With The Invisible Pilot, HBO has introduced true crime junkies to their latest stranger-than-fiction obsession. When a beloved dad ended his life, his family and community mourned the loss. But years after his disappearance, it was revealed that same dad was very much alive. In fact, he had faked his death and went on to become one of the biggest drug smugglers of the 1970s and ’80s.
That, in broad strokes, is the story of Gary Betzner. Looking for a Wikipedia page but coming up short? We have your back. Here is your quick guide to Gary Betzner’s faked death, his career as a smuggler, and where he is now.
Who Is Gary Betzner?
Long story short? Gary Betzner was a crop duster who faked his own death and became one of the biggest drug smugglers of his time. The man even worked with Pablo Escobar. Let us explain.
In 1970s Arkansas, Gary Betzner was a bit of a local celebrity. A crop duster, he was known in Hazen for his superb flying skills. He could clean his plane’s wheels by skimming the water, and out of his 11 plane crashes, he walked away from all without a scratch. But that changed in 1977 when Betzner allegedly jumped to his death.
Betzner’s suicide was a tragedy that deeply affected his family. He left behind three children: Polly, from a previous marriage, as well as Travis and Sara Lee from his second marriage. His wife at the time, Sally, was so upset by his death, she was committed to a psychiatric hospital. Yet it was all a lie, one that Sally knew about.
In reality, Betzner had faked his death. Years ago while working in Alaska, he developed gout, a diagnosis that led to him turning to cocaine for treatment. One thing led to another and using coke transitioned into smuggling coke. After being busted by the DEA down in Miami, Betzner faced up to 20 years in prison. That’s when the suicide plan was born.
But while he was on the lam, Betzner didn’t put his life of crime aside. If anything, he doubled down on it — twice. He moved to Hawaii under the name of Lucas Noel Harmony and started selling drugs before he was busted again. That second bust led to him meeting George Morales, a drug smuggler who stands as one of the central subjects of Netflix’s Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami. It was Morales who introduced Betzner to Escobar and the Medellín cartel. The way Betzner tells it, he and Escobar actually became fairly close friends.
By the way, coke wasn’t the only questionable substance Betzner smuggled. At one point, he transported military equipment for the Contras through his Morales connection. Funded by the U.S. and backed by right-wing rebel groups, the Contras opposed Marxist Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction Government in Nicaragua. After making those drops, Betzner would then pick up cocaine that was being sent to the United States. Twice, he hauled M-16 rifles, mines, and C-4 explosives and brought back roughly 1,100 pounds of cocaine.
Altogether, Betzner had a good run. But it didn’t last forever.
Where Is Gary Betzner Now?
Betzner was eventually busted for his drug smuggling in 1984. He claimed that the CIA promised he immunity from jail time. When that didn’t happen and Betzner was instead given a 27-year prison sentence, he turned on them. He testified about a false flag mission and many other instances of government known drug smuggling. He even made these claims publicly in a Senate Committee hearing that took place in 1988. Naturally, these confessions didn’t endear him to Escobar.
So what happened? Betzner ultimately served his full prison sentence without harm from the cartel. He was released in 2011. Now, he lives with his third wife and other than his interviews in The Invisible Pilot, Betzner has kept out of the public eye.
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