A prominent figure in the media industry met a tragic end when he was buried alive in a 6-foot box during a botched kidnapping.
Stephen Small, a well-known businessman with prestigious family ties, fell victim to a disastrous scheme orchestrated by a small-time drug dealer named Danny Edwards. Edwards intended to ransom Small for $1 million but things took a deadly turn during the kidnapping.
Small, aged 30 at the time, was the heir to a substantial fortune as the son of Burrell L. Small, a prominent figure in the broadcasting industry. Edwards, posing as a police officer, lured Small into his trap on September 2, 1987, and subsequently demanded a ransom from Small’s wife, Nancy. Despite multiple ransom demands, the family struggled to decipher the instructions left by the kidnappers.
In a desperate move, Edwards buried Small alive in a makeshift box in a forest in Kankakee, Illinois. To sustain Small’s life, the box was equipped with essential supplies. Edwards coerced Nancy Rish, his terrified accomplice, to assist in the heinous act under threats of violence against her son.
Following the 1987 incident, Rish faced a tumultuous journey that led to her release from prison in 2022 due to changes in the law concerning victims of intimate partner violence. Edwards, initially sentenced to death for Small’s murder, had his punishment commuted to life imprisonment.
Rish expressed remorse for her involvement in the crime, asserting that she did not knowingly participate in the fatal events. Despite the tragedy, she took responsibility for her actions and extended her deepest apologies to Small’s family.
Rish’s defense team, led by Margaret Byrne, highlighted the enduring impact of domestic violence on Rish’s life. Byrne emphasized Rish’s coerced involvement in the crime, citing threats made against her son by Edwards.
The legal proceedings saw a reduction in Rish’s sentences for murder and kidnapping, reflecting the complexities of the case. The Small family did not oppose the ruling, and Rish was released on parole in February 2022 after serving three decades behind bars.