'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On November 21, 2000, Michelle Renee, a single mother and bank manager in Vista, California, was taken hostage along with her 7-year-old daughter Breea and a roommate. That night, three masked intruders entered their home, bound them with duct tape. They threatened to detonate what they claimed was dynamite strapped to their bodies.
Renee was instructed to carry out a robbery at her bank the next morning while the ringleader, later identified as Christopher Butler, remained hidden in her vehicle. The Kidnapping of Michelle and Breea Renee will air as an encore episode on 48 Hours this Saturday, May 24, 2025, at 10/9c on CBS and stream on Paramount+.
The episode revisits the investigation and trial, including how Renee helped identify Butler through a business card he had left during a visit to the bank. Though the dynamite was later confirmed to be fake, the psychological impact on the victim was significant. Michelle Renee’s account and the physical evidence played a central role in resolving the case.
Trending
A legendary series will air on TNT! More details HERE.
5 key details about the kidnapping of Breea and Michelle Renee ahead of 48 Hours explored
1) A calculated break-in led to a 14-hour hostage situation
In Vista, California, on November 21, 2000, bank manager Michelle Renee was at home with her daughter Breea and their roommate when the incident began. That evening, three masked men forcibly entered the house, restrained the occupants with duct tape, and held them hostage overnight.
According to a CBS News report dated May 20, 2025, the intruders had been surveilling Michelle for weeks and were aware of her position at the bank.
The ringleader, later identified as Christopher Butler, threatened her by stating:
"You're gonna rob the bank for us,... or you will die, your daughter will go first."
2) The perpetrators used fake dynamite as psychological leverage
As cited in The Independent report dated February 11, 2023, the following morning, the assailants strapped what appeared to be explosives to Michelle Renee, Breea, and their roommate. Renee was told the device could be detonated within a 10-mile radius. As she drove to the bank with Butler hiding in her car, she followed his instructions precisely, collecting $360,000 from the vault.
CBS 8 report dated December 19, 2024, notes Renee recalled thinking:
"You're driving, and you're seeing these people in the car next to you, just having a normal morning... I just want to scream for somebody to please help me."
After completing the heist, she returned home and discovered that her daughter and roommate were still alive. The bomb squad later confirmed the dynamite was fake, painted broomsticks wired to resemble explosives.
3) A forgotten business card cracked the case
As per a report by The Sun, published on February 11, 2023, a key breakthrough in the investigation came from Michelle Renee’s memory. Earlier, Butler had visited the bank posing as a client and left his business card, which Michelle Renee later recognized. Renee directed investigators to retrieve the card from her desk, which contained Butler’s real name.
Surveillance soon led authorities to Butler and his partner, Lisa Ramirez. A subsequent search uncovered ski masks, Renee’s credit cards, money straps from the bank, and fake explosives, with Butler's and Ramirez's fingerprints on them.
4) The trial cast suspicion on Michelle Renee
In 2002, Ramirez and Butler faced a joint trial. The physical evidence and the confessions of two other suspects, Christopher Huggins and Robert Ortiz, supported Michelle Renee’s account. However, the defense attempted to shift the blame. Ramirez's recorded confession was ruled inadmissible, and Butler accused Renee of masterminding the robbery.
As per CBS News, May 20, 2025, Renee said:
"I was treated like I was the criminal."
Although Butler claimed Renee was involved, no supporting evidence was presented. The jury convicted him of robbery and kidnapping Breea and her roommate. However, they could not reach a verdict on the charge related to Renee’s abduction. Ramirez was acquitted.
5) Butler later admitted Michelle Renee was not involved
Two decades later, in 2020, Christopher Butler appeared before a parole board and recanted his accusations against Renee. According to a CBS 8 report dated December 20, 2024, Butler acknowledged that he fabricated claims of a prior relationship and said:
"I am sorry to my victims, I am sorry to my victims' family."
Although Michelle Renee said she had forgiven him, she also stated:
"It's not about getting out, it's about getting it right."
His admission validated what Renee had maintained for years. The Kidnapping of Michelle and Breea Renee continues to be revisited as a significant case of coerced criminal activity under extreme duress.
Stay tuned for more updates.
