Shivangi Sinha
ID’s ‘The Many Lives of Benjaman Kyle’ is an investigative series exploring the life of a man who claimed to have amnesia and no recollection of his identity. He was discovered in Richmond Hill, Georgia, in 2004, and by 2015, he had been identified as William Burgess Powell. The producers, Eric and Shannon Evangelista, followed him to Indiana in an effort to help him reconnect with fragments of his past. During this investigation, they came across Charles “Chico” Goetz and George Thomas Keck, two men who had known Powell in the 1970s. However, both individuals also appeared to carry their own secrets, and while they were able to provide some answers, many aspects of their accounts left lingering questions about what they truly knew regarding Powell’s past.
Charles “Chico” Goetz and George Thomas Keck Were Believed to be William Powell’s Friends
When the producers of the docuseries reached Colorado, they discovered that William Burgess Powell had arrived there in 1977 from Lafayette, Indiana. Tracing his movements, they found that he was last seen that year in the town alongside Charles “Chico” Goetz. In the missing persons report that had been filed, Goetz was listed as his co-worker at a movie theater, and records suggested that both men left the town together. According to reports from that time, they had allegedly changed their license plates before leaving. When the producers eventually spoke to Goetz and later brought him face-to-face with Powell, the encounter was noticeably uncomfortable and tense.
Goetz claimed that he had not seen Powell since 1977 and said that he had stayed with him for about a month in Boulder, Colorado, before eventually returning to Indiana on his own. He also stated that he had no recollection of changing any license plates and maintained that they had simply left on a whim. The docuseries also featured George Thomas Keck, who worked with Powell as a janitor at Purdue University around 1977. This was during the same period when student Kristine Kozik disappeared in May 1977, and her remains were found days later. Keck was considered a suspect in the case, but due to a lack of evidence, no charges were ever filed against him or anyone else. Keck later spoke with Shannon Evangelista about the Kozik case but denied any involvement. Shannon subsequently passed her findings to the police department and even collected his DNA covertly, which was also submitted for review.
Charles “Chico” Goetz Has Distanced Himself From the Allegations and George Thomas Keck Passed Away in His Trailer
In the docuseries, Charles Goetz eventually refused to continue speaking with the producers, stating that he feared Powell and no longer wanted to be involved in the investigation. He is believed to be living in Missouri and maintaining a very low profile. George Thomas Keck was one of the primary suspects in the Kristine Kozik case, although no conclusive evidence was ever found against him. His statement, “I knew she was killed accidentally because I was told straight from the horse’s mouth,” generated significant interest, but it ultimately did not result in any charges being filed.
After his DNA was submitted to authorities, several cold cases were reportedly reviewed in connection with the investigation. He was also considered a potential suspect in other cases, including those of Linda Ferry and Jennifer Smith, though he was never formally linked to them. The 1978 case of Tracy Waked was also revisited in this broader context. Keck had been married since 1981 and had four children. His two sons, William “Billy” Keck and David Johnson, and two daughters, April Keck and Charlotte Atwell, were his whole life. On July 4, 2020, at the age of 70, Keck passed away in his trailer in Lafayette, Indiana. He was never charged or convicted in any case.
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