A mother was forced to rob a bank to save her daughter's life after they were kidnapped and threatened with dynamite

The intruders showed Renee what looked like a doorbell

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.