The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga debuts on Netflix on December 11, 2024. Directed by Chapman and Maclain Way, and produced by Stardust Frames Productions, the series explores the 2013 Ricin letters case.
It reveals a bizarre tale of poison-laced mail sent to President Obama and other officials, involving an Elvis impersonator, small-town feuds, and black-market organ trafficking.
People who are directly connected with the events appear in the documentary. There are interviews and archival footage provide more insights. It uses real testimony alongside re-enactments in the telling of this crazy true story.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Paul Kevin Curtis, Elvis impersonator of Tupelo, Mississippi was framed by James Everett Dutschke. He was a martial arts instructor who had a longstanding feud with Curtis. Dutschke was later convicted and sentenced to 25 years in federal prison.
James Everett Dutschke was arrested in April 2013
James Everett Dutschke was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for the ricin-laced letter plot against President Barack Obama among other officials back in the year 2013.
He was arrested on April 27, 2013, and later indicted for developing and possessing ricin, mailing threatening communications, and attempting to frame another person for his crimes according to FBI archives.
In January 2014, Dutschke appeared in Federal Court and pleaded guilty to one count of the development and possession of ricin and three counts of mailing threatening communications. He was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison by the court with the possibility of supervised release upon completion of the sentence reported on the official site of the US Department of Justice.
Personal vendettas were allegedly behind Dutschke's actions, such as his long-standing feud with Elvis impersonator Paul Kevin Curtis, whom he framed for the ricin letters. This case underlined how personal conflicts can blow out of proportion into criminal acts.
Who was James Everett Dutschke? What was his feud with Paul Kevin Curtis?
James Everett Dutschke was a former martial arts instructor from Tupelo, Mississippi. Initially, Paul Kevin Curtis, an Elvis impersonator from the same town, was framed by Dutschke, arrested, and charged with sending poisonous letters.
However, after federal investigators found no evidence linking Curtis to the crime, the charges were dropped, and he was released from jail.
The true perpetrator was identified as Dutschke, who had a longstanding feud with Curtis. Their alleged rivalry began in 2005 when Dutschke worked for Curtis's brother at an insurance office.
The first point of contention was the fact that Dutschke had a fascination with conspiracy theories which he discussed with Curtis. It has been reported that Dutschke did have somewhat outlandish, and sometimes controversial, beliefs.
Additional tension points included Curtis being in Mensa, the high IQ society. Frustration mounted as he felt slighted by Curtis's perceived arrogance about his membership.
"He would call people up and say Kevin Curtis is gonna performing for you festival , he is a bad guy, you don't wanna hire him and people started cancelling contracts for the first times in 30 years."- Curtis during an interview with katie Couric about Dutschke on May 3, 2013.
Over time, their relationship soured due to various personal and professional disagreements. This animosity escalated to the point where James Everett Dutschke framed Curtis by committing federal crimes, leading to Curtis's initial arrest.
Viewing options for The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga
The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga is set to premiere on Netflix on December 11, 2024. Netflix typically releases new content at midnight. Pacific Time (PT), which translates to 3:00 a.m. Eastern Time (ET).
For viewers in other regions, this corresponds to 8:00 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), 1:30 p.m. Indian Standard Time (IST), and 7:00 p.m. Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT). Release times can vary by region, so it's advisable to check Netflix's schedule in a specific area.
The official synopsis of The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga on Netflix reads:
"In this bizarre true-crime tale, an Elvis impersonator's conspiracy theory sets off a feud that spirals into an attempted presidential assassination."
Catch The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga on December 11, 2024, on Netflix.