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Dick Hall, held captive by Tony Kiritsis for 63 hours in 1977, dead

His book's website announced the death saying, "Hall died in his sleep on May 20, 2022 following a brief illness."

INDIANAPOLIS — Dick Hall, the man held captive by Tony Kiritsis for 63 hours in 1977, has died. His book's website announced the death saying, "Hall died in his sleep on May 20, 2022 following a brief illness."

The hostage situation made national news and began Feb. 8, 1977 when Kiritsis went to visit Hall at his office. During the meeting, Kiritsis pulled a gun and then wired a shotgun to the head of Hall, a mortgage banker. Kiritsis then paraded Hall through downtown Indianapolis. Kiritsis had become convinced that Hall was trying to steal his property after Hall refused to give him any more time to pay his mortgage payments.

As they walked through the streets of Indianapolis, police and reporters surrounded them, but no one dared make a move. Officers didn't want to provoke Kiritsis.

Television stations were new to live technology in 1977. They struggled with whether broadcasting the unfolding events live was helping Hall stay alive or setting them up to carry a murder on live TV.

"If I stand up to him, I'm better off," Hall told 13News in 2017. "If I let him roll all over me, and become a whimpering guy, it may not be to my best interest."

RELATED: 40 years after Kiritsis held him hostage, captive tells his story

During the 63-hour ordeal, Hall said he listened more than he talked. Kiritsis had plenty to say, mostly angry ramblings about the mortgage company trying to steal his property.

A lawyer convinced Kiritsis that Hall had signed a document to pay him millions for mistreating him. Also, that Kiritsis would not be arrested or prosecuted for what he had done.

Eventually, Kiritsis released Hall and Kiritsis was arrested. 

"It's probably affected me more than I really imagine," Hall said in 2017. "But, I don't have a sense that I've had a lot of psychological impact from the whole affair."

Kiritsis was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Kiritsis died in 2005. 

Hall later co-authored a book about the experience title Kiritsis and Me: Enduring 63 hours at Gunpoint. His 2017 interview with 13News was among his first public comments about the events in 40 years.

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