Marvin Heemeyer: Architect of the "Killdozer"
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- čas přidán 15. 01. 2024
- On the morning of June 4th, 2004, Granby, Colorado was no different from hundreds of other small towns all across the United States. It was the kind of idyllic little mountain town you moved to in order to get away from the crime and chaos of big cities like neighboring Denver. By by the end of the day on June 4th, Granby looked like it had been through a warzone, with buildings destroyed, trees ripped up, streetlights and fire hydrants knocked down. You might be forgiven for thinking the cause of this municipal carnage was some sort of natural disaster, but the truth was so much more bizarre: a bulldozer, modified with armor plating to make it impervious to gunfire, had spent the afternoon driving around deliberately smashing into things.
The man at the controls of the machine nicknamed the “Killdozer” was well known to the townspeople of Granby. Marvin Heemeyer was one of their neighbors, a local business owner who had a lot of friends but was also infamous for his well publicized disputes with the local town government. Few people had recognized the simmering anger under Heemeyer’s skin, that he’d apparently been holding onto for years, until finally he emerged with a suicidal plan to get revenge on anyone who he’d ever felt had wronged him.
Many people, even his victims, were in awe at the sheer audacity of his attack, including the time, effort, and resources that went into building such an infernal machine in the first place. Marvin has been held up as a hero in the years since his rampage by many, particularly among anti-government types who view him as a good person who finally snapped after being pushed too far by “The Man.” The truth, however, is far more sad: that Heemeyer was a successful man who became consumed with perceived slights and petty grievances made against him, until he became so consumed with rage that he threw away everything that he’d ever worked for in a rampage that was just as much about self-destruction as it was about, well, regular destruction.
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Further Reading:
Killdozer: The True Story of the Colorado Bulldozer Rampage by Patrick Brower, Wilcox Swanson 2017
Missed the whole point of him originally buying the dozer, it was to build an access road from the road to his shop since the concrete plant was built in place of the original one
He didn’t buy it for that. He bought it solely for this vengeance.
@@hydra8845
No he didnt.
@@hydra8845 Even if that's true, and it's not, after all the ways he got fucked over I don't think it matters very much if he bought it specifically for his vengeance.
@@hydra8845wrong
Since there was no casualties, it should be called "the didn't kill anyone-dozer".
Chicks just don't get it.
By the most insane luck, yeah, I guess it didn't kill anyone
It was a fast evacuation response by local community and the police that got the civilians out of the way of the Dozer.
If not for the Fast Response, there would be alot more Casualties
Justicedozer
@@virtualcynical8515 he wasnt trying to kill anyone..he was proving a point
I’ve seen the documentary. This biography leaves out a LOT of details and circumstance that push this man over the edge. Terrible video.
Like what
@@ALIGwedew62 Like the concrete plant blocked the road to his business and he offered to build a road at his expense and the town said no. The town was really didn't like him. He didn't build it in secret lots of people knew about it.
I was so hoping Karl would be the host for this one because I want to hear his commentary on this so much. Simon did a Casual Criminalist on Marvin Heemeyer, and his commentary was great.
Best of both worlds
Yea, Simon's video pretty much contradicts this one in every pertinent way. I was hoping for better. Marvin was the victim of small town wealth and power. Anyone who has lived in a small town knows how small town politics is usually controlled by one or two wealthy families. And how they will use all the laws and ordinances to target a disfavored individual. Marvin was not a perfect person, but he didn't deserve what that town did to him either.
this was a poorly done video on the whole incident that took place. Anyone that has ever lived in a super small town that has less than 3 thousand people in it, know that village boards are packed full of the most vengeful assholes that inbreed out of excrement and they take it upon themselves to make certain people's lives miserable, with the power of the pen and Government authority. Take it from me as a trucker. I've been to Granby, well before this thing took place. There were a lot of assholes in that town. I remember the old mini golf place there before that was taken out. The town had a lot of jerks in it. You should live in a town of about 200 or 300 for about 10 years and see what you have to say about the experience.
I agree as I've seen what you speak of. Little people with a little power can cause a lot of problems.
Marvin’s story is the best reason for me to never move to some disgusting, small minded town.
You sir speak facts on that.
@@triggeredcat120 lol you've obviously never lived in a big city if you think it's better there
@@JohnDoe-pt7ru I do live in a big city of 1.4 million. I’ll take that over some hick town
I read that the city also cut off public access to his business.
They did, the small town politics and corruption is what lead to his outburst and motivation.
Yeah they really screwed him. They thought his business was an eye sore and tried to drive him out.
@@davidlancaster8152none of that is true. The people that beli3that grt their information from sources that want to build this man up as a hero. These lies are addressed in the video, and in the documentary they made about him. No one blocked his raod, no one disconnected his sewage, because it was never connected.
A couple of Wealthy Residents and the City Government completely conspired against this Man.
@@Jameywells777 You mean this man who heard God talking to him? This man who didn't care about the innocent, by anyone's standards, lives that he was endangering? The man who didn't think laws applied to him, the same laws that the "wealthy residents" did comply with?
Whistlin diesel brough me back here. I hope he reinforces the cooling system and stays away from basements.
Just watched his video before this one
Haha me to
Don't worry, its got a brand new radiator.
A reasonable man, forced to do unreasonable things.
Right a very reasonable man🤣
No "reasonable man" builds their own tank to rampage across their town on account of what amounts to a petty rage filled hissy fit.
You don't just construct a tank in a fit of rage one day! This was premeditated
Extremely reasonable, maybe the most reasonable person to ever live
A terminal narcissist suffering from paranoid delusions... he made up his enemies in his head.
The fact that one man was pushed to the brink of a level of engineering that no one could stop, is quite amazing, we will never really know his intent but he did something quite astonishing and also terrifying at the same time.
Yes we do. Go listen to his 2hrs worth of tapes he recorded. He was a reasonable man forced to do unreasonable things. Man was just trying to set himself up for retirement as we all do and was denied that.
@@brandonbrowning7502Stop making excuses for terrorists.
South Park should do an episode on this. Especially since this town is a real life South Park!
one of Cartman's deluded ideas
Killdozer is too important to be handled by a 6th grader's idea of "social commentary"
The town deliberately screwed him you should listen to his tapes
I have listened. He sounds like a narcissistic psychopath especially near the end of
@@hydra8845When I see a comment as unreasonable as yours, I think who is behind it (possibility - in descending order):
1) bot;
2) troll;
3) a corrupt person from Grand County who has been unable to overcome his fear and resentment for twenty years;
4) an unreasonable, brainwashed person who blindly believes the media.
@@hydra8845
When you get screwed left and right by the government, youd lose your mind too.
@@SvendleBerrieshe didn’t get screwed.
@@multiyapples
Only according to the local government that screwed him.
Actually, Marvin used the guns to blow up propane tanks and transformers. He was mostly focused on property damage.
He basically built a 21st century equivalent of a German A7V from WW1.
YO, hope you see this but you are a legit role model. Just a chill, regular dude, even though the channels huge. Very grounded and in touch with reality, so I hope the kids of today grow up to be like you.
His entire story is the exact reason I avoid towns like the plague.
I'm really surprised. The story I heard was that the town council voted to take his land and shut his business down. And he snapped after that
The Thompsons (Dick Thompson was mayor, his son Ron was on the sanitation board), in collusion with Marvin's neighbors (Harris, Collins) deliberately prevented Marvin from connecting to water and sewer line and then fined him for doing so. They shut down his business with the help of a corrupt court. The corrupt judge Georgia Noriyuki ruled that Marvin isn’t allowed to use his property or rent it out until he connects to water and sewer line. He couldn't hook up (without easement) because of the collusion of the locals against the "tourist", i.e. outsider, by then the Thompsons had already sold 22 acres of land to Cody Docheff and Harris had sold 2 acres of land to Docheff, and thus the plant came right up to Marvin's muffler shop, blocking the view of it. There was round-the-clock dust, noise and traffic from the plant, as well as trash and junk along the fence between the two properties.
@user-dt6dv5wu3y but they agreed he could put in a septic tank? And he also was offered to have those things if he dropped his lawsuit. Sounds like he was just mad and vindictive
@@EvilM0nkeyRuleshe couldn’t build or modify anything until the existing septic tank was brought up to code by hooking up to the sewers.
A judge also ruled he couldn’t rent out or lease out the property until the septic system was removed. The town claimed that they couldn’t do the sewer work so Marvin tried to do it himself and was denied.
There’s the “official story” which is what the people Marvin says wronged him say and there’s three hours of Marvin telling his side, the truth obviously is in between
@floivanus the town offered for him to build a new septic tank. A septic tank doesn't connect to the sewers. It's a hole with a tank. That fills over time. There was no existing septic tank he had a hole under the property and the waste filled it. He then tried putting it in the river. Which again is bad.
The town and the guy he was going against literally offered to help him build it if he would stop with his lawsuits that were just him being mad.
The townspeople even said he was a good guy until he thought someone had wronged him. He was mentally unstable.
He didn't want the concrete plant next to his business so he threw a fit. He wasn't a hero he was a mentally ill man who needed help
@@EvilM0nkeyRules He was. Everyone on here that's complaining about "the video isn't well made" are the same type of people he was: a narcissist that took any perceived slight as a crime against his rights, and if you disagree with them, you're a bootlicker.
On one hand, Marvin was definitely not trying to avoid a mass casualty event and kind of lucked into doing so through circumstance, so it's hard to lionize him.
On the other hand, if you've ever had to deal with the levels of pettiness & power hunger that happen with small town officials & those who benefit from being connected to them, you can kinda see where he was coming from.
You are so right! Local authorities can be the worst. Often Petty tyrants who are usually the least productive people in a community.
Los Angeles doesn't have problems, right? lol
18:09 the scrapers doing battle with the dozer are hilarious
Killdozer would be a name of a band
It is
Absolutely
Sorry, I've been out of the loop for a while, why is Simon no longer hosting Biographics?
Not complaining, btw, Karl is actually doing a good job
There is a video about it up on one of the three channels if you wanna know in more detail (biographics, geographics, toptenz) but the cliffnotes is that the owner of these three channels and Simon had a polite and agreeable falling out business wise and parted ways.
@@RHCole Simon leaving explains why views have fallen off a cliff lately...
@@DmT922ha "Cool"
@@RHCole I wonder how much of a split it was. I've noticed a few of the same editors and writers have been on both sides post-split. Part of me think they have maybe under the same production company still for the financials but in terms of production (writing, editing, and filming) they had to split for logistical reasons.
But how will simon exist if he is not on 40 channels?
The casual biographer 😅
Simon has been really putting in the effort with that Hair regrowth
Biographics: "so we're thinking of doing a video on Marvin Heem-"
Karl: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD LET ME TALK ABOUT THE KILLDOZER
RIP killdozer tread on those who tread on you
Kill Dozer is an example of engineering.
Perfect timing
What do you mean?
@@Jive33probably just sat down for a poo and got the notification for a new video.
@@R0mans13 whistlin diesel
A video on George Westinghouse and Rutherford B. Hayes please and thank you
Based Marvin
I see fact boy had to take a rest on this one😂
Yea I feel theres ALOT of info missing from this that explains more of the why.... This cut out ALOT of info....
Thanks for the video
funny because whistlindiesel is recreating the killdozer hahaha
Colorado on the map! Gandby/ Grand Lake is a beautiful area.
Thank you for the story!
You should really do a video abthe Tiny Town derailment here in CO. That was something.
I disagree with your assessment of his motivations. He was being royally screwed over by the local government cause of cronyism. I live in a small town and one can't get a good job here at the few places that pay a living rate unless your father, mother, grandpa, uncle, etc work there and get you on. The folks that do have family at these places often brag something like this "my dad is gonna get me on once I show him I can hold down anyone job for an entire year." This small town cronyism around here means these few places don't hire the best applicant for the job and year over year gradually lose their competitiveness so that the only places left are ones like the local electric company that has a de facto monopoly and practically a license to print money.
Marvin could of been easier to get along with and not caused himself as many problems as he did, but don't get it twisted I'm sure once the in group decided they didn't like him he didn't have a chance to get a fair shake. It is interesting how the story has evolved over time to make Marvin look progressively unhinged and any and every problem he had was totally his fault and everyone bent over backwards trying to appease him. Well Marvin ain't been here to defend himself and his motivations so I'm sure his "victims" have revised things to make him look worse and themselves like innocent saints.
The Thompsons run everything in Granby and are involved in some of the worst crimes.
The Thompsons and Docheffs not only pay corrupt journalists and bloggers, they pay PR company to spread misinform and slander. That's why there is so much false information about Marvin in the media.
Because of the Thompsons’ scam, Marvin lost about $500,000.The court (judges Doucette, Noriyuki, attorneys Dietze, Daley, Krob) was monstrously corrupt.
It was a conspiracy against the tourist, i.e. the outsider. Forgery, scams, abuse of power, bullying.
Marvin was the most reasonable and balanced man one could meet. But he was also a genius.
This Brit bought all of the rumors spread to discredit this man. He was reasonable until forced to be unreasonable.
He worked his ass off to build his business from the ground up and the local govt and lobbyists ruined his life's work.
So much disingenuous information in this video.
I was in college at CU that summer, it was WILD
But, now you use the OU (where I went to college around the same time) symbol in your profile picture...
dude i would totally keep that as something poeple could come see and check out those bulldozers are hard to find and super big great peices of machienry would be super cool to see one in person
You should do episodes about Doctor Kenneth Milner and Doctor Ewen Cameron (separate stories)
It’s the thing with the kids that gets me.
Serious question for the author/host/channel owner.
1) It is well known that Marvin lost about $500,000 because of the Thompsons scams. Are you really so rich that you think losing $500,000 is a "petty grievances"????
2) In your video you talk about "the price increase", but the historical fact is that there was no negotiation between Marvin and Cody. Cody was a psychopath, he threatened Marvin and wouldn't negotiate. How can you "raise the price" on a non-existent negotiation?
Marvin writes in his notes: «Had Cody just one time come to me with a counter offer, I would not have to be so unreasonable».
3) «among anti-government types». Marvin was a law-abiding, God-fearing man, paid his taxes and honestly tried to resolve the issue in court. He was never anti-government.
You have the opportunity to listen to Marvin's Audio tapes to learn the truth.
If you want to know more about the corruption in Granby, I suggest you read Liam Llewellyn's book "Malice" where the Thompsons, Docheffs, Doucette and Dietze are labeled as a criminal network.
I tend to believe what you wrote here. There is a nepotism in these small towns that is absolutely disgusting. This guy with a British accent doesn't seem fit to talk about this episode with my h credibility. It's Like someone with a thick southern accent discussing the protocols of the royal family.
I don't know where you're getting for your information but the city was forcing him to join the sewer system and he refused This is the first I've ever heard about allowing him to put a septic system in They also used the concrete company to block access to his business
He debunked both of these claims in the video. That was just what was in that nuts head. He was clearly crazy
@@jjwallnutts4341 Not according to the documentary
@jjwallnutts4341 he didn't debunk it, he just said city said they didn't. Literally everything I've read or watched including documentaries disagrees.
There was a book written about this by one of the journalists who lived in Granby and worked for their newspaper that covers all of this. I've never heard of anywhere that a person has not been allowed to install a septic tank rather than hooking into sewerage. Why wouldn't they have let him?
@@AdamBomb891 Here's my experience with where I work we have a septic system and they wanted us to To remove our septic system and force us To join their sewer system Had to take it to court to defend it Since we are now where the county area starts in the city area limits end
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Ben has not provided his social media links yet.
Wow, that closing really hit a note. You basically just described the exact psychology of the extreme right wingers currently running rampant the world over. Dude was like a canary in a coal mine when you think about it.
Hope the websites will be updated!
Is it intentional that you still have a header for Simon's other channels in the video description?
The European mind cannot comprehend
There was a movie of the week years ago by that name. I think Clint Walker was in it.
It was released in 1974 and was based on a short story (also called "Killdozer") that was published in 1944.
I found it crazy one man made a bulldozer so strong they nearly called in an Appache
lets see if this biographics stands up to the count dankula version..... i don't have my hopes up for this version already. dankula's mad lads are hard to live up to
We see they are not on the same political views lol! 2 diferent views for sure
Colorado gang unite (Inside not outside in the negative temperatures lol).
this is the first time I heard he had incindiary rounds.
I was always willing to be reasonable, until they forced me to be unreasonable.
Did you even watch the video
In the future, you will own nothing and be happy.
You just described Star Trek.
Amazing work as always karl! Suggestion: Harold godwinson the last anglo saxon king of england❤❤❤❤❤
Unfathomably based
Loved this episode. Well done
This episode was terrible. You should watch the documentary.
Dank did a way better job on this
Almost 20 year anniversary of the Patriot dozer
Perfect timing , whistlindiesal brought me here
That thing weighed well over 100 tons😂
Ok but killdozer would make a sweet metal band name 😂😂
It is a band
Isn't it time to make Karl the regular host soon? He's doing a great job! 😃
Could you do a Biographic on Sputnik Monroe?
By the way, would be interesting to see how the life of Confucius was like
Other retellings certainly left part's out.
So you didn’t even cover the fact that he bought the dozer along with a bunch of concrete and asphalt to build a road for access to his business since the concrete plant blocked existing access and the town prevented him from building that?
You’re saying that he bought the dozer with the express intent of using it as Killdozer?
This “biography” seems a little biased…
Big agree, this whole video is trash. This guy is either straight up propaganda or he did zero research. Either way it's a big F
Agree. This whole video reeks of Granby politics.
I would love to see a video on Joe Louis or maybe American actor Steve McQueen.
Sounds like guy telling the story is a government heel
Engagement!
There's a song about this called "Killdozer" by XONOR
Im mostly on Marvins Side, but he contradicts himself in his own recording. He claims if someone bought his property, he would just leave. So a trash company paid 400k for the property and let him back rent the garage.he could of walked away right there.
But, i think he wanted revenge, he had a vision for his shop, but got into trouble because of a cement company. The thing that got him really screwed up that he needed a sewer and water line. But for him to instal it, would cost 70k+ and the owner of the property he needs to go through, was the cement company. Also the dad of the cement company owner is the president of waste management for this town. He never had a notice about the sewage line until the cement company wanted to expand.
He was charged over 200k from the government for failing to instal the sewage lines.
Marvin was a very lonley man, and wanted to go out in his own terms. I find it quite sad that the town absolutely hates him, even tho every building that was destroyed was fixed and the town got millions on top of millions for the incident.
Marvin talks about the amount of 450 thousand dollars, then he would walk away from this. He sold his property to Travis and Bob for $400,000 and paid $40,000 in taxes.
Because of the Thompsons' scams, Marvin lost about 500 thousand dollars, this money was his future, his retirement.
I remember this story. he went crazy
I genuinely never knew the full story of this all the vids I watched pretty much skipped over the motives all together so thanks for teaching me the true story
He left out a lot of key details. Skewing it to make him look more like a monster than he actually is
Matthew Ridgway biography please make video
You’re a content Killdozer, Karl!
American legend
Am I the only one who took notice of bros name…?
Ayyy Karl Smallwood, didn't expect to see fact fiend right now lol
I love finding simon and karl then realizing they work together. Do things sound smarter from brits?
I love you man.... and the Hawaiian shirt....! ❤
Why are you calling it killdozer? Who did he kill with it?
This would make a great movie
"Sometimes reasonable men must do unreasonable things."
RIP Marvin.
Heemeyer is the patron saint of FAFO.
astounding. great reporting.
I can't think of anything MORE American than violent insurrection. 1776 they didnt ask nice.
Sorry, Karl, Killdozer has already been claimed as a band name in 1983. Though they did break up in 1996, soooo....
Killdozer is the funniest meme shit ever.
He was pushed to the point but had the balls to do what we all want to do in rush hour traffic
Pushed over the edge? Wow Y'all wouldn't say that if it was a black person.
@@TheSunkissedmein2000why you gotta bring race into this?
I kinda want to build a replica killdozer. You know, just to have.
I like how you you guys at biographics forget to mention the wealthy families who had ties tot he local government and were purposely not letting him get permits.
You guys literally just lied about a situation and it's pretty bad bad when you lie for views.
Got sources?
The town itself. Plus you can literally go to the town and there's people there who have this all documented. Plus you can literally watch documentary on him where they tell you all about it. He was in a bidding war for his property. He won it over a rich guy in the town, when the guy tried buying him out he aid no and the rich family then started messing with him because of there ties to the local government.
Do your research. You can literally find this out anywhere.
So pretty much a Roch guy messed around and found out why you don't mess with people. Im not saying what he did was right but they were trying to ruin him so he retaliated back.
Reminds me of the novel “Roadwork”
Open your eyes boy! We are getting squeezed more and more each day...
Watch Count Dankula's video on this for a more in-depth look at the screwing Marvin took.
Theres a better Bio about Marvin by a YT channel named PoPo Medic.
Fun Fact: during this time Governor Owens, the guy who called out the national guard, excepted a collect call from me from the nut house, where i was held illegally, and got me out in 36 hours. He didn't know me, i wasn't even a Republican and didn't vote for him. Impressed me. All the while Marvin was on his rampage. A collect call from 120 miles away.
First I’ve heard that he could have just put in a septic tank and been done with it. Sounded like the city wanted his money, and went about it in all the worst ways.
Saint Marvin
R.I.P Marvin Heemeyer you were one of the strong and proud. Wish the rest of the world were as strong and open minded as you and willing to do what needs to be done. God Bless you and hope I get to see you in Heaven
HoAX.
Ever wonder why certain BIG stories always end up in the same states
More likely he’s in Hell unless he asked for forgiveness for his sins.
Can you do Jefferson F. Davis
Was he wrong, tho?
Yes.
No.
Tread on those who tread on you.
Rest easy killdozer