On July 9, 2014, 23-year-old Cory Still left his St. Matthews, South Carolina, home without knowing what awaited him. He was handcuffed and placed in the back of an old truck shortly after his car was stopped by persons posing as police officers. ‘FBI True: Cartel Kidnapping’ on Paramount+ details the shocking occurrence and demonstrates how Cory was ultimately freed. Let’s explore the specifics of the incident and learn where Cory is right now, shall we?
Who is Cory Still?
Cory Still, a citizen of St. Matthews, South Carolina, was only 23 years old when he was abducted. Additionally, despite continuing to live with his family, he managed a successful independent roofing company and was well-known in the neighbourhood. In reality, those who knew Cory spoke highly of him as a polite and giving young man who treated others with kindness and kept cordial ties with the majority of them. On top of that, he had just been engaged and was eager to wed his fiancée.
According to rumours, Cory’s father and some of his uncles had ties to the Sinaloa Cartel and were originally from Mexico. One of the largest drug gangs in Mexico, it is infamous for carrying out premeditated assassinations and conducting international drug trafficking. According to additional information from the sources, Cory’s father and his uncles were in charge of receiving the shipment of cocaine from Mexico before dispersing it in the United States. Although the cartel originally sent only a little amount of the narcotic, they quickly started to raise their shipments until tractors upon tractors of cocaine were being sent into South Carolina illegally.
Naturally, Cory’s father understood that keeping the operation secret would be impossible, and when the cartel refused to heed his request for smaller shipments, he insisted on leaving the firm. But since most drug cartels despise deserters, his family was in serious peril after he was labelled a traitor. In addition, the fact that Cory and his uncles did not get along made it easier for them to pick on the 23-year-old. So, on July 9, 2014, two cartel members pretended to be law enforcement officials and pulled him aside as soon as he left his house.
The 23-year-old was then placed in the back of a truck while being shackled by the two men at gunpoint. As soon as Cory’s family learned of his missing, they immediately contacted the police. Nevertheless, due to their involvement in drug running, they were reticent to divulge many facts. The kidnappers got in touch in the interim and asked for $200,000 in exchange for Cory’s life. Therefore, when his family realised they would lose the 23-year-old for refusing to cooperate, they were forced to come clean with the police.
After getting involved, the FBI sent out surveillance planes to survey the entire region while a technical team located the whereabouts of the person who had made the ransom call. In addition, two cartel members who were detained for a separate crime divulged details about potential safehouses where the cartel might be harbouring Cory. He was discovered connected to a home gym equipment in Roseboro after coordinated raids by the police, FBI, and local SWAT teams using a list of addresses.
Where is Cory Still Now?
After Cory was saved, the police detained Juan Morales, the ransom caller, Luis Castro Villeda, and Ruben Ceja-Rangel, three cartel members. Castro Villeda admitted to conspiring to abduct someone outside of his home state and received a 30-year prison term; nevertheless, Juan and Ruben were found guilty of conspiring to commit kidnapping and crimes involving weapons and received sentences of 41 and 56 years, respectively.
It’s interesting to note that according to FBI reports, Cory Still was later detained and even admitted to plotting to distribute marijuana. But after being released from jail, he wed his fiancée and moved to St. Matthews, South Carolina. Currently, Cory continues to operate his roofing company out of South Carolina while still being a devoted father.
