0:00
What I'm going to ask for you to do is to do some buys from me then, okay? Where you'd have to wear a wire, you'd
0:05
have to go buy marijuana from individuals, and then um you know,
0:10
depending upon how you do and so forth, you know, a lot of this could go away.
0:16
It was the kind of place where people never bothered to lock their doors. But all of that changed in May of 2014 when
0:22
Andrew Sadek vanished without a trace. His car was found parked but soden
0:27
inside. His wallet untouched, his phone off, surveillance camera not working,
0:33
and Andrew himself gone. This would remain the same for several weeks. But
0:38
then, only 2 months later, something horrifying was discovered in the nearby river. What followed was a rabbit hole
0:45
of secrecy, lies, and behindthecenes dealings that no one, especially his
0:50
parents, were prepared for. Because it turns out that Andrew was not just another student. In fact, he had been
0:57
pulled into something far more dangerous and confidential and something that may have actually in the end cost him
1:04
everything. But why? Who was really pulling the strings behind this kid? And
1:10
how does a small town college student just suddenly disappear overnight? And
1:15
even more peculiar, why was law enforcement at the center of this mystery? Welcome, or welcome back to
1:21
Coffee House Crime, folks. My name is Adrian, and in this case, the deeper you go, the more unsettling it becomes. So,
1:28
I think we all know of a case or two where law enforcement seems to get in the middle of some rather shady business. Well, this is one of those
1:35
stories. In fact, it's probably one of the most peculiar yet. Before we begin, if you like true crime, strange, or
1:41
chilling stories, then please do consider subscribing as it really does help the channel out. And now with that
1:46
said, please grab yourself a coffee and let's caffeinate while we investigate. This is the case of Andrew
North Dakota
2:02
Saddak. If you were to fly over the United States at night, there is one spot that might seem quieter than the
2:08
rest and almost forgotten. And that stillness, that is North Dakota, a place of vast skies, endless plains, and many
2:16
towns where everyone knows your name, or at least pretends not to. It is no surprise that this is the third least
2:22
popular state in the country. However, don't let that fool you, because this quiet stretch of the Midwest has seen
2:28
its fair share of unsettling mysteries. From oil boom towns that rose and fell
2:34
faster than the price of crude to remote farmhouses where secrets can be buried deeper than the frost line, North Dakota
2:40
holds much more than just wheat and wind. In fact, here is one chilling detail for you. The entire state has
2:48
fewer people than the city of San Francisco, but in contrast has twice as many unsolved disappearances per capita.
2:55
And so here's a simple question for you. What does that tell you about the state's ability to solve murders and
3:01
disappearances? This is the kind of place where a stranger's face will automatically stand out and where the
3:06
line between local gossip and an active investigation is paper thin. I mean, it's scenic, sure, but if you read
3:13
between the lines, you'll notice corruption. And I'm not just talking bologoney here because within this story
3:18
alone, there are many vulnerable questions within local law enforcement. And so on that note, you better buckle
3:25
up because these waters, they don't just run deep, they run dark. It was on May the 1st of 2014 that something very
3:32
unsettling happened on one of North Dakota's student campuses. It was on that morning, and I should say the very
3:38
early morning hours, that one of their students, Drew Kougall, woke up to realize that his roommate, Andrew, was
The Case
3:45
missing. Today's mystery begins in Nordgard Hall, which is a student dormatory in Waterton, North Dakota.
3:52
Found on the northern side of campus, Nordgard services the North Dakota State College of Science. It's part of the
3:58
city of Waterton and is found right on the Red River, which just so happens to be the border between North Dakota and
4:05
Minnesota. With a population of more than 8,000 residents, almost half of the people here are students. And just by
4:12
looking at this map, you can see that there is plenty of wilderness surrounding the city. It was the night
4:17
prior where 20-year-old Andrew Saddak had returned to his dormatory with his friends, where they then proceeded to
4:23
watch a movie together in one of the dormatory suites. They shared a few snacks, spoke about their coursework,
4:29
and then eventually decided to head to bed. But when his roommates woke up the following morning, Drew realized that
4:35
Andrew was nowhere to be found. Now, at first, Drew and all of Andrew's friends were not particularly worried. Andrew
4:42
had a girlfriend living nearby anyway, so maybe he went to spend the night with her. But when he failed to show up to
4:48
all of his classes later that day and then failed to show up in the evening, they all knew that something was wrong.
4:54
The following day, Drew and his friends reported Andrew's missing to campus police. Within the hour, officers had
5:00
inspected the surveillance cameras, and what they found was concerning. At 2:00 a.m. on May the 1st of 2014, a
5:07
surveillance camera captured Andrew leaving the building. He was alone and at the time was wearing jeans and a
5:13
Tampa Bay Buccaneers hooded sweatshirt. It also appeared that he seemed to be carrying a black backpack. Officers
5:20
noted that he was also carrying his cell phone, which mysteriously had since been
5:25
turned off. But what happened next or where he went to is almost anybody's
5:30
guess because at least on official record, this is the last known image of Andrew alive. However, let me tell you,
5:38
so much more was about to happen both in and around the community of Wapton. And
5:43
this story will leave you shocked beyond words with many questions. Now, honestly, there is so much to say here
5:50
that I'm actually struggling to formulate a way to say all of it in a way that makes sense. So, please bear
5:55
with me here. As the news of Andrew's disappearance spread around town, many local residents and students alike all
6:01
pitched in to try and find him. And of course, when his parents found out that he was missing, they were absolutely
6:07
terrified. However, it turns out that Andrew had actually been harboring his own secrets in the background, which
6:13
were only built by other secrets and deals made with other people, including the police. In fact, this investigation
6:19
would get extremely messy for everyone involved. And so, to make things more straightforward, let's first go back in
6:26
time to look at Andrew's history before we find out what happened to him.
Andrews Background
6:31
Born on November the 22nd, 1993, Andrew was raised on his family's cattle farm
6:37
near Rogers in North Dakota. He was one of two children shared by his mother Tammy and father John with his brother
6:43
Nicholas only a couple of years older. However, tragedy struck the family at a young age when Nicholas was tragically
6:50
killed in a grade crossing accident near the family home. This understandably had a huge impact on Andrew's childhood and
6:58
both his family and teachers alike would describe him as both quiet and shy. Andrew was known to be a very loving
7:04
child, but also he never really had much to say. While growing up, he attended Valley City High School and then after
7:12
graduating aspired to become an electrical technician. It was for this reason that he decided to study at North
7:18
Dakota State College of Science, where of course they were able to provide the certification he required. Outside of
7:25
school, he enjoyed lake activities, golfing, bowling, and working with electrical systems. His dreams were also
7:31
rooted in his family, and he aspired to eventually take over the family farm. His mother would also describe him as a
7:38
home body, and the young man always kept his nose out of trouble, except for one minor speeding ticket. However, on the
7:44
notion of staying out of trouble, Andrew found himself in hot water back in April of 2013, and that marked the beginning
7:51
of his downward spiral. Now, this isn't rare at all. In fact, it's extraordinarily common. However, while
7:57
in college, Andrew would step out of his comfort zone and try weed for the first time. Eventually, this was a habit that
8:03
stuck, and Andrew would try weed on a semi-regular basis. He would even go as far as to sell a gram or two to his
8:09
friends from time to time. But it's worth saying here that this was quite literally one, two, or three grams per
8:15
sale. This was definitely not big money. And that would be the first Domino to fall over because, as it turns out, one
8:22
of the students that Andrew was selling to was actually an undercover agent working for Sama, a local drug
8:28
enforcement agency. As a result, Sama performed a consent search on Andrew's dorm room, where they would find a
8:34
plastic grinder with marijuana residue. And although Andrew did admit that the weed was his, he was not arrested or
8:41
charged at the time. But then the following day, a certain deputy would pay him a little visit. And let's just
8:47
say he came on pretty strong with the possible ramifications. As a result, Andrew was taken down to the local
8:54
police station to discuss his possible options. And I think it's best that I just play the tape and let you come to
9:00
your own conclusion. It's your birthday today.
9:05
Probably not what you want to be doing on your birthday, huh?
9:13
As you can see in this surveillance footage, right off the bat, the officer seemed to try to scare Andrew into
9:19
submission. The officer claimed that since both of these sales were made on campus grounds, they are considered to
9:25
be class A felonies. He then went on to say that Andrew could face up to 40
9:30
years behind bars with a $40,000 fine. All right. Well, you expressed interest
9:35
that you probably want to help yourself out. Yeah. Okay. Like I said, you're facing two felonies and then of course a
9:41
misdemeanor charge from yesterday. Two felonies uh of deliveries uh since they took place on campus. Both of them um
9:48
they're enhanced, so they're cost a felonies. Uh 20 years in prison, $20,000 fine and or both. Okay. So potentially
9:57
the max is 40 years in prison, $40,000 fine. You understand that? Yeah. Okay. Obviously, you're probably not going to
10:03
get 40 years, but uh is it a good possibility that you're going to get some prison time? Um if you don't help
10:09
yourself out, yeah, there is. Okay. That's probably not a way to start off your young adult life and your career,
10:15
right? It was at this stage that the officer then admitted that he would likely not face the maximum sentence.
10:22
However, here comes the punchline because immediately after he would then go on to say that if Andrew were to work
10:28
for them as a confidential informant, then they would significantly reduce his punishment. What I'm going to ask for
10:34
you to do is to do some bias for me then. Okay? Where you'd have to wear a wire, you'd have to go buy marijuana
10:40
from individuals and then um you know, depending upon how you do and so forth,
10:47
you know, a lot of this could go away. you know, are you is it all going to go away? Probably not. Are you going to
10:52
probably have to plead guilty to like maybe a misdemeanor possession of marijuana? Probably, you know, um but at
10:59
least you're not pleading guilty to felonies. Okay. Is that fair enough? Very fair. Okay. The officer then
11:06
immediately proceeded to squeeze as much information out of Andrew as possible. This included the information of his
11:13
dealers, their arrangements, and even if any of his friends do drugs. Well, I'll
11:18
sign you up and then you it's up to you to make your contacts, okay? And go from there. Um, you know, we got to, you know, you
11:26
got two felonies hanging over your head. So, we're going to look at probably doing um each individual we do, we have
11:34
to do two deals on. Okay. So, you're going to have to do two deals on per individual. And then, um, we're going to
11:40
be looking at probably, you know, three or four individuals that you're going to have to do. Okay. Okay. Is that fair
11:45
enough? I mean, it sounds like you already got two for sure that you can do. It's just a matter of doing two more.
11:52
And like I said, we'll give you the time to do it. You know, relatively speaking, I don't want it to go into the summer,
11:58
obviously, and stuff. But we want to, the faster we can get it cleared up, the faster you can get it cleared up. Do you understand? I understand. So, um, we
12:06
just got some paperwork that we're going to do, um, real quick and then, uh, we'll get you
12:14
rolling. And then, quite literally within 10 minutes of beginning this conversation, he then proceeded to get
12:20
Andrew to sign an official contract as a confidential informant. Not only that,
12:25
but here are a few other surprising things which were said. Uh do you understand that as a confidential format
12:31
that you are not an employee of the state of North Dakota nor are you entitled to workman's compensation or unemployment benefits from the state of
12:37
North Dakota and will not hold the state liable for any injuries or damages incurred by your reason association with
12:42
BCI. Yes. Basically uh your days of smoking weed, possession weed, possession of drug manilia are done.
12:49
Yes. Okay. While you're working with me. Now, once we're done working, if you want to go back to your old ways and do
12:55
whatever, then it's just a cat mouse game again between me and you. You understand? Yes. While you're working, you need to stay clean, okay? If you get
13:02
jammed up in trouble with the police or anything, don't tell the any law enforcement officers that you are associated with me, okay? At the time,
13:08
whatever you did, take your lumps and then you call me afterwards, okay? And then we'll work it out. Um, you're going to have to check in with me every so
13:14
often, um, that we see fit. um if you don't check in with me or if I lose contact with you, I'm just going to
13:20
assume that you don't want to work anymore and then I'm just going to cut the warrants for your arrest and then throw you in jail. Now, in the interest
13:25
of time, I'll cut the video there, but in short, it is quite clear to see that Andrew was being coerced by the officer
13:31
to work for Sama as some sort of confidential informant. Now, this is just an opinion here, but I have to say
13:37
the way that the officer tried to control this situation is extremely shady. I mean, from what I see, he
13:43
abused his power, exaggerated the information, and then tried to rush Andrew into some sort of contract. And
13:49
by the way, this was before Andrew had any chance to have any legal representation or even speak to his
13:54
friends or family. And again, because this is a really important fact, Andrew was caught selling 4 1/2 g of weed. Not
14:01
kilograms, but quite literally grams. He wasn't some sort of drug lord. He was just a student selling a tiny amount.
14:08
And obviously it's worth mentioning, but weed is literally legal in some states now. It's also questionable if Andrew
14:14
would have ever been sentenced at all, let alone probation or a brief stop in jail. And so to be threatened with 40
14:21
years behind bars, that is absolutely
The Aftermath
14:26
insane. Despite the glaring imbalance of power, Andrew would eventually agree to
14:31
work for Samar. He was quite clearly shaken and scared for what any sentence, whether that be big or small, might mean
14:38
for his future. And so it is no surprise that he eventually cooperated. By the
14:44
end of April 2013, Andrew had completed his first and second controlled buys and
14:49
as a result, effectively luring yet another student into the hands of law enforcement. It is worth noting here
14:56
that during his interrogation, the officer told him it would all be over by Christmas. But Christmas would come and
15:02
then go, and Andrew, he was still on the hook. After a brief pause over the Christmas period, he would then resume
15:09
his role in January of 2014. This time, he purchased a small quantity of
15:14
marijuana from a brand new dealer. But following that buy, something seemed to change and Andrew stopped responding to
15:21
Sama. Now, technically, and according to his contract, he did still owe them. He was expected to organize a second
15:28
purchase from this new dealer. and then snare a third one entirely. However, he would never make those buys. In the real
15:36
world, he had began to move on. He was preparing for graduation, interviewing for electrician jobs in Bismar and Grand
15:42
Forks, and had even began to see someone new. So, you could say that his life was
15:47
now beginning to bloom. However, behind the scenes, a dangerous game still loomed, and Andrew was running out of
15:55
time. It was on the weekend of April the 25th, 2014 that Andrew returned to his
16:00
family home to spend time with his parents. He seemed happy and there was nothing to indicate that anything was
16:06
wrong with Andrew even spending his time to tend to the family's cattle. It was a quiet visit, the kind that offered a
16:13
brief escape from the pressures of college life and the secret he was carrying. the following night and after
16:19
traveling 120 mi back to his dorm, his mother Tammy decided to call him. This
16:25
call was only a quick check-in, and nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. Andrew seemed happy. Not only
16:31
was he occupied with his work, but he was ready to gear up for his exams. And so, there was nothing to indicate that
16:38
anything was wrong. However, unknown to her, this would be the last time that anyone in his family would ever hear
16:46
from him. And as we know, only a few days later, Andrew put on a sweatshirt, walked off
The Search
16:52
campus, and was never seen alive again. And so, as you can see, our confidential
16:57
informant's backstory was not entirely straightforward. And this would eventually play suspicion not only on
17:03
him, but also his officer and even Seamka. But Sema would not react kindly
17:08
either because in light of his disappearance, they merely assumed that he had fled and left his former life behind because he didn't want to work
17:15
for them. Which is entirely wild to assume, by the way, because Andrew had so much going for him. I mean, not only
17:21
was he ready to graduate and had several interviews lined up, but he loved his partner. He was ready for the next stage
17:27
of his life. But with Sema being Sama, their response was not to worry about Andrew's safety, but to slap two
17:34
felonies on him instead, hoping it would eventually lure him back. But Andrew never showed up. And despite these
17:40
charges, his silence persisted. Oh, and by the way, his parents were quite literally shocked to realize that not
17:47
only was their son quite literally a confidential informant, but now had two felonies under his belt, too. Now, in my
17:54
opinion, it is very likely that Andrew never told his parents because he was too embarrassed to admit that not only was he taking drugs, but he was caught
18:01
with them, too. And of course, once the media got hold of the news, this put the police, Sama, and many others in the
18:07
spotlight. Search parties grew by the day as residents, students, officers, and friends all chipped in to try and
18:15
find him. Search efforts focused on a 5mi radius around campus, which included the nearby rivers, woodlands, and
18:22
fields. However, sadly, no sign of him was found. In the meantime, his parents
18:27
pleaded for him to come home. But still, there was nothing. And as the days turned into weeks, and then weeks into a
18:34
month, hope slowly began to dwindle, while both fear and dread remained steady. While his friends and family
18:41
were desperate to find answers, the police response felt quite underwhelming. In addition to this, as
18:47
the spring unfolded, the Red River started to swell with seasonal rainfall, thus reaching its typical maximum flood
18:54
height. The authorities claimed that as a result, the conditions were far too dangerous for a proper search. But they
19:00
did reassure everyone that they'd revisit the river once the waters receded. That was expected to be around
19:06
1 month after Andrew's disappearance. However, that search would never happen.
19:11
Instead, almost two months later, fate would take a different course for them. It was on June the 27th, 2014 that a
19:19
local dive team was conducting routine training exercise near Breenbridge, Minnesota. And it was in that moment
19:25
that they made a chilling discovery. At the bottom of the river, they found him. Andrew's body had been resting beneath
19:32
the surface all along. And after being identified through his dental records, there was no doubt that this body
19:39
belonged to him. It turns out that this was not a simple case of merely lying low or running away. In fact, Andrew had
19:46
not been hiding at all. On the contrary, he was dead. What was both very interesting and concerning here is that
19:53
the authorities branded Andrew's death as self-inflicted. And that's because after pulling his body from the Red
20:00
River, they noticed that he had a small caliber gunshot wound to the head. Now, I'll explain soon enough why they think
20:06
this meant that he'd ended his own life. But if you want my honest opinion, I really don't think this was the case.
20:13
Nevertheless, this discovery was awful. It was also noted that he was wearing a backpack loaded with rocks, therefore
20:20
suggesting an apparent attempt to weigh himself down. To some, this looked like a tragic yet fairly straightforward
20:26
case. But for others, especially those who knew him, things didn't quite add up, and for very good reason, too. For
20:32
starters, no weapon was found at the scene. And that detail alone caused some serious doubt because if Andrew had
20:39
really taken his own life, then surely it would be nearby. After all, a body cannot dispose of its own weapon. But
20:46
then came another curveball because as it turns out, the family's firearm was now missing from the farmhouse. And so
20:52
the authorities assumed that maybe Andrew had stolen it and then used it on himself. But then again, if that were
20:58
true, then where was the firearm? Because surely something that heavy would now be at the bottom of the river.
21:04
There was also the question of motive because Andrew seemed to be quite happy. And by the way, toxicology reports would
21:10
indicate that there were no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time. His friends and family would also confirm
21:15
that in the days leading up to his disappearance, Andrew seemed happy, upbeat, and there were no warning signs
21:21
whatsoever. He had a lot going on for him. Like I said before, he had friends, family, graduation was coming up, and he
21:28
had multiple interviews lined up, too. There was no reason for him to want to take his own
The Evidence
21:35
life. Now, I'd like to draw your attention to this surveillance image. Take a close look at the clothes he was
21:42
wearing on his way out and how easily recognizable they were. Well, it turns out that they were not the same clothing
21:48
his body was found in. In fact, the clothing found in the river were not his at all because nobody recognized them.
21:56
His key personal belongings, which included his wallet, were also missing from the scene, and his parents did not
22:01
recognize the backpack either, so it likely didn't belong to him. No surprise, but the more that these
22:07
details unraveled, the murkier things became. The theory of him merely taking his own life began to feel increasingly
22:14
forced and almost convenient for the authorities. Wouldn't you agree? Either way, law enforcement stuck to it.
22:20
However, you can probably guess that this evidence left far too many questions unanswered. Now, let's talk
22:27
about the car because I believe these details are widely understated. After Andrew vanished, his family picked his
22:33
car up from campus. Now, to begin with, nothing seemed out of place and all was fine. And then they opened the trunk.
22:40
The carpets inside were thoroughly soaked. And as for the spare tire well, well, that was covered with several
22:47
inches of standing water. Now, of course, this could be explained in one of two ways. Either A, the car had
22:53
recently been somewhere extraordinarily wet, or B, the car had recently been
22:58
thoroughly cleaned. To Andrew's family, this was not a mere water leak and appeared that the vehicle had been
23:04
through some sort of extreme condition before then being washed and returned to campus as if nothing had happened. And
23:10
for those of you who are thinking that maybe this theory is a stretch, get this. It turns out that on the night
23:16
Andrew disappeared, the surveillance camera looking down at the car park and his vehicle was either turned off or
23:21
disabled. And to make things even more suspicious, it turns out that someone came forward to say that they saw three
23:27
people cleaning a car which looked eerily similar to Andrew's vehicle on the very night he disappeared. So, let's
23:34
just paint the picture here. There is a car which is soaked in water. The driver has disappeared and ends up dead. The
23:40
surveillance camera looking down at the car is magically not working that night. And only a few hours later, there are
23:46
reports that three people cleaned it. Does this really sound like an accident or self-inflicted to you?
23:54
We can't begin to to to grieve. It's still so fresh and we don't want other
24:03
kids to go through this. In this developing story, Tammy Sadic is
24:08
fighting back tears as she talks about not having answers in her son's death.
24:13
Hi everyone, thanks for joining us. I'm Christine Stanwood. The Saddak family is bringing their own attorneys to the
24:19
fight and now they want the FBI to investigate. Their son, Andrew Saddak, was found dead in the Red River near
24:26
Breenidge nearly two years ago. He had been working as an informant for a regional drug task force. Today, the
24:33
family is asking the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to turn the investigation of Andrew's death over to
24:39
the Department of Justice. The Saddics continued to believe their son's death was a murder. Quite understandably,
24:46
Andrew's parents were furious with the system and the multiple entities which all contributed to their son's death.
24:53
North Dakota State College of Science had one clear policy. If students were ever caught violating drug or alcohol
24:59
rules, then their parents would be notified immediately. However, Andrew's parents say that they never received
25:05
such a phone call, not once, by the college or the police either. They had no idea their son had been caught, and
25:12
more importantly, they had no clue that he agreed to become a confidential informant for the police. There were no
25:19
warnings, no discussions, and no opportunity to intervene. Moving forward, many people did try and help
25:25
find the missing weapon. For example, in August of 2019, and while fishing on the
25:30
Red River, a woman did find an old firearm. To begin with, many did speculate that the gun might have been
25:36
Andrews. However, after using ultrasonic cleansers, it was revealed to not be
25:41
related. And then, a couple of years later in 2021, two YouTubers named
25:46
Brandon and Austin Kinsler would use a magnetic detector to try and search for evidence. But sadly, nothing was found
25:54
and the video has since been removed from YouTube. Today, we are down in an area we have never been to before and we
26:00
are joined by the victim's mother in this case. Hi. Um, I really appreciate
26:06
you guys coming down here. Uh, we suspect that the weapon that killed my
26:13
son is in the river here. Uh, the death is undetermined, but the the officers
26:19
believe it was a suicide. and I just want a little closure. Andrew's body was found with a backpack full of rocks that
26:26
was tied to him and he also suffered a gunshot wound to the head. So, with all
26:32
of that said, it's time to magnif. Let's get it. And here's the first
26:37
find. Sort of the background on why Andrew got into this mess was he was
26:42
arrested on campus with attempt to distribute marijuana. The cops convinced him to become a CI.
26:50
So, what are the possible theories behind Andrew's death? Well, as it turns out, there are a few. The official
26:56
narrative, or at least the one that law enforcement seems to stand by, is that Andrew unfortunately took his own life.
27:02
He was depressed, overwhelmed, and didn't want to work as a CI. And so, unfortunately, he claimed his own life.
27:09
As you know, their theory leans heavily on one specific detail. The 22 caliber handgun went missing from the family
27:16
home. And it turns out that Andrew's gunshot wound matched that caliber. So,
27:21
it appears that he used it on himself. But here's the thing, they never found the weapon. And by the way, let's not
27:27
forget that there are quite literally tens of millions of these firearms across the US. And so, is it just me
27:33
that thinks that linking a wound to a specific pistol without any evidence whatsoever is just an absolute reach?
27:40
The more compelling theory, and the one that many find harder to ignore, is that Andrew was actually murdered instead.
27:46
But even then, the how is still wide open. Some people believe that him operating as a snitch likely put a
27:52
target on his back because in this world, trust is currency. And if someone found out that Andrew was actually
27:57
working for the police, well, it's not hard to imagine that someone would maybe want revenge. In contrast, there are
28:03
some people that believe that maybe even the police were responsible for his death, but honestly, I think that's a
28:09
reach, too. Now, in my opinion, it is far more believable that the police were careless or maybe even negligent or
28:15
abusive. But to be outright malicious, I don't think
Andrews Law
28:20
so. To this day, Andrew's family remains convinced that their son did not take
28:25
his own life. And without a weapon, without a clear motive, and with so many pieces still missing, their doubts are
28:32
impossible to ignore. Because in the case of Andrew Sadek, the truth did not just disappear. It was buried
28:38
underwater, shadowed in silence, and swept away by the current. In the aftermath of Andrew's tragic and
28:45
mysterious death, his parents turned their pain into purpose. They did this by advocating for change, and eventually
28:52
they introduced what would become known as Andrew's Law. The law, which was passed in North Dakota in 2017, was
28:59
created to protect students like their son, someone who was young, vulnerable, impressionable, and unaware of the risks
29:06
that they were being asked to take. Under Andrew's law, law enforcement is now barred from using college students
29:12
as confidential informants in drug investigations without first notifying their parents, if, of course, the
29:18
student is under the age of 21. It also mandates that students fully understand the risks that are involved before
29:25
agreeing to help law enforcement. The law ensures that there are clear written agreements in place. And perhaps even
29:32
more importantly, it prohibits the police from using non-violent drug offenders as informants in felony level
29:38
investigations. The only way around this is that if they have strict safety protocols being followed. Andrew's
29:44
parents still believe that their son was pressured into cooperating with officers. And had he fully understood
29:50
the danger, or at least been informed, then things might have ended differently. As a result, they filed a
29:56
wrongful death lawsuit in 2016 against Richland County and Deputy Jason Weber.
30:02
They claimed that Jason Weber coerced their son into becoming a CI by threatening him with severe legal
30:08
consequences for minor marijuana sales and then failing to provide adequate supervision or protection during his
30:14
informant work. But unfortunately, in 2019, the district court dismissed this
30:20
lawsuit, stating that there was insufficient evidence to prove that law enforcement actions directly caused
30:25
Andrew's death. One year later, in 2020, the North Dakota Supreme Court upheld
30:30
this decision, agreeing that the case lacked the necessary evidence to proceed to trial. And although there has been
30:36
some progress in Sandrew's death, his parents remain unconvinced by the official ruling. Sadly, with law
30:43
enforcement unwilling to reopen the investigation, the Saddak family are now left with only their own efforts to find
30:50
closure. Tammy Saddak, the mom of Andrew Sadic, and as always, thanks so much for being here. My continued thoughts and
30:56
prayers go out to you and your family. Um, my question to you is, and I'm going to quote him here, uh, when they were
31:02
talking about using college students as confidential informants, Leslie Stall proposed to Jason Weber, hey, what are
31:08
we doing here exactly? And Jason Weber said, and I quote, "A drug dealer as a drug dealer, whether whether you sell a
31:14
big amount or a small amount, whether you do it once or hundred times." Personally for me, that was fairly
31:20
jarring. Your response to that was what? Oh, I just wanted to reach through the screen and grab him. It's It's
31:27
preposterous. It's it's possession of a small amount until you sell a joint to
31:34
your buddy, for instance, and then you become a dealer. It's It's not where the
31:40
drug dealer's standing on the corner with opening up his trench coat, you know, asking if you want to buy
31:46
something. That's that's what I would consider a drug dealer. If Andrew had told you that he was thinking of
31:53
becoming a confidential informant, what do you think your reaction would have been?
31:59
We'd have gotten him a lawyer and told him no. We've never heard of such a thing. you know, using college students
32:05
for snitches or whatever you want to call them, stool pigeons or I don't know what do you call them, you know. And that was
32:12
the story of Andrew Sadak, a quiet kid from North Dakota who got caught in something far bigger than himself. You
32:18
know, whether it was poor decisions, bad luck, or merely a system that entirely failed him, his story has left far more
32:25
questions than answers. Andrew was only 20 years old when he passed away. He
32:30
liked country music, loved his family, and helped out on the farm. The young man had no criminal record, and most
32:37
people who knew him described him as kind, soft-spoken, and respectful. Just a normal guy trying to figure things
32:44
out. And now all we are left with is a legacy wrapped in confusion, suspicion,
32:49
and a law named in his honor. Quite honestly, I have no idea
Conclusion
32:55
where I sit with this one. What I do know and believe is that the officer really screwed this case up with his
33:00
reckless and abusive behavior. And it seems that millions of others would agree. A lot of things just don't seem
33:06
to add up for me. For example, let's go back to the car. Why was it soaking wet?
33:11
And while I think about it, Andrew left the campus in different clothes to the ones that his body was found in. Does
33:18
that really sound like the behavior and actions of someone who's planning to take their own life? I mean, I've heard
33:23
of people removing their clothes before death, but not switching up their outfit. I think it's safe to say that
33:28
there are so many details to this story that simply make no sense whatsoever. But on that note, what do you think
33:35
happened to Andrew? For example, do you really think this was murder? And if yes, who buy? All right, I'm going to
33:41
stop this video here, but thank you so much for staying with me until the end. I really do appreciate it. Just very
33:46
quickly, but if you want to support me in the channel, then please feel free to go to my Patreon here, or alternatively go to my social media, most notably my
33:53
Instagram. Thanks again, folks, and I'll see you again very shortly for another video, likely in, I'd say, 5 or 6 days.
33:59
We'll see. Until that moment arrives, though, remember to look after yourselves, look after each other, and as always, stay safe. Thank you and
34:07
goodbye.