Crazy Netflix true crime series recalls story of Elvis impersonator accused of poisoning Barack Obama
A local rivalry led to one man being wrongly accused of some serious crimes
Netflix is renowned for its gripping true crime stories, and its latest offering sounds absolutely insane.
From disturbing domestic violence cases to a mother's 'gut-wrenching' journey to find her daughter, the streamer has seemingly covered it all. But one man's terrifying ordeal sounds like the type of thing a random word generator would spit out.
In 2013, an Elvis impersonator's life was turned upside down when he was arrested for allegedly sending poisoned letters to Barack Obama.
No, this isn't the work of ChatGPT - this was reality for Mississippi native Paul Curtis.
Advert
Netflix's new documentary Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Drama looks at exactly how Tupelo native Paul - who is one half of Elvis tribute act Double Trouble with his brother Jack - became wrongly embroiled in such a case.
When Obama, Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker and Lee County Judge Sadie Holland all received ricin-laced letters in 2013, an urgent investigation was launched.
Deadly ricin - a poison made from the waste left when castor beans are made into castor oil - takes just three days to kill, inducing vomiting, bloody diarrhea and kidney damage.
The letters themselves included an ominous note which was (wrongly) linked to Paul, reading: "No one wanted to listen to me before. There are still 'Missing Pieces.'
"Maybe I have your attention now even if that means someone must die. This must stop.
"To see a wrong and not expose it, is to become a silent partner to its continuance."
Let me explain... Paul was an avid campaigner against the trafficking of illegal body parts.
In 1999, while cleaning a hospital morgue, he discovered a refrigerator filled with limbs, which led him to delve into conspiracy theories around illegal trafficking.
He passionately raised awareness online - even drafting a bill proposal to ban the sale of body parts in Mississippi - but no one 'seemed to listen...'
Turns out, Paul was actually framed, while a local Wayne Newton impersonator was found guilty of sending the letters.
James Everett Dutschke must've seen Paul as some sort of threat, using Paul's online presence to attempt to link him to the crime.
This all backfired, though, as authorities figured out he was really behind the plot.
And in May 2014, Dutschke pleaded guilty to sending the letters and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Drama is available to stream now on Netflix.
Topics: True crime, Netflix, Barack Obama, Film and TV
Ellie Kemp