHOWS."
AND THAT'S HOW HE LEFT IT.
Narrator: TOMMY WAS THROUGH WITH DANNY "C,"
BUT THE IMPOSTER SOON CALLED, BEGGING TO EXPLAIN HIMSELF.
I WAS WORKING IN ORLANDO AT THE TIME.
WE SET UP A TIME WHERE HE WAS GONNA MEET ME,
AND HE SHOWED UP, AND HE HAD A WHOLE FOLDER FULL OF PAPERWORK.
HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, HERE'S MY BIRTH CERTIFICATE.
HERE'S A DRIVER'S LICENSE."
HE BROUGHT ALL KINDS OF STUFF.
HE SAID, "I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M NOT A PHONY."
Narrator: AND THAT'S WHEN DANNY "C" TOLD TOMMY SOMETHING MIND-BLOWING.
Mara: HE HAD TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A HUGE DRUG BUST,
AND SHA NA NA DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE THEIR NAME ATTACHED TO IT,
BECAUSE THEY'RE A CLEAN-CUT GROUP
AND THAT DANNY HAD TO TAKE THE RAP FOR IT AND DISAPPEAR.
AND THEY GAVE HIM $1 MILLION TO DO THIS.
SO I SAID TO HIM, "WELL, THIS MAKES NO SENSE.
IF THERE'S NO DANNY 'C' IN SHA NA NA, WHO ARE YOU, THEN?"
HE SAYS, "WELL, I'M VINNIE TAYLOR,
AND I'M SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD, BUT I'M NOT."
Narrator: TOMMY WAS STUNNED.
VINNIE TAYLOR WAS THE FAMOUS GUITARIST FOR SHA NA NA
WHO HAD DIED IN 1974.
SO, I SAID, "YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT YOU'RE VINNIE TAYLOR
AND THAT NOW YOU'RE DANNY 'C' UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME?"
HE TOLD ME, "YES, BUT YOU CAN'T TELL NO ONE
"BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG SECRET.
"THEY GAVE ME $1 MILLION DOLLARS
TO KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT AND GO AWAY."
Narrator: TOMMY WONDERED
IF THAT WAS WHY DANNY "C" HAD REFUSED TO PLAY BIG VENUES.
Mara: A PART OF ME FELT SORRY FOR HIM
THAT HE GOT CAUGHT UP IN THIS.
IF SOMEBODY OFFERS YOU $1 MILLION,
THEN I GUESS YOU TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN.
Narrator: BUT TOMMY DIDN'T KNOW THAT DANNY'S STRANGE STORY
WAS COVERING UP MORE THAN HE COULD EVER IMAGINE.
BELIEVE HALF OF WHAT YOU SEE AND NOTHING OF WHAT YOU HEAR.
Hart: DANNY HAD AN EVIL SIDE TO HIM.
HE HAD A VERY SCARY SIDE.
HE JUST THOUGHT HE COULD GET AWAY WITH IT.
Narrator: IN THE SUMMER OF 1998,
'50s SONGSTER TOMMY MARA WAS STRUGGLING TO BELIEVE
DANNY "C's" SAD STORY
OF A DRUG ADDICTION AND FALL FROM GRACE.
Mara: HE TOLD ME HE WAS VINNIE TAYLOR FROM SHA NA NA.
AT THAT POINT,
IT WAS FESTERING IN MY BRAIN, THIS ELABORATE STORY.
IT WAS VERY HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE.
I SAID TO TOMMY, "THE GUY IS A PHONY."
TOMMY SAYS, "YEAH, I BELIEVE YOU'RE RIGHT."
Narrator: TOMMY DECIDED THE BEST PLAN OF ATTACK
WAS TO END HIS ASSOCIATION WITH DANNY "C."
AT THAT POINT, I DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE SITUATION.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF HE DUPED ME.
Narrator: BY AUGUST OF 1998,
CONCERT BOOKERS HAD ALSO BECOME WARY OF DANNY "C,"
REFUSING TO HIRE HIM FOR SHOWS.
IT WAS A MOVE THAT ANGERED DANNY "C,"
AND HE TOOK IT OUT ON TOMMY.
Mara: I GET A PHONE CALL FROM DANNY,
AND HE'S YELLING ON THE PHONE, "YOU'RE RUINING MY REPUTATION.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF TROUBLE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE."
AT THAT POINT, I WANTED HIM TO BE THAT TOUGH GUY TO MY FACE.
I WANTED HIM TO ADMIT THAT HE WAS A LIAR TO ME.
I SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT?
MAYBE I SHOULD JUST GO SEE THIS GUY IN PERSON."
Narrator: SO ONE MORNING THAT FALL,
TOMMY TRACKED DOWN DANNY "C's" ADDRESS AND PAID HIM A VISIT.
Mara: I DROVE DOWN TO ST. PETERSBURG.
WHEN I GOT TO THE HOME THAT HE LIVED IN,
AS OPPOSED TO THE MANSION THAT I HAD SEEN HIM IN FRONT OF --
HE LIVED IN THIS SEMI-PROJECT IN ST. PETERSBURG.
Narrator: BY NOW, TOMMY WAS SEEING RED.
Mara: I KNOCKED ON HIS DOOR.
I ASKED HIM, "WHERE'S YOUR GIANT MANSION
AND YOUR FANCY, OLD CAR?"
HE SAID NOTHING -- NOTHING AT ALL TO ME.
Narrator: IT SEEMED EVEN DANNY KNEW THE GIG WAS UP.
Mara: AFTER THAT, I JUST LEFT,
AND I ACTUALLY NEVER HEARD FROM HIM AGAIN.
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN, BECAUSE MY GRANDFATHER TAUGHT ME YEARS AGO
"ONLY BELIEVE HALF OF WHAT YOU SEE
AND NOTHING OF WHAT YOU HEAR."
Narrator: IT WAS CLEAR TO TOMMY THAT DANNY "C" WAS HIDING SOMETHING,
AND TOMMY ASSUMED HE WOULD NEVER HAVE THE ANSWERS.
BUT EVERYTHING WAS ABOUT TO TAKE A SHOCKING TURN.
OVER 1,000 MILES AWAY,
IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY, NEW JERSEY,
INVESTIGATORS WERE WORKING OVERTIME
TO SOLVE A 25-YEAR-OLD COLD CASE.
Kinkle: IN JULY OF 1969, A MAN CALLED EDWARD SOLLY
WAS CHARGED WITH THE *** OF HIS GIRLFRIEND'S 2-YEAR-OLD SON.
HE BEAT THE CHILD SO SEVERELY
THAT THE CHILD DIED FROM HIS INJURIES.
Narrator: EDWARD SOLLY HAD TURNED HIMSELF IN TO AUTHORITIES.
HE HAD BEEN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN A NEW JERSEY PRISON.
BUT IN JUNE 1974, HE'D ESCAPED CUSTODY
WHILE ON A FURLOUGHED VISIT WITH HIS SICK SISTER.
Kinkle: THE FBI CONDUCTED THEIR OWN INVESTIGATION.
AFTER 11 YEARS, THEY COULD NOT FIND HIM.
THEY EXHAUSTED ALL LEADS. AT THAT POINT, IT WAS DEAD.
Narrator: THE CASE WENT COLD IN 1985,
BUT IN 1999,
NEW JERSEY POLICE DETECTIVE LOUIS KINKLE REOPENED IT.
Kinkle: WHEN I GOT THE CASE, I'M THINKING TO MYSELF, "THERE IS NO WAY.
"THIS GUY'S GOT TO BE DEAD,
OR HE IS A PLACE THAT WE'LL NEVER FIND HIM."
WE CONTACTED A LOCAL FORENSIC ARTIST.
WE ASKED HIM IF HE WOULD COME UP WITH A SCULPTURE, A BUST
OF WHAT WE THOUGHT SOLLY WOULD LOOK LIKE TODAY, AGE-PROGRESSED.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ALSO BROUGHT ON A CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGIST
TO HELP FOCUS THEIR SEARCH,
AND THEY REINTERVIEWED MEMBERS OF SOLLY'S FAMILY,
INCLUDING HIS MOTHER, WHO THEY WERE CERTAIN KNEW SOMETHING.
Kinkle: SHE WAS NOT COOPERATING WITH US,
AND SHE MADE THAT VERY CLEAR, THAT SHE GOES,
"EVEN IF I KNEW WHERE HE WAS, I WOULDN'T TELL YOU."
IT WAS TRYING TO FIND A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK.
Narrator: THE INVESTIGATION WAS GRUELING,
BUT FINALLY, AFTER THREE LONG YEARS,
DETECTIVES GOT THE BREAK THEY NEEDED
TO CRACK THE DECADES-OLD CASE WIDE OPEN.
Kinkle: IN 2000,
WE CAME ACROSS A DEATH NOTICE OF EDWARD SOLLY'S MOTHER.
SHE WAS THE SHIELD. NOTHING GOT BY HER.
Narrator: BUT AFTER HER DEATH AND AFTER HOURS OF QUESTIONING,
SOLLY'S FAMILY RELUCTANTLY GAVE HIM UP.
THEY TOLD DETECTIVES SOLLY WAS A PERFORMER IN FLORIDA.
WE PULLED UP THE WEBSITE, AND WE WERE ASTONISHED.
THE BUST THAT WAS DONE BY THE SCULPTOR MATCHED HIM PERFECTLY.
THERE WAS A TATTOO ON THE WEB OF HIS HAND.
THE TATTOO MATCHED. EVERYTHING WAS A MATCH.
I STARTED BREAKING OUT IN A COLD SWEAT.
I'M THINKING, "THIS GUY'S BEEN HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT
FOR THE LAST 27 YEARS."
Narrator: IT WAS A SHOCK TO POLICE,
AND THE NEWS WOULD SOON SHAKE
THE DOO-*** COMMUNITY TO ITS CORE.
THE HEADLINE IS THERE -- "GREAT IMPOSTOR."
THINGS WERE NOT ADDING UP AT ALL.
THAT'S A DIRTBAG THAT HAS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
Narrator: THE MORNING OF MAY 12, 2001,
TOMMY MARA SAT DOWN TO BREAKFAST
AND OPENED UP THE DAILY NEWSPAPER.
A JAW-DROPPING HEADLINE IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT HIS EYE.
THE HEADLINE IS THERE -- "GREAT IMPOSTOR" --
AND IT SAYS THAT A CHILD MURDERER
WAS ON THE LAM FOR 28 YEARS.
Narrator: BUT IT WAS THE ACCOMPANYING PHOTO
THAT CAUSED TOMMY TO DO A DOUBLE TAKE.
Mara: THE PICTURES IN THE PAPER
WAS DANNY HANDCUFFED, CRYING, HYSTERICAL.
I WAS LIKE, "WHAT THE HECK IS THIS?"
TOMMY CALLS ME, AND HE SAYS, "YOU AIN'T GONNA BELIEVE THIS."
HE SAYS, "THEY ARRESTED DANNY 'C.'
THEY ARRESTED HIM FOR ***."
I SAYS, "COME ON."
THEN HE TOLD ME WHAT HE DID.
Mara: I KNEW HE WAS ALL THESE OTHER THINGS,
BUT A CHILD MURDERER ON TOP OF THIS?
I WAS IN COMPLETE SHOCK.
Galeano: HE SAYS TO ME, "CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?
THE GUY IS ON THE LAM AND THAT VISIBLE?"
I ALWAYS FELT LIKE DANNY WAS HIDING SOMETHING,
BUT I WOULD HAVE NEVER EXPECTED ***.
IT'S VERY DEVASTATING.
Narrator: DANNY "C's" ARREST WAS ALL OVER THE LOCAL NEWS,
AND TOMMY WATCHED IN STUNNED SILENCE.
IT WAS JUST AMAZING HOW THIS WHOLE STORY CAME TO THE CLOSING.
Narrator: AFTER DETECTIVES LEARNED
SOLLY WAS GOING BY THE NAME DANNY "C,"
IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF DAYS BEFORE POLICE MOVED IN
FOR HIS FINAL CURTAIN CALL.
WE FOUND A CELLPHONE OF DANNY CATALANO.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET A SIGNAL FOR THAT PHONE,
AND WE TRACKED HIM DOWN TO THE ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA, AREA.
Narrator: ON MAY 10, WHILE DANNY "C" WAS FISHING
OFF A SMALL PIER BEHIND HIS APARTMENT,
A U.S. MARSHALS TEAM WAITED TO MAKE THEIR MOVE.
ONE DEPUTY WENT UP, AND HE ASKED HOW THE FISHING WAS.
AND EDWARD LOOKED TOWARDS HIM AND SAYS, "IT'S PRETTY GOOD."
AND THE DEPUTY SAYS TO HIM,
"IS THE FISHING BETTER HERE, OR IS IT BETTER IN NEW JERSEY?"
AND SOLLY TURNED TO HIM, AND HE GOES,
"HEY, EDWARD, ISN'T IT ABOUT TIME YOU WENT HOME?"
AND AT THAT POINT, HE DROPPED HIS POLE, COLLAPSED ON THE PIER,
AND THE GUYS WENT IN AND MADE THE ARREST.
Narrator: A FEW DAYS LATER,
EDWARD SOLLY WAS BROUGHT BACK TO NEW JERSEY.
Mara: WHEN THEY TOOK HIM OUT OF THE COP CAR IN HANDCUFFS
AND HIS HAIR WAS ALL DISHEVELED, HE LOOKED HORRIBLE.
BOY, THAT'S THE TRUE PERSON THAT HE PROBABLY WAS.
Galeano: WHEN I SAW THAT THEY WERE TAKING HIM TO JAIL,
I SAID, "YEAH! THERE IS A GOD."
Kinkle: HE WAS SHACKLED AT HIS HANDS,
AND HE'S CRYING, "I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING."
YOU KNOW, "I'M A NICE GUY. I WOULD NEVER HURT ANYBODY."
Narrator: BUT SOLLY HAD ALREADY BEEN CONVICTED
AND SENTENCED YEARS BEFORE,
AND NOW A JUDGE DETERMINED HE WOULD SERVE
THE REMAINDER OF HIS 20-YEAR TERM,
PLUS 2 EXTRA YEARS FOR HIS ESCAPE.
Hart: EVEN AFTER READING THE NEWSPAPER
STATING DANNY WAS NOT WITH SHA NA NA EVER,
I STILL BELIEVED HE WAS
UNTIL WE WERE ALLOWED PHONE CALLS WHEN HE WAS IN PRISON.
AND I ASKED HIM, "WERE YOU WITH SHA NA NA, DANNY?"
AND HE SAID, "NO. BABY, I WAS NEVER WITH SHA NA NA."
HOW DID I FEEL?
"DEVASTATION" IS PUTTING IT VERY LIGHTLY.
TO ME, THE MOST ASTONISHING THING ABOUT THIS CASE
WAS THE FACT THAT HERE'S A GUY KNOWING IN THE BACK OF HIS MIND
THAT AT ANY TIME, IS THERE GONNA BE THAT KNOCK AT THE DOOR
AND THAT COULD BE THE END OF IT?
BUT, FOR HIM, THAT WASN'T HIS PRIORITY.
HIS PRIORITY WAS JUST GOING OUT AND SINGING
AND DOING WHAT HE WANTED TO DO AND JUST LOVING HIMSELF.
Narrator: TODAY, MORE THAN 10 YEARS AFTER DANNY "C's" ARREST,
TOMMY REMAINS FLABBERGASTED BY WHAT HAPPENED
IN HIS TIGHT-KNIT DOO-*** COMMUNITY.
IT'S TERRIBLE TO SAY YOU CAN'T KEEP THE FAITH,
BUT WHEN THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN TO YOU IN YOUR LIFE,
IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE PEOPLE -- VERY HARD.
Galeano: THERE'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT THE GUY
THAT JUST TURNED ME OFF FROM THE VERY FIRST TIME.
TRUST YOUR FIRST INSTINCT,
BECAUSE USUALLY THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S RIGHT.
Narrator: BUT TOMMY'S FAITH IN HIS MUSIC HASN'T WAVERED,
AND AS LONG AS HE HAS BREATH,
HE'LL KEEP SINGING HIS BELOVED DOO-***.
Mara: I SING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
I LOVE IT.
YOU KNOW, I LOVE THE FANS. THEY'RE KEEPING THE MUSIC ALIVE.