How Michelle Renee Was Forced To Rob a bank To Save Her Daughter

In November of 2000, Michelle Renee was held hostage with her 7-year-old daughter Breea and then forced to rob the Bank of America branch in Vista, California, where she worked as the manager.

Renee lived with her daughter Breea and another person in Vista, California. Renee and Breea were at home on the couch on the night of November 21, 2000, when three armed men in black masks broke in through the back door. They put guns to the heads of Renee and her 7-year-old child and forced them to the ground.

They used duct tape to tie Renee and Breea up. Renee thought she heard Breea ask "Do you plan to kill my mother? You're going to kill me, right?" One of the men said, "No, not if your mom does everything we tell her to do."

Renee says that one of the masked men who talked the most seemed to be in charge. He told her that they had been keeping an eye on her for months. They knew where Renee worked, and the next morning they wanted her to rob her bank.

All night, Michelle, Breea Renee, and their roommate were held hostage by the people who broke in. They talked about how they were going to rob the bank and said they would kill Michelle if she didn't do what they said. The men put something they said was dynamite on Renee, her daughter, and their roommate in the morning.

Renee was shown what looked like a doorbell by the people who broke in. She says that she was told it was a detonation device and that if she did something wrong, the dynamite could go off. Renee says that the ringleader told them: "You will disintegrate if you try to run. If you do something funny, you will all be killed."

She Does What They Wanted

The leader of the gang was hiding in the back seat of Michelle Renee's Jeep as she drove to the bank. While she was driving, he put a gun to her side and told her, "Do everything you normally do."

Renee waited for the Brinks truck with a stick of dynamite on her back. She had her usual briefcase, but it was full of a duffel bag she was told to fill with money from the vault. Once the Brinks truck got there, she grabbed her briefcase and went into the vault. She put as much money as she could in the duffle bag as fast as she could.

A few minutes later, Renee walked out of the bank with $360,000 and gave it to the ringleader, who was waiting in her Jeep. He gave her directions, took the money, and told her, "... go home right away. Avoid going to the bank. Don't phone the police. Nothing."

Renee ran home, where she found Breea and their roommate safe and sound. After taking the dynamite off their backs, the men left the house. But the leader of the gang forgot that Renee was carrying dynamite on her back.

The Dynamites Were Fake

Renee, Breea, and their roommate fled to the closest neighbor, who quickly called 911 and summoned help. The dynamite that had been used to scare them was shortly discovered to be fake.

It appeared to be nothing more than broomstick pieces that had been broken up, painted red, strapped with wires, and given a dynamite-like appearance.

Arresting The Culprits

Renee recognized the ringleader's eyes during the hostage scenario because he had been at the bank hours before the break-in, pretending to be a customer. He had discussed creating a new account with Renee and had even given her his business card. She claims that she informed investigators of the robbery "Check my desk. Get that card." Christopher Butler was written as the name on the card.

On December 1, 2000, Lisa Ramirez and Christopher Butler were taken into custody following a traffic stop.

Police discovered some damning evidence in the car's trunk and glove box, including Michelle Renee's credit cards, bank money straps, a BB gun that resembled the real gun Renee had described, the duffle bag used to take the money out of the bank, black clothing, and ski masks similar to those Renee had described.

Through interviews, the other two men who had Michelle and Breea Renee as hostages were also found--Chris Huggins and Robert Ortiz.

Christopher Butler was found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap for robbery, two counts of kidnapping for ransom, first-degree robbery, and two counts of theft. He was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences plus 52 years in prison. Christopher Huggins and Robert Ortiz, the other two men in this case, were also found guilty in separate trials.

References and Further Readings:

Christopher Butler and Lisa Ramirez: Where Are Michelle Renee’s Kidnappers Now?

'You're gonna rob the bank for us, or you will die': Mother forced to break into BoA branch she managed when kidnappers strapped fake dynamite on her and her daughter reveals how she helped catch thieves