He Forgot He Was a Wanted Man

by Brad Williams

Brad is the Pastor of New Covenant Baptist in Albertville, AL. This is from his latest newsletter. Enjoy!!


I want to tell you the true story of a man named Victor Houston. His real name is actually Frank Dryman. In 1951, Frank, freshly bounced out of the Navy for mental issues, car-jacked an unfortunate café owner named Clarence Pellet. Frank ordered Clarence to get out of the car, then shot him in the back six times as he attempted to comply. Frank Dryman murdered Clarence Pellet.



Frank narrowly avoided the death penalty for his crime, and he wound up getting parole after spending just shy of twenty years behind bars. But Frank did not like checking in with his parole officer, so he skipped town and settled in Arizona. That’s where he remained for forty years. He got married. He had children. He built himself a life. He was, apparently, a good citizen of his local community. Frank forgot that he was a wanted man. Frank forgot that he was a murderer. He even applied for his Navy benefits from the VA. He tried to become a new man named Victor Houston, and he believed that this would be enough to cleanse him of his guilt.



Almost sixty years after Frank killed Clarence, Clarence’s grandson tracked him down and ruined Frank’s illusion. Frank was promptly arrested and put back into prison, and he will most likely die there. The court was not impressed that Frank had lived a good life after skipping bail. He was a parole violator and murderer to them, and now he will spend what little time he has left on earth behind bars.



Frank says that he forgot that he was a wanted man. He said, “I never thought I was a parole violator. I was Victor Houston. I never looked over my shoulder, I just forgot about it…to be honest, I didn't even remember the victim's name.” But Clarence’s family did not forgot. More than a dozen members of the family showed up for his parole hearing to testify of the carnage Frank caused by killing Clarence Pellet.



There is a parable here for us, a parable of the danger of forgetting our guilt before God for our very real, very terrible crimes against His Majesty. Men, convinced that they can make up for wickedness by good works, are displeased that God would hold them to account for sins committed in the past, sins the sinner himself may not even remember. Frank said this of Clarence’s grandson’s quest to see him put back behind bars, “I think it was so wrong he spent so much money getting me here. I feel it is unfair.” Does that sound like a man aware of the heinousness of his crimes?



It is the natural inclination of the sinful heart to downplay the seriousness of its sin. It is our tendency to forget that we are guilty sinners, and except for grace, we would be undone. May the Lord reveal to us how sinful we are that we may own up to our guilt and receive the forgiveness He offers.